THE-:- HORSE 



and the horse leapt into the air with one 

 terrific buck. The soldier held firmly to the 

 horn of the saddle, but the rest of his body 

 continued upward until he had assumed the 

 position of standing on his head above the 

 horn of the saddle. As the horse rose from 

 the ground a second time the officer's body 

 toppled and meeting the neck of the horse 

 with his own back, his hands were pried loose 

 and he was left in a heap on the ground ; which 

 helps to prove that grip, no matter how firmly 

 taken, can be an entirely minus quantity un- 

 less it is had in conjunction with a proper 

 balance 



Seat. — A seat, when spoken o£ in regard to 

 a mounted person, is an expression of a rather 

 intangible character. A good seat, however, 

 is a matter of fundamental importance in 

 horsemanship. To a rider, a seat kept or lost 

 is as important as a battle won or lost to 

 a general. 



Innumerable positions can be assumed upon 

 the back of a horse, but these positions all de- 

 pend upon the correct appliance o£ the prin- 

 ciples of balance and grip, founded upon an in- 

 telligent knowledge and anticipation of the 

 movements of a horse. 



A seat when partially lost is difficult to re- 

 gain. It is easier to keep a perfect seat all the 

 time than to lose one's balance and regain it 

 later. The personal equation enters largely 



24 



