140 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. 



saddle has been more generally used. The ob- 

 jection to too long a stirrujD-leather is that, 

 "vvhen the foot is pressed upon it, the leg at the 

 same time is straightened, and extends down so 

 far as to cause the rider to sit too much to the 

 left of the saddle. As the pressure and weight 

 are thus thrown wdiolly upon the left side, the 

 saddle is very likely to turn, and if this faulty 

 position be persisted in, it will be certain to in- 

 jure the horse's back and may give rise to fis- 

 tulous withers. 



Besides looking very awkw^ard and inelegant, 

 when stooping forward in the saddle and round- 

 ino; the back without the sliijrhtest curve in- 

 wardly, the rider Avill also run great risk, if her 

 horse stumbles or makes any sudden movement, 

 of being unseated, or at least thrown violently 

 against the front of the saddle, as it is almost 

 impossible for her, under such circumstances, 

 to adapt herself to the change in his motion 

 quickly enough to preserve her equilibrium. In 

 all violent movements of the horse, except rear- 

 ing, the body must be inclined backward, so as 

 to keep the balance. When he is moving briskly 

 in his ordinary gaits, the body must be kept 

 erect ; and when he is turning a corner rapidly, 

 it should be inclined backward somewhat, and 

 toward the inner bend of the horse's body ; or, 



