1 8 RIDING, nRlllNG AND KINDRED SPORTS 



leg, make a horse perform such exercises as a 

 figure of eight, or a bending-course in good 

 form, or to chanoe his leadino- leo- at the rig^ht 

 moment. 



Having thus by practice secured a fairly 

 strong seat and laid the foundation for having 

 good hands, the sober-minded horse may now 

 l)e discarded and mounts on all sorts of horses 

 be sought for. The great point is to be 

 always in the saddle, and to have the saddle 

 on as many different backs as possible. Nor 

 need you be discouraged if your seat is 'not 

 always as firm even now as might be wished. 

 There is a certain ease and strenoth in the 

 saddle which only comes with time. It is a 

 power that comes to the man who rides for 

 business as well as pleasure, to the Australian 

 stock-rider, to the huntsman, amateur or pro- 

 fessional, and, above all, perhaps, to the polo 

 player, that fine game being in the nature of 

 things the best school of practical horseman- 

 ship. We may learn much in the hunting field, 

 but many people do not seem, after reaching a 

 certain proficiency, to improve. The fact is 

 there are many distractions out hunting, and the 

 standard of horsemanship is not high. If a man 

 can ride safely over a country on a fairly well- 

 trained horse under favourable circumstances 

 that is all he desires. But no man can play polo 



