THE TROT. 203 



but without pressing up against it enough to 

 interfere with the rising motion, or just so close, 

 that in pressing upon the stirrup and straight- 

 ening her knee she can rise about four inches 

 from the saddle ; the distance between the up- 

 per surface of the knee and the under surface 

 of the pommel will then be about one and a 

 half, or two inches. If, in the rise, she does 

 not find herself embarrassed by the third pom- 

 mel, she may know that the stirrup-leather is 

 of the correct length for this trot. The more 

 rapid and regular the trot, the easier and shorter 

 will be the rise, and the less noticeable the 

 movements of the rider, because, when trotting 

 fast, the rise will be effected with but very little 

 effort on her part, and will be almost entirely 

 due to the rapid action of the horse. To rise 

 when trotting slowly, will be neither easy nor 

 pleasant for the rider, and in this gait she will 

 not appear to much advantage. 



In the French or cavalry trot, the body 

 should be inclined a little backward, being kept 

 as firm as possible but without stiffness, while 

 at the same time the rider should sit as closely 

 to the saddle as she can, with the left knee di- 

 rectly under the third pommel, not using force 

 to press up against it, but simply holding it 

 there to sustain the limb and to assist in keep- 



