WORTH A STONE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 69, 13 June 1927, Page 6

WORTH A STONE

ADVANTAGE OF “FORWARD” SEAT

HORSEMANSHIP AND THE NATIONAL

TWO YEARS AGO, when Lieut.Colonel M. F. McTaggart’s book, “Mount and Man,” was first published, it heightened the controversy between advocates of the “forward” and the supporters of the “hack” seat in horsemanship. A second and enlarged edition of the hook has now been issued by “Country Life,” and in it Colonel McTaggart meets most of the criticisms which have been levelled against his theories, and, as befits a soldier of distinction, he stands by his guns in every one of his main contentions. As to the “forward” seat: “It is said,” he writes, “that this seat may he all very well for the show ring, but it is useless over a natural country when hounds are running. What the actual difference is in jumping when hounds run and when they do not is a point which is rather beyond me. . . . “I can only say that the more a horse is schooled to jump over fences (however artificial) upon the lines I advocate in this boolf. the better and safer hunter he will be, and the rider need not change his methods, whether he schools or hunts. WILL BE AMUSED. “As to the impracticability of the ‘forward* seat, or as to breaking down horses through its use, I know my American friends, in particular, will be much amused at such an assertion. Over there they all ride and race and hunt over 'stiff fences with the ‘forward* seat, and the idea of breaking horses down from this cause is one to which I am sure they would never agree. I will go further, and say I am convinced this method of riding is worth a stone in weight. “I have been told it is bad teaching and bad riding, to steady oneself, when in trouble, by placing the hands on

the horse’s neck. This Is also a surprising view. In such a position we do, at least, give the horse a free head and a free loin, and it is infinitely better than hanging on to his mouth, which, I am sorry to say, the ‘back seat* rider almost invariably does when difficulties arise.” Three new chapters appear in this edition, and much new material is embodied in the original chapters. Colonel McTaggart disputes the logic which deduces that the jockey who wins most race s is necessarily a specially good horseman. NOT THE CASE. “In public estimation, any rider who rides in the National must be a good horseman, and everyone who wins it must be superb. We know this isn’t the case, hut when a jockey is away out in the country, who can tell how he is riding? As long as he keeps going and comes in well up, what further proof is necessary or possible? “Personally, I think that if any jockey were to study the art of equitation a little more, he would win a greater number of races, his falls would be few T er, and his reputation enhanced. “When schooling, a good tip to find out how your jockey has been riding i s to watch his breathing as he pulls up. If he is much out of breath, you know 7 he must have been sitting all wrong over his fences. The good horseman, under all normal conditions, will ride a school without effort to himself, and should pull up undistressed. It is just as important to watch the breathing of your jockey as of your horse.” Colonel McTaggart is, as Lord Allenby says, expert in the theory and the practice of equitation; he possesses, moreover, the gifts of patience and kindness, in virtue of which he can be not merely the master, but the friend, of his horse.