THE CROUCHING SEAT. 375 



The harder a horse pulls, the tighter should the grip of 

 the knees become. If the rider, when trying to hold his horse, 

 presses on the stirrups without gripping with the knees, the 

 stirrups and feet will move forward, and the rider's seat will 

 be carried over the cantle, an attitude which will throw the 

 weight back towards the loins, and will cause the body to 

 bump up and down, on account of the arms being necessarily 

 rigid. But, as the saddle cannot shift like the stirrups, a firm 

 grip of the legs will enable the hands, arms and body to con- 

 form to the movements of the animal's head and neck, as he 

 moves forward at each stride. The more the horse pulls, the 

 closer should the elbows be brought to the sides ; and to gain 

 more power, the knuckles may be turned down and the palms 

 of the hands up. 



It would at present be premature to say whether or not the 

 old English racing seat which I have described and its neces- 

 sary length of stirrups, will be entirely discarded in flat race 

 riding for the " crouching seat " and its short stirrups. In 

 any case, " standing in the stirrups," will continue to be the 

 usual seat for steeplechasing and other fast cross country 

 work, which require the rider not only to be able to bring 

 his weight forward, but also to get well down in the saddle ; 

 lean back ; and use his legs to stimulate, collect, and guide 

 his horse. On this subject, Fig. 213 preaches an eloquent 

 and convincing sermon. 



The so-called American '^crouching seat'' is merely a 

 return to the style practised in the early part of the nineteenth 

 century by many English jockeys, and especially by the 

 famous Jem Robinson, who won the Derby six times during 

 the years 1817-1836; and the Tw^o Thousand, nine times. 

 Fred Archer used to get very far forward on his horse's neck, 

 when he was sending him along as fast as the animal could 

 travel. George Fordham also " humped his back " a good 

 deal. In this connection I may quote the utterance of an 



