USUAL OR INSTINCTIVE EQUITATION 



and is still the most practiced. In the infancy of the 

 art of horsemanship, men taught themselves by 

 instinct and habit, not yet having even the most 

 elementary principles. Soon, however, from custom 

 and from the practice of experienced riders, there 



AN ANCIENT GREEK RIDER 



arose certain theories and methods, which were 

 taught to beginners. Even in the earliest times 

 riders had the idea of balance; but they applied it 

 only to the seat of the man on the horse, and did not 

 at all consider the balance of the horse under the 

 weight of the man. This was assumed to be taken 

 care of by the animal's own instincts. 



When, later, this instinctive horsemanship had 

 still further progressed, and there had been invented 

 saddle, bridle, stirrups, and spurs, the experience of 



4 



