202 THE SEAT. 



of the knees be loosened ; but that it will be increased by 

 pressing on the stirrup irons with the inner edge of the boots, 

 the effect of which pressure will tend to carry the feet a little 

 outwards (Fig. 185). 



The feet, except when touching the horse, should be kept 

 steady, and should not be allowed to work backwards and 

 forwards ; because they should be ready at any moment to be 

 applied with precision to the animal's sides and should be 

 kept close to the girths. The shoulders should be kept 

 square to the front and " down " ; and the head and body 

 more or less erect, but without any hollowing of the back or 

 other approach to stiffness in the attitude. The rider will 

 then be in the best position to conform to the movements of 

 his mount, and to see where he and his horse are going, and 

 will be in a comparatively difficult one from which to be 

 dislodged. The muscles of the hands, arms and shoulders, 

 should be free from all stiffness, except when the animal is 

 pulling hard, and the elbows should work close to the sides. 

 The act of sticking out the elbows is not only ungraceful, 

 and looks most unworkmanlike, but it also causes the arms 

 to work at a mechanical disadvantage, and obliges the rider 

 to " round " his shoulders, the doing of which will interfere 

 with the free play of the body. 



A rider should pay particular attention to the distribution 

 of his weight, with the object of favouring the movements of 

 the horse, in attempting to do which, the body should be free 

 to bend forward, to the rear, or to either side ; although the 

 position of the thighs and knees should remain unchanged. 

 As a great rule, too large a proportion of the rider's weight 

 is put on the animal's fore-hand ; consequently, the rider 

 should generally lean somewhat back when going down 

 hill or over fences ; but when riding over heavy ground or 

 ridge and furrow our best Leicestershire horsemen lean for- 

 ward, and hold their horses well together. Besides, we 



