MAN'S SEAT. 23 



The only horses beginners should ride are those which 

 have easy paces and very good tempers. One cannot take 

 too much pains to give confidence to a novice. It is only the 

 confidence which he gets in his first lessons that will enable 

 him later on to ride with entire absence of stiffness. A man 

 whose movements on horse-back are stiff, may remain on 

 the outside of his mount, but does not ride him. Stiffness 

 of arms, legs and body makes fine horsemanship impossible. 

 How can contracted or stiff limbs keep in touch with the 

 horse while they are occupied in holding the body on the 

 saddle ? When they become supple, and when the body 

 maintains its position in the saddle by balance, they will 

 acquire a delicate feeling with the horse, which they had 

 not at first. Flexibility of the limbs and a good seat are 

 indispensable conditions for attaining " equestrian tact." 



Being merely stuck on a saddle is not riding. Generally 

 the pupil gradually gets out of this faulty position only by 

 acquiring confidence in his seat. I need hardly say that a 

 man may be very brave and yet have no confidence in the 

 saddle. 



Slight horses are best for the first lessons, especially in the 

 case of boys and men who have short legs. A too great 

 separation of the legs might have grave results, and it 

 fatigues the groins without benefiting the rider in any way. 

 I have seen malformations of the hips caused by this practice. 

 Later on, the rider becomes accustomed to this form of 

 gymnastics, and he will be able to ride a horse of any shape 

 without discomfort. 



I think that beginners should not ride with a double bridle, 

 and that it is better for them to use an ordinary snaffle, with 

 a rein in each hand. If they are at first given a double 

 bridle, the body will probably follow the movements of the 

 hands, because, at the beginning, they almost always carry 

 the hands and alsci the arms either to one side or the other. 



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