





56 THE HOUSEMAN. 



the small of the back flexible, and at the same time in- 

 clining the body a little backward ; not by a pressure of 

 the knees, nor by rising and standing in the stirrups. 

 In the extended trot the horse straightens himself and 



O 



moves directly forward and without restraint. 



To pass to the extended trot, the rider should relax the 

 grasp of the legs gradually, and lower the bridle hand. 



To move a horse to the supple trot, he must be well 

 in hand, head up, and his hind legs brought under him 

 by an occasional pressure of the legs or spurs. 



The turns at right angles in the trot, should corre- 

 spond with the pace: they may, however, be made 

 slower, but never faster, except by an experienced 

 horseman. 



In road riding, the horse is not subjected to so many 

 aids of the legs and variations of the bridle hand, as in 

 the more complicated practices of the manege ; conse- 

 quently there is less skill required on the part of the 

 rider, and therefore some deviations from the proper mode 

 of riding are admissible ; such as rising in the stirrups at 

 every stride of the horse, sitting in the cantle, &c. 



The danger and insecurity, however, attending the 

 practice of riding with very short stirrups must^ppear 

 obvious to the reader. The shorter the stirrups, the more 

 the seat is in the cantle of the saddle, consequently the 

 clasp of the thighs is partially lost, and the rider compel- 

 led to depend solely upon his balance. 





