20 NEW METHOD OF HORSEMANSHIP. 



or stiffen. The lesson will commence with the chest. 

 The instructor will make use of the flexions 

 of the loins, which expand the chest, to straighten the 

 upper part of the pupil's body ; he whose loins are slack 

 will be made to hold himself in this position for some 

 time, without regard to the stiffness which this will 

 bring along with it the first few times. It is by the exer- 

 tion of force that the pupil will become supple, and not 

 by the abandon so much and so uselessly recommended. 

 A movement at first obtained by great effort, will, after 

 awhile, not require so much, for he will then have gained 

 skill, and skill, in this case, is but the result of exertions 

 combined and employed properly. What is first done 

 with twenty pounds of force, reduces itself afterwards to 

 fourteen, to ten, to four. Skill will be the exertion 

 reduced to four pounds. If we commenced by a less, we 

 would not attain this result. The flexions of the loins 

 will be often renewed, allowing the pupil often to let 

 himself down into his natural relaxed position, in order 

 to make him properly employ the force that quickly 

 gives a good position to the chest. The body being well 

 placed, the instructor will pass : 1st. To the lesson of 

 the arm, which consists in moving it in every direction, 

 first bent, and afterwards extended ; 2d. To that of the 

 head ; this must be turned right and left without its 

 motions reacting on the shoulders. 



When the lessons of the chest, arms, and head give a 

 satisfactory result, which ought to be at the end of four 

 days (eight lessons), they will pass to that of the legs. 



The pupil will remove one of his thighs as far as pos- 

 sible from the quarters of the saddle ; and afterwards 

 replace it with a rotatory movement from without 

 inwards, in order to make it adhere to the saddle by as 

 many points of contact as possible. The instructor will 



