INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 7 



calfskin (the knapsack) than by either bullet or bayonet, 

 and there seems good reason to believe that the pigskin 

 stands in the same fatal relation to horses. 



There is no lack of books in which very full and 

 particular descriptions of model seats on horseback may 

 be found, nor of riding-masters who both know how to 

 sit a horse themselves, and impart to their pupils their 

 own particular method. But this will not answer the 

 purpose ; for there exists not only a certain number of 

 typical seats, more or less suited to various ends as 

 racing, hunting, the cavalry service, &c., all of which, 

 as has been said, have their peculiar justification but 

 there is also a great variety in the build of horses, and 

 especially in the relative power of their fore and hind 

 quarters, which demands consideration, if we would 

 avoid the serious and but too common error of using up 

 one set of members prematurely whilst leaving the 

 others intact. For instance, nothing is more frequent 

 amongst ourselves than to see horses, otherwise perfectly 

 sound, irreparably ruined in the fore legs. 



Moreover, there exists an equal variety in the build 

 of the riders, which also requires consideration. Dr. 

 Heavysterne cannot be expected to sit his horse as 

 Mr. Threadpaper can do, nor a well " split up " man 

 like one that is built on the lines of an otter ; neverthe- 

 less there is no reason why each and all of them should 

 not sit ivell and judiciously, though their seats must be 

 necessarily different. There is only one class of riders 

 from which one must and can demand a great degree of 

 uniformity, namely, cavalry. The necessity arises from 

 the existence of a special and narrowly-defined object 

 being to be attained the possibility, from the fact of 

 both men and horses being selected with reference to 



