THE EQUESTRIAN ART. 2§l 



horfe named Baronet, once the property of his 

 Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales. 



The decline of Ridingr-houfe forms in this 

 country, and the univerfal preference given to 

 expedition, fully confirm, the fuperior ufe and 

 propriety of a jockey-feat. Indeed, our riding- 

 fchools are now confiderably reformed from 

 the ftiffnefs of ancient practice, in all refpecls ; 

 but the reader, on a reference to Hughes's 

 publication, will find we do not entirely agree. 

 It was the practice formerly in the fchools, 

 and, indeed, pretty generally upon the road, 

 to ride with the tip of the toe only in the 

 flirrup ; as if it were of more confequence to 

 prepare for falling with fafety, than to endea- 

 vour to fit fecurely. Thofe who preferve a 

 partiality for this venerable cuftom, I would 

 advife to fufpend a final judgment, until they 

 have made a few more efTays upon a huge, 

 cock-tail half-bred ; of that kind, I mean, which 

 " cannot go, and yet won't (land dill ; 3S and 

 will dart from one fide of the road to the other, 

 as if they really defired to get rid of their bur- 

 den. Nor is the ball of the foot a proper reft ; 

 chiefly, becaufe inconvenient to that, erect, or 

 rather almofl kneeling poiture, which is re- 

 quired in fpeedy riding. The riding-houfe feat 

 is preferved, by the balance or equipoife of the 

 body, folely ; that recommended here, by the 

 firm hold of knee, which is obvioufly flrength- 

 ened by the oppofite dire6tions of the knee 

 and toe, the one in, the other outward. The 

 ufe of a fixed feat is to enable the rider to 

 give his horfe the proper pulls, without which 



every 



