t back" when going over a
fence.

While keeping the legs in a uniform position, the rider will obtain all
the _balance_ she needs, by the play of her hip joints and by that of
the joints of the body above them, and will thus be enabled to sit
erect, lean back or forward, or bring her weight to one side or the
other, as may be required.

_Grip_ from the left leg is obtained by pressure against the leaping
head, which can be effected either by certain muscles of the thigh or by
those of the ankle joint. The amount of pressure which can be obtained
by the former method is far less than by the latter, for which a short
stirrup leather is necessary. The comparative feebleness of this action
of the thigh muscles can be readily seen by the small resistance which
they can make against downward pressure, when the knee is raised with
the foot off the ground. If, however, the foot is on the ground, the
muscles which straighten the ankle joint will enable the knee to be
raised, even against strong downward pressure. It might be objected to
this mode of obtaining grip, that the powerful pressure thus exerted on
the stirrup iron, would cause a downward pull on the (near) left side,
which is, however, counterbalanced by the upward pressure of the left
leg on the leaping head, and consequently it has no displacing effect on
the saddle. It is evident that this action of the ankle joint can be
performed effectively, only when the ball of the foot rests on the
stirrup. If the foot is put "home," the ankle joint will have little or
no play. When using the leaping head, we should bear in mind that the
action of the muscles which straighten the ankle joint, should be
independent of the body. If this condition is not observed, the tendency
will be to put undue weight on the stirrup, and to bring the body
forward.

It is evident that placing weight on the stirrup, without at the same
time exerting counterbalancing pressure against the leaping head, will
not only put undue weight on the near side, but will also bring the body
forward.

[Illustration: Fig. 80.--Hooked back leg, the direction of the pressure
of which is shown by the fore finger of the left hand.]

The right leg can help in obtaining grip, either by bending the knee and
bringing the calf of the leg round the upper crutch, or by lateral
pressure of the knee against that crutch. The former method is entirely
wrong, because it cannot be fully carried out, except by bringing the