64 Modern Riding and Horse Education 



usually the case, a little boy rides entirely by balance 

 and by the help of the reins for months and even 

 years after his first riding lesson. 



My successor at the Riding Establishment, Major 

 the Hon. W. D. Sclater Booth, R.H.A., has im- 

 proved and enlarged upon the idea of the dummiy 

 horse (Plates XI and XII), by mounting it on 

 rockers and converting it into a full-sized child's 

 " rocking-horse," for the purpose of teaching the ele- 

 ments of fore-and-aft balance, and the movements of 

 the shoulders, elbows, and wrists in jumping. The 

 horse's throat works on a hinge and is connected 

 with the nose by pulleys and weights, so that when 

 the dummy is in motion the action of the bending 

 and stretching of a horse's neck is represented. The 

 pulley and weights are not shown in the illustration. 



This elaboration of the dummy horse permits of 

 exercises which have more life and movement, and 

 relieves the tyro of all fear of monotony. In addi- 

 tion to the exercises already given, for which the 

 horse should be fixed, the following may be prac- 

 tised : — 



I. An instructor rocking the horse, the pupil 

 swings his body backwards and forwards. 



