20 SEVERE SPURRING 



substitute for a saddle at the withers, and turning fully 

 half-wa}^ to the right and looking backward, gives a swing- 

 ing cut with his sword to the rear, covering as big an arc 

 of the circle as the best swordsman who ever sat in a sad- 

 dle-tree. The statue is full of life, and natural to a degree. 

 If not Lysippus' work, it is that of a consummate artist. 

 The position shows great freedom of movement on the 

 horse, and a seat strong and elastic. That the Macedo- 

 nians kept their heels well away from the horse's flanks, 

 or rather that they did not rely on their heels to cling to 

 him, is shown by their commonly wearing spurs, a thing 

 the Indian is wont to avoid ; and the same habit shows 

 clearly in this piece of art. 



And yet this does not prove much, perhaps. Our hunt- 

 ing-men wear spurs, and are supposed to keep them for 

 the proper moment ; still, whenever one chances to be 

 photographed leaping an obstacle, even if only two feet 

 high, you may see him with a good part of his glue resi- 

 dent in his heels. " Cruelty to animals !" you exclaim. 

 Yes, but in the excitement of the moment the horse, 

 brave, generous beast, has scarcely noticed the pain. So 

 closely does the horse partake of the rider's enthusiasm 

 and purpose that the high -school horse, in the airs re- 

 quiring great vigor, will calmly receive a severe applica- 

 tion of the spur as an indication of the thing he is ex- 

 pected to do, and this without the least resentment. 



AVhen riding merely and not lighting, the Greek sat on 

 his breech in a natural position, took a firm hold with his 

 thighs, but let his legs from the knee down hang free. 

 His attitude, as shown in the Panathenaic procession on 

 the frieze of the Parthenon, was singularly graceful in 

 style ; and that it was the common one is to be seen from 

 Xenophon's rules for keeping the seat. He managed the 

 reins with light and easy hands. The Indian, on the con- 



