tion 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.