96 THE HORSE OWNER's 



foot. The reason of this is that, in leaping, the pressure 

 on the stirrup is ahnost lost, and if the toe only is placed 

 within it, the foot is constantly coming out. Besides this, 

 in the gallop, the attitude is of that nature that the spring 

 of the instep is not wanted, the weight being too much 

 thrown upon the foot, if standing in the stirrups; and if 

 sitting down in the saddle, the feet should scarcely press 

 upon the stirrups at all, and, therefore, the best place for 

 them is where they will be most secure. The body should 

 not be held stifly upright, but, short of this, it can scarce- 

 ly be too still, the loins being slightly arched forward. 

 The legs also should be as motionless as possible, and 

 nearly perpendicular from the knee downwards; but if 

 any thing a little forward, the heel being well depressed, 

 and the toe very slightly turned outward. The shoulder 

 should always be square — that is, at right angles to the 

 road taken ; and whether trotting or galloping, neither of 

 them should be advanced before the other. The reins are 

 to be taken up as soon as the seat is settled, and, during 

 that operation, with a young horseman, the horse should 

 be held quiet by the groom, who stands on the off side with 

 both the snaffle reins in his right hand ; or. if the horse is 

 very fidgety, he may stand in front of him, with a snaifle- 

 rein in each hand ; and this almost always keeps quiet any 

 but a thoroughly vicious horse. 



The groom should also hold the right stirrup for the 

 rider to place his foot in. In gathering the reins up, they 

 are first raised by the right hand, and then placed in the 

 left. The single rein is held by placing all but the fore- 

 finoer between the reins, and then turnins^ them over that 

 finger toward the off side, they are held firmly between it 

 and the thumb. By this mode the hand has only to be 



