It is this which determines the situation of the hand which holds the whip; the left hand being of an equal heighth with the elbow; so that the knuckle of the little finger, and the tip of the elbow be both in a line, this hand then being rounded neither too much nor too little, but just so that the wrist may direct all its motions, place your right hand, or the whip hand, lower and more forward than the bridle hand. It should be lower than the bridle hand because if it was upon a level with it, it would restrain or obstruct its motions; and were it to be higher, as it cannot take so great a compass as the bridle hand, which must always be kept over against the horseman’s body: it is absolutely necessary to keep the proportion of the elbows, that it should be lower than the other.
The legs and feet make up the second division of what I call the moveable parts of the body: the legs serve for two purposes, they may be used as aids or corrections to the horse, they should then be kept near the sides of the horse, and in a perpendicular line with the horseman’s body; for being near the part of the horse’s body where his feeling is most delicate, they are ready to do their office in the instant they are wanted. Moreover, as they are an [apendix] of the thighs if the thigh is upon its flat in the saddle, they will by a necessary consequence be turned just as they ought, and will infallibly give the same turn to the feet, because the feet depend upon them, as they depend upon the thighs.
The toe should be held a little higher [then] the heel, for if the toe was lowest the heel would be too near the sides of his horse and would be in danger of touching his horse with his spurs at perhaps the very instant he should avoid such aid or correction.
Many persons notwithstanding, when they raise their toe, bend and twist their ankle as if they were lame in the part. The reason of this is very plain; because they make use of the muscles in their legs and thighs, whereas they should only employ joint of the foot for this [purpose,]
Such is in short the mechanical disposition of all the parts of the horseman’s body.
These ideas properly digested the practitioner will be able to prescribe rules for giving the true and natural Seat, which is not only the principles of justness, but likewise the foundation of all grace in the horseman, of course, the first endeavour of those who wish to become horsemen, should be to attain a firm and graceful seat: the perfection of which, as of most other arts and accomplishments depend upon the ease and simplicity with which they are executed, being free from affectation and constraint as to appear quite natural and familiar.
Therefore the immoveable parts as before observed ought to be so far without motion as not to wriggle and roll about so as to disturb the horse, or render the seat weak and loose: but the thighs may be relaxed to a certain degree with propriety and advantage, when the horse hesitates and doubts whether he shall advance or not; and the body may likewise, upon some occasions, become moveable and change its posture to a certain degree, as when the horse retains himself, it may be flung back more or less as the case requires; and consequently inclined forward when the horse rises so high as to be in danger of falling backwards; what keeps a ship on the sea steady? BALLAST, by the same rule, what keeps the horseman STEADY? trusting to the weight of his body: it is for this reason that beginners are first made to ride without stirrups; for were they allowed to use them before they had acquired an equilibrio and were able to stretch their legs and thighs well down, so as to set firmly in the saddle, and close to it, they would either loose their stirrups by not being able to keep their feet in them; or the stirrups must be taken up much too short, in which case the rider would be pushed upwards from the saddle, and the Seat destroyed throughout; as the parts of the body like the links of a chain depending upon one another, safety likewise requires they should ride without them at first, as in case of falling tis less dangerous.
It is the general practice of those who undertake to teach horsemanship, when they put a scholar upon a horse, to mix and confound many rules and precepts together, which ought to be distinct and [seperate;] such as making him attend to the guidance of the horse, demanding an exactness of hand, and other particulars, which they [croud] upon him before he is able to execute, or even understand half of them. I would recommend a slower pace at first being likely to gain more ground at the ending post, and not to perplex the scholar with Aids, of the effects of the Hand, and more nice and essential parts of the ART: till the SEAT is gained and CONFIRMED.
For this purpose let the seat alone be cultivated for some time, and when the scholar is arrived at a certain degree of firmness and confidence so as to be trusted, I would always advise the master to take hold of the longeing rein and let the pupil intirely leave the governing of his horse to him, going sufficiently to both hands holding his hands behind him.
This will, I insist upon it very soon settle him with firmness to the saddle, will place his head, will stretch him down in his saddle, will teach him to lean gently to the side to which he turns so as to unite himself to his horse and go with him and will give that firmness ease, and just poize of body, which constitute a perfect Seat, founded in truth and nature and upon principles so certain, that whoever shall think fit to reduce them to practise will find them confirmed and justified by it. Nor would it be improper to accustom the scholar to mount and dismount on both sides of his horse, as many things may occur to make it necessary, as well as that he cannot have too much activity and address, for this reason tis a pity that the art of Vaulting is discontinued.—And there is another duty too essential to be omitted, but hitherto not performed by matters, which is to instruct their pupils in the principles and theory of the Art, explaining how the natural paces are performed, wherein they differ from each other, and in what their perfection consists; which, by not joining theory with practice, are unknown to many, who may shine in a menage, but work as mechanically and superficially as the very horse [thay] ride.