272 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



might inadvertently give the signal and be caused 

 considerable inconvenience. We remember Mr. 

 Newton Dogvane's unpleasant adventure with 

 the circus horse. On this point Count Cesaresco 

 is very sound. '' Horses meant for ordinary 

 use," says he, '' ought never to be taught tricks 

 as it only spoils them, and this is particularly 

 true of what is called the Spanish Walk and 

 the School jumps." 



The school theory of seat is a sound one; it 

 is for the rider to sit on that part of the horse's 

 back where there is least motion. Sit forward 

 lean back, and draw the legs well back with the 

 heels down is the correct seat.^ School theory 

 about horses' mouths is equally sensible. It 

 is not suggested, as I have heard it suggested 

 elsewhere, "that all horses have good mouths 

 till the sensibility of touch has been destroyed 

 by bad handhng. But it is maintained that 

 all horses can be made light in hand by perfect 

 balance combined with the suppling of neck 

 and shoulders, and quarters. It is contended 

 that by training a horse to know and obey certain 

 aids he puts himself into such a collected position 

 that his rider is absolutely master at the least 

 possible expenditure of force and trouble. In 

 other words he is always, in his dealings wdth 

 his horse, working on the lines of least re- 

 sistance. 



In using the legs as aids Mr. Savigear justly 



1 If a man sticks his feet out in front of him and leans back there 

 is only one fate for him ; one too obvious to need emphasising here. 



