THE HORSE. 163 



pressure which has sometimes occasioned rupture in 

 the belly of the rider. The foot, for a road or sport- 

 ing, indeed the most secure seat, is placed home in 

 the stirrup, the toe rather elevated and turned some- 

 what outward; thence arises a centre and union of 

 force between the foot and the knee, the toe beinof 

 turned out and the knee inward pressing the saddle 

 which assures a firm seat, indeed is the very essence 

 and groundwork of the seat in the speedy trot and 

 gallop ; this, with the firm grasp of the thighs and 

 the hold on the bridle, assures the stability of the 

 seat on horseback. (In military riding the seat is 

 said to depend entirely on the equipoise, or balance, a 

 point of consequence, no doubt, but which, on trying 

 occasions, can only be maintained as above stated.) 

 It has been observed of bad horsemen that they can 

 scarcely keep their spurs from their horses' sides, but 

 such can never be the case with the above seat, in 

 which the greater difficulty is to reach the horse's 

 sides with the spurs. The act of spurring, contrary 

 to the military mode, is performed with a kick, the 

 toe being somewhat more turned out. 



In dismounting, the left hand inclosing the 

 reins, resumes its former place in the horse's mane, 

 and the rider lands from the same side on which he 

 mounted, with his horse safe in hand. Particular 

 situations may render it necessary to mount on the 

 oif side. The convenience is considerable when a 

 horse will stand still, unheld at the head, to be 

 mounted; a point of obedience, however, to which 

 some spirited and impatient horses can scarcely be 

 reduced. When a horse is held for mounting it 



