INCORRECT LEFT LEG AND HEEL
Below the Waist
The first impulse of a novice is to grasp the horse with her left heel, while the leg is bent back from the knee so that it almost reaches his flank. Instead of this, the leg from the knee, which should not be more than half an inch below the pommel, must hang naturally in a perpendicular line, and the foot parallel with the horse, the heel being held away from his side and slightly depressed, the ball of the foot resting on the stirrup. This alters the grip entirely, and gives the greatest possible purchase, with the knee firmly in the angle between the pommel and the saddle flap, the thigh close to the saddle above, and the inside of the calf below, where one should be able to hold a piece of paper without having it fall out while trotting. The left foot will, of necessity, remain quiet—a most desirable point often neglected.
CORRECT LEFT LEG AND HEEL
Now for the right leg. The first direction usually given is to grasp the pommel with it. That is all very well, but it leads to a grievous error. In the endeavor to obey the order, the right knee is pressed hard to the left—against the pommel, it is true, but in such a manner that there is considerable space between the leg and the saddle, extending from the knee half-way up the thigh. Thus the rider rises, owing to her grip being too high, so that a person on the right can often see the pommel beneath her.
INCORRECT RIGHT THIGH AND KNEE
The first thing to do is to sit well back on the saddle, with the shoulders square to the front, and press down from the hip to the knee until as close to the saddle as possible. Then, when sure that the knee is down, taking care that it does not leave the saddle in the slightest degree, grasp the pommel. It is from this knee that one must rise, and the most essential point is to have it absolutely firm, with a secure hold on as extended a surface as possible. From the knee the leg hangs straight, kept close to the horse, with the toe depressed just enough to avoid breaking the line of the skirt. It is seldom realized that the right leg below the knee should be held as firmly against the horse as the left, but such is the case.