78 The Art of Biding. 



The seat must be firm without the necessity 

 of holding on by the reins. If you have to tug 

 away at the reins to keep the balance, you can 

 never become master of either yourself or your 

 horse. In managing the horse it is not strength 

 that is required, but skill. There is a delicate 

 little boy of my acquaintance, about ten years old^ 

 who can manage the roughest horse in my stables, 

 though he is unusually small and weak for his age. 

 It is the light, elastic feeling of the mouth that is 

 required, not the hard, rigid, unyielding pull, 

 which torments the animal and hardens his mouth. 

 Let your hands and wrists be full of elasticity, 

 accompanying every movement of the horse's 

 head; let your body also respond to his move- 

 ments, and the unity thus established will give 

 him an easy, graceful, regular walk. 



