GRACEFUL RIDING. 53 



RULES FOR GAINING THE CORRECT POSITION 

 IN THE SADDLE. 



Before a lady mounts she must endeavour to 

 carry in her mind's eye the centre of her saddle. 

 On this centre she must, as nearly as possible, place 

 herself ; and to assist her memory, she should take 

 it for a rule, to keep her eyes in a straight line 

 between the horse's ears when lifted into it. By 

 these means, after a little practice, she will not fail 

 to drop almost insensibly into the correct position ; 

 the weight of her body being thrown full into the 

 centre of the saddle, rendering her seat firm and 

 easy to her horse and herself. For example: — 

 should we place a weight on one side of a table, the 

 other side having nothing on it as a balance^ if it 

 does not actually fall, it will become extremely 

 insecure and unsteady ; but, on the contrary, if the 

 weight be placed in the centre, the table will be 

 safe and steady, even if ricketty before ; therefore, 

 if the lady does not sit '' square "" (that is, quite in 

 the centre) on her horse, she must inevitably throw 

 all her weight to one side, and thereby destroy her 

 power over the horse, and instead of giving him his 

 correct action, render him unsafe, and shambling in 

 his gait. 



