THE BAUB AND THE BRIDLE. 7i> 



avoid resisting the action of the horse in his canter, but to endeavour, 

 on the other hand, to accompany him in his short stride. This is ta 

 be done by simply keeping both heels well down, the hands back, 

 the waist bent slightly forward and perfectly supple, and avoiding 

 too strong a grasp with the right leg upon the upper crutches of the 

 saddle. The figure from the waist upwards, however, should be- 

 perfectly erect, leaning neither backwards nor forwards, either posi- 

 tion being both unsafe and ungainly. 



Nothing is more common than to see a lady sitting with the upper 

 part of her figure bent forward in a canter, and, if not overdone, the 

 effect is by no means ungraceful to the eye of a looker-on. But it is 

 a habit likely to increase in degree, and unsafe in any case, because^ 

 it is opposed to the principle of true balance. 



With the shoulders well back, the body, neck, and head upright, 

 the waist slightly bent forward, the hands well back, and acting by 

 an easy play of the upper arm at the shoulder joint — sitting, in fact, 

 with freedom in the saddle — the action of the horse at a collected 

 pace will give the rider a slightly cjUdhig motion from the cantle- 

 towards the pummels, and gradually she will thus acquire the habit 

 of suppling herself on her horse ; ready, however, at any moment 

 "to seize her seat " (to use the expression of old Sam Chifney) by 

 muscular grip if the horse flirts or plunges, which, however, it is 

 difficult for him to do when going well within himself and up to his 

 bridle. 



The left leg at a canter should not be drawn back, as in trotting,, 

 but kept close to the horse's side, with the heel down, and the foot 

 as nearly as possible under the knee. Of course, the above-described 

 easy deportment in the saddle is not to be acquired in a single 

 lesson ; it requires considerable practice and close watching by both, 

 master and pupil. Once learnt, however,- the lady has gained another 

 important step in her equitation. 



The length of time requisite to insure complete souplesse at this 

 point is dependent upon several circumstances, over which the master 

 has only a moderate amount of control. 



The figure of the pupil is an important point in the matter. If 

 she is naturally lithe and has been well suppled on foot, the task 



