220 CATECHISM. 



thousand from any riding or military school ; natural equestrians 

 -can only be made from the children who play at riding as they 

 play at leapfrog. 



518. — When quite happy at a walk, try a gentle jig-jog. 

 Never mind where the legs, or arms, or head, or shoulders go at 

 first. Don't trot much nor ride far, but let the skin be hardened 

 by a little riding very often. There is no hurry ; you have not 

 undertaken to finish off your pupils in six lessons. 



519. — You will soon find yourself put through a catechism, 

 and that will be your time to get the shoulders, and head, and 

 legs, and arms right. It will not be long before you will be 

 -asked — 



*' Who do you think, father, is the best rider we know !" 



" I think Mr. French is." 



" Is he ! I never saw him ride very fast." 



"Good riders do not often ride as if tiiey were racing." 



" Then why is he such a good rider." 



" He always looks so easy at it, and his horse looks quite 

 happy under him. His arms are still, and his elbows not far 

 from his sides. His legs are still and close to the horse, and he 

 never sticks out his toes, or his heels, and nothing ever moves 

 him far off his seat, or far from the middle of the saddle. His 

 horse always does what he wants him to do, without any fuss, 

 although he uses the reins so lightly, and keeps his hands so low, 

 and so near to his body, that you cannot see that he is using 

 them at all. I think that his stirrups are a little too long, and 

 his feet not quite far enough in the stirrup irons for a safe, useful, 

 rough rider ; but he is a pattern of graceful, easy, faultless 

 riding." 



520. — " But is not Tom, the butcher boy, a good rider, 

 father ?" 



" He can stick on to a horse, but he is not a good rider. 

 You see his shoulders up to his ears. He leans forward as if he 

 wanted to go faster than his horse. His elbows stick out, and 

 flap up and down, like the wings of a sick goose would do on 

 horse back. His toes are turned out, and his heels are threatening 

 the horse all the time. He keeps one rein tighter than the other, 



