240 HORSEMANSHIP. 



by George Osbaldestoii, Esq. of Ebberston Hall, 

 Yorkshire, over Newmarket Heath, who rode two 

 hundred miles in nine hours and twenty minutes, 

 winning his Herculean match with forty minutes 

 in hand ! As may be supposed, he was not re- 

 stricted to the number of horses, wdiich consisted 

 of thirteen, then in training on the heath ; but he 

 rode one of them, Mr. Gulley's Tranby, by Black- 

 lock, sixteen miles, at four four-mile heats. Mr. 

 Osbaldeston, also celebrated for his bold and judi- 

 cious riding to hounds, appeared very little fatigued ; 

 and, after the use of the warm bath, and a short 

 repose, joined in the festivities of the evening, and 

 did not retire to rest till an hour after midnight. 



An easy seat in the saddle is very important to 

 persons who ride many hours in succession on the 

 road. To accomplish this the following rules should 

 be observed : — To sit well down in the middle of 

 the saddle, with just that length of stirrup leathers 

 that will allow of the fork clearing the pummel of 

 the saddle ; for a greater length than this would 

 add to the fatigue of a journey, and lessen the 

 rider's command over his horse. On the other 

 hand, short stirrup leathers create fatigue by con- 

 tracting the knees, and thereby adding to the exer- 

 tion of rising to the action of the horse in the trot, 

 which should chiefly proceed from a gentle play of 

 the instep. The body of the rider should incline 

 forward in the trot, as, by forming a proper coun- 

 terpoise, the movement of the horse is facilitated ; 

 and, above all things, steadiness of seat is required 

 or the latter will be much incommoded in his ac- 



