HORSEMANSHIP 9 



a steady steed, and knottino" the bridle on the 

 horse's neck, make his o-room hokl the lunoino- 

 rein, and proceed to try various paces without 

 the bridle in his own hand at all. If he can 

 do this without clutching at the reins, and 

 without a strange feeling of lonely insecurity, 

 that rider is in a fair way to become a horse- 

 man. At all events it is well to question sternly 

 whether, when he persuades himself that he is 

 helping his horse, he Is not really steadying 

 hlmself. Many a man thinks he has held his 

 horse up on landing over a fence, w^ho has only 

 steadied a seat somewhat shaken by the jar of 

 landing. 



In order to . attain firmness of seat, and 

 to be independent of the bridle, it is necessary 

 to pay attention to all the details of the seat 

 In the saddle. It is for this reason that I 

 lay much stress on having a quiet and steady 

 horse at first. If possible, so that all the 

 attention can be olven to the best wav of 

 sitting. I have always found that some such 

 practice as this is beneficial even for the man 

 who has been riding for many years, and is 

 a fair horseman. That is to say it is well to 

 be conscious of one's seat In the saddle from 

 time to time, when jogging along quietly by 

 oneself In lonely country lanes. By paying 

 attention to small details of riding, thev thus 



