swinging forward and backward and from side to side without affecting the seat. It must be upright for the sake of the balance.
The shoulders should be kept down, else the breathing will not be free, and the rider will tend to round his back, draw in his waist, and so throw his spine off the perpendicular. But if the shoulders are forced too far back, they will hollow out and impede the free action of the arms.
The arms, likewise, should be kept free, so that their movements may be entirely independent of those of the body. Moreover, if the arms be stiff, this stiffness will extend to the hands, which hold the reins, and diminish their "intelligence." The elbows should fall into an easy, natural position at the sides. "If they are kept too close to the body, the position appears uncomfortable, and the wrists cannot be raised or lowered without displacing the arms and moving the upper part of the body.
The head should be carried erect, easy, and free from the shoulders. The head is itself heavy, and being at the upper end of the spine and farthest from the point of support, any change in its position affects markedly the balance of both rider and horse. "I do not, however, mean to suggest any such position as that of the soldier on parade, neck immovable and eyes straight ahead. What I mean is that the rider's head should move to the right or left, freely, but without any stooping, the eyes looking far ahead, since one cannot see distant
