28 PRINCIPLES OF P. I, 



There are many persons who have been in 

 the habit of riding from their infancy, who 

 ride boldly in hunting, or on other occasions, 

 and who yet, if by chance their horses hap- 

 pen to be restive, stop short, turn round, and 

 refuse to obey the bridle or answer the spurs, 

 are very awkward, destitute of knowledge to 

 act effectively, and really in danger of being 

 thrown. This may arise not from any extra- 

 ordinary effort of the horse, but from defect 

 in the seat ; which, though sufficient to keep 

 them in the saddle in the common paces of 

 the horse, exposes them to danger on the 

 most trifling occasions. 



From ignorance of the principles of riding, 

 such persons, moreover, are continually ex- 

 posed to innumerable hazards, which they do 

 not see, nor will attribute to the true causes 

 when they happen. 



A horse trips, for instance, and the rider 

 tumbles over his head. He then ascribes 

 that to the horse's falling, which is really 

 ascribable to his bad riding ; as he ought not 



