Seats 43 



is adopted — in fact, jockeys have been known to 

 miss their mounts altogether ; as far as the horse is 

 concerned, his forelegs would tire and eventually 

 wear out if he habitually carried too much weight 

 on them. It is certain that the American seat will 

 never be adopted for all-round riding. 



As Mr. Jorrocks said, the seat a man finds easiest 

 to himself " will in all humane probability be the 

 easiest to his 'oss." 



The loosely-named hunting seat is certainly the 

 one for all-round work; whatever power of pro- 

 pulsion the horse loses from having to carry the 

 weight farther back is amply compensated for by 

 the pain and fatigue he escapes when ridden over 

 fences, or with his rider bumping to the trot along 

 a hard road in the straight-legged seat. 



No fixed rule can be laid down as to the correct 

 height of a man's knee in the hunting seat; every- 

 thing depends upon his make and shape. The fat- 

 thighed man must naturally ride shorter than he 

 who is built for the saddle, but if the stirrups are 

 too short, balance is sacrificed; on the other hand, 

 if the leg is too straight the inside of the knee and 

 thigh becomes round, which makes gripping mor^ 



