6 PREFACE. 



the first requisite. Secondly, supposing the 

 seat satisfactory, no one can know, by the light 

 of nature, how to stop a highly-broken horse, 

 to say nothing of making it change its leg or 

 gather for a jump. A certain amount of the 

 art of management must therefore be learned to 

 make an accomplished rider. 



Now, beginners can get a seat in one of two 

 ways. As children in the country they may be 

 brought up on horseback, as they often are in 

 the Southern States and in England, in which 

 case the difficulty will quickly settle itself ; and 

 this is doubtless best if practicable. But sup- 

 posing it to be impossible, a pupil may be well 

 taught by exercises in the school, just as officers 

 are taught at West Point or at Saumur. One 

 thing alone is certain: seat can never be ac- 

 quired by desultory riding or by riding exclu- 

 sively on the roads or in parks. 



Next, as to management. Without doubt 

 the English dash and energy — in a word, 

 rough-riding — is the first essential for any 

 one who hopes to be either safe or happy on 

 a horse. It is the foundation, without which 

 nothing can avail. It means seat, confidence, 

 and decision. Yet there is something more 

 that may be learned without at all impair- 

 ing these qualities. To handle the horse rap- 



