The Nerves. 69 



Jearnt to trust the strength of your proper 

 position on horseback with such implicit faith, 

 that you throw yourself into it when startled 

 as instinctively as a timid horseman catches 

 hold of the mane or the saddle. 



There will be no great difficulty in acquiring 

 this confidence. First, fix yourself in your 

 seat ; and let your assistant lunge your horse 

 at a walk, making him spring forward unex- 

 pectedly at intervals by using the whip. When 

 this ceases to startle you, sit loosely and re- 

 peat the same practice, catching your gripe 

 as you feel the horse commence his spring. 

 Then let your assistant endeavour to make 

 the horse stop short, twist round, or spring 

 aside, first when at a walk, and then when at 

 a trot or canter. There will be no occasion 

 to carry this part of your education so far as 

 to injure the animal's temper. Be satisfied 

 when you find that the sudden interruption of 

 his regular action startles you into your proper 

 attitude and not out of it. 



The instinctive feeling which you are to aim 

 at acquiring may be very simply described. 

 In your proper position, the gripe of your legs 

 is sufficient to prevent you from falling back- 



