HORSEMANSHIP FOE GENTLEMEN. 287 



firmly grasp, not only the reins, but the mane, making 

 a purchase to spring from, as well as keeping the horse 

 " in hand." He will then step back with his right 

 foot, and, with an angle bound, spring forward, placing 

 his right hand firmly on the rug (but not to grasp it), 

 leap from his feet, with one or two preliminary jumps, 

 clear on to the horse's back, without first touching the 

 horse with his stomach, or unseemly and awkward 

 scrambling, as by the self-taught method. I am aware 

 that it is next to impossible for the pupil to do all this 

 without considerable practice; but the object is to 

 supple the limbs, and make the pupil agile and active, 

 which is a great acquisition to a horseman ; and it 

 should be repeated five or six times every lesson, while 

 the pupil rides in the "blanket order," until he can 

 accomplish it easily, and without any apparent effort. 



The object of the first lessons being given on the rug 

 is to accustom the pupil to depend solely upon his seat 

 for the balance of his body, which cannot be done with 

 stirrups, as, if he leans to the right or left, he is sure to 

 make a purchase, or lean on the stirrups ; and even if 

 the leathers do not sometimes give way, it looks bad to 

 see a rider leaning more to one side than the other, 

 which is mostly the case with self-taught horsemen, or 

 those who have been, from the first, accustomed to ride 

 with stirrups. And I may here say that I would back 

 the farmer's son, or the son of a country fox-hunter, or 

 the British dragoon (who all take their first practice 

 without stirrups), for firmness of seat, and balance of 



