36 SEATS AND SADDLES. 



on the supposition of this being analogous to that of the 

 little instrument represented in fig. 1. It has been 

 shown, however, that the centre of motion that is to 

 say, the point round which all other parts of the animal 

 move when in action or, what comes to the same 

 thing, the point where the least motion is felt is 

 situated somewhere in a perpendicular falling through 

 the fourteenth dorsal vertebra, Plate I. ; and it has 

 been intimated that the perpendicular through the 

 centre of gravity of a horse naturally falls through 

 some one or other of the vertebrae from the tenth to 

 the thirteenth, that are situate nearer to the neck. A 

 horse can go with these two centres in the relative 

 position described here. It favours certain special 

 purposes as, for instance, racing, and perhaps riding to 

 hounds, to a certain extent just as it suits the purpose 

 of the manege-rider, to bring the centre of gravity 

 further back towards the loins than the fourteenth 

 vertebra ; but for all general purposes it is of the greatest 

 importance that the two perpendiculars passing respec- 

 tively through these two centres should be made to 

 coincide and this is the aim and object of all school- 

 riding, except for the haut manege. Above all, it is 

 indispensable for military purposes. 



In fact, in racing, and to a certain extent in hunting, 

 a horse is not required to move otherwise than in 

 nearly straight lines or gentle curves. A jockey that 

 understands the work will ride differently in the latter 

 and the former, and will immediately change his seat 

 when he comes " into the straight." * On the contrary, 

 the manege-rider requires very short deliberate turns 



* The speed of race-horses is notoriously different on straight 

 and circular courses. The absolutely speedier horse does not 

 always come first to the post on the latter. 



