//--- forwarded letter -------------------------------------------------------
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> Date: Fri, 12 Jan 96 14:00:15 -0800
> From: owner-endurance-digest@moscow.com
> To: endurance-digest@moscow.com
> Reply-To: owner-endurance@moscow.com
> Subject: endurance-digest V1 #263
>
>
>
> endurance-digest Friday, 12 January 1996 Volume 01 : Number 263
>
> From: Sue Cunningham <sue.cunningham@mcc.ac.uk>
> Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 13:58:24 +0000
> Subject: [endurance]: trotting v pacing
>
> Someone on the UK-Riders list commented that they thought
> that in previous centuries, working long distance horses, such
> as couriers or postal were taught to pace rather than trot.
> I thought they trotted, and that's where the term 'posting'
> came from, they had to rise to the trot 'cause of the speed they
> were doing. Anybody know if this is true?
>
> Just curious,
>
> Sue
> sue.cunningham@mcc.ac.uk (work)
> sue@snaffle.demon.co.uk (home)
> http://www.tag.co.uk/snaffle/welcome.htm
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of endurance-digest V1 #263
> *******************************
>
I recall reading a historical footnote that the post came from the fact that
carriage horses were ridden by young men (boys) for control and they learned
the rising and falling motion we know as the post. I believe the horse they rode
was know as the post horse and the motion became known as "posting". Also from
a French phrase meaning "riding as the English".
Ray Santana
UC Davis Medical Center
Network Operations
raymond.santana@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu