months, has ridden horses that were lively and difficult, without being dangerous, will of necessity acquire a firm seat. He will hold his head in a free and unconstrained position, so that he can move it with ease in every direction. He will keep it high in all ordinary paces and when jumping, and will lower it a little, with the chin towards the breast, when going fast. His eyes should preserve their mobility, and should not become fixed in any one direction, so that they may take notice of all the inequalities of ground, fences and other difficulties which the horse may meet. He should keep his neck supple, and his shoulders down and without contracting them, as is often done. His arms should hang naturally down to the elbows, which should be kept close to the sides, and should on no account be turned outwards ; for the hands cannot be kept light if the elbows are in this position. Lightness of hand is absolutely necessary for using the reins with precision and without jerking them. With the elbows firmly fixed to the sides, it is easy to prevent the hands from moving about.

A rider who has a good seat will keep his elbows at the height of his waist, the insides of the wrists facing each other and the fingers turned inwards. He should avoid rounding the wrists, which would tend to bring the elbows away from the sides, and would prevent him having a straight line of communication with the horse's mouth. The action of the bit on the mouth of the horse should be produced only by the tightening and slackening of the fingers on the reins. A rider who works his hands a good deal, does not know how to use them ; but a man with good hands produces the necessary effect by a simple movement of the wrist and fingers.

The rider ought to keep his body upright, but without any stiffness, which prevents the independent action of the "aids" (hands and legs). Stiffness in one part produces muscular contraction of the whole body, which is a condition entirely