The Seat. 19 



how to grasp with the legs. You must next 

 learn how to combine the two actions while 

 the horse is in movement. The combination 

 will at first be a matter of some little difficulty. 

 You will soon find, or fancy you find, that 

 you can exert the muscular force of your legs 

 more powerfully when your waist is allowed 

 to become round and stiff than when it is kept 

 hollow and pliant. You will therefore be 

 tempted to increase the tenacity of your gripe 

 at the expense of losing the regularity of your 

 position. This temptation you must reso- 

 lutely and successfully resist. 



For this purpose you must first of all realise 

 the truth, that no muscles ever bestowed upon 

 man can possibly keep you secure in your 

 saddle, so long as your spine is allowed to be 

 rigid at the waist. The grasp of your legs, 

 well placed and steadily exerted, is sufficient 

 to keep your body from the hips downwards 

 from being dislodged by the movements of 

 your horse, however violent they may be. 

 But the result will be otherwise if, by stiffen- 

 ing your back-bone, you allow the additional 

 weight of your bust to be abruptly thrown 

 upon the support of your femoral gripe. You 



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