THE ENGLISH TROT. 49 



no account should the right knee cease to be in con- 

 tact with the second pommel, as this is the sole case 

 in which the lower part of this leg is motionless while 

 the upper part moves. As soon as the pupil can rise 

 without too much effort, and tolerably quickly, she 

 may practice it at the walk, and then at the trot, 

 counting for herself, one, two, three, four; and she 

 must put a certain amount of energy into it, for all 

 the theory in the world will not teach her to rise in 

 time with the horse unless she also helps herself. 

 The theory of the rhythmical cadence is easy enough 

 to give : the rider rises when the horse takes one 

 step, and sinks back at the second, to rise again at 

 the third ; but the cadence itself is not so easy to 

 find ; and to rise at the wrong step is like beginning 

 on the wrong beat of a waltz. Many young persons 

 get into the bad habit of lowering the right knee 

 when they rise, and lifting it when they regain their 

 seat ; but this is a mistake, as the right knee should 

 be immovable, and in constant contact with the sec- 

 ond pommel. 



As soon as the pupil has struck the cadence (and, 

 once found, it comes easily afterward), she should 

 discontinue the use of her right hand on the pom- 

 mel, and the teacher may be more exacting as to 

 the regularity of her position than is necessary in 

 her first efforts. During rising to the trot, the upper 

 part of the body should be very slightly bent for- 

 ward; and, if the teacher notices that the pupil is 



rising from right to left, or left to right, instead of 

 4 



