The Nerves. 67 



by main force, or he may start and shy so as 

 to twist from under you. But, so long as 

 you retain your proper position on his back, 

 he can do neither ; because, in this case, your 

 weight will rest upon a part of his back which 

 he is physically unable to move with suffi- 

 cient violence to inflict upon you any consid- 

 erable shock, and your body will be poised 

 and secured in an attitude which will prevent 

 your weight from being displaced. You have, 

 therefore, in order to sit a restive horse with 

 security, two things to learn : first, the nerve 

 to retain your proper position without con- 

 straint while he is struggling to unseat you ; 

 and secondly, the presence of mind to catch 

 your proper position whenever he tries to 

 surprise you. 



You cannot begin better than by practising 

 the standing jump, without using the reins. 

 Lay a leaping-bar on the ground, and let your 

 assistant lead your horse across it. If he is a 

 clever fencer, he will rise and hop over it with a 

 movement pretty closely resembling the short 

 angry plunge of a horse beginning to try his 

 rider's seat. Keep your gripe steady, your 

 shoulders well back and your waist supple, 



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