When a riding-master tells you that you must ride by balance

When a riding-master tells you that you must ride by balance

Therefore, when a riding-master tells you that you must ride by balance, with your body upright, knee drawn back, and the feet in a perpendicular line with the shoulder, and your legs from the knee downward brought away to prevent what is called clinging, listen to him, learn all you can do not argue, that would be useless and then take the first opportunity of studying those who are noted for combining an easy, natural seat with grace that is, if you are built for gracefulness some people are not. In Nolan’s words, Let a man have a roomy saddle, and sit close to the horse’s back; let the leg be supported by the stirrup in a natural position, without being so short as to throw back the thigh, and the nearer the whole leg is brought to the horse the better, so long as the foot is not bent below the ankle-joint.

Fonte: Tamming Horses