78 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 



is not sufficient resistance to withstand the pres- 

 sure of the wind, or to prevent the whole body 

 sKpping further and further back in the saddle. 

 Without this pressure we should immediately cease 

 to be one with the horse, which is, after all, the 

 whole art and object of horsemanship. The more 

 spirited the horse, or the faster he is going, so 

 must the pressure be increased. But with the 

 body properly placed, and with our stirrups and 

 reins of correct length, this pressure should be 

 quite unnoticed both by the horse and the rider, 

 and will affect neither. But grip is quite a different 

 thing. It is exhausting to the rider and hampering 

 to the horse, and should only be exercised, as I 

 have already said, on those occasions when a 

 difference of opinion exists between the horse and 

 rider. 



Before passing on to the subject of training, 

 which I propose to deal with in my next chapter, 

 the use of the spur is a matter which I would like 

 to refer to for a moment. It is one which can be 

 quickly and easily dealt with, but it has an impor- 

 tance which demands more attention than is usually 

 attributed to it. 



The spur, like the whip, should be used as little 

 as possible. There is no question but that spurs 

 should always be worn when riding, but there are 

 two kinds, blunt and sharp. The sharp spur should 

 only be used in the riding school or manege when 

 teaching horses to obey the leg. It is then of the 

 highest importance, but on all other occasions blimt 

 spurs should be used. When using the sharp spur 



