HANDS AND SEAT. 



There are many people who never obtain a good 

 seat on horseback ; the same may be said with regard to 

 hands. I have been acquainted with some men and 

 women who have ridden for years, and men who claim 

 to be thorough horsemen, and in their own estimation, 

 know all about riding, but have neither any seat nor good 

 hands. Now what is the reason that so many people 

 have such poor hands and seat? Is it because they are 

 not taught correctly ? No, that is not the reason, but it 

 is because the rider is forgetful and careless, and very 

 often nervousness is the trouble. There are some people 

 who, if you asked them to ride a quiet-going, easy horse, 

 could do so with credit, but if you asked one of them to 

 ride a horse with a better mouth and better trained, and 

 required light hands, nine cases out of ten it would result 

 in failure. 



I have found a great many men who think it a grand 

 thing to bully their horse when riding him ; they fancy 

 that they are as strong as the horse, because they are 

 able to sit on his back better than some others. Every- 

 thing that they require the horse to do is demanded by 

 brute force, and the poor beast is often made to attempt 

 to do things which he finds he is unable to do. Such 



