THE TROT. 41 



must again raise the horse's head, ease the 

 bridle-hand, and close both legs on him to send 

 him forward, regulating the pace with the bridle- 

 hand to a steady trot. When the rider has 

 practised this for some time with success, 

 keeping his elbows down, heels down, and 

 " body back," and sitting full upon his seat 

 in the saddle, first without and then with 

 stirrups, he will naturally discover the very 

 easy method of relieving himself from the 

 jolting of the trot, by what is usually termed 

 " easing in the saddle," which the rider must 

 acquire by raising himself in the saddle on the 

 inner part of the thighs (not from the stirrups), 

 alternately to the stepping of the horse, his 

 own legs and feet remaining steady in the 

 proper position. But if the rider in a trot 

 raises himself in the stirrups, he is lifted from 

 the saddle, loses his firmness and seat, and 

 becomes dependent on the strength of the 

 stirrups and his own precarious balance in them, 

 which any unexpected alteration in the horse's 

 progress may overset. [See Appendix, B.] 

 Cantering is the first degree of Galloping, 

 E 3 



