SCOTSMEN POOR HORSEMEN 167 



of men so built ever has been particularly famous 

 for finished horsemanship. For a man to be a 

 finished horseman need not necessarily possess 

 great physical strength, and the man of heavy 

 build almost invariably finds himself at a dis- 

 advantage when on horseback by comparison 

 with the man of spare frame, small bone and 

 " flat " thighs. Though this is something of a 

 truism, several of our early historians apparently 

 forgot it. 



A study of the world's history makes it clear 

 that the tribes, races and nations especially re- 

 nowned for their horsemanship have been com- 

 posed for the most part of men of small stature. 



