The Ncck^ the Head^ etc. 141 



thing. The rider with a really good, steady seat can 

 jump his horse with precisely the same bitting that 

 suits the school-rider or cavalry soldier, if he simply 

 take a very long hold of the curb-rein with his bridle 

 (left) hand, and use the right hand in front of it so long 

 as his horse requires being " kept straight," and then 

 the moment the horse rises to the leap, takes the latter 

 away, leaving the horse to jump altogether without 

 any feeling on the reins, which will ensure his landing 

 on all four feet instead of two only ; but this requires a 

 seat.* And it is precisely for this reason that it is ab- 

 surd to talk of cavalry and hunting riding being antago- 

 nistic. The latter, if well done, confers boldness and 

 vehemence in charging and a disregard for common 

 obstacles ; but it should not be overdone or caricatured, 

 for that would lead to bad skirmishing and slow rally- 

 ing after the charge, by means of which great eflbrts 

 of gallantry are frequently neutralized and converted 

 into disasters, of which it would be easy enough to cite 

 instances. 



For the road-rider good and careful bitting must 

 always have an especial value, restiveness being but too 

 often the consequence of the contrary ; handiness and 

 perfect control being an essential to safety, and great 

 speed not being required, therefore the roadster not 

 only may but must be better " set up" and more finely 

 mouthed than the hunter. Here, too, the grand thing 

 is a seat independent of reins and stirrups, without 

 which the best bitting will be of little value. 



What should the carriage of the cavalry horse be? 

 for this is what determines the bitting. It must favor the 

 short, sharp turnings and voltes of the school without 

 impeding the straightforward rush of the hunter ; there- 



*This system has been practiced in Hanover for the cavalry with 

 great success, according to General von Dachenhausen, but we our- 

 selves used it many years since, and without being aware of this fact. 



