THE-:- HORSE 



If a fast-moving horse stops suddenly, bal- 

 ance is best maintained by either a knee grip, 

 with the stirrups held slightly backward by the 

 legs and the weight thrown forward, or by the 

 rider's body being held well backward on the 

 back of the horse and the stirrups held forward 

 by the legs, at the same time receiving the 

 pressure of the rider's weight which would 

 necessarily prevent his body coming forward 

 when the horse stops. 



In lateral balance, if the rider's weight is 

 overbalanced to the near side of the horse, pres- 

 sure is put against the left stirrup, which has 

 a tendency to push the rider's body toward the 

 point of balance, and the pressure of the right 

 leg, which is in a forked position with the knee 

 as apex, is brought to bear upon the off side of 

 the horse's body, which has the tendency to 

 pull the rider back in place, in which way his 

 balance is maintained. Losing his balance to- 

 ward the right side, it would naturally follow 

 that the above principles would apply, merely 

 substituting right for left. 



In difficult or unexpected moments, an aid 

 to balance may be had by placing pressure 

 against the horse's neck with the hand or 

 hands. 



Rough riding on a ranch is one of the quick- 

 est ways of learning balance. The discomfort 

 occasioned by falling from a half-broken mus- 

 tang is a big incentive to the rider to let his 



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