HINTS ON RIDING 101 



legs to which the animal is accustomed. In such cases 

 it is the part of good horsemanship to be able easily 

 to adapt oneself to circumstances, for the rider will 

 find that, in spite of a slight tendency to be thrown to 

 the left, it will be possible to rise on the wrong leg more 

 gracefully than on the correct leg against the inclina- 

 tion of the horse. 



The height of the rise — the distance that the rider is 

 thrown up in the air — naturally depends largely upon 

 the individual animal's gait. A horse with a long 

 stride will cause a rider to rise higher than one with a 

 quick, snappy trot. Horses who throw their rider up 

 so little that there is a scarcely perceptible rise give a 

 prettier effect, but are less comfortable for a woman 

 to ride than those who throw her up with more im- 

 petus. 



The subject of " hands" is of equal importance with 

 that of "seat," and in some respects is even more im- 

 portant. There is no doubt but that half the horses 

 who are pullers have become so by trying to get away 

 from the rough hands of their riders. Pulling riders 

 are the ones who make pulling horses, and no horse 

 will really go his best except for a rider with good hands, 

 while even a good horse will frequently fall on his head 

 when ridden by a person with bad hands. 



Many people, however, never give the subject seri- 

 ous attention because they go on the principle that 

 "hands," like a "touch" on the piano, are "born not 

 made," and that if you are not fortunate enough to be 

 born with good hands you'll go to your grave without 

 them. This is true to a large extent, but "hands" 

 can be improved, and no one who has been properly 

 taught need be really "mutton-fisted." They may 

 not acquire the delicacy of touch possessed by their 



