INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



IT may be well, at starting, to state the objects with 

 which this little book has been brought before the 

 public interested in horses, and at the same time, in 

 order to prevent misapprehension, to say that the author 

 has not the slightest intention of setting up any one 

 kind of seat or style of riding as a model for all riders. 

 On the contrary, he is fully persuaded that each of 

 these has its own merits, and, as our French neighbors 

 would say, its own raison d'etre — that is to say, has 

 been adopted for good and sufficient reasons, so far as 

 each individual rider possessed an insight into the true 

 essentials of the case, and has been able to distinguish 

 these from what is merely matter of fashion or supposed 

 convenience. 



Some men, and these are the naturally good or born 

 riders, possess the sort of knowledge in question in- 

 stinctively, and frequently without being able to account 

 either to themselves or others for the way in which 

 they have acquired it, or give satisfactory reasons for 

 the adoption of their methods. Such men are most 

 usually, although not invariably, of the peculiar build, 

 unnecessar}' to describe, which combines strength and 

 vigor with lightness and dexterity ; and must possess 

 in all cases that happy admixture of courage, prompt 

 decision, patience and perseverance that constitute 



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