MODERN FARRIER. 103 



pressing on the stirrup, than with the stirrup as far 

 back on the heel : for the pressure of the heel being 

 in that case behind the stirrup, keeps the thighs 

 down. 



When you find your thighs thrown upwards, 

 widen your knees to get them and the upper part 

 of your fork lower down on the horse. Grasp the 

 saddle with the hollow or inner part of your thighs, 

 but not more than just to assist the balance of your 

 body : this will also enable you to keep your spurs 

 from the horse's sides, and to bring your toes in, 

 without that affected and useless manner of bring- 

 ing them in practised by many. Sink your heels 

 straight down ; for while your heels and thighs 

 keep down, you cannot fall: this (aided with the 

 bend of the back) gives the security of a seat to 

 those who bear themselves up in their stirrups in a 

 swift gallop, or in the alternate rising and falling in 

 a full trot. 



Let your seat determine the length of your stir- 

 rups, rather than the stirrups your seat. If more 

 precision is requisite, let your stirrups (in the hunt- 

 ing saddle) be of such a length, as that, when you 

 stand in them, there may be the breadth of four 

 fingers between your seat and the saddle. 



It would greatly assist a learner, if he would 

 practise riding in a large circle, without stirrups; 

 keeping his face looking on the outer 'part of the 

 circle, so as not to have a full view of the horse's 

 head, but just of that ear which is on the outward 

 part of the circle ; and his shoulder, which is towards 

 the centre of the circle, very forward. By this 

 means you learn to balance your body, and keep a 

 true seat, independent of your stirrups : you may 

 probably likewise escape a fall, shoidd you at any 

 time lose them by being accidentally shaken from 

 your seat. 



As the seat in some measure depends on the sad- 

 dle, it may not be amiss to observe, that because a 

 9 2 b 



