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as of mofl other arts and accompllfhrnents depend 

 I Upon the cafe and fimplicity with which they are ex- 

 ecuted, being free from affedation and conftraint as 

 to appear quite natural and famihar. 



Therefore the immoveable parts as before obferved 

 ought to be fo far without motion as not to wrigo-le 

 and roll about fo as to diflurb the horfe, or render 

 the feat weak and loofe : but the thighs may be re- 

 laxed to a certain degree with propriety and advant- 

 age, when the horfe hefitates and doubts whether he 

 Ihall advance or not ; and the body may hkewife, upon 

 fome occafions, become moveable and change its 

 pofliure to a certain degree, as when the horfe retains 

 himfelf, it may be flung back more or lefs as the cafe 

 ^requires ; and confequently inclined forward when 

 tiit^ horfe rifes fo high as to be in danger of falhng 

 back?yards; what keeps a fliip on the fea fleadyi 

 BALLAS"^^ by the fame rule, what keeps the horfe- 

 man steaoPY } trufting to the weight of his body : 

 it is for this rcc^ibn that beginners are firft made to ride 

 without ftirrups ;^ for were they allowed to ufe them 

 before they hid ace^uired an equilibrio and were able 

 to ftretch their legs an.d thighs well down, fo as to fet 

 firmly in the faddle, and r-iofe to it, they would either 

 loofe their ftirrups by not being able to keep their 

 feet in them ; or the ftirrups n?uft be taken up much 

 too (hort, in which cafe the rideT would be puftied 

 upwards from the faddle, and the Seat deftroyed 

 throughout; as the parts of the body liice the links of 

 a cham depending upon one another, fafety likewife 

 requires they fliould ride without them at firft, as 

 ill cafe of falhng tis lefs dangerous. 



It 



