rther that the horseman never avails himself of the strength
or help of his thighs, except he lets his whole weight rest upon the
center, as before described; because the closer he presses them to the
saddle, the more will he be lifted above the saddle on any sudden or
iregular[+] motion of the Horse.

Having thus firmly placed the immovable parts, I now pass on to the
first of the _Movables_, which is as I have already observed the body
as far as to the waist. I comprehend in the Body, the Head, the
Shoulders, the Breast, the Arms, Hands, Reins and Waist of the Horseman.

The head should be free, firm and easy, in order to be ready for all the
natural motions that the horseman may make in turning to one side or the
other. It should be firm, that is to say, strait, without leaning to the
right or left, neither advanced nor thrown back; it should be easy
because if otherwise it would occasion a stiffness, and that stiffness
affecting the different parts of the body, especially the back bone, the
whole would be without ease and constrained.

The shoulders alone influence by their motions that of the breast the
reins and waist.

The horseman should present or advance his breast, by that his whole
figure opens and displays itself; he should have a small hollow in his
reins, and push the waist forward to the pommel of the saddle, because
this position corresponds and unites him to all the motions of the
horse.

Now only throwing the shoulders back, produces all these effects, and
gives them exactly in the degree that is requisite; whereas if we were
to look for the particular position of each part seperately[+] and by
itself, without examining the connection that there is between the
motions of one part with those of another, there would be such a bending
in his reins that the horseman would be, if I may so say, hollow backed;
and as from that he would force his breast forward and his waist towards
the pommel of the saddle, he would be flung back, and must sit upon the
rump of the horse.

The arms should be bent at the elbows, and the elbows should rest
equally upon the hips; if the arms were strait, the consequence would
be, that the hands would be too low, or at too great a distance from the
body; and if the elbows were not kept steady, they would of consequence,
give an uncertainty and fickleness to the hand, sufficient to ruin it
for ever.

It is true that the _Bridle-hand_ is that which absolutely ought to be
s