Scats. 89 



placing his saddle and himself over the middle of the 

 horse's back, he will save his bearer and himself a large 

 amo'int of recoil. If, however, in this position he 

 thrustij his whole foot into the stirrups, he thereby 

 throws away a further chance ; for, by merely resting 

 with the ball of his foot on the bar of the stirrup, his 

 knee being slightly bent, he superadds the elastic action 

 of his own legs at knee and ankle to that of the horse's, 

 and this is the legitimate and useful form of " i>obbi?ig 

 up a?zd douon.'^ 



A wholly useless and absurd method of performing 

 this feat is when the stirrup is ever so far away from 

 the part of the saddle on which the rider sits, for then 

 there is an end of the elastic action of the rider's leg ; 

 and, unfortunately, there are some cavalry services in 

 which this is practiced, to the great increase of rup- 

 tures amongst the men, and broken knees amongst the 

 horses. 



The plan adopted in England is to avoid the recoil 

 by rising in the stirrups, which, of course, is the most 

 sensible wa}^ for a man who has to ride long distances 

 and is not encumbered with weapons. It has, however, 

 its inconveniences, especially if the stirrup is placed 

 very far forward ; for then, in the first place, the foot 

 being thrust home in the stirrup, the elasticity of the 

 rider's leg is not utilized ; and even when this is not the 

 case, the " tread," being oblique, cannot have the efiect 

 intended ; secondly, the whole seat is abandoned for a 

 certain time, nothing remaining in contact with the 

 horse except the leg from the knee downward, which is 

 of little use ; thirdly, the horse learns to lean on the 

 hand, for the rider must depend on his reins, for a 

 moment of time at least, which, of course, renders cor- 

 rect bitting impossible ;* finally, the rider's weight is 



* Ladies have, in general, a much lighter hand than men, their seat 

 is firmer and clo:>er, and their horses are usually properly bitted. 

 8* 



