. Riding and driving. ehoof of the tyro, but theywould not be superfluous for ninety-nine hun-dredths of those who fancy they can ride. The general principles of horsemanship are sofew and so simple that any one should readilymaster them; afterward it is a mere matter ofpractice and aptitude. It is a matter of surprisethat so many men ride, and yet do not think itworth while to investigate the principles of theart which they think they follow. The rider, having taken his position upon thehorse, as has been described, for the seat, he willtake a snaffle-rein in each hand, the loose endstoward h
. Riding and driving. ehoof of the tyro, but theywould not be superfluous for ninety-nine hun-dredths of those who fancy they can ride. The general principles of horsemanship are sofew and so simple that any one should readilymaster them; afterward it is a mere matter ofpractice and aptitude. It is a matter of surprisethat so many men ride, and yet do not think itworth while to investigate the principles of theart which they think they follow. The rider, having taken his position upon thehorse, as has been described, for the seat, he willtake a snaffle-rein in each hand, the loose endstoward his thumbs and held by them, the reinspassing through the breadth of his hands, whichare held knuckles up, close together, to assisteach other, and take a gentle feeling upon themouth of the horse. He should then quietly closehis legs against the sides of the horse and drawthe reins until he has collected the forces of theanimal, so that it will be able to go forward in ameasured pace and not in the loose and disunited. FIG. 59.—THE SMALL PONY IS BUT A TOY B*VRb i^^^^^E^^^sn Mm . .^jk^^^^^^^^^l^^^^l M ttI _^;.- /i^ FIG. 60.— UNTIL TEN OR TWELVE, GIRLS SHOULDRIDE ASTRIDE The Walk and the Trot 91 condition that would ensue were it driven onbefore it had been prepared. This collectionwill be evidenced by the alertness of the impulsesand by the movements of its muscles, as the horsearranges the bearers to take each its share of theweight. To advance at a walk the rider will in-crease the pressure of his legs, or give a gentletap of the whip behind the girth, until he pro-duces the necessary impulses, which should be metby the hand in such a manner that the horse willproceed in an evenly cadenced walk. The move-ments of the horse are due to the changes of thecentre of gravity produced by the impulses, andthe legs make corresponding changes of posi-tion in order that they may support the mass asit passes over them in any direction. As theviolence and rapidity of the changes of the
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