THE SEAT AND BALANCE. 45 



To correct or avoid these and similar faults, is 

 important. All the rider's movements should harmo- 

 nize with the paces of the animal : her position should 

 be at once easy to herself and to her horse ; and alike 

 calculated to ensure her own safety and give her a 

 perfect command over the animal. If she sit in a 

 careless, ungraceful manner, the action of her horse 

 will be the reverse of elegant. A lady seldom appears 

 to greater advantage than when mounted on a fine 

 horse, if her deportment be graceful, and her positions 

 correspond with his paces and attitudes ; but the reverse 

 is the case, if, instead of acting with, and influencing 

 the movements of the horse, she appear to be tossed 

 to and fro, and overcome by them. She should rise, 

 descend, advance, and stop with, and not after the 

 animal. From this harmony of motion result ease, 

 elegance, and the most brilliant etfect. The lady should 

 sit in such a position, that the weight of the body may 

 rest on the centre of the saddle. One shoulder should not 

 be advanced more than the other. Neither must she bear 

 any weight on the stirrup, nor hang by the crutch towards 

 the near side. She ought not to suffer herself to incline 

 forward, but partially backward. If she bend forward, 

 her shoulders will, most probably, be rounded, and her 

 weight thrown too much upon the horse's withers : in 

 addition to these disadvantages, the position will give 

 her an air of timid gaucherie. Leaning a little back- 

 ward, on the contraiy, tends to bring the shoulders in, 



