SADDLE HORSES 157 



stirrups ; but the young man who is ambitious to become 

 a good rider will not mind that. 



As to the saddle itself, let it be as simple and light 

 as possible. For ordinary purposes a man should dis- 

 dain the protection and support of what is known as a 

 Mexican saddle, and should use the plain English 

 saddle, with or without flaps, and with no housing on 

 the stirrups. The stirrup leathers should be so at- 

 tached that they will pull out of the saddle in case the 

 rider is thrown. An important question is this : Should 

 the ball of the foot only, or the foot itself, as far as 

 the instep, be thrust into the stirrup? The latter 

 method certainly gives you a firmer seat in the saddle, 

 and more control of your horse. Hunting men and 

 jockeys always ride in that way. But for ordinary 

 riding, and especially for riding long distances, the ball 

 of the foot only should rest in the stirrup. That posi- 

 tion is less fatiguing than the other because it gives 

 the leg an additional leverage of three or four inches, 

 so that the strain upon the muscles of the calf is very 

 much less. Cavalrymen and herdsmen always adopt 

 this position. But every rider should, of course, be 

 equally at home with both positions of the foot. 



Something of the same sort might be said about the 

 difference between rising in the saddle at the trot, 

 technically called "posting," and sitting close to the 

 saddle. Posting is much easier for the man, and far 

 less fatiguing both for him and for the horse; but 

 every rider should be able to sit close, and at a slow 

 trot, say five or six miles an hour, he will look better 

 in that position. Still, even at that rate of speed, the 



