of having ridden all sorts of horses, over all sorts of countries, and at all descriptions of fences. He takes no trouble to appear or act like a horseman, there is no affectation, no attitudinising, nothing peculiar about him, yet his every motion is that of a gentleman and of a finished equestrian. Do not make your own selection of a model, but elect to follow the silent teaching of one who is on all hands an acknowledged brilliant horseman, and not a mere fearless bruising rough-rider, "the first in the throng," perhaps, but still not a master of the art.

Some short rotund men may acquire a strong seat, but dumpies cast in that mould can never make elegant riders; in fact, such figures are not attractive under any conditions. Men so built are apt to roll in the saddle, and once out of it are difficult to get back again. It is not the low stature that militates against such robust Pygmeans; it is the round and short thigh, the fleshy knee, and the general Bacchanalian chubby conformation that handicap them so heavily. Perhaps for all purposes a well-proportioned five feet seven to five feet nine man, light-flanked, broad-shouldered, all "wire and whipcord," with strong arms, muscular but hollow thighs, riding between nine stone seven to ten stone seven, is the one best calculated to look well on a horse and to get all that is necessary out of him. The "tall, plump, brawny youth" Somerville spoke of is another individual who does not, as a rule, make a good show in the saddle. Some tall men, notably Colonel Anstruther Thomson, look remarkably well and are fine horsemen, but it must be borne in mind that the longer the stirrup leather is, the more difficult is it to keep the leg and foot steady. Tall men, especially those with abnormal length of limb, should remember the necessity of educating their thighs and knees to take a firm grip of the saddle, and of keeping their bodies steady.

Though we have not yet got so far as the trot, I shall here refer to a very objectionable fore and aft pendulum movement of the leg from the knee downwards which grinds the calf of the leg against the saddle flaps to the detriment of both. Sometimes the knee takes part in this odious unworkmanlike "swag" friction motion.

There is a prevalent idea that tall men soon tire their horses, but as much more of the weight in such cases is carried below the stirrup bars than in those of men of less length of limb, this notion will not bear investigation. Why they tire their horses sooner is that their elongated stature brings with it an increase of weight; the shorter the length, in the absence of rotundity, the easier it is kept stationary; but some of our best cross-country performers have been over six feet in their stocking soles. Mr. Thomas Assheton Smith, the mightiest hunter that ever wore a horn at his saddle bow, was a twelve stone man, five feet ten inches high, athletic, well-proportioned, very muscular, but slight.

Before discussing the proper length of stirrup, I would say a few words on the important subject of riding without stirrups. If a man contemplates becoming a perfect horseman, and will not be content with mediocrity, he must accustom himself to regard the stirrup as a mere accessory support, and not as an absolute necessity. In my remarks on early tuition, I have endeavoured to explain the several advantages claimed for this ancient mode of riding. The cavalry recruit is permitted the use of stirrups for a short time only after having had some forty lessons. He is taught to leap without stirrups, and the more he rides without them the greater is his strength, the closer the grip and the better the balance. It is only towards the close of his long spell of instruction that he is permitted to ride with stirrups and to take up his bit rein. No horseman can have perfect

freedom of hand till his seat be firm, and this grip, combined with balance--both essentials-is only to be acquired by riding, as the famous Numidian cavalry of Carthage, stirrupless. The late Major Whyte-Melville quotes one undeniable authority as a noteworthy exponent of the advantages of this practice as a groundwork for beginners. "The late Captain Percy Williams, as brilliant a rider over a country as ever cheered a hound, and to whom few jockeys would care to give five pounds on a race-course, assured me that he attributed to the above self-denying exercise that strength in the saddle which used to serve him so well from the distance home. When quartered at Hounslow with his regiment, the 9th Lancers, like other gay young light dragoons, he liked to spend all his available time in London. There were no railroads in those days, and the coaches did not always suit for time; but he owned a sound, speedy, high-trotting hack, and on this "bone-setter" he travelled backwards and forwards twelve miles of the great Bath road, with military regularity, half as many times in the week. He made it a rule to cross his stirrups over his horse's shoulders the moment he was off the stones at either end, only to be replaced when he reached his destination. In three months time, he told me, he had gained more practical knowledge of horsemanship, and more muscular power below the waist, than in all the hunting, larking, and ridingschool drills of the previous three years."

According to the strict rules of the riding-school, the proper length of the stirrup leathers is determined by the sole of the stirrup iron touching the lower edge of the anklebone when the foot hangs loose. Another method of determining the suitable length of stirrup leather is to place the tips of the fingers of the right hand against the bar to which the leathers are hung, and measuring from the bottom bar

to the armpit; when the sole of the stirrup-iron reaches the rider's side under the armpit the adjustment is correct. When taking a gallop across country, or over broken rough ground, the stirrups should be taken up two holes, and when starting on a long journey it is advisable to do the This will ease both horse and rider. When long in the saddle the rider will find much relief by at times taking his feet out of the stirrups and letting the legs hang loose, toes pointing downwards. He should invariably adjust his stirrups prior to mounting, and see, unless some malformation of limb has to be provided for, that both are of a length.

same.

All stirrup leathers should be double barred; that pattern of buckle permits of the easier alteration of the leathers and allows them to lie flatter under the upper flap of the saddle. On no account must the end of the leathers be run through the space between the bars, it must lie back flat on the flap, at an angle, passing under the rider's thigh.

THE AIDS.

In horsemanship the aids, so called, are the almost imperceptible motions and practical applications of the bridlehand, or hands and legs, through which the wishes of the rider are conveyed to the horse in order to determine his movements, turnings, and paces, and by which he is taught to obey the bit, and is given a light mouth. Their object is, through certain indications, to make the rider understood and obeyed by the horse, and it is necessary that these indications should be such that the rider can employ them instantaneously and with certainty under all circumstances. They should be so simple and so marked that no man can mistake, and no horse misunderstand, them. Obedience to hand and leg is the foundation of a horse's education;

will not suffice that he should own the mastery of one, he must be amenable to both, for without invariable, unhesitating obedience to both he cannot be a perfect ridinghorse.

For obvious reasons the voice, except it be in the form of the word of command, is not permitted to rank among the aids in the military riding-school, but with every other class of horse it is fully entitled to be regarded as such. Many an old troop or battery horse knows and obeys the command as readily as the trained man on his back.

The different aids are called in requisition in the following manner, the supposition in most cases being that the horse is being ridden in a snaffle or on the bridoon.

Walk.-Slacken the hold on the bit by turning the little fingers of both hands forwards towards the horse's head, both legs at the same moment and together being pressed to the horse's side, giving the word to move with the accompanying k-l-k. When the horse has moved off bring his head in, arch his neck, do not let him poke his nose out, let the hands resume their former position, do not let him saunter in a slovenly manner, but step out smartly well up to the hand. Do not press him beyond his best walking pace, and be careful that the pace is a true one, not bordering on the trot or amble.

Halt.-Simultaneously with the word Whoa! or Halt! bring the little fingers towards the breast, turning the nails of both hands inwards and upwards in the direction of the body. See that when halted he stands evenly on both hind legs.

Rein back.-Properly speaking, this movement to the rear should be performed with the bit, and in using it great care must be taken not to jerk the mouth. Before attempting this practice with a novice, he must be prepared for it by