TABLE OF CONTENTS. IX 



the stirrups as near this point as can be conveniently done 

 For military purposes, blankets in some respects preferable to 

 feltplates under the saddle The crupper is utterly useless 

 unless the pack is built up into a mountain ; or a short rider 

 put on a tall horse The breast-plate is unobjectionable 45-64 



CHAPTER III. 



SEATS. 



The seat on horseback is maintained by balance, by friction, or 

 by the aid of the stirrups A combination of all these means 

 affords the greatest security The more perfect the balance 

 the less will be the quantity of muscular action required to 

 maintain the seat ; the closer the seat to the saddle, and the 

 greater the surfaces brought into contact, the more easily will 

 the balance be maintained ; the nearer the point of suspension 

 of the stirrup to the seat, the less will balance and friction be 

 disturbed, and the more will the stirrup act in support of 

 these, how or wherever the rider may otherwise sit To have 

 a good seat, his weight must be distributed equally between 

 the three bones forming the angle of his fork, and not on any 

 two of these, or on the third alone It is better to commence 

 riding with stirrups than without The jockey's saddle and 

 seat The hunting seat Road-Riding Rising in the stirrups 

 versus bobbing up and down What is the object of both 65-89 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE MILITARY SEAT. 



This is more easily reducible to rule than any other, the object 

 being alike in all cases, and the material selected with reference 

 to that special purpose The cavalry seat must facilitate not 

 only the mere progressive power of the horse, but also such a 

 degree of handiness as will insure to its rider a perfect com- 

 mand over his weapons, and, in addition to all this, secure 

 for the troop-horse the longest possible period of service 



