38 HORSE-BACK RIDING. 



ercised regularly and moderately, increases in volume 

 and in strength. At the same time, while gaining in 

 size it improves in quality. The fibre has more tone, 

 is more elastic, more patient, and more precise in its 

 action. All these qualities are developed to their 

 highest degree by horse-back riding. This is an in- 

 contestable fact which we may see proved every day 

 by riders, who cause their horses to execute the most 

 complicated movements often impossible to demon- 

 strate ; when we see them attain, by force of habit, 

 the power of continuing for long hours exercises 

 which they could not endure for a tenth part of the 

 time when first beginning the practice, and see them, 

 though frail and delicate in appearance, endowed with 

 the most surprising muscular energy. 



Horse-back riding does not indeed develop such 

 athletic forms as result from some gymnastic exer- 

 cises. It brings a great number of muscles into 

 action, sometimes simultaneously, sometimes succes- 

 sively ; it does not require great power in action, but, 

 continued and often repeated, increasing according to 

 its needs. It would be useless to produce large and 

 powerful muscles were they not resistant and patient. 

 Here the muscular fibre trains itself rather than grows. 



Let us observe here, that the muscles which act 

 directly in horse-back riding are not the only ones to 

 participate in the advantages resulting from it. In 

 those which act antagonistically the same tonicity is 

 perceived ; they acquire springs as it were. 



