H4 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



strain is thrown on the W-muscles to retain it in its 

 proper position. After a time, and with constant 

 practice, this necessary pressure becomes instinctive, 

 and the absence of the knee-roll is not felt. Where 

 boys have been taught so to ride, they can ride 

 nearly as well without knee-rolls as with. Cavalry 

 men are trained to ride with the flat of their legs, 

 as it is with these that their horses are managed, 

 and not with their heels or spurs. A cavalry 

 soldier has to carry his sword in one hand and 

 manage his horse with the other and his legs; 

 and the latter have to do the greater share of the 

 work ; and with them he turns, or ' passes,' his 

 horse, forces him into a trot or gallop, and generally 

 supports him — that is to say, his bridle-hand, though 

 aidiner his legs in combination with them, is com- 

 paratively speaking of second 'a t-y importance. 



Such men, therefore, have the muscles I have 

 referred to brought out, and by constant use 

 matured, and so can ride just as well without knee- 

 rolls as with them, as far as their riding-powers are 

 required ; but take, for example, a man who, having 

 been used to ride with knee-rolls all his life, and 

 who, wishi n g- to be in the fashion, is desirous of 

 taking to plain flaps. He purchases a saddle with 

 plain flaps, and, finding that he misses the support 

 of the knee-rolls to which he has been accustomed, 



