Contents. 9 



PAGB 



respects preferable to feltplates under the saddle — The 

 crupper is utterly useless — The breastplate is unobjection- 

 able 55-71 



CHAPTER IIL 



SEATS. 



The seat on horseback is maintained by balance, by friction or 

 by the aid of the stirrups — A combination of all these means 

 affords the greatest security — The more perfect the balance 

 the less will be the quantity of muscular action required to 

 maintain the seat ; the closer the seat to the saddle and the 

 greater the surfaces brought into contact, the more easily 

 will the balance be maintained ; the nearer the point of sus- 

 pension of the stirrup to the seat, the less will balance and 

 friction be disturbed, and the more will the stirrup act in 

 support of these, how or wherever the rider may otherwise 

 sit — To have a good seat, his weight must be distributed 

 equally between the three bones forming the triangle of his 

 fork, and not on any two of these, or on the third alone — 

 It is better to commence riding with stirrups than without — 

 The jockey's saddle and seat — The hunting seat — Road- 

 riding — Rising in the stirrups versus bobbing up and down 

 —What is the object of both 72-93 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE MILITARY SEAT. 



This is more easily reducible to rule than any other, the object 

 being alike in all cases, and the material selected with refer- 

 ence to that special purpose — The cavalry seat must facili- 

 tate not only the mere progressive power of the horse, but 

 also such a degree of handiness as will ensure to its rider a 

 perfect command over his weapons, and, in addition to all 

 this, secure for the troop-horse the longest possible period 

 of service — These latter objects are but too frequently sacri- 

 ficed in favor of mere vehemence of movement ; they are 

 only to be attained by very careful saddling, bitting, and a 



