190 FIRST LESSONS IN RIDING. 



to show that the weight of the body during the rise 

 should be placed on the right leg, and not on the 

 stirrup. Reference to Figs. 79, 93, 94, 98, 99, 100, 

 102 and 104 will show that the right leg remains In 

 precisely the same position at the walk, trot, canter, 

 and leap. The great difficulty In trotting Is to keep 

 this leg absolutely steady, and to prevent It from 

 w^orklng backwards and forwards with the motion of 

 the body, which can be done only by maintaining a 

 steady pressure against the upper crutch with the 

 right knee. When this has been obtained, and the 

 rise can be made with the right leg held motionless, 

 the rider will find herself able somewhat to relax this 

 pressure, but In a mild form It is always necessary to 

 press the right knee against the upper crutch in trot- 

 ting, so as to aid the balance and to avoid putting too 

 much weight on the stirrup. The right leg from the 

 knee down should lie flat and in a slanting position 

 against the horse's shoulder (Fig. 79), the movement 

 of the animal's limb being distinctly felt by the rider's 

 leg which is resting against It. Having ascertained 

 that the stirrup Is sufficiently long to admit of the flat 

 of the hand being placed between the left leg and the 

 leaping-head w^hen the rider Is not exercising grip 

 (Fig. 82) — which will allow the lady to clear the 

 leaping-head when rising at the trot — she should take 

 rather a short hold of her horse, and Induce him to 

 bear on the snaffle to aid her to rise ; for a horse which 

 will not bear on the reins is not a comfortable animal 

 to trot with. A lady should lean slightly forward and 



