Manual op Equitation and Horse Training 19 



the positions are deranged, he must retake the walk, re- 

 place the riders, and start off again. Whence conies the 

 necessity, at the beginning, for short and frequent periods 

 at the trot? Thus, good positions will be acquired. 



Fixity on horseback is the absence of all involuntary or 

 useless movement and the reduction to strict necessity of 

 those that are indispensable. It is the opposite of bounc- 

 ing. It permits the aids to act with precision and exacti- 

 tude, and in conseqence it leads to calmness in the horse 

 and contributes to his lightness. 



It must be understood that regularitj^ in the position is 

 subordinate to union with the horse. To be with his horse 

 is the first quality in the rider. To be well placed generally 

 leads to being with the horse; there are, however, some 

 conformations which would only lose by being forced into 

 position. 



A good position of the rider depends above all on the 

 manner in which his eyes, hands, buttocks, and knees are 

 placed. 



(a) The fact of having his eyes alert and sweeping the 

 horizon wall lead to the rider's holding his head up, keep- 

 ing his chest square, and sitting down in the saddle. Fur- 

 ther, from the beginning, the men learn the habit of observ- 

 ing what goes on around them. 



(6) If the hands are well placed, separated as they 

 should be, the nails face each other, the elbow^s come 

 against the body naturally; in consequence, the shoulders 

 fall back, the chest is free, and the head is easily raised. 

 On the other hand, if the nails are down, the elbows fly out, 

 the shoulders come forward, and close on the chest; the 

 head follows the movement of the shoulders, the eyes are 

 lowered, while the buttocks tend to slide to the rear. 



(c) The seat results from the position of the buttocks. 

 They should be as far forward as possible without leading 

 to an exaggerated sinking of the spinal column. 



(d) If the knees are well turned inward the muscles 

 of the leg are placed under the femur and the flat part of 

 the thigh bears naturally. The position of the knee con- 

 trols that of the foot, which hangs normally. 



Suppling exercises .—It may be seen from the above 

 that the suppling exercises play an important part in the 

 instruction of the rider; but their use demands tact. Used 

 by some instructors, without order or method, they give 



