47 



CHAPTER III. 



THE LEGS. 



THE MAN who has acquired a perfect seat and 

 a perfect hand is in England considered as a 

 perfect horseman. We all know that there 

 is some difficulty, and therefore some merit, 

 in sitting a horse firmly and in handling him 

 skilfully. But few of us seem to be aware 

 that any science is required to make him exert 

 himself according to his rider's pleasure, or 

 even that a horse, if made to exert himself 

 sufficiently and kept well in hand, can possibly 

 be otherwise than completely under his rider's 

 command. The consequence is that the scien- 

 tific use of the legs or spurs is entirely neglected 

 by most English horsemen. 



It is easy to account for this omission. The 

 ordinary English horseman is accustomed only 

 to work his horse upon a single line. Whether 

 he rides upon the road, upon the race-course, 

 or across country, he is quite satisfied so long 



