THE STRAIGHT LEG 143 



thighs locked with a grip of tremendous power, 

 rigid save for the play of the skin. From the 

 waist upward the poise was quite erect, and 

 supple, with the shoulders slightly eased. 



At a gallop the lower legs wrapped round the 

 horse's barrel, and the movement of the man 

 as seen behind an edge of skyline was like the 

 flight of a bird. 



For pony racing boys rode instead of men. 

 Since the boys' legs were not long enough to 

 wrap round the horse, the thighs were lifted, 

 nearly horizontal, the lower legs bent sharply 

 back, and a surcingle was strapped across the 

 knees. Still the perch was on the animal's 

 back, and not on the withers, as in the negro 

 gait so much admired under the name of the 

 American racing seat. 



Was the Red Indian seat straight leg or bent 

 leg ? With stirrups it was straight leg. For 

 boy jockeys only the racing gait was bent leg. 



A reference to the sculptures of Pheideas, 

 and Praxiteles (fifth century b.c.) shows that 

 the Greeks rode at slow gaits with the same 

 leg as the Red Indian, but like him bent the 

 knees very sharply at racing speed. 



At first sight these Greek sculptures from 

 the Parthenon rather remind one of the Red 

 Indian seat. A little closer study shows that 



