The Seat. 



horseback which he is required to assume, be- 

 cause, whatever may be its other advantages, 

 it is painful and fatiguing. How can he 

 possibly tell at present whether it is necessarily 

 fatiguing or not ? He has all his life been 

 standing and walking with his backbone con- 

 vex and rigid, and it is no wonder that he now 

 feels uneasy when it becomes concave and 

 supple. If he had been hopping all his life 

 upon one leg, he would have felt uneasy when 

 he began to stand or walk upon two. Before 

 he can judge whether the upright or the stoop- 

 ing position on horseback is really the easiest 

 that is to say, which of the two is capable of 

 being longest maintained without fatigue 

 he must first become equally familiar with 

 both. 



This may, to a considerable extent, be ef- 

 fected on foot. Begin by using the ordinary 

 gymnastic means for suppling the shoulders 

 and loins. Stand erect ; and work the hips 

 laterally at every possible angle, permitting 

 the bust to fall loosely in whatever direction 

 its weight may draw it. Stretch and exercise 

 the muscles of the chest and shoulders by 

 using the clubs or dumb-bells, or by practising 



