,,the ,,barb ,,and ,,the ,,bridle2  ,a  
,,handbook ,,of ,,equitation ,,for      
,,ladies1 ,,and ,,manual ,,of           
,,instruction ,,in ,,the ,,science ,,of 
,,riding1 ,,from ,,the ,,preparatory    
,,suppling ,,exercises ,,on ,,foot1 ,,to
 ,,the ,,form ,,in ,,which ,a ,,lady    
,,should ,,ride ,,to ,,hounds4          
,reprinted from ,the ,queen ,newspaper4 
,by ,,vieille ,,moustache4              
,,london3     ,,the ,,queen ,,office1   
#cdf1 ,,strand4      #ahgd4             
,,london3     ,,printed ,,by ,,horace   
,,cox1 #cdf1 ,,strand1 ,w4,c4           
,illustration3 ,,the ,,lady',s ,,horse4 
,,introduction4   ,having received      
numerous applications from ladies       
desirous of information1 as to the true 
principles and practice of equitation1  
,i venture to put before the public1 in 
book form1 a series of articles which   
appeared originally in the columns of   
the ,queen newspaper on ladies' riding4 
,commencing with the calisthenic        
practices so necessary to a young lady  

before beginning her mounted lessons1   
these papers enter into every detail    
7less those of the ,haut ,ecole de      
,manege7 connected with the science of  
riding as it should be acquired by all  
who wish to become efficient horsewomen4
 ,as the rules laid down are precisely  
those upon which ,i have successfully   
instructed a great number of ladies1 as 
my experience is of many years'         
standing1 and acquired in the best      
schools in ,europe1 ,i trust the        
following pages may prove useful2 for1  
while it is quite true that neither man 
nor woman can learn to ride by simply   
reading a book on the subject1 still a  
carefully-compiled manual of equitation 
is always a ready means of refreshing   
the memory upon points of importance in 
the art1 which1 however clearly         
explained by the oral instruction of a  
first-class master1 may yet in time     
escape the recollection of the pupil4   
,,vieille ,,moustache4     ,,the ,,barb 
,,and ,,the ,,bridle4     ,,chapter ,i4 

,riding1 considered as a means of       
recreation1 as a promoter of health1 or 
as the best mode in which to display to 
the greatest advantage beauty and       
symmetry of face and form1 is perhaps   
unequalled among the many               
accomplishments necessary to a lady4    
,out of doors croquet may be interesting
 as a game1 and fascinating enough when 
a lady has an agreeable partner1 but as 
an exercise physically its healthfulness
 is doubtful4  ,there is too much       
standing about1 often on damp grass1 too
 little real exertion to keep the       
circulation up properly1 and too many   
intervals of quiescence1 wherein a lady 
stands perfectly still 7in a very       
graceful attitude no doubt7 long enough 
in the chill evening air to create      
catarrh or influenza4  ,archery1        
although a far more graceful exercise   
than croquet1 is open to the same       
objection as regards danger of taking   
cold4  ,skating1 though both healthful  
and elegant1 is so seldom available as  

scarcely to be reckoned among the       
exercises beneficial to ladies4         
,moreover1 it is attended with          
considerable danger in many cases4  ,to 
be well is to look well4 ,healthy       
physical exertion is indispensable to   
the former state1 and in no way can it  
be so well secured as by riding4        
,mounted on a well-broken1 well-bred    
horse1 and cantering over a breezy down1
 or trotting on the soft sward1 on the  
way to covert1 a lady feels a glow of   
health and flow of spirits unattainable 
by any other kind of out or in door     
recreation4  ,that the foregoing truths 
are fully appreciated by the ladies of  
the ,upper ,ten ,thousand is abundantly 
proved by the goodly gathering of fair  
and aristocratic equestrians to be seen 
in ,rotten ,row during the ,london      
season1 and at every fashionable meet of
 hounds in the kingdom in the winter    
time4  ,nor is riding confined to those 
only whose names figure in the pages of 
,burke or ,debrett4 ,within the last    

twenty years the wives and daughters of 
professional men and wealthy tradesmen1 
who were content formerly to take an    
airing in a carriage1 have taken to     
riding on horseback4 ,and they are quite
 right4 ,it is not 7with management7 a  
bit more expensive1 while it is beyond  
comparison the most agreeable and       
salubrious mode of inhaling the breeze4 
,the daughter of the peer1 or other     
great grandee of the country1 may be    
almost said to be a horsewoman to the   
manner born4 ,riding comes as naturally 
to her as it does to her brothers4 ,both
 clamber up on their ponies1 or are     
lifted on1 almost as soon as they can   
walk1 and consequently grow into their  
riding1 and become at fifteen or sixteen
 years of age as much at home in the    
saddle as they are on a sofa4 ,in the   
hunting field they see the best types of
 riding extant1 male and female1 and    
learn to copy their style and mode of   
handling their horses1 while oral       
instruction of the highest order is     

always at hand to supplement daily      
practice4 ,to the great ladies of       
,england1 then1 all hints on the subject
 would be superfluous4 ,most of them    
justly take great pride in their riding1
 spare no pains to excel in it1 and are 
thoroughly successful4  ,in fact1 it is 
the one accomplishment in which they as 
far surpass the women of all other      
countries in the world as they outvie   
them in personal beauty4  ,a ,german or 
,french woman possibly may hold her own 
with an ,englishwoman in a ball room or 
a box at the opera2 but put her on      
horseback1 and take her to the covert   
side1 she is not in it with her ,english
 rivals4  ,although the advantages and  
opportunities ,i speak of1 however1     
render words of advice upon female      
equitation unnecessary to ladies of the 
sangre azul1 ,i trust they may be found 
useful to others who may not have had   
such opportunities4  ,in the upper      
middle classes nothing is more probable 
than the marriage of one of the         

daughters of the house with a man whose 
future lot may be cast in the colonies1 
where if a woman cannot ride she will be
 sorely at a loss4 ,unlike the ladies of
 high degree above alluded to1 the      
daughter of a man in good position in   
the middle class will often not have    
opportunities of learning to ride until 
she is fifteen or sixteen1 and by this  
time the youthful frame1 supple as it   
may appear1 has acquired 7so to speak7 a
 set1 which at first renders riding far 
from agreeable2 because it calls into   
action whole sets of muscles and        
ligaments heretofore rarely brought into
 play1 or rather only partially so4     
,hence the unpleasant stiffness that    
always follows the first essays of the  
tyro in riding of the age ,i speak of1  
and which painful feeling too often so  
discourages beginners that they give up 
the thing in disgust4  ,now this        
unpleasant consequence of the first     
lessons may be easily obviated by the   
following means4 ,bearing in mind that  

pain or stiffness is the result of want 
of supplesse1 the first desideratum is  
to acquire this most desirable          
elasticity4 ,to accomplish this1 three  
months before the pupil is put on       
horseback she should begin a course of  
training in suppling and extension      
motions on foot1 precisely similar to   
those drilled into a cavalry recruit in 
the army4 ,no amount of dancing will do 
what is required4 ,even the professional
 danseuse1 with her constant exercise of
 the ronde de jambe1 never possesses    
that mobile action of the waist and play
 of the joints of the upper part of the 
figure so thoroughly to be acquired by  
the exercises ,i speak of1 which also   
have the further greater advantage of   
giving development and expansion to the 
chest4 ,i therefore respectfully advise 
every careful mother1 who is desirous of
 seeing her daughters become            
accomplished horsewomen1 before taking  
them to the riding master 7of whom more 
hereafter71 in the first place to employ

 a good drill master4  ,possibly1 the   
young ladies may have had drill         
instruction at school2 but experience   
tells me that such instruction is too   
often slurred over1 or only practised at
 such long intervals that its effect is 
confined to causing the pupil to walk   
upright and carry herself well--a very  
desirable matter1 but not all that is   
requisite as a preparation for riding4  
,drill1 to be effective for the above   
purposes1 should be practised daily4    
,the course of instruction should begin 
with very short lessons1 lasting not    
more than twenty minutes at first2 but  
these1 given in the presence of mamma1  
should be most rigidly and minutely     
carried out1 otherwise they are useless4
 ,they should gradually be increased in 
length1 according to the strength of the
 pupil1 until she can stand an hour's   
drilling without fatigue4 ,the course   
should include instruction in the use of
 dumb-bells1 very carefully given4 ,the 
weight of these should in no case exceed

 seven pounds for a young lady of       
fifteen or sixteen1 and may judiciously 
be confined to three and four pounds for
 those of a more tender age4 ,the great 
use of dumb-bells is to give flexibility
 to the shoulder joints and expansion to
 the chest4 ,the first lessons should   
not last more than five minutes1 and in 
no case be continued an instant after   
the pupil exhibits the slightest symptom
 7easily discernable7 of fatigue4  ,of  
the course of drill instruction1 the    
lessons called the extension motions are
 the most effectual in promoting        
flexibility of the whole figure2 but    
they must be gone into by very gradual  
and careful induction1 and their effect 
will then be not only beneficial1 but   
pleasant to the pupil4  ,as it is       
possible that this may meet the eye of  
some lady who resides where no eligible 
drill master is available1 ,i propose in
 my next chapter to give a programme of 
the exercises ,i speak of1 which may    
then be practised under the             

superintendence of the lady herself or  
her governess4 ,but in all cases where  
the services of a competent and         
thoroughly practised drill master are to
 be had it is always best to employ     
them4  ,simple as the instruction may   
appear1 the art of imparting it has to  
be acquired in a school where the most  
minute attention is paid to every       
detail1 where nothing is allowed to be  
done in a careless or slovenly manner1  
and where 7so to speak7 the pupil is    
never asked to read before he can spell4
 ,it is this jumping in medias with     
beginners in riding that so often causes
 mischief and disgusts the pupil1 who   
begins by thinking that it is the       
easiest thing in the world to ride well1
 but when she is put on horseback finds 
to her dismay that it is anything but   
easy until acquired by practice and     
thoroughly good instructions4           
,,chapter ,,ii4   ,i proceed now to     
describe the suppling and extension     
exercises ,i have before alluded to4    

,illustration3 ,fig4 #a4  ,illustration3
 ,fig4 #b4  ,these are simple enough in 
themselves1 certain not to be forgotten 
when once learnt1 and easy to impart in 
the way of instruction4 ,their great    
efficacy depends1 however1 upon the     
judgment with which the instructor      
varies them1 so as to call into action  
alternately opposite sets of muscles and
 ligaments1 as it is by such a process  
only that complete supplesse can be     
attained4 ,the first suppling practice  
is performed as follows3 ,place the     
pupil in a position perfectly upright1  
the heels close together1 the toes at an
 angle of #de 7military regulation71 the
 figure well drawn up from the waist1   
the shoulders thrown back1 chest        
advanced1 the neck and head erect1 arms 
hanging perpendicularly from the        
shoulder1 elbows slightly bent1 the     
weight of the body thrown upon the front
 part of the foot4  ,then the           
instruction should be given thus3 ,on   
the word one1 bring both hands smartly  

up to the full extent of the arms1 in   
front and above the forehead1 the tips  
of the fingers joining 7,fig4 #a72 on   
the word two1 throw the hands sharply   
backwards and downwards until they meet 
behind the back 7,fig4 #b74 ,this       
exercise should be commenced slowly1 and
 gradually increased in rapidity until  
the pupil can execute it with great     
quickness for several minutes           
consecutively4 ,the object is to throw  
the shoulders well back and give        
expansion to the chest4  ,illustration3 
,fig4 #c4  ,illustration3 ,fig4 #d4     
,second practice4--,on the word one1    
bring the hands together 7from their    
position perpendicular from the         
shoulder7 in front of the figure1 the   
tips of the fingers joining 7,fig4 #c74 
,on the word two1 raise the hands1 still
 joined1 slowly above and slightly in   
front of the head1 to the full extent of
 the arms 7,fig4 #d74 ,three1 separate  
the hands1 and1 turning the palms       
upwards1 lower them to the level of the 

shoulders1 the arms fully extended      
7,fig4 #e74 ,simultaneously with the    
lowering of the hands the heels should  
be raised slowly from the ground1 so as 
to bring the weight of the body upon the
 toes4 ,on the word four1 lower the     
hands gradually to the sides1 carrying  
them at the same time well to the rear  
7,fig4 #f74 ,the heels are also to be   
lowered to the ground as the hands are  
carried backwards4 ,this exercise should
 always be done slowly1 as its object is
 the gradual flexing and suppling of the
 shoulder and elbow joints1 and giving  
mobile action to those of the feet4 ,in 
using dumb-bells the first practice with
 them may be identical with the above1  
the dumb-bells being grasped firmly in  
the centre4  ,illustration3 ,fig4 #e4   
,illustration3 ,fig4 #f4  ,third        
practice4--,on the word one1 close the  
hands firmly by the sides2 two1 raise   
them up quietly1 bending the elbows     
until the hands are touching the points 
of the shoulders 7,fig4 #g72 three1     

carry the hands1 still firmly closed1   
forwards and upwards1 to the full extent
 of the arms1 well above and a little in
 front of the head 7,fig4 #h72 four1    
bring the hands with a quick1 sharp     
motion down to the level of the         
shoulders1 carrying the elbows well to  
the rear 7,fig4 #i74 ,the first two     
motions of this exercise should be      
performed very slowly1 the last very    
rapidly4 ,it can also be practised with 
advantage with the dumb-bells1 and is   
then of great service in strengthening  
and developing the muscles of the chest 
and arms4  ,illustration3 ,fig4 #g4     
,illustration3 ,fig4 #h4  ,there are a  
great many other suppling practices1 but
 the above1 varied occasionally by the  
use of the dumb-bells1 will be found    
sufficient for all practical purposes4  
,coming now to the extension exercises1 
,i select the third as being most       
effective4 #ast motion4 ,bring the hands
 together in front of the figure1 as in 
the second suppling practice1 the points

 of the fingers joining1 the whole frame
 erect and well drawn up from the waist4
 #b4 ,raise the hands slowly above the  
head to the full extent of the arms1    
turn the palms of the hands outwards1   
and lock the thumbs together1 the right 
thumb within the left 7,fig4 #aj74 #c4  
,keeping the body1 head1 and neck       
perfectly erect1 place the head between 
the arms1 the thumbs still firmly locked
 together4 #d4 ,keeping the knees       
perfectly straight1 lower the hands1 and
 bend the back gradually and very slowly
 forward and downwards1 until the points
 of the fingers touch the instep 7,fig4 
#aa74 #e4 ,raise the body and head 7the 
latter still between the arms71 quietly 
up in the same slow time1 bringing the  
hands again well above the head 7,fig4  
#ab74 #f4 ,lower the hands gradually    
7turning the palms upwards71 first to   
the level of the shoulders1 making a    
momentary pause there1 and then quietly 
to the sides1 carrying the hands in     
their descent from the shoulder as much 

as possible to the rear1 while the      
weight of the body is thrown entirely   
upon the front of the foot4             
,illustration3 ,fig4 #i4  ,illustration3
 ,fig4 #aj4  ,in this exercise all      
depends upon keeping the knee joints    
perfectly straight1 and the head1 in the
 bending-down movement1 as much as      
possible between the arms4  ,the object 
of the practice is to give suppleness to
 the waist1 freedom to the knee joint by
 well suppling the ligaments at the back
 of the knee1 and at the same time to   
expand the chest4 ,for these purposes1  
if carefully and judiciously carried    
out1 it is most effective1 calling      
alternately upon every portion of the   
frame wherein suppleness is             
indispensable to easy and graceful      
riding4  ,illustration3 ,fig4 #aa4      
,illustration3 ,fig4 #ab4  ,great care  
should be taken not to hurry this       
lesson1 and if the pupil is of a figure 
that renders it difficult for her to    
reach her instep in bending down1 it    

should not be insisted on2 but it is    
necessary that she should bend the back 
as much as possible without bending the 
knees1 as any yielding of the knee joint
 destroys the whole value of the        
exercise4  ,to perform the above named  
practices comfortably1 the pupil should 
wear a loose dress which throws no      
constraint upon any part of the figure4 
,slippers1 too1 are better than boots1  
as the latter confine the foot and ankle
 too much for complete liberty of       
movement4  ,the duration of any of these
 lessons should at first be carefully   
proportioned to the strength of the     
learner1 and gradually increased as to  
time day by day1 until she can stand an 
hour's work without fatigue2 but be the 
lesson long or short1 it should be      
practised every day4  ,it will be found 
that1 with plenty of fresh air and      
walking exercise1 the pupil1 by the aid 
of these suppling and extension         
practices1 will develope rapidly in     
elasticity of movement and in general   

health1 and that a couple or three      
months of such preparation will help her
 very much as an introduction to her    
course of equitation4  ,any good drill  
master who might be employed to set up a
 young lady would most likely teach her 
all the above1 and much more2 but ,i    
have ventured to detail these practices1
 assuming that a family may be located  
in a neighbourhood in which no such man 
is available1 in which case the exercise
 can be imparted and superintended by   
the governess of the family4 ,these     
ladies are always clever and intelligent
 enough to master in a few minutes such 
very simple details as those above      
described4  ,before quitting this       
subject a word about gymnastics may not 
be out of place4 ,many heads of families
 consider them highly beneficial when   
practised with bars and similar         
apparatus4 ,my experience induces me to 
differ from this notion1 and ,i believe 
my view of the matter would be borne out
 by the highest medical authority4  ,for

 boys even1 gymnastic exercises should  
be most carefully watched1 in order that
 no undue strain should be thrown upon  
the yet unset muscle and cartilage of   
the frame4 ,for young ladies ,i believe 
gymnastics to be not only unnecessary1  
but injurious1 and that every practical 
result desirable can be arrived at by   
the use of such exercises as ,i have    
endeavoured to describe1 varied         
occasionally by the moderate use of the 
dumb-bells1 a few minutes of which at   
one time is always sufficient4 ,where   
there is a number of young people       
together1 there is sure to be a tendency
 to outdo each other whenever physical  
exercises of any kind are introduced2   
and1 while it is easy enough to control 
the pupils in the simple suppling       
practices ,i speak of1 it is very       
difficult for any but the most          
experienced persons to determine how far
 a young lady may go without injury to  
herself in the exercises of the         
horizontal bars or trapeze ropes4 ,if   

any kind of gymnastic exercises are     
allowed for a young lady1 the best1 in  
my opinion1 are those practised with the
 ,ranelagh1 because no hurtful strain   
can possibly be thrown upon the pupil2  
and for boys ,i believe the ,ranelagh to
 be a first-rate invention1 as is also  
the ,parlour ,gymnasium1 and several    
others on similar principles1 which     
ignore the practice of the bars4  ,the  
full practice of the gymnasium1 however1
 for young men whose frames have        
attained a certain amount of maturity1  
is no doubt good if not carried to      
excess4 ,i speak1 however1 only of young
 ladies of tender age4  ,assuming then1 
that our pupil has been prepared for    
riding as above described1 let us       
proceed to consider the style of dress  
most suitable for her early attempts in 
the saddle4 ,for very young ladies1 say 
under twelve years of age1 ,i believe in
 hair cut short in preference to flowing
 locks1 because the latter are very apt 
to blow into the eyes and seriously     

interfere with riding4 ,for the very    
juvenile equestrian tyro1 the hat should
 be one that fastens under the chin with
 ribbon or something that is not        
elastic4 ,nothing is more important in  
beginning with young people on horseback
 than to give them confidence1 and      
nothing so completely puts them out as  
anything loose about the head4 ,for     
young ladies over fifteen or sixteen1   
hats which are fastened to the hair may 
be worn4 ,but1 having regard to the     
progress of the pupil rather than to    
appearance1 ,i recommend every beginner1
 no matter what her age1 to leave no    
doubt about the security of her         
headdress4 ,as regards riding habits1 to
 begin with1 while they should fit      
sufficiently to indicate the outline of 
the lady's figure1 all tightness should 
be avoided4 ,tight habits are very      
sightly to the eye2 but1 in common with 
tight corsets1 steel or whalebone       
anywhere about the dress is fatal to    
that perfect liberty of movement so     

essential to success in a beginner4     
,loose jackets of course should not be  
worn1 because the instructor would be   
unable to see in what form his pupil was
 sitting4 ,nothing is better1 in the    
first place1 than a jacket1 of any      
coarse material the rider chooses1 made 
in the ordinary form1 with plenty of    
room1 especially about the waist and    
shoulders4 ,the skirt should not be too 
redundant or too long1 as in the latter 
case it is apt to get trodden on by the 
horse1 and in windy weather blows about1
 to the great annoyance of the rider4 ,a
 skirt that reaches about #ab;in4 below 
the foot is amply long4 ,as to breadth1 
it should be just large enough to give  
space to move easily in4 ,a more        
voluminous garment is unsightly4 ,the   
skirt1 made independent of the jacket1  
should fasten under it with a broad     
band4 ,no clothing should be worn under 
the skirt except riding trousers4       
,under-skirts of any kind will utterly  
spoil the appearance of the fair        

equestrian1 and render her ride one of  
discomfort4  ,riding trousers1 the      
making of which should only be entrusted
 to people who are well accustomed to   
it1 may be made of cloth or chamois     
leather1 booted with cloth4  ,the boots1
 whether ,wellingtons 7if they are not  
out of date71 side springs1 or lace     
boots1 should be made purposely for     
riding4 ,fashion is imperious1 and that 
of the present day dictates a boot with 
a very high1 narrow heel1 and a waist   
which is almost triangular2 both are    
quite unsuited for riding4 ,the heel of 
a riding boot should be quite as broad  
as the foot of the wearer1 and should   
come well forward into the waist1 after 
the manner of a man's hunting boot1 and 
the waist itself should be perfectly    
flat1 so as to give a firm level bearing
 on the stirrup-iron4 ,a sharp1         
narrow-waisted boot will be found not   
only impossible to keep in place in the 
iron1 but will hurt the sole of the foot
 very much4  ,of spurs 7very necessary  

in an advanced state of proficiency1 and
 inadmissible1 of course1 to a beginner7
 ,i shall say something hereafter4  ,of 
gloves1 the best kind for riding is a   
dogskin glove or gauntlet two sizes too 
large4 ,six and a-half kid gloves do not
 admit of sufficient freedom in the hand
 properly to manipulate the reins4  ,the
 pupil should be provided with a        
straight riding whip which is not too   
flexible1 because with a very supple    
whip she may inadvertently touch the    
horse at the wrong time and upset him4  
,having said thus much as to the        
equipment of our fair tyro1 ,i leave all
 observations as to dress fit for the   
hunting-field1 or such promenade riding 
as that of ,rotten ,row1 for a future   
paper1 and proceed to say something     
about that very important consideration1
 the matter of the riding master4  ,in  
the first place1 then1 it is necessary  
that the professor of equitation should 
be one who has been regularly brought up
 to his business4 ,if such a man is not 

within reach1 then ,i submit that it is 
better to entrust the riding education  
of the young lady to any staid          
middle-aged gentleman who is a          
thoroughly good horseman1 and who will  
undertake the task con amore4 ,if the   
gentleman has daughters of his own1 all 
the better4 ,i do not recommend young   
men for the office1 because1 naturally  
enough1 they are more likely to be      
engrossed with the charms of their      
pupils than the progress they are making
 with their riding4 ,youthful           
preceptors1 too1 have a tendency to make
 the pace a trifle too good1 and there  
are not even wanting instances where    
they have bolted with their pupils      
altogether4 ,this by the way4  ,to      
return to the professional riding       
master4 ,i may add that1 in addition to 
thoroughly understanding his craft1 he  
should be a man of education and a      
gentleman4 ,of such men there are       
several in the metropolis2 in the       
provinces they are few and far between4 

,in most of our fashionable             
watering-places one sees very neatly    
got-up horsey-looking men1 duly booted1 
spurred1 and moustached1 tittuping along
 with a small troop of young ladies1    
who1 with their skirts ballooned out    
with the fresh breeze from the briny1   
and sitting all over the saddle1 are    
making themselves very uncomfortable1   
when they could have enjoyed the bracing
 air just as well1 for less money1 in an
 open fly4 ,the riding master1 in all   
probability1 has promoted himself from  
the office of pad groom4 ,he knows how  
to saddle and turn out a lady's horse1  
and how to put the lady into the saddle2
 he knows1 also1 the cheapest market in 
which to go for fashionable-looking     
screws upon which to mount his          
customers4 ,there his qualifications as 
a riding master end4 ,the inductive     
steps by which a lady should be taught1 
the reason for everything she is asked  
to do1 the aids by which she should     
control her horse and establish a good  

understanding with him1 are all sealed  
mysteries to the stamp of man ,i speak  
of4 ,from such men and their ten-pound  
screws there is nothing to be learnt in 
the way of riding4  ,assuming1 then1    
that some of my fair readers may be so  
placed as to render access to a         
professional riding master impossible1  
,i have ventured upon this brief manual 
of ,equitation for ,ladies1 because ,i  
believe that there are many gentlemen1  
good horsemen1 who would willingly      
undertake the teaching of their young   
friends1 but that the former are        
unacquainted with the readiest way of   
going to work4 ,let me hope that the    
following may be of use in such case1   
both to preceptor and pupil4 ,addressing
 myself first to the former1 let me     
advise him to be guided from first to   
last by the following maxims3 #ast4     
,never do anything to shake the         
confidence or nerve of your pupil1 and  
never give away a chance of doing it to 
the horse she rides4 #bnd4 ,never talk  

to her about lesson ,no4 #b until she   
thoroughly understands lesson ,no4 #a4  
,while tittuping hacks are useless1 and 
it is necessary to have an animal1 even 
for a beginner1 that has still plenty of
 life1 vigour1 and action in him1 such a
 horse requires to be thoroughly        
well-broken to carry a woman1 and should
 have plenty of work1 so as to do away  
with the possibility of his flirting    
when she is mounted4 ,it should be borne
 in mind that1 although a woman who has 
had years of practice will be equally at
 home on almost every horse upon which  
you can put her1 yet only a particular  
stamp of animal is adapted to carry her 
in her earlier essays4  ,let me         
endeavour to give my idea of him4 ,in   
height he should be from #ae4b to #ae4c4
 ,a very tall woman may look better on a
 taller horse1 but it is rarely that one
 finds an animal over #ae4c with the    
requisite proportions to ensure good    
action4 ,colour is of little account1   
except that grey horses in the summer   

time part with their coats so freely as 
to spoil a lady's habit4 ,quality is    
indispensable4 ,a three-part-bred horse1
 however1 is the best1 because he is    
likely to have more substance in the    
right place than a thoroughbred4 ,a good
 blood-like head and neck are warranty  
for fashion4 ,good shoulders1 in the    
ordinary acceptation of the term1 are   
not always good shoulders for a lady's  
horse1 because while they should be     
clean and sloping as to the scapula1 the
 withers should not be too fine4 ,a     
little thickness there causes a side    
saddle to fit better for the comfort of 
the rider4 ,there should be plenty of   
depth in the girth and rare good back   
ribs1 for a woman's riding calls very   
much on a horse's power4 ,a short back  
is not conducive to ease for the rider1 
whatever it may be as to the staying    
powers of the horse4 ,on the contrary1  
what is generally called a long-backed  
horse carries a lady most pleasantly2   
but there must be plenty of power in the

 quarters1 muscular upper thighs1 and   
strong hocks4 ,the quarters1 too1 should
 be good1 and the setting on of the tail
 such as finishes the topping of the    
horse well1 and gives him a fashionable 
appearance4 ,if conjoined to the        
above-named points he stands on         
moderately short legs1 with plenty of   
bone1 and has good round and sound feet1
 he will be found as nearly as possible 
what is required4     ,,chapter ,,iii4  
,if a horse has been broken1 so as to be
 obedient to the hand and leg of a man1 
and steady to sights and sounds1 it is  
considered by many that the animal has  
only to be ridden with a skirt1 and     
accustomed to strike off without        
hesitation with its off legs in the     
canter1 and it is fit to carry a lady4  
,this is a great mistake4 ,it is true   
that teaching it to canter collectedly  
with its off legs is necessary1 as well 
as habituating it to the skirt1 but     
there are other and important matters to
 be considered which are too often      

overlooked4  ,in the first place1 a man1
 to break a horse properly for a lady1  
must be sufficiently well up at his     
craft to train the animal to obey the   
lightest possible application of the    
aids of the leg2 because a lady1 having 
but one leg to the horse1 cannot give   
him the same amount of support that can 
be given by a man1 who applies both4    
,to supply the absence of the leg on the
 off side1 in the case of the lady1 the 
only substitute is the whip4 ,but all   
men accustomed to breaking know that the
 effect of the whip is altogether       
different from that of the leg1 and that
 while the whip is occasionally         
necessary to rouse a slightly lazy      
horse1 and put him into his bridle1 in  
the case of one very free1 or at all    
hot1 the whip must be used with great   
caution by a lady4 ,as ,i have remarked 
elsewhere1 most young horses are        
inclined to strike off in the canter    
with the near leg1 which is most        
unpleasant to the fair equestrian4 ,to  

correct this1 the breaker applies       
certain well-known aids1 which it is    
unnecessary here to repeat4 ,but in     
order to confirm the horse in his lesson
 of cantering with his off leg1 the man 
must give the animal a considerable     
amount of support with both his own and 
both hands4 ,if this is continued after 
the horse is advanced to the stage of   
breaking where the trainer begins to fit
 him for a lady1 and carried on until   
she rides him1 he will be far from a    
pleasant mount to her1 because1 missing 
the support of the man's legs1 the horse
 will not understand the light and      
delicate ones which the lady will use4  
,it is necessary1 therefore1 that the   
breaker should accustom his charge      
readily to obey the slightest indication
 of the rider's will1 and then ride him 
in a side-saddle1 in precisely the same 
way as he will afterwards be ridden by  
the lady4  ,i remember once seeing a    
man1 really a capital rider in his own  
way1 giving a lady a lesson on a horse  

of her own which he had broken for her4 
,both master and pupil were sorely      
puzzled--the former because the horse   
would not obey the hand and leg of the  
rider1 as directed by the master1 and   
the pupil1 by finding that all she was  
doing produced an effect diametrically  
opposite to that which was intended4    
,perhaps the horse1 too1 was as much    
puzzled to know what to be at as either 
rider or master4  ,the animal was a very
 shapely chesnut1 nearly thoroughbred1  
very good-tempered1 but full of courage4
 ,evidently he was unaccustomed to carry
 a lady1 and was beginning to give      
indications that his temper was getting 
up4 ,the object was to canter him to the
 right round the school1 going large1 as
 it is technically called4 ,he had      
trotted to the other hand well enough1  
and the young lady had ridden him       
fairly2 but when turned to the reverse  
hand1 and the word canter was given1 he 
evidently missed the support afforded by
 the legs of a male rider4 ,when pressed

 gently forward to a shortened rein1 he 
stepped very high in his trot4 ,touch   
him on the right shoulder with the whip 
sharply1 miss1 said the riding master4  
,in answer to the sharp cut of the whip1
 the horse jumped off passionately in a 
canter1 with his near legs first--a     
dangerous thing when going round the    
school to the right4 ,stop him1 miss1   
said the preceptor2 take him into the   
corner1 bend his head to the right4 ,now
 the leg and whip again4 ,the same      
result followed--the lady flurried as   
well as her horse4 ,the riding master at
 last took the lady off1 and mounted the
 horse himself2 but he rode with a man's
 seat1 not a woman's4 ,the horse        
cantered collectedly and well into his  
bridle when the master asked him4 ,you  
see1 miss1 it is easy enough1 said the  
master2 a little patience1 and you will 
do it presently4 ,but the second essay  
of the lady was as unsuccessful as the  
first2 nay more so1 as the horse was    
getting very angry4 ,what can be the    

reason8 at last said the lady1 halting  
her horse2 ,i must be very stupid4 ,it  
is some peculiarity in your hand1 said  
the master1 soothingly2 it will be all  
right by-and-by4 ,do you think1 said the
 lady1 deferentially1 that the          
difference of seat--your leg on the     
right side--has anything to do with it8 
,not a bit1 replied the preceptor4 ,but 
it had all to do with it1 and eventually
 the lady had to be put upon an old     
school hack for her ride in the park1   
leaving her own horse at the riding     
school4  ,when the lady was gone the    
master observed1 ,most extraordinary    
thing6 ,i can't get this horse to do    
wrong1 and ,miss ,a4 cannot get him to  
go a yard4 ,did you ever ride him in a  
side-saddle8 ,i inquired4 ,i8 ,certainly
 not1 was the answer2 no man can break a
 horse in a side-saddle 7this was true  
enough as regards the early stages71    
and1 continued the professor1 ,i can't  
ride a bit in a side-saddle4 ,the latter
 observation settled the matter in my   

mind2 for it has been always clear to me
 that1 if a man cannot acquire a true   
and firm seat himself on a side-saddle1 
it is impossible he can teach a woman to
 ride4 ,he may teach her to sit square  
and upright on an old horse that has    
been carrying women for years1 but going
 about on such an animal is not         
riding--my idea of which1 as regards a  
lady1 is1 that on a horse still full of 
courage and action 7though not too fresh
 or short of work7 the rider should be  
able1 by the application of aids sound  
in theory and practice1 to render the   
horse thoroughly obedient to her will4  
,this is riding4 ,cantering along upon  
an old tittuping hack is merely taking  
horse exercise in a mild form4  ,as     
regards a man riding in a side-saddle1  
,i may say that some years ago a young  
friend of mine1 now deceased--than whom 
there never was a better man with       
hounds--hunted in a side-saddle for     
three or four seasons before his death4 
,he had injured his right foot so badly 

in a fall as to necessitate amputation  
at the instep1 and he preferred the     
side-saddle seat to the awkward and     
disagreeable feeling occasioned by      
trusting to a cork foot in the off-side 
stirrup4 ,some of your readers may      
probably remember the dashing youngster 
,i allude to1 who was always to be seen 
going true and straight in the front    
rank1 when he hunted eighteen years ago 
with the ,royal ,buckhounds4 ,i can     
safely say that the horses he rode in   
his side-saddle were the perfection of  
ladies' hunters1 and that he was one of 
the best instructors of female          
equitation ,i ever met4  ,i repeat1     
then1 that before a horse can be        
pronounced fit to carry a lady he should
 have been ridden in a side-saddle for  
some time by a man4  ,riding in this    
way1 the breaker's first object should  
be to make the horse walk truly and     
fairly up to his bridle1 without        
hurrying or shuffling in his pace1 than 
which nothing is more unpleasant to a   

lady1 especially if she is engaged in   
conversation with a companion4 ,of      
course it is indispensable that a horse 
should be a good natural walker1 but at 
the same time the animal should be      
carefully taught to work right up to his
 bit in this most important pace2 action
 in the others can then be easily       
developed4  ,in the trot the breaker    
should gradually accustom the animal to 
go with the least possible amount of    
support from the leg4 ,this he will     
easily do by using a very long whip1    
and1 when he feels the horse hanging    
back from his work1 touching him lightly
 on the hind quarters instead of closing
 the leg4  ,in the foregoing ,i am      
assuming that the horse has been        
previously well broken1 mouthed1 and    
balanced to carry a man4 ,to teach a    
horse readily to obey such delicate aids
 of hand or leg1 as a lady can apply1 ,i
 have found the following method most   
effectual3 ,use a side-saddle which has 
no head crutch on the off side2 this    

gives more freedom of action to the     
right hand4 ,ride without a stirrup2    
your balance is sure then to be true4   
,use a long whip1 and wear a spur on the
 left heel1 furnished with short and not
 very sharp rowels4 ,make your horse    
walk well1 and trot well up to his      
bridle1 with as little leg as possible1 
touching him sharply with the spur if he
 tries to shirk his work4 ,the long whip
 on the off side will prevent him from  
throwing his haunches in4 ,before       
cantering1 collect him well4 ,keep his  
forehand well up1 and his haunches under
 him4 ,keep his head well bent to the   
right2 take him into the corner of the  
school or manege2 then1 keeping him up  
to his work rather by the aid of the    
spur and whip than by the leg1 strike   
him lightly off to the right4 ,a sharp  
touch of the spur behind the girth1 and 
a light firm feeling of both reins1 the 
inward the strongest1 will cause him to 
strike off true4 ,where no riding house 
or walled manege is available1 the above

 may be successfully carried out in a   
small paddock1 having tolerably high    
fences and corners nearly square4       
,manner in riding the horse at this     
stage of his breaking is of vital       
importance4 ,the hands1 while kept well 
back1 should be light and lively2 the   
whip and spur 7never to be unnecessarily
 applied7 should be used so as to let   
the horse know that they are always     
ready if he hangs back from his work2   
and the rider1 sitting easily and       
flexibly in the saddle1 should ride with
 spirit and vivacity1 making much of the
 horse from time to time as he answers  
with alacrity to the light and lively   
aids applied4 ,a dull rider makes a dull
 horse1 and vice versa4 ,gradually1 a   
well bred1 good tempered animal will    
learn to answer smartly to the slightest
 indication of the rider's will1 and    
while giving a good appui to the hand1  
will convey a most enjoyable feeling    
from his well-balanced elastic movement1
 without the necessity of strong or     

rough aids4 ,in a very brief time the   
long whip can be dispensed with1 and all
 inclination to throw the haunches in   
will cease4 ,the animal has then        
acquired the aplomb necessary to fit him
 for the lady equestrian4 ,he should    
then be taught by gradually inductive   
lessons to walk quietly up to his fences
 and jump freely1 his haunches well     
under him2 and subsequently to execute  
his leap from a steady1 collected       
canter1 without rush or hurry4  ,during 
the latter part of each lesson he should
 be ridden with a skirt or rug on4  ,he 
should then be accustomed to all kinds  
of sights and sounds1 from the rattle of
 a wheelbarrow to the pattering file    
firing at a review1 and the loud report 
of a great gun2 and especially he should
 be habituated to having all sorts of   
colours about him4  ,i well remember    
seeing a fine horse1 that had been some 
time in the breaker's hand1 and was     
perfect in his mouth and paces1 put a   
general officer and his lady into a     

complete fix4 ,the lady went to a       
review1 having been assisted into her   
saddle by her husband in his mufti      
costume before he dressed for parade4   
,after the review1 the lady dismounted  
to partake of luncheon in a marquee1    
and1 after the repast1 the general      
proceeded to put his wife on her horse2 
but the gallant steed by no means       
understood the dancing plume of red and 
white feathers in the officer's cocked  
hat1 and he would none of him4 ,he      
snorted1 pawed the ground in terror1 ran
 back1 and did everything but stand     
still1 although he had stood the        
marching past and firing well enough4   
,unluckily the groom had been sent home1
 and there was nobody in mufti on the   
ground who could put the lady on her    
saddle4 ,even when the general took off 
his cocked hat1 the horse1 having taken 
a dislike to him1 would not let his     
master come near him4 ,finally1 as there
 was no carriages on the ground1 the    
lady had to walk a considerable         

distance1 her horse led by an orderly4  
,the above goes to show that to make a  
horse perfect for a lady1 nothing likely
 to occur in the way of sights or sounds
 should be overlooked4 ,if the horse    
possesses the requisite power and form  
to fit him for a hunter1 and the lady   
for whom he is intended graces the      
hunting field with her presence1 the    
animal should be ridden quietly in      
cubhunting time as often as possible1 in
 long trots1 beside the hounds going to 
covert1 and accustomed gradually to the 
music of the sylvan choir1 to stand     
quietly at the covert side1 and take no 
heed of scarlet coats4 ,if the horse has
 been otherwise well broken1 the above  
is simply a question of time and        
patience4  ,let me now say something    
with regard to saddlery and             
appointments4 ,the most important of    
these1 of course1 is the side-saddle1 as
 to the form of which considerable      
diversity of opinion exists4  ,my own   
experiences induce me to believe in a   

saddle which is as nearly as possible   
flat from between the pommels to the    
cantle2 any dip in the stretcher of the 
tree1 while it renders the lady's seat  
less secure1 has also the effect of     
throwing her weight too much upon the   
horse's forehand1 and thus cramping his 
action4 ,when a lady has acquired skill 
and confidence in her riding1 a saddle  
with a very low-cut pommel on the off   
side is best1 because it not only admits
 of the rider getting her hands lower   
7for which occasion may frequently      
occur71 but on the off side it gives the
 lady and the horse a far better        
appearance1 the high off side pommel    
spoiling the graceful contour of figure 
in both4 ,worked or plain off-side flaps
 are matters of taste1 and have nothing 
to do with utility4 ,the stirrup should 
be a ,victoria1 well padded4 ,the       
leather should be fitted on the near    
side1 in a similar manner to a man's    
stirrup leather1 and be quite           
independent of the quarter strap4 ,the  

reason for this is obvious4 ,if you fit 
a lady's stirrup leather ever so        
carefully after she is up1 you cannot   
tell how much the horse will give up in 
his girth after an hour's riding1 or    
even less2 and the leather which takes  
up on the off side may give to the      
extent of three or four holes1 thereby  
greatly incommoding the rider1          
especially if she is in the hunting     
field and has to jump her horse1 as it  
is ten to one1 although she has the     
power of pulling up the leather herself1
 if1 in the excitement of the chase1    
either she or anybody else will notice  
the rendering of the leather1 and a drop
 leap may bring the rider to grief1     
whereas the near side arrangement is a  
fixture1 and always reliable4 ,for      
really comfortable riding1 ,i believe   
also that it is quite as necessary that 
a saddle should be made in such         
proportion as to fit the lady1 as that  
it should fit the horse4 ,even a        
thoroughly accomplished horsewoman      

cannot ride easily in a saddle that is  
too short from pommel to cantle1 or too 
narrow in the seat4 ,in either case1    
both discomfort and ungainly appearance 
are the result2 while to a lady of      
slight petite figure1 a saddle too long 
from front to rear is equally unsightly1
 though possibly not quite so           
uncomfortable to the rider4 ,broad      
girths of the best materials are        
indispensable4 ,there should be three of
 them4 ,the quarter strap or girth      
should lead from the near side fork of  
the tree to a buckle piece attached to a
 ring on the off-side quarter1 the ring 
giving the quarter strap a better       
bearing4 ,a crupper should never be     
used2 a horse that requires one is not  
fit for a lady4 ,saddle cloths are      
unnecessary to a carefully-pannelled    
saddle1 and hide the symmetry of the    
horse4 ,breastplates or neck straps may 
be used for hunting1 or the fitting of  
martingales 7necessary sometimes74 ,but 
the less leather about the horse1 where 

it can be dispensed with1 the better he 
will look4  ,as to bridles1 as a rule1  
,i maintain that a lady's horse properly
 broken should ride right into an       
ordinary double bridle1 bit1 and        
bridoon1 the port of the bit            
proportioned to the contour and setting 
on of the horse's head and neck1 as     
should also be the length of the cheek  
piece and jaw of the bit2 while the     
question of a plain or twisted bridoon  
or snaffle must be regulated by the hand
 of the rider and the mouth of the      
horse4 ,for park or promenade riding1   
fashion of late years inclines to a     
single rein bridle or ,hanoverian1 or   
hard and sharp4 ,no doubt they are very 
sightly and neat in appearance2 but with
 a high-couraged horse they require very
 nice and finished hands1 and in the    
majority of cases1 in my humble opinion1
 are safe only for the most accomplished
 female riders4  ,i leave the question  
of bridle-fronts1 bound with ribbon of  
pink1 blue1 or yellow1 to the taste of  

my readers2 when neatly put on and      
fresh1 they look gay in the park4 ,but  
either there or in the hunting field1 ,i
 believe more in the plain leather      
front1 as having1 if ,i may so express  
it1 a more workmanlike appearance4      
,having now endeavoured to describe the 
best preparations on foot for the pupil1
 the style of dress most suitable for   
her first lessons in equitation1 the    
stamp of horse a lady should ride1 the  
training he should undergo for the      
special service required of him1 and the
 kind of saddlery and equipment he will 
travel best in1 in my next chapter ,i   
will attempt briefly1 but minutely1 to  
detail the first step in the riding     
lesson proper1 namely1 the form in which
 the pupil should approach her horse in 
order to be assisted into the saddle1   
and the mounting motions1 all of which  
are of great importance1 as each motion 
should be executed gracefully1 without  
hurry1 and in a well defined and        
finished manner4 ,nothing connected with

 riding stamps the style and tournure of
 a lady more than the fashion in which  
she mounts her horse and arranges her   
habit2 it ought1 in fact1 to be a matter
 as carefully looked to by the          
instructor as her mode of entering a    
room would be to a master of deportment4
     ,,chapter ,,iv4   ,the manner in   
which a lady should approach her horse  
in order to be assisted to mount should 
be carefully looked to by the           
instructor4 ,anything like hurry1 while 
it is calculated to render the horse    
unsteady1 is at the same time           
ungraceful1 and the beginning of a bad  
habit always to be avoided4  ,everything
 in the way of mounting or dismounting a
 horse1 either by a lady or gentleman1  
should be done with well-defined and    
deliberate1 although smart motions4     
,this precision once acquired is the    
good habit which becomes second nature  
to the rider1 and is so highly          
indicative of good manners in           
equitation4  ,to some persons the       

formula ,i am about to describe may     
appear too punctilious1 and possibly    
carried to too nice a point of          
precision4 ,but my idea is that in all  
these matters it is well to begin by    
overdoing them a little4 ,we are all    
more or less prone to become careless in
 our carriage and bearing1 both on foot 
and horseback1 as we grow older2        
therefore overdoing them a trifle with  
young people may safely be pronounced an
 error on the right side4  ,i have      
frequently heard the remark that it is  
of no consequence how a man or woman    
gets upon a horse1 provided they can    
ride when once up4 ,i maintain that     
graceful riding is true riding1 and that
 if it is worth while to ride           
gracefully1 it is equally worth while to
 mount gracefully4  ,let us then suppose
 the lady to be dressed and ready for   
her ride in school or manege4 ,she      
should take the skirt of her habit in   
the full of both hands1 holding her whip
 in the right2 the skirt should be      

raised sufficiently to admit of the     
wearer walking freely4 ,then she should 
walk from a point in the school at right
 angles with her horse quietly to his   
shoulder1 and face square to her left1  
standing just behind the animal's near  
elbow and parallel to his side4 ,thus   
facing to the front1 and still holding  
her skirt with both hands1 she should   
pass her whip from her right hand into  
the left1 and make much of her horse by 
patting him on the near shoulder--the   
best method anybody 7man or woman7 can  
adopt as a first step to acquaintance   
with a strange horse2 at the same time  
she should speak soothingly to her new  
equine friend4 ,the horse should be held
 by a groom standing in front of him1   
and holding him by both reins4 ,on the  
assistant approaching to lift the pupil 
to the saddle1 the lady should return   
the whip to the right hand and drop her 
habit4 ,she should then take the snaffle
 or bridoon rein in the centre with the 
left hand1 at the end close to the      

buckle piece with the right1 and draw   
them through the left until she has a   
light and equal feeling upon both sides 
of the horse's mouth4 ,the right hand   
should then be placed firmly on the near
 side upper crutch of the saddle1 the   
snaffle rein held between the pommel and
 the hand1 the whip in the full of it4  
,the left hand should then grip the     
reins1 and the lady should resume her   
position square to the front1 without   
moving her right hand or relaxing her   
grasp of the pommel of the saddle4 ,the 
assistant 7who should be a gentleman1   
not a groom7 should then stoop low      
enough to place both his hands locked   
together in such a position that the    
pupil can place her left foot firmly on 
them1 the left knee slightly bent4 ,at  
the same time she should also place the 
flat of her left hand firmly on the     
right shoulder of the assistant1 keeping
 her arm perfectly straight4 ,the       
instructor should then give her the     
following directions3 ,on the word      

'one1' bend the right knee2 on the word 
'two1' spring smartly up from the right 
foot and straighten the left knee4 ,if  
the pupil executes these movements      
simultaneously1 keeping her left elbow  
perfectly firm and the arm straight1 the
 assistant can lift her with the        
greatest ease to the level of the       
saddle1 where1 firmly grasping the      
pommel1 she has only to make a half turn
 to her left1 and she is seated sideways
 on her horse4 ,the assistant should    
then straighten the skirt down1 and     
taking the slack of it in his left hand1
 lift it over the near side upper crutch
 while the lady turns in her saddle1 and
 facing square to her point1 lifts her  
right knee over the pommel1 bringing her
 right leg close to the forepoint of the
 saddle1 with the leg well drawn back1  
and the toe raised from the instep4 ,the
 assistant should then place the lady's 
foot well home in the stirrup4 ,before  
raising the right knee over the pommel1 
the lady should lift the snaffle reins  

with her right hand high enough to admit
 of her moving the leg without          
interfering with them4 ,the right knee  
being firmly placed between the pommels1
 and the left foot in the stirrup1 the  
pupil should then place her right hand  
with the snaffle reins between the      
finger and thumb and the whip in the    
full of the hand1 firmly on the off-side
 pommel of the saddle4 ,she should then 
draw her left foot well back1 and       
getting a firm bearing on the stirrup1  
raise herself well up from the saddle1  
leaning forward sufficiently to preserve
 her balance4 ,she should then pass her 
left hand back1 and pull her skirt well 
out1 so that there remains no ruck or   
wrinkle in it1 and then quietly lower   
herself down to the saddle again4 ,this 
act of clearing the slack of the skirt  
is one which it is so frequently        
necessary for the lady to execute when  
riding that she should practise it      
frequently in her early lessons4 ,it is 
true that when the assistant first      

places her on the horse he can arrange  
her habit as she rises from the saddle2 
but1 for some time1 until she has       
acquired firmness and perfect balance1  
her habit will inevitably ride up1      
particularly in trotting1 and it is     
necessary that she should learn to be   
independent in this respect of the      
gentleman who attends her4 ,moreover1 as
 to arrange the habit gracefully        
requires considerable practice1 it      
should form a distinct part of the      
lesson at first when the horse is       
standing perfectly still1 afterwards at 
a walk1 and finally at a trot4 ,in      
cantering it cannot be done4  ,having   
arranged the hind part of her skirt1 the
 lady should then take the front in her 
left hand1 and pull it well forward1    
raising her right knee at the same time1
 to insure that she has perfect freedom 
of action for it4 ,the left knee should 
then be placed firmly against the       
leaping crutch 7or1 as it is generally  
called1 the third crutch7 of the saddle2

 although with saddles devoid of an     
off-side pommel1 it is1 in fact1 the    
second crutch4 ,this important adjunct  
to a lady's firmness and security in    
riding should always be most carefully  
looked to by ,paterfamilias when        
purchasing the saddle1 and by the master
 after it is bought4 ,i can well        
remember when the third crutch was      
unknown2 and in these days1 when its    
efficiency has been so abundantly       
proved1 it really seems marvellous how  
ladies years ago could not only ride    
well without it1 but even acquit        
themselves creditably in the hunting    
field4 ,the secret of the matter1       
however1 lies in this3 ,first1 although 
there was no third support for the      
rider1 the off-side and near-side       
pommels were much closer together than  
those now made2 the off-side one was    
well padded1 and in most cases where    
ladies rode hunting it was usual to have
 an extra pad1 which fitted on to the   
off-side crutch1 and again narrowed the 

interval1 according to the size of the  
lady1 until her leg fitted tightly      
between the two crutches1 thus giving   
her a very firm hold with the right     
knee4 ,nevertheless1 it is evident that 
only the truest balance would enable the
 fair equestrians of those days to      
maintain their seats4  ,when a young    
lady is first put on horseback1 ,i      
believe in anything that can give her   
confidence1 and for this purpose the    
third crutch is admirable1 because she  
finds a firm purchase between the crutch
 and the stirrup4 ,as this hold1        
however1 is apt to degenerate into a    
complete reliance on the third pommel1  
it is necessary in a more advanced stage
 of the lessons in equitation to use a  
saddle without any such support for the 
pupil4 ,the third crutch1 when forming  
part of a side-saddle1 should never be  
removed1 as is too frequently done by   
grooms for the purpose of cleaning the  
saddle4 ,the crutch itself is so        
constructed as to screw into a socket in

 the tree4 ,by constantly screwing and  
unscrewing it1 the thread of the screw  
wears out2 in fact1 this will occur much
 sooner than would be supposed4 ,the    
consequence is that1 let the lady or her
 assistant turn the third crutch to what
 angle they may in order to suit the    
length and formation of the lady's leg1 
the crutch will not remain in its proper
 position1 but is continually shifting1 
turning1 and wobbling1 to the great     
discomfort of the rider2 nay1 ,i have   
seen more than one case where the crutch
 has turned edgeways to the rider's leg1
 and caused severe pain and bruising of 
the delicate limb4 ,let it be a strict  
injunction then1 to your groom1 ,never  
unscrew the third crutch2 and if you    
find the support shifting in its socket1
 shift the groom as soon as possible1   
and send the saddle to the saddler to be
 firmly fixed in4  ,why saddlers should 
fit these supports to turn at all1 ,i   
can see no good reason4 ,some men1 it is
 true1 say that in putting a lady on    

horseback it is necessary to turn the   
third crutch round1 so as to prevent it 
from catching the skirt2 but for my own 
part ,i could never find any necessity  
for this1 or any difficulty in clearing 
a lady's skirt when lifting her to the  
saddle4 ,in purchasing a side-saddle1 ,i
 repeat1 the greatest judgment is       
necessary as regards the third crutch2  
while it should be long enough to give a
 good purchase and be well padded1 it   
should be but slightly curved4 ,a crutch
 that forms a considerable segment of a 
circle is both inconvenient and         
dangerous--inconvenient because it is a 
support of this description 7if any7    
that is in a lady's way in mounting1 and
 dangerous because1 if in the hunting   
field a horse should chance to fall with
 his fair rider1 she would be unable to 
extricate herself from her fallen steed1
 inasmuch as the nearly half-circular   
crutch would completely pin her leg to  
the horse4 ,it is1 in fact1 almost as   
dangerous as if a man were to strap     

himself to his saddle 7which1 by the    
way1 ,i once saw a very determined      
hunting man do when suffering from      
weakness in one leg74 ,he had no        
opportunity1 however1 of testing his    
experiment1 as the master of the hounds 
very judiciously told him that1 if he   
persevered1 he 7the master7 would take  
the hounds home4  ,nor is there any     
possible use in the enveloping of the   
leg by the thick crutch of the          
side-saddle4 ,with the slightest        
possible bend1 the support is sufficient
 if the rider sits fair and true in her 
saddle1 while plenty of stuffing is     
necessary to avoid bruising the leg1    
especially in leaping4 ,these           
stumpy-looking third crutches are       
certainly less sightly in the           
saddle-room than the more circular ones2
 but ,i submit that1 inasmuch as it is  
not seen when the lady is up1 it is of  
more consequence to consult her comfort 
and safety than the eye of the groom4   
,when the lady has arranged her dress to

 her satisfaction1 as above described1  
the next section of the lesson should   
consist in teaching how she should take 
up her reins2 and here again the        
greatest care should be taken by the    
instructor that this is done coolly and 
gracefully1 without hurry or fumbling4  
,a great deal of trouble in this way may
 be saved by the instructor teaching the
 lady how to take up her reins on foot4 
,thus1 take an ordinary double bridle1  
let a lad hold the upper part of the    
head-stall in one hand1 and the bits in 
the other1 and stand opposite the pupil4
 ,hang both reins over your left arm    
just as they would rest on the neck of  
the horse1 the curb rein underneath1 the
 bridoon rein above4 ,let the pupil then
 take hold of both reins at the end with
 the right hand2 place the second finger
 of the left hand between the bridoon   
reins with the nearside rein uppermost1 
and the little finger of the same hand  
between the curb reins1 the near-side   
curb rein uppermost4 ,let her then place

 both bridoon and bit reins perfectly   
flat over the middle joint of the       
forefinger of the left hand1 and drop   
the end of the reins over the knuckles1 
then close the thumb firmly down on     
them4 ,she will find then both bit and  
bridoon reins equally divided1 and an   
equal facility of causing them to act on
 the horse's mouth1 according to the    
direction in which she turns the wrist  
of her left or bridle hand proper1 or   
assists it with her right hand1         
according to the aids hereafter to be   
described4 ,the mode of holding the     
reins above laid down is called in the  
,french school ,mode de ,paysanne1 or   
civilian method4 ,the military fashion1 
which is far more elegant1 but not so   
well adapted at first for a beginner1 is
 as follows4  ,the pupil takes the end  
of the bridoon reins between the finger 
and thumb of the right hand1 and passes 
them over the full of the left1 or1 to  
render the explanation still more       
simple1 passes all the fingers of the   

left hand between them1 the off side    
rein above1 and the near side one below2
 the buckle piece on the knuckle of the 
forefinger1 the rest of the rein hanging
 loosely down4 ,let the lady then take  
the bit or curb reins between the finger
 and thumb of the right hand1 and pass  
the little finger of the left between   
them1 the near side rein uppermost4     
,with the right hand then let her draw  
the reins through the left1             
until--keeping the left hand perfectly  
quiet--she has a light1 almost          
imperceptible1 feeling on the horse's   
mouth4 ,let her then turn the bit reins 
over the middle joint of the forefinger 
of the left hand1 and close the thumb   
down closely and firmly on them4 ,the   
reins will then be precisely in the form
 in which a dragoon's reins are arranged
 when he is riding a finished horse at a
 field day or elsewhere4 ,this method is
 therefore called the mode militaire4   
,but inasmuch as only a highly-finished 
horse can be ridden on the bit rein     

alone by an equally finished rider1 in  
order to assist the latter1 and to      
prevent the horse unduly feeling the    
action of the curb on his mouth1 it is  
necessary that the rider should draw up 
the bridoon reins so as to obtain an    
equal feeling upon both bit and bridoon4
 ,nothing can be more simple than to do 
this1 as the rider has only with the    
right hand to take hold of the bridoon  
rein on the left or near side of the    
buckle or centre1 and draw it up until  
the part passing under the lower edge of
 the hand is of equal length with the   
bit reins4 ,she then closes her left    
thumb on both reins1 and shortens the   
right bridoon rein until it is of equal 
length with the others4 ,the rider has  
then an equal feeling of all four reins4
 ,she should then hold the ends with her
 right hand1 and let the reins slip     
through the left until both hands are   
drawn back close to her waist1 the      
wrists slightly rounded outwards1 the   
back towards the horse's head1 and the  

elbows drawn slightly back behind the   
waist4  ,the instructor having placed   
the pupil's hands1 should then proceed  
to correct her general position4 ,the   
figure should be well drawn up from the 
waist1 shoulders perfectly square and   
well thrown back1 head and neck erect1  
the upper part of the arm hanging almost
 perpendicular from the shoulder1 the   
elbows well back1 so that a thin rod    
would pass between them and the waist2  
the obvious reason for this position of 
the hands and elbows being that1 if they
 are allowed to go forward1 the whole   
flexibility of the waist--upon which    
depends the comfort1 grace1 and security
 of the pupil's riding--is destroyed1   
and the lithe figure of the fair rider  
becomes rigid and wooden in appearance1 
and stiff in action4  ,the upper part of
 the figure being thus placed1 the      
master's attention should be directed to
 the position of the feet and legs4     
,that of the right leg ,i have already  
described4 ,the left leg1 with the knee 

well bent1 should be placed firmly      
against the third crutch1 the heel well 
sunk1 the toe raised from the instep1   
the foot at first well home in the      
stirrup4 ,by well stretching down the   
heel the rider braces all the muscles at
 the back of the leg1 and this1 joined  
to drawing the figure well up from the  
waist1 secures that true balance so     
indispensable to good riding4 ,the right
 leg should be well bent and drawn back 
as near as possible to the left leg4    
,this should be the position at a walk1 
the aids for which1 and the turns ,i    
leave for another chapter4     ,,chapter
 ,v4   ,let me now offer a few remarks  
on a subject upon which considerable    
diversity of opinion exists1 namely1    
whether the teaching of a young lady in 
riding may or may not be entrusted to a 
female professor of equitation in       
preference to a man4 ,at the first      
glance1 there seems to be good reason   
for preferring the tuition of the lady  
but1 on careful consideration1 ,i       

believe most of those interested in the 
matter will agree with me that1 under   
many circumstances likely to occur1 one 
lady1 however good a horsewoman herself1
 is likely to be quite unable to render 
the desired assistance to a pupil1      
conceding1 at the same time that1 as    
regards the details of dress1 the       
opinion of a lady who has had long      
practice in the saddle may be very      
useful4  ,in the first place1 the       
placing of the pupil on the horse and   
taking her off cannot possibly be as    
well done1 to say the least1 by a lady  
instructor as it can by a gentleman2    
neither would the performance of such an
 office be graceful or convenient to    
either4 ,secondly1 all that portion of  
the instruction which should be given by
 the instructor on foot while the pupil 
is on horseback can be better given by a
 man who understands his business than  
by a lady1 because1 although the tone of
 voice in which the instruction is      
conveyed should be kindly1 and the      

manner cheerful and encouraging1 a      
degree of firmness and conciseness is   
necessary1 which few ladies possess1 for
 the reason that the art of teaching    
riding1 like riding itself1 requires a  
considerable practice and long drilling 
into the instructor in a school where   
smartness of diction and expression form
 part of the education of an intended   
professor of equitation4 ,thirdly1      
assuming both instructor and pupil to be
 in the saddle1 a lady1 although        
thoroughly mistress of her own horse1 is
 unable to aid her pupil as easily as a 
man can4  ,in the early lessons given   
7the instructor being on horseback71 it 
is necessary that the latter should be  
close enough to the pupil's horse on the
 off side to be able at any moment to   
place the hands of the learner1 to check
 any exuberant action of the horse by   
laying the left hand firmly upon the    
reins2 and in the first essays made by  
the pupil in the trotting lesson1 to    
assist her by the left hand of the      

instructor placed under the right elbow 
of the beginner4  ,and finally1 should  
any necessity arise during a ride for   
dismounting the pupil1 a lady instructor
 labours under this difficulty1 that    
having dismounted herself1 and both     
pupil and teacher being on the ground1  
the act of mounting again by two ladies1
 unattended by a man1 is one of         
considerable difficulty and possible    
danger4  ,from the very necessity of her
 position in the saddle1 a lady teaching
 another cannot1 without inconvenience  
to both legs 7the left especially71     
approach near enough to her pupil's     
horse to assist the latter with her left
 hand1 because her left leg is always in
 danger of coming in contact with the   
other horse2 while on a windy day the   
skirt of her habit is likely enough to  
be blown into his flank1 and thereby    
make him unsteady4 ,not long since ,i   
saw two ladies who were riding1         
unattended by a man1 in a very awkward  
predicament4 ,both are practised riders1

 possessing capital seats and hands1 and
 are equal to any contingency likely to 
occur as long as they are in the saddle2
 nay1 one of the ladies is1 ,i believe1 
the most accomplished horsewoman ,i ever
 saw4 ,her seat is both fine and        
graceful to a degree2 her hands         
perfection1 her nerve first-rate1 and   
her experience in riding even difficult 
horses with hounds considerable4 ,this  
lady was the elder of the two2 her      
companion was considerably younger1 but 
although a very accomplished rider1 she 
lacked the experience of her friend4    
,something had gone amiss with the      
younger lady's saddle1 and both ladies  
dismounted to arrange it4 ,the elder was
 quite equal to this1 for ,i have seen  
her many times saddle and bridle her own
 horse1 and with one that would stand   
quietly 7being herself exceedingly      
supple and active71 she can put her     
hands on the upper pommel and vault into
 the saddle without any assistance4 ,but
 in the case ,i allude to she was       

completely fixed4 ,her horse was a      
chesnut thoroughbred1 only four years   
old2 and1 although1 despite all         
difficulty ,i believe1 had she been     
alone1 she would have succeeded in      
mounting1 her friend and her horse      
placed her in an awkward dilemma4 ,she  
was compelled from time to time to use  
one hand to disengage the folds of her  
habit1 and she had to hold both horses1 
even if her friend could have gained her
 saddle unassisted4 ,neither horse would
 stand still2 the one1 as is invariably 
the case in such little difficulties1   
setting a bad example1 which the other  
was not slow to follow4 ,to hold two    
horses1 keep clear of her own habit1    
while the horses were shifting their    
positions continually1 and give her     
friend even the least help in mounting1 
proved too much even for the            
highly-finished lady equestrian1 and as 
the contretemps occurred on a lone      
country road1 ,i believe they would have
 been compelled to lead their horses a  

considerable distance1 had ,i not       
chanced opportunely to arrive4 ,in such 
places as ,rotten-row a lady instructor 
may get on tolerably well with her      
pupil1 because1 in case of any mishap1  
there are plenty of men always at hand  
who know what a horse is2 but in        
out-of-the-way country places it is very
 different4 ,the ,british rustic1       
whatever other good qualities he may    
possess1 is not celebrated1 as a rule1  
for over politeness to ladies--strangers
 particularly4 ,in proof of the above1  
there is a story current in this        
neighbourhood which is likely enough to 
be true1 although ,i cannot vouch for it
 myself4 ,the tale runs thus3--,a lady  
7one of the daughters of a noble house7 
having married1 had gone abroad with her
 husband1 and been absent from the home 
of her early days so long that the      
uprising generation of young people     
about the estate knew her not4 ,she was 
taking a ride one day unattended1 and   
mounted on a steady cob1 had been       

visiting the long-cherished scenes of   
her childhood1 when she came to a very  
awkward bridle gate1 seated on which was
 a juvenile wopstraw in duck frock1     
leather leggings1 and wideawake4 ,the   
boy jumped down and opened the gate for 
the lady1 at the same time taking off   
his hat4 ,now the fair recipient of this
 delicate attention was well aware of   
the fact that the village people on the 
paternal estate were celebrated in the  
county for their rough manners to       
strangers1 ladies forming no exception1 
so she was agreeably surprised at the   
exceptional good behaviour of the       
youngster1 the more so as she was quite 
sure he did not know her4 ,taking a     
shilling out of her purse she gave it to
 him1 observing3 ,you are a very good   
boy1 and added1 laughing1 ,i am sure you
 were not born at ,d4 7the name of the  
principal village on the estate74 ,but  
to the donor's horror the youngster1    
grasping his hat firmly in one fist and 
the shilling in the other1 with a fiery 

glare of indignation in his fat face and
 flashing eye1 replied1 ,thou be'st a   
loyar 7liar71 ,i wor4  ,verbum sap4 ,all
 rustics are not so ill behaved as the  
one above mentioned4 ,but as very few of
 them will go far out of their road to  
assist a stranger1 it is as well that   
ladies riding in remote country parts   
should be attended by a gentleman2 and  
,i repeat1 for all purposes of          
instruction1 the attendance of a man    
will be found far more efficient than   
that of a lady4     ,,chapter ,,vi4     
,the frontispiece represents the stamp  
of horse best calculated to carry a     
lady1 and is a very truthful likeness of
 a five-year-old horse1 named ,prince   
,arthur1 a son of the celebrated        
racehorse ,stockwell1 his dam a         
half-bred ,arab mare4  ,the subject of  
the plate1 therefore1 has some of the   
very best ,english blood in his veins1  
in conjunction with that ,eastern strain
 from which in all probability our      
magnificent ,british thoroughbreds      

derive a considerable proportion of     
their power of endurance1 or1 in turf   
phraseology1 their staying quality4     
,the horse is a first-class hack1 as    
good a performer over the great         
,leicestershire pastures and formidable 
oxers which so often bar the way in that
 sporting county1 as he has already     
proved himself in the manege2 and1 as he
 possesses1 in addition to true and most
 elastic action1 fine temper and        
indomitable courage1 ,i venture to      
present his likeness as my type of the  
sort of animal adapted either for       
,rotten-row or to hold his own in the   
first flight over a country4  ,a common 
error is that any weedy thoroughbred1   
too slow for racing1 and without the    
timber and substance to enable him to   
carry a #aj-stone man to hounds1 is good
 enough for a lady's riding4 ,there can 
be no greater mistake4 ,while quality   
and fashion are indispensable in a      
woman's horse1 strength and substance   
are equally necessary4 ,as ,i have      

before observed1 the very conditions    
upon which the comfort and safety of a  
lady's riding depend1 leave her horse   
without that support in his action which
 he would derive from the riding of a   
good man2 while1 however true the       
balance of the lady may be1 still the   
horse's powers are called upon in a long
 ride1 either on the flat or over the   
country1 in a way which tests him       
severely4 ,there must therefore be      
plenty of wear and tear in the right    
place--great strength in the loins1 a   
back not too short1 aided by strong and 
well-arched back ribs1 which are at the 
same time not too closely locked up4    
,the ,arab horse proper1 despite his    
great capability of endurance1 his      
symmetrical contour and extraordinary   
sagacity1 is still a trying mount for a 
lady unaccustomed to him4 ,with great   
power in his hind quarters 7as a rule71 
he is short in the back1 low and short  
in front of the saddle4 ,the consequence
 is that from his powerful back action1 

he pitches too much in his collected    
paces to ride pleasantly to a woman1    
although when striding away at top speed
 he is easy enough4  ,on the other hand1
 the ,english horse that possesses      
length enough to enable him to travel   
easily under the fair equestrian too    
often has the length in the wrong place1
 and cannot stay--a defect fatal to     
enjoyable riding for a lady1 at all     
events in the hunting field4  ,it is to 
the admixture of ,eastern and ,western  
blood1 therefore1 that one has to look  
for symmetry of topping conjoined to    
length in the right place1 power1 and   
substance4  ,i now proceed to say a few 
words as to the aids to be employed to  
put the horse in motion4 ,in order to   
impress these thoroughly upon the memory
 of the fair tyro1 the preceptor should 
adopt a form of question and answer to  
the following effect3  ,q4 ,what are the
 aids to make a horse walk8--,a4 ,a     
pressure of the leg to his side1 at the 
same time easing the hand4  ,q4 ,how is 

the hand to be eased8--,a4 ,from the    
wrist2 the arm being kept perfectly     
steady1 and the little finger yielding  
towards the horse's neck4  ,q4 ,how many
 lines of action should the little      
finger of the bridle hand move on8--,a4 
,four4 ,first1 towards the waist2       
second1 towards the horse's neck2 third1
 towards the right shoulder2 fourth1    
towards the left4  ,q4 ,what are the    
objects of these motions8--,a4 ,first1  
to collect1 halt1 or rein back the      
horse4 ,second1 to give him facility of 
moving forward4 ,third1 to turn him to  
the left4 ,fourth1 to turn him to the   
right4 ,the upper part of the rider's   
figure to be slightly turned from the   
waist1 by bringing forward the right    
shoulder when turning to the left and   
vice versa1 in order to enable her to   
move exactly on the same line as the    
horse1 and so to preserve completely her
 due aplomb or balance in the saddle4   
,the above1 in a slightly modified form1
 is the instruction laid down in the    

,military ,aid ,book1 as is the         
following4  ,q4 ,what is meant by a     
light hand8--,a4 ,an almost             
imperceptible easing and feeling of the 
bridle hand1 so as to preserve the      
natural delicacy of the horse's mouth4  
,the foregoing1 however1 while it       
indicates correctly and concisely what a
 light hand is1 is scarcely explicit    
enough for a beginner4 ,i believe the   
best definition to be this3 when a horse
 is light in hand1 according to the     
technical meaning1 it should by no means
 be understood that he has so delicate a
 mouth that he fears the action of the  
bit in it4 ,on the contrary1 having in  
his breaking been fairly balanced1 the  
greater part of the weight on his       
haunches1 and ridden well up to his     
bridle1 he should admit of a steady     
appui between his mouth and the rider's 
hand1 while he bends in the poll of the 
neck4  ,thoroughly balanced1 and bending
 as above described1 his mouth yields to
 the action of the rider's hand1 and is 

light in the true sense of the          
principles of equitation4  ,a great deal
 of nonsense is talked about ladies'    
hands being so much more light and      
delicate than those of a man4 ,the truth
 is1 that1 assuming both male and female
 rider to be equally practised in the   
saddle1 there is no difference whatever 
in the feeling or appui given by the    
horse4  ,thoroughly habituated to obey  
certain indications conveyed to him     
through the medium of the bridle reins  
and leg or other aid of the rider1 he   
will answer to them precisely in the    
same manner to a lady as he would to a  
man2 while1 on the other hand1 if these 
indications are not given with          
well-defined clearness and precision1 he
 will not answer to anybody's riding4   
,there is a point1 however1 as regards  
the action of the hands1 to which ,i beg
 to call the particular attention both  
of young ladies commencing their lessons
 in equitation and of gentlemen         
7non-professional7 who may undertake the

 task of teaching riding4  ,a great     
difference of opinion exists as to      
whether the action of the bridle hand   
should be from the wrist only1 or       
whether 7spring like1 if ,i may use the 
expression7 the give and take action    
should be conveyed by the upper part of 
the arm being quite mobile at the       
shoulder joint and in conjunction with  
the forearm1 the latter kept1 however1  
close to the side1 and moving easily and
 freely to the horse's action4 ,the     
latter theory is warmly advocated by    
many thoroughly experienced horsemen and
 professors of female equitation1 who   
maintain that to teach a young lady to  
keep the arm firm to the side1 in the   
manner adopted in the military riding   
school1 is not only to give her a rigid 
wooden appearance on her horse1 but also
 to destroy the proper flexibility of   
her figure4  ,on the other hand1 some   
instructors--those especially who are   
veterans of the cavalry manege--insist  
that firmness of the arm should in all  

cases be rigidly demanded4  ,my         
experience induces me to come to a      
conclusion which is midway between these
 opposing theories4  ,in the first      
lessons given to a lady on horseback it 
is well to insist upon her keeping the  
arm steady1 because otherwise she is    
ready not only to yield her hand to     
every movement of the horse1 be that    
yielding right or wrong1 but gradually  
and imperceptibly to herself her hands  
will steal forward until they are eight 
or ten inches in front of her1 the      
consequence being that the muscles of   
the waist become rigid1 and the         
flexibility of her figure at its most   
important point1 as regards riding1 is  
lost1 while the hands remain in the     
awkward and ungainly position ,i allude 
to4  ,for the above reason1 therefore1  
it is desirable to inculcate firmness of
 the lower part of the arm to the side  
in the early lessons2 the hands drawn   
back close to the waist4 ,and1 in order 
to make this form of riding more easily 

comprehensible to the pupil at her first
 essay1 the following will be found     
highly effective3  ,let the instructor  
stand in front of the horse1 and taking 
the bridle reins one in each hand1 let  
him caution the pupil not to yield to   
him if he pulls against her4 ,let him   
then take a quick1 sharp pull at the    
reins in the same way as a horse would  
when trying to get his head free from   
the rider's control4 ,the master will   
find that1 despite the caution1 both the
 pupil's hands will come forward at     
once2 and if this action on the bridle  
had been executed by the horse instead  
of his master1 the former would have    
gained his first step in having his own 
way1 and1 for instance1 from a collected
 canter could increase his pace at his  
own will4 ,now1 there is nothing more   
important in the action of the hand in  
controlling the horse than firmness and 
instantaneous decision in yielding or   
maintaining the appui4  ,if 7say some   
theorists7 a horse pulls against you1   

drop your hand to him4 ,this is rather a
 vague expression1 which1 in fact1      
conveys no real meaning to an           
inexperienced person2 among horsemen it 
is intended to convey that you should   
yield to the horse whenever he pulls or 
takes a liberty with the hand4 ,now1 the
 direct reverse of this is the course to
 be adopted by all riders who wish to   
acquire good hands4 ,when a horse       
endeavours to forereach upon the rider1 
the latter1 instead of yielding1 should 
close his hands firmly on the reins1 and
 keep the arms perfectly steady1 without
 pulling an ounce against the horse2 at 
the same time closing his leg with equal
 firmness4 ,in the next stride or two   
the horse will yield to the hand1 which 
should instantly yield to him2 and thus 
he learns that you are master of him1   
and goes well together1 or1 as it is    
technically called1 collectedly and     
within himself2 whereas if the hand is  
freely yielded whenever he takes a      
liberty or romps for his head1 in a very

 brief time he will be all abroad1 and  
going in any form but that best for     
himself or his rider4  ,to ensure       
firmness and steadiness of the hands1   
however1 equal firmness and steadiness  
are requisite in the arms1 and1 for that
 reason1 the pupil should be taught to  
keep them close to the side2 an         
additional reason being that1 if this is
 neglected1 a beginner1 as it were1     
disconnects the figure from the waist   
upwards1 and loses her true balance4    
,when the pupil has had sufficient      
practice to ensure steadiness in the    
saddle1 the injunction as to arms       
perfectly steady may be relaxed2 and    
gradually1 while there is no lateral    
motion of the arm from the side or      
sticking out of the elbows1 the lady    
will learn to give easy play to the     
shoulder joint without destroying the   
neatness of her riding or her power to  
fix her arms for a moment if the horse  
tries to get his head away4 ,in short1  
my theory is that it is impossible for  

the pupil to learn the true appui1 or   
acquire what is usually called a light  
hand1 until she has acquired a steady   
one4 ,it is easy enough to tell her to  
give and take to the cadence of the     
horse's action2 but the precise moment  
at which to do this must be made clear  
to the learner by some well defined and 
easily comprehensible rule4 ,i submit   
that the readiest way of defining it is 
that ,i have attempted in the foregoing4
 ,having carefully given the above      
instruction1 see that the pupil is      
sitting fair and true in the saddle1 and
 be careful to correct any tendency to  
throwing forward the right shoulder1    
which is both inelegant and destructive 
of balance4 ,see that the right knee is 
in a firm1 but still flexible form on   
the upper pannels4 ,caution the pupil   
while she draws her figure well up from 
the waist to stretch the left heel well 
down2 and let her then1 keeping her     
hands perfectly quiet1 press the horse  
forward into a walk with the leg1 while 

she yields the little finger from the   
wrist only4 ,let her make the horse walk
 freely out1 but up to his bridle1 the  
whip being applied1 if necessary1 on the
 off shoulder if he hangs back behind   
his work4  ,nearly all young people1    
when first put on horseback1 are anxious
 to be off in a canter at once1 and it  
is a sore trial to their patience to be 
kept at a walk4 ,but there can be no    
greater mistake than to allow them to   
canter a horse until they have learnt   
the alpha of their business--that       
important lesson1 how to make a horse   
walk true and fair4  ,this accomplished1
 going large round school or paddock1   
the pupil should be carefully instructed
 how to turn her horse square to the    
right or left1 and to rein him back4    
,and in order to make the instruction as
 clear and concise as possible1 again1  
in a modified form1 the ,book of ,aids  
may be called upon4 ,the formula there  
laid down1 in the shape of question and 
answer1 is as follows3--  ,q4 ,how do   

you turn a horse to the right or        
left8--,a4 ,by a double feeling of the  
inward rein1 retaining a steady feeling 
of the outward4 ,the horse kept up to   
the hand by pressure of both legs4 ,the 
outward by the strongest4 ,now1 as in   
the case of a lady1 there is no right   
leg to support the horse1 in turning1 he
 is liable to lean upon the hand2 the   
rider should close the left leg firmly1 
and touch him lightly on the off-side   
with her whip1 which will at once cause 
him to keep his forehand up and his     
haunches under him4 ,after being once or
 twice so corrected he will turn        
carefully1 without hurry or coming on   
his shoulder4  ,the pupil should then be
 taught to turn her horse right and left
 about in the centre of the manege1 the 
aids being simply continued until the   
animal faces the reverse way1 the pupil 
turning her horse upon his centre in the
 middle of the manege1 instead of his   
haunches1 as at the side4 ,plenty of    
practice should be given in making these

 turns1 because by them the pupil learns
 to bring up the right or left shoulder 
according to the hand turned to1 the    
right shoulder in turning to the left1  
and vice versa2 and this should be most 
carefully attended to by the master1    
otherwise the body of the pupil is      
moving on one line and the horse on     
another1 and in case of his flirting the
 pupil is already half-way out of her   
saddle4 ,too much attention therefore   
cannot be given to this vital point in  
the aplomb for this obvious reason--if a
 lady once acquires the habit 7which    
unfortunately too many do7 of allowing  
the horse to turn without going with    
him1 it is quite on the cards that some 
day a horse1 a trifle too fresh1 may    
jump round with her4 ,if the above      
principle of going with the horse has   
been thoroughly well taught her in her  
early lessons she will have no          
difficulty in accompanying the action of
 the horse1 if she even fail in checking
 it2 but if she is permitted so to sit  

as to be looking over her horse's left  
ear when she turns him to the right1 she
 is leaving the question of her seat    
entirely to the generosity of the steed4
 ,and it may be as well to say at once  
that1 with the best intentioned1 broken1
 or mannered horse1 it may be laid down 
as a golden rule in riding to leave     
nothing to his generosity4 ,horses are  
very keen in their perceptions1 and can 
detect in a manner little suspected by  
the inexperienced when they have one at 
a disadvantage4  ,reining back may be   
practised from time to time4 ,to do this
 well1 again clearly defined            
instructions should be given4 ,first the
 horse should be halted4 ,thus3 ,a light
 firm feeling of both reins1 to check   
his forward movement2 the leg closed    
tightly at the same time1 to keep him up
 to the hand2 the reins to be eased as  
soon as the horse is halted4 ,the aids  
for reining back should then be         
explained as follows3 ,closing the hands
 firmly on the reins1 the rider should  

feel the horse's mouth as though the    
reins were made of silken thread instead
 of leather1 and close her leg quietly  
to keep him up to the hand4 ,there      
should be no dead pull at the horse's   
mouth1 but the reins should be eased at 
every step he takes backwards1 which1 if
 the aids are smoothly and truly        
applied1 he will do without throwing his
 haunches either in or out4 ,in the     
early lessons the pupil should not be   
allowed to rein her horse back more than
 two or three steps at a time4 ,the use 
of reining back is to bring the greater 
weight from the horse's forehand to his 
haunches1 to collect him and make him   
light in hand4 7,see ,aid ,book47 ,it is
 also of great use in assisting the     
pupil to correct her own aplomb in the  
saddle1 and acquire a true appui on the 
horse's mouth4 ,every movement of the   
hand of the rider1 however1 and every   
step of the horse1 should be carefully  
watched by the instructor4 ,the horse   
should never be allowed to hurry back1  

as that will at once enable him to get  
behind his bridle4  ,these lessons at a 
walk1 the turns to the right and left1  
turns about and reining back1 should be 
continued until the pupil executes them 
with precision4 ,her position should be 
rigidly attended to1 all stiffness      
avoided1 and nothing in the shape of    
careless sitting allowed to pass        
unnoticed4 ,i repeat1 the early lessons 
should1 if anything1 be a little        
overdone in the way of exactness1       
because any careless habit acquired at  
such a stage is most difficult to get   
rid of afterwards4 ,when the pupil is   
thoroughly au fait at her walking       
lesson1 she should commence the next    
important section1 that1 namely1 of     
learning to trot1 the formula of which  
,i will endeavour to explain in my next 
chapter1 concluding this with a         
description of the form in which a lady 
should dismount1 and the assistance that
 should be afforded by the master4      
,having halted the horse in the centre  

of the school1 his head should be held  
by a steady groom4 ,the lady should then
 pass the reins from the right hand to  
the left1 and quietly lift her skirt    
with the right hand until she can easily
 disengage her right knee from the upper
 pommels4 ,at the same moment her left  
foot should be disengaged by the        
assistant from the stirrup1 and her     
skirt from the near-side pommel or third
 crutch4 ,the lady should then drop the 
reins on the horse's neck1 and having   
disengaged her right knee1 turn quietly 
to the left in her saddle1 and face the 
assistant4 ,she should then with both   
hands take up the slack of her habit    
until her feet are quite clear of it1   
otherwise1 on alighting she is liable to
 trip and fall1 possibly right into the 
arms of the assistant1 which is not1 by 
any means1 according to rule4  ,having  
gathered up the skirt1 the lady should  
then carry her hands forward about eight
 or ten inches from her knees1 and rest 
both her hands firmly on those of the   

assistant1 who should raise them up well
 for the purpose4 ,it remains only then 
for the lady to glide smoothly down from
 the saddle1 and1 slightly supported by 
the assistant1 she will alight easily   
and gracefully on terra firma4 ,some    
riding masters have a fashion of taking 
a lady off her horse by placing both    
hands on her waist and allowing her to  
throw her weight forward upon them4     
,such a practice is outre1 inelegant1   
and unsafe1 because the lady is likely  
enough to throw more weight forward than
 the master anticipated1 in which case  
both may come to the ground1 to the     
great discomfiture of the fair          
equestrian4     ,,chapter ,,vii4  ,,the 
,,trotting ,,lesson4   ,this1 once      
thoroughly mastered1 gives the pupil    
confidence and security on her horse1   
and is the great inductive step by which
 she learns the value of balance4 ,some 
years ago it was considered that if a   
lady could sit her horse gracefully at a
 walk1 and securely at a canter1 she had

 accomplished all that was correct or   
necessary in female equitation4         
,trotting was altogether ignored1 for   
the simple reason that ladies found it  
extremely difficult to do1 and          
impossible to find anybody who could    
help them out of their difficulty by    
teaching them the right way4 ,in those  
days most of the riding masters were men
 who had been instructors in the        
cavalry4 ,in that arm of the service1   
trotting according to regulation is     
quite a different thing to the easy rise
 and fall seat practised by civilians on
 horseback4 ,it is a necessity in       
cavalry1 in order to preserve the       
dressing in line1 that a man should sit 
down in his saddle at a trot1 and allow 
the horse to shake him fair up and down 
in it4 ,if the rising seat were allowed1
 it would be impossible to preserve     
anything like dressing4 ,this shake-up1 
or bumping seat1 however1 as men out of 
the army call it1 is by no means so     
distressing as some people imagine1     

unless the horse is unusually rough in  
his action4  ,the reason is that the    
military trot is taught upon the        
principle of balance4 ,the man sits fair
 down on his seat1 and1 keeping his knee
 forward and his heel well down1 does   
not cling to the horse by muscular      
grasp2 consequently the bumping1 so     
terrific to the eye of the civilian1 is 
scarcely felt by the soldier1 and in    
continental armies1 where rough trotting
 horses are exceptional1 the motion or  
jolt is scarcely perceptible4 ,there are
 a great many popular fallacies about   
military riding--as1 for instance1 that 
a dragoon rides with a very long        
stirrup2 that his seat is insecure2 that
 the bumping gives a horse a sore back2 
and that1 except a sailor and a tailor1 
a dragoon officer is about the worst    
horseman to be found4 ,this is not      
exactly the place to enter into any     
controversy on the subject2 but ,i may  
as well observe at once1 and ,i do so   
because ,i am sure the old soldiers are 

not altogether despised by the ladies1  
even in this non-military country1 that 
all the foregoing are so many mistakes4 
,a dragoon1 any time within my memory1  
rode just the same length as a man does 
over a country--that is to say that1    
measuring the cavalry man's leather and 
iron by the length of his arm and hand1 
which is the right length for a         
civilian1 you have exactly the cavalry  
regulation length4 ,the stirrup of a    
lancer indeed is somewhat shorter than  
that used by most hunting men4 ,finally1
 an acquaintance with the habitues of   
such places as ,melton would prove to   
unbelievers in the riding of cavalry    
officers that the names of most of the  
men who go to the front in the          
hunting-field1 and keep there1 are to be
 found in the ,army ,list4 ,i have been 
tempted thus to digress by having       
referred to the military riding school1 
from which in former days1 most1 if not 
all1 the riding masters who taught      
ladies came4 ,now1 although ,i stand up 

7as in duty bound7 for the military     
system of riding per se1 it does not    
produce the right man to teach a woman  
to ride1 if the experience of the       
preceptor has been acquired in the      
riding school only4 ,excellent as is our
 system 7or1 rather1 the ,german system1
 for it is imported from the ,prussian  
service71 for making a man a first-class
 dragoon1 as regards anything connected 
with a lady's seat or the principle of  
her balance1 it is useless4  ,as regards
 her hands1 or the application of the   
aids of the manege1 it is highly        
beneficial1 because nothing can be more 
clear or concise than the simple rules  
laid down in military equitation for the
 application of the helps1 by which a   
horse's easy movement is controlled and 
regulated4 ,it was principally to the   
want of men who could teach a lady to   
ride1 however1 that the absence of a    
trotting in the side saddle was to be   
attributed lang syne4  ,it is altogether
 different now4 ,riding masters took to 

riding across country1 and their        
daughters took to it also1 naturally4   
,awkward spills occurred2 and long      
journeys home after hunting1 all done at
 a canter1 terribly shook the horse's   
legs and the temper of the head of the  
family4 ,why the deuce can't you let    
your horse trot8 ,i once heard the      
worthy sire of a blooming girl of       
sixteen say to his daughter1 who was    
pounding away on the hard road on the   
retour de chasse4 ,for ,god's sake let  
him trot1 ,carry4 ,you'll hammer his    
legs all to pieces4 ,why don't you let  
him trot8 ,because1 pa1 he won't let me 
trot1 was the unanswerable reply4 ,true 
enough2 ,carry knew nothing about it1   
and there was nobody to tell her4 ,she  
was riding on a saddle that fitted      
neither her nor her horse4 ,she had no  
third crutch1 and she had a slipper     
stirrup 7that worst of abominations in  
ladies' saddlery74 ,looking back at     
those days1 the only wonder to me is1   
how ladies managed to ride at all4 ,that

 they did ride is certainly proof 7if   
any were wanting7 of their courage and  
perseverance under difficulties4  ,the  
necessity for trotting having become    
apparent as ladies took more to riding1 
it at length called the attention of one
 or two thoroughly practical men to the 
subject4 ,the first of these1 ,i        
believe1 was the celebrated steeple race
 jockey1 ,dan ,seffert1 who had been a  
riding master in his early days1 and who
 was equally at home in the manege or   
between the flags over a country4  ,the 
running made by ,mr4 ,seffert was soon  
taken up by other first-class horsemen1 
among whom were ,mr4 ,oldacre1 and ,mr4 
,allen1 of ,seymour-place4 ,the third   
crutch was added to the side saddle1 and
 numerous improvements effected in it1  
which rendered trotting not only        
practicable1 but pleasant and easy to a 
lady1 provided she was taught the right 
way4 ,i believe we owe the third crutch 
and padded stirrup to ,mr4 ,oldacre1 a  
first-class judge of female equitation2 

but ,i am not quite certain upon this   
point4 ,the saddle having been rendered 
practicable for the purpose1 the next   
thing requisite was a comprehensible and
 simple set of rules1 by which the lady 
could be taught to trot1 without        
distressing either her horse or herself4
 ,to whom these rules owe their origin  
is immaterial2 as to their efficiency1  
such as they are1 ,i have found them    
highly so1 and therefore beg leave to   
submit them to your readers4  ,after the
 usual walking lesson 7abridged1        
however1 to allow more time for what is 
to follow71 the pupil should ride her   
horse to the centre of the school1 and  
halt him there1 so that the instructor  
has perfect facility of getting at the  
horse on any side1 and seeing the exact 
form in which his pupil moves4 ,the lady
 should then be instructed to take a    
firm hold with the right knee on the    
upper pommel of the saddle1 grasping it 
well between the thigh and the lower    
part of the leg1 and carrying the latter

 well back1 with the heel sunk as close 
as possible to the left leg4 ,by sinking
 the heel well1 she will give great     
firmness to her hold with the right leg 
upon the upper pommels4 ,to accomplish  
this1 however1 she should get well      
forward in her saddle1 and care should  
be taken that her stirrup is not too    
short1 otherwise she will be thrown too 
far back to enable her to take the      
necessary grip with the upper leg4 ,the 
left leg should then be well drawn back1
 the front of the thigh pressed firmly  
against the third crutch1 the left heel 
well sunk1 and the toe raised from the  
instep1 because a firmness is thus given
 to the leg and thigh which would       
otherwise be wanting4 ,the body1 from   
the waist upwards1 should be inclined   
slightly forward1 and the angle at which
 the left foot is drawn back from the   
perpendicular line from the knee to the 
foot should be regulated by the         
inclination of the body forward1 so as  
exactly to balance it4  ,having placed  

his pupil in this position1 and seen    
that her hands are well drawn back and  
arms firm1 the instructor should then   
take her foot out of the stirrup1 and   
give the following concise instructions3
 ,on the word 'one1' raise the body     
slowly from the saddle as high as       
possible4 ,now1 to do this without the  
aid of the stirrup can only be          
accomplished by keeping the heel well   
down and the leg back 7in the first     
place1 in order to balance the body71   
and then raising the figure by the      
action of the right knee and its grasp  
upon the upper pommel4 ,at first the    
pupil will find this difficult1 even    
when the horse is perfectly motionless1 
and when the riding master assists her  
by putting his left hand under her left 
elbow2 but after a few efforts she will 
succeed4 ,this is the first step in     
learning the rise with precision4       
,having accomplished it1 the pupil      
should not lower herself again to the   
saddle until the instructor gives her   

the word two1 when she should lower     
herself as slowly as she rose4  ,if she 
has been well tutored in the extension  
and suppling practices alluded to in my 
second chapter1 she will understand what
 one1 two time means in this way as well
 as in dancing1 and her knowledge of    
balance on foot will assist her on      
horseback4 ,these rising and falling    
motions should be continued until the   
pupil executes them with precision1 fair
 intervals of rest being allowed4 ,the  
master should then place the lady's foot
 again in the stirrup4  ,the absence of 
this support in the previous lesson will
 have prevented the pupil from leaning  
to the near side1 and throwing her      
weight out of the perpendicular--a most 
pernicious habit1 which ladies who try  
to learn their trotting in one lesson   
are very apt to fall into1 and it is a  
fault very difficult to correct4 ,in    
fact1 the main object in beginning      
without a stirrup is to avoid this      
error4  ,with the support of the stirrup

 the pupil will find the act of rising  
and maintaining an upright or slightly  
bent forward position 7the figure raised
 well up from the saddle7 a             
comparatively easy matter1 and the      
lesson should be continued thus for a   
quarter of an hour longer4 ,however     
trying to the patience this riding      
without gaining ground--marking time in 
the saddle--may be1 the lady maybe      
assured1 that it is by rigid attention  
to such minutiae only that she can      
become a first-class horsewoman1 and    
that she is in reality losing no time4  
,when we hear the singing of ,mme4      
,titiens1 or recollect the unrivalled   
dancing of ,taglioni1 we are apt to     
forget that with all the natural talent 
of these great artistes1 it was close   
attention to rudimentary elements that  
laid the foundations of their           
excellence4 ,it is so in riding1 to     
excel in which is far more difficult    
than in dancing4 ,it is those only who  
are content with mediocrity who ignore  

detail4 ,we come now to the second      
section of this lesson1 in which the    
pupil will begin to find the first fruit
 of her previous exertion4 ,the master  
having led her horse to the side of the 
school1 should give her instruction to  
walk him freely out1 riding him1        
however1 well up against the snaffle1 if
 necessary for this purpose using her   
whip sharply4 ,the horse will then take 
fairly hold of her hand1 and give her a 
good appui4 ,the rising and falling     
should then be continued at a walk1 and 
assisted by the impetus given by the    
horse's forward motion1 and the stirrup1
 the pupil will find her work still     
easier than when the horse was at a     
standstill4  ,the instructor should now 
count his one1 two1 in different times1 
allowing a longer or shorter interval   
between each word1 according to whether 
he means to convey to the pupil the     
notion of quick sharp action in the     
horse1 or long dwelling action4 ,thus1  
when the horse trots1 he will be able to

 count his time in exact accordance with
 the animal's movements4 ,be the time   
quick or slow that he counts1 he should 
exact rigid conformity of action in the 
pupil2 because this harmony of motion to
 the counting is as important to success
 in the riding master as it is to the   
music master4 ,time and cadence in      
action are vital points in equitation4  
,as soon as the instructor is satisfied 
that his pupil can easily accommodate   
her action to his word1 he should       
prepare to test both in the trot4 ,but  
if he takes a week to get the pupil to  
do the two previous lessons 7one of them
 even7 properly1 they should be         
continued until she does it2 nobody can 
spell until he knows the alphabet4  ,to 
carry on the lesson in the trot1 the    
instructor should mount a cob or pony of
 such height as will admit of his easily
 placing his left hand under the right  
elbow of the pupil4 ,he should ride with
 his reins in his right hand1 and be    
sure that the horse he gets on is a     

perfectly steady one4  ,he should now   
put plenty of vivacity into his own     
manner2 he will then easily impart it to
 his pupil and her horse4 ,the latter   
should be smartly woke up if at all     
behind his work--pressed up to the      
bridle with whip and leg1 and made ready
 to increase his pace at any moment4    
,the master should then caution his     
pupil that on the words ,prepare to     
trot1 she should strengthen her grasp on
 the upper pommel1 her pressure against 
the third crutch1 and well stretch down 
the left heel1 while she carries back   
the left leg1 and inclines the body     
slightly forward from the waist1 arms   
very firm1 fingers shut tight on the    
reins2 and while the body inclines      
forward there should be no outward or   
lateral curvature of the spine1 nor     
should the head be dropped4 ,the        
shoulders pressed well back1 and the    
hands close to the waist1 will give     
firmness and suppleness to the whole    
figure4 ,directly the master is         

satisfied with the pupil's position1 he 
should place his left hand under her    
right elbow1 urge his own horse smartly 
on1 and give the word ,trot1 on which   
the pupil should1 without altering her  
position or yielding her hand1 touch her
 horse smartly on the shoulder with the 
whip2 he will then trot forward4 ,at the
 first step he takes the master should  
help the pupil up with his left hand1   
and commence counting his one1 two in   
exact accordance with the horse's       
action4 ,in nine cases out of ten the   
lady will succeed1 with a fair stepping 
horse1 in catching at the first attempt 
the rise at the right moment1 and the   
increased impetus given by the horse    
will assist her1 while her preparatory  
lessons in rising and falling will now  
prove their value4  ,should any failure1
 however1 attend the first effort1 both 
horses should again be brought to the   
walk2 the lady should be allowed to     
re-arrange her habit1 and recover from  
the inevitable flurry which attends any 

failure of this sort4 ,patience1 concise
 explanation1 and cheerful manner on the
 part of the master will presently find 
their reward4 ,all ladies do not possess
 great nerve1 but most of them have     
great courage and perseverance1 and     
after a false start or two they get on  
their mettle1 and are sure to catch the 
true action4 ,when once they have it1   
the master should make the pace sharp   
and active three or four times round the
 school1 which is long enough for a     
first attempt4 ,a couple more turns of  
equal duration should terminate the     
first trotting lesson4 ,the lady should 
walk her horse round the school until   
both are cool1 make much of him by      
patting him on the neck1 and then be    
taken off4 ,day by day the instructor   
can slightly increase the length of the 
lesson1 always beginning it1 however1 as
 above described1 until the rise and    
fall of the pupil at a trot is perfectly
 true and fair4 ,there should be no     
twist from the waist1 the shoulders     

perfectly square1 every movement in     
exact harmony with the horse's action4  
,after the lady can rise and fall in the
 saddle unaided by the master1 he is    
better on foot1 because he can stand    
behind his pupil1 and at once correct   
any fault in her position or riding2 and
 no fault1 be it remembered1 however    
trivial1 should be allowed to pass      
uncorrected4  ,for some time the lady   
should continue trotting out round the  
school1 riding altogether upon the      
snaffle and sending her horse well up   
against it4 ,there should be no         
give-and-take action in the hand in this
 case2 but while she does not pull the  
weight of a feather against her horse1  
she should make him maintain the appui  
by taking well hold of her hand2 his    
trot will then be regular and fair4     
,after about ten days or a fortnight of 
such practice1 the master may commence  
the third section of his trotting       
lesson1 namely1 that in which the pupil 
begins to collect her horse1 raise his  

forehand1 and bring his haunches under  
him4  ,the first step in this should be 
to ascertain that the lady is not       
dependent upon the horse's mouth for any
 part of her firmness in the saddle1 or1
 more correctly speaking1 to see that   
her balance is right unaided by the     
bridle1 because1 although perhaps       
imperceptible to the rider 7man or      
woman71 the appui of the mouth has more 
to do with the seat than most people    
imagine4 ,in good schools of equitation 
men tell you ,there are no hands without
 legs4 ,true1 and if we were to ask many
 a good man that we see crossing a      
country to ride over a big fence without
 a bridle we should perceive that there 
are few seats without hands4 ,it is to  
correct the tendency to trust for       
support to the horse's mouth that the   
efforts of the instructor should now be 
directed4  ,to carry this out1 he should
 be mounted upon a horse of about equal 
height to that of his pupil1 on the off 
side1 and close to whom he should place 

himself4 ,he should direct her to drop  
her reins entirely1 and then take them  
in his left hand1 riding his own horse  
with his right4 ,he should then instruct
 the lady to place her hands behind her 
waist1 the right hand grasping the left 
elbow1 as described in the suppling     
practices4 ,cautioning her again as to  
firmness of grasp and good balance1 he  
should then urge both horses into a     
smart trot1 and keep them going round   
the school two or three times1 carefully
 watching the action of the pupil1 and  
if he perceives the least indication of 
distress pull up immediately4 ,the      
exertion necessary to execute this      
lesson is severe if the pupil has not   
been well suppled before being put on   
horseback4 ,if she has1 there will be   
considerably less effort in it2 but1 in 
any case1 on first practising it1 the   
fair tyro requires every encouragement  
to persevere1 because in doing one thing
 well1 she is very apt to forget        
another4 ,constantly reminded as to her 

position as the trot goes on1 she will  
succeed in doing all well4 ,after two or
 three such turns 7the arms of course   
disengaged during the interval71 the    
lady should take up her reins again2    
this time the curb and snaffle reins of 
equal length1 and in the form 7,no4 #a7 
described in a previous chapter4 ,she   
should then trot her horse freely out   
round the school1 and she will find the 
full benefit of her recent drilling     
without reins1 inasmuch as her seat will
 be many degrees firmer1 and her balance
 more true1 leaving her more liberty of 
action in hand and leg to apply the     
necessary aids to her horse in the      
coming lesson1 in which at a            
well-regulated and collected pace1 she  
will learn to turn him in any direction 
at her will1 to rein him back1 to make  
the inclines and circles1 and prepare   
him for the cantering lesson by finally 
riding him in his trot entirely on the  
curb rein1 and throwing him well upon   
his haunches4     ,,chapter ,,viii4     

,,the ,,trotting ,,lesson 7continued74  
,i come now to the final section of the 
trotting lesson--that which1 thoroughly 
acquired1 ,i may term the thorough base 
of the matter4 ,having satisfied himself
 that his pupil has command of her      
horse1 steady seat and hands1 and true  
balance when riding equally on the      
snaffle and curb1 the master should     
proceed to instruct her as to the mode  
of arranging the reins so as to ride on 
the curb alone4  ,as this has been      
already described1 it is needless to    
repeat the formula4 ,i may observe1     
however1 that1 in order to give         
increased facility of action to the     
bridle hand1 and avoid anything like    
sudden jerk or rough pull upon the      
horse's mouth1 it is best for the lady  
to retain the end of the curb reins     
between the fore finger and thumb of her
 right hand1 by doing which she is      
enabled1 keeping her left hand perfectly
 steady1 and opening and closing the    
fingers1 to give easy play to the reins4

 ,without this she would find riding on 
the curb alone difficult at first with  
the left hand only1 because all the     
motion must come from the wrist1 and    
considerable practice is necessary to   
accommodate this motion exactly to the  
action of the horse4 ,care should be    
taken that the elbows are kept well     
back1 so as to preserve the suppleness  
of the waist1 and by this time also the 
pupil ought to have acquired sufficient 
steadiness in the saddle to admit of her
 giving easy play to the upper part of  
the arm at the shoulder joint4 ,but     
until complete firmness of seat is      
gained this should not be attempted1    
because in the case of a novice it      
disconnects the figure1 and interferes  
with the horse's mouth materially4 ,the 
most rigid attention also should be     
given to the pupil's general position1  
and the firmness and correct placing of 
both legs--the heels well down1 the     
upper part of the body well drawn up    
from the waist1 the whole figure pliant 

and accompanying every movement of the  
horse 7see ,military ,aid ,book74  ,the 
lady should commence the lesson by      
walking her horse two or three times    
round the school2 and it is here1 by    
close attention1 that she will learn    
that light hands are neither heaven-born
 nor impossible to acquire4 ,on pressing
 the horse forward with her leg or whip1
 so as to make him walk up against the  
curb1 it is possible her hand may be a  
little heavy1 and that the horse may    
resist it4 ,in this case1 if not        
cautions and carefully watched1 she will
 let her hands go forward4 ,it is for   
the instructor to take special care of  
this1 and point out to his pupil how she
 can ease the reins through her left    
hand by the aid of the right1 so as to  
catch the true appui1 without yielding  
altogether to the horse4 ,in other      
words1 she should allow sufficient rein 
to go through her hand to enable the    
horse to walk freely forward2 and then1 
closing her fingers again firmly1 make  

him go up to every hair's breadth of    
rein she has given him1 and fairly      
against the curb4 ,there should not be a
 particle of slack rein4 ,in fact1 it   
may be received as a sound principle in 
riding that there should never be slack 
reins1 no matter what the pace4 ,if you 
give your horse the full length of the  
reins even1 make him go up to them4     
,when once the lady has gained the      
above-named appui 7the right hand       
assisting the left71 she should be      
instructed to halt her horse lightly on 
his haunches preparatory to reining     
back4 ,and again she should do this by  
drawing the reins through the fingers of
 her left hand with the right1 keeping  
the former perfectly steady1 and drawing
 her own figure well up1 in order to    
avoid any tendency to lean forward4 ,on 
the word ,rein back1 which should be    
given in a very quiet tone of voice1 and
 in the exact cadence in which the      
master desires his pupil to move her    
horse to the rear1 the lady should feel 

both reins lightly but firmly for a     
moment1 closing at the same instant her 
leg so as to keep her horse's haunches  
under him1 in the manner before         
described when using the snaffle only1  
but in the present case with greater    
care and precision4 ,lightly and firmly 
feeling the curb reins while pressed by 
the leg1 the horse will take a step     
back4 ,the reins should be yielded the  
instant he does so4 ,two or three steps 
back are sufficient1 when the word      
,forward should be given1 preceded by   
the caution to close the fingers firmly 
on the reins1 and1 with whip and leg1   
keep the horse well up to his work4     
,feeling this amount of constraint laid 
upon him1 the horse will be inclined at 
any moment to canter4 ,but here the tact
 of the master should be exhibited in   
instructing his pupil to release the    
horse from his fore-shortened position1 
by allowing about six inches of rein 7or
 more1 if necessary71 to pass through   
her left hand as she presses the horse  

forward into a free trot 7about eight   
miles an hour74 ,all her firmness of    
seat will be necessary now1 because any 
irregular action on her part will cause 
her hand to become heavy1 and make the  
horse canter4 ,the great thing is1 not  
to continue trotting on the curb-rein   
alone too long4 ,short lessons often    
repeated1 and intervals in which to     
correct everything are best for pupil   
and instructor4  ,when the lady can     
accomplish trotting out for twenty      
minutes without allowing her horse to   
break1 she should then be instructed to 
collect him to a slower pace1 bringing  
him more upon his haunches1 and with his
 forehand more up4 ,this requires the   
nicest tact and discrimination on the   
part of the rider1 perfect steadiness in
 the saddle1 and firm pressure of the   
left leg2 while the reins should be     
drawn through the left hand with as much
 care as though the lady feared to break
 them4 ,the shortened pace should be    
smart and active1 and the horse so      

collected as to be ready to turn to the 
right1 or left1 or about1 or make the   
inclines at any moment4 ,all these      
exercises should then be practised in   
the same order as when the pupil rode1  
assisted by or on the snaffle only4     
,after the lady has performed these to  
the satisfaction of the master1 she     
should bring her horse to the walk and  
be instructed to carry the end of the   
curb reins1 which she has held hitherto 
in her right hand1 through the full of  
the left hand1 and place both reins 7the
 off-side one uppermost7 over the middle
 joint of the fore finger1 and close the
 thumb firmly on them4 ,the end of the  
reins should be dropped to the off-side 
of the horse1 and hang down outside the 
off-side crutch2 the whip 7with the     
point downwards7 kept quiet4 ,raising   
the point of the whip1 when a lady is   
trotting a horse on the curb alone1 and 
unassisted by her right hand1 is very   
apt to make him break1 because the point
 of the whip is always in motion1 and   

causes the horse to turn his eye back at
 it4  ,the instructor should now        
carefully place the lady's bridle hand1 
with the wrist rounded outwards and the 
thumb pointing square across the body1  
the back of the hand towards the horse's
 head1 and the little finger turned     
upwards and inwards towards the waist1  
the arm perfectly firm1 and the wrist   
quite supple--as in this case it is from
 the wrist only that every indication to
 turn1 to halt1 or rein back is given1  
aided by the whip on the off side and   
the leg on the near side4 ,the pupil can
 then be taught to turn her horse to    
either hand1 or about1 at a walk1       
without any motion of the bridle hand   
perceptible to a looker-on1 although    
perceptible enough to the horse4 ,in    
turning to the right1 the little finger 
should be turned down towards the left  
shoulder1 and the back of the hand      
turned up4 ,this movement will shorten  
the right rein1 and cause it to act on  
the right jaw of the bit4 ,the whip     

should be closed firmly 7not with a     
blow7 just behind the flap of the saddle
 on the off side4 ,the left leg         
supporting this will cause the horse to 
turn square to his right4 ,exactly the  
reverse movement will turn him to the   
left4 ,right or left about1 aids        
continued1 until the horse has reversed 
his front4  ,the trotting lesson may    
then be gone through again1 the pupil   
riding entirely with the left hand4 ,but
 in beginning these lessons care should 
be taken to let them be very short1     
because1 in spite of all previous       
supplying1 considerable constraint is   
thrown upon the wrist at first4 ,any    
yielding to the horse is accomplished by
 turning the little finger towards his  
neck1 while to collect him simply the   
little finger is turned up again towards
 the waist4 ,but the fingers and thumb  
of the bridle hand must be kept firmly  
shut upon the reins1 otherwise the hand 
becomes heavy and uneven in its action4 
,by lessons1 gradually increased in     

length1 the pupil should be accustomed  
thus to ride her horse throughout the   
trotting lesson1 and trot him out1      
riding with one hand4 ,it is not usual  
for ladies to continue for any length of
 time riding in this form2 but it is    
highly necessary that they should be    
thoroughly well practised at it1        
otherwise an important part of their    
course of equitation will be neglected4 
,the same may be said of the bending    
lesson1 previous to cantering4 ,it is   
rarely put in practice by any but       
professional female equestrians4 ,but a 
lady ought to be thoroughly acquainted  
with its formula1 because it teaches the
 principle upon which a horse acquires  
his souplesse1 which is just as         
necessary to his freedom of action and  
pleasant riding as the early suppling   
lessons of the pupil herself were       
conducive to her own progress4          
,,chapter ,,ix4  ,,the ,,bending ,,and  
,,cantering ,,lesson4   ,according to   
the ordinary acceptation of the term1 a 

horse is supposed to bend well when he  
arches his neck1 yields to the bit1 and 
uses his knees and hocks freely4 ,this  
alone by no means conveys an adequate   
idea1 however1 of what is meant by      
bending a horse in the scientific sense4
 ,the ,military ,aid ,book supplies the 
following question and answer1 which    
gives in a very concise form a better   
notion of the matter4  ,question3 ,what 
is the use of the bending               
lesson8--,answer3 ,to make the horse    
supple in the neck and ribs1 to give    
free action to his shoulder1 and teach  
him to obey the pressure of the leg4    
,it will be seen1 then1 that bending a  
horse really means rendering him supple 
in every portion of his frame1 and      
especially in his ribs and intercostal  
muscles1 as it is suppleness in that    
part that gives him the lithe1 easy     
motions so pleasant to the rider4  ,i   
have before observed that ,i do not     
consider an intimate knowledge of the   
haut ecole de manege indispensable for  

ordinary riding purposes1 either for a  
lady or gentleman4 ,but1 although the   
bending lesson thoroughly carried out   
may be said to be the very gist of haut 
ecole riding1 even in its simple form1  
unaccompanied by the higher aids1 it is 
of great service in rendering a horse   
docile and obedient to hand and leg1 and
 for that purpose is always resorted to 
in our schools of military equitation4  
,now1 although ,i do not expect every   
lady to acquire the art of suppling her 
own horses1 still a knowledge of the    
bending lesson will make her thoroughly 
acquainted with the reasons why a horse 
renders ready obedience to her aids of  
hand and leg2 and1 on the contrary1 why 
he resists them4  ,stiffness 7as it is  
technically termed7 has more to do with 
what is commonly called restiveness than
 most people imagine4 ,a horse is asked 
to do something that calls upon him to  
bend or supple a joint in which1 even in
 early youth1 he is still far from      
supple4 ,he cannot do it4 ,the rider    

perseveres1 and the horse resists4      
,whereas1 when he is thoroughly suppled1
 he does not know how to disobey his    
rider 7supposing the latter to know what
 he is about74 ,if a lady1 therefore1   
will pay close attention to the         
instruction of her master1 she will     
discover that her horse will obey her   
more readily1 and move with more ease to
 himself and her1 when she applies her  
aids smoothly 7without which the bending
 lesson cannot be done71 than by the    
application of sudden or violent        
indications of her will4 ,for it must be
 borne in mind that a double bridle is  
an instrument of great power in a       
horse's mouth1 and that what may seem   
light handling to the uninitiated rider 
may be rough to the horse4 ,a fair      
amount of practice1 therefore1 in the   
above-named exercise will have the      
effect of rendering a lady's hands      
remarkably true and steady2 and1        
although the lesson may be a little     
trying to the patience1 the pupil will  

find her reward in increased confidence 
and proficiency4  ,for all practical    
purposes the bending lesson proper may  
be divided into two sections1 namely1   
the passage and the shoulder in1 all    
other movements of the lesson being     
simply variations from the above named4 
,the half passage may be looked upon as 
an introduction to the full passage1 but
 admits of being practised with facility
 at an increased pace at the trot or    
canter1 and at the latter is a very     
elegant exercise4 ,to begin with the    
shoulder in4 ,let us suppose a horse    
standing parallel to the boards at the  
side of the school4 ,to place him in the
 desired position it is necessary to    
bring his forehand in1 so that his fore 
and hind legs are placed upon two lines1
 parallel to each other and to the      
boards1 and then to bend his head       
inwards at the poll of the neck4 ,no    
more correct idea1 ,i believe1 can be   
conveyed of the position than that given
 in the ,aid ,book1 which furnishes the 

following answer to the question1 ,how  
should a horse be placed in shoulder in8
 ,ans43 ,when a horse is properly bent  
in 'shoulder in1' the whole body from   
head to croup is curved2 the shoulders  
leading1 fore and hind feet moving on   
two lines parallel to each other1 hind  
feet one yard from the boards4  ,again4 
,q4 ,what are the aids for working this 
lesson8--,a4 ,on the word 'right or left
 shoulder in1' the horse's forehand is  
brought in by a double feeling of the   
inward rein1 the outward leg closed1 so 
as to bring the horse's hind feet one   
yard from the boards4  ,the outward rein
 leads1 the inward preserves the bend2 a
 pressure of the inward leg 7of the     
rider7 compels the horse to cross his   
legs2 the outward leg keeps him up to   
the hand and prevents him from swerving4
 ,the horse should be well bent in the  
pole of the neck1 and well kept up to   
the hand with the outward leg1 the      
shoulders always leading4  ,it will be  
seen from the above that the rider      

compels1 or rather coaxes1 the horse1 by
 very firm and steady aids1 to move with
 his forehand well up1 and his whole    
figure bent 7neck and ribs71 with his   
feet moving on two distinct parallel    
lines--the effect being to call upon    
every important joint1 and thoroughly to
 supple the ligaments and tendons1 as   
well as to create muscular development1 
in a way similar to that of gymnastic or
 extension exercises in the human being4
 ,with young horses in training it is   
necessary to watch this lesson very     
carefully1 and never to ask too much at 
one time1 because any forcing of it     
would certainly result in restiveness2  
the strain1 even with naturally supple  
horses1 is considerable1 and must not be
 persevered with one moment after it is 
evidently painful4 ,of course1 in the   
case of a lady practising the lesson1 it
 must be done upon a horse that has gone
 through a long course of teaching1 and 
to whom1 therefore1 the movements cause 
no inconvenience4 ,but even here the    

pupil will find that she must use her   
hand and leg with firmness1 steadiness1 
and decision1 without hurry or          
impatience1 or the horse will not answer
 to her4  ,the movement must be executed
 very slowly1 and at first only by a few
 steps at a time1 because1 however au   
fait at his work the horse may be1 the  
pupil will find considerable difficulty 
in continuing to apply the aids4  ,in   
working the shoulder in to the right1 it
 is necessary for the master1 after     
putting the horse and rider in true     
position1 to place himself on the       
horse's off side1 when he should give   
the word1 ,right shoulder in--march6    
,the lady then1 firmly closing her left 
leg to keep the horse up to the hand1   
should keep her right hand well back and
 low down close to the saddle1 lead the 
horse off with the left rein1 and close 
her whip to his ribs on the off side1   
just behind the flap of the saddle4  ,if
 the horse has been accustomed to work  
the lesson1 with a lady he will obey    

these aids4 ,but in some cases it is    
necessary for the master 7to supply the 
absence of the right leg of a man to the
 horse71 to push firmly with his left   
hand against the horse's ribs to move   
him off4 ,the rider1 while leading the  
horse off with the left rein1 should    
keep up a continual1 light easy play of 
the right rein1 so as to preserve the   
bend inwards4 ,the instructor should    
count one1 two1 in very slow time1 as   
the horse moves first his fore and then 
his hind leg4 ,after a few steps onward 
the horse should be halted1 by the rider
 feeling both reins1 and closing the    
whip firmly on the off side4 ,he should 
then be made much of and moved on again4
 ,a quarter of an hour is ample for the 
first lesson4  ,after the pupil         
understands and can apply the aids for  
the shoulder in 7riding on the snaffle71
 she maybe taught to do it on snaffle   
and curb together1 and then on the curb 
alone1 when she will find the nicest    
balance in her seat and the most careful

 and delicate manipulations of the reins
 necessary--joined1 however1 to distinct
 and perceptible feeling upon the       
horse's mouth4 ,and on moving her horse 
forward she will find that her hand is  
true and steady4  ,the shoulder in      
having been neatly done1 the lady should
 rein her horse lightly back and ride   
him forward1 making the corner of the   
school quite square1 and then halt at   
the centre marker4 ,on the word right   
half passage1 she should turn the       
horse's head square down the centre of  
the school1 and exactly reverse the aids
 by which she worked the shoulder in2   
that is1 she should lead the horse off  
with the right or inward rein1 well     
balancing and assisting its power by the
 outward one2 with her leg she should   
press the horse until he places one foot
 before the other1 gaining ground to his
 front1 and obliquely to his right at   
the same time1 until he arrives at the  
boards1 when he will completely have    
changed the hand he was working to1 and 

at a canter would1 if necessary1 be     
called upon to strike off with the left 
leg instead of the right4  ,after       
executing the half passage correctly1   
the pupil may practice the full passage1
 the difference between which and the   
shoulder in is again concisely explained
 in the ,aid ,book4  ,q4 ,what is the   
difference between the 'passage' and    
'shoulder in'8--,a4 ,in the passage the 
horse bends and looks the way he is     
going4 ,the outward are crossing over   
the inward legs1 and the inward rein    
leads4 ,in the 'shoulder in' the horse  
does not look the way he is going4 ,the 
inward are crossing over the outward    
legs1 and the outward rein leads4  ,q4  
,what is the difference between the full
 and half passage8--,a4 ,in the 'full   
passage' the horse crosses his legs4 ,in
 the 'half passage' he only half crosses
 them1 placing one foot before the      
other4  ,the pupil will find the passage
 much more easy to execute than the     
shoulder in1 though1 ,i repeat1 no horse

 would do the former up to the hand as  
he ought to do unless he has been well  
drilled in the latter4  ,the greatest   
care on the part of both master and     
pupil is indispensable to carry out this
 lesson4 ,the slightest inadvertence or 
false movement is at once answered on   
the part of the horse by his taking     
advantage of it and putting himself in a
 wrong position1 whereas if he is       
carefully ridden1 and kept well up to   
the hand1 the subsequent cantering      
lesson will be much more easy to        
perform4  ,it must be clearly           
understood1 however1 that for a lady to 
attempt to execute the bending lesson by
 written directions alone1 and unaided  
by the vigilant superintendence and oral
 instruction of a first-rate master     
would be a mistake4 ,clear and concise  
as the language of the ,aid ,book is1 it
 is impossible for any man writing such 
directions to indicate the precise      
moment at which each movement of hand   
and leg is to be made1 any more than the

 man who writes the score in music can  
regulate the hand of the instrumental   
executant of it4 ,there must be energy1 
patience1 and close attention on the    
part of the pupil2 vigilance1 patience1 
temper1 and thorough knowledge of his   
craft on the part of the instructor4    
,master and pupil thus in accord1 the   
latter will derive great advantage and  
insight into the elegant accomplishment 
she is endeavouring to acquire1 while   
anything like carelessness on either    
side will be fatal to the utility of the
 lesson4 ,it should be thoroughly well  
done or not at all4  ,after the careful 
execution of the above lesson1 the pupil
 should prepare her horse for cantering 
by reigning him back lightly on his     
haunches2 touching him if necessary     
smartly with her whip1 in order to put  
him well up to his work4 ,a step or two 
back 7well up to the bridle7 is         
sufficient1 when she should move        
forward1 and the instructor should give 
her the aids for cantering2 which 7once 

more to quote the simple language of the
 ,aid ,book7 are as follows3 ,a light   
firm feeling of both reins to raise the 
horse's forehand1 a pressure of both    
legs to keep his haunches under him1 a  
double feeling of the inward rein1 and a
 stronger pressure of the outward leg1  
will compel the horse to strike off true
 and united4  ,the above of course is   
intended as instruction to a man2 but   
substituting a light tap of the whip on 
the off shoulder for the pressure of the
 inward leg of the man1 and very light  
for strong aids1 the instruction holds  
good in the case of the lady4  ,now1 ,i 
have observed before that a horse to be 
thoroughly broken to carry a woman      
should be taught to answer to very light
 aids1 and require1 in fact1 very little
 leg in order to understand and answer  
to the indications of his rider's will4 
,if this has been properly carried out  
the lady will have no difficulty in     
striking her horse off to the right1    
true and united1 which means in         

cantering to the right 7as nearly every 
hack and lady's horse does7 with the off
 fore1 followed by the off hind leg4  ,a
 charger or high manege horse--which    
must use either leg with equal facility1
 and go to the left as well as the      
right--in cantering to the former hand  
will go with the near fore1 followed by 
the near hind1 and be still true and    
united in his pace4 ,when he goes with  
the near fore1 followed by the off hind1
 or vice versa1 he is disunited4  ,a    
point of vital importance to be looked  
to by the master is that his pupil at   
her first attempt at cantering her horse
 is perfectly cool and self-possessed1  
and that she applies her aids smoothly1 
without hurry or excitement1 for so     
great is the sympathy of the horse in   
this respect1 that flurry on the part of
 the rider is sure to cause passionate1 
excited action in the horse4 ,the manner
 of the master has much to do with this2
 while it should be such as to keep his 
pupil and her horse vif and on their    

metal1 he should be careful not to crowd
 the former with too much instruction at
 once4 ,her position should be corrected
 before she is allowed to strike her    
horse off4 ,care should be taken that   
her arms are firm1 and hands well back4 
,the waist should be bent slightly      
forward1 which will give it more        
suppleness4 ,she should have a firm grip
 of the upper crutches1 both heels well 
down1 and at her first effort she should
 ride equally upon the snaffle and curb 
reins4 ,to do this 7assuming that she is
 riding with her bridle in military     
form71 it is only necessary that she    
should draw up the slack of the         
near-side snaffle rein with her right   
hand until it is level with and under   
the near-side curb rein2 then carry the 
snaffle rein thus shortened over the    
middle joint of the forefinger of the   
left hand1 and shut the thumb firmly on 
them4 ,she can then place the slack of  
the off-side snaffle rein for a moment  
under the left thumb1 while she places  

the rein between the third and little   
finger of the right hand1 brings the    
rein through the full of the hand over  
the middle joint of the forefinger1 and 
closes the thumb firmly on it4 ,the whip
 should be held in the full of the hand1
 the point downwards4  ,with her hands  
and figure in the above-named form1 the 
lightest application of the aids ought  
to strike her horse off true and united2
 but if by any chance he takes off with 
the wrong leg or disunited1 as may      
sometimes happen with the best broken   
horse1 from a little over-eagerness or  
anxiety on the part of the pupil1 or a  
little unsteadiness of hand1 the master 
should cause her to bring her horse     
again to the walk1 and reassure         
her--taking care1 however1 on these     
occasions that she never makes much of  
or caresses her horse1 which would tend 
to confirm him in a bad habit1 but reins
 him back1 and again puts him up to his 
bridle4  ,it is a rare occurrence when a
 horse 7thoroughly well-broken7 strikes 

off incorrectly2 but ,i am endeavouring 
to write for every contingency4         
,assuming the horse to have struck off  
smoothly to the instructor's word       
,ca-a-n-te-r--which should be given in a
 quiet1 soothing tone of voice1 and     
drawn out as if every letter were a     
syllable--the horse should be allowed to
 canter freely forward1 although without
 rush or hurry4 ,the pace should not be 
too collected at first2 the military    
pace of manoeuvre is about the correct  
thing2 eight miles an hour or           
thereabouts2 the cadence true2 the horse
 well ridden into his bridle1 and in    
this case yielding to the bit--because1 
in cantering1 it is necessary to have an
 appui upon the mouth1 quite different  
from that to be maintained in trotting1 
in which it is best for the lady that   
the horse should feel her hand fairly   
and firmly1 and that there should be    
little give-and-take action of the      
latter4 ,in cantering1 on the other     
hand1 an easy give-and-take play of the 

hands is indispensable1 to cause the    
horse to bend in the poll of his neck1  
yield to the hand1 and go in true form4 
,by this time the pupil should have     
acquired sufficient firmness and aplomb 
in the saddle to justify the instructor 
in commencing to impart to her that     
mobile action and flexibility of the    
upper arm at the shoulder joint1 which  
may be regarded as the artistic         
finishing of her course of equitation4  
,but it will not do to commence this 7so
 goes my experience7 at the outset of   
the cantering lesson1 wherein at first  
it is best to insist upon firmness of   
the arms1 otherwise the pupil is most   
likely 7imperceptibly to herself7 to    
allow her hands to glide forward1 and   
thus destroy the flexibility of her     
waist1 which is a point always to be    
most carefully watched4 ,it is possible 
that at first the figure of the pupil1  
from over-anxiety to maintain her       
position and ride her horse correctly at
 the same time1 may be somewhat rigid2  

but complete flexibility cannot be      
expected at once4 ,it must be remembered
 that1 although the action of cantering 
in a horse is much easier than trotting1
 still it is novel to the rider1 who    
moreover has to keep her horse up to his
 work4  ,it is not the case of putting a
 young lady upon an old tittuping hack  
that can do little else than canter     
along behind the bridle and drag his toe
 at a walk4 ,a horse that has any action
 or quality in him1 and has been taught 
to trot up to his bridle1 requires      
asking to canter1 and in the early      
efforts of the pupil requires keeping to
 his work a little after he has struck  
off in his canter1 otherwise he will    
drop into a trot again4 ,such a horse1  
however1 is the only one upon which to  
teach a lady to ride4 ,the easy-going   
old hack above alluded to is fit only   
for an invalid to take the air on4 ,at  
the same time it is asking a good deal  
from the pupil in her early cantering   
lessons to keep her horse up to his     

work1 and to maintain her own position  
correctly2 and if she exhibits a little 
stiffness or formality 7if ,i may use   
the expression7 at first1 it may fairly 
be passed over until increased          
confidence permits the master to give   
his attention to what ,i may perhaps    
call the unbending of his pupil4 ,after 
a few days' cantering as above          
described1 the lady may begin to collect
 her horse2 and by this time also she   
should be fitted with a spur1 of which  
the best ,i know is ,latchford's patent4
 ,an opening in the skirt on the inside 
is necessary4 ,the shank of the spur    
should not be too short1 otherwise it is
 very apt to cut holes in the habit4    
,the pupil1 when the spur is first      
fitted on1 should be cautioned to keep  
her left toe as near the horse's side as
 the heel1 in order to avoid hitting him
 when he does not require it2 and1      
indeed1 the wearing of the steel aid is 
in itself a good exercise as to the true
 position of the left leg1 while the    

blunt head of a ,latchford 7when not    
pressed hard to the horse's side7 does  
away with any danger4  ,the use of the  
spur in a lady's riding is objected to  
by some2 but ,i cannot consider any     
rider 7man or woman7 worthy of the name 
who cannot use one and be safe enough in
 the saddle at the same time4 ,one      
objection to spurs for ladies is1 that  
they are apt to do all sorts of mischief
 in the event of the lady being thrown  
from her horse4 ,now1 the latter is a   
contingency which 7except in the hunting
 field7 ,i do not admit as possible1 if 
the lady has men about her who know     
their business in the horse way4 ,if she
 has not such people about her1 she is  
better without spurs decidedly2 and     
there is another thing she is better    
without1 namely1 a horse of any sort4   
,if a horse is properly broken1 and has 
a man about him who will give him plenty
 of work1 and keep him from getting     
above himself1 and his fair owner has   
been as well taught as her horse1 she   

ought to be as safe on his back as in   
her brougham1 in any kind of riding1    
except in exceptional cases in the      
hunting field4 ,by exceptional cases ,i 
mean where a lady1 unaccompanied by a   
good pilot1 takes a line of her own when
 hounds are going fast in a big grass   
country1 and rides 7jealous of the      
field7 at impracticable places4 ,in such
 case she is likely enough to get down1 
horse and all4 ,but even so--and ,i have
 witnessed more than one such           
accident--,i have never found that the  
lady got hurt by the spur when she wore 
the sort ,i allude to2 and again1 ,i    
think it is only just to that clever    
loriner1 ,mr4 ,latchford1 to say that he
 has invented a lady's stirrup which    
renders danger from it in the event of a
 fall next to impossible--certainly she 
cannot be dragged by it4 ,in this       
stirrup there is no opening at the side 
by means of springs or complicated      
machinery of any sort4 ,it requires     
neither diagram or drawing to describe  

it1 because it is the perfection of     
mechanism--extreme simplicity4 ,one has 
only to imagine an ordinary stirrup1    
rather elongated than usual from the    
opening for the leather1 the bottom bar 
broad and flat2 the latter perforated   
with two holes4 ,within the above-named 
stirrup another1 a size smaller1 but    
fitting nicely into it4 ,on the lower   
side of the bottom bar of the inner     
stirrup two projections1 or obtuse      
points of steel1 which fit into the     
holes of the lower bar of the outer     
stirrup4 ,now1 as long as the lady is in
 her saddle the inner stirrup must1 from
 its mechanism1 remain in its place2 but
 in the event of her being thrown her   
weight acts upon the lower part of the  
outer stirrup1 which turns over and     
releases the inner stirrup entirely4    
,to return1 however1 to the question    
proper of spurs for a lady1 ,i must say 
that they are of the greatest assistance
 to her when1 having acquired the       
necessary degree of steadiness on her   

horse1 she desires to wake him up4 ,too 
much whip is a bad thing4 ,in riding in 
the country a lady must perforce have to
 open a bridle gate sometimes for       
herself1 and if she is always using a   
whip to liven her horse up1 she will    
find it difficult to get him to stand   
still1 even while she opens the lightest
 of gates4 ,as regards the pupil in the 
school1 ,i repeat she should be         
habituated to wear a spur as soon as her
 progress justifies it4     ,,chapter   
,x4  ,,the ,,cantering ,,lesson         
7continued74   ,having satisfied himself
 as to the proficiency of his pupil in  
cantering going large--that is1 round   
the school or manege1--the attention of 
the instructor should next be directed  
to teaching her to make the turns and   
circles1 and execute the half passage   
with precision4  ,the use of these      
exercises is to confirm 7while riding   
upon both snaffle and curb reins7 the   
steadiness of hand and seat and true    
balance of the rider1 because1 although 

these may appear good enough while a    
lady is riding her horse on a straight  
line1 or only with the turns at the     
corners of the school1 many shortcomings
 will be detected when she attempts to  
turn him square from the boards1 or asks
 him to make a true circle1 in which the
 hind legs follow exactly over the same 
track as the fore legs4  ,to commence   
this lesson in proper form1 the pupil   
should collect her horse1 by reining him
 quietly back1 then move him forward    
well up to the hand1 at a walk and at a 
smart active pace4 ,when she arrives at 
the centre marker at the end of the     
school1 the master should give the word 
down the centre1 when the rider should  
turn her horse square to the right      
7assuming1 as is usually the case1 that 
she commences her lesson to that hand74 
,the aids for turning at a walk having  
been already given1 it is only necessary
 to say that the turn down the centre   
requires only a trifle stronger         
application of the left leg1 to         

counteract any tendency of the horse to 
throw his haunches outwards1 and that1  
looking steadily to the centre marker at
 the other end of the school1 the pupil 
should sight that marker well between   
her horse's ears1 and ride true and     
straight to it1 taking care1 by closing 
the leg in time1 that the horse does not
 cut off any of the ground1 but plants  
his near fore foot close to the boards  
and makes the corner equally square1    
because whenever a horse is allowed to  
cut the corners off he endeavours to get
 behind the bridle1 and generally       
succeeds4 ,the pupil1 therefore1 should 
be cautioned in time by the instructor1 
and if she fails to make good every inch
 of ground1 the word halt should be     
given and the horse reined back4        
,arrived about midway down the school1  
the turns to the right should be made   
square from the boards1 the horse's     
haunches kept under him so that he does 
not hit the side of the school with his 
hind feet4 ,his doing which is at once a

 proof that he is out of hand4 ,arrived 
at the centre of the school1 the words  
right turn should be given again1       
instead of allowing the pupil to ride   
right across the school to the boards on
 the opposite side4 ,she should then    
ride a couple of lengths down the       
centre1 and again turn her horse1 by    
word from the master1 square to the     
right1 and once more to the left1 when  
arrived at the boards4 ,this1 repeated  
two or three times1 is a good           
preparation for executing the circle2 in
 order to facilitate the correct riding 
of which1 the master should cause his   
pupil to halt her horse at the side1 and
 himself walk over the ground he desires
 her to ride over4 ,if he does this     
correctly1 the pupil will find little   
difficulty in riding the circle with    
precision4  ,starting from a point close
 to the boards1 a couple of horses'     
lengths in front of the pupil1 the      
master should make an incline to the    
right1 at an angle of about forty-five1 

until he is half-way between the boards 
and the centre of the school2 he should 
then bring up his left shoulder1 and    
make another incline at the same angle  
to the centre of the school4 ,down the  
centre he should walk straight1 the     
distance of a horse's length2 again     
bring up his left shoulder1 and make two
 inclines to the side4 ,the figure he   
will thus describe does not quite       
represent a circle as he walks2 but when
 the horse is called upon to move his   
fore and hind legs on the same track1 it
 will be a circle in his case as nearly 
as possible4 ,having caused the pupil to
 move her horse forward1 the instructor 
should give her the aids for circling1  
which are a double feeling of the inward
 rein1 the horse well supported with the
 outward1 and well kept up to the hand  
by the leg4  ,in circling to the right1 
the horse to be well bent to the right1 
so that the rider can see his inward    
eye2 fore and hind legs moving exactly  
on the same track1 the horse not        

throwing his haunches out4 ,the great   
use of this circling is1 that as the    
horse changes his direction no less than
 six times in a small space1 to keep him
 up to his work the lady must bring up  
her left shoulder as many times as the  
horse alters his direction4 ,to do this1
 she must be quite supple in the waist1 
and circling is therefore a capital     
practice to insure this freedom of      
action at that portion of the figure4   
,to render the lesson still more easy to
 the pupil1 ,i have found it answer     
well1 after walking over the ground1 to 
mark it out on the tan with a stick4 ,in
 military schools the circle to the     
right or left is followed by the circle 
and change1 in which1 when arrived at   
the boards1 the pupil1 instead of       
turning the horse's head to the hand he 
is working to1 changes the bend1 and    
turns to the reverse hand4 ,this1       
however1 cannot be executed at a canter 
with due precision without the use of   
the right leg1 and is therefore 7in my  

opinion7 better omitted in a lady's     
course of equitation1 an additional     
reason being that1 when she is taught to
 make the change at a canter1 she can do
 it much more effectually and elegantly 
by the half passage4  ,the circles      
having been neatly done1 the pupil      
should rein her horse back1 put him well
 upon his haunches1 and strike him off  
at a collected canter1 about five miles 
an hour1 the cadence true1 the position 
of the rider correct4  ,it is at this   
point that the instructor should begin  
carefully to get his pupil to supple    
herself in the saddle1 while she still  
rides her horse well up to his work4 ,it
 should be borne in mind that a horse   
cannot make turns or circles at the pace
 of manoeuvre without considerable      
danger to himself and his rider1 because
 at such a pace it is next to impossible
 to keep him fairly balanced1 and he is 
liable1 even on well-kept tan1 to slip  
up1 whereas at a very collected pace1   
with his haunches well under him1 there 

is no danger whatever1 although at first
 it will call very much upon the energy 
and close attention of the rider4       
,having her horse well into his bridle1 
the give-and-take action of the hand    
should now come gradually from the      
shoulder joint1 and the pupil should be 
frequently reminded to avoid resisting  
the action of the horse in his canter1  
but to endeavour1 on the other hand1 to 
accompany him in his short stride4 ,this
 is to be done by simply keeping both   
heels well down1 the hands back1 the    
waist bent slightly forward and         
perfectly supple1 and avoiding too      
strong a grasp with the right leg upon  
the upper crutches of the saddle4 ,the  
figure from the waist upwards1 however1 
should be perfectly erect1 leaning      
neither backwards nor forwards1 either  
position being both unsafe and ungainly4
  ,nothing is more common than to see a 
lady sitting with the upper part of her 
figure bent forward in a canter1 and1 if
 not overdone1 the effect is by no means

 ungraceful to the eye of a looker-on4  
,but it is a habit likely to increase in
 degree1 and unsafe in any case1 because
 it is opposed to the principle of true 
balance4  ,with the shoulders well back1
 the body1 neck1 and head upright1 the  
waist slightly bent forward1 the hands  
well back1 and acting by an easy play of
 the upper arm at the shoulder          
joint--sitting1 in fact1 with freedom in
 the saddle--the action of the horse at 
a collected pace will give the rider a  
slightly gliding motion from the cantle 
towards the pummels1 and gradually she  
will thus acquire the habit of suppling 
herself on her horse2 ready1 however1 at
 any moment to seize her seat 7to use   
the expression of old ,sam ,chifney7 by 
muscular grip if the horse flirts or    
plunges1 which1 however1 it is difficult
 for him to do when going well within   
himself and up to his bridle4  ,the left
 leg at a canter should not be drawn    
back1 as in trotting1 but kept close to 
the horse's side1 with the heel down1   

and the foot as nearly as possible under
 the knee4 ,of course1 the              
above-described easy deportment in the  
saddle is not to be acquired in a single
 lesson2 it requires considerable       
practice and close watching by both     
master and pupil4 ,once learnt1 however1
 the lady has gained another important  
step in her equitation4  ,the length of 
time requisite to insure complete       
souplesse at this point is dependent    
upon several circumstances1 over which  
the master has only a moderate amount of
 control4  ,the figure of the pupil is  
an important point in the matter4 ,if   
she is naturally lithe and has been well
 suppled on foot1 the task will be      
considerably easier4 ,if1 on the        
contrary1 she is of a square            
figure--short in the neck and waist1 and
 stiff in the shoulders--considerably   
more time is requisite4 ,but with care1 
attention1 and perseverance it can be   
acquired by all in early youth4  ,i know
 a lady who rides with both dash and    

judgment with hounds who is anything but
 a good figure2 but she began under     
proper tuition when she was very young1 
and1 although no longer so1 she has     
preserved the souplesse and true balance
 acquired in her early days4 ,natural   
aptitude1 too1 is of great assistance to
 both master and pupil1 and should be   
energetically developed by the former2  
at the same time1 care should be taken  
that the pupil does not overrun her     
lessons4  ,as an instance of what can be
 accomplished even at a first essay by a
 lady gifted with natural talent for    
riding1 ,i cannot refrain from relating 
the following3--,some years ago ,i      
chanced to be at the school of a        
fashionable riding master in ,london1   
when a class of young ladies was going  
through a ride4 ,in the gallery from    
which ,i was observing them was also the
 mother of one of the young ladies who  
was riding1 and of another much younger1
 who was standing by her side watching  
with the most intense interest the      

riding below4 ,the younger lady was not 
more than ten or eleven years old1 but  
of a form and figure exactly fitted for 
performing well in the saddle1 being    
tall of her age1 and lithe and supple in
 her movements4 ,she did not speak1 but 
,i could see from the excitement of her 
manner1 the glitter of her large dark   
eyes1 and her changing colour1 that she 
was heart and soul with the fair        
equestrians4 ,the ride finished with a  
leaping lesson1 and there was some      
capital jumping over a gorsed bar1      
hurdles double and single1 and an       
artificial brook4 ,the last performance 
completely overcame the little spectator
 in the gallery4 ,bursting into a       
violent fit of sobbing and weeping1 she 
clutched her mother's dress1 and cried  
convulsively1 ,dear mamma1 let me ride1 
let me ride4 ,the lady1 quite surprised 
and very much affected by the emotion   
and excited state of the child1         
nevertheless1 refused1 declaring she was
 too young4 ,but the young supplicant   

for equestrian honours was not to be    
denied2 she continued to implore and    
weep1 and1 the riding master coming to  
her aid1 the mother gave way4 ,her      
little daughter was put on a quiet      
horse1 and the master himself led him   
round the school at a walk1 but this by 
no means satisfied our ambitious little 
tyro4 ,let me trot1 she said2 ,i am sure
 ,i can trot4 ,the professor was quite  
sure she could not1 and told her so2    
and1 to convince her1 he started the    
horse trotting1 and ran by his side4 ,he
 was never more mistaken4 ,the lessons  
the pupil had been witnessing from the  
gallery must have made a strong         
impression on her mind2 for1 to the     
surprise of all of us1 she caught the   
action of the horse at the first step1  
and made the best attempt at trotting ,i
 ever saw for a beginner4 ,feeling that 
trotting fatigued her1 she asked to be  
allowed to canter1 and this she did in  
very good form4 ,but the crowning part  
of the thing was1 that when we were     

about to take her off her horse1 she    
begged to be allowed to have a jump4 ,i 
confess1 ,i thought the riding master   
wrong in consenting to this4 ,but again 
our little friend electrified us all4 ,a
 hurdle was put up1 well sloped1 so as  
to make the jump a very moderate one1   
the little pupil's hands placed1 and her
 position rectified4 ,no sooner had the 
horse turned the corner of the school1  
and before the riding master had time to
 check her1 than the girl's eye lit up  
just as ,i had seen it in the gallery4  
,she caught the horse fast by the head1 
hit him with her heel1 put down her     
hands1 and sat as though she had been   
hunting for years4 ,it was too late to  
stop her1 and any interference at the   
moment would have done more harm than   
good4 ,with my heart in my mouth1 ,i saw
 the horse go at the hurdle4 ,he was one
 that had an eye in every toe1 and did  
not know how to make a mistake4 ,but his
 daring little rider had roused him     
thoroughly1 and he jumped high enough to

 clear a big fence1 and far enough to   
take him over a small brook4 ,just as   
the horse took off1 ,i shouted          
involuntarily1 ,sit back2 and the little
 enthusiast answered as though my voice 
had been inspiration4 ,her lithe little 
figure was bent from the waist1         
precisely at the right moment2 and she  
landed safe1 except that the concussion 
threw her slightly up in the saddle4    
,her marvellous aptitude 7talent the    
professionals would have called it7     
induced the riding master to let her    
make another attempt1 and this time1    
putting her horse at the hurdle at the  
same dashing pace 7which1 by the way1   
with her wonderful nerve and confidence1
 made it easier for her71 she sat in the
 saddle1 as the old groom who tended the
 hurdles said1 as if she had grown      
there1 and landed fair and true without 
jolt or concussion4  ,this young lady is
 now one of the most brilliant          
horsewomen in ,england4 ,her genius 7if 
,i may be permitted the expression71    

joined to close application and the best
 of opportunities of riding good horses1
 enabled her in a brief space to far    
outstrip all her youthful competitors1  
and in less than twelve months after the
 time ,i speak of she could execute most
 of the bending lesson1 at a canter as  
well as a professional rider1 while over
 the country with hounds she was always 
close to her pilot1 than whom there was 
no better man4 ,this when she was barely
 thirteen years old4  ,such instances of
 extraordinary aptitude1 nerve and      
courage1 combined with the necessary    
elasticity and physical power to ride1  
are very rare indeed2 in fact1 in a long
 experience of such matters1 ,i do not  
know of a parallel case4 ,nevertheless1 
if the natural dash and fitness for     
riding possessed by this young lady had 
not been carefully watched1 moulded into
 proper form1 and restrained within due 
bounds1 they would inevitably have run  
riot with her1 and brought her to grief4
 ,it is in such cases as the above1 or  

rather such as tend in that direction1  
that the tact and judgment of a riding  
master is required4 ,if the young lady  
,i speak of had been allowed1 and the   
opportunity had offered1 she would have 
mounted without hesitation any brute    
that would carry a saddle1 and mischief1
 of course1 would have resulted4  ,to   
return to the cantering lesson proper4  
,when the instructor has succeeded in   
completely regulating the cadence of the
 horse in his pace and the position of  
his pupil1 he should give her due       
caution to wait for the last sound of   
his word1 to keep her body back and her 
leg close1 supporting the horse well    
with the outward rein1 and he should    
then give the word1 well drawn out1     
gently and without hurry1 right turn1   
when the pupil should turn her horse    
from the boards with the same aids as at
 a walk1 but more firmly applied1 and if
 the horse leans upon her hand she      
should keep him up with her spur4  ,many
 a horse 7says the ,aid ,book7 keeps a  

tolerable canter on a straight line1 but
 when turned he feels too much          
constraint laid upon him1 and leans upon
 the rider's hand4 ,if at such a moment 
the rider yields the reins instead of   
closing the hand firmly on them1 turning
 the little fingers up towards the      
waist1 and closing the leg firmly1 the  
horse comes upon his forehand4  ,concise
 as the above passage is1 it describes  
exactly what occurs on first making a   
turn at a canter1 and it calls upon all 
the energy and attention of the pupil to
 keep the horse up to his work4 ,but as 
in other exercises in the course of     
equitation1 her reward will be in her   
thorough command over her horse under   
all circumstances1 because by learning  
to ride him with such minute precision  
she is always able to anticipate his    
every movement4  ,the first three or    
four turns at a canter should be made   
square across the school1 from side to  
side1 and no second word should be given
 on arriving at the boards2 the pupil   

turning her horse again to the right    
without any caution1 and continuing to  
go large round the school until she     
again gets the word to turn4 ,this      
practice will teach her to be constantly
 on the alert1 and to maintain such a   
balance as will enable her in turning to
 move exactly on the same line as her   
horse1 bringing her left shoulder up    
precisely at the right moment4  ,three  
or four turns are quite sufficient for  
the first lesson1 because the horse     
before completing these must go several 
times round the school1 and the pupil   
should ride him well up to his bit4     
,after a few turns1 smoothly and        
correctly made1 the pupil should bring  
her horse to the walk1 halt1 make much  
of him1 and sit at ease4  ,making much  
of a horse when he has performed well is
 always a judicious mode of letting him 
know that he has been doing right2 at   
the same it affords him an interval of  
rest1 which is quite necessary4 ,this   
may appear absurd to those who are      

accustomed to see horses continue       
galloping for hours4 ,but it must be    
remembered that the sort of work ,i have
 been endeavouring to describe is       
altogether artificial2 that the animal  
thrown upon his haunches only goes      
through the lesson with considerable    
exertion1 and that if he is kept too    
long at it1 this can only be done by an 
amount of fatigue on the part of the    
rider which would be far from beneficial
 to a lady4 ,the object of the lesson is
 to induct the pupil into a mode in     
which she can obtain complete mastery   
over her horse4 ,it is1 as it were1 a   
gymnastic exercise for both steed and   
rider1 and must not be persevered with  
too long at one time4 ,after about ten  
minutes' rest the pupil should again    
collect her horse1 rein him back1 and   
prepare him again for cantering4 ,she   
should then strike him quietly off1 and 
ride him very collectedly1 so as to be  
ready to make the circles4 ,these should
 be made from about midway down the     

boards2 and on the last sound of the    
words circle right1 the pupil should    
turn her horse's head from the boards1  
and1 supporting him well with the left  
leg and rein1 ride in a figure exactly  
similar to that she described at a walk4
 ,she will find1 however1 that the horse
 requires considerably more support in  
making the circles than he did in the   
simple turns4 ,being on the bend from   
the time he leaves the boards until he  
arrives at them again1 the nicest riding
 is necessary to keep his fore and hind 
feet on the same track1 and prevent him 
from throwing his haunches out4 ,the    
pace1 too1 should be more collected than
 when the turns were made4 ,four miles  
to four miles and a half an hour is     
quite fast enough1 and1 if necessary1   
the horse must be halted and reined back
 several times in order to get him      
thoroughly collected4 ,two circles well 
done are quite sufficient4 ,the pupil   
should then again halt1 sit at ease1 and
 make much of her horse4 ,by this time  

both he and the pupil will have gone    
through a tolerably severe lesson1      
because the collected pace necessary to 
execute it1 and especially the circles1 
necessitates a great deal of cantering  
before a beginner can ascertain the true
 cadence--without which1 and a          
considerable amount of support from her 
hand and leg1 it is unsafe and useless  
for her to attempt her turns and        
circles2 frequently1 too1 a horse will  
have to go several times round the      
school before the instructor can see the
 opportunity to give the word4 ,reining 
back again1 and collecting him1 call    
very much upon the horse's powers1      
while1 on the other hand1 over-fatigue  
is specially to be avoided as regards   
the pupil4 ,after resting ten minutes or
 so1 the lady should conclude this      
lesson by walking him quietly about till
 he is quite cool4     ,,chapter ,,xi4  
,,the ,,cantering ,,lesson              
7continued7--,,the ,,half ,,passage     
,,and ,,change4   ,although the         

last-named exercises belong1 strictly   
speaking1 more to the curriculum of the 
military riding school than to female   
equitation1 still1 to be able to execute
 them with precision is of great        
advantage to a lady1 because they teach 
her that by getting a good bend on her  
horse1 and placing him in a certain     
position by the application of the      
proper aids1 she can compel him at her  
pleasure to canter with either near or  
off foot leading2 and1 although it may  
not be agreeable to her to keep her     
horse going with the near leg1 unless   
she is riding on the off side1          
nevertheless1 the practice of the half  
passage and change is an admirable1 and 
indeed very elegant1 mode of acquiring  
ready facility in the effective use of  
hand and leg4 ,i have said before that  
the horse in the half passage places one
 foot before the other1 instead of      
crossing his legs completely1 as in the 
full passage4 ,the former mode of       
progression enables the horse therefore 

to gain ground diagonally to his front1 
instead of moving upon a line at right  
angles with the boards as in the latter4
  ,the aids by which the half passage is
 executed are the same as those of the  
full passage1 with the following        
exceptions4 ,first1 there is a lighter  
pressure of the leg on the outward side2
 and in the case of a lady it is        
necessary that she should use her whip  
on the off side behind the saddle       
alternately with her leg on the near    
side1 in order to cause the horse to    
gain ground to the front1 as well as to 
place one foot before the other4  ,after
 starting her horse at a walk1 going    
large1 the rider should rein him back1  
collect and balance him--riding equally 
upon snaffle and curb reins--she should 
make the corner perfectly square2 and   
when midway between it and the centre   
marker1 the instructor should give the  
word right half passage1 upon which the 
pupil should still further collect her  
horse into the slow pace she used in the

 bending lesson1 and1 having arrived at 
the centre marker1 she should bring the 
horse's forehand in1 by a double feeling
 of the right rein2 the outward leg     
closed1 to prevent the haunches from    
flying out4 ,the inward rein leads2 the 
outward balances and assists the power  
of the inward4 ,a pressure of the left  
leg causes the horse to place one foot  
before the other 7see ,aid ,book74 ,the 
whip used in alternate action with the  
leg will cause him to move to his right 
front1 towards the boards4  ,a very     
light and delicate application of the   
leg1 in unison with a similar           
application of the whip1 is sufficient  
with a well-broken horse to enable the  
rider to do the half passage correctly  
at a walk4 ,the point at which1 strictly
 speaking1 she should arrive at the     
boards is just midway between the ends  
of the school2 and in a                 
properly-regulated one there should     
always be a white marker on the wall1   
just above the place where the sockets  

for the leaping bar are inserted in it4 
,keeping her eye upon this marker1 the  
rider should lead her horse's forehand  
lightly with the right rein1 maintaining
 an easy1 playful1 feeling of the       
snaffle in his mouth1 and carefully     
balancing his every step with the left  
rein1 while she presses him up to his   
work with the leg and whip4 ,the horse's
 head should be bent to the right1 so   
that his right eye is visible to the    
rider as she sits perfectly square in   
the saddle4 ,the pace can scarcely be   
too slow1 but every step must be taken  
up to the bridle1 the horse's forehand  
up1 and his haunches well under him4    
,in no part of a lady's course of       
equitation is it necessary for the      
instructor to pay more close attention  
to his pupil than in this3 the          
temptation to the latter to relax her   
position1 and sit1 as it were1 all over 
the saddle is great1 from the difficulty
 she at first experiences in applying   
the aids effectually1 and her anxiety to

 do well1 causing her to twist her      
figure in pressing the horse with the   
left leg4 ,the horse1 too1 is moving    
with his fore and hind feet in two      
distinctly different lines1 which       
renders it far from easy1 without       
considerable practice1 to sit fair and  
square in the saddle4 ,close attention  
and quiet correction1 however1 will     
obviate all this4  ,many people1 ,i am  
aware1 assert that riding with such     
precision is unnecessary to a lady4     
,from this opinion ,i beg leave to      
dissent in toto1 my idea being that a   
course of equitation for a lady means   
teaching her everything 7less the       
lessons of the ,haute ,ecole7 connected 
with the subject1 and that whether she  
chooses hereafter to practise the       
bending lesson1 half passage1 and change
 at a canter or not1 a thorough         
knowledge of them will give her a       
facility of riding unattainable by any  
other means1 and make her also          
thoroughly au fait to the reason for    

everything she does in order to control 
the animal under her4  ,again1 ,i can   
see no possible reason why the nicest   
precision should be considered          
unnecessary in a lady's riding any more 
than it is in music2 and1 to try back on
 my old simile1 ,i submit that as the   
same scale is written for a ,thalberg as
 for the fair daughter of the house who 
performs on the pianoforte for the post 
prandial amusement of paterfamilias1 and
 inasmuch as the mode in which the music
 is performed is dependent in a great   
measure upon precision and practice1 so 
in riding it is necessary to make a     
young lady acquainted with the          
principles of equitation in their       
minutest details1 and carefully to watch
 that she executes them with the most   
rigid exactness4  ,to return to the half
 passage4 ,on arriving at the boards the
 lady should halt her horse for a moment
 and make much of him1 then rein him    
back1 and again walk him round the      
school to the left4 ,the half passage   

should then be done to that hand1       
reversing the aids1 and using the whip  
instead of the left leg4 ,this will     
bring the horse again upon the right    
rein4 ,he should now be well put up to  
his work1 and pressed smartly off at a  
very collected canter4 ,the instructor  
should be most careful that the proper  
cadence in pace is arrived at before he 
gives the word1 and should caution the  
pupil also that when she arrives at the 
boards she should bring her horse to the
 walk4  ,to facilitate this exercise    
also1 it may be advisable in some cases 
to take the whole school instead of half
 of it2 but in that case the horse      
should go over the same ground in the   
half passage at a walk1 as he afterwards
 does at a canter4  ,when the exercise  
is done at the latter pace1 no attempt  
should be made at the first effort to   
change the horse at the boards4 ,the    
master should give the word very quietly
 directly the pupil turns the corner of 
the school1 and she should then press   

her horse well up1 and turn his head    
smoothly from the centre marker1        
applying her aids with firmness and     
decision1 endeavouring at the same time 
to prevent him from hurrying his pace4  
,this1 however1 at the first attempt1 it
 is scarcely to be expected that she    
will accomplish4  ,if the whole school  
is taken1 the point of arrival at the   
boards should be about a horse's length 
from the end1 where he should be brought
 quietly to a walk1 the rider for this  
purpose keeping the body back1 turning  
the little fingers of both hands up     
towards the waist1 and drawing the hands
 themselves well towards her waist4 ,the
 bend of the horse's head should then be
 changed to the left1 by allowing the   
off side reins to slip through the right
 hand about two inches1 and drawing the 
near-side reins through the left hand1  
with the right1 to an equal extent4 ,the
 near-side reins should then be passed  
into the right hand1 while with the left
 the rider makes much of her horse on   

the near side4 ,this1 of course1 should 
only be done if he has executed the     
movement with reasonable precision1 for 
7to repeat7 perfection cannot be        
expected in the pupil's first effort4   
,plenty of time should be taken between 
these half-passage lessons1 because they
 are severe1 calling very much upon the 
physical powers of both horse and rider4
  ,in order to give both a fair chance1 
the lesson should be again done at a    
walk1 then at a canter1 the pupil       
carefully instructed on arriving at the 
boards to strike the horse off          
collectedly to the left4 ,to do this she
 should quietly change the bend to that 
hand1 carry her left foot well forward  
towards the horse's shoulder1 so as to  
use an action of her leg reverse to that
 she had recourse to in striking him off
 to the right4 ,she should keep him well
 bent1 but well supported with the      
outward rein4 ,when she has him in the  
corner of the school1 and bent both in  
his neck and ribs 7which in turning and 

putting his off fore foot into the angle
 must be the case1 if she applies her   
whip smartly behind the flap of the     
saddle1 and presses her left foot to his
 near elbow1 keeping his forehand well  
up at the same time71 he can scarcely   
refuse to strike off with his near leg2 
but it must be borne in mind that a lady
 cannot be expected to execute this     
movement with any certainty unless the  
horse has been previously taught by a   
man to obey the aids the lady applies as
 above directed4 ,this1 however1 every  
breaker who knows his business can      
easily do4  ,when a fair amount of      
proficiency is acquired in this lesson1 
the change may be made from what is     
technically called a half halt1 which   
means simply that1 the horse being      
thrown more upon his haunches1 the aids 
are applied with great firmness1 and the
 horse compelled to change his leg      
without being brought completely to the 
walk4 ,the degree of proficiency1       
however1 should be when the pupil can   

change her horse with certainty after   
halting him4  ,the pace at which the    
half passage is done should be very     
collected1 and1 ,i repeat1 if the rider 
and horse do it only reasonably well    
7that is1 the latter continuing true and
 united in his pace1 and changing freely
 after being halted71 that for some     
little time it should be considered     
sufficient1 and every allowance made for
 the fact that the lady1 unlike the male
 rider1 cannot give support to her horse
 with both legs4  ,most likely at first 
the horse will throw his haunches out a 
little1 and the rider slightly lose her 
position4 ,practice and the close       
application most ladies give to riding  
will suffice to correct all this1 and in
 due time the pupil will be able to     
execute the lesson with smoothness and  
ease to herself and her horse4 ,she will
 then be sufficiently advanced to       
commence cantering on the curb rein     
alone4 ,this1 as regards finish in the  
rider's hand1 is in equitation what tone

 is in music4 ,every motion of the      
little finger1 or the slightest turn of 
the wrist1 acts upon the curb when it is
 unrelieved by the snaffle with so much 
more power1 that the greatest care is   
necessary to keep the bridle hand steady
 at first1 and to avoid anything        
approaching to suddenness or roughness  
of action4  ,this steadiness is best    
accomplished by causing the pupil to    
ride with the reins arranged military   
fashion1 with the snaffle reins hanging 
over the full of the left hand1 the off 
side rein uppermost1 and the right hand 
holding the end of the curb reins1 as   
before described1 which affords greater 
facility for easing and feeling them    
than can at first be expected1 when the 
action is given altogether from the left
 wrist4 ,in the latter case1 the hand   
without considerable practice would be  
far too heavy1 even when the arm was    
kept quite firm1 and unbearably heavy to
 the horse if there was any motion from 
the shoulder of the rider4  ,i must     

repeat that the lines of action of the  
little finger of the bridle hand are    
four--namely1 towards the right and left
 shoulder respectively1 according as the
 rider desires to turn the horse right  
or left2 and towards his neck and her   
own waist1 as she wishes to collect1    
rein back1 or move him forward4  ,now1  
while in trotting on the curb rein only 
the hand and arm should be kept as      
steady as possible1 in order that the   
horse may make a free appui between     
mouth and hand1 taking hold a little of 
the latter2 in cantering the direct     
reverse of this is the case1 and the    
hand of the rider should give and take  
to every stride of the horse4  ,it is in
 the mode of timing these give-and-take 
motions in exact harmony with the action
 of the horse that fine and finished    
hands consist2 and ,i will endeavour to 
give an idea of the readiest way in     
which this delicate manipulation may be 
acquired1 with as much precision as the 
fair rider can exercise when pressing   

the keys of a pianoforte4  ,let us      
suppose1 then1 that in preparing for the
 cantering lesson on the curb1 in order 
nicely to collect the horse1 the reins  
are drawn quietly through the left hand 
by the right1 as above described1 the   
object being to rein the horse back a   
step or two1 and balance him well with  
forehand up and haunches under him4 ,by 
the above-named drawing up of the reins 
a firmer appui is created against the   
horse's mouth4 ,by closing both leg and 
whip1 however1 while still maintaining  
this appui1 the horse will step back4   
,the instant he does the reins should be
 yielded to him1 and he will bend in the
 poll of the neck and yield to his      
rider's hand4 ,so that the appui is then
 scarcely perceptible4 ,this alternate  
action of hand and leg1 aided by the    
whip1 should be repeated just as many   
times as it is desired to rein the horse
 so many steps backward1 the latter     
moving very slowly2 a couple or three   
steps for the purpose above named are   

always sufficient4 ,to move the horse to
 the front again at a walk1 the leg     
should be closed1 and the reins eased   
until he moves forward1 when he should  
be again collected4 ,but if the rider   
desires to strike him off at once at a  
canter1 at the moment she eases her hand
 she should apply her spur smartly just 
behind the girth1 and touch the horse   
lightly on the off shoulder with her    
whip4 ,being properly bent and prepared1
 he will then strike off with his right 
leg first1 and well within himself2 but 
having eased the reins as the horse     
takes his first short stride forward1   
the rider should feel them again the    
next instant1 keeping her left hand well
 back1 her arm steady1 and manipulating 
the reins with the right hand and the   
fingers of the left1 so that she feels  
them just as the horse's fore foot is on
 the ground1 and eases them as he raises
 it4  ,this may appear to the           
uninitiated a very difficult matter1 but
 in reality it is not at all so1 any    

more than it is difficult in dancing to 
keep time to music1 or for the musician 
to count the time to himself2 and by    
careful watching it can be mastered as  
well as either of the above1 or the     
stroke in swimming4  ,anybody who has   
witnessed a cavalry field day will have 
noticed that the regimental band and the
 action of the horses both in trotting  
and cantering past the commanding       
officer are in exact harmony2 and many  
people believe that the horses are      
taught to canter to the music4 ,the     
reverse of this1 however1 is the case4  
,the leader of the band1 having himself 
passed through a course of equitation1  
knows the exact cadence of the pace of  
manoeuvre1 and regulates the time of the
 music accordingly2 but it is because he
 is able to count the time of the       
horses' footfall so well that he is also
 able to set the time of the music4 ,in 
like manner the fair equestrian1 with a 
little practice1 can learn to count the 
time of her horse's canter to herself1  

and regulate the action of her hand     
accordingly4  ,the pupil must throw     
plenty of life into her riding1 and1    
while she sits easily and flexibly as   
regards her whole figure on the saddle1 
should keep the horse equally upon his  
mettle4 ,in a riding school he requires 
more calling upon than when out of      
doors1 and more pressing up1 as it is   
technically called2 but when once the   
rider has him going1 well balanced1 and 
bending nicely1 the great thing is to   
let well alone1 and not ask too much1 by
 which she would only fret and upset    
him4 ,in bringing the horse to the walk1
 the pupil should be cautioned to feel  
him up very gradually1 avoiding any     
sudden jerk on his mouth4 ,the gradual  
stronger feeling for two or three       
strides1 of the taking action of the    
hand1 followed by a much slighter giving
 of the reins1 will bring the horse     
smoothly to the walk4 ,the body of the  
rider should be inclined slightly back  
from the perpendicular4  ,when the lady 

has acquired ease and freedom in riding 
on the curb1 the turn1 circles1 half    
passage and change may be practised1    
close attention being given that the    
aids are applied smoothly and quietly4  
,after a few such lessons1 the pupil may
 commence riding with the left hand     
entirely unassisted by the right4 ,for  
this purpose it is necessary first to   
carry that portion of the reins held in 
the right hand over the middle joint of 
the fore finger of the left2 close the  
thumb firmly down on them1 and drop the 
slack of the rein to the off side of the
 saddle near the horse's shoulder4  ,the
 give-and-take action must at first be  
from the wrist only1 the arm being kept 
firm1 and the hand opposite the centre  
of the body4  ,for a time this will be a
 little difficult1 especially in        
turning1 when the rider has only the    
motion of the little finger to depend   
upon for the action of the bit in the   
horse's mouth2 but by supporting the    
horse well with the leg and whip1 she   

will find that he will presently answer 
readily to her aids4 ,in turning to the 
right1 the hand must be turned with the 
knuckles up1 and the little finger down 
towards the left shoulder1 the whip     
pressed to the horse's side1 and the leg
 kept close1 in order to make the turn  
square4 ,in turning to the left1 the    
little finger should be directed inwards
 and upwards towards the right shoulder1
 and the left leg pressed to assist the 
turn1 while the whip on the off side    
insures its squareness4 ,the wrist must 
be quite easy and supple4 ,in           
collecting1 reining back1 halting1 or   
bringing the horse to the walk1 the     
action by which he is restrained should 
again at first be altogether from the   
wrist1 because motion from the shoulder 
would be too heavy4 ,in yielding to the 
horse1 nothing more is necessary than to
 turn the knuckles up and the little    
finger towards the horse's neck4  ,by   
degrees1 as the pupil learns to command 
her horse riding in this form she must  

be instructed once more to give free and
 mobile action to the arm at the        
shoulder joint1 as when riding on both  
snaffle and curb reins4 ,but at first   
firmness of the arm is essential to give
 steadiness to the hand4 ,a good deal   
has been said about turning horses by   
pressure of the rein against the neck   
without acting upon the metal in his    
mouth2 and opinions very diverse have   
been expressed on this point4 ,with all 
deference to the disputants1 ,i submit  
that both are right and both wrong in   
some respects4 ,for instance1 when the  
rider has the reins divided and the     
hands well apart 7a section of the lady 
equitation ,i propose to say something  
about hereafter71 if the rider turns the
 horse square to the right or left he   
must use his legs as well as his hands1 
and imperceptibly perhaps to himself    
7even if he has not been taught by rule7
 he closes both the outward leg and     
feels the outward rein firmly1 in order 
to support the horse and prevent him    

from falling1 which otherwise he would  
be in danger of doing4 ,now1 this       
support with the outward rein causes it 
to press against the horse's neck1 and  
to some extent gives him the indication 
of the rider's will4 ,but still it is   
simply impossible to do this without    
acting on the snaffle or bit rein1 as   
the case may be1 on one side or the     
other1 as long as the reins are attached
 to a bit of any sort4 ,and after all1  
it is the leg which gives the surest    
indication of the rider's will4  ,one   
sees a lad in an ,irish fair riding with
 a flat-headed halter turned through the
 horse's mouth1 and1 with the rope only 
on one side1 he will put the horse      
through his paces1 jump him1 and turn   
him to either hand4 ,there is no metal  
at all in the mouth1 although the hemp  
is not a bad substitute2 but the rope   
being only on one side1 it is evident   
that it is not pressure upon the neck   
that turns the horse1 but the action of 
the boy's leg against the intercostal   

muscles of the horse1 and the inflection
 of the lad's body to the hand he       
desires to turn to4  ,moreover1 in the  
case1 let us say of a dragoon1 we will  
suppose at riding school drill1 it would
 be utterly out of the question to turn 
horses by pressure on the neck and      
preserve order at the same time4 ,let us
 suppose a double ride--seven mounted   
men on either side of a school or       
manege4 ,they are going large round the 
place1 and the instructor gives the word
 ,right and left turn4 ,if each man of  
the fourteen were to turn his horse by  
pressure of the reins against the neck1 
instead of by the aid of leg and hand1  
the result would be that in place of    
making a square turn at right angles    
with the boards1 each horse would       
describe a segment of a circle1 more or 
less large1 according to the            
susceptibility of his neck1 and the     
stiffness or otherwise of his ribs4 ,the
 consequence would be that the two      
sides1 instead of passing left hand to  

left hand through the intervals 7and it 
must be remembered that there is little 
room to spare71 would be on the top of  
each other1 and in confusion at once4   
,and if this would be bad at a walk1 it 
would be still worse at a canter4 ,in   
either case it would be impossible1 by  
the application of such aids1 to        
preserve the dressing4 ,the above1 ,i   
submit1 is a sufficient reason1 where   
the utmost precision in riding is       
required1 why turning a horse by the    
action of the rein against his neck 7if1
 indeed1 it can be done at all without  
the leg7 is objectionable2 and another  
objection in the case both of the       
dragoon and the lady rider is that the  
motions by which such aids could be     
applied are too wide for neat and       
elegant riding4  ,horses in their       
breaking may be taught to answer all    
sorts of cross aids2 but for simplicity 
and ease of comprehension there is      
nothing in equitation so good as the    
system practised in the ,german and our 

own cavalry riding schools1 the proof of
 which lies in the fact that1 although  
years ago one did not get even an       
average amount of intelligence as a rule
 in our rank and file1 yet every cavalry
 soldier could readily understand the   
simple system upon which he was taught4 
,it is because that system forms1 after 
all1 the basis of much that applies to  
female equitation that ,i have so       
frequently quoted from and alluded to   
it4  ,when the instructor finds that his
 pupil is quite at her ease1 riding her 
horse with one hand only1 that she can  
do this1 giving due freedom of action to
 the arm at the shoulder joint1 has     
perfect command of him1 and plenty of   
liberty and confidence in her own       
deportment on his back1 he should take  
her out and ride with her in the park or
 road1 and subsequently prepare her to  
extend her horse at a gallop1 and       
commence her leaping lessons4  ,at this 
stage a more finished style of          
equestrian toilette will of course be   

adopted1 in lien of the loose           
habiliments hitherto used4  ,i do not   
pretend to lay down any arbitrary rule  
on this subject4 ,much of course depends
 upon the taste of the lady herself1 and
 in this respect ,english ladies are    
pre-eminent2 a good deal also upon the  
judgment and experience of those about  
her4 ,but as ,i have good opportunities 
of seeing the best types of fashionable 
attire for ladies' riding1 ,i venture to
 suggest some of them4     ,,chapter    
,,xii4  ,,dress ,,for ,,park ,,riding1  
,,and ,,the ,,extended ,,paces4   ,in no
 department of the charming art of      
dressing well is a lady so much shackled
 by conventional usages as in her get up
 for riding4 ,in all other kinds of     
dress1 from the full ,court costume to  
simple morning wrapper1 such is the     
almost endless variety of style that    
there is something to suit every woman1 
from the lady of high degree to ,dolly  
,varden1 and the ,molly ,duster2 and the
 selection made is conclusive as to the 

good or bad taste of the wearer4 ,in    
riding dress it is altogether different4
 ,chimney pot hats1 tight-fitting       
jackets1 and flowing skirts of orthodox 
dark rifle-green seem to be de rigueur1 
whatever may be the figure1 style1 or   
complexion of the wearer4 ,i submit 7and
 in this opinion ,i am borne out by     
several accomplished lady riders1 to one
 of whom ,i am indebted for the         
following suggestions7 that this is     
wrong1 and that some modifications as   
regards shape and colour would be       
advantageous both as regards the comfort
 of the ladies themselves1 and as a     
matter of taste4  ,to begin with        
head-dress4 ,it is manifest that whereas
 a lady of tall1 lithe figure1 with an  
oval ,grecian style of face1 and        
classical contour of head1 will appear  
to the greatest advantage on horseback  
in a plain or gentleman's hat1 and with 
her hair so arranged as to show the     
outline of the head and neck1 one of the
 ,hebe style of beauty1 particularly if 

slightly inclined to the embon41 if so  
accoutred1 would not look by any means  
well4 ,yet one constantly sees the same 
sort of head-dress worn by ladies whose 
general style is in direct contrast1 the
 reason presumably being that fashion   
admits of such little latitude for      
choice4  ,again1 as regards the jacket4 
,a lady of slight figure 7for effect7   
can scarcely wear anything that fits too
 close1 consistently with her freedom of
 motion2 but the fair equestrian whose  
proportions are not sylph like is badly 
equipped in such a garment4  ,to revert 
to the hat for the latter type of lady1 
the most becoming style seems to be one 
with a low crown1 and brim more or less 
wide1 according to the features of the  
wearer1 as such hats admit of great     
variety1 both in material1 and1 what is 
more important1 in colour2 and          
consequently it is not difficult for a  
lady to obtain that which is exactly    
suitable to her both as regards feature 
and complexion4  ,some of these hats for

 park or road riding1 ornamented with   
ostrich or other feathers1 are          
exceedingly elegant and becoming1 and   
protect the skin from the rays of the   
sun1 without any necessity for a veil1  
which cannot be said of the plain black 
or gentleman's hat4 ,for the hunting    
field1 of course1 feathers or ornaments 
are out of place2 but nevertheless most 
elegant low-crowned1 wide-rimmed hats1  
made of fine felt and without ornament1 
of shapes suitable to every class of    
feature1 are obtainable in ,melton1 and 
,i presume are equally accessible in    
,london4  ,the form of jacket most      
suitable for a lady whose proportions   
incline to fulness is a tunic1 made     
,hussar fashion1 that is1 it should have
 two seams in the back and be well      
sprung inwards towards the waist without
 fitting tight2 the short skirt made    
full1 and reaching well down to the     
saddle2 the sleeves wide4 ,broad        
braiding judiciously arranged on such   
tunics1 too1 will have the effect of    

considerably diminishing the appearance 
of redundant fulness of figure in the   
wearer4  ,two rows of braiding1         
commencing at the lower edge of the     
tunic behind1 should bend inwards       
towards the waist2 but instead of       
diverging thence to the shoulder points1
 as in a military coat1 should pass over
 the shoulders1 about midway between    
them and the neck1 and thence be        
continued with a turn 7ornamental or    
plain7 to the front of the tunic on both
 sides1 and reaching down to its lower  
extremity4 ,there should be no braiding 
round the bottom edges of the jacket4   
,these tunics can be made either single 
or double breasted1 but in either case  
should have broad lappets in front2 and 
neckties of any colour suitable to the  
wearer's complexion1 arranged as a      
gentleman ties his neckcloth1 and       
fastened with gold horseshoe pins1      
jewelled or plain1 are very effective4  
,the single-breasted tunic should be    
fastened with hooks and eyes1 covered by

 the braid2 the double-breasted jacket  
should fasten with plain silk buttons4  
,the advantage of these tunics is that1 
while they afford plenty of room to the 
rider1 and while they in no way cramp   
her flexibility in the saddle1 they tend
 to diminish to a degree scarcely       
conceivable the appearance of redundant 
fulness or squareness of form1 and give 
a very elegant tournure to a figure that
 would look by no means well in a       
tight-fitting jacket4  ,again1 neckties 
of moderately large pattern1 and        
ornaments in the way of feathers and    
pins1 or other fastenings for the       
cravat1 all tend to diminish to the eye 
the appearance of weight and size1 and  
as a rule1 are as becoming on horseback 
to ladies of full figure as rigid       
plainness in habits1 collars1 c41 are to
 those of spare and delicate form4 ,it  
should be borne in mind that it is on   
the off side that the figure of a lady  
equestrian is most critically noticed by
 the observer4 ,on the near side the    

skirt has a great effect in increasing  
or diminishing the apparent size and    
form of the rider4 ,on the off side     
every defect in form or dress is patent1
 and it is on the off side that the     
gentleman attendant rides4              
,close-fitting jackets1 then1 ,i repeat2
 plain gentleman's hats1 with or without
 lace lappets1 and extreme simplicity of
 get up1 will be most effective on the  
off side in the case of a lady of slight
 figure4 ,the style of hat and tunic ,i 
have attempted to describe is most      
suitable to those whose physique is more
 developed4  ,as regards skirts1 a fair 
amount of fullness1 according to the    
size of the rider1 for road or park1    
gives a very graceful appearance on the 
near side1 care of course being taken   
that the habit is not so long as to     
admit of the horse treading on it4 ,for 
hunting skirts can scarcely be too      
circumscribed1 as long as they afford   
the wearer freedom of action4  ,a word  
now about colours4 ,i repeat that except

 in the arbitrary dictum of fashion     
there is no warranty for the all but    
universal prevalence of dark rifle-green
 for riding habits4 ,it must be evident 
that a lady who is a brunette will look 
far better in a riding dress the colour 
of which is dark chocolate or purple    
than she will in green of any sort2 and 
on the other hand a blonde would be more
 suitably attired in a habit of a shade 
of light blue suitable to her complexion
 than in anything of more sombre hue4   
,again1 in the hunting field why should 
our patrician ladies who grace these    
sporting reunions1 with their presence1 
and go as straight and well as any men1 
shewing always in the front rank1 be    
debarred by fashion or conventional     
usage from wearing scarlet jackets4     
,scarlet is worn on foot--for opera     
cloaks1 in shawls1 in whole dresses4    
,why not scarlet on horseback8 ,i saw a 
lady this season riding with one of our 
crack ,midland packs who wore a scarlet 
jacket of very fine cloth2 a light blue 

silk cravat1 fastened with a diamond    
horseshoe pin2 a skirt of very dark     
blue1 and a plain man's hat of ,melton  
style4 ,she was a blonde with golden    
hair1 mounted on a bright chestnut      
blood-like hunter2 and1 as she was of   
slight1 lathy figure1 and rode          
exceedingly well1 the ensemble was quite
 charming4 ,this lady was the cynosure  
of all eyes1 not only on account of her 
capital riding but her dress1 which ,i  
heard deprecated by some as too loud4   
,my humble opinion was that it was      
exactly in harmony with the place and   
the sport1 most becoming to the wearer1 
and calculated to give dash and         
brilliancy to the coup d'oeil afforded  
by the field as they streamed away after
 the hounds2 moreover1 the lady herself 
had that thoroughbred stamp and         
aristocratic bearing that would have    
rendered any innovation in equestrian   
costume admissable in her case4 ,but    
when the complexion and style of any    
lady admits of it1 ,i can see no reason 

why she should not wear scarlet with    
foxhounds as well as her brother or her 
husband4 ,in summer time1 too1 is not   
dark rifle-green or any dark colour and 
thick cloth which attracts the rays of  
the sun to the certain discomfort of the
 wearer an absurdity1 when the fair     
equestrian would look far better1       
because more seasonably attired1 in     
light grey1 light blue1 or even in a    
habit of perfectly white linen1 or      
similar fabric8  ,as ,i have ventured to
 point out a pleasing alteration of     
conventional dress in the hunting field1
 ,i trust ,i may be pardoned for        
describing what appeared to me an       
equally consistent innovation in summer 
costume for the saddle4 ,last summer ,i 
saw four young ladies taking an early   
morning canter over a breezy down in    
this neighbourhood4 ,the weather was    
sultry4 ,three of the ladies wore habits
 of different shades of grey1 according 
to their respective complexions1 the    
fabric evidently very thin4 ,their      

equipment was completed by felt hats of 
different shapes1 exceedingly becoming4 
,the fourth lady1 who was very fair1    
wore a perfectly white habit1 made1 ,i  
presume1 of linen2 the jacket edged with
 a narrow light blue cord2 her headdress
 was a yachting hat of ,tuscan straw1   
encircled by and also fastened under her
 chin with light blue ribbon4 ,in the   
front of her jacket she wore a moss     
rosebud4 ,she was riding an ,arab-like  
blood horse1 and being1 like her        
companions1 not only well mounted1 but a
 first-rate horsewoman1 the effect was  
not only pleasing to the eye and full of
 dash1 but1 ,i am sure1 most conducive  
to the comfort of the fair riders       
themselves4 ,fashion apart1 ,i may      
fairly ask1 would not these four ladies 
have looked equally well1 and felt as   
much at their ease1 in ,rotten ,row as  
on the springy ,leicestershire turf8 ,i 
devoutly hope yet to see some of the    
leaders of fashion in the gay ,london   
season inaugurate some such change as ,i

 venture to suggest2 and certain ,i am  
if they did so1 ,rotten ,row in the     
month of ,may would present a brilliant 
,watteau-like appearance1 very different
 from that produced by the prevalence of
 sombre colours now worn by the         
equestrian habitues of that fashionable 
ride4  ,to return to our fair pupil     
7having made such selection of riding   
dress as is most suitable to her style74
 ,her first outdoor rides should be     
taken on some quiet and little          
frequented road until she becomes       
accustomed to control her horse2 for    
there is a great difference in the form 
of going of the same animal in the      
riding school and on the road1 as many  
horses that require considerable rousing
 in the school are all action and       
lightheartedness out of doors4  ,on the 
road1 especially when they are hard1    
walking and trotting should be the pace1
 the pupil riding equally on snaffle and
 curb reins2 the pace free and active2  
the trot about eight to eight and a half

 the hour4  ,cantering should never be  
practised on hard ground1 as it is      
certain1 sooner or later1 to cause      
mischief to the horse's legs4 ,where    
there is a good broad sward by the      
roadside1 as in the ,midland counties1 a
 good stretching canter for miles may   
always be had where the ground is good  
going4 ,but such places are not to be   
found in the neighbourhood of the       
metropolis2 and it is necessary         
therefore to select some open common1   
such as ,wimbledon or ,wormwood ,scrubs1
 for cantering at first4  ,by degrees   
the pupil should be accustomed to ride  
through thoroughfares where there is    
considerable traffic1 and may then make 
her debut in ,rotten ,row2 and here ,i  
may remark that nobody1 lady or         
gentleman1 should ever attempt riding in
 this fashionable equestrian resort     
until they have thorough command of     
their horses1 and1 indeed1 know         
scientifically what riding is4 ,the     
place1 strictly speaking1 is a ride     

intended for royalty alone2 and ,i      
believe ,i am correct in saying that the
 admission of the general public to it  
is by no means a matter of right4 ,great
 pains are bestowed to keep it in good  
order throughout the year2 especially1  
it is always soft and good for a horse's
 legs4 ,but as a great concourse of     
equestrians1 male and female1 is always 
in the ,row in the ,london season1 and  
as the horses are nearly all well bred  
and high couraged1 there is considerable
 danger1 both to themselves and others1 
in persons with indifferent seats and   
hands venturing to ride in the          
fashionable crowd1 the danger being     
considerably enhanced by the fact that  
such people are altogether ignorant of  
the risk they are running4 ,for my own  
part1 after seeing some corpulent       
citizen rehearsing ,john ,gilpin in     
,hyde ,park1 with his trousers half-way 
up to his knees1 and his feet the wrong 
way in the stirrups1 the wonder has     
always been to me not that accidents    

occur in ,rotten ,row1 but that there   
are not a great many more4  ,there are  
adventurous ladies1 too1 who            
occasionally create a sensation among   
the crowd1 not at all flattering to     
themselves if they only knew the        
sentiments of those about them2 and ,i  
really think it would be a capital plan 
to appoint some competent gentlemen to  
take charge by turns of the ,row in the 
,london season1 and order the mounted   
police on duty quietly to see everybody 
out of it who was unable to command     
their horses4 ,matters1 since the       
mounted constables have been put on1 are
 not quite so bad as formerly2 but there
 is plenty of room for improvement      
still1 both as regards dogs1 pretty     
horsebreakers1 and tailors4  ,at all    
events1 ,i recommend any man taking a   
young lady into the ,park in the height 
of the ,london season to have his eyes  
about him in every direction1 lest some 
dashing equestrian1 male or female1     
should come bucketing a horse in rear of

 his charge1 and to keep a close watch  
also upon the latter--to see that she   
rides her horse all the time she is in  
the place1 keeping him well into his    
bridle1 which reduces to a minimum the  
chances of his suddenly flirting4       
,elsewhere ,i have gone at considerable 
length into the subject of possible     
accidents in the ,park4 ,it is perhaps  
necessary that ,i repeat the gist of it 
here1 which is simply that no young     
lady1 however accomplished a horsewoman 
she may be1 should be allowed by her    
friends to ride in the ,row unattended  
by a male companion1 who is not only a  
thoroughly good horseman1 but accustomed
 to ride beside a lady and anticipate   
anything in the shape of bad manners on 
the part of her horse2 that the         
attendance of a groom1 who rides at a   
considerable distance in rear of the    
lady 7whatever appearance of            
conventional style it may give to the   
fair equestrian71 is utterly useless to 
her in case of accident1 nay1 in more   

than one instance that ,i have known has
 been productive of it from the groom   
galloping up at a critical moment1 and  
still further exciting the lady's horse4
 ,finally1 that no lady should ever ride
 a horse of high breed and courage that 
has been allowed to get above himself1  
by remaining day after day in the       
stable1 or having insufficient work1    
when exercised1 to keep down exuberant  
freshness4  ,there is no danger to a    
thoroughly good horsewoman in riding a  
horse that is light-hearted4 ,but there 
is risk to everybody1 man or woman1 in  
riding one mad fresh1 ready to jump out 
of his skin1 as the grooms say1 in a    
crowd of other horses4  ,for my own     
part1 of two evils1 ,i would rather see 
a lady jammed into a lane with twenty or
 thirty horses1 after hounds had just   
got away1 and everybody was struggling  
to get out1 than ,i would see her in the
 ,park unattended by a gentleman1 and   
mounted upon a well-bred horse that was 
very fresh4 ,i do not by any means      

deprecate riding in the ,row4 ,it is a  
splendid piece of riding ground1 and    
relieved to some extent1 as it now is1  
of overcrowding by the ride on the upper
 side of the ,park2 it is a glorious    
place for a canter4 ,but ,i repeat1 let 
everybody who takes a horse there be    
able to ride him1 and have eyes for his 
neighbours as well as himself2 and      
especially let gentlemen who attend     
ladies there be always on the qui vive  
for the adventurous ,gilpins and pretty 
horsebreakers4  ,the canter for the     
,row1 conventionally and wisely1 should 
be almost as collected as that of the   
riding school4 ,it is an understood     
thing1 in fact1 that no lady or         
gentleman 7properly so called7 sets a   
horse going there2 and trotting when    
practised should also be done very      
collectedly1 both paces admitting of the
 display of talent and proficiency in   
equitation of the rider4  ,for the more 
extended paces1 it is necessary again to
 have recourse to open heath or common2 

and1 before the pupil attempts to set   
her horse going1 the difference between 
cantering1 in the andante pace1 and     
galloping1 should be clearly explained  
to her4 ,the main difference in this    
cantering is to some extent an          
artificial pace1 because1 when practised
 collectedly1 the greater weight of the 
horse is brought from his forehand on to
 his haunches2 and the shorter the pace1
 the more his weight is on his hind     
legs4 ,it is for this reason that very  
collected cantering should not be       
continued for any great length of time1 
from its tendency to strain the hocks1  
nevertheless cantering1 like trotting1  
cannot fairly be pronounced altogether  
artificial1 because anybody who has had 
the handling of a great number of young 
horses must have seen many of them      
running loose who would canter the      
length of a paddock at quite a short    
pace1 both legs on the same side        
7generally the near side72 and ,i have  
seen a foal at a mare's foot trot1 true 

and fair1 for a considerable distance4  
,galloping1 however1 like walking1 is a 
perfectly natural pace1 although it is a
 mistake to say that in the gallop the  
horse moves both fore and hind legs     
together1 in what is frequently termed a
 succession of jumps4 ,that he does this
 in his top speed1 and especially in    
making a supreme effort1 as in a        
desperate finish of a race1 is perfectly
 true3 but it is equally certain that at
 half or three quarter speed he is      
leading with either near or off fore    
leg1 and that anything but a full speed 
gallop is simply a very extended canter4
 ,any man who has ridden a race must    
know that where the distance is great1  
say four miles or more1 and men do not  
force the pace1 for perhaps two-thirds  
of the way every horse 7say of a score  
of them7 will be leading with either    
near or off leg1 generally the former1  
and that a very hot excitable horse1    
eager to get to the front1 will change  
his leg when he finds his rider keeps   

his hands down1 and his horse back4 ,it 
may be said that this is not galloping  
but cantering2 but ,i beg to assure all 
those who maintain this opinion that    
such a canter is faster than any gallop 
resorted to1 apart from racing1 that1 in
 short1 such a gallop is a very extended
 canter4 ,whatever the term1 however1   
may be most applicable to it1 half      
racing speed is quite as fast as a lady 
will have occasion to ride1 unless in   
cases of desperate emergency4 ,at such  
speed the horse has altogether a        
different balance to that maintained in 
the short canter2 and1 although he does 
not go altogether on his shoulders1     
still1 to afford him freedom of action1 
he must be allowed to extend his head   
and neck1 because1 if too much bent1 his
 action will be clambering1 instead of  
sending him freely to his front4  ,to   
gallop a horse in good form the lady    
should adopt a different arrangement of 
the reins to any heretofore used4 ,it is
 simply to divide them1 so that the     

little fingers of both hands pass       
between the snaffle and curb reins1 the 
latter under the little finger1 and a   
little longer than the former1 the appui
 being principally upon the snaffle1    
although there should be no slack rein  
on the curbs4 ,her hands should be kept 
well apart1 and as low down as she can  
get them4 ,the reason for separating the
 hands is1 that it is far more difficult
 for a lady to set her hands down than  
for a man to do the same thing1 because 
the front forks of the saddle are very  
much in her way4  ,if1 however1 she     
rides with a saddle1 the off side crutch
 of which is cut down1 and she places   
her right hand outside her right knee1  
and her left hand outside the near side 
upper crutch1 she will have the reins at
 nearly the same angle1 and about the   
same feeling on the horse's mouth1 as   
would be obtained by a man in setting   
his horse going4  ,in order to          
counteract any tendency of this position
 of the hands to interfere with the     

rider's proper balance1 the left foot   
should be carried well forward1 while   
the leg is pressed firmly against the   
third crutch1 and an equally firm grasp 
of the upper crutch is taken with the   
right knee4 ,a slight bend forward of   
the figure from the waist upwards is    
admissible1 but great care should be    
taken by the instructor that this is not
 overdone1 but regulated by the angle at
 which the left foot is placed4 ,with   
the slight bend forward1 however1 there 
should be no rounding of the back or    
shoulders1 or dropping of the head4     
,neither should the hands be allowed to 
get too forward2 they will be somewhat  
in advance of their position at a       
canter1 but not be more than six or     
eight inches from the body--the hands   
with the knuckles upwards1 the elbows   
only slightly bent4  ,the ground        
selected for this exercise should be    
well known to the instructor--sound1    
good-going turf1 perfectly free from    
rabbit holes or rotten places4 ,the pace

 should be gradually increased from a   
free canter to about half-racing speed1 
the master making the pace himself1 and 
carefully watching his pupil in every   
stride her horse takes4 ,the lady should
 be instructed to let her horse take    
fairly hold of her1 and press him with  
the leg until he strides freely along in
 his gallop4 ,she should keep her hands 
shut firmly on the reins1 and rest the  
former against the saddle4 ,the horse   
then1 while taking well hold of her1    
will not pull1 nor will she pull an     
ounce against him1 the consequence being
 that when she desires to decrease her  
speed1 she has only to lean back        
gradually from her galloping position1  
bringing the body first perfectly       
upright1 and then inclining back at     
about the same angle she previously     
carried it forward1 raise her hands up  
from the saddle1 and carry them back to 
her waist1 while she turns the little   
fingers inwards and upwards towards it1 
which will cause her to feel the curb   

reins with a double feeling to the      
snaffle1 and in about a dozen strides   
she can thus collect her horse into a   
steady canter and bring him subsequently
 to a walk4 ,the length and speed of    
these rides must be carefully regulated 
by the master according to the nerve and
 strength of his pupil4 ,without a fair 
amount of both nerve and physical power 
such gallops should not be attempted at 
all4 ,where there is plenty of both1 a  
half-mile spin is admissible to begin   
with1 and1 with good going ground1 this 
may be increased gradually to a couple  
of miles4 ,the instructor should be very
 careful in cautioning his pupil to     
diminish the speed of her horse by      
degrees and in the manner above         
described1 especially avoiding any      
sudden pull at him1 or any unsteadiness 
of the hands4 ,carefully practised1     
these gallops will give the pupil great 
freedom and confidence in the saddle2   
and they are1 moreover1 wonderful       
promoters of health4     ,,chapter      

,,xiii4  ,,the ,,leaping ,,lesson4   ,i 
come now to a section of our courses of 
instruction1 which1 if not as some      
suppose the most difficult to impart or 
acquire1 is nevertheless of great       
importance4 ,the principles1 however1   
upon which a horse does a fence neatly  
and safely1 and those upon which depend 
the secure riding of the lady1 once     
properly understood1 the rest is a      
question of practice1 the thorough      
training of the horse and his complete  
fitness for his task being assumed4 ,the
 two latter points are1 however1 of such
 vital consequence that ,i will         
endeavour to direct attention to several
 matters connected with them1 which ,i  
trust may be useful4  ,in the first     
place1 then1 it should be borne in mind 
that whereas every horse of every breed 
in the world can be taught to jump1     
jumping comes so aptly to some as to be 
perfectly natural1 and no more trouble  
to them with a fair weight than walking 
or galloping4 ,such horses are easily   

taught to be clever2 that is to say1 to 
do doubles1 in and out1 and crooked     
places1 with almost the surefootedness  
of a goat1 as well as to jump clean     
timber or fly sixteen or eighteen feet  
of water4 ,the sort of animal ,i speak  
of is fond of jumping1 and consequently 
when carefully broken learns to balance 
himself with the greatest nicety2 and1  
provided the ground is sound1 you cannot
 get him down1 while he does not know   
what refusing means1 except in the case 
of utterly impracticable places4  ,it is
 upon such horses1 or those which       
approach the nearest to them in their   
qualifications1 that a lady should be   
mounted1 not only for the hunting field 
itself1 but in her initiation in the    
riding school into the art of riding her
 horse over a fence4 ,horses that rush  
at their jump1 are hot-headed1 or       
intemperate in any way1 are utterly     
unfit for a lady to attempt leaping     
with1 either indoors or out4 ,there     
should be blood and quality undoubtedly1

 as well as substance and power1 but    
these must be joined to the best of     
temper4 ,possibly the very perfection of
 a horse exists in that wonderful little
 animal the ,lamb1 who has just         
exhibited at ,liverpool the most        
extraordinary feats of cleverness and   
endurance1 coupled with splendid action1
 speed1 and temper1 ever yet shown by   
any horse4 ,the form in which1 galloping
 at top speed1 he jumped over two horses
 lying hors de combat right in his way1 
and cleared both and their riders       
without further injury to any1 will live
 always in the memory of those who      
witnessed it2 while his unflinching and 
determined effort to win under a weight 
that scarcely admitted of hope stamp the
 ,lamb as a horse without equal in our  
day4 ,in my opinion no price in reason  
could be too much to ask or give for    
such animal4  ,a short time ago ,i had  
the great honour and privilege accorded 
me by his noble owner of a close        
inspection at his private training      

quarters of this unrivalled little      
equine gem2 and ,i am bound to say that1
 although ,i never quite believed in    
perfection of a horse until ,i saw the  
action1 manner1 and general form of the 
,lamb1 as far as my judgment or         
experience goes1 ,i freely accord to him
 the palm over every horse ,i have seen 
in a lifetime spent among horseflesh in 
one quarter or another of the world2    
but1 although it is not possible in my  
humble opinion to find his equal as a   
cross-country horse1 our endeavours     
should be directed to obtain for a lady 
hunter that which approximates most     
closely to the ,lamb4 ,let me briefly   
point out what are the qualities that   
render such horses the fittest for      
carrying a lady to hounds4  ,in the     
first place1 the connecting points of   
such an animal are so true in their     
relative adjustment1 that while in      
galloping he does not clamber or fight  
the air1 he goes with action so safe as 
always to clear any of those apparently 

insignificant obstacles1 which too often
 bring to grief a gallant-looking steed 
and his fair rider4 ,when ridge and     
furrow 7as must sometimes occur7 run the
 wrong way1 he can go safe from land to 
land2 and this is of greater consequence
 to a lady's riding than many suppose4  
,the stamp of horse ,i speak of1 too1   
will gallop with his hind legs well     
under him1 while he maintains a proper  
balance of his fore hand without getting
 his head too low4 ,he will do his      
fences without rush or passion1 and     
measure his distance to perfection4     
,secondly1 his breeding gives him the   
power to endure through long runs1 while
 his temper prevents that feverish      
excitement so detrimental in its        
reaction on a hot horse after a long    
day's hunting4  ,to return to the detail
 of the leaping lesson4 ,this should    
always be commenced either in a riding  
school or in a space so inclosed as to  
do away as nearly as possible with any  
chance of the horse refusing4 ,it is not

 possible always to procure one that is 
quite a ,lamb2 and1 however well trained
 the animal on which the fair pupil is  
put1 no possible temptation to do wrong 
should ever be allowed to remain in his 
way4 ,a gorse-bound bar1 a wattled      
hurdle or common sheep hurdle are all   
equally good for the first attempt1 care
 being taken not to make the leap too   
high4 ,but ,i do not1 from experience1  
believe in putting the bar or other     
obstacle on the ground1 because the     
effort a well-broken horse makes to     
clear it is so slight1 that it puts the 
rider off her guard2 and when afterwards
 he rises higher in his jump1 he is very
 apt to shift her in the saddle4 ,there 
is a very natural inclination on the    
part of a tyro in riding1 lady or       
gentleman 7having seen a horse jump     
under another person71 to suppose that  
some effort of the hand is necessary to 
lift the horse over the obstacle4  ,it  
should be the duty of the instructor    
carefully to warn his pupil against any 

such effort1 and in the first attempt to
 attend only to her true equilibrium1   
while she presses the horse well up to  
his bridle1 keeping her hands perfectly 
steady1 well back1 and well down4 ,she  
should take a firm hold of the upper    
crutch of the saddle with her right     
knee2 sit well into the saddle1 and not 
on the back of it1 because the further  
back she sits1 the greater the          
concussion when the horse alights4 ,she 
should put her left foot well home in   
the stirrup1 and press her leg firmly   
against the third crutch1 while she     
keeps the left knee quite flexible1 and 
the left foot well forward4 ,she should 
draw her figure well up from the waist1 
which should be bent slightly forward2  
and she should avoid stiffening the     
waist1 because it is from that point    
that she is able to throw the upper part
 of the figure backwards at the proper  
moment1 and at the true angle1 to       
preserve her balance4 ,she should direct
 her glance straight between the horse's

 ears1 and well in front of him to the  
end of the school1 because if she looks 
down at her hands or the bar1 she       
relaxes her upright position4 ,the horse
 should be led up to the bar by the     
instructor1 who should be able to jump  
lightly over the obstacle with the      
horse2 and another assistant should     
follow with a whip1 the presence of     
which the horse will recognise in an    
instant1 without any noise being made   
with it1 and he will go at once into his
 bridle1 and take hold of the rider's   
hand4 ,a groom should hold the end of   
the bar or hurdle so lightly1 that if   
the horse touches it1 it will fall2     
while another groom should stand in such
 a position1 about a horse's length to  
half a one outside the instructor1 as to
 do away with all chance of the horse   
swerving from any nervous action of the 
rider's hand4  ,in jumping1 at first the
 pupil should ride entirely upon the    
snaffle rein4 ,in fact1 for early       
leaping lessons1 it is best to put a    

good broad reined snaffle in the horse's
 mouth1 instead of a double bridle1     
because it prevents any confusion about 
the reins1 and consequent derangement of
 nerve in the pupil4 ,on approaching the
 bar1 the latter should incline the body
 back from the waist upwards1 at such an
 angle1 that a line from the back point 
of the shoulder would fall about a      
couple of inches behind the cantle of   
the saddle4 ,this is not according to   
the strict formula laid down by         
high-class professors of equitation2 on 
the contrary4 ,the ,aid ,book tells us  
that the body should be inclined forward
 as the horse rises1 and backwards as he
 alights4 ,but ,i have found in teaching
 ladies to jump their horses that1      
particularly with a quick jumping one1  
any such attempt would result in the    
horse hitting the lady in the face with 
his head1 and thereby thoroughly        
disgusting her with leaping lessons1 to 
say nothing of possible disfigurement or
 injury4 ,the instructor cannot be too  

quiet1 simply keeping well hold of his  
horse1 making him walk close to the     
boards1 and cautioning his pupil to sit 
back--not away from the crutches of the 
saddle1 but to throw the upper part of  
her figure back the instant the horse   
drops his head4 ,any more instruction   
will only confuse her4 ,the master      
should jump with the horse1 but not hold
 the habit1 as is customary with some   
preceptors of riding1 because no man is 
so clever on his legs but that some     
inequality in the tan or turf might     
cause him to stumble1 in which case     
assuredly he would pull the lady off her
 horse4  ,after the first jump the      
master is better away from both horse   
and pupil4 ,in nine cases out of ten ,i 
have found that the above simple        
directions to the latter result in her  
landing all right1 except a little      
derangement of equilibrium to the front2
 but the easy spring of a well-bred and 
well-broken horse1 and the hold he takes
 of her hands1 reassure her4 ,she has   

made her premiere pas in jumping1 and   
finds that it is by no means so         
difficult a matter as she anticipated4  
,in her second attempt1 if she exhibits 
good nerve1 as most young ladies of the 
present day do1 the instructor need only
 walk up the side of the school with    
her1 close to the horse's shoulder1     
quietly correcting her if she allows her
 reins to become slack1 because in that 
case she loses the appui on the horse's 
mouth1 which in her early attempts at   
leaping is of vital importance to her4  
,in fact1 it is necessary1 in order to  
give the pupil confidence1 that the     
horse should jump with a firm hold upon 
her hand4  ,many authorities on riding  
tell us that a horse's jump is simply a 
higher stride of his gallop2 from this  
notion ,i beg entirely to dissent4 ,in  
leaping1 a horse first raises his       
forehand upwards with a half rear1 both 
feet quitting the ground at the same    
instant1 the height he rises            
corresponding to the angle at which he  

takes off4 ,secondly1 from his hind legs
 he propels himself forwards1 both hind 
legs moving together1 and1 if he is a   
good jumper1 well under him4 ,if        
leaping1 therefore1 is to be compared to
 any other action of a horse1 it must   
resemble a plunge gaining ground to the 
front4 ,there is no possible gain in    
teaching1 however1 by comparing a       
horse's leap to his any other movement4 
,instinct tells him what to do in order 
to clear his legs of the obstacle1 and1 
like walking or galloping1 the action is
 by no means artificial1 inasmuch as a  
thoroughly unbroken young horse loose in
 a paddock will jump through a gap on an
 ill-kept farm 7if his dam makes the    
running7 with precisely the same action 
as a finished hunter2 and1 therefore1 in
 one sense ,i endorse the dictum once   
expressed to me by an ,irish farmer when
 ,i asked his opinion as to the natural 
paces of a horse4 ,his reply was1 ,sure 
some of 'em goes no way natural1 but    
just the way you don't want thim to go2 

and there's some of thim that nothing's 
so natural to as to ate a lot of good   
oats a man never sees the price of      
again4 ,thim's bad ones4 ,but if you're 
spaking of a good maning1 rale ,irish   
horse1 the most natural pace he has is  
to jump well4 ,i quite agree1 bar the   
word pace1 that jumping to a horse is as
 natural as any other instinctive       
action4 ,the weight1 however1 to be     
carried1 and the mode in which that     
weight is distributed at the critical   
moment1 makes a material difference to  
both horse and rider4 ,therefore1 the   
early leaping lessons should be confined
 to causing the pupil to do as little as
 possible to impede the action of the   
horse1 while she preserves her due      
balance4 ,like the breaking of a young  
colt in the case of a pupil learning to 
ride over a fence1 if you ask too much  
at once or confuse the learner1 you     
obtain nothing but discomfiture4  ,as   
regards this portion of the course of   
equitation1 it is specially necessary to

 bear in mind the old ,french maxim1    
,c'est ne pas le premiere pas qui coute4
 ,at the same time it is quite possible1
 if the first step is injudiciously     
taken1 to spoil the whole of your       
previous work4 ,special care should be  
taken that the horse does not take off  
too soon2 and if1 from any unevenness of
 the rider's hands or legs1 he attempts 
this1 the instructor should be quickly  
at his head again1 and compel him to do 
his work coolly and collectedly4 ,the   
standing leap1 as this is technically   
called1 is considerably more difficult  
as regards catching the precise moment  
at which to throw the weight of the body
 back than the flying leap1 because in  
the standing leap the horse1 being      
nearer to the obstacle1 pitches himself 
forward with a much rougher action1 and 
does not land so far on the other side  
of the fence2 whereas when he canters   
freely at it1 the difference in the     
shock to the rider is as great as that  
experienced in the pitch of a boat in a 

short chopping sea1 and the boat's rise 
and fall in a long swell1 the pace also 
causing the horse to take more freely   
hold of the rider's hand4  ,complete    
confidence1 however1 must be established
 before a lady should be asked to ride  
her horse at a fence out of a walk2 and 
nearly as much time should be expended  
over this new step in the series of     
lessons as were occupied in trotting4   
,i have not1 however1 to define the     
principle upon which1 in either standing
 or flying leap1 security of seat must  
be sought4 ,some say that in leaping it 
is by muscular grasp only that a lady   
can retain her true equilibrium in the  
saddle2 others adhere to the notion that
 it is all done by balance4 ,now the    
truth lies midway between these two     
theories4 ,it is quite possible for a   
man to ride over a fence by balance     
only4 ,witness what one sees frequently 
in a circus1 where some talented        
equestrian maintains his footing on a   
bare-backed steed1 while the latter     

jumps a succession of bars4 ,here there 
is nothing to keep the rider on the     
horse but sheer balance2 and1 of course1
 if this can be done by one man standing
 up1 it can be much more easily done by 
another sitting down in the saddle1     
although very few men ride across       
country in such form1 nor indeed is it  
either safe or desirable to do so4 ,the 
thing1 nevertheless1 is quite easy4 ,it 
is not so easy with a lady1 because her 
position on the saddle is altogether an 
artificial one2 and1 moreover1 the      
weight of the skirt is sufficient to    
render riding by balance alone most     
difficult4 ,it is by a combination of   
firm grasp on the crutches1 seized just 
before the horse arrives at his fence1  
and a true balancing of the body from   
the waist upwards1 that security of seat
 in jumping is obtained4 ,a most        
necessary adjunct to the above1 however1
 is firmness of the arms1 because1 if   
the latter are allowed to fly out from  
the sides1 the whole figure becomes1 as 

it were1 disconnected1 and the proper   
aplomb is lost4 ,by taking a firm hold  
of the upper crutch of the saddle with  
the right leg1 the rider is enabled to  
balance her body as the horse rises1    
while the pressure of the left leg      
against the third crutch prevents the   
concussion of his landing from throwing 
her forward1 provided always she throws 
back her weight at precisely the right  
moment4 ,this requires practice1 and    
well-timed assistance from the          
instructor1 thus3  ,as soon as the pupil
 acquires sufficient confidence to ride 
her horse fairly up to the fence1 and   
keep his head straight to it1 the master
 should stand far enough from her to    
obtain a good view of the whole contour 
of figure of horse and rider4 ,he should
 place the hands of the latter well     
apart1 cause her to shut her fingers    
firmly on the reins1 which give firmness
 to the body2 keep her hands well down  
and her figure well drawn up1 ready on  
the instant to throw the weight back4   

,he should then caution her to execute  
the last-named movement on his giving   
the single sharp word ,now4 ,the pupil  
should then press her horse well up     
against her hand1 and keep his head     
steady and straight to the bar4 ,the    
instant he rises the instructor should  
give his word sharply1 and the rider    
will then catch the true time at which  
to act upon it4 ,this requires only     
close attention and watching by         
instructor and pupil1 both being vif and
 thoroughly on the alert4 ,after a few  
efforts the lady is then sure to find   
out the time without any word4 ,i have  
taught a great many very young ladies as
 well as gentlemen to ride over a fence 
by the aid of the word given in the     
above form1 and have found it always of 
the greatest assistance both to myself  
and pupils4 ,special attention is       
necessary to keeping the hands well down
 and well apart1 and the shoulders quite
 square1 because there is a natural     
tendency on the part of most ladies in  

the first leaping lessons to throw the  
right shoulder forward1 which not only  
destroys her balance but causes her to  
pull the horse's head to the near side4 
,the hands cannot be kept too quiet at  
first1 for any effort to give and take  
to the action of the horse is nearly    
certain to result in the pupil checking 
him at the very moment he springs       
forward1 and pulling him upon his fence4
  ,a well-broken horse1 when put up to  
his bridle1 will take a good hold of the
 rider's hand1 and if sufficient length 
of rein is given him will clear the bar 
without the necessity of the rider      
moving her hands a hair's breadth4      
,subsequently1 when she has had         
sufficient practice to feel quite at    
home1 she can be taught how to assist   
him when he does a long striding leap   
over water or a strong double fence with
 ditches on both sides4  ,after the     
standing leap is executed neatly1 and in
 good form by rider and horse1 the      
flying leap should at once be practised4

  ,the pupil should put her horse into a
 steady canter1 going to the left round 
the school2 and for this purpose the    
hurdle or bar should for the time be    
removed1 so as to enable the lady to get
 her horse into a good free stride4     
,when the instructor sees that she has  
her horse in proper form1 the hurdle    
should be put up again and well sloped1 
because1 even so1 the horse will jump   
considerably higher in all probability  
than the rider expects4  ,this is the   
moment at which the master requires to  
be thoroughly on the alert4 ,he should  
caution the lady not to let her horse   
hurry when he turns the corner and sees 
the hurdle1 which many horses are very  
apt to do4 ,hands down1 ,sit back1      
,press him against your hand1 and the   
,now6 at the right moment should be the 
concise words1 given in a tone at once  
lively and encouraging4 ,the result will
 be a clean1 clever jump1 well done by  
horse and rider1 when the former should 
be made much of4  ,a couple or three    

leaps so executed are quite enough in a 
school1 because nothing so worries most 
horses as to keep them continually      
jumping at the same place1 and if the   
leap is too often repeated1 they are apt
 to sulk or blunder at it4  ,within the 
walls of a good riding house almost     
every kind of obstacle can be           
represented which can be met with out of
 doors4 ,the double1 the artificial     
brook or painted wall1 all give the     
pupil sufficient insight into the form  
in which a well-taught horse will       
negotiate any of the fences to be met   
with in the hunting field2 and the lady 
should be carefully taught how to stop  
and steady her horse at a crooked or    
cramped place4  ,when once the leaping  
lessons are commenced1 one should be    
given every day1 either before or after 
the riding out4 ,if the ride is intended
 to be a long one1 the jumping should be
 done while the horse is fresh1 and has 
all his powers in hand4  ,when the pupil
 can do the standing and flying leap1   

the in and out or double in good form1  
riding on the snaffle1 she should again 
return to her double bridle1 which      
should be fitted with a curb chain with 
broad links2 and the whole of it should 
be well padded and covered with soft    
leather1 to prevent any jar upon the    
horse's mouth in jumping4 ,the reins    
should be separated and placed as for   
galloping1 the greatest care being taken
 by the instructor that the curb is no  
tighter than just to keep it in place1  
for which a good lip strap should be    
used1 and the curb chain fitted so as to
 admit the play of quite two fingers    
between it and the horse's jaw4 ,in     
placing the reins1 the master should see
 that the greater appui is on the       
snaffle1 and that after the pupil closes
 her hands upon the reins she does not  
shift her hold of them in the slightest 
degree4 ,having now four reins instead  
of two as formerly1 there will be a     
tendency to fidget with them1 or obtain 
a better hold4 ,this must instantly be  

corrected if it occurs1 otherwise ten to
 one but the lady gets the curb rein too
 short1 and pulls her horse on his      
fence4 ,at the same time there should be
 no slack curb rein hanging down1 but it
 should be of such length that1 on      
landing1 the horse can just feel the    
action of the curb1 and the reason for  
this is obvious4 ,in school all leaping 
may be accomplished on the snaffle2 but 
in the hunting field it is far          
otherwise4 ,in deep ground a horse      
requires holding together1 and no lady  
could do this with a snaffle bridle4    
,and1 again1 in a long run1 when a horse
 has been severely called on1 he may    
make a blunder on landing from a drop in
 a bit of boggy ground1 in which case   
the curb rein is necessary in aid of the
 snaffle4 ,as1 therefore1 it is in the  
school that the pupil should be prepared
 for every outdoor eventuality1 riding  
over her fences with both curb and      
snaffle must be practised2 and1 finally1
 over a small jump she must be taught to

 ride with the curb alone4     ,,chapter
 ,,xiv4  ,,the ,,leaping ,,lesson       
7continued74   ,it may fairly be        
accepted as a general rule1 that a horse
 should not be ridden over a fence upon 
the curb alone4 ,the rule1 however1 has 
its exceptions4 ,one of these is the    
possible case of a lady being placed in 
such a predicament that she has no      
alternative in the presence of imminent 
danger but that of leaping her horse to 
avoid it1 and in such case it may be    
7and1 indeed1 in my own experience has  
occurred7 when the lady was riding her  
horse with a single curb bridle4 ,if the
 fair equestrian so placed lacks the    
necessary nerve1 dexterity of hand1 and 
firmness of seat1 she must come to      
certain grief4 ,it is therefore highly  
desirable that1 although on ordinary    
occasions she should use both snaffle   
and curb in leaping1 she should also be 
thoroughly au fait at doing it1 if the  
necessity arises1 upon a hard and sharp1
 or single ,hanoverian4  ,again1 leaping

 on the curb rein only teaches the pupil
 the full value of every particle of her
 balance and muscular grasp on the      
saddle1 while it also shows her that1   
although as a rule a horse requires to  
be kept well together1 there are        
exceptional instances in which it is    
necessary to yield the hands freely to  
him4 ,the above-named is one of these   
cases4 ,the leaping lessons1 however1   
which lead up to the point of           
proficiency at which the pupil should be
 permitted to attempt so critical and   
difficult a piece of riding must be     
carefully and inductively given4        
,assuming that the fair tyro rides her  
horse boldly and confidently over the   
ordinary fences used in a school1 and   
can execute an in and out jump without  
derangement of seat or hand1 the effort 
of the master should next be directed   
towards teaching his pupil how to cause 
her horse to extend himself over a jump 
where there is considerable width as    
well as height4 ,i must repeat that1 for

 this purpose1 a horse should be used   
that is thoroughly up to his            
business--one that will stride freely   
away and gallop at his fence4 ,the best 
practice to begin with1 in what ,i may  
perhaps call fast jumping for a lady1 is
 at an artificial brook4  ,this is easy 
enough to arrange in a riding school4   
,it requires only a sheet of canvas1    
painted the colour of water1 of such    
dimensions that the people in the school
 can increase or diminish its width at  
pleasure4 ,this canvas should be long   
enough to extend from one side of the   
school to the other1 which can be       
managed by fastening the canvas to a    
couple of light rollers4 ,on the        
taking-off side of this artificial brook
 there should be some low wattles1 gorse
 bound1 or otherwise2 and these also    
should extend quite across the school4  
,there is then no chance of a           
well-broken horse refusing4  ,before the
 canvas arrangement is stretched across 
the riding-house1 the pupil should be   

instructed to set her horse going at a  
free striding canter--as fast as is     
compatible with safety in turning the   
corners1 which should be well cut off in
 this case1 the pupil riding a          
half-circle at both ends of the school4 
,after two or three turns round the     
house at this pace1 in order to get the 
horse well into his stride1 the         
assistants should arrange the jump while
 the instructor prepares his pupil for  
it4 ,and now let me endeavour to explain
 the difference in the position and     
action of the hands of the rider        
necessary for a long jump as compared   
with that requisite in a short one4 ,in 
the latter1 safety consists in a horse  
jumping well together or collectedly1   
because in a cramped or crooked place   
speed is almost certain trouble4 ,where1
 on the contrary1 there is a broad sheet
 of water to be got over1 plenty of way 
on the horse--sufficient speed to give  
great momentum to his effort1 is        
indispensable4 ,in the short leap or    

crooked place1 then1 the horse should be
 made to jump throughout right into his 
bridle2 and for this purpose the        
position and steadiness of hand         
described in the last article1          
accompanied by such pressure of the leg 
as will keep him up to it1 is the true  
mode of doing such places4  ,but to     
clear a wide jump1 it should be         
remembered that the horse must not only 
go a good pace on it1 but he must be    
allowed to extend his head and neck the 
instant he takes off4 ,if this is       
neglected1 the fair equestrian1 in      
attempting a water jump1 will inevitably
 find herself in the brook4  ,now1 a man
 in riding at water has this great      
advantage over a lady in the same case1 
that1 having equal power with both legs1
 he can force his horse up to any length
 of rein1 no matter how long1 in reason1
 and compel him to face it1 thus        
enabling the rider to hold him through  
every inch of his jump1 while he gives  
him plenty of scope to extend himself4  

,for a lady to do this is impossible4   
,too much pressure of the left leg or   
repeated use of the spur1 even if       
counteracted on the off side with the   
whip1 would cause the horse to throw his
 haunches to one side1 and he would not 
jump straight4 ,steadiness of seat1     
hand1 and leg are therefore             
indispensable to the lady4 ,the horse   
ought to be well practised at the       
particular jump before she is allowed to
 attempt it1 and therefore should       
require no rousing or urging1 to get    
plenty of way on1 for his effort4 ,but  
before the pupil faces her horse towards
 the brook1 she should be emphatically  
but quietly enjoined by the instructor  
to respond to his word now as follows3  
,let it be understood that her elbows   
should be drawn back until they are     
three inches or thereabouts behind her  
waist1 the hands about the same distance
 below the elbows1 the former about six 
inches apart1 with the fingers closed   
firmly on the reins and turned inwards  

and upwards until they touch the waist1 
the reins divided1 as for galloping1 but
 with the slightest possible feeling    
upon the curb4 ,with her hands in the   
above-named form she should ride her    
horse to his jump1 never moving them    
until she hears the sharp sound of the  
word ,now6 from the instructor1 when at 
the same instant the body1 from the     
waist upwards1 should be thrown back and
 the hands shot forward1 the elbows     
following1 until they are just level    
with the front of the waist4 ,as the    
hands go forward1 the little fingers    
should be turned downwards and the      
knuckles upwards2 this will bring the   
middle joints of both hands with the    
nails downwards against the right thigh1
 about four to six inches above 7or1 as 
the rider sits1 behind7 the knee2 and   
this turning down of the nails and      
forward motion of hands and elbows will 
give the horse free scope of his head   
and neck1 while the hands coming in     
contact with the right thigh will still 

maintain the proper appui1 and support  
the horse when he lands in his jump4    
,although the foregoing appears prolix  
in description1 it occupies little time 
to explain viva voce2 and with the      
instructor by her side the lady may     
practise the action two or three times  
while her horse is standing still before
 he faces his jump4 ,the instructor     
should then quit the lady's side and    
place himself near the brook in such a  
position that he has a fair view of the 
horse as he takes off4 ,the pupil should
 turn her horse quietly about1 and ride 
to the left into the corner of the      
school1 and as soon as the horse's head 
is square to the jump1 and himself      
square to the boards1 the master should 
give the word smartly1 ,canter4 ,with   
plenty of vivacity1 the pupil should    
immediately strike her horse into a     
striding pace1 keeping her hands well   
back and hitting him smartly once with  
the spur4 ,an assistant with a whip     
should also crack it slightly behind the

 horse4  ,let the master then closely   
watch the moment at which the horse's   
fore feet quit the ground1 and give his 
word quickly and sharply1 and in nine   
cases out of ten the jump will be a     
success4  ,the artificial brook should  
be arranged about two-thirds of the     
distance down the school1 so as to give 
the horse plenty of space to get into   
his stride before he comes to it1 while 
there will be sufficient room to collect
 him after he lands4 ,if he does it well
 the first time 7and with the above     
described handling he will scarcely fail
 to do so71 and the rider performs her  
part moderately well1 the jump should   
not be repeated4 ,if1 however1 it is    
necessary again to go through the       
instruction1 the horse should not be put
 at the place back again1 but the end of
 the canvas be rolled up and the wattle 
removed1 so as to admit of his passing  
to the longer reach of the school4      
,these lessons should be given daily    
until the pupil executes them with the  

requisite energy and correctness of     
riding1 the instructor taking special   
care never to ask his pupil1 however1 to
 do such jumps unless he sees that she  
is quite equal in health and good       
spirits to the occasion4 ,for riding    
which requires any extra dash about it  
must never be attempted by anybody if   
they are at all out of nerve4  ,after   
the pupil does the brook well1 it may be
 replaced by a double set of gorsed     
hurdles1 placed just so far apart as to 
necessitate their being done at a single
 jump4 ,in this case1 however1 the      
pupil1 while giving her horse by the    
action of her hands sufficient scope to 
allow him to jump a considerable        
distance1 should not be allowed to ride 
so fast at the obstacle1 about half the 
speed necessary to do water being quite 
sufficient2 and the off-side hurdles    
should be so placed that if the horse   
strikes them they will give way4  ,as a 
rule ladies do not perform1 even in     
,leicestershire1 over big double fences1

 or very strong oxers1 and the          
indication of what is required to do    
them should be sufficient for riding    
school practice4  ,as ,i have elsewhere 
observed1 a horse will jump higher and  
further when going with hounds than you 
can with safety ask him to do when in   
cool blood1 or when only roused to      
extraordinary effort by the use of the  
spur or whip4 ,and no man in his senses 
in the hunting field would ever think of
 piloting a lady to a place which he    
would only ride at himself at a pinch4  
,such jumps1 therefore1 as ,i have      
endeavoured to describe within doors    
should represent the biggest which most 
ladies are likely to encounter with in a
 fair hunting country4 ,as regards      
riding over a fence1 with the curb rein 
unrelieved by the snaffle1 the practice 
should be as follows3  ,a hurdle should 
be well sloped1 so as to render the leap
 a very moderate one4 ,the rider should 
quit her hold of the reins1 which should
 be knotted and fastened by a thong to  

the mane4 ,a leading rein should then be
 attached to the ring of the snaffle1   
and the horse led quietly up to the     
fence1 and halted4 ,the pupil should    
then draw her hands back until they are 
in the same position as she would place 
them in putting her horse at his jump1  
with the hands closed firmly1 which will
 give steadiness to the body4 ,she must 
take a determined hold of the upper     
pommel with her right knee1 and be ready
 with the figure perfectly poised to    
throw her weight back at the proper     
moment2 placing her left thigh also     
firmly against the third crutch1 her    
foot well home in the stirrup and well  
forward1 the shoulders perfectly square1
 and the waist quite pliant4 ,an        
assistant should then crack a whip      
smartly in rear of the horse1 without   
hitting him2 this will cause him to     
spring lightly over the hurdle4 ,if the 
position of the pupil before the horse  
takes off is carefully looked to1 there 
will be little derangement of seat4     

,this lesson should be repeated until it
 is executed with precision4 ,at the    
same time1 two or three jumps of this   
sort are quite sufficient in one day1   
because1 if repeated too often1 the     
horse1 missing the support of the hand1 
is apt to blunder4 ,when the lady can   
ride over her fence in the above-named  
form1 she should take up and arrange her
 reins1 so that1 while that of the      
snaffle is not in the horse's way1 she  
feels him on the curb only4 ,she should 
give him fair length of rein1 draw her  
left hand back to her waist1 and place  
the right hand lightly on the left1 just
 in front of the knuckles2 but the reins
 should be held military fashion--the   
little finger between them1 the leather 
over the middle joint of the forefinger1
 the thumb closed firmly on it1 the     
little finger well turned up towards the
 waist4 ,the horse must be ridden at a  
smart walk1 well up against the curb1   
until he is close enough to the hurdle  
to jump4 ,the whip must again be used1  

and the instructor's word again sharply 
given1 when the pupil should yield both 
hands freely1 turning the little fingers
 downwards1 and slipping the elbows     
forward4 ,great firmness and steadiness 
of seat are necessary to do this lesson 
well1 and considerable practice is      
necessary to insure complete unity of   
action in the body and hands1 the former
 being yielded quickly as the latter is 
actively thrown back4 ,to assist the    
pupil in her first attempts at this     
portion of the leaping lesson1 the curb 
chain should be slackened as much as    
possible1 and it should be one that is  
broad and well padded4  ,as the lady    
acquires the requisite lightness of     
manipulation and additional firmness in 
the saddle1 the curb 7link by link7 may 
be tightened until it is in its proper  
place1 namely1 so that it admits of the 
play of one finger only between it and  
the jaw of the horse4 ,but the greatest 
care on the part of the instructor is   
necessary in watching how both horse and

 rider behave before this can be        
accomplished4  ,the lesson is called    
technically jumping from the hand1 and  
once thoroughly acquired1 the pupil has 
little to learn1 as regards indoor work1
 in the way of riding over her fences4  
,she may in that respect be considered  
fit to take her place any time at the   
covert side1 and hold her own1 under    
proper pilotage1 with hounds1 where of  
course she will use snaffle and curb    
reins equally1 or according to the      
temper and breaking of her mount4       
,during the leaping lessons1 and in fact
 throughout the whole course of         
equitation up to this point1 the pupil  
should be put upon as many different    
horses as possible consistent with her  
progress1 care always being taken that  
she is thoroughly master of one before  
she is put upon another4 ,the action of 
horses varies so much in degree1 no     
matter how much from similarity of breed
 and form it may assimilate in kind1    
that to attain anything like proficiency

 the rider's mount requires frequent    
changing2 otherwise1 when put upon a    
strange horse1 she would find herself   
sorely at a loss4  ,with the exception  
of one practice1 which in some degree   
resembles the leaping lesson1 we may now
 safely dismiss our fair pupil from     
technical indoor instruction1 except in 
the way of an occasional refresher1     
whenever those about her discover any   
inclination to lapse into a careless    
form of riding4 ,this both men and women
 are so apt to do 7imperceptibly to     
themselves71 that an occasional sharp   
drilling does no harm to the most       
practised rider of either sex4  ,the    
final instruction to be given in the    
school is called the ,plunging ,lesson1 
and maybe briefly described as follows1 
premising that although it is the       
bounden duty of every man who has       
anything to do with a lady's riding to  
avoid by every means allowing her to be 
put on a restive horse1 yet it is always
 possible that1 from some unavoidable   

cause1 a lady 7especially in the        
colonies7 may some day find herself on a
 bad-mannered animal that will set to   
with her4 ,in order1 therefore1 that in 
such an undesirable case she may not be 
at a loss1 it is well that when         
thoroughly practised in leaping1 she    
should be put upon a horse that will    
kick smartly whenever he is called upon 
by the master4 ,such a horse is useful  
for the above purpose1 and is generally 
to be found in most riding              
establishments4 ,the trick is easily    
enough taught1 and requires no          
description4 ,neither is it at all      
incompatible with general good manners4 
,the first thing1 then1 as regards the  
pupil1 is to impress upon her that      
whenever a horse sets to kicking with   
her1 that her tactics should consist    
first in keeping his head up1 and1      
secondly1 in finding him something else 
to do than kick4  ,a horse cannot have  
his head and his tail up at the same    
time1 therefore1 when he kicks1 his     

first effort is to get his head down4   
,this should be immediately counteracted
 by the rider sitting well back1 keeping
 her hands up as high as her elbows1    
feeling the horse firmly on the curb    
reins as well as the snaffle held in one
 hand1 while she applies the whip       
vigorously across his neck4 ,this will  
have the effect of causing him to keep  
his head up and go to the front4 ,the   
same firm treatment will be successful  
in most cases where a horse attempts to 
plunge4 ,but in the latter case the hand
 must be yielded if there is any attempt
 to rear1 and if the last-named         
dangerous vice is carried to any length1
 the rider should not hesitate to take  
fast hold of the mane1 or put her hand  
in front of the horse's neck4 ,both     
rearing or plunging1 however1 may be    
effectually prevented by the use of the 
circular bit and martingale1 described  
under the heading ,rearing ,horses and  
,runaway ,dogs in the ,field of ,nov4   
#aa1 #ahga4 ,in my humble opinion1 every

 lady going to ,india and the colonies  
should have one or two such bits among  
her outfit of saddlery1 and if properly 
fitted in the horse's mouth1 all risk of
 rearing or even violent flirting is    
done away with4 ,such tackle1 however1  
does not prevent a horse from kicking1  
and although no lady should ever attempt
 to ride one that is possessed          
habitually of this vice1 a sudden       
accession of kicking may arise in an    
otherwise good-meaning horse from some  
ill-fitting of the saddle1 or similar   
casualty1 causing tender back or        
otherwise upsetting him4 ,of course1 no 
punishment should be resorted to in     
these cases2 but it is as well for a    
lady to be able to keep her seat in such
 an emergency1 and this she will easily 
do if she keeps the horse's head up1 and
 her leg well pressed against the third 
crutch4  ,on ,brighton ,downs1 some     
years ago1 ,i saw a young lady          
thoroughly master a kicking horse in the
 manner above described1 accompanied1   

however1 with a considerable amount of  
punishment1 most resolutely applied with
 a formidable whalebone whip4 ,no second
 glance was necessary to perceive that  
in this case the lady was well aware of 
the horse's propensity1 and had come out
 for the purpose of thoroughly taking it
 out of him1 which certainly she did    
effectually1 and as he was a            
vicious-looking weedy thoroughbred1 it  
served him right4  ,but ,i must again   
enter my protest against ladies running 
such risks1 however accomplished they   
may be as horsewomen4 ,let them accept  
the respectful advice of a veteran1 and 
avoid vicious horses4 ,brutes that run  
back1 plunge1 rear1 or kick from sheer  
vice 7and there are many that do7 are   
fit only for the riding of the rougher  
sex1 and only of such of them as have   
the ill fortune to be compelled to get  
their living by riding4 ,the so-called  
plunging lessons above alluded to1      
however1 will give a lady a thorough    
insight into the form in which to ride  

in case of emergency4     ,,chapter     
,,xv4  ,,the ,,hunting ,,field4   ,we   
enter now upon a new and important phase
 of our pupil's education in the saddle4
 ,before doing so1 however1 ,i feel     
bound to observe that from time to time 
a vast amount of twaddle is ventilated  
on the question of the propriety of     
ladies riding with hounds4 ,all sorts of
 absurd objections have been brought    
forward against the practice2 as1 for   
instance1 that hunting as regards ladies
 is a mere excuse for display and       
flirtation1 and that it is both         
unfeminine and dangerous4 ,i believe    
that these objections1 made by people   
who never knew the glorious exhilaration
 of hunting1 may be very briefly        
disposed of4 ,i reside where the very   
cream of the midland hunting is carried 
on1 and ,i perceive that year after year
 the number of ladies of high rank and  
social position who grace the field with
 their presence is on the increase2     
while to the best of my belief no female

 equestrians who are not ladies have    
been seen with hounds in ,leicestershire
 or its vicinity for some years4 ,so    
much for the stamp of woman that hunts  
nowadays4  ,as regards flirtation and   
display1 ,i am at a loss to understand  
why anti-foxhunting cynics should have  
selected the covert side1 or the road to
 it1 for their diatribes2 for there can 
be no time for flirting when hounds are 
once away4 ,it must be manifest to every
 man who has the most remote notion of  
what manner of people our aristocracy   
and gentry are1 that they will only know
 at the covert side precisely the same  
stamp of person they meet elsewhere in  
society4 ,in that society there are     
dinner parties1 flower shows1 balls1 the
 opera1 all affording equal or better   
opportunities for flirtation than the   
hunting field4 ,as to hunting being     
unfeminine1 it is difficult1 ,i submit1 
to pronounce it any more so than riding 
in ,rotten-row4 ,and finally1 as regards
 danger1 ,i propose to show how it can  

be rendered all but impossible if due   
care and forethought are exercised by   
the male friends or relatives of the    
hunting lady4 ,let us now1 therefore1   
having traced out the course of         
instruction in the riding school1 on the
 road1 and in the park1 consider how    
safety is best ensured to the beginner4 
,as regards the stamp of horse the fair 
debutante of the chase should ride1 ,i  
have already endeavoured to give my     
idea4 ,i have only to add that he should
 be very fit for his work1 the pink of  
condition1 without being above himself2 
and1 finally1 that no temptation as to  
fine action or clever fencing should    
ever induce a lady to ride a hunter that
 has a particle of vice about him4 ,with
 the best of piloting it is impossible  
always to keep her out of a crowd1 where
 she is in a woeful dilemma if mounted  
on a horse that kicks at others4 ,i have
 seen this more than once1 and have     
heard expressions from the suffering    
riders that must have been far from     

pleasing to refined feminine ears4 ,i   
must1 however1 record a special instance
 of politeness under difficulties which 
,i witnessed during the past season4    
,hounds were running with a breast-high 
scent1 the pace very fast1 when the     
leading division had their extended     
front diminished to single file by a big
 bullfincher1 practicable only in one   
place4 ,among those waiting their turn  
to jump was a lady who always rides very
 forward4 ,she was mounted on a         
rare-shaped1 blood-like animal1 that    
looked all over like seeing the end of a
 long day1 but exhibited considerable   
impatience at the check4 ,in some cases1
 as all hunting people know1 the        
difficulty is always increased to those 
who are compelled to wait by a ruck of  
riders crowding up from the rear4 ,the  
case ,i allude to was no exception to   
this rule1 and among others came a      
welter middle-aged gentleman1 riding a  
horse quite up to his weight--a grand   
hunting looking animal1 that appeared   

intent upon clearing every obstacle in  
his path1 not excepting the impatient   
ones who were doing the gap in ,indian  
file4 ,the veteran1 however1 who was a  
capital horseman1 managed to pull up his
 too-eager steed just in rear of the    
lady's horse1 and was forthwith         
accommodated with a most vicious kick   
with his near hind leg4 ,fortunately1   
the distance was too great to admit of  
the stout gentleman receiving the full  
benefit of the intended favour1 which   
nevertheless made his boot-top rattle1  
and materially altered the genial       
expression of his rubicund visage4      
,turning gracefully in her saddle1 the  
fair votary of the chase expressed her  
deep regret at the bad behaviour of her 
horse4 ,i am very sorry--awfully sorry2 
,i hope you are not hurt1 she said1 in a
 tone which ought to have consoled any  
middle-aged sportsman for a broken shin4
 ,i never knew him to do it before1     
continued the lady4 ,pray don't say a   
word1 ,miss1 replied the old gentleman1 

taking off his hat with a genuine       
thoroughbred air2 don't say a word2 they
 are only dangerous when they do it     
behind4 ,whether they do it behind or   
before1 kick in a crowd at other horses1
 or hit at hounds with their fore feet  
7as some thoroughbreds will do when     
excited71 they are equally disqualified 
for ladies' hunters1 however gaily they 
may sail over the turf or clear the     
obstacles in their way4  ,to proceed    
with our lessons4 ,before venturing to  
take our aspirant for the honours of the
 chase to a regular meet of             
foxhounds--where she is apt to become   
excited1 and possibly unnerved by the   
imposing array of pink1 gallant         
horsemen1 and aristocratic ladies riding
 steeds of fabulous price1 dashing      
equipages1 and thrusting foot people1   
always ready to embarrass a beginner--it
 is best to seek out a quiet line nearly
 all arable land1 where the fences will 
be small1 where there are few ditches to
 be met with1 and where the going on the

 stubble or fallow will be good enough  
when the crops are off the ground4 ,the 
pupil should wear a hunting skirt       
properly so called--that is1 one not too
 redundant1 made of strong cloth1 and   
booted with leather about eight or ten  
inches wide round the bottom4 ,this is a
 very necessary precaution1 because it  
prevents the skirt from hanging up in   
the fences and getting torn4 ,hunting   
boots also should be worn1              
back-strapped1 tongued in at the foot1  
and reaching nearly to the knee1 the    
upper part made of thick but very       
flexible leather--buckskin is the best4 
,it is soft1 and at the same time thick 
enough to save the leg from a blow from 
a strong binder1 which occasionally hits
 very hard in its rebound1 having been  
previously bent forward by somebody who 
has just jumped the fence4  ,a          
,latchford spur of the sort before      
described is also requisite1 and the    
question of the arrangement of skirt    
necessary to enable the rider to use the

 spur effectively has caused            
considerable diversity of opinion among 
cognoscenti on hunting matters4 ,some   
ladies have an opening made in the      
skirt1 through which the shank of the   
spur passes2 and in order to keep the   
latter in its place1 it is usual to have
 a couple of strings strongly stitched  
on to the inside of the skirt4 ,these   
are tied round the ankle1 and prevent   
the skirt to a great extent from getting
 foul of the spur4 ,but this method     
decidedly involves a certain amount of  
risk1 because1 in case of the horse     
making a blunder and falling1 the lady  
has not the free use of her leg4 ,again1
 there is a method of letting the spur  
shank through a small opening similar to
 a large eyelet hole1 made of strong    
elastic1 and let into the skirt1 the    
point of insertion having been          
previously measured when the rider is in
 the saddle and her left leg and foot   
are properly placed as regards the third
 crutch and stirrup4 ,but a still better

 way is that which ,i have seen adopted 
lately by several ladies who go very    
straight with hounds4 ,it is as follows4
 ,after the skirt has been carefully    
measured and marked 7the lady up71 an   
opening is made perpendicularly1 large  
enough to admit of the lady's foot      
passing through it4 ,this opening should
 be made about six or eight inches above
 the place where the ankle will touch   
the skirt1 when the left leg is fairly  
stretched down1 the knee bent1 and the  
heel sunk4 ,when the instructor has     
assisted his pupil into the saddle1 he  
should put her foot in the stirrup1 and 
wait until she has carefully arranged   
her habit2 he should then take her foot 
out again1 and the lady should lift it  
high enough to enable her attendant to  
pass it through the opening4 ,the foot  
can then be replaced in the stirrup1 and
 the spur buckled on4 ,the upper leather
 7by the way7 should be broad and       
slightly padded4 ,by these means the    
left foot and the leg from six to eight 

inches above the ankle will be entirely 
clear of the skirt1 which will give the 
rider perfect freedom of action1 while  
the opening is not sufficiently wide to 
admit of the skirt being blown clear of 
the leg4 ,this1 moreover1 is prevented  
by the leather booting2 in fact1 in a   
well-made hunting skirt there should be 
no slack cloth for the winds to play    
with at all4  ,the kind of whip to be   
used is the crop 7without the thong7 of 
a hunting whip2 a ,malacca crop is the  
best for a lady1 because the lightest4  
,it should have a good crook to it1 well
 roughened on the outside1 and be       
furnished1 moreover1 with a roughened   
nail head1 in order to prevent the crop 
slipping when the rider attempts to open
 a gate4 ,gauntlet gloves with strong   
leather tops are best1 because they     
prevent the possibility of the rider's  
hands being scratched or injured in     
jumping a ragged fence2 but if the lady 
dislikes gauntlets1 the sleeve of the   
jacket should be made to fasten with    

three buttons close to the wrist1       
because the sleeves now so much in      
fashion1 being very wide at the wrist1  
are apt in taking a fence to catch and  
get torn1 in addition to the risk of the
 rider being pulled off her horse4      
,these casualties1 which of course      
cannot occur with the clean-made jump   
taken in the riding school1 are likely  
enough to happen in the field1 and      
should be carefully guarded against4    
,as regards the shape and make of the   
jacket ,i have already said so much1    
that ,i must leave it to the taste and  
figure of the rider1 always assuming    
that while she allows herself plenty of 
freedom of movement1 she does not wear  
anything too loose1 or any steel        
supports about her1 as for hunting these
 are highly dangerous4  ,as regards     
headgear1 the same style of thing that  
sufficed for the riding school may not  
be considered sufficiently effective for
 the hunting field2 and1 without        
venturing upon ground so delicate as an 

opinion or even knowledge of ladies'    
coiffure1 ,i may say that at ,melton and
 other fashionable hunting centres there
 has for some time existed an artful    
combination between the ladies' hat     
makers and the hairdressers1 by means of
 which that very elegant affair the     
,melton hat is deftly fitted with an    
arrangement of hair behind which is     
immovable1 no matter where the wearer   
jumps in hunting4 ,the hairdresser's    
services are first called into          
requisition2 possibly he imparts the    
arcana of his craft to the lady's maid2 
but one or other succeeds in making such
 an arrangement of the hair as renders  
it at once secure in riding and becoming
 to the style of the lady herself4 ,the 
hat with the hair attached behind is    
then placed on the head1 and secured by 
an invisible elastic band4 ,should any  
of my readers desire information on     
these matters1 so important to a lady's 
comfort in the hunting field1 ,i can    
furnish them with the names of the      

people in ,melton and elsewhere who can 
give them every detail4  ,having our    
pupil accoutred as before described1 and
 taken her to a quiet farm1 the         
instructor should pick out a line1 start
 at a walk in front of his charge1 pop  
his horse quietly over the fences1 and  
see that his pupil does them with equal 
coolness and without rush or hurry4     
,when she can do this well1 the pace    
should be increased to a steady canter2 
and the master riding beside her should 
be careful that she steadies her horse  
three or four lengths before he takes   
off1 always riding him well into the    
bridle4  ,this kind of practice should  
be continued for some days1 until the   
pupil is quite at home at her work1 and 
the master should then proceed to       
instruct her as to the mode in which to 
make her horse crawl through gaps and   
crooked1 cramped places1 and do on and  
off jumps and doubles4 ,the animal best 
adapted for this sort of practice is one
 that is clever rather than fast4 ,an   

,irish horse1 out of a ditch and bank   
country1 is preferable4 ,but the        
instructor should take special care1 by 
first doing these on and off jumps      
himself1 to ascertain that the banks are
 sound2 otherwise there is danger of    
just the worst kind of fall a woman can 
have4 ,we have lately had a lamentable  
instance of this in the case of a noble 
lady1 one of the most brilliant         
horsewomen in ,england4  ,for my own    
part1 ,i am entirely against a lady     
jumping her horse in the field at any   
place where there can be the slightest  
doubt as to good foothold1 unless she is
 preceded by a man to pilot her4 ,if the
 latter gets down1 he can always        
7assuming him to be a good workman7 get 
clear of his steed1 whereas at these    
rotten places a lady and her horse are  
likely to fall all of a heap1 and injury
 greater or less is a certainty to the  
rider4  ,not long since ,i saw a little 
girl1 about ten years old1 riding with  
hounds on a mite of a pony which was as 

clever as a monkey4 ,the little heroine 
took a line of her own 7no doubt she    
knew the country well71 and kept her    
place among the foremost for some time2 
presently she disappeared1 and we found 
her impounded1 pony and all1 up to the  
back of the latter in a piece of rotten 
ground which had let them in like a jack
 in the box4 ,neither the pony nor his  
plucky little rider were hurt1 but 7as  
they say in ,ireland7 that was more by  
good luck than good guiding4  ,i        
maintain that children at that age      
should never be left in the hunting     
field to their own devices1 however well
 they may ride1 and that1 either in     
their case or that of young ladies of   
riper age1 they should never be allowed 
to go with hounds1 unless accompanied by
 a man who is not only a thorough       
horseman and judge of hunting1 but is   
also well acquainted with the country he
 is riding over1 and accustomed to pilot
 ladies4  ,after the pupil has learned  
to make her horse creep in the manner   

above described--to insure success in   
which1 however1 the closest watching is 
necessary on the part of the instructor1
 and directions requisite in each       
individual case1 utterly impossible in  
written general instructions--she should
 be carefully taught to open gates for  
herself1 because it is nearly sure      
hereafter to occur that she may have to 
ride at a pinch in a country place where
 her route lies through a line of bridle
 gates1 and the attendance of a man to  
open them for her may not be available4 
,nothing is easier than for a lady to   
open a well-hung and well-latched gate1 
the hinges of which are on the off side4
 ,bridle gates occur most frequently in 
great grazing countries1 such as        
,leicestershire1 ,warwickshire1 or      
,northamptonshire1 by reason of the     
necessity of confining cattle within    
certain limits4 ,the gates are generally
 heavy1 well poised on their hinges1 and
 opening either with wooden latching or 
iron spring ones1 easily reached at the 

top4  ,if the gate is hung on the off   
side1 all the lady has to do is to ride 
her horse with his head in an oblique   
direction between the gatepost and the  
gate1 so that when she has the latter   
open she can continue moving on in the  
same slanting direction4 ,she should    
first press the end of her crop down    
upon the latch1 if it is a wooden one1  
keeping herself perfectly upright in the
 saddle1 and steadily seated in it4     
,directly the latch lifts she should    
press firmly against it with the rough  
crook1 push the gate open1 and press her
 horse onwards in the same oblique      
direction1 by which the animal's croup  
clears the gate sooner1 and all risk of 
its closing on him is avoided4 ,if there
 is a long iron spring latch to the     
gate1 it must first be pulled open with 
the crop1 so that the latch rests       
against the hasp1 and a steady purchase 
must then be taken against the upper bar
 with the crop1 and the gate thus       
quietly pushed forward3 this if it opens

 from the rider4 ,if the reverse1 the   
horse's head should be kept perfectly   
square close to the gate post1 until the
 latch is lifted and rested on the hasp4
 ,the gate should then be pulled open1  
and the horse's head inclined just the  
reverse way to that adopted when the    
gate opens from the rider4 ,but in no   
case should she lean forward1 or put    
herself out of her balance1 in order to 
get hold of the latch or the gate       
itself1 and she should be particularly  
careful that the reins do not catch     
against the long iron hasps so common to
 the gates ,i speak of4  ,only last     
year1 ,i met a lady who rides a good    
deal unattended1 and1 seeing her about  
to open a gate ,i knew to be rather an  
awkward one1 ,i trotted on to assist    
her2 but 7possibly desiring to show me  
that she could do it unassisted7 she    
leant forward to give the gate a lift1  
and in doing so she dropped the reins   
upon her horse's neck1 when the animal  
immediately hooked the headstall of a   

single curb bridle upon a long iron     
hasp1 and1 finding himself fast to it1  
drew back suddenly and broke the        
headstall1 the bit fell out of his      
mouth1 and the lady 7utterly helpless7  
had no alternative but to slip off as   
quickly as possible4 ,fortunately1 the  
animal was a very quiet one1 or the     
consequences might have been serious2 as
 it was1 we managed to change bridles1  
and1 having spliced the broken one1 went
 on our separate ways4 ,but1 ,i repeat1 
one cannot be too careful or methodical 
in opening gates4 ,when one opens from  
the near side1 the reins must be passed 
into the right hand1 the crop into the  
left1 and the greatest care taken1 if   
the gate opens to the rider1 to push it 
well back behind the horse's quarters   
before she moves on1 riding with her    
horse's head towards the hinges4 ,when a
 near-side hung gate opens from the     
rider1 there is less difficulty1 it     
being only necessary after lifting the  
latch to push against the gate with the 

crop1 sitting quite upright1 and giving 
swing enough to the gate to enable the  
rider to get clear of it4 ,but in either
 case1 to or from1 with a gate hung on  
the near side the latch should first be 
lifted1 by using the crop in the right  
hand1 resting the latch if possible     
against the hasp1 and then changing     
hands with the crop and reins as before 
mentioned4 ,if this is not done1 and the
 rider attempts to lift the latch with  
her left hand1 she must change the      
direction of her horse's head when the  
gate is open1 at the great risk of      
bringing it on his quarters4  ,these    
directions1 like others ,i have ventured
 upon1 may appear too minute2 but it    
should be remembered that1 whereas1     
carefully followed out1 a lady on a     
steady horse accustomed to gates can    
open them with safety1 any carelessness 
may result in a bad accident1 because   
the steadiest horse1 if hung up in a    
gate1 will become furious if he cannot  
instantly get clear of it4 ,when1       

therefore1 the pupil is well practiced  
at this sort of work1 and has learned to
 feel her way in cramped places as well 
as to do her fences at a steady canter1 
a fair half-speed gallop may be ventured
 on1 the pupil setting her horse going1 
and pressing him if necessary with the  
spur1 to take his fences in his stride1 
the spur being used1 however1 some      
distance from the fence4 ,the master    
should ride beside his pupil in this    
lesson1 carefully watching the pace of  
the horse and the action of the rider4  
,a nice easy line of about a couple of  
miles should be taken1 and the pace     
maintained throughout4 ,a month of this 
kind of practice will form a capital    
introductory step to hunting3 and when1 
in the mild misty mornings of           
russet-brown ,october1 foxhounds begin  
to beat up the quarters of the vulpine  
juveniles1 abjuring her beauty sleep1   
the lady may with advantage1 before the 
early village cock proclaims the dawn1  
don her hunting habiliments1 and1 under 

the careful tutelage of her pilot1 trot 
off to covert and see the beauties knock
 the cubs about4  ,this is by far the   
best way to begin hunting in reality4   
,there are very few people about at that
 early hour1 and those only who are     
thorough enthusiasts about the sport2   
consequently there is more time for the 
new votary of ,diana to get accustomed  
to the alteration in her horse's form of
 demeaning himself4 ,for be it known to 
the uninitiated that even an old horse1 
that requires kicking and hammering     
along a road when ridden alone1 is quite
 a different animal and mover the       
instant he sees the hounds1 and will    
show an amount of vivacity perhaps very 
little expected by his rider2 while a   
well-bred young one requires a great    
deal of riding on such occasions4  ,the 
short bursts sometimes obtained in cub  
hunting are capital practice for a lady2
 while occasionally a veteran fox1 some 
wily old purloiner of poultry1 affords a
 good twenty or five-and-twenty minutes1

 even when the fences are blind4 ,i     
recommend our pilot1 however1 to keep   
his charge out of these latter matters1 
for blind jumping is always bad for a   
lady4  ,as regards taking a beginner out
 with harriers1 ,i am against it4 ,it is
 very well for invalids or corpulent    
gentlemen who are doing a               
constitutional2 but it teaches a young  
lady nothing of what is really meant by 
hunting--which1 however1 she is in a    
first-rate position to learn with the   
cubs4  ,staghunting with a deer turned  
out from a cart and caught with a       
whipthong1 is equally inefficacious1    
because the hunting as a rule only      
commences when the run is over4         
,moreover1 there is always a crowd of   
people who come out for riding only1 and
 care nothing about hunting1 and these  
are the most likely to get into a lady's
 way1 and bring her to grief4  ,the same
 may be said of drag hunting1 which ,i  
hold to be no place for a lady1 any more
 than steeplechasing4  ,let us then1    

legitimately to inaugurate our pupil    
into the usages and forms of hunting    
proper1 stick to cub hunting until      
,november opens the fences and gives her
 a chance to prove the value of her     
previous instruction4  ,before closing  
this article1 ,i cannot refrain from    
citing an instance of the great value of
 a lady learning to cross the country   
well1 irrespective of the sport of      
foxhunting and its health-giving and    
exhilarating effects4 ,within ten miles 
of where ,i write this resides a lady1  
young1 wealthy1 and beautiful1 who1     
although not a religious recluse1 is as 
thorough and sincere a devotee of       
religion as any cloistered nun4 ,her    
whole time is spent in acts of charity1 
and ministering to the spiritual and    
bodily welfare of the poor for miles    
round her residence4 ,no weather is too 
inclement1 no night too dark1 to stop   
her on her errands of mercy and charity4
 ,if summoned even at the dead of night 
to attend the bedside of a sick or dying

 person1 as frequently happens1 she will
 dress herself quickly in rough         
habiliments suitable to it--maybe in    
tempestuous weather--saddle and bridle a
 horse herself if her people are not    
quick enough for her1 and1 provided with
 cordials1 a prayer book1 and a long    
hunting crop1 she will gallop off the   
nearest way to her destination1 taking  
the fences1 if they lie in the road1 as 
they come2 and one bright moonlight     
night ,i saw her do two or three places 
that would stop half the men that ride  
to hounds hereabouts4 ,this lady1 who   
may fairly and without exaggeration be  
called the ministering angel of the     
district1 does not1 it is true1 hunt    
now2 but it was in riding to hounds that
 she acquired her wonderful facility of 
getting over the country4  ,the above is
 no sensational story4 ,the lady1 her   
brilliant riding1 her true religion1 and
 her charities1 are well known1 and can 
be vouched for by hundreds of people in 
this part of the world4 ,who shall say  

after this that hunting is unfeminine8  
,i have a word more to add1 according to
 promise1 as regards the fitting of the 
circular bit4  ,this bit1 which can     
always be procured at ,messrs4 ,davis's1
 saddler1 #ad1 ,strand1 is fitted in the
 horse's mouth above the mouthpiece of a
 snaffle or ,pelham bridle4 ,it has a   
separate headstall1 and is put on before
 the ordinary bridle4 ,it requires no   
reins1 is secured by a standing         
martingale to a breastplate1 and is a   
certain remedy for horses flirting or   
rearing when too fresh 7which1 however1 
,i repeat1 for a lady's riding should   
never be allowed74  ,the strap between  
the breastplate and the ring bit should 
be just long enough to enable the horse 
to move freely forward1 without liberty 
enough to admit of his rearing4  ,in the
 next chapter ,i will endeavour to      
describe what regular hunting for a lady
 means2 point out the readiest way of   
getting to our most fashionable packs of
 hounds2 and how ladies residing even in

 the metropolis may enjoy a day or two  
of good sport on this fine grass country
 at the least necessary expense1 may    
witness and enjoy hunting in its        
perfection1 and1 if requisite1 may      
breakfast in ,mayfair or ,belgravia1    
have a glorious gallop over the ,midland
 pastures1 and return to a late dinner4 
,of course ,i am aware that neither of  
the above-named localities is likely to 
hold many hunting ladies in ,november4  
,but the fashionable quarters of ,london
 are not deserted in ,february1 and     
spring hunting is perhaps after all the 
most enjoyable4     ,,chapter ,,xvi4    
,,the ,,hunting ,,field 7continued74    
,among the many advantages afforded by  
the iron road to lovers of hunting there
 is none more appreciable than the      
facility it affords to those who reside 
in a non-foxhunting country of getting  
to hounds with ease and rapidity4       
,without any greater inconvenience than 
the necessity of early rising1 a lady   
who lives in ,tyburnia or ,belgravia may

 easily enjoy a day's hunting in        
,warwickshire or ,leicestershire1 and be
 in her own home again in reasonable    
time in the evening4  ,during the early 
spring hunting of the present year1     
several ladies came to ,market          
,harborough and ,melton on these        
sporting expeditions1 and returned the  
same day thoroughly satisfied4  ,one    
party1 consisting of three ladies and as
 many gentlemen1 seemed to me to have   
been admirably organised1 and to be     
quite a success throughout4  ,they left 
,saint ,pancras at eight o'clock in the 
morning1 in a saloon carriage1 arrived  
at ,melton at half-past ten1 and were at
 the meet at eleven1 with military      
punctuality4 ,they enjoyed a capital day
 with the ,quorn hounds1 left ,melton at
 half-past six1 after riding a          
considerable distance back1 and arrived 
in town at nine o'clock4  ,a novel and  
agreeable feature in the arrangement was
 that the party dined in their luxurious
 carriage while being whirled back to   

the metropolis1 a first-class dinner and
 the best of wines having been furnished
 from the hotel1 and served in admirable
 form4 ,after the journey and the sport 
one of the ladies 7,i was told7 held a  
numerously attended and fashionable     
reception at her own house the same     
evening2 and with a brougham in waiting 
at ,st4 ,pancras1 and a pair of fast    
horses1 joined to the wonderful         
smartness 7if ,i may be permitted the   
expression7 displayed by the fair and   
aristocratic votary of ,diana in the    
field1 ,i should think the thing quite  
possible as regarded time4  ,the        
above-named party was mounted at ,melton
 by some friends2 but1 by giving fair   
notice1 thoroughly good and well-made   
hunters can always be secured by any of 
the ,midland hunting centres by those   
who do not care to rail their own horses
 from ,london4 ,market ,harborough is   
still more accessible than ,melton1     
being but two hours from ,london1 and   
situated in the centre of a splendid    

grass country1 hunted by ,mr4 ,tailby2  
while a smart trot of eight miles would 
bring the sporting voyageur to ,kilworth
 ,sticks and the ,pytchley1 provided the
 right day was selected4 ,rugby1 too1 is
 equally accessible1 and boasts a fair  
hotel1 where the charges are not more   
extortionate than they are at           
,harborough1 which is saying a good     
deal4 ,the hunting in the vicinity of   
,rugby1 however1 amply compensates for a
 little overdoing in the matter of      
charges4  ,it is scarcely possible to go
 to ,rugby the wrong day to get at      
hounds within a reasonable distance1 and
 some of the meets of that admirable    
pack1 the ,north ,warwickshire1 are     
frequently at such picturesque and      
convenient trysting places as ,bilton   
,grange--now celebrated by the          
,tichborne trial1 and sworn to as the   
place where the ,claimant was not4      
,however this may be1 a straight-necked 
and wily gentleman is generally to be   
found at home1 either in the plantations

 of the grand old demesne or close by at
 ,bunker's ,hill or ,cawston ,spinney1  
who is tolerably certain to lead the    
claimants for his brush a merry dance   
across the glorious grass country to    
,barby1 ,shuckborough1 or ,ashby ,st4   
,leger4 ,the fences1 too1 in this part  
of the ,midlands are just the thing for 
a lady's hunting1 and1 while quite big  
enough in most cases to require a little
 doing1 they are by no means so         
formidable as those in ,high            
,leicestershire and the ,quorn country4 
,the old-fashioned bullfincher is rare1 
and double ox fences equally so1 while  
there is a pretty variety of nice       
stake-and-binders1 pleached hedges1 and 
fair-water jumping1 with an occasional  
flight of rails1 big enough to prove    
that the fair equestrian's hunter can do
 a bit of timber clean and clever4 ,in  
fact1 ,i know no country ,i would as    
soon select for a young lady to commence
 regular hunting in as that in the      
vicinity of ,rugby4 ,combe ,abbey1      

,misterton1 and ,coton ,house are all   
sweetly ,english1 as well as thoroughly 
sporting places of meeting1 and the     
truly enjoyable trot or canter over the 
springy turf1 which everywhere abounds  
by the roadside in these localities1 and
 makes the way to covert so pleasant1   
has more than once been pronounced by   
hunting critics to be more desirable    
than hunting itself in parts of ,england
 where the road is all ,macadam1 and the
 land plough1 copiously furnished with  
big flint stones1 such as one sees in   
,hampshire4 ,apropos of which charming  
country there is a sporting tale        
prevalent in this real home of the      
hunter4  ,a rich1 middle-aged1 single   
gentleman1 a thorough enthusiast about  
foxhunting1 had a nephew1 a very        
straight-going youngster1 who the       
prophetic soul of his uncle had decided 
should one day be the man of the country
 in the hunting field1 and second to    
none over our biggest country2 and1 to  
enable ,hopeful to lead the van1 the    

veteran mounted him on horses purchased 
regardless of expense4 ,furthermore1    
determined that no casualty in the way  
of breaking his own neck should suddenly
 deprive his favourite nephew of the    
golden sinews of the chase1 the old     
,nimrod made a very proper will1 leaving
 all his large property to his fortunate
 young relative4  ,things1 indeed1      
looked rosy enough for our young        
sportsman4 ,youth1 health1 wealth1 a    
capital seat1 and fine hands upon his   
horse1 any quantity of pluck1 a thorough
 knowledge of hunting1 and plenty of the
 best horses to carry him--who could    
desire more8 ,alas that it should be so6
 even the brightest sunshine may become 
overcast--the fairest prospect be       
marred--by causes never dreamt of by the
 keenest and most far seeing among us4  
,at the termination of a capital season 
in the ,midland1 our youngster1 not     
content to let well alone1 and1 like    
that greedy boy ,oliver still asking for
 more1 unknown to his worthy uncle1     

betook himself to the ,new ,forest in   
,hampshire4  ,hopeful was a sharp fellow
 enough1 and he did not believe that all
 was gold that glittered2 but he was    
under a very decided impression that    
wherever there was a good open stretch  
of green level turf it was safe to set a
 horse going4 ,alas6 the luckless young 
sportsman was not aware that in the ,new
 ,forest this is by no means a          
certainty1 and one day1 when riding to  
some staghounds1 determined to wipe the 
eye of the field1 he jumped a big place 
which nobody else seemed to care for1   
and1 taking his horse by the head1 set  
him sailing along the nearest way to the
 hounds4 ,a lovely piece of             
emerald-green turf was before him2 he   
clapped his hat firmly on1 put down his 
hands1 and1 regardless of wild cries in 
his rear1 made the pace strong4         
,suddenly and awfully as the ,master of 
,ravenswood vanished from the sight of  
the distracted ,caleb ,balderstone and  
was swallowed up in the ,kelpie's ,flow1

 so disappeared ,hopeful and his proud  
steed2 both were engulfed in a          
treacherous bog1 and1 before either     
horse or man could be extricated1 the   
pride of the ,shires was smothered in   
mud beneath his horse4  ,next season1 at
 a coffee-housing by a spinney side1    
where hounds were at work1 an old friend
 of the bereft uncle ventured to condole
 with him on his loss4  ,sad business1  
he said1 shaking his old hunting chum   
warmly by the hand2 sad business that   
about poor ,charlie down in ,hampshire6 
,sad1 indeed1 replied the veteran uncle1
 returning the friendly squeeze4 ,who   
would have thought my sister's son would
 have ever done such a thing8           
,staghunting was bad enough1 he         
continued1 as the irrepressible tear    
coursed down his furrowed cheek2        
staghunting was bad enough1 but to go at
 it in ,hampshire--,i shall never get   
over it4 ,as to his being smothered1 of 
course that served him perfectly right4 
,turning1 however1 from the above       

melancholy instance of degeneracy in    
sport to the pleasanter theme of the    
right locale in which a lady should     
commence foxhunting1 ,i must not forget 
,leamington1 the neighbourhood of which 
beautiful and fashionable watering place
 affords some capital sport to those who
 delight in woodland hunting4 ,the woods
 at ,princethorpe1 ,frankton1 and the   
vicinity1 hold some stout foxes that    
afford many a nice gallop1 while the    
country is rideable enough for a lady if
 she keeps out of the woods4            
,leamington1 too1 has first-rate        
accommodation for hunting people4 ,there
 are1 indeed1 no better hotels to be met
 with anywhere than the ,regent or the  
,clarendon1 or more moderate charges for
 first-class houses2 while the ,crown   
and the ,bath afford capital quarters   
for gentlemen1 and ample provision for  
doing their horses well4  ,the charming 
,spa1 moreover1 is at an easy distance  
from ,rugby1 and by railing a horse to  
the latter place1 ready access can be   

had to hunting in the open country1 six 
days in the week4  ,my advice1 then1 to 
young ladies1 who desire to witness     
foxhunting in perfection1 is to select  
one of the above-named localities1 and  
to put herself at once under the        
guardianship in the field of a          
thoroughly good pilot who knows the     
country4  ,words of advice to the latter
 are superfluous4 ,all the men who      
undertake the responsible office of     
guiding a lady after hounds hereabouts  
are quite at home at their business1 and
 it may be satisfactory to my fair      
readers to know1 that1 although there   
are a great number of ladies riding     
regularly with hounds in the ,north     
,warwickshire1 ,pytchley1 and           
,atherstone country1 no accident        
attended with injury to a lady rider has
 occurred within my recollection1 which 
extends over a long series of years4    
,the initiation at cub hunting will have
 given our pupil confidence1 and        
accustomed her to the excitement shown  

more or less by every horse at the sight
 of hounds2 and careful attention to the
 rules of jumping before laid down will 
insure safety if she adheres carefully  
to her pilot's line4 ,it is as well1    
however1 that she should understand     
wherein consists the reason for what her
 hunting guide does1 and what should be 
done and left undone1 from the time of  
arrival at the meet until the retour de 
chasse4  ,in the first place1 then1     
while her mentor will of course see to  
her girths and horse appointments before
 a start is made to draw a covert1 the  
lady should carefully look to her own   
dress1 head gear1 c41 and be certain    
that everything is in its place1 and    
shows no signs of giving way4 ,but if   
anything chances to be out of order--if 
she has ridden to the meet any          
considerable distance--it is best to    
dismount and repair damages at once4 ,as
 a rule1 there are always houses        
available for this1 and nimble-fingered 
dames zealous in the service of any lady

 who desires their assistance4  ,when   
the fair votary of the chase travels to 
the meet on wheels1 ,i recommend her by 
all means the use of a warm overcoat1 of
 which the ,ulster is very convenient1  
and was very much worn for the above    
purpose last season4 ,in proceeding from
 the meeting place to the covert a great
 thing is to keep out of the crowd--no  
matter how well-behaved a horse the     
rider may be on--because in a ruck there
 is always more or less danger of her   
being kicked herself4 ,the most likely  
position for a good start will of course
 be selected by the pilot2 but it should
 be remembered that to be quiet while   
hounds are at work in covert is a fixed 
law of the hunting code2 to avoid       
heading a fox when he breaks away1      
another vital point2 and no exclamation 
of surprise or wonder should be allowed 
to escape the lips1 even if a fox 7as ,i
 have seen happen more than once7 should
 run between the horses' legs4 ,foxes1  
though it may be assumed that they all  

possess a large amount of craft and     
cunning1 differ as much in nerve and    
courage as other animals2 and while one 
will sometimes dash through a little    
brigade of mounted people1 the shout of 
a small boy on foot may turn him back2  
and while ,reynard1 again1 will         
frequently rush off close to a lady's   
horse and take no notice of either him  
or his rider if both remain quiet1 the  
waving of a handkerchief1 or even the   
slightest movement of the lady on her   
steed1 may cause ,sir ,pug to alter his 
mind1 and thus a good thing may be      
spoilt4 ,for the foregoing reasons1     
therefore1 to be perfectly quiet and    
remain steady1 if near a possible point 
at which a fox can break away1 is       
indispensable4 ,when hounds are settling
 on his track great care should be taken
 to avoid getting in their road1 or in  
any way interfering with them4 ,after   
they have settled1 the object should be 
to go well to the front and keep        
there--first1 because the greatest      

enjoyment in hunting1 viz41 seeing the  
hounds work1 is by that means attained2 
and1 secondly1 whenever there is a      
check1 a lady riding well forward gets  
all the benefit of it for her horse1    
whereas those who lose ground at the    
start1 and have to follow on the line1  
keep pounding away without giving their 
horses a chance of catching their       
wind--a very material thing in a quick  
run4  ,a check of a few minutes1        
affording a good horse time1 has enabled
 many a one to stay to the end of the   
longest run1 when an equally good animal
 has been pumped in the same thing for  
want of such a respite from his         
exertions4  ,again1 a great point to be 
observed is to maintain such a position 
as will enable the rider to turn with   
the hounds at the right moment2         
resolutely resisting any temptation in  
order to cut off ground1 to turn too    
soon1 and risk spoiling sport by        
crossing their line4  ,it should be     
remembered that it is quite as easy to  

jump the fences when one is in the front
 rank1 as it is when sculling along with
 the rear guard1 and much safer1 because
 the ground always affords better       
foothold and landing1 when it has not   
been poached up by a number of people   
jumping4 ,this is especially the case   
after a frost1 when the going is at all 
greasy4  ,even in cases when hounds slip
 an entire field1 and get the fun all to
 themselves1 still those who get away   
well at first will have all the best of 
the stern chase4  ,if1 fortunately1 our 
fair tyro is well up when a fox is run  
into and killed1 she should carefully   
avoid getting too close to the hounds   
when they are at their broken-up prey4  
,there are always keen eyes about that  
can discern on these occasions whether a
 lady has been riding straight and well1
 and there will not be wanting some     
gallant cavalier to offer her the       
tribute due to her dash and good        
workmanship1 in the shape of that       
coveted trophy of the chase1 the brush4 

,there may1 however1 be more than one   
lady up on these occasions 7,i have seen
 several after very good things71 and1  
as a rule1 the brush is most likely to  
be offered to the lady of the highest   
rank4 ,these trophies1 therefore1 are   
scarcely to be counted upon as a reward 
for even the best and straightest       
riding--the less so as of late years it 
has been observed that in most cases a  
very stout and straight-necked fox      
succeeds in eluding his pursuers1 and   
lives to fight another day4  ,in        
beginning regular hunting1 one good run 
in a day for a lady should suffice for  
some little time4 ,in ,november the days
 are very short1 and often enough a fox 
started after three o'clock will be     
running strong when darkness comes on4  
,for a lady1 and a beginner especially1 
it is best to leave off and trot quietly
 home while there is yet daylight4  ,as 
regards get up or equipment1 ,i must add
 to my former suggestions that a lady   
for the hunting field should be provided

 always with a waterproof overcoat1     
which should be rolled up in as small a 
compass as possible1 and is better      
carried by her pilot or her second      
horseman 7if she has one out7 than      
attached by straps to the off-side flap 
of her own saddle2 as1 in addition to   
spoiling the symmetry of the saddle on  
that side1 ,i have seen instances of    
things so attached hanging up in ragged 
fences1 no matter how carefully they may
 have been put on4  ,a sandwich case and
 flask are highly necessary also4       
,hunting is a wonderful promoter of     
appetite1 and it is not beneficial to a 
young lady's health to go from early    
breakfast to late dinner time without   
refreshment2 while it is quite          
possible--nay1 very probable in a grass 
country--that she may be a long way from
 head-quarters when she leaves the      
hounds1 and in a part where refreshment 
for a lady cannot be had for love or    
money4  ,the ,melton people have met    
this requirement very efficiently4      

,thus1 into a very flat1 flexible flask1
 with a screw-cup top1 they put a most  
succulent liquid1 composed of calves'   
foot jelly and sherry4 ,this flask is   
accompanied by a very neat little       
leather case1 which contains half a     
dozen nice biscuits1 or1 in some        
instances1 a small pasty1 composed of   
meat4 ,these cases1 with the flask1 are 
made to fit into the pocket of the      
saddle on the off-side under the        
handkerchief1 and the flap of the pocket
 is secured by a strap and buckle4  ,to 
roll a waterproof neatly1 the following 
plan is the best3 ,lay the garment down 
flat1 opened out1 on a table1 the inside
 upwards2 turn the collar in first1 then
 turn the sleeves over to the inside1   
laying them flat2 next turn in both     
sides of the coat from the collar       
downwards1 about eight or ten inches2   
then turn in the bottom of the garment  
about the same distance1 when it will   
form a pocket4 ,one person should hold  
this steady while another rolls the     

collar end very tightly up towards the  
pocket2 it will then fit into it so     
closely as to make a very small and     
compact roll of the whole coat4  ,i must
 not omit to say that1 in addition to   
the first-rate hunting to be had in the 
,midlands1 there is some good sport with
 hounds obtainable nearer the           
metropolis1 namely1 in the ,vale of     
,aylesbury1 with that noble patron of   
sport1 ,baron ,rothschild4 ,but still ,i
 must award the palm to ,leicestershire1
 ,warwickshire1 and ,northamptonshire as
 far away superior to anything in the   
hunting way to be seen in any other part
 of ,england4 ,in whatever part1        
however1 the fair lover of hunting seeks
 her sport1 she should bear in mind that
 when she is once away with hounds she  
cannot be too particular as to riding   
her horse with the utmost care and      
precision1 and to avoid taking liberties
 with him by jumping big places for the 
sake of display4 ,it cannot be too      
strenuously impressed upon her mentor   

that1 as long as the true line to the   
hounds can be maintained1 the less      
jumping that is done1 the longer the    
horse will last2 that one big jump takes
 as much out of him as galloping over   
three big fields2 and that he should be 
ridden every inch of the way1 because   
when hounds get off with a good scent it
 is impossible to say that they may not 
keep on running for a couple of hours1  
in which case1 if too much is done with 
him at first1 he will inevitably1 to use
 a racing phrase1 shut up4  ,the light  
weight of most hunting ladies is a point
 in favour of the horse2 but it is more 
than counterbalanced by the absence of  
support which a man who rides well can  
give with the right leg4 ,it is the     
absence of this support in the case of a
 lady's horse1 however well ridden1 that
 causes him to tire sooner than he would
 if ridden by a gentleman2 and hence the
 necessity in selecting a horse to carry
 a woman with hounds for having not only
 staying power1 but two or three stone  

in hand4 ,nevertheless1 although unable 
to give to the animal as much help as   
can be afforded by a gentleman1 ladies  
can do much by the exercise of that tact
 and judgment which is their peculiar   
gift4  ,every lady who hunts is sure to 
be more or less an enthusiast about     
horses1 and is always1 according to my  
experience1 ready to adopt any          
suggestion which tends to their well    
doing4 ,i therefore venture to point one
 or two matters which ,i trust will be  
found useful4  ,in the first place1 when
 the hounds have settled to their fox   
and people have shaken themselves into  
their places1 the fair rider in her     
early essays in the field should bestow 
her principal attention upon the animal1
 upon which depends much of her sport4  
,with a good man by her side1 she will  
run no risk from thrusting neighbours1  
and although she cannot too soon begin  
to have one eye for the hounds and      
another for the horse1 it is the latter 
which demands all her energies4 ,the    

whole business is exciting4 ,the genuine
 dash1 the vigour1 the reality1 that is 
so striking to a novice when hounds come
 crashing out of covert1 through an old 
wattle1 or bounding over a strong fence2
 the up-ending and plunging of impatient
 young horses1 the brilliant throng of  
fashionable equestrians1 the rattle of  
the turf under the horses' feet as they 
stride away--all these1 or any of them1 
are quite sufficient to warm up even old
 blood1 and are certain to send that of 
the young going at such a pace that all 
rule and method in riding is very apt to
 be forgotten1 or thrust aside in the   
eager desire to be first4  ,it is just  
at this critical moment that ,i would   
advise my fair readers to lay to heart  
the necessity of controlling their      
excitement1 because it is at such a time
 that a horse1 especially at the        
beginning of the season 7if allowed71   
will take out of himself just what he   
will want hereafter1 assuming a stout   
fox that means business to be to the    

front4 ,a soothing word or two1 and     
making much of the excited steed1 will  
generally cause him to settle in his    
stride and cease romping2 whereas1 if   
the rider is excited as well as the     
horse1 we have oil upon fire at once4   
,again1 it cannot be too forcibly       
impressed upon ladies riding with hounds
 that the latter require plenty of room 
to work4  ,place aux dames is a rule    
rigidly observed by gentlemen in the    
hunting field4 ,room for the hounds     
should form an equally inviolable law   
with ladies in the same place4 ,and it  
is the more necessary to impress this   
upon beginners1 because many a          
first-rate man who pilots ladies1       
although bold as a lion over a country1 
and cautious to a degree as to the line 
he takes for his fair compagnon de      
chasse1 is oftentimes far too modest to 
check her exuberant riding1 and the     
consequence is1 many an anathema--not   
loud1 but deep--is bestowed upon both by
 exasperated masters and huntsmen4      

,unlike the professional riding master1 
a first-rate pilot--such1 ,i mean1 as is
 paid for his services--though well     
behaved and respectful1 is likely enough
 to lack much education1 except such as 
he has received in the saddle or on     
practical farming matters2 and his awe  
of a lady1 properly so called1 is so    
considerable as to preclude his exercise
 of the fortiter in re altogether1 no   
matter how much his charge is           
unwittingly infringing the rules of     
sport4  ,i saw an amusing instance of   
this not long ago4 ,a lady1 the widow of
 a wealthy civil servant in ,india1     
having returned to her native land laden
 with the riches of the ,east1 being    
still young and excessively fond of     
riding1 purchased a stud of first-class 
hunters1 took a nice little hunting box 
in ,leicestershire for the season1 and  
engaged the services of a very good man 
to pilot her4 ,as a rule every lady     
rides in ,india--some of them ride very 
well2 but a rattling gallop at gun fire1

 in the morning1 over the racecourse at 
,ghindee or ,bangalore1 is quite a      
different matter to a gallop with the   
,pytchley hounds4 ,the ,bebe sahib      
7great lady7 had no idea1 mounted as she
 was1 of anybody or anything 7bar the   
fox7 being in front of her4 ,and be it  
known to those who have never been in   
,india that great ladies there are bad  
to talk to1 being in the habit pretty   
much of paying very little attention to 
anything in the way of counsel coming   
from their subordinates4 ,our ,indian   
widow was no exception4 ,so she did all 
sorts of outrageous things in the field 
in riding in among the hounds--and1     
indeed1 before them--to the disgust of  
the master and everybody else1 including
 her pilot1 who in her case was         
certainly no mentor--but the latter was 
too well paid to risk offending the     
peccant lady2 he ventured a gentle hint 
or two1 and1 being snubbed1 gave it up  
for a bad job4  ,he was so severely     
rated1 however1 by the masters of hounds

 in the district--one of whom declared  
he would take them home directly he saw 
the lady and her pilot with them--that  
the latter was fairly at his wits' end  
to know how to keep the too dashing     
widow within bounds4 ,sorely puzzled1 he
 sat in his spacious chimney nook one   
night smoking his pipe in moody silence1
 his wife knitting opposite him4        
,what's the matter1 ,john8 began his    
spouse4 ,matter6 he replied2 it's enough
 to drive a man mad2 ,mrs4 ,chutnee's   
going again to-morrow1 and1 as sure as  
fate1 she'll ride over the hounds or do 
something1 and get one into trouble4    
,what makes her go on so1 ,john8 again  
inquired the cara sposa4--,go on6 it is 
go on3 ,i think that the name for it4   
,go on over everything6 no fence is too 
big for her4 ,i like her for that1 but  
she never knows when to stop4 ,last week
 she knocked an old gentleman over1 and 
he lost a spick span new set of teeth as
 cost1 ,i dare say1 a matter of twenty  
guineas2 and the day before yesterday   

she lamed a hound as was worth a lot of 
money1 to say nothing of hurting the    
poor brute4 ,i don't know what to be at 
with her1 and that's a fact1 because1   
barring her going so fast1 she is the   
best-hearted lady ever ,i see4  ,and    
,john relapsed into silence1 blowing    
mighty clouds of smoke1 while his wife  
plied her knitting-needles4 ,but a      
woman's wit1 in difficult cases1 is     
proverbial2 and in the watches of the   
night a bright notion1 based upon       
knowledge of her own sex1 flashed upon  
the anxious mind of the snoring ,john's 
wife4 ,the result was as follows4 ,next 
morning1 true to time1 ,john was in     
attendance to accompany the fair widow  
to the field4 ,they had some distance to
 ride to covert1 and after a smart spurt
 of a mile or two on the sward1 the lady
 pulled her horse up to walk up a hill4 
,john1 said the lady 7who was in high   
spirits71 what do people here think of  
my riding8--,well1 some thinks one      
thing1 and some thinks another1 was the 

reply4  ,that's no answer1 observed the 
fair interlocutor2 what do they say8    
that is the thing4 ,i know one thing    
they can't say2 none of them can say    
they can stop me over any part of the   
country1 no matter how big it is4       
,opportunity1 says some wise man1 is for
 him who waits4 ,now was ,john's        
opportunity to avail himself of his     
clever little wife's bright idea4  ,stop
 you1 my lady6 no1 that's just what they
 do all say2 and what's more1 they say  
you can't stop yourself--that you ain't 
got no hands1 and your horse takes you  
just where he pleases1 if it's even     
right over the hounds4  ,the ,bebe sahib
 was bitterly chagrined1 for she prided 
herself justly upon her capital hands   
upon a horse4 ,she was silent for a few 
minutes1 and then she said1 ,i want you 
to tell me what to do1 just to let these
 people know1 as you do1 that ,i have   
hands4--,then ,i will tell you1 my lady1
 said ,john1 brightening up4 ,just you  
do this3 when the hounds get away1 you  

let me go first1 and keep your horse    
about a hundred yards behind me4 ,i'll  
pick out a line big enough1 ,i'll       
warrant1 and that will show them all    
about your seat and your jumping4 ,then 
about the hands2 if you please1 whenever
 ,i pull up1 you do the same4 ,they say 
as you can't stop your horse1 you know4 
,can't ,i8 said the little lady1 can't  
stop my horse when ,i like6 ,i'll let   
them see that4 ,can't stop6 ,i should   
like to know what a woman can't do if   
she makes up her mind to do it4  ,john's
 wife was a capital judge2 there was no 
more riding over hounds or disarranging 
of elderly gentlemen's teeth4 ,but the  
,bebe sahib has taken me to the         
extremity of my space1 and ,i must pull 
up1 reserving further observations and  
suggestions on the hunting field for my 
next chapter4     ,,chapter ,,xvii4     
,,the ,,hunting ,,field 7continued74    
,on reading my previous observations on 
,fox-hunting1 it may occur to many      
ladies that in order to enjoy the sport1

 great nerve and physical power1 as well
 as a thorough knowledge of the         
principles of equitation and long       
practice1 are indispensable1 and that in
 default of either of the above         
qualifications they ought not to venture
 into the field4 ,this1 however1 would  
be an extreme view of the case4 ,it is  
quite true that to go straight to hounds
 and take the country and the fences as 
they come it is necessary that a lady   
should be in vigorous health1 as well as
 a thoroughly accomplished horsewoman4  
,but1 grant the latter condition1 those 
of even more delicate constitutions1 and
 consequently lacking the nerve and     
strength to take a front-rank place and 
keep it1 may still participate to a     
great extent in all the enjoyable and   
healthy excitement of the chase1 if they
 follow it out in a grass country1 and  
put themselves under the guidance of a  
man who knows that country well4  ,it   
cannot be too generally known to those  
who are not strong enough to sail away  

with the hounds over big fence or       
yawning brook that one great advantage  
as regards hunting afforded by a grass  
country is that a lady who is attended  
by a man well up at the topography of   
the district can generally find her way 
through easily opened bridle gates from 
point to point1 from whence1 throughout 
the best part of even a long day1 she   
can witness and enjoy the sport1        
although she is not with the hounds2 and
 this without pounding on the macadam   
and shaking her horse's legs2 for all   
our ,leicestershire roads are set1 as it
 were1 between borders of green velvet  
in the hunting season4 ,all that is     
necessary to a most enjoyable day 7if it
 is fine7 is a horse that can get over  
the ground in tiptop form--a good bred  
one that can gallop and stay4 ,on such a
 one1 lots of grand hunting may be seen 
if it cannot be done by even a timid    
lady who dare not essay jumping4        
,turning1 however1 from the delicate and
 timid to those whose health and        

physique enable them to hold their own  
in the front rank1 ,i venture to point  
out a possible casualty that may happen 
in hunting1 which1 although not of      
frequent occurrence1 may easily be      
attended with dangerous results if the  
fair rider with hounds is unacquainted  
with the means of counteracting it4 ,i  
allude to the possibility of a horse in 
crossing a ford1 where the stream is    
rapid and the bottom uneven1 losing his 
footing4 ,i have seen this occur more   
than once1 both to good men and to      
ladies1 and the result was not only an  
immersion over head and ears1 but       
considerable danger as well4 ,this is   
easily to be prevented1 as follows3 ,the
 fact of a horse losing his footing in  
deep water is at once apparent by his   
making a half plunge1 and commencing to 
swim1 which instinct teaches him to do  
directly he feels that he is out of his 
depth4 ,at such a moment1 if the rider  
confines the horse1 he will inevitably  
roll over in his struggle4 ,the great   

thing1 therefore1 on such an occasion is
 at once to give him his head1 quitting 
the curb rein entirely1 and scarcely    
feeling the snaffle1 while any attempt  
to guide the horse should be done by the
 slightest touch possible 7see ,aid     
,book74 ,the reins should be passed into
 the right hand1 with which1 holding the
 crop also1 the rider should take a firm
 hold of the upper crutch of the saddle4
 ,she should1 at the same time1 with her
 left hand raise her skirt well up1     
disengage her left leg 7with the foot1  
however1 still in the stirrup71 and     
place it over the third crutch4 ,by     
these means she will avoid any risk of  
the horse striking her on the left heel 
with his near hind hoof1 which otherwise
 in his struggle he would be almost     
certain to do4 ,if a horse is left to   
himself he will swim almost any distance
 with the greatest ease1 even with a    
rider on his back2 and there is no more 
difficulty in sitting on him in the form
 above named than in cantering on terra 

firma4 ,it is absolutely necessary1     
however1 to get the foot--and especially
 the stirrup--out of the way1 otherwise 
there is always danger of his entangling
 himself with them or with the skirt4   
,when the horse recovers his footing on 
the bottom he will make another         
struggle1 but the hold of the right hand
 upon the pommel will always preserve   
the seat of the rider4 ,to be quite safe
 in such a predicament is simply a      
question of knowing what to do1 and     
having the presence of mind to do it    
quickly4 ,to show that the necessity for
 swimming a horse may occur to a lady as
 well as to a gentleman the following   
case1 ,i trust1 will suffice4  ,many    
years ago ,i was riding with a lady from
 the village of ,renteria en route to   
,san ,sebastian1 in the north of ,spain4
 ,the way was round a couple of         
headlands1 between which was a deep bay1
 running up to the hamlet of ,lezo4     
,this bay was all fine sand up to some  
low but rather precipitous cliffs at the

 head of the inlet1 but at the extremity
 of either headland careful riding was  
requisite by reason of rough rocky      
places4 ,on the occasion ,i allude to   
the tide was flowing when we rounded the
 first point4 ,having been long         
accustomed to the place1 however1 we    
both considered that we had ample time  
safely to turn the other extremity of   
the bay2 but a lively spring tide1 aided
 by a brisk north-easterly wind1 caused 
the sea1 running in through the narrow  
gut of ,passages1 to increase in        
velocity to such an extent that we were 
completely out in our reckoning4 ,seeing
 the tide gaining rapidly on us1 we set 
our horses going at top speed over the  
level sand1 racing 7as it were7 with the
 hungry waters for the distant point4   
,when we neared it1 however1 ,i saw at  
once that it was hopeless to attempt    
rounding it1 for our horses were already
 above the girths in water1 keeping     
their feet with difficulty on the level 
sand1 and ,i knew that to try to keep   

them on their legs on the shelving and  
rocky bottom at the extremity of the    
point would result in their rolling over
 us4 ,there was nothing1 therefore1 for 
it but to try back1 endeavour to regain 
the head of the inlet1 and make the     
attempt1 however difficult1 to clamber  
up the steep but still sloping face of  
the cliff4 ,long before we reached our  
point1 however1 both horses were        
swimming2 but they made scarcely a      
perceptible struggle in doing so1 as the
 rising water lifted them from the level
 sand bodily off their feet4 ,the lady  
7who was at first a little flurried7    
lost no time in getting her habit and   
her leg out of the way of mischief1 and 
quickly regaining her nerve laid fast   
hold of the saddle1 and laughing1       
declared it was capital fun4 ,i confess1
 on her account1 and that of the horses1
 ,i did not think so2 but encouraged her
 in her fearlessness4 ,we gave the      
horses their heads1 and they struck out 
bravely towards the cliff4 ,as soon as  

they recovered their footing1 the lady1 
having been previously cautioned to     
extricate her foot from the stirrup1    
slipped off her horse1 the water taking 
her up to her waist4 ,i lost no time in 
following her example1 and turning the  
horses loose1 we drove them at the sharp
 and slippery incline up the hill4 ,both
 horses scrambled up1 with no further   
damage than the breaking of a bridle2   
but to get the lady 7encumbered as she  
was with her wet garments7 up the steep 
hillside was a task ,i have not         
forgotten to this day4 ,the face of the 
cliff was studded with patches of gorse 
here and there1 which assisted us       
certainly at the expense1 of my         
companion1 of severely scratched hands  
and torn gloves4 ,but the ground was so 
slippery that our wet boots caused us   
continually to slip back1 both of us in 
this respect being at a great           
disadvantage with the horses1 whose iron
 shoes and corkings enabled them to     
obtain better foothold4 ,partly1        

however1 by dragging1 partly by cheering
 the lady to persevere1 ,i succeeded in 
gaining the level ground with her1 while
 the sea broke in heavy1 noisy surges   
below1 and sent the spray flying over   
us4 ,the lady1 who had borne up bravely 
so far1 fainted from reaction when we   
gained the level sward1 where the horses
 were grazing quietly1 none the worse   
for their bath4 ,but there were three   
stalwart ,basque peasants at work hard  
by1 turning up the soil with their      
four-pronged iron forks4 ,their cottage 
was close at hand1 and having partially 
revived the fair sufferer1 we carried   
her to the house1 where she received    
every attention from the padrona1 and no
 further evil resulted1 except scratches
 and torn garments4 ,but while ,i was   
sensibly impressed with the courage     
displayed by my companion1 who was a    
slight1 delicate woman1 ,i am quite     
certain that ignorance of the right     
thing to do at the right time would have
 been fatal to both of us4 ,as the tide 

gained so rapidly upon us1 had the lady 
allowed her horse to flounder or plunge 
in it1 she would inevitably have become 
entangled with him and drowned1 despite 
any effort of mine to save her4  ,i have
 witnessed many other instances of the  
facility with which horses will         
extricate their riders from difficulties
 in deep water4 ,among these ,i know    
none more worthy of record than the     
following4  ,some years ago a large     
,government transport1 conveying troops 
and horses1 was wrecked at ,buffalo1    
,cape of ,good ,hope4 ,among the troops 
was a detachment of light cavalry4 ,the 
ship parted on the rocks1 and despite   
the efforts of the people on shore1 the 
greater part of the troops 7officers and
 men7 were drowned4 ,an officer of the  
cavalry party1 however1 determined to   
make an effort to reach the shore1 upon 
which a heavy sea and tremendous surf   
were breaking4 ,he launched his horse   
overboard1 and1 plunging quickly after  
him into the tumbling sea1 seized the   

horse by the mane1 and succeeded in     
retaining his grasp1 while the plucky   
and sagacious animal gallantly dragged  
his master in safety through the surf4  
,i repeat1 then1 ,be always on your     
guard in crossing deep water with a     
horse1 or in fording a stream where the 
current is rapid4 ,in ,india and other  
tropical countries the necessity for    
being able to swim a horse occurs more  
frequently than at home2 and1 in the    
monsoon time especially1 it behoves     
everybody who is going a journey on     
horseback to be extremely careful how   
they attempt to cross a swollen stream1 
as the freshets come down with such     
rapidity that ,i have frequently seen a 
horse carried off his legs by the force 
of the current when the water has not   
been more than knee-deep1 and1 when once
 the foothold is gone in such places1 it
 is extremely difficult frequently to   
find a place at which to get out again1 
on account of the precipitous formation 
of most of the banks4 ,in any case1     

however1 the above-named directions will
 be found effectual1 and the horse1 if  
left to himself1 will find a landing    
place1 even if he swims a considerable  
distance to gain it4  ,a point of       
considerable importance as regards      
hunting also is for ladies to avoid     
riding home in open carriages1 no matter
 how fine the weather may be1 or how    
well they may be wrapped up4 ,riding to 
the meet on wheels is all very well1    
particularly if the distance is great   
and by a cross-country road1 and the    
time short4 ,but1 after galloping about 
during the greater part of the day1 no  
conveyance home other than her horse is 
fit for a lady1 except the inside of a  
close carriage on rail or road1 and a   
good foot warmer at the bottom of the   
carriage2 and if there has been much    
rain1 riding home on horseback is by far
 the safest plan4 ,i have frequently    
ridden home sixteen and eighteen miles  
after dark with a lady whom ,i had the  
honour of escorting on her hunting      

excursions1 sometimes in very bad       
weather1 and ,i can safely say that1    
rain1 snow1 or sleet1 she never took    
cold4 ,after leaving the hounds my first
 care was always to make for some       
hospitable farmhouse near the road1 or  
in default thereof1 some decent roadside
 inn1 where we could have the horse's   
legs well washed1 and the lady's        
waterproof carefully put on if there was
 rain about4 ,i always carried for her a
 second pair of dry knee boots1         
carefully folded up in a waterproof     
havresack4 ,these boots were made with  
cork soles within and without1 and1 as  
such boots are easily carried by any man
 who pilots a lady 7of course ,i don't  
mean the pilot who rides in scarlet71 ,i
 specially recommend them to            
consideration4 ,the most difficult thing
 after riding a long day's hunting1 in  
which1 now and again1 a good deal of it 
will be in wet weather1 is to keep the  
feet warm4 ,throughout all the rest of  
the system the circulation may be kept  

going by the exercise even of slow      
steady trotting2 but the wet1 clammy    
boot1 thoroughly saturated1 it may be1  
by more than one dash through a swollen 
rivulet1 strikes cold and uncomfortable 
in the stirrup iron even to a man1 who  
has a better opportunity of             
counteracting it by the use of alcoholic
 or vinous stimulants4 ,it is therefore 
highly conducive to a lady's comfort    
after her gallop with hounds1 if she has
 far to go home1 to change her boots2   
and this1 with a little care and        
foresight on the part of her attendant1 
can always be accomplished4 ,with a dry 
pair of boots1 a good waterproof        
overcoat1 and a cambric handkerchief    
tied round her neck1 a lady may defy the
 worst weather in returning from        
hunting4  ,a word now about second      
horsemen1 in a country like this1 where 
the habitues of it know tolerably well1 
if hunting is to be done in a certain   
district1 that a fox1 given certain     
conditions of wind1 is most likely to   

make for certain points1 and that if a  
covert is drawn blank1 the next draw    
will be in a certain locality1 it is not
 difficult for a good second horseman to
 be ready at hand when the lady requires
 a fresh charger4 ,but 7assuming always 
that she can afford to have a second    
horse out7 nothing connected with her   
hunting requires more discrimination    
than the selection of a second horseman4
 ,any quantity of smart1 good-looking1  
light-weight lads1 who can turn         
themselves out in undeniable form1 and  
ride very fairly1 are always to be had1 
with good manners and equally good      
characters2 but one thing requisite is  
that they should know every inch of the 
country they are in4 ,thus a lad1       
however willing1 from ,scotland or      
,ireland1 would be of very little use as
 a second horseman in the midland       
district of ,england2 and therefore     
weight1 up to ten stone at all events1  
is of less consequence than an intimate 
knowledge of the topography of the      

surrounding country4  ,to have a second 
horse at the right spot at the right    
time1 and with little or nothing taken  
out of him1 requires in most cases      
considerable foresight and judgment on  
the part of the lad who is on him1 and  
therefore a fair amount of intelligence1
 in addition to careful riding1 is      
indispensable1 as well as natural good  
eye for country4 ,the different form in 
which second horses are brought to the  
point where they are required is        
conclusive as to the foregoing1 for one 
constantly sees two animals1 up to equal
 weight and in equal condition1 arrive  
at the same spot1 one not fit to go much
 further1 and the other with scarcely   
the stable bloom off his coat4          
,,chapter ,,xviii4  ,,the ,,condition   
,,of ,,hunters4   ,as the value of most 
of the foregoing suggestions as regards 
a lady riding to hounds is more or less 
dependent upon the form and condition in
 which the horse destined to carry her  
in the chase is put1 ,i trust a few     

words upon this important subject may be
 acceptable4  ,in the first place1 then1
 experience proves that the getting of a
 horse into really good condition is a  
work of considerable time1 and that when
 once the animal has arrived at the     
desired point of physical health which  
will enable him to make the most of his 
powers1 as a rule1 it is considered to  
the last degree undesirable that        
anything should be done to throw him out
 of his form4  ,many years ago it was   
considered that a horse that had been   
hunted regularly through a season should
 be turned out to grass throughout the  
summer1 and that if he was taken up when
 the crops were off the ground1 there   
was time enough to get him fit by       
,november2 while it was considered      
altogether unnecessary to give him more 
than one feed of corn a day while turned
 out4 ,in numerous cases ,i have known  
he had none from ,april to ,september4  
,the present form of treating hunting   
horses is diametrically the reverse of  

the foregoing4 ,a horse once wound up   
7as it is technically called7 for       
hunting is generally kept up all the    
year round2 his spring and summer       
training consisting of long1 slow1      
steady work1 principally walking        
exercise4  ,now1 my own opinion1 based  
upon many years of experience and close 
observation1 does not agree with either 
of the foregoing practices4  ,the first 
evidently was wrong1 because a horse1   
even running in and out throughout the  
entire summer1 though well kept on corn1
 will put up an amount of adipose       
substance1 which cannot be got off in   
two months1 with due regard to the      
preservation of proper quality and      
muscular fibre4 ,while1 on the other    
hand1 ,i believe that1 although by      
keeping your horse up all the year round
 you will bring him out in rare form in 
,november1 yet still he will not last   
you so long as one that has had fair    
play given to his lungs by a few weeks' 
run when the spring grass is about2 for1

 however good the sanitary arrangements 
of our modern stables and the           
ventilation of boxes may be1 the air    
breathed in them cannot be so pure as   
that of a fresh green meadow4 ,men and  
women require a change of air once a    
year at least1 and everybody who can    
afford it looks forward with pleasurable
 anticipation to their autumn holiday4  
,why should the noble animal who has    
carried us so well and so staunchly     
through many a hard run be denied his   
relaxation and his change of air in the 
spring8  ,as a substitute for turning   
horses out for a brief run in the       
spring1 it is customary in some stables 
to cut grass and give it1 varied by     
vetches and clover1 to the horse in his 
box4 ,these salutary alteratives are    
good in themselves1 but there is still  
wanting the glorious fresh air of the   
open paddock1 which1 when all nature is 
awakening from the long slumber of      
winter1 is so renovating to the equine  
system4  ,it is best to fetch your horse

 up at night1 because it is in the night
 when turned out that he eats the most2 
but the object of giving the animal his 
liberty is not that he may blow himself 
out with grass1 but that1 in addition to
 the purifying effect to the blood of   
spring herbage1 he shall also breathe   
the spring air unadulterated4 ,if this  
is carried out1 ,i believe those who    
practise it will find that their hunters
 will last them many years longer than  
those that are kept at what may be      
called high stable pressure all the year
 round4  ,prejudice1 however1 is strong 
as regards the foregoing matter1 as in  
others connected with the stable        
treatment and general handling of       
horses4 ,people are far too apt to go   
into extremes and adopt a line of       
treatment because it is in vogue with   
some neighbour or friend who is supposed
 to be well up on the subject1 and must 
therefore be right in everything he     
does4 ,the best way1 ,i submit1 is to   
call common sense into play1 and be     

satisfied that the oracular friend has  
some good reason which will hold water  
for what he does4  ,i respectfully      
recommend the spring run then1 by all   
means2 and1 if ,i may venture so far to 
infringe the imperious laws of fashion1 
,i would venture to suggest that hunters
 might be allowed just a little bit more
 tail1 for the purpose for which nature 
intended it--namely1 to keep off the    
flies1 which in summer will find them   
out1 in or out of the stable4 ,extremes 
in fashion as to the trimming of horses 
are nearly as absurd as one sees from   
time to time in the dress of ladies and 
gentlemen1 and quite as devoid of sense 
or reason4 ,who has not seen the old    
racing pictures in which ,diamond or    
,hambletonian figure with a bob tail1   
and who has not laughed at the grotesque
 figure 7according to modern notions of 
a racehorse7 of these high-mettled ones1
 all but denuded of their caudal        
appendages8  ,as a matter of taste and  
good feeling1 therefore1 ,i venture to  

plead for a trifle more tail for hunters
 than is at present allowed4 ,to a good 
stableman it gives no trouble1 and in   
spring and summer time it is of great   
use to the horse4 ,when the latter is   
brought up from the spring run1 the     
question of restoring his hunting form  
7if1 indeed1 he can be said to have lost
 any of it7 is simple enough2 in fact1  
there are few subjects on which more    
twaddle is talked than about the        
conditioning of hunters1 stablemen being
 particularly oracular and mysterious   
about it4 ,roomy1 clean1 and            
well-ventilated boxes1 good drainage1   
four and five hours' walking exercise   
every day1 the best oats procurable     
given whole1 not crushed1 with a        
moderate allowance to old horses of good
 beans1 and a fair allowance of good old
 hay or clover1 perfect regularity in   
exercise and stable times1 the          
attendance of a thoroughly good-tempered
 cheery lad who knows his business1 and 
the total prohibition of drugging or    

physicking of any sort1 unless by order 
of a veterinary surgeon--these are the  
arcana of the much talked-of            
conditioning4 ,some tell you that a     
hunter should have scarcely any hay4 ,i 
have yet to learn why not1 because ,i am
 quite sure that really good hay assists
 a horse to put up muscle4 ,of course he
 is not supposed to gorge himself with  
it1 as some ravenous animals would do if
 allowed4 ,but the same thing may be    
said of a carriage horse or a charger4  
,waste of forage is one thing1 the use  
of it another2 and as there has been    
considerable discussion of late as to   
the cost of feeding a horse1 ,i beg to  
say that on a fair average those even in
 training1 requiring the best food1 can 
be kept1 when oats are #cbs4 or #ccs4 a 
quarter1 for #aes4 a week4 ,i speak of  
course of the absolute cost of forage of
 the best kind4  ,where horses are      
delicate feeders1 and this is the case  
with some who are rare performers in the
 field1 the appetite should be coaxed1  

by giving small quantities of food at   
short intervals1 making the horse1 in   
fact1 an exception to the ordinary      
stable rule of feeding four times a day4
 ,a really good groom will carefully    
watch the peculiarities of such a horse 
as regards feeding1 and come in due     
course to know what suits the animal1   
the result being plenty of good muscle1 
equal to that of more hearty doers4 ,but
 stimulating drugs1 ,i repeat1 should   
never be permitted4 ,carrots as an      
alterative are good1 but they should be 
given only when ordered by a veterinary 
surgeon1 in such quantities as he       
orders4 ,they should be put in the      
manger whole1 never cut up1 as there is 
nothing more dangerous than the latter  
practice in feeding1 because numerous   
instances are on record of horses       
choking themselves with pieces of       
carrot4  ,when hunting time approaches1 
a little more steam as regards pace at  
exercise may be put on4 ,trotting up    
hills of easy ascent serves materially  

to open the pipes1 and1 despite a very  
general prejudice to the contrary1 ,i   
maintain that1 for some weeks before    
hunting commences1 a horse is all the   
better for a steady canter of moderate  
length every morning4 ,a very good      
reason why stud grooms as a rule object 
to this is1 simply because it involves a
 great deal more work in the stable4    
,if horses are only walked or trotted at
 exercise1 one man generally can manage 
very well to exercise two horses1 riding
 one1 and leading the other with a dumb 
jockey or bearing reins on him2 but1 if 
the horse is to be cantered1 there must 
be a man or boy to every horse1 and1    
consequently1 exercise would occupy     
considerably more time4  ,it is quite   
clear that the horse will have to gallop
 when hunting begins1 and1 as all       
training should be inductive1 it is     
absurd to say that he should do nothing 
up to the #cast of ,october but walking 
and trotting1 while on the first day of 
,november his owner may come down from  

town and give him a rattling gallop with
 hounds4 ,surely such extremes are not  
reconcilable with common sense6  ,let me
 now say a word about washing horses1   
about which also considerable diversity 
of opinion exists1 some maintaining that
 the brush and wisp alone ought to keep 
the horse's skin in proper form1 and    
others advocating washing partially4    
,in my time ,i have tried all sorts of  
stable management1 and ,i believe the   
truth is as follows3 ,nothing is more   
conducive to a horse's health than      
washing1 with either cold or tepid      
water4 ,but if you adopt the cold water 
system1 you must be sure that it is done
 in a place where there is no draught4  
,it should be commenced in summer time4 
,there should be two thoroughly good    
stablemen in the washing box1 and a boy 
to carry water from the pump4 ,the      
horse's head and neck should be         
thoroughly washed1 brushed1 scraped1    
sponged1 and leathered1 and a good      
woollen hood put on4 ,his body washed   

thoroughly in the same way1 and a good  
rug put on4 ,then his legs equally well 
done1 and bandaged4 ,let him then be put
 into his box for a quarter of an hour  
or twenty minutes1 stripped and dressed 
by a man who will let his shoulder go at
 him1 not one who will play with him4   
,when thoroughly dressed his coat will  
shine like new satin1 and his whole     
manner will tell you how refreshed he is
 by his bath4 ,the washing cannot be    
done too quickly consistent with        
thorough good work4 ,two good men and a 
smart boy ought to wash1 clothe1 and    
bandage a horse in five minutes1 or they
 are not worth their salt4  ,if the cold
 water system is begun in summer1 and   
regularly followed up1 it can be carried
 on throughout the winter1 no matter how
 severe the weather may be1 and an      
incalculable advantage of the system is 
that a horse so treated is almost       
impervious to cold or catarrh4  ,but to 
carry the treatment out1 a lot of       
first-class stablemen are indispensable1

 men who--no eye servants--do their work
 con amore1 and take a genuine pride in 
their horses4 ,if the thing is          
negligently done1 or dawdled over1 it is
 likely enough to be productive of      
mischief4  ,where the stable staff is   
limited in number and not first-rate in 
quality1 if washing is resorted to1     
tepid water must be used1 because one   
smart man can wash a horse in tepid     
water in a proper washing house         
unassisted4 ,but a special veto should  
be put upon washing a hunter's legs1 as 
is too often done1 outside in the yard1 
the horse tied to a ring in the wall1   
with the cold night air blowing on him4 
,no matter if warm or cold water is     
used1 whether or not mischief follows is
 mere matter of chance if the foregoing 
bad treatment is permitted4  ,briefly1  
then1 it may be said1 if you have good  
men about you and enough of them use    
cold water1 beginning in the summer and 
continuing it regularly4 ,if you are    
short of really good stablemen1 use     

tepid water2 but use it in a washing box
 built for the purpose1 and never let it
 be done out of doors4     ,,chapter    
,,xix4   ,having endeavoured to mark out
 the course of equitation from the      
preparatory suppling practices to the   
orthodox conventionalities of the       
hunting field1 ,i conclude this series  
of papers with a few hints which ,i     
trust will be useful to ladies about to 
proceed to ,india or the colonies4  ,in 
the first place1 as regards riding      
habiliments1 ,i recommend ladies going  
to ,india to procure everything in the  
shape of habits1 trousers1 and hats in  
this country4 ,in ,india they cost a    
hundred per cent4 more than at home1 and
 the natives can only make them by      
pattern4 ,riding boots can be procured  
in the ,east quite as well made and as  
durable as those made in ,england1 and  
at a fifth of the price4  ,saddlery     
should be taken out from ,england4 ,it  
is also just a hundred per cent4 dearer 
in ,india4 ,one good side-saddle1 such  

as ,i have previously described1 will   
with care last a lady many years4 ,of   
bridles she should take at least half a 
dozen double ones 7bit and bridoon74    
,horse clothing of any sort as used in  
,england is not required in ,india4  ,as
 regards the horse itself on which the  
fair emigrant to the ,east will take her
 health-preserving morning gallop at    
gun-fire1 ,i must say little4 ,i have   
endeavoured elsewhere to give some idea 
of what ,arab horses are2 and1 as every 
lady going to ,india is certain to know 
some male friend who is well up at      
buying a lady's horse1 ,i need only say 
that1 if the animal purchased is a young
 unbroken one1 the best plan is to send 
him to the nearest cavalry or horse     
artillery station1 and have him broken  
precisely in the same form as an        
officer's charger4 ,the ,arab dealers   
from whom the horse1 if unbroken1 is    
most likely to be purchased1 know       
nothing1 and care less1 about breaking1 
and the people about them have the very 

worst hands upon a horse ,i have ever   
seen4  ,all riding in ,india1 except in 
cases of absolute necessity1 should be  
done very early in the morning4 ,the    
lady should be in the saddle soon after 
gun-fire 7five o'clock74 ,by the time   
she arrives at the galloping ground 7in 
a large station or cantonment generally 
the racecourse7 the sun will be up1 so  
quickly does it rise1 with scarcely any 
twilight1 in ,india2 but its rays are   
not then vertical1 nor is the heat      
either oppressive or injurious until    
much later in the day4  ,a couple or    
three hours' riding is sufficient for   
health1 and the great thing is to go    
home quite cool2 the bath and breakfast 
are then most enjoyable4 ,evening       
promenades are as a matter of fashion1  
and indeed1 of reason1 usually attended 
by ladies in carriages4 ,there are many1
 however1 who prefer riding on horseback
 again in the latter part of the day2   
but experience proves that evening      
riding on horseback is not good1 as a   

rule1 for ladies4 ,exposure to the sun  
on horseback1 or indeed in any way1     
should be specially avoided1 as should  
also violent exercise of any kind1 that 
on horseback not excepted4 ,the rattling
 gallop1 which is not only exhilarating 
but healthful in ,leicestershire1 is    
inadmissible in most parts of ,india1   
where extremes of any kind are          
injurious4 ,finally1 ,i would           
respectfully impress upon every lady who
 is likely to go to ,india1 those       
especially who1 having been born there1 
have been sent home for their education1
 that they should avail themselves of   
every opportunity in this country of    
becoming efficient horsewomen4 ,to be   
able to ride well is very desirable for 
a lady who is to pass her life in       
,europe1 in ,india it is absolutely     
indispensable2 and if the lady's        
equitation is neglected in early days at
 home1 she will find herself sadly at a 
loss when she arrives in ,india2 for    
although there are plenty of thoroughly 

competent men there who could instruct  
her1 their time is taken up with        
teaching recruits at the early time of  
the day at which a lady could avail     
herself of their services4 ,as regards  
riding in ,australia1 the ,cape1 ,new   
,zealand1 ,canada1 or the ,west ,indies1
 briefly it may be said that again it is
 best to take out saddlery from this    
country1 because1 although it can be    
procured in any of the above-named      
colonies far cheaper than in ,india1 it 
is still considerably dearer1 and       
generally not so good as at home4 ,at   
the ,cape1 in ,australia1 and in ,new   
,zealand--the two former colonies       
especially--long journeys have          
frequently to be done by ladies on      
horseback2 and if a thoroughly practical
 education in the saddle is necessary to
 health1 as regards a sojourn in ,india2
 it is equally so as a matter of        
convenience in other of the ,british    
dependencies abroad4  ,let me1 then1    
close my humble efforts at carefully    

tracing out the readiest way for a lady 
to become a thorough horsewoman by again
 recommending them all to begin early1  
and to pay implicit attention to the    
tuition of a first-class instructor2    
always to throw their whole heart into  
their riding1 fixing their minds rigidly
 on it while learning1 and never1       
however proficient or confident they may
 be1 venture1 unless upon a             
life-and-death emergency1 upon          
half-broken horses4 ,during the ,indian 
mutiny instances occurred in which      
ladies owed their lives to their nerve  
and courage in mounting horses          
ill-adapted to carry them1 and by dint  
of sheer determination urging them into 
top speed and safety to the fair        
fugitives4 ,in such desperate           
emergencies there is no alternative but 
to accept the lesser risk2 but in       
ordinary cases my advice 7the result of 
long experience7 is to all lady riders1 
never mount an untrained horse1 and     
never allow your horse to become too    

fresh for want of work4  ,a casualty    
which may be attended with trifling     
consequences to a man may have the most 
serious results in the case of a lady2  
while ,i am firmly of opinion that no   
such thing as an accident ought ever to 
occur to her on horseback if due care   
and foresight are exercised by those    
about her1 and if the lady herself will 
be careful whenever or under whatever   
circumstances she approaches or mounts a
 horse to be always on her guard1 to    
ride all the time she is on him1 to     
remember that in all matters that relate
 to riding the homely old adage1        
,afterwit is not worth a penny an ounce 
is strictly applicable1 and that the    
golden rule is1 ,never give away a      
chance to your horse4         99        
99       99       99       99           
,transcriber's ,note3 ,hyphen variations
 left as printed4