102 THE HORSE OWNER's 



as the trot lasts. In this way the horse absolutely carries 

 no weight at all during half his time, and the action and 

 re-action are of such a nature that the trot is accelerated 

 rather than retarded by the weight. No horse can trot 

 above twelve or thirteen miles an hour without this rising, 

 though he may run or pace in the American style, so that 

 it is not only to save the rider's bones but also to ease the 

 horse, that this practice has been introduced, and has held 

 its ground in spite of the want of military sanction. It is 

 here as with the seat, utility is sacrificed to appearances ; 

 and whenever the long and weak seat of the barrack-yard 

 supplants the firm seat of the civilian, I shall expect to 

 see the rising in the trot abandoned, but certainly not till 

 then. 



In the trot, the foot should bear strongly on the stirrup, 

 with the heel well down and the ball of the foot pressing 

 on the foot-piece of the stirrup so that the elasticity of the 

 ankle takes off the jar, and prevents the double rise, which 

 in some rough horses is very apt to be produced. The 

 knees should always be maintained exactly in the same 

 place, without that shifting motion which is so common 

 with bad riders, and the legs should be held perpendicu- 

 larly from the knee downwards, the chest well forward, the 

 waist in and the rise nearly upright, but slightly forward, 

 and as easily as can be etfected, without effort on the part 

 of the rider, and rather restrainino^ than aidinof to the 

 throw of the horse. The military style, without rising, is 

 eifected by leaving the body as much as possible to find its 

 own level. The knees should not cling to the saddle, the 

 foot should not press forcibly on the stirrup, and the hand 

 should not bear upon the bridle. By attending to these 

 negative directions the rider has only to lean very slight- 



