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the success of the whole is so strongly dependent upon the thorough 

 comprehension of the elementary principles, that they should be 

 dwelled upon conscientiously until mastered. 



Nothing should be requested of the pupil by the master, before u 

 thorough explanation of the lesson has been given as to its practical value 

 and its results, and the office of each and every impression made upon 

 the horse, should be clearly and in detail demonstrated to the pupil. 



The desire to hasten the progress of the pupil, should not tempt the 

 master to experiment with lessons, that are apt to prove a failure, but 

 whatever the pupil demands of the horse in the systematic course of 

 instruction, must, in every instance, be followed by response and only 

 when the understanding between horse and rider is clearly shown in 

 that particular lesson, the master may proceed with the next one. 



Negligence in this direction, by either master or pupil, will cause 

 delay, augment future difficulties and invariably compel them to return 

 to the lesson, which the pupil has failed to master. 



In the early stages of instruction, the pupil should be taught intelli- 

 gently the causes for resistance and sometimes defence, "which is render- 

 ed by the horse, in opposition to the demands of the rider, and thus learn 

 to distinguish ill-will, sulkiness and obstinacy, from the instances, 

 where defects in build and conformation or lack of strength and en- 

 durance, make obedience an impossibility, at least for the time being, 

 and in this way the pupil will learn to discriminate between the use 

 of severity and kindness. 



Throughout the course of instruction, the pupil must be aware of 

 the fact that the impressions, in reg-ard to their strength or mildness, 

 must be made in harmony with the individuality of the horse. The 

 simple application of this or that impression will seem insufficient with 

 one and adequate with another horse, and the all important cultivation 

 of feeling in the novice, depends largely upon the fact, that he is taught 

 from the beginning, to adapt the degree of his impressions, to the degree 

 of sensitiveness of the horse. 



The practical part of the art of riding consists of the rules, which 

 the rider must observe for the purpose of maintaining his seat on horse- 

 back, and the rules, that teach the rider how to guide and master his 

 horse. 



Accordingly, the contents of the practical art, may be expressed in 

 the terms, seat and guidance. The seat forms an indispensable fore- 

 study, as it constitutes the independence of body and limbs and entire 

 relaxation, which are conditional for a good and secure guidance and 

 we will now give our attention to the conditions of the seat. 

 THE ELEMENTS OF SEAT AND GUIDANCE. 



The Seat consists of : 1st. The seat in particular. The body should 

 be placed in the saddle, where we have the feeling of being in the mid- 

 dle, and the limbs should embrace the saddle with the inner side of the 

 thighs, from the crotch to the point of the knee. The pupil should sit 

 as broadly and as deeply into the saddle as possible. 



