HE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN A^W^ ^ n\^ ELIZABETH KARR \ \ ; ^^ MM: JOHNA.SEAVERNS TUFTS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 3 9090 013 407 552 Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine Cun]Vi]\n^^ ?■ I of Veterinany Medicine at Tutir 9nn\ r! i J THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN BY MRS. ELIZABETH KARR " Gold that buys health can never be ill spent, Nor hours laid out in harmless merriment." J. Webster BOSTON HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY New York : 11 East Seventeenth Street 1S84 Copyright, 1S84, By ELIZABETH KAKR. All rights reserved. 7%e Riverside Press, Cambridge: Electrotyped and Printed by U. 0. Houghton & Co. PREFACE. In" presenting this volume to the women of Americaj the author would remark that, at least as far as she is aware, it is the first one, exclu- sively devoted to the instruction of lady riders, that has ever been written by one of their own countrywomen. In its preparation, no preten- sion is made to the style of a practiced author, the writer freely acknowledging it to be her first venture in the (to her) hitherto unex- plored regions of authorship ; she has simply undertaken, — being guided and aided by her own experience in horseback riding, — to write, in plain and comprehensive language, and in as concise a manner as is compatible with a clear understanding of her subject, all that she deems it essential for a horsewoman to know. This she has endeavored to do without any af- fectation or effort to acquire reputation as an author, and wholly for the purpose of benefit- ino; those of her own sex who wish to learn not only to ride, but to ride well. She has also IV PREFACE. been induced to prepare the work by the ur- gent solicitations of many lady friends, who, desirous of having thorough information on horseback riding, were unable to find in any sin- gle work those instructions which they needed. Many valuable works relating to the subject could be had, but none especially for ladies. True, in many of these works prepared for equestrians a few pages of remarks or advice to horsewomen could be found, but so scant and limited were they that but little useful and practical information could be gleaned from them. The writers of these works never even dreamed of treating many very important points highly essential to the horsewoman ; and, indeed, it could hardly be expected that they would, as it is almost impossible for any horseman to know, much less to comprehend, these points. The position of a man in the sad- dle is natural and easy, while that of a woman is artificial, one-sided, and less readily acquired; that which he can accomplish with facility is for her impossible or extremely difficult, as her position lessens her command over the horse, and obliges her to depend almost entirely upon her skill and address for the means of control- ling him. If a gentleman will place himself upon the PREFACE. V side-saddle and for a short time ride the sev- eral gaits of his horse, he will have many points presented which he had not anticipated, and which may puzzle him ; that which appeared simple and easy when in his natural position will become difficult of performance when he assumes the role of a horsewoman. A trial of this kind will demonstrate to him that the rules applicable to the one will not invariably be adapted to the other. The reader need not be surprised, therefore, if in the perusal of this volume she discovers in certain instances in- structions laid down which differ from those met with in the popular works upon this subject by male authors. Another inducement to prepare this volume existed in the fact that the ladies throuc^hout the country, and especially in our large cities and towns, are apparently awakening to an appreciation of the importance of out - door amusement and exercise in securing and pro- longing health, strength, beauty, and symmetry of form, and that horseback riding is rapidly be- coming the favorite form of such exercise. In- structions relating to riding have become, there- fore, imperative, in order to supply a need long felt by those horsewomen who, when in the saddle, are desirous of acquitting themselves Vi PREFACE. with credit, but who have heretofore been un- able to ecain that information which would en- able them to ride with ease and grace, and to manage their steeds with dexterity and con- fidence. The author — who has had several years' experience in horseback riding with the old - fashioned, two - pommeled saddle, and, in later years, with the English saddle, besides havinii; had the benefit of the best continental teaching — believes she will be accused of neither vanity nor egotism when she states that within the pages of this work instructions will be found amply sufficient to enable any lady who attends to them to ride with artistic cor- rectness. Great care has been taken to enter upon and elucidate all those minute but important details which are so essential, but which, because they are so simple, are usually passed over without notice or explanation. Especial attention has also been given to the errors of inexperienced and uneducated riders, as well as to the mis- takes into which beginners are apt to fall from incorrect modes of teach in i]^, or from no instruc- tion at all ; these errors have been carefully pointed out, and the methods for correcting them explained. A constant effort has been made to have these practical hints and valuable PREFACE. Vll explanations as lucid as possible, that they may readily be comprehended and put into practical use by the reader. From the fact that considerable gossip, in- cluding some truth, as to illiteracy, rudeness, offensive familiarity, and scandal of various kinds has in past years been associated with some of the riding-schools established in our cities, many ladies entertain a decided antipathy to all riding-schools ; to these ladies, as well as to those who are living in places where no rid- incr-schools exist, the author feels confident that this work will prove of great practical utility. Yet she must remark that, in her opinion, it is neither just nor right to ostracize indiscrimi- nately all such schools, simply because some of them have proven blameworthy ; whenever a riding-school of good standing is established and is conducted by a well-known, competent, and gentlemanly teacher, with one or more skilled lady assistants, she would advise the ladies of the neighborhood to avail themselves of such opportunity to become sooner thorough and efficient horsewomen by pursuing the instruc- tions given in this work under such qualified teachers. ELIZABETH KARR. North Bend, Ohio. A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. Utility, health, and enjoyment, in horseback riding. — Af- fection of the horse for a kind mistress. — Incorrect views entertained by ladies relative to horses and horseback rid- ing. — Tight lacing incompatible with correct riding. — Advantages of good riding-schools. — Instinct not a suffi- cient guide. — Compatibility of refinement and horseback riding. — Importance of out-of-door exercise CHAPTER I. THE HORSE. Origin and countries of the horse. — Earliest Scriptural men- tion of the horse. — Caligula's horse. — Horseback riding: in the Middle Ages. — The Arab horse and his descendants. — Selection of a horse, and points to be observed. — Suit- able gaits for the several conformations of riders. — The fast or running walk. — Various kinds of trottinsr. — The jog trot undesirable. — Temperament of the horse to be taken into consideration. — Thorouofh-bred horses. — Low- bred horses. — Traits of thorough and low bred horses. — Purchasing a horse ; when to pay for the purchase. — Kind- ness to the horse instead of brutality. — Advantages of kind treatment of the horse. — Horses properly trained from early colt-life, the best. — Certain requirements in training a horse for a lady. — Ladies should visit their horses in the stable. — Ladies of refinement, occupying PAGB A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. PAGE the highest positions in the civilized and fashionable world, personally attend to their horses — Nature of the horse. — Unreliable rjrooms ; their vicious course with horses in- trusted to their care. — Care required in riding livery- stable horses 13 CHAPTER II. THE RIDING HABIT. Riding habit should not be gaudy. — Instructions concern- injj the material for ridint; habit, and how this should be made. — The waist. — The basque or jacket. — Length of ridina: habit. — White material not to be worn on horse- back. — Riding shirt. — Riding drawers. — Riding boots. — Ridin: a new method of tightening girths belongs, so far as we know, to Mr. Stokes, formerly a riding-teacher in Cincin- nati. This method enables one to girth the horse tightlj^, without using so much muscular effort as is usually required, so that by its means, a lady can, if she wish, saddle her own horse. (Fig. 8.) The following is a description of Mr. Stokes' manner of girthing : At the end of each of the leather girth straps, which hang down be- tween the ilaps on the off-side of the saddle, is fastened a strong iron buckle without any tongue, but with a thin steel roller or revolving cylinder on its lower edge. On the near side of the saddle the girths are strapped in the usual manner, but, on the oiite?^ end of each cloth girth there is, in addition to an ordinary buckle, with a roller on the upper side of it, a long strap, which is fastened to the under side of the girth, the buckle being on the upper side. This strap, when the saddle is girthed, is passed up through the tongueless buckle, moving easily over the steel roller, and is then brought down to the buckle with toni^ue on the end of the girth, and there fastened in the usual manner. THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 79 The slipper stirrup, when first introduced, was a great favorite, for in addition to furnishing an excellent support, it was believed that it would release the foot instantly should the rider be thrown. This latter merit, however, it was found that it did not possess, as many severe accidents occurred where this stirrup was used, especially with the two-pommeled saddle. In- stead of releasing the rider in these cases, as it Fig. 9. — Victoria stirrup. Fig. 10. — Spring-bar for stirrup leatlier. was supposed it would, the stirrup tilted up and held her foot so firmly grasped that she was drasro-ed some distance before she could be re- leased. This stirrup, therefore, gradually fell into disfavor, and is now no longer used by the best riders. There are, at the present time, three kinds of stirrups which are favorites among finished rid- ers. The first is called the '^ Victoria " because 80 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. it is the one used by the Queen of England. (Fig. 9.) In this stirrup the platform on which the foot rests is broad and comfortable, and is slightly roughened to prevent the foot from slipping. A spring-bar attachment (Fig. 10) is placed at the top of the stirrup-leather under the saddle-flap, and at the end of this bar there is a spring, so that, if the rider be thrown, the stirrup-leather becomes instantly detached from the saddle. The second variety of stirrup, known as ^^ Len- nan's safety stirrup,'* has all the merit of the preceding one. If kept well oiled and free from mud, it will release the foot at once, wdien an acci- dent occurs. It may, if desired, be accom- panied by the spring- Fig. 11. — Lennan's safety stirrup. bar attachment, and thus rendered doubly se- cure. (Fig. 11.) Some people, however, dislike the spring-bar attachment, and prefer to rely entirely upon the spring of the stirrup to re- lease the foot. The third stirrup, called '' Latchford's safety stirrup," consists of a stirrup within a stirrup. THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 81 and is so arranged that, when a rider is thrown, the inner stirrup springs open and releases the foot. (Fig. 12.) Either of these stirrups can be procured in London, England, or from the best saddle-makers in this country. A stirrup-iron should never be made of cast metal, but in- variably of the best wrought Fig. 12. -Latchford's safety . steel : it should be adapted to stmup. the size of the rider's foot, and should, if possible, have an instep pad at the top, while the bottom platform, upon which the foot rests, should be broad, and roughened on its upper surface. The stirrup-leather should be of the very best material, and should have neither fissures nor cracks in any part of it. It is very impor- tant to examine this leather frequently, and see that it is neither wearing thin, nor breaking at its upper part at the bar, nor at the lower part where it is fastened to the stirrup. A novel arrangement of th^ stirrup-leather, by means of the so-called " balance- strap," has of late years been used by some riders. The stirrup is, in this case, fastened to the balance- strap, which consists of a single strap passing up 6 82 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. tlirougli the ring-bai% and then brought down to within two or three inches of the lower edG:e of the saddle-flap ; here it is passed through a slit in the flap, then carried under the horse to the other side and buckled to another strap, which is fastened, for this purpose, just below the off -pommel. By this arrangement the sad- dle-flaps on both sides are held down, and the rider, without dismounting, can change the length of her stirrup by merely tightening or loosening this strap. Althougli highly recom- mended by some riders, this balance straj^ has one objectionable feature, which is that, as the measurement of the horse's girth is not con- stant during a long ride, it will be necessary to tighten the strap frequently in order to keep the stirrup of the proper length. The old way of fastening is much better, for too much com- plication in the saddle and bridle is apt to annoy and confuse the rider, especially if a novice. The golden rule in riding on horseback is to have everything accurate, simple, safe, and made of the very best material that can be pro- cured. The bridle should be neatly and plainly made, with no large rosettes at the sides, nor highly colored bands across the forehead. The reins and the head-piece should never be made THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 83 of rounded straps, but always of flat ones, and should be of the best and strongest leather, es- pecially the reins. These should be carefully examined from time to time, in order to be sure that there are no imperfections in them. Any roughness or hardness is an indication of defec- tiveness, and may be detected by dexterously passing the fingers to and fro over the flat sur- faces, which should be smooth, soft, and flexible. There can hardly be too much care taken about this matter, for the snapping of a rein always alarms a horse ; and, feeling himself free from all control, he will be almost certain to run away, while the rider, if she has no other reins, will be powerless to protect herself, or to check him in his purpose. Martingales are rarely used by riders, as they are troublesome, and can very well be dis- pensed with, unless the horse has the disagree- able trick of raising his head suddenly, from time to time, when a martingale will become necessary in order to correct this fault. The French martin g^ale is the best. This consists of a single strap, fastened either to the under part of a nose-band at its centre under the jaw, or by branches to each side of the snaffle-bit at the corners of the horse's mouth and then carried between the fore-legs and fastened to the girth. 84 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. "When the horse raises his head too high this strap pulls upon the nose - band, compresses his nostrils, interferes with his breathing, and causes him to lower his head promptly. The horse should not be too much conlined by the martingale, for the object is simply to prevent him from lifting his head too high, and all other ordinary movements should be left free. Among the many bits which have been used, that known as the '^ Pel- ham " has been highly praised, although, at the present time, it is almost, if not entirely, out of use. It might, however, from the severity of its curb prove of service in con- ig. . — I ney it. trolHug a hard - mouthed horse, althoui!:h such a one should never be ridden by a lady. The Chifney bit is another very severe one, and is very useful in managing a horse that pulls hard. But if the animal have a tender mouth, this bit should be used with great caution, and not at all by an inexperi- enced rider. (Fig. 13.) The bit known as the " snaffle," when made plain and not twisted, is the mildest of all bits, and some horses will move readily only when THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE, 85 this is used, the curb instantly rousing their temper. Others, again, do best with a combi- nation of the curb and the snaffle, and althouo-h the former may seldom require to be used, its mere presence in the mouth of the horse will prove a sufficient check to prevent him from running away. Most horses, however, especially those ridden by ladies, require a light use of the curb to bring them to their best gait. The bit used and recommended by many, but not by the author, is a curb so arranged as to form a combination bit in one piece. It consists of a curb (Fig. 14), to each side of which, at the an- gles of the horse's mouth, a ring is attached, and to , ^ , , . ' £ 1. Fiff- l-i- — The Combination Bit. each of these rnigs is last- "^ ^ a, a, rings fastened on each side c^-naA n voin TViitJ criVP«! fl to small bur, at right angles to and eneCl a lem. iniS glVeb ci directed backward of the cheek; -, . /. • -\ b,b, rings for the curb-reins, second pan^ or rems and converts the curb into a kind of snaffle. In this way it answers the purpose of both curb and snaffle without crowding the horse's mouth with two separate bits. If two bits should be used — the curb and bridoon — instead of the above combination bit, the bridoon should be placed in the horse's 86 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN, mouth in such a way as not to interfere with the action of the curb ; it must, therefore, be neither too thick nor too long, and so fitted into the angles of the mouth as to neither wrinkle nor draw back the lips. The bit should always be made of the best steel, be well rounded, and perfectly smooth. Above all it should be accurately fitted to the horse's mouth : if it be too narrow it will com- press his lips against the bars of his mouth, and the pain thereby occasioned will render him very restive. The mouth-piece should be just long enough to have the cheeks of the bit fit closely to the outer surface of the lips with- out compressing them, and must not be so long as to become displaced obliquely when a rein is pulled. According to Major D w y e r , who is a high authority on the subject of bits, — and whose little Fig. 15.— Dwyer's Curb-Bit. WOrk sllOuhl bc Carcfully 1, 1, uppor bars or cheeks; 2, 2, studicd by all bit-makcrs, lower bars ; 3, the port ; 4, 4, the roTr^.tiVT^V-r^in'^rrs; —^^ ^^^"^'^ ^^ ^^^ ^-^^^ ^'^^- rein rin,s ; 9, 9. head-sun ring. ^j,.^| j,^^|^ ^^ J^.^^,^ ^|^^ |^^^^^ bar or cheek of the curb-bit twice as long as the upper one ; but, as there is no standard meas- THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 87 ure for the upper one the other is frequently made too long. Major Dwyer states that the mouth - piece, for any horse of ordinary size, should be one and three fourths inches for the upper bar, and three and a half inches for the lower one. This makes five and one fourth inches for the entire length of the two bars, from the point at which the curb-hook acts above to that where the lower ring acts below. (Fig. 15.) For ordinary ponies the upper bar may be one and a half inches, and the lower one three, making a total length of four and a half inches. Every lady rider should know that the longer the lower bar, the thinner the mouth-piece, and the higher the ^' port," the more severe and painful w^ill be the action of the bit upon the horse's mouth. For a horse of ordinary size, the w^idth of the port should be one and one third inches ; for a pony, one inch. The height will vary according to the degree of severity required. The curb-chain, for a horse that has a chin- groove of medium size, should be about four fifths of an inch wide, as a chain that is rather broad and flat is less painful for the horse than a thin, sharp one. If the chin-groove be very narrow^ a curb-chain of less width will have to 88 rilE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. be used, and slioidd be covered with cloth ; or, instead of a chain, a narrow strap of leather may be used, Avhich should be kept soft and pliable. The proper length for the curb-chain, not including the curb-hooks, is about one fourth more than the width of the animal's mouth. The hooks should be exactly alike, and about an inch and a quarter long. Some horses are very expert in the trick of catching the cheek of the bit between their teeth. To remedy this vice a lip-strap may be used ; but it will be found much better to have each cheek or bar bent into the form of the let- ter S, remembering, however, that the measure- ment of the length, referred to above, must in the case of curved bars be made in a straic^ht line. Sometimes the upper bar of the curb-bit will, on account of the peculiar form of the horse's head, press against and gall his cheeks. AVhen this is noticed, most people change the bit, and get one with a longer mouth-piece ; but where the mouth-piece is of the same length as the width of the mouth, the proper remedy for tliis difficulty will be to have the upper bar bent out enough to free the cheeks from its pressure. The curb-bit once made and properly ad- justed to the head-stall, the next step will be to THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 89 fit it accurately to the horse's mouth. Every rider should thoroughly understand not only how to do this, but also how to place the saddle correctly upon the horse. Upon these points nearly all grooms require instruction, and very few gentlemen, even, know how to arrange a side-saddle so as to have it comfortable for both horse and rider. Moreover, should the lady be riding alone, as frequently happens in the coun- try, and meet with any accident to saddle or bridle, or need to have either adjusted, she would, without knowledge on these subjects, be completely helpless, whereas with it she could promptly remedy the difficulty. In order to adjust the bit permanently to the head-stall, so that afterwards the horse can al- ways be properly bridled, one must proceed as follows : having first fitted the head-stall to the horse's head by means of the upper buckles, the bit must then be adjusted, by means of the lower ones, in such a manner that the canons of the mouth-piece will rest on the bars of the horse's mouth, exactly opposite the chin-groove. (Fig. 16.) Should the tusks of the horse be irreg- ularly placed, the mouth-piece must be adjusted a little higher than the projecting tusks, so as to just avoid touching them. The curb-chain may now be hooked into the ring of the upper 90 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. bar on the off-side, leaving one link loose, after which the other hook must be fastened to the ring of the bar on the near-side, leaving two links loose. Care should be taken to have the curb-chain rest with its flat surface against the chin-groove in such a way that it will have no Fig. 16. — The Bit adjusted. 1, 1, snaffle-rein ; 2, 2, curb-rein. tendency to rise up when the reins are pulled upon. The curb-chain should never be tight ; there must alwavs be room enouii:!! between it and the chin to insert the first and second fin- gers of the right hand flatwise ; and, while the fingers are thus placed, if the reins are drawn THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 91 up, it will be easy to ascertain whether the chain pinches. If, when the reins are tightened, the bit stands stiff and immovable, it will show that the chain is too short and needs to be length- ened a link or two. If the horse gently yields his head to the tightening of the reins, without suddenly drawing back, or thrusting out his nose as the tension is increased, it will prove that the bit is correctly placed. But if the lower bars of the bit can be drawn back quite a distance before the horse will yield to the pull of the reins, then the chain is too long, and should be shortened. " Lightness, accuracy, easy motion, a total absence of stiffness, con- straint, or painful action, are the characteristics of good bitting ; and if these be attained, ready obedience to the rider's hand will . be the result." — F. Dwyer, When the bit has once been correctly ad- justed to the head -stall and to the horse's mouth, there will be little difficulty in bridling him upon any subsequent occasion. Thus : standing at the left of the horse's head, the head-stall, held by its upper part in the right hand, should be lifted up in front of the horse's head, while the left hand, holding the bit by its mouth-piece, should put this between the an- imal's lips, press it against his teeth, and into his 92 THE AMEniCAN HORSEWOMAN. mouth, which he Avill generally open a little in order to admit it. As soon as this has been ac- complished, the upper part of the head-stall must be promi)tly raised so as to bring its upper strap or band across the forehead, while at the same time the horse's ears are passed between the forehead band and the strap which forms the upper part of the head-stall. During these manoeuvres, the curb -chain must be passed under the chin, so as to rest a2:ain.st the chin-o-roove, and care be taken to keep the fingers of the left hand out of the horse's mouth while the mouth-piece is being put in. The bit and head-stall having been properly arranged, the whole should be secured by buckling the throat-strap loosely on the left side. If this strap be buckled tightly, the horse will be unable to bend his neck properly. The mouth-piece of the bit should be washed, dried, and then rubbed with fresh olive or cotton-seed oil, each time after use, to preserve it from rust. Neither a rusted bit nor a very cold one should ever be put into a horse's mouth. In frosty winter weather the bit should always be warmed. Manv a valuable horse has had his mouth seriously injured by having an icy cold mouth-piece put into it, to say nothing of the pain and suffering it must invariably occasion. THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 93 In order to produce a neat and pleasing ap- pearance, there should be no unsightly ends or straps left dangUng from the loops of the head- stall. They should be so snugly fitted into their places that they cannot work out of their loops. The forehead band should never be too ivAit for the horse's comfort, and the small rosettes that lie over his temples should be well oiled underneath and kept soft. A side-saddle may be made accurately accord- ing to all recognized rules, and yet lose nearly all its good effects by being improperly put on ; the rider will be made uncomfortable, the horse's back will be injured, and the saddle will eventually have its padding so compressed in the wrong direction that it will be impossible to put it on in the right way. Every lady rider should know as well how to have her saddle properly adjusted as how to sit her horse or manage the reins. On a well- formed horse, with rather high withers and sloping shoulders, the centre of the saddle should be placed over the middle of the back, and be so arranged that the front part of the saddle-tree shall be a very short distance back of the horse's shoulder-blade, for if allowed to rest upon the shoulder-blade it will interfere 94 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. very much with the action of the shoulder mus- cles. It is a common fault of grooms to place the saddle a little sideways, and too far forward on the withers. The well-taught rider can, however, easily decide whether the saddle is in the right position : standing on the ofT-side of the horse, she must pass her right hand under the arch of the saddle-tree, which should be di- rectly over the withers, and see whether it sits perfectly even, bearing no more to one side than to the other ; then stepping behind the horse, but at a safe distance from his heels, she can see whether the long central furrow of the under surface of the saddle-seat from front to rear (chamber) is in a direct line with the an- imal's backbone, and forms an open space over it. If these conditions are fulfilled, the saddle is properly adjusted. If the horse have rather straight shoulders, together with a plump, round body, the saddle will require to be placed rather farther forward, but with the chamber still in a line with the backbone. On some horses of this shape, the saddle, to be held securely, will need to be set so far forward that the girths will have to pass close to the fore-legs. A horse of this description is not suitable for the side-saddle, but as ladies in the country and in the far West are sometimes obliged to ride such, THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 95 it is very important for their safety to know how these ill-formed animals should be saddled, because should the saddle be put too far back on such horses, it will be sure to turn. It not infrequently happens that after the saddle has been placed in the correct position, it becomes slightly displaced while being fast- ened. To avoid this, it should always be girthed on the off-side, and great care be taken, when fastening the girths, especially the first one, that the saddle be not jerked over to the left ; and that in pulling upon the short strap on the off-side, to which the girth is to be buckled, the saddle be not forced to the right. When girthing the saddle, the lady may place her left hand on the middle of the seat and hold it steady while she arranges the first girth, and with her right hand draws it as tightly as she can, without using violent exer- tion, or making any sudden jerk ; she will then be able, with both hands, to tighten the girth as much as is necessary, doing this with an even, regular pull, so that the saddle will not be moved out of place. Before fas-tening the other girths, she should step behind the horse and as- sure herself that the chamber is in a line with the horse's backbone, as before described. If it is not, she must loosen the girth, and, after 96 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. straightening the saddle, proceed as before. Tlie o-irth to be first fastened is the one nearest the horse's fore-legs ; the second girth is the one back of the first, and should be placed evenly over the first one and fastened equally tight ; the third is the leather girth which is intended to keep down the saddle-flaps ; this must be placed evenly over the other two, but it is not essential to have it drawn so tight as they, but just enough so to hold the flaps. Most horses have a trick, when they are being girthed, of expanding their sides and abdomen, for the pur- pose of securing a loose girthing; and girths that seem almost too tight when they are first buckled are often found to be too loose after the rider has mounted. Too tight a girth is in- jurious to the horse, but too loose a one may cause the saddle to turn. A round, plump horse with low withers will need ticrliter iz-irthino- than o o o a better shaped one. The lady rider should study the shape of her horse, and use her own judgment as to how tight the girths should be drawn, making due allowance for the trick al- luded to above. If there is any second person present while the saddle is being arranged, mat- ters may be facilitated if this person will hold the saddle firmly by the off-pommel Avhile the girthing is being done. THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 97 The author has been thus particular in de- scribing the bit and saddle with their proper arrangement, as well as the girthing of the horse, because so few lady riders bestow any at- tention upon these very important matters ; and yet, if one desires to ride safely and well, a knowledge of them is positively necessary. Grooms cannot always be depended upon, and, indeed, seldom know much about the side-sad- dle ; there is an adage which is applicable to many of them : " Too much must not be ex- pected from the head of him who labors only with his hands." In the instructions given by gentlemen writers, useful as they may be in many respects, there is usually a good deal of practical information omitted which a lady rider ought to know, but the necessity of which it is perhaps impossible for a gentleman fully to ap- preciate or understand ; this knowledge the lady will have to gain either from her own ex- perience or from one of her own sex who has studied the subject carefully. In preparing for horseback riding, nothing should be omitted that can give greater security to the rider, or protect her more completely from accident of any sort. Every article should be of the very best material, so that a breakage 7 98 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. or casualty of any kind may be only a remote possibility. The knowledge that everything is right, and firmly and properly placed, creates a confidence which adds greatly to the pleasure of the ride. CHAPTER IV. MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. " • Stand, Bayard, stand ! ' — the steed obeyed, With arching neck and bending head, And glancing eye and quivering ear, As if he loved her voice to hear." Lady of the Lake. A NOTICE in riding always experiences in a greater or less degree a sense of trepidation and embarrassment w^hen, for the first time, a horse duly caparisoned for a lady rider is put before her, and she is expected to seat herself in the saddle. If she be a timid person, the apparent difficulty of this feat occasions a dismay which the good-natured champing of the bit and im- patient head shakings of the horse do not tend to diminish. If, however, she be accustomed to horses as pets, and understand their ways, she will be much less apprehensive about mounting than the lady who has only obs-erved them at a distance and is entirely ignorant of their nature. The author has known ladies, after their horses had been brought to the door, to send them back to the stable because coura^re failed them 100 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. when it became necessary to trust themselves on the back of an animal of Avliicli they knew nothing. To overcome this timidity the lady must become better acquainted with her horse, and, to do so, should visit him occasionally in his stable, feed him with choice morsels, and lead him about the yard from time to time. By these means a mutual friendship and confidence will be created, and the lady will gradually gain enough courage to place herself in the saddle. The first attempt at mounting should be made from a high horse-block with some one to hold the head of the horse and keep him still. Turn- ino- her ris^ht side somewhat toward the horse's left, and slightly raising the skirt of her riding habit, the lady should spring from her left foot towards the saddle, at the same time raising her right leg so that it will pass directly over the second and third pommels. This accomplished, the left foot may be placed in the stirrup. Another method of mounting from a rather high horse-block, when the pommels are high, is for the lady to face the horse's left side, and, seizing the off-pommel with the right hand and the second one with the left, to spring towards the saddle from her left foot, and seat herself sidewise. She can then turn her body so as to face the horse's head, place her right leg over MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 101 the second pommel, — adjusting her skirt at the same time, — and slip her left foot into the stir- rup and her left knee under the third pommel. Should the horse-block be low and the lady short, she will be obliged to mount somewhat after a man's fashion, thus : Placing her left foot in the stirrup, and grasping the second pommel with her left hand, she should spring from her right foot, and, as she rises, grasp the off-pommel with her right hand ; by means of this spring, aided by the pommels and stirrup, she can seat herself sideways in the saddle, turn- ing her body for this purpose just before gain- ing- the seat. In the absence of a horse-block, from which to mount, the assistance of a chair or stool should never be resorted to unless there is some one to hold it firm and steady. When the rider is obliged to mount without assistance and from the ground, if the balance- strap, before referred to, be used with her stir- rup, she can let this strap down far enough to enable her to put her foot in the stirrup easily, tind to use it as a sort of stepping-stone by means of which, and a spring from her right foot, she can reach the saddle sidew\ays. In do- ing this she must grasp the second pommel firmly with her left hand, in which she also should hold her whip and the reins ; on rising 102 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. she must aid herself by grasping with the right hand the off-pommel as soon as she can reach it. When she is seated, the stirrup can be adjusted from the oft-side by means of the balance-strap. If, however, she uses the old-fashioned stir- rup-leather, and there is no assistance of any kind at hand, neither horse-block, chair, nor stool, not even a fence or steep bank from which to mount, — a situation in which a rider might possibly be placed, — then reaching the saddle becomes a very puzzling aftliir, unless the lady be so active that she can spring from the ground to her saddle. To try the plan of lengthening the stirrup-leather w^ill be dangerous, because, in order to readjust it after mounting, she will have to sit on the back part of the saddle, bend over the horse's left side, and pull up the stirrup- leather in order to shorten and buckle it; while in this position, if the horse should start, she w^ould probably be throwm instantly. Her safest course w^ould be to lead the horse until a place is found where she can mount. If she should have to use a fence for this purpose let her be sure that the posts are firmly fixed in the ground, and that the boards are neither loose nor easily broken. When mounting, the whip and reins should be held in the left hand, the former with the MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 103 point down, so tliat it may not hit the horse, and the latter grasped just tightly enough to feel the horse's mouth without pulling on it. In order to arrano-e the folds of the ridinir skirt after mounting, the reins and whip must be transferred to the right hand ; then, resting this hand upon the off-pommel, the rider should raise herself free from the saddle by straighten- ing her left knee and standing on the stirrup, also aiding herself by means of the right hand on the pommel. While thus standing she can quickly arrange the skirt with her left hand. None of the methods of mounting just de- scribed — with the exception of the first one — are at all graceful, and they should never be used except in case of absolute necessity. The most graceful way for a lady to reach the sad- dle, and the one that is taught in the best riding schools, is by the assistance of a gentleman. The rider's education will not be complete until she has learned this method of mounting, which, when accomplished easily and gracefully, is de- lio:htful to witness. It should be learned after the preliminary lessons at the ^horse-block have been taken. In using this simple manner of reaching the saddle, the rider will have three distinct points of support, namely, the shoulder of the gentleman who assists her, the united 104 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. palms of his hands, and her own hold upon the pommel. Fig. 17. — Lady ready to mount her horse. The stirrup having been placed across the shield of the saddle in front of the pommels, the lady, holding the reins and the whip 'with its point down in her right hand, — which must rest upon the second pommel, — should stand with her rii2:ht side toward the horse's left, about four or five inches from it, her left shoulder being slightly turned back. Then, taking a firm hold upon the second pommel MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 105 with her right hand, she should with the left lift her riding skirt enough to enable her to place her left foot fairly and squarely into the gentleman's palms, which should be clasped firmly together. This done, she should drop the skirt, place her left hand upon his right shoulder, bend her knee, or give the word "ready," as a signal, and at once spring from her right foot up and a little towards the horse. The gentleman, at the same moment, must raise his hands, and move them toward the horse. The lady must, when rising, press or bear lightly upon his shoulder, and also keep a firm hold upon the second pommel, which she must not relinquish until she is seated. If correctly per- formed, this manoeuvre will place the rider in the saddle sideways. The gentleman should then remove the stirrup from the front of the saddle, while the lady transfers the reins to her left hand, passes her right knee over the second pommel and her left under the third. She will then be ready to have her foot placed in the stirrup. (Fig. 17.) It will, however, be found very difficult to mount in this manner, gracefully, unless the gentleman who assists thoroughly understands his duties ; should he be awkward about help- ing her, the lady will find it much better to 106 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. depend upon the horse-block. If, for mstance, he should raise his hands too high, or with too much energy, when she makes her spring, he may push her too far over, or even — if she should loosen her grasp of the second pommel, — cause her to fall from the off-side of the horse. This is a dangerous accident, and al- most certain to occasion severe injuries. On the other hand, if he does not use energy enough, or neglects to carry his hands toward the body of the horse as the lady rises, she may not reach the saddle at all, and will be apt to fall to the ground on the left side of the horse, especially if she relinquishes her hold on the second pommel. The gentleman must also be careful not to let his foot rest on the lady's skirt, as this will pull her back, and perhaps tear the dress, as she makes her spring. In assisting a lady to mount, the gentleman should first arrange the snafHe-reins evenly and of the proper length, and place them in her right hand, leaving the curb-reins to lie loosely on the neck of the horse. Then, after putting the stirrup out of the way, as described above, he should take a position facing her, with his left shoulder toward the left shoulder of the horse. Clasping his hands together with the palms turned up, he should stoop sufficiently to MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 107 enable her to put her left foot upon them, and, in raising them as she springs, he must grad- ually assume the erect posture. When the lady is seated, he should return the stirrup to its proper position and place her foot in it, after first, with his left hand, adjusting her skirt so that it will fall evenly ; he should then place the curb-reins in her left hand, with the others. No gentleman is a finished equestrian, nor a de- sirable companion for a lady on horseback, who does not know how to assist her dexterously and gracefully to mount and dismount. A lady who is not very nimble in her move- ments, or who is very heavy, should be ex- tremely careful in mounting not to accept as- sistance from a gentleman who is not strong enough to support her weight easily and firmly. It will be much better for her to use a horse- block or something of the kind. But if she does accept the aid of a gentleman, the following changes in the methods described above have been recommended : instead of facing her, he should stand close to her side, with his face turned in the same direction as hers : she should then place her left foot in his united hands, and in order to do so must pass her left leg between his right arm and his body. He will thus be enabled to support and lift her with greater 108 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. ease, and, as she rises, lier left leg will readily escape from under his right arm, and she will be able to seat herseh sideways in the saddle, as by the former method. During this manoeuvre she must sustain herself by the second pommel, as in the preceding instance. If a horse is restless and uneasy when being mounted, he should be held by a third person, who must stand in front of his head and take a firm hold of the curb-bit on each side, but without touching the reins, which should always be held and managed by the rider only. It is always a better plan, when mounting, to have the horse held, although a well-trained horse will stand quietly without such control. Mounting is a part of the rider's education which should be carefully studied and practiced, for wdien properly and gracefully accomplished it is the very poetry of motion, and will enable her to display more pliancy and lightness than she can even in the ball-room. There is an- other branch of the rider's education which also requires careful study, as it is rarely accom- plished satisfactorily, and is apt to occasion as much embarrassment and dismay to a beginner as mounting. This is dismounting. To alight from a horse easily and well, without disarrang- ing the dress, and without being awkwardly MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 109 precipitated into the arms of the gentleman who assists, is by no means an easy task, and very few lady riders accomplish it with skill and address. When assisting his companion from the sad- dle, the gentleman should stand about a foot from her with his face toward the horse, while she, after taking her foot from the stirrup and disengaging her right leg from the pommel, must turn her body so as to face him. After putting the stirrup over the shield of the saddle, as in mounting, he should then extend his hands so as to support her by the elbows, while she rests a hand upon each of his shoulders. Then, by giving a gentle spring, she will glide lightly to the ground, he meanwhile supporting her with his hands, and, as she descends, bending his body, and moving his right side slightly backward. She can also assist him to lessen the shock as she touches the ground by bending her knees a little, as if courtesying. Another way of assisting the lady, especially if she be rather stout and not very active, is for the gentleman to clasp her waist with both hands, instead of holding her by the elbows. He should, in this case, stand as far from her as he can while still supporting her, and, as she descends, should make a step backward with his 110 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. right foot, and turn a little away from the horse, which should be held by a third person, in the manner described before, in mounting. Fig. 18. — Lady ready to dismount. Another, and more graceful way of dismount- ing is the following: The gentleman, standing about a foot from his companion and directly facing her, takes in his left hand her bridle, — as near as he can to the horse's mouth, that he may hold him as firmly and securely as possible, — the lady now drops the reins on the horse's neck, disengages her foot from the stirrup, and MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING, 111 her leg from the second pommel, and then seats herself sideways in the saddle, so as to face her assistant, who now places the stirrup on the front of the saddle with his right hand ; he then offers his right shoulder to the lady for her sup- port. She, after gathering up in her left hand a few folds of her riding skirt, in order to have her feet free when she alights, places upon his shoulder the hand which holds the skirt, and with the other, in which she holds her whip point downward, grasps the second pommel and springs lightly from the saddle, the gentleman bending over a little as she descends. On reach- ing the ground, she should, as before described, bend her knees slightly to lessen the shock of the descent. (Fig. 18.) In all these modes of dismounting, the lady, before attempting to alight, should be sure that her skirt is quite free from the pommels, espe- cially from the second one, and that it is so ad- justed that it will not be trodden upon when she reaches the ground, but will fall evenly about her, without being in any way disarranged. It happens not infrequently that a lady is obliged to dismount without any one to assist her, and in this case she should ride up to a horse-block so as to bring the left side of her horse close to it^ let the curb reins fall upon his 112 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. neck, retaining, however, the whip and snaffle- reins in her left hand, and then, removing her foot from the stirrup and her right leg from the pommel, she should seat herself a little side- ways upon the saddle. Now, with a slight turn of her shoulders to the right, she should place her left hand — still holding the whip and reins — upon the second pommel, and her right hand upon the off one, and thus alight sideways with her face toward the horse's head. In ef- fecting this manoeuvre, she must be careful to retain her hold upon the snaffle-reins and also upon the second pommel until she is safe upon the horse-block ; she must also remember the caution given before, in regard to having her skirts free from the pommels. To dismount upon the ground, or upon a very low horse-block, without assistance, is a difficult feat to execute gracefully, but some young ladies in the country, who are active and light, accomplish it so easily and quickly that they do not appear awkward. The manner in which this is to be done is nearly the same as that just explained, the only difference being, that the gliding down must be effected quickly and lightly, and the rider, as she passes down, must release her hold upon the off-pommel, but retain that upon the second, also taking care to MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING, 113 have the reins quite loose. This mode of alight- ing is, however, entirely out of place except in the country, where assistance cannot always be had readily, or in cases where the lady is obliged to dismount very quickly. If the lady rider, after carefully studying these different methods of mounting and dis- mounting with assistance, will select the one she thinks suits her best, and then practice it a few times with her gentleman escort, she will soon find herself able to perform with ease these apparently difficult feats, and will have no need of resorting to a horse-block, nor to some se- cluded spot, where she can mount or dismount unobserved. A lady once told the author that the pleasure of her daily ride was at one time almost spoiled by the knowledge that she must mount and dismount in front of a hotel, the piazza of which was always crow^ded with ob- servers, for, not having been properly taught to execute these manoeuvres, she was rather awk- ward at them. She, how^ever, placed herself under correct tuition, and soon overcame the difficulty. She can now execute these move- ments with such grace and elegance as to fasci- nate gentlemen, and excite the envy of rival belles who are still obliged to seek the aid of a horse-block. 8 CHAPTER V. THE SEAT OX HOESEBACK. " Bounded the fiery steed in air, The rider sat erect and fair, Then like a bolt from steel cross-bow Forth launched, along the plain they go." Lady of the Lake. A CORRECT seat is very seldom attained by the self-taught hidy rider, for her attitude on the horse is so artificial that she cannot, like the gentleman rider, Avhose seat is more easy and natural, fall directly into the proper position. Competent instruction alone can enable her to gain the safe and easy posture which will give the least possible fatigue to herself and to her horse. It is true that a natural rider, or she who professes to ride instinctively, may to-day accidentally assume the proper position in the saddle, but, as she has no rule by which to guide herself, and is entirely unacquainted with the " whys and wherefores "of a correct seat, she will to-morrow assume the incorrect position, so natural to a self-tauglit rider, and the pleasant ride of to-day will be followed by a rough and THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 115 unpleasant one to-morrow. On the one occa- sion, the poor horse will receive much praise for his easy motion, and on the next be highly cen- sured for the roughness of his gait, for the lady will not suspect that the real difficulty lies in her own ignorance of a correct attitude, and in her bad management of the poor beast. Upon the position of the upper part of the body depends not only grace and pliancy, and that harmony between horse and rider which is so highly desirable and, indeed, necessary, but also the ability to manage the reins properly ; for, if the rider be not well balanced, her hands w^ill be unsteady, and seldom in the right posi- tion for controlling the animal. But the proper position of the body above the saddle depends upon the correct arrange- ment of the lower limbs ; if they are not in the right position, the rider will lean too far for- ward, or too far back, or too much to one side or the other. She w^ill also lose all firmness of seat, and, consequently, all safety in riding. This faulty position of the lower limbs has been, and still is, the occasion of much incorrect rid- ing, but is a point which is seldom regarded by the gentleman teacher. He, indeed, cannot possibly know how the legs are arranged, when they are covered by the riding skirt, and prob- 116 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. ably seldom gives the subject any thought ; yet he wonders, after carefully watching and cor- recting the position of the body, why his pupil does not retain the erect position as directed. A lady teacher of experience is, therefore, much to be preferred to a gentleman, unless the lady pupil is willing to wear, while taking her les- sons, trousers similar to those worn during cal- isthenic exercises. It sometimes happens that a lady, even after being carefully instructed how to sit in the sad- dle, and when she seems to understand what is necessary, will yet present a very erect but stiff appearance, as if she were made of cast-iron, or some other unyielding material. This may be due to nervousness, fear, tight-lacing, or affec- tation. Practice in riding, loose corsets, and less affectation, will soon remedy this stiffness. Another faulty position is one which may be termed '' the dead weight seat," which is only possible when riding on an English saddle. It consists in sitting or bearing chiefly upon the left side of the saddle, the right leg firmly grasping the second pommel, and the left leg squeezed tightly between the stirrup and the third pommel, as if held in a vise. In this po- sition the rider will be fastened to her horse as closely as if she were a package of merchandise THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 117 strapped upon the back of a pack-horse. She will appear mclolent and manimate, besides rid- ing heavily, and thus distressing and discour- aging her horse ; for a well-trained horse will always prefer to keep in unison with the move- ments of his rider, but will find it impossible to do so, wdien she adopts this constrained, un- yielding seat. The rider will also be made mis- erable, for the constant effort to keep steady by a continuous pressure of the left knee against the third pommel will not only prove weari- some, but wall be apt to bruise her knee, as well as strain the muscles of the upper part of the leg, and the next day she will feel very stiff and lame. In addition to which it will be impossi- ble for her to rise in the English trot, or to move her body to the right in the gallop or canter when the horse leads with his left leg;. More- over, should the lady wdio thus hangs upon the pommel be rather heavy, her horse's back will be sure to receive more or less injury, no matter how well the saddle may be made and padded. Although the second pommel should be firmly grasped by the right knee, and the left knee be strongly pressed up against the third one, when the horse is unruly or trying to unseat his rider, these supports should not be habitually em- ployed, but kept for critical situations^ and even 118 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. then the body must be kept erect, yet flexible. A rider who depends entirely upon the pommels to enable her to keep her seat is a bad rider, who will soon acquire all kinds of awkward and ridiculous positions, and expose herself to much severe criticism. The opposite of the " dead- weight seat " is what may be termed the " wabbling seat." This is seen where the old-fashioned saddle is used ; the rider, instead of sitting firm and erect, bounds up and down like a rubber ball tossed by an unseen hand. This can be rem- edied by the substitution of the English saddle, whose third pommel, when used judiciously and aided by a proper balance of the body, will give the required firmness of seat, which should be neither too rigid nor too yielding. The correct seat, universally adopted by fin- ished riders, is the following: The lady should seat herself exactly on the centre of the saddle, witli her body erect, and her backbone in a di- rect line with that of the horse, at a riii-ht ano-le with it. A spectator can readily tell whether the rider is in the centre of the saddle by ob- serving whether the space between the buttons on the hind flaps of her riding-jacket corre- sponds with the backbone of the horse, and also with the chamber of the saddle. (Fig. 19.) Or Fig. 19. — Correct Seat for a Lady. Back View. THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 121 the lady can herself decide the question by placing her fingers between these two buttons, and then carrying the former in a straight line directly down to the chamber of the saddle ; if these coincide, and if she has placed herself far enough back on the saddle to be able to grasp the second pommel comfortably with her right knee, while the left one is just spanned by the third pommel, then she is in a position to ride with ease to herself and horse, for she now sits upon that part of the animal which is the cen- tre of motion in his forward movement, and in this position can keep in unison with the ca- dence of his various gaits. Again, her weight being exactly upon the centre of motion, she can with difficulty be unseated or shaken off by the most violent efforts of the horse, for, whether he springs suddenly forward, or side- ways, or whirls around, the rider is in a position at once to anticipate his movement, to keep a firm seat, and quickly to gain her balance. When the horse advances straight forward, the rider — sitting; with head erect and her body so placed that its entire front is directed toward the horse's head, or, in other words, that a straight line draion from one hip to the other looidd form a right angle with one drawn along the centre of the horse s head and neck — must 122 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. throw her .shoulders some^vhat buck, so as to ex- pand her chest, taking care, however, to keep the shoulders in line, and not to elevate one more than the other. There should also be, at the back of the waist, a slight inward bend which Avill throw the front of the waist a little for- ward. The arms, from the shoulders to the elbows, must hang perpendicularly, and the elbows be held loosely but steadily and in an easy manner, near the rider's sides, and not be allowed to flap up and down with every move- ment. The hands must be held low and about three or four inches from the body. The bear- ing of the head, the backward throw of the shoulders, and the curve at the waist, are ex- actly like those assumed by a finished waltzer, and if the reader is herself a dancer, or will notice the carriage of a good dancer gliding around the ball-room, she can readily under- stand the attitude required for a correct seat in the saddle. The right knee should grasp the second pom- mel firmly, but not hang upon it in order to help the rider keep her seat and balance. The right leg, from the hip to the knee, must be kept as steady as po.^sible, because from a woman's position in the saddle, the movements of her horse tend to throw her toward his left THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 123 side, and she must guard against this by bear- ing slightly toward his right. From the knee to the foot, the right leg must be in contact with the fore-flap of the saddle^ the heel being inclined backward a little. The left knee should be placed just below the third pommel, so that this will span it lightly, close enough to assist in preserving a firm seat, yet not so close as to interfere with the action of the leg in the English trot. From the knee to the foot this left leg must be held in a straight line perpendicular to the ground, and the knee be lightly pressed against the side-flap of the saddle. The ball of the foot must be placed evenly in the stirrup, the heel being a little lower than the toes, which should be pointed toward the shoulder of the horse. (Fig. 20.) If the rider will seat herself in the saddle in the manner just described, she will find that she has a very firm seat, from which she cannot easily be displaced ; but in order to appear graceful she must be flexible, and adapt herself readily to the motions of her horse. The shoul- ders, for example, although thrown back, must not be rigid, and the body, while erect, must be supple ; the head be upright and free, and, in the leap, or w^hen circling in the gallop, the body 124 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. must be pliant, yielding and bending with the movements of the horse, but always resuming afterward the easy erect position. But it must Fig. 20. — Correct seat for a lady. Side view. 1, third pommel ; 2, second pommel. be borne in mind that the above directions in regard to carriage apply to the times when the horse is moving, and need not be observed in full rigor at other times. When, for instance, the horse is standing, the rider may assume a more easy posture, collecting herself and steed simultaneously when she wishes him to move. THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 125 The novice in ridino; should never be allowed to touch rein or whip until she has acquired a good seat, and a correct balance. During her first lessons, some one should ride by her side and lead her horse, while she, folding her hands in front of her waist, should give all her atten- tion to gaining a correct seat ; or, she may practice circling to the right by means of the lunge line, which will prove excellent training, and will teach her to bear toward the off or right side, for it has already been stated that the motion in the side-saddle has a tendency to impel the rider toward the left, and this ten- dency must always be guarded against by bear- ing the body a little to the right. Circling to the right, when riding in the track of the riding- school, is also a useful exercise for this purpose, but as riding-schools are not always to be had conveniently, the lunge line will be found very useful, many riders, indeed, considering it even better than riding in the ring, as it keeps the horse well up to his gait. During a few of the first lessons, that the rider may not fall from the saddle, the stirrup- leather may be somewhat shortened, but as soon as an idea of the proper balance has been ac- quired and the reins and whip are placed in her hands, the stirrup must be lengthened, as this 126 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. secures a firmer and more easy seat. This leather will be of the correct length when, by a little pressure on it with her foot, and a simul- taneous straightening of her knee, the rider can spring upward about four or five inches from the saddle ; but it must never be so long as to render the third pommel nearly, if not quite, useless. It is better to have the first lessons in riding!* rather short, so that the pupil may become gradually accustomed to the exercise. As soon as she begins to feel at all fatigued, she should at once dismount, and not try to ride again until the tired feeling is wholly gone. These inter- vals of fatigue will gradually become less and less frequent, until at last the rider will find herself so strono; and vic^orous that ridin": will no longer require any fatiguing effort. In the case of an active, healthy woman, accustomed to exercise of various kinds, these short prelim- inary lessons may not be necessary; her muscles will be already so well developed that she will not be easily fatigued by exercise of any kind. But for a lady who has always been physically inactive, these short lessons at first are abso- lutely necessary. The general system of such a person has become enfeebled, her muscles are weak and ilabby, and any sudden or long con- THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK, 127 tinned exercise would tend to produce very in- jurious results, so that riding, unless begun very gradually, would probably do her more harm than good. But after reading all the directions just given about riding, the reader may ask what need there is of so much study and circumspection to enable a woman to mount a horse and ride him, when hundreds of ladies ride every day, and enjoy doing so, without knowing anything about the make of the saddle, or the position they ought to take when seated in it. Although it seems almost a pity to disturb the serenity and self-complacency of ignorance, we shall be obliged, in justice to those who really wish to understand the principles of good horsewomanship, to point out some of the mis- takes of those who think that riding is an ac- complishment which can be acquired without instruction and study. It is not too sweeping an assertion to state that, of one hundred ladies who attempt a dis- play of what they consider their excellent horse- womanship in our streets and -parks, ninety-five are very imperfect riders ; and the five who do ride well have only learned to do so by means of careful study and competent instruction. They have fully appreciated the fact that na- 128 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN, ture never ushered them into the world finished riders, any more than accomphshed gramma- rians or Latin scliohirs, and that although one may possess a natural aptitude for an accom- plishment, application, study, and practice are positively necessary to enable her to attain any degree of perfection in it. Yet the idea un- fortunately prevails very largely in this country that women require very little instruction to become good riders, and the results of this be- lief are apparent in the ninety-five faulty riders already referred to. Let us now watch some of the fair Americans whom the first balmy day of spring has tempted out for a horseback ride, and notice the faulty positions in which they have contrived to seat themselves in their saddles. With regard to their beauty, elegance of form, and style of dress, nothing more could be desired ; but, alas ! the same cannot be said of their manner of rid- mi?. Take Miss X. and Mrs. Y., for examples. These ladies have the reputation of being fine and fearless horsewomen, and certainly do ride with that dash and confidence which long prac- tice in the saddle is sure to give, but we regret to say that we can bestow no further praise upon them. Miss X. has taken a position that Fig. 21. — Crooked Position in Saddle. Miss X. THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 131 is almost universal with American horsewomen, and is exactly the one which a rider nearly al- ways assumes when seated sideways on a horse without a saddle. Instead of sitting squarely, with the entire front of her body facing in the direction toward which the horse is going, she sits crosswise. It will be seen by looking at Fig. 21, that the central vertical line of her back, instead of being directly in the centre of the saddle, is placed toward the right corner of it, and that her shoulders are out of line, the left one being thrown back, and the right one advanced forward. This position makes it im- possible for her to keep in unison with her horse when he is moving straight forward at an easy pace. When he changes his gait to a canter the rider will, for a short distance, appear to be more in harmony with him, because he is now turning himself slightly to the left and leading with his right fore-leg, a position which is more in unison with that of his rider. But, after a short time, the horse gets tired of this canter, turns to the right, and leads with his left fore- leg. This change entirely destroys the appar- ent harmony which had before existed between the two. The lady, knowing nothing about the posi- tion of a horse when galloping or cantering, is 132 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. ignorant of the fact that he always turns a little to the right or left according to the leg with which he leads, and that she ought to place her body in a corresponding position. She has but one position in the saddle, — the crooked one already described, — and this she maintains im- movably through all the changes of her horse's gaits. Let us now turn to Mrs. Y., who is even a more faulty rider than her companion. She has likewise taken a crosswise position in the saddle ; but having given a peculiar twist to her body so that, by turning her right shoulder backward, she can look to the right, she seems to imagine that by these means she has placed herself squarely upon the saddle. (Fig. 22.) As she is riding a racking horse and seated on a two- pommeled saddle, she holds the reins firmly in her left hand and hy a steady pull on them she bal- ances herself and keeps her horse up to his gait. But this steady pull will soon ruin the tender- ness and sensitiveness of any horse's mouth, and this is the reason why racking horses generally have very hard mouths, many of them requiring to be well held up or supported in their rack by the reins. As this pulling upon the reins also gives considerable support to the rider, many ladies prefer a racking horse. Now notice Mrs. Fig. 22. — Crooked Position in Saddle. Mrs. Y. THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 135 Y., who is attempting to turn her hard-mouthed racker. Instead of doing this by an almost imperceptible movement of the hand, her left hand and arm can be distinctly seen to move, and to fairly pull the animal around. Her right hand — probably acting in sympathy with the left, so tightly clasped over the reins — holds the whip as if it were in a vise intended to crush it. In odd contrast with the rigidly held hands is the body with its utter lack of firm- ness. It can be seen at a glance why the lady will only ride an easy racker, for it is well known that on a good racker or pacer the body of a rider in a faulty position is not jolted so much as in other gaits. For this reason also the rack and pace are the favorite gaits of most Amer- ican horsewomen. Nearly every lady who rides has an ambition to be considered a finished horsewoman, but this she can never be until she is able to ride prop- erly the trot and gallop, can keep herself in unison with her horse, whether he leads with the left or right fore-leg, and has hands that will " give and take " with the horse's move- ments and bring him up to his best gait. From this point of view, Miss X. and Mrs. Y., then, are by no means the "splendid riders" that 136 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. their friends suppose them, but having all the confidence of ignorance they ride fast and boldly and with a certain abandon that is pleasing ; Fig. 23. — Incorrect position of legs and feet. Side view. but by those who understand what good riding is, they must always be regarded as very faulty riders. Another common fault, against which we have already warned the reader, is that of riding with too short a stirrup-leather, thus pressing the left knee up against the third pommel, carrying the left heel backward and slightly Fig. 24. — Incorrect Position when Legs and Feet are wrongly placed. THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK, 139 upward, and dropping the toes of the left foot more or less down toward the ground, while those of the right are raised and pointed toward the horse's head. (JFig. 23.) Although the lower limbs are concealed by the skirt, it can easily be told whether they are in the position just described, from the effect produced upon the upper part of the body, which then leans too far forward and too much to the right (Fig. 24) ; while the rider, in her efforts to balance herself, inclines her shoulders to the left. This is a very awkward as well as a very dangerous attitude, because, by thrusting her leg backwards, the action of spurring is imi- tated, and, if the horse is very high-spirited, this may cause him to become restive, or even to run away. Should the leg, moreover, as is very apt to be the case, be firmly and steadily pressed against the animal's side, he may sud- denly pirouette or turn around to the right, especially if he has been accustomed to carry- ing gentlemen as well as ladies. This short stir- rup-leather and improper use of the third pom- mel should be carefully avoided. The use of too long a stirrup-leather is apt to be the mistake of those who ride upon the old- fashioned saddle, but is a fault which has be- come much less common since the English 140 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. saddle has been more generally used. The ob- jection to too long a stirrujD-leather is that, "vvhen the foot is pressed upon it, the leg at the same time is straightened, and extends down so far as to cause the rider to sit too much to the left of the saddle. As the pressure and weight are thus thrown wdiolly upon the left side, the saddle is very likely to turn, and if this faulty position be persisted in, it will be certain to in- jure the horse's back and may give rise to fis- tulous withers. Besides looking very awkw^ard and inelegant, when stooping forward in the saddle and round- ino; the back without the sliijrhtest curve in- wardly, the rider Avill also run great risk, if her horse stumbles or makes any sudden movement, of being unseated, or at least thrown violently against the front of the saddle, as it is almost impossible for her, under such circumstances, to adapt herself to the change in his motion quickly enough to preserve her equilibrium. In all violent movements of the horse, except rear- ing, the body must be inclined backward, so as to keep the balance. When he is moving briskly in his ordinary gaits, the body must be kept erect ; and when he is turning a corner rapidly, it should be inclined backward somewhat, and toward the inner bend of the horse's body ; or, THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 141 in other words, toward the centre of the circle, of which the turn forms a seo-uient. Here come two ladies who have evidently re- ceived very limited instructions in the art of ridino;. Notice how the head of one is thrust forward, w^hile the other, though holding her head erect allows it to be jerked about with every motion of her horse. It shakes slowly when the animal is walking, but as he quick- ens his pace to a canter, it rocks with his mo- tion, and, during his fast pace, the poor head moves so rapidly as to make one fear that the neck may become dislocated, while the arms dance about simultaneously with the movements of the head in a way that reminds one of the toy dancing-jacks, pulled by an unseen hand for the amusement of children. The head should, in riding, be kept firm and erect, without stiff- ness, the chin being drawn in slightly, and not protruding high in the air, because the latter gives one a supercilious look. The head and shoulders should adapt themselves, in their di- rection, to the movements of the head and fore- legs of the horse, and the arms should be held as steady as possible. But here come several ladies who have taken lessons at the riding-school and may, therefore, reasonably be expected to be finished riders; ]42 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. but such, aliis ! is not the case. They have been trymg '' to walk before they could creep," or, in other words, tlieh' lessons in riding have been conducted too hastily. They have begun to try a canter or a rapid gallop before they knew how to sit correctly upon their horses, or even to manage them properly in a walk. This desire to make too rapid progress is more fre- quently the fault of the pupil than of the riding teacher. Most teachers have an ambition to make finished riders of their pupils, and take much pride in doing so, especially as such a re- sult adds greatly to the prestige of their school. This ambition is often defeated, however, by the impatience of the pupils, who are not satisfied to learn slowly and well, but overrule the teacher's objections and undertake to gallop be- fore they have acquired even the first principles of horsewomanship. Moreover, many of these ladies never take any road lessons, so highly important to all who would become thorougldy accomplished in this art; nor do they remain lono; enouii-h under instruction in the school, but seem to think that a few^ short lessons are enough to make them finished riders. They often refuse to learn the Euglish trot, although this is a very important accomplishment for the beginner, as it enables her to gain a correct THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 14 o idea of the balance. Or, if they do attempt to learn it, they insist upon circlmg only to the right, as this is easier than going the other way. Again, many pupils will insist upon riding the same favorite horse, instead of leaving the selection to the judgment of the teacher, who is well aware that it is much better for the lady's progress that she should ride a variety of horses with different gaits. He is often driven to his wit's end when two or three ladies who patron- ize his school, and whom it is an honor to have as pupils, express a desire to ride the same horse on the same occasion. Should he favor one more than the others, the latter will become highly offended, and the poor man in his per- plexity is often obliged to resort to some sub- terfuge to pacify them. It is not difficult, then, to understand why some ladies, although they have taken lessons at a riding-school, are, nevertheless, not finished riders, their faults being due, not to the instruc- tion but to their own lack of judgment or inattention. It is true that occasionally the teacher, although he may be an excellent in- structor for gentlemen, is not so good a one for ladies, or he may become careless, believing that if he gives them well-trained horses to ride very little else is required of him. Or, again, 144 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN, he may think, as many foreigners do, that very few American ladies know how a woman should ride, and are satisfied with beino; half taiicrht. It cannot be too strongly impressed upon rid- ing teachers that in every riding-school where ladies are to be taught there should be at least one lady assistant. A gentleman can give all the necessary instructions about the manage- ment of the horse and the handlino: of the reins better than most ladies ; but, in giving the idea of a correct seat and the proper disposal of the limbs, the presence of a lady assistant becomes necessary ; in these matters she can instruct her own sex much better than a man can. CHAPTER VI. TO HOLD THE REINS, AND MANAGE THE HORSE. "What a wild thought of triumph, that this girlish hand Such a steed in the might of his strength may command! What a glorious creature ! Ah ! glance at hini now, As I check him awhile on this green hillock's brow; How he tosses his mane, with a shrill, joyous neigh. And paws the firm earth in his proud, stately play ! " Grace Greenwood. The position of the rider in the saddle has a decided influence upon the horse's mouth, ren- dering his movements regular or irregular, ac- cording to the correctness and firmness of the seat ; for, if the rider be unsteady or vacillating in the saddle, this will exert an influence upon the hand, rendering it correspondingly unstable, and will thereby cause the horse's movements to be variable. And should she endeavor to remedy this unsteadiness of hand and seat by supporting herself upon the reins, the horse will defend himself against such rigid traction by making counter-traction upon the reins, thrusting his head forward, throwing himself heavily upon his fore-legs, thus forcing the hands of the rider, and compelling her to sup- 10 146 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. port the weight of his neck unci shoulders. On the contrary, if she he firm in her seat, and not in the least dependent upon the reins, her hand will be light, and the animal will yield a ready obedience and advance in his best pace. The preceding remarks explain wdiy a horse will go lightly with one rider and heavily with another. A lady should have a thorough knowledge of the management of her horse, and of the means by which she may command him in every de- gree of speed, and under all circumstances ; without this knowledo-e she can never become a safe and accomplished horsewoman. A gentle- man may guide and control his horse, and ob- tain obedience from a restive one, by a firm, strong hand, and by his courage and determined wull ; but as a rule, a lady cannot depend upon these methods ; she will have to rely entirely upon the thorough training of her horse, a properly arranged bit, her firm, yet delicate touch, and her skill in handling: the reins. The well-trained hand of a woman is always energetic enough to obtain the mastery of her horse, without having to resort to feats of strength and acrobatic movements ; and a Icidy should never seek to gain prestige by riding restless or vicious horses, in order that she may display her skill in conquering them ; MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 147 though every rider should be thoroughly taught how to control her steed in cases of emergency. When one sees how little skill most lady riders exhibit in managing the reins, it seems almost miraculous that so few accidents occur to them, and is indeed a positive proof of the excellent temper of their horses. From some mysterious cause, most horses will bear more awkwardness and absurdity in the han- dling of the reins by a woman than by a man, and will good-naturedly submit to the indif- ferent riding of the gentle being in the side- saddle, while the same character of riding and treatment from a man Avould arouse every feel- ing of defense and rebellion. The probable cause of this difference of action on the part of the horse is, that a lady rider, with all her ignorance of seat and rein, will talk kindly to and pet her steed, and will rarely lose her tem- per, no matter in what eccentricities he may indulge, and her gentleness causes the animal to remain gentle. On the contrary, when a man throws his weight upon the reins, jerking and pulling upon them, his horse, seeking to defend himself as^ainst such rous^h measures, arouses the tem- per of his rider, and this anger is soon commu- 148 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN, nicated to the animal, which then becomes ob- stinate and rebelUous ; moreover, a man will often whip and spur for some trivial offense in instances where a woman would simply speak to her horse, or take no notice. Hence, the igno- rant horsewoman often rides in safety under circumstances in which the io;norant horseman, who has resorted to violent measures, meets with an accident. Although a horse may submit to an awk- ward rider and carry her with safety, still she w^ill have no power to make him move in his best and most regular manner, and there will exist no intelligence or harmony between the two. Yet this same horse, when mounted by a lady who understands the management of the reins, will be all animation and happi- ness. There will soon be established a tacit understanding between the two, and the grace- ful curvetings and prancings of the steed will manifest his pride and joy in carrying and obeying a gentle woman, who manages the reins with spirit and resolution, and yet does not, with the cruelty of ignorance or indifference, convert them into instruments of torture. The reins should not be employed until a firm, steady position upon the saddle has been acquired, and then, for first lessons, the snaflle MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 149 only should be used, a rein in each hand. It will be better to have the reins marked at equal distances from the bit, either by sewing colored thread across each, or otherwise ; this will be useful because, with the novice, the reins will imperceptibly slip through her hands, or one rein will become longer than the other, and the markings will enable her to notice these displacements, and promptly to remedy them. By holding the snaffle-reins separately. Fig. 25. — SnafHe-reins ; one in each hand. in first lessons, the pupil will be aided in as- suming a square position upon the saddle, and will likewise be prevented from throwing back her right shoulder, out of line with the left, a common fault with beginners, especially when the reins are held only in the left hand. This rehi-hold is very simple ; the right rein of the snaffle must be held in the right hand, and the left rein in the left. The hands being closed, but not too tightly, 150 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. must be held Avith their backs toward the horse's head, and each rehi, as it ascends from the bit, must be passed between the third and fourth fingers of its appropriate hand, carried across the inner surface of the third, second, and first fingers, and then be drawn over the outside (or side next to the thumb) of the first finger, against which it must be held by firm pressure of the thumb. The thumbs must be held opposite each other and uppermost, the fin- ger-nails toward the body, and the back of the wrists must be rounded a little outw^ardly, so as to make a slight bend of the closed hand toward the body. The little fingers must be held down and nearly in a horizontal line w^ith the tips of the elbows ; and the hands be kept as low as possible, without resting upon the knees, and be about four inches distant from the body, and from four to six inches apart. (Fig. 25.) This arrangement of hands and reins may be termed the " original position " when a snaf- fle-rein is held in each hand, of wdiich all the others are variations. In this position, — the reins being held just short enough to feel the horse's mouth, — if the hands be now slightly relaxed by turning the nails and thumbs to- ward the body, the latter being, at the same MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 151 time, inclined a little forward, the horse will be enabled to advance freely, and, as soon as he moves onward, the original position of the hands must be gently resumed. It is proper to remark here, that w^ien using the snaffle-reins only, the curb-bit should always be in the horse's mouth, its reins being tied and allowed to rest upon his neck, although the pupil must not be allowed to meddle with it. The presence of the curb in the horse's mouth, although not used, has a restraining influence, especially with an animal accustomed to it. To turn the horse to the right, the right rein must be shortened so as to be felt at the rischt side of his mouth ; to effect this, the little finger of the right hand must, by a turn of the wrist, be moved in toward the body and sufficiently toward the left, with the nails up and the knuckles down, while, in order to aid the horse, the rider will simultaneously turn her face and shoulders slightly to the right. The animal having made the turn, the hand must gently return to the original position, and the body as^ain face to the front. To turn the horse to the left, the left rein must be shortened, by a turn of the left wrist, carrying the little finger of the left hand toward the body and to the right, nails upward, etc., 152 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. ^vhile the pupil will slightly turn her face and shoulders to the left. The turn having been effected, the original position must be resumed, the pupil, in all these cases, taking great care that the markings on her reins are even and in the correct position. To stop the liorse, both reins must be short- ened evenly ; this must be accomplished by a turn of both wrists that will bring the little fingers toward the body with the finger-nails uppermost, the body of the pupil being, at the same time, slightly inclined backward. Now, by bending the wrists to a still greater degree, and bringing the hands in closer to the body, "which must be inclined a little forward, and nearly in contact with each other, thus throwing more strength upon the reins, the horse will be compelled to back. To make him move on again, the hands and body must resume the original position, and the hands must be re- laxed, etc., as stated above. When the pupil becomes more advanced, and can command her horse, in all his gaits, with the reins separate, one in each hand, she will then be prepared for lessons in handling both reins with the left hand only, still employing the snaflle, as her touch may not be delicate enouc^h for the curb. MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 153 Fig. 20. — Snaflle-reins ; both in the left hand. For this purpose, the reins being held for the time beino; in the right hand, the left, having its back toward the horse's head, will seize them as fol- lows : its little finger must be passed directly between the tw^o reins, the left rein being on the outer side of this finger and the right one on its right side, between it and the third fin- ger. This done, the reins must be drawn up nearly even to the marks upon them,^ so as just to feel the animal's mouth, noticing that these marks are nearly on a line wdth each other, while that portion of the reins lying within the hand must be carried across its palm to the index finger, to a point between its first and second joints, against which point, being placed evenly with one overlying the other, they are ^ It is stated in this paragraph that the marks on the reins should be " n<;arly even," or " nearly qn a line with each other," because, in its passage under the little finger, across the hand, and on the outside o^he right rein, the left one will be shortened so that its marking will be about half an inch nearer the bit than that of the right one; consequently, in order to make the pres- sure upon the horse's mouth even, the right rein will have to be shortened to the extent named. 154 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. to be firmly held by pressure of the thumb; the right hand may now quit its hold upon the reins. (Fig. 26.) The reins having been properly placed in the left hand according to the directions just given, this hand, being closed, but not too tightly, must be held at a distance of about three inches from the front part of the waist, with the wrist shghtly rounded, the nails tow^ard the body, the back of the hand toward the horse's head, and the little fmo-er down and a little nearer the body than the others. The inider surface of the bridle arm and hand, from the tip of the elbow to the first joint of the little finger, should be held nearly in a horizontal line. The elbow must be held somewhat close to the side but not in contact with it, and should be kept steady. Care must be taken, when the reins are held in the left hand, tbat the right shoulder be not thrown back, nor the left one elevated, faulty positions common to beginners wdien not oth- erwise instructed. The ric^ht arm should be allowed to hang easily and steadily at the side, the whip being lightly held in it, with its point downward. When the snaflle-^ins are held in the left hand as described, we may term this the " original position," of w'hich all the others are variations. MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 155 In order that the horse may move onward, the left hand, holding the reins as just described, should be relaxed by turning the thumb down- ward and toward the body until the back of the hand is up and the finger-nails down ; at the same time, the pupil should slightly incline her body forward, being careful not to round the shoulders, — aiding the movement by the voice, or, if necessary, by a gentle tap of the whip. The horse having started onward, the original position must be gently resumed. In order to turn the horse to the right, the left wrist must be turned so as to bring the nails down and the knuckles up, — the thumb being toward the body, — at the same time carrying the little finger slightly to the left, and drawing the reins a little upward. This movement will effect the necessary shortening of the right rein, without allowing any looseness of the left one. The turn having been accomplished, the hand must resume the original position. It must not be forgotten, that while making this turn the face and shoulders must be turned somew^hat to the right, or in the direction in which the horse is mo vino;. * To turn to the left, the bridle-hand being in the orighial position, its wrist must be turned so « as to carry the finger-nails up, and the knuckles 156 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN, dowii^ simultaneously moving the little finger toward the right and pressing it against the left rein, both reins being drawn slightly upw\ard. This manoeuvre shortens the left rein, without relaxing the right. In this turn the movements of the horse should be aided by the rider's face and shoulders beino; turned a little to the left. The turn having been made, the original posi- tion must be resumed. The horse may be stopped by simply turn- ing the wrist so as to carry the finger-nails up, the knuckles down, and the little finger toward the body, which must be slightly inclined back- ward. Now, by bracing the muscles of the hand, bending the wrist and carrying the hand farther in toward the waist, at the same time advancing the body, the animal will be made to back ; though, in backing a horse, it will be better to employ both hands. After having stopped, or backed the horse, to make him move onward, a course should be pursued, with both reins in the bridle-hand, similiir to that described for the same purpose when a rein is held in each hand. To change the snaffle-reins from the left to the right hand, as is sometimes necessary in order to adjust the skirt, to relieve the left hand, etc., the following course must be pur- MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 157 sued, whether the horse be in rapid or slow motion : While the left hand must retain its position and gentle pressure of the reins upon the horse's mouth, the right must be carried to and over the left hand, its forefinger be passed between the two reins, so that the left rein will be on the left side of this fino-er, and the ris^ht on its right side, between the first and second fingers ; both reins must now be carried to the right, across the palm, to the little finger ; the hand must then be firmly closed, and the thumb be pressed against the left rein, holding it in contact with the index finger, — the left hand now gives up the reins. In this change, while the right hand is being carried over to the left, this latter must be held stationary, as any move- ment of it to meet the right hand may cause the animal to turn or swerve from his course, and will at the same time interfere with his gait. To return the reins to the left hand, the following course must be pursued : While the right hand must remain steady and sustain the gait of the horse, the left >must be carried to and over it, insert its little finger between the two reins, so that the left one will be on the left or outer side of this fino:er, and the rio^ht one on its right side, between it and the third fin- 158 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. ger; then the rems must be drawn through the left hand, and be arranged and held in this hand in the same manner as explained when describing the original position of both snaffle- reins in the bridle-hand. These various changes must be made quickly and expertly, without altering the degree of pressure or pull upon the horse's mouth. The novice will find it greatly to her advantage to learn the management of the reins before mount- ing the horse, and can do so by fastening the bit-end of the reins to some stationary object, and then practicing the different changes, until she can perform all these manoeuvres without looking at her hands or the reins. When both the reins are held in the left hand, the rider has not so much command over her horse as when they are held one in each hand. For this reason, unless' her steed be ex- ceptionally well-trained and obedient, it will be better, when in a crowded thoroughfare, where quick turns have to be made, to hold a rein in each hand, and this will become absolutely nec- essary if the animal be hard mouthed or un- ruly. When the horse is in motion and the reins are held in the left hand, their separation may be quickly effected by carrying the right hand to MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 159 and over the left, the latter retaining its steadi- ness all the time, and then passing the first three fingers of the right hand between the two reins, so that they may readily close upon the right rein ; the thumb will then keep this rein firm by pressing it against the first joint of the index finger. The position of the hands and reins will then, after a movement of the left little finger to place the rein between it and the third, be the same as described for the original position where a snafile-rein is held in each hand. Should the reins become too long when held separately, they can readily be shortened by returnin«: the rio:lit rein to the bridle-hand, placing it directly over the left rein between the third and little finger, and then, by means of the rig;ht hand, drawins; the loose rein or reins through the bridle-hand to the proper length, after which the right rein may again be taken in the right hand, as already described. When the reins are held in one hand, they can be shortened or lengthened by simply seizing them at their free, disengaged ends with the rio;ht hand, and while this holds them and sustains the horse, the left hand must be slipped along the reins, up or down, as may be re- quired, but without changing their arrange- ment. IGO THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. Another way of holding the reins in the bri- dle-hand is to pass the right rein to the right of, and underneath, the index finger, and then carry it across the pahn, so as to escape beyond the Uttle finger ; while the left rein must be passed to the left of the little finger (or be- tween it and the third finger), and then be carried across the pahn to escape beyond the in- dex linger. The author cannot recommend this manner of holding the reins to ladies who desire to become accomplished and graceful riders, be- cause the movements of the hands and arms, when turning, or managing the horse, are much more conspicuous ; and there is not that deli- cate correspondence with the animal's mouth that can be obtained by the other methods de- scribed. After the pupil has become expert in riding with the snaffle, she will be ready for the double bridle, or the curb-bit and bridoon. The double bridle must be held in the left hand in the following manner: The hridoon or snaffle- reins are first to be taken up, evenl}', by the riii:ht hand and then the second fins^er of the left hand be passed between these reins (the left rein beino; between the second and third finsirers, and the ri-wood. The hand gallop is an intermediate gait be- tween the canter and the flying gallop. Its motion, though rather rapid, is smooth, easy, and very agreeable for both rider and steed. Nearly all horses, especially spirited ones, prefer this movement to any other ; the bronchos on the plains of the far West will keep up this long, easy lope or hand gallop for miles, without changing their gait, or requiring their riders to draw rein, and without any apparent fatigue. This pace is likewise a favorite one with riding THE HAND GALLOP. 239 parties, as the motion is so smooth that conver- sation can be kept up without difficulty. If the animal's movements are light, supple, and elegant, the lady rider presents a very graceful appearance when riding this gait, as the reac- tions in it are very mild ; it is the gait par ex- cellence, for a country ride. On a breezy summer morning, there is noth- ing* more exhilaratino; than a ride at a hand gallop, on a willing, spirited horse ; it brightens the spirits, braces the nerves, refreshes the brain, and enables one to realize that " life is worth living." " I tell thee, stranger, that unto me The plunge of a fiery steed Is a noble thought, — to the brave and free It is music, and breath, and majesty, — 'T is the life of a noble deed; And the heart and the mind are in spirit allied In the chavm of a morning's glorious ride." Let all gloomy, dyspeptic invalids try the cheering effects of a hand gallop, that they may catch a glimpse of the sunlight that is always behind even the darkest cloud of despondency. When the horse is advancing in a collected canter, if the rider will animate him a little more by gentle taps with the whip, and then as he springs forward give him more liberty of the curb-rein, he will enter upon a hand gal- lop. In this gait he will lead either with the 240 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN'. left or the right foot, but the oblique position of his body will be very slight. The mauage- ment of the reins, the turns to* the right or to the left, the stop, and the position of the rider's body, must, in this gait be the same as in the canter, except that the body need not be quite so erect, and the touch upon the reins must be very light, barely appreciable. If riding a spirited horse, the lady must be upon her guard, lest he increase his speed and enter into a flying or racing gallop. Any horse is liable to do this when he has not been prop- erly exercised, especially if he is w^ith other horses, wdien a spirit of rivalry is aroused, and he sometimes becomes almost unmanageable from excitement. Many livery-stable horses, although quiet enough in the city, will, when ridden upon country roads, especially in the spring, re- quire all the skill of their riders to keep them under control. The chansre from the stone and brick of the city or town to the odor of the fresh grass and the sight of green fields has an exhilarating effect upon them, and makes them almost delirious with gladness, so that they act like anything but sensible, quiet, well- worked horses. When her horse manifests any such disposi- tion, the rider must retain her presence of THE HAND GALLOP. 241 mind, and not permit any nervousness or ex- citement on her part to increase that of her horse. She must keep him well under the con- trol of the curb-bit, and not allow him to in- crease his speed ; when he endeavors to do so, she must sit erect, and every time his fore-feet touch the ground she must tighten the curb- reins, by drawing them gradually but firmly toward her waist. She will thus check the animal's desire to increase his speed, by com- pelling him to rest upon her hand at short intervals until he can be brought under com- mand and again made obedient. Care must be taken not to make this strong pull upon the animal's mouth constant, as this will be more apt to increase than to lessen his speed, and will also prevent her from turning him readily should she encounter any object upon the road. Should the horse, however, continue to dis- obey the commands of his rider, and persist in his efforts to increase his speed, she must then lean well back, and " saw his mouth " with the snaffle-reins, that is, she must pull first one of these reins and then the other in rapid succes- sion ; this may cause him to swerve out of a straight course, but if he has a snaffle-bit sepa- rate from the curb this sawing will generally have the desired effect, and stop him. 16 242 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. If the horse should get his head down «ind manifest a disposition to change the full gallop into a runaway, the rider must, as she values her own safety, keep her body well inclined backward, for some horses, when excited, will, while their riders are endeavoring to check or control them, kick up as they gallop along, and the rider, unless she is prepared for such movements, will be in danger of being thrown. In such a case every effort must be made to raise the horse's head. To do this, the rider must slacken the curb-reins for a moment, and then suddenly give them a strong, decided jerk upward ; this will cause a severe shock to the horse's mouth, and make him raise his head and stop suddenly, a movement that may throw her toward or upon the front of the saddle with considerable force, unless she guard herself against such an accident by leaning well back. Should the horse, when galloping at full speed, turn a corner in spite of the efforts of his rider, she must keep a steady pull upon the outer curb-rein, and lean well back and in to- ward the centre of the curve which the horse is describinii: in his turn. All this must be done quickly, or she will lose her balance and fall off upon the outer side. During all these violent efforts of the horse cp CO to 5* C THE FLYING GALLOP, 245 the rider must keep a firm, steady seat, pressing her left knee up strongly against the third pom- mel, and at the same time holding the second clasped firmly by the bend of her right knee. If she recollects to do all this, there will be lit- tle cause for alarm, as it will then be very dif- ficult for her horse to unseat her. The com- bined balance and grip of limbs will give her a firmer seat than it is possible for a man to ac- quire in his saddle. In the flying or racing gallop the horse manifests the utmost capabiUties of his speed, his body at every push of his hind-legs being raised from the ground so quickly that he will appear as if almost flying through the air ; hence the name " flying gallop." In this gait it is unimportant with which leg the horse leads, provided the advance of the hind-leg on the same side as that of the leadino; one be made correspondingly. It is advisable that every lady rider should learn to sit the flying gallop, as she will then be better able to maintain her seat, and to manage her horse, should she ever have the misfortune to be run away with. (Fig. 32.) Many ladies, when riding in the country, en- joy a short exhilarating flying gallop; and for their benefit a few instructions are here given 246 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. that will enable them to indulge i\\e\Y penchant for rapid riding, without danger to themselves, or injury to their horses. Before the lady at- tempts rapid riding, however, she must be thor- oughly trained in all the other gaits of the animal, must possess strong, healthy nerves, and must have sufficient muscular power in her arms to hold and manage her horse, and to stop him whenever occasion requires ; she must also have fitted to his mouth a curb-bit which possesses sufficient power to control him and to bring him to a stand, when this is desired. Above all, her horse must be sure-footed, and free from any and every defect that might occa- sion stumbling. Every point having been carefully attended to, and the lady being ready for the ride, she must sit firmly upon the centre of the saddle, grasping the second and third pommels, as de- scribed above. She must be careful not to press strongly upon the stirrup, as this will tend to raise her body from the saddle. From the hips down the body and limbs must be held as immovable as possible. The body, below the waist, must by its own weight, aided by tlic clasp of the right and left legs upon their re- spective pommels, secure a firm seat upon the saddle. From the waist up tbe body must be THE FLYING GALLOP, 247 pliable, the shoulders being well back, and the back curved in, so that the rider may keep her balance, and control the horse's action. The reins must be held separately, in the manner described for holding the double bridle-reins in both hands. The animal must be ridden and supported by the snaffle-reins, the curb being held ready to check him instantly should he endeavor to obtain the mastery. The hands must be held low, and about six or eight inches apart, and the rider's body must lean back somewhat. Leaning forward is a favorite trick of the horse-jockey when riding a race, as it is sup- posed to assist the horse, and also enable the rider to raise himself on the stirrups ; but as lady riders are not horse-jockeys, and are not supposed to ride for a wager, but simply for the enjoyment of an exhilarating exercise, it will not be at all necessary for them to assume this stooping posture. Many of the best horsemen, when riding at full gallop in the hunting field, or on the road, prefer to incline the body some- what backward, this having been found the safest as well as most graceful position for the rider. As the horse moves rapidly forward, the rider, while keeping a firm hand upon the snaffle-reins 248 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. SO as to give full support to the horse, must be sure with every stride of the animal to " give and take," and this motion, instead of be nig limited to the hands and wrists, as in all other gaits, must in this one embrace the whole of the fore - arms, wiiich, using the elbows as a hinge, should move as far as is necessary. To stop the horse in a flying gallop, the curb-reins must be drawn upward and toward the waist gradually, for should they be pulled upon suddenly it would be apt to stop him so abruptly that he would either become over- balanced, or cross his legs, and fall. In this gait, the rider should never attempt to turn her horse except upon a very large cir- cle, because, even w-hen in the proper position, unless she possesses great muscular power, she w^ill be almost certain to be thrown off on the outward side by the forcible and vigorous im- petus imparted. CHAPTEK XI. THE LEAP. — THE STANDING LEAP. — THE FLY- ING LEAP. " Soft thy skin as silken skein, Soft as woman's hair thy mane, Tender are thine eyes and true ; All thy hoofs like ivory shine, Polished bright; oh, life of mine, Leap, and rescue Kurroglou! " KjTat, then, the strong and fleet, Drew together his four white feet, Paused a moment on the verge, Measured with his eye the space, And into the air's embrace ^ Leaped as leaps the ocean serge. Longfellow, The Leap of RousTian Beg. A LADY rider who has the nerve and confi- dence to ride a hand gallop, or a flying gallop, will be ready to learn to leap. Indeed, instruc- tion in this accomplishment should always be given, as it is of great assistance in many emer- gencies. The most gentle horse may become frightened, shy suddenly to one side, or plunge violently for some reason or other, and these abrupt movements strongly resemble those of leaping ; if, therefore, the rider imderstands the leap, she will know better how to maintain her 250 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. equilibrium. Or she may meet some obstruction on the road, as the trunk of a tree felled by a storm ; Avlien, instead of being compelled to re- turn home without finishing her ride, she can leap over the obstacle. Again, should she at any time be in great haste to reach her destina- tion she may, by leaping some low gap in a fence, or some small stream, be able to take one or more short cuts, and thus greatly lessen the distance she would have had to ride on the road. Leaping is by no means difficult to learn. With an English saddle, the third pommel will prevent the rider from being shaken off by the violence of the motion, and will thus make leap- ing entirely safe for a lady provided the horse be well- trained and sure-footed. Before ven- turing upon a leap, three requisites are nec- essary : first, the horse must be a good and fearless leaper ; second, the rider must have confidence in herself and steed, because any nervousness on her part will be apt to cause the animal to leap awkwardly ; and third, she must always be sure of the condition of the ground on the opposite side of the object over which the leap is to be made — it must neither slope abruptly down, nor present any thorny bushes, nor be so soft and soggy that the horse will be op 00 CO CO B' W s THE LEAP. 253 apt to sink into it. No risk must be taken in the leap, except in cases of emergency, when, of course, the rider may have neither time nor op- portunity to select her ground, and be obliged to leap her steed over the nearest available point. The author once avoided what might have proved a serious accident to both herself and horse, by promptly leaping him over a hedge of thorn bushes, upon the other side of which was a river : this was done in order to axoid colliding in a narrow road with a fright- ened, runaway team, which was quite beyond the control of its driver. The standing leap will prove more difficult to learn than the flying leap, but, nevertheless, it should be the first one practiced, and when once acquired, the other will be mere play. A bar twelve feet long, raised two feet from the ground, will be sufficient for practice in this exercise ; if a lady can manage a leap of this height with expertness and grace, she will be fully able to bound over a still higher obstacle, should she desire to do so, and her horse be equal to the occasion. Before attempting the leap, she must be sure that she is perfectly se- cure upon the saddle, with her left knee directly under the third pommel so as to press it firmly against the latter as the horse rises to the leap ; 254 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. her left leg, from the knee to the stirrup, must hang perpendicularly ^ along the side of the horse, the inner surface or side of the knee lightly pressing against the saddle-flap ; her foot must be well placed in the stirrup ; her seat directly in the centre of the saddle ; her body erect and square to the front ; her shoul- ders well back ; and the small of her back curved in. The right leg must firmly grasp the second pommel as the horse rises, and the right heel be held somewhat back, and close to Ike fore-flap of the saddle. The hands must be held low, and about six inches apart, with a snaflle-rein in each, and the curb-reins must be so placed that the rider will not unconsciously draw upon them, but must not hang so loosely as to become caught accidentally upon any pro- jecting article with which they may come in con- tact. If all these points be carefully attended to, just previous to walking the horse up to the bar, the rider will be in correct position and ready for the leap, which she will accomplish very quickly, with perfect security, and with a much firmer seat than that obtained by the most finished horseman. ^ If the leap be a very high one, the left foot may be thrust a littlo more forward to enable the rider to lean back as far as is necessary. THE LEAP. 255 The principal movemeFrt for which the rider should be prepared in leaping is that of being thrown forward on the saddle, both when the horse makes the spring and when his fore-feet touch the ground. In order to avoid this acci- dent, the rider, keeping a firm seat and grasp iipon the pommels, must incline her shoulders somewhat backward, both when the horse springs from the ground and also during the -descent, the amount of inclination varying with ihe height of the leap. The erect position should be resumed when the hind-legs have again touched the ground. In a very high leap, the rider's body should be bent so far back during the descent as to look almost as if in contact with the back of the horse. When the points named above have been at- tended to, the horse must be collected, with his hind-legs well under him, and then be briskly walked up to the bar or obstacle to be leaped and placed directly before it, but not so close that he cannot clear it without striking his knees against it as he rises, — sufficient room must always be allowed him for his spring. Now, after receiving a light touch or pull upon the reins to tell him that his rider is ready, he will raise himself upon his hind-legs for the leap. As he rises, the rider's body, if properly 256 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. seated, as heretofore explained, will naturally assume a sufficient inclination forward without any effort on her part. While in this position she must not carry her shoulders forward, but must keep them well back, with the waist well curved in as when sitting erect. It should never be forgotten that in the rise during the leap, just previous to the spring, no efforts whatever must be made by the rider to support the horse, or to lift him, but instead, she should simply hold the reins so lightly that his mouth can just be felt, which is called ''giving a free rein." If the reins be allowed to hang too loosely they may catch upon some object not noticed by the rider, and not only be wrenched from her hands, but also give the horse's mouth a severe jerk, or perhaps throw him upon the ground. Too loose a rein would, moreover, be apt to make it impossible for her to give timely support to the animal as his fore-feet touched the ground. The leap, it must be borne in mind, is effected very quickly. (Fig. 33.) As the horse springs from his hind-legs to make the leap, the rider must advance her arms, with her hands held as low as possible so as to give him a sufficiently free rein to en- able him to extend himself ; this position of the arms will also prevent the reins from being for- CO 3- a 5" o -3 o CO n d a THE LEAP. 259 cibly wrested from lier hands by the horse's movements. At the moment of the spring and the advance of the arms, the rider's body mnst be indined backward, the erect position of the waist and shoulders being, however, maintained. As the animal's fore-feet touch the ground, the hands must be gently drawn in toward the waist in order to support him, as such support will be expected by the horse, and must be con- tinued even after his hind-legs rest upon the ground, so that the animal will not become dis- united, but will move onward in a collected manner. (Fig. 34.) Many riding-teachers instruct their pupils to incline the body well forward as the horse rises, while others require their pupils to lean well back. The advocates of the former method say that this forward inclination conforms to the position of the horse at the time, and so places the weight of the body as to assist the horse in his spring. They who adopt the other method maintain that if the body be inclined forward in the rise, it will be almost, if not quite, im- possible for the rider, from^ the rapidity with which the horse extends himself, to make the backward inclination in time to enable her to regain her balance quickly. A happy medium will prove the best. If the rider be seated cor- 260 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. rectly at the time the horse rises, her body will naturally incline a little forward, and there will be but Httle weight upon the horse's hind- quarters, while, as he springs and extends him- self in his leap, she can promptly adapt herself to his^ movements and incline her body back- ward. By leaning back as the horse rises on his hind-legs, the weight of his rider will be thrown upon his hind-quarters, and she will present an awkward appearance ; while at the same time she will be very apt to shorten the reins, and thus confine the horse so much that his leap will become clumsy and dangerous. On commencing the leap the rider, as hereto- fore stated, must never attempt to raise the horse by the reins ; a light, gentle touch or pull given to them with the fingers, as when starting upon a hand gallop, is all that wull be necessary. The horse must be left free to take the leap in his own way, using his own instinct or judgment in order that he may clear his fore feet from the bar or object over which he has to pass. During the rise, the rider must care- fully guard against raising her hands, and also against jerking or holding back the reins, as either of these movements will discouraij:e the horse, and, should he be tender mouthed, he THE LEAP. 261 will refuse to leap at all, his own instinct warn- ing him that it is dangerous to attempt it under such conditions. A rather hard mouthed, courageous animal, that has had experience with awkward riders, will, as he extends himself in the leap, force his rider's hands by a sudden jerk of his head, so as either to pull the reins out of her hands, or, should she manage to retain her hold upon them, to pull her forward upon the saddle. Many ladies, in their fear of becoming dis- placed during the leap, will unconsciously press their left leg and foot strongly against the side of the horse, thus causing him to swerve or to refuse to leap. Gentlemen teachers are apt to be unaware of this pressure, as the leg is hid- den underneath the riding skirt, and not unfre- quently they have been puzzled to comprehend why a well - trained, docile horse should leap very well with some of their lady pupils, and awkwardly, or not at all, with others. A common error, in attempting to leap, is to sit too far back upon the saddle, a position that not only prevents the rider from supporting herself properly by the pommels, but is also likely to occasion her a severe jar as the horse's feet touch the ground. When in the correct position, the body is placed as far forward upon 262 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. the saddle as the pommels will permit, the waist and shoulders only being inclined backward, as already described. Pressing heavily upon the stirrup is another fault. This not only destroys the usefulness of the third pommel, but, as has already been re- marked, such pressure will tend to lift the body from the saddle. The foot should merely be kept light and steady in the stirrup. It will be better for a beginner to leap with a snaffle-rein in each hand. After having^ thor- oughly learned how to make the lenp properly, she may then prefer to hold all the reins in the left liand. In this case, she must be very care- ful not to throw up the unoccupied right hand and arm as the horse passes over the obstacle ; for, besides being a very ungraceful movement, it may lead the horse to suppose that he is about to be struck with the whip, and so cause him to make the leap precipitately, and upon reaching the ground to gallop wildly off. The rider must hold her head firm, not only for the sake of appearances, but also to escape biting her tongue and receiving a violent jerk of the neck, when the horse's feet touch the ground. If a horse, just before leaping, be too much confined or collected by an unnecessary degree THE LEAP. 263 of tension upon the reins, especially if he be not thoroughly trained, he will rise from all four legs almost simultaneously, and also alight upon them all together. In horse-jockey's ^<^r- lance this is termed a '^ buck-leap." It is an awkward manner of leaping, and gives a severe shock to the animal beside fearfully jolting his rider. Again, a horse not well trained in the leap, or somewhat indolent, may, if not ani- mated and properly collected just before rising, fail to leap over the obstacle, or in passing over it may strike it with his hind-feet, for he will attempt the leap in a loose, straggling manner. An animal that is well trained, and accustomed to leaping, will take care of himself, and will require very little assistance from his rider ; a light hand upon the reins just before he rises, a free rein as he extends himself, and support when he touches the ground being all that is necessary. Should the lady be expert in riding, and de- sire to teach her steed to leap, she can readily do so by pursuing the following course : Let a bar about twelve feet in length, and two feet from the ground, be so arranged that the horse cannot pass around it. If possible, he should be allowed to see a well-trained horse leap over this bar a number of times ; then taking advan- 264 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. tage of a time when her horse is hungry, his mistress should give him a few oats and, pass- ing over the bar, she should rattle the oats and call to him, when he will bound over to obtain them. This course should be followed at each meal, and she should reward him by feeding, caressing, and praising him every time he leaps the bar, — the object being to accustom him to leap it without being whipped or treated harshly. By thus being allowed to take the leap of his own accord and without assistance, he will gain confidence, and will not be apt to refuse when his rider is placed upon his back. In the course of this training, the appearance of the bar should be changed in various ways, as, for example, by placing different bright col- ored articles upon it, such as pieces of carpet, rugs, shawls, etc. If he be accustomed to leap only over an object that invariably presents the same appearance, he may refuse to leap one of a different aspect. Having thus trained the horse until he has become quite familiar with the movements of the leap, and does not refuse to pass over the bar, whatever appearance it may present, he will then be ready for his rider. For the first few trials the lady should take care to have the bar consist of some material that can readily be THE LEAP. 265 broken, in order to prevent any accident should the horse, in passing over with her weight upon his back, strike it with either his fore or hind feet. Once mounted, she should teach him to clear the bar in a deliberate manner, not allow- ing him to rush at it and jump from all four feet at once. She will have to collect him, cause him to place his hind-legs under him so that, as he rises, his weight will be thrown upon his haunches, and, as he leaps over, she must be exceedingly careful not to restrain him in the least, as any thoughtless act or awkwardness on her part may give him a great distaste for an exercise which, otherwise, he would have no reluctance in performing. With regard to teaching a young horse to leap, the author is much gratified to know that her views are sustained by several eminent equestrians, and among them Mr. E. Mayhew of England, who states that a horse should never be allowed to leap until he has attained at least his fifth year, and who in his excellent work, entitled " The Illustrated Horse Manage- ment," etc., remarks : ^^ To place a rider upon an animal's back and then to expect a bar to be cleared is very like loading a young lady with a sack of flour, as preparatory to a dancing les- son being received. This folly is, however, uni- 266 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. versally practiced ; so is that of teaching the paces, when the quadruped's attention is proba- bly engrossed by the burden which the spine has to sustain. " Leaping is best taught by turning the horse into a small paddock having a low hedge or hur- dle-fence across its centre. A rider should, in sight of the animal, take an old horse over sev- eral times. The groom who brings the corn at the meal hour then goes to that side where the animal is not and calls, shaking up the proven- der all the time his voice sounds. The boundary will soon be cleared. When half the quantity is eaten, the man should ^^roceed to the opposite compartment and call again. If this is done every time the young horse is fed, the fence may be gradually heightened ; after six months of such tuition, a light rider may be safely placed upon the back. " Instruction, thus imparted, neither strains the structures nor tries the temper. The habit is acquired without those risks which necessarily attend a novel performance, while a burden op- presses the strength, and whip or spur distracts the attention. The body is not disabled by the imposition of a heavy load before its powers are taxed to the uttermost. The quadruped has all its capabilities unfettered, and, in such a state. THE LEAP. 267 leaping speedily becomes as easy of performance as any other motion." Horses leap in different ways ; the best leap- ers being those which just glide over the object without touching it, — they appear to measure the height required for the leap, and, whether the object be high or low, they skim close to it. Such animals can be trusted, and may be al- lowed to leap without urging or hurrying them, for they require very little assistance from their riders, and do better when left to themselves. Other horses exaggerate the leap and rise higher than is required ; they make a very fine appear- ance when leaping, but are apt to light too close to the opposite side of the bar or obstacle, be- cause they expend all their energies on height instead of width. Tlie worst leapers are those which, instead of clearing: the bar at a sing-le bound, make two bounds, as it were, in passing over it : the fore-part of the horse having passed over, the body will seem to be resting for an ap- preciable time upon the fore-legs. The flying leap can be taken, without stop- ping, from any gait that is more rapid than a walk, though commonly taken from the gallop. It is a very easy leap, being little more than an extended gallop. The rider takes the same firm, central position upon the saddle as has been de- 268 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. scribed for the standing leap. In the flying leap the body must be inclined well back from the start, care being taken not to make any forward inclination whatever. When the horse has fairly landed, after the leap, the body must again be- come erect. The degree of the backward incli- nation must be in accordance with the height and width of the leap. During the whole period of the leaj:) the hands must be kept low and the reins be freely given to the animal, which must be supported as he lands on the opposite side. As the horse runs toward the object to be leaped over, the rider must, when about twelve or fif- teen yards from it, graduall}^ relax the reins, by advancing her bridle hand or hands ; and, if her horse be a willing and good leaper, he may be allowed to select his own pace, and use his own judgment as to the proper distance from which to make the spring. If the horse be unused to leaping, or be un- willing, the rider must be upon her guard lest he attempt to defend himself and avoid the leap, either by suddenly swerving to one side or by stopping before the object to be leaped and then backing, or rearing. These actions are gener- ally the result of the horse's want of confidence in his own powers, and severity will only make matters worse. In a dilemma of this kind, the THE LEAP. 269 rider will have to convert the flying into the standing leap, as follows : — She must turn her horse and walk him a short distance away from the object, then, turning him again toward it, she must encourage him to advance slowly that he may take a good look at it ; at the same time she must have a light and ready hand on the reins, just firm enough to keep his head steady and maintain control over his neck, so as to prevent him from swerving to the right or to the left. She should then kindly and firmly encourage him to make the bound ; and by patience and perseverance in this course he will generally be induced to do so. After he has obeyed, she must not make him repeat the movement several times in succession, as if she were triumphing over him, because he might regard such a process as a sort of challenge, and renew the contest ; instead of such measures, he should be allowed to pass on quietly, no further attention being given to the matter. By this change from the flying to the standing leap the horse can be better prevented from shying, and on the next occasion will be apt to make the flying leap over the object without swerving. The whip or spur should never be employed to make an obstinate or timid horse leap, as he will ever after associate such objects as those 270 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN, over which he has been thus urged or forced to leap with fear of punishment, and his rider will never be sure of him when approaching one of them, for he will either shy, or else bound over it in such a flurried manner as will prove dan- gerous both to himself and his rider. An in- dolent horse, that requires to be roused by whip or spur, is not a suitable one for a lady to riclc at a leap. Some horses will refuse to leap when traveling alone, but w^ill do so spiritedly and excellently when in company with others of their kind. CHAPTER XII. DEFENSES OF THE HOESE. — CRITICAL SITUATIONS. " High pampered steeds, ere tamed, the lash disdain, And proudl}' foam, impatient of the rein." Virgil, Sotheby's Translation. " The startling steed was seized with sudden fright." Deyden. A lady's horse is generally selected for his gentleness, soundness, good training, and free- dom from vice, and the rider's management of him is usually so kind and considerate that he is seldom roused to rebelHon ; hence, she is rarely called upon to enter into a contention with him. The docility of a lady's steed is al- most proverbial, and when purchasing a horse the highest recommendation as to his gentleness and safeness is the assurance that he has " been used to carry a woman." Horse-dealers are well acquainted with this fact, and attach a high value to it, as a sure criterion of the ani- mal's kindly nature. No lady rider, however expert she may be, will, if she be wise and have a regard for her own safety, ride or endeavor to conquer a really vicious horse ; yet there 272 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. may be times when even the hitherto most doc- ile animal will suddenly display that which in Yorkshire dialect is called " mistech ; " that is, there may be unexpectedly developed a restive trait, for which there seems to be no reason. Even a really good-natured horse may, owing to high feed and little work, shy, plunge, and kick, in his exuberance of spirits, and should his rider not know how to control these sudden and unexpected manifestations, he may gain the ascendency, and she be thrown from the saddle. That Avhicli, on the part of the horse, is intended for good-humored play, may thus, from want of control, degenerate into positive viciousness. A skillful rider will manage and endure the prancings, pawings, and impatience of her steed, — which are frequently only his method of expressing satisfaction and happiness in carrying his kind mistress, — and will con- tinue ridino; and controlliuQ- him until he be- comes calm and quiet, and ceases to display his impulsive sensitiveness. Again, a lady may have occasion to ride a strange horse, of whose disposition she knov»^s very little. It is, there- fore, very important that every horsewoman should be prepared to meet and to overcome any eccentric demonstrations on the part of the animal she may be riding. DEFENSES OF THE HORSE, 273 Some horses are constitutionally nervous and timid, always fearful and upon the lookout, con- stantly scrutinizing every object around them, and keeping their riders incessantly on the watch. These horses, though disagreeable to ride, are seldom dangerous, as they will readily obey the reins and yield to the hand that has many times proved its reliability and correct- ness. Shying. — The position in which a horse places his ears is a sure indication of his imme- diate intentions. When he raises his head and points his ears strongly forward, it is because he sees some object at the side of the road, or approaching, which renders him uneasy or even fearful. In such a case, his rider must be pre- pared for a sudden leap to one side, a whirl around, or a quick darting from the road. She must not allow herself to become nervous and jerk or suddenly tighten the reins, for then the animal will think that she is likewise afraid, and that he is justified in his own fright. On the contrary, she must maintain her presence of mind, quietly and calmly take a snaffle-rein in each hand, draw them just tight enough to feel the horse's mouth, keep his head high and straight forward, and, as he approaches the ob- ject that has alarmed him, gently turn his head 18 274 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. away from it, so that in pasi?ing he can see as little of it as possible ; at the same time she should press her leg or whip against the horse on the side tow\ard which he is likely to shy, — also speaking to him in a firm and assuring tone of voice, that he may be led to understand there is nothinii; to fear. In following these directions the rider must be mindful of her balance, because, notwith- standing all her efforts, the horse may leap out of the road ; she should sit erect, keep a firm hold on both pommels with the legs, check him as soon as possible, and then bring him again upon the road. Should he swerve and attempt to rush past the object, his rider must not try to pull his head toward it, but, holding the reins with steady hands, must keep him headed straight forward, and, after he has passed, grad- ually rein him in. Should he make a half turn from the object, he must be turned completely around, so as to face it, and then be urged forward by the aid of the left leg and whip, wdiile he is at the same time spoken to in a quiet, encouraging tone. If the horse have confidence in his rider, and his fright be not a pretense, he will thus be in- duced to go by, and on future occasions will pass by the same object with indifference. Se- DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 275 verity, such as scolding and whipping, will only render him more fearful, and since he will al- ways regard the object of his fright as being the cause of his punishment, he will, conse- quently, the next time of meeting with it be- come still more unmanageable. But, having passed it at first without experiencing any pain, he will gain confidence in the judgment of his rider, imagine he has made a mistake in being alarmed, and be satisfied that, after all, there was no occasion for dread. A horse should never be caressed, patted, or coaxed, either just before or just after he has passed any object he dislikes, because he may misinterpret these acts, and imagine that he has done just right in shying, and will, there- fore, be very apt to repeat the act in order again to receive the praise of his rider. It will always be better, in such cases, to ride on as usual, and act as if the matter were of no con- sequence. On the other hand, a horse should never be w^hipped after he has passed an object that terrifies him. Some riders are afraid to whip the horse while he is in the act of shying, but will lay on the lash after he has passed the cause of his dread ; this will not only be " a tardy vengeance that crowns a cowardly act," but will cause the animal to conclude that he 276 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. has done wrong in passing by, and on the next occasion for alarm he will either delay as long as possible in dread of the remembered whip- ping, or else will plunge quickly by the object, and, perhaps, add to the vice of shying that of running away. The course pursued by some persons of making a horse pass and repass a number of times in succession an object which has caused him to shy is an erroneous one, as it gives him a chance for again resisting, and makes the rider appear vainglorious and pre- tentious. Whether a horse shies from real fright, or from mere pretense or affectation, the severe use of whip or spur to force him by the object he is shying at will always do more harm than good. Mildness and forbearance, combined with firmness, will invariably do much more to tran- quillize him and to render him obedient than severity and harsh measures. Horsemen who, from actual experience, are well able to advise say, " Let the horse alone, neither letting him perceive that we are aware we are advancing toward anything tliat he dislikes, nor doing more with liim when in the act of shying than is necessary for due restraint and a steady hand upon the reins." When a horse shies from pretense of fright, DEFENSES OF THE HORSE, 277 it is either from exuberance of spirits, because he has not been sufficiently exercised, or else because he has detected timidity in his rider, and shies from pure love of mischief and the desire to amuse liimself by augmenting her fears. Although not intending any real harm, he may manage, to his own astonishment, to unseat her, and, by thus discovering what he can do, may become a vicious rogue, and make every strange object an excuse for a dangerous shy. The only remedy for this affectation and mischievousness will be a courageous and de- termined rider on his back, who will give him more work than he likes ; he wdll then, of his own accord, soon tire of his tricks. When a horse' that has had plenty of work and a good rider to manage him nevertheless continues to shy, it ^\i\\ generally be found that his vision is defective. If he is a young horse, with very prominent eyes, the probability is that he is near-sighted ; if an old horse, that his vision — having undergone a change sim- ilar to that of a human being who is advanced in years — is imperfect for .near objects, which appear confused and blurred ; in other words, that he is troubled with long-sightedness, or presbyopia. In these cases the horse becomes fearful and suspicious, and his quick imagination 278 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. transforms that which he cannot distinctly see into something terrifying. Ocular science has not advanced so far as to have determined a remedy for these visual difliculties except by the use of glasses ; and to place spectacles upon a horse to improve his sight would be incon- venient as well as decidedly unique. Animals thus afllicted are unsuited for either saddle or harness, as they are more dangerous than if they are totally blind, and the only safe course to pursue when one is compelled to use them will be the very undesirable one of completely blindfolding them. Many a horse has been severely punished and condemned for vicious- ness, when his fault arose from defective vision. Sometimes a horse becomes discontented and uneasy from being always ridden over the same road ; this dull routine is irksome to him, espe- cially if he be spirited, and he ventures upon some act of disobedience in order to create variety and excitement. He may commence by sideling toward other horses or objects on his left, or by suddenly turning around to the right. In the first case, the rider must instantly take a snaffle-rein in each hand, and instead of attempt- ing to turn him from the object, she must rein his head directly toward it, and then back him from it. By these means, his body wdll form a DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 279 concavity on the side toward the object, thus preventing injury to the rider or horse, and she will be able to retreat in safety. In the second instance, the horse instinctively knows that he is opposing his strongest side to the weakest one of his rider, and it is useless to contend with him by pulling upon the left snaffle- rein, as he will be watching for this very move- ment and be prepared to resist it. He should be foiled by having the right rein tightened so as to turn him completely around and place him in the same position he was in before he began to turn. He w^ill perceive to his astonishment that he has gained nothing by his abrupt move- ment ; and as soon as he has reached the posi- tion stated, he should be urged forward by the aid of both leg and whip. This method is usually successful unless the steed be very obstinate ; he may then refuse to advance at all, and may make another turn to the right, in which case his rider should repeat the course just named, and oblige him to turn completely around three or four times in succes- sion, and then while his head is in the right di- rection, a stroke of the wdiip behind the girths should instantly be given in order to compel hhn to 12:0 forward before he has time to defend him- self and make another turn. Should he again 280 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN, refuse, and succeed in making still another turn, the tactics of his rider must he changed ; taking care not to use her whip, she must turn him around as before, and then rein him backward in the direction she desires him to go ; she must keep doing this until he conchides to move on- ward. Should this course have to be continued for some time, it will be advisable occasionally to head him in the desired direction, in order to as-^ certain whether he will go forward ; if he will not, he must again be turned and backed. A horse can readily be induced to move backward, when he has determined not to go forward. During this contest with the horse, the rider must be careful to retain her balance, to keep her left knee directly under the third pommel, and to incline her body quickly to the right as her animal turns. She should likewise be watch- ful of surrounding objects, in order to protect herself and her horse from any dangerous posi- tion in which he may be disposed to place him- self. In case she is not a very expert horse- woman, or has little confidence in her ability to manage the horse, it will be better to have him led a short distance, and then, if possible, she should change the road to one he has not been accustomed to travel ; this will divert him, and cause him to forget his contumacy. DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 281 Balking. — When a horse stops on the road and refuses to move in any direction, it may be owing to disease (immobility), or to obstinacy. In either case, it will be better for the rider to make no effort to induce him to move, but she should quietly and patiently remain in the sad- dle until he evinces a disposition to advance, when he should be made to stand a little longer. If his defense be due to obstinacy, this course will be a punishment ; but should it be due to disease, the detention will be no disadvantage nor punishment to him, but rather an advantage, as it will enable him to gain composure. It is rarely, however, that a horse proves balky, un- less as the result of some disease of the brain or of the heart, rheumatic pain, etc. Backiis^g. — Should a horse commence back- ing, when on the road, he must have his head quickly turned toward the direction in which he is backing. Thus, if he be backing toward a dangerous declivity, he will be able to see that what he is doino; threatens dangler to himself, and will be checked. Then he must be backed some little distance away from the danger, and in the direction toward which he is desired to go. If, however, the horse continues to back toward the dangerous place, notwithstanding the rider's efforts to turn him, the safest course 282 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. will be to dismount instantly. Backing is some- times, if not very frequently, due to confused vision, rush of blood to the head, pain in the head, etc. Gayety. — When a horse moves one ear back and forth, or keeps agitating first one and then the other, at the same time movins: his head and neck up and down, and, perhaps, also champing upon his bit, he is feeling gay, and his rider must be on her guard, as he may unexpectedly jump. While keeping a steady hand upon the reins, she must urge him to move forward at a regular and somewhat rapid gait, for this will be what he wants in order to work off his superfluous spirits. Kicking. — A horse, when defending: himself against anything whatever, will always lay his ears flat upon the back of his head ; this is his attitude and signal for a battle, and he is then ready to kick, bite, plunge, or rear. When the ears are only momentarilj^ placed back, it may be from playfulness, but when maintained in this position, he is angry and vicious, and may make a desperate eflbrt to throw his rider. In the company of other horses he will attempt to bite or kick at them. As soon as ho is observed to gaze fixedly upon any animals in his vicinity, while at the same time he puts his ears back, DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 283 and turns his croup toward his companions, he is then about to kick, and his rider must frus- trate his intention, as soon as she feels his croup move, by quickly raising his head and turning it in the direction in which the kick was to jje made. Should he attempt to bite, he must bo driven to a proper distance from the object of his anger, and his attention be diverted by keep- ino; him movino; on. A horse will kick when feeling gay, when he is annoyed, when he suffers pain from any cause, when feeling playful or malevolent toward other animals, and, sometimes, w^hen he wishes to dis- lodge his rider. Whenever her horse manifests an inclination to kick, the rider must endeavor to keep his head up, because he will then be un- able to accomplish much in the way of raising his hind-lesrs ; but once allowed to eet his head down, he will have everything his own way, and will be able to kick as high as he pleases. Every time the horse attempts to lower his head, he must be punished by a pull upon the curb-bit strong enough to make him keep his head up. His mouth must also be sawed upon with the curb, should he succeed in getting his head down. "The rider must remember to lean well back, and have her left knee well braced against the third pommel, as in this position it 284 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. Avill be almost impossible for him to unseat her by his kicking. If the kick be made during a stand-still, a sharp, vigorous stroke of the whip upon the animal's shoulder will be apt to check him; but if the kick be made while he is on the gallop, a stroke of the whip will be apt to make him run away. Should kicking be an old vice of the horse, he must be ridden with a severe curb-bit, that he may be prevented from getting his head down. Plunging, Bucking. — Plunging is a succes- sion of bounds, in which the four legs of the horse are almost simultaneously raised from the ground, the animal advancing with each bound. It is frequently an effort made by the horse to rid himself of something that pains him, as the sting of an insect, the pinching of the saddle or the girth, etc. All that can be done in any case of plunging wdll be to endeavor to keep up the animal's head, brace one's self firmly in the sad- dle, and sit the plunges out ; they will rarely amount to more than three or four. When a horse that is not vicious commences to plunge, it may be due to fear or pain ; he should, there- fore, be spoken to kindly, and be soothed. As soon as he is brought under control, the rider should endeavor to ascertain the cause of his movements, and, if possible, remove it. DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 285 Bucking is a desperate effort to throw the rider ; the horse will gather his legs under him in as close a group as possible, curve his back upward like an angry Tabby when she espies Towser, lower his head, endeavor to burst the saddle-girths by forcibly expanding his abdo- men, and then without making any advance or retreat bound up and down upon all four legs, which are held as rigid as iron rods. Sometimes he will produce a see-saw movement by repeat- edly and rapidly throwing himself from his hind to his fore legs. These motions will be kept up as long as he can hold his breath, which gener- ally becomes exhausted after five or six bounds; he will then renew his breath and may repeat the bounds. When a horse " bucks," the rider must keep her seat the best way she can. Her body should be held as straight as possible, although the nat- ural tendency will be to lean forward and to round the shoulders ; she should also take a firm knee-grasp upon both the second and third pom- mels, keep a steady hold upon the reins, and be especially on her guard against allowing her body to be pulled forward as the horse jerks his head down. Fortunately, very few thorough- bred horses buck violently, their movement being more of a plunge. The horses of the 286 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN, Russian steppes, and tlie bronchos and ponies of our far Western country, are apt to have the vicious, genuine buck in perfection. Rearing. — With the young horse, rearing is the last frantic effort to unseat his rider; an old rogue will sometimes resort to it, having found his rider timid and much alarmed at the move- ment. A lady should never ride a horse that has once reared dangerously, unless the action was occasioned by the injudicious use of too se- vere a curb-bit. A horse that has once reared without provocation will be very apt to do so again. The danger of this vice is, that the horse may fall backward and upon his rider. This ac- cident will be especially liable to occur when, in rearing suddenly and very high, he bends his fore-legs under his body. While he is in this position, should the rider feel him sinking down upon his hind-quarters, she must instantly leap from the saddle, at the same time giving, if pos- sible, a vigorous push to the horse with both hands, as near his shoulder as she can readily reach without endangering herself. This is done that he may be made to fall to the right, and the impetus of the push will also convey her to a safe distance, should he fall to the left. When a horse, after rearing, paws in the air with his fore-feet, he is then employing them DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 287 for the same purpose that a tight-rope dancer uses his balancing pole, namely, to keep his equilibrium. In this case, there will not be much danger of his falling backward, unless his rider should pull him over by holding too tight a rein, or by using the reins to aid her in keeping her balance. The first act of the horse, when he intends to rear, will be to free himself from the influence of the bit, and he will attempt to accomplish this by bending his neck in so as to slacken the tension on the reins ; at the same time he will come to a stand by a peculiar cringing move- ment, which will make his rider feel as if the animal had collapsed, or were falling to pieces. This " nowhere " feeling will hardly be realized before the horse will stiffen his hind-legs and neck, and rise with his fore-feet in the air, bid- ding defiance to all control. Under these circumstances, as the horse rears his rider must quickly yield the reins and incline her body Avell forward, firmly supporting herself by the second and third pommels ; as she values her life, she must not strike Jier steed nor pull upon the reins, but must patiently wait until his fore-feet come to the ground, when the time for action will have arrived. Although she may be taken by surprise when 288 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. the horse first rears, she can anticipate his sec- ond attempt, ^vhich will generally be not far off, by taking a snaffle-rein in each hand, holding her hands low, and the instant she perceives that he is going to rise, loosening the left rein and tightening the right, so as to bend his head to the right. He cannot now complete the rear, becanse her action will compel him to move a hind-leg, and he will then be unable to rest his weight upon both hind-legs, which he must do in order to rear. As a punishment, he should then be turned around a few times, from right to left ; this turning will also be very apt to prevent him from again rearing. Sometimes a severe stroke with the whip upon the horse's hind-quarters as his fore-feet are descending to the ground will prevent the second rear ; as he plunges forward from the whip, the rider must be careful to prevent her body from being thrown forward by the plunge. Running Away. — The most dangerous run- away horse is the one that starts off from exces- sive fear, as terror will make a horse act as if he were blind, and he may then rush over a preci- pice, or violently collide with some object in his way. Terrified horses have been known almost to dash out their brains by violent collision with a stone wall, and even to impale themselves DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 289 upon an iron fence. The least dangerous run- away steed is the practiced one, which runs be- cause he has vicious propensities; for as he knows what he is about, he generally takes good care of himself, and thus, in a measure, protects his rider, of whose mishaps, however, he is entirely regardless. Some horses, when urged to do something that is beyond their ability, or when goaded by pain from any cause, will run, imag- ining that by so doing they can escape the evil. With these, the " bolt " or runaway is more the last furious effort of despair than real vicious- ness. A heavy-handed rider may cause a horse to run away, the horse, taking advantage of the constant pull upon the reins, is liable to make the hand of his rider a point of support, and then dash wildly onward. When, from restlessness, a horse endeavors to break away, the curb-reins should be taken, one in each hand, and every time he attempts to run, a sharp pull should be made upon his mouth by means of these reins ; he will thus be checked and prevented from starting upon a run. Should he once get fairly started, it will be very diffi- cult to stop him promptly. In such a case, care should be taken not to make a " dead pull " upon the reins, but instead, a succession of pulls at short intervals, and these efforts should 19 290 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. be continued until he comes to a stand ; should the horse manifest any disposition to stop, the rider should, as he slackens his speed, make a continued pull on the reins as if reining him in from the walk, and this will gradually check him. When a horse runs away from fear or pain, nothing will stop him except the voice of the rider in whom he has confidence, and for whom he entertains affection. In his terror, he will rely entirely upon her for aid and support, and if she fail him. the most severe bit will not stop him. An old offender may sometimes be con- trolled by a severe bit, or may be cured of his propensity for running by being placed in the hands of a good horseman who will allow him to run away, and when the animal wishes to stop, will then, by means of whip and spur, make him run still farther, and allow him to stop only when the rider pleases. The management of a horse when he attempts to " bolt " has been described in the chapter on the Hand Gallop. A horse that has once fairly run away and met with some catastrophe, or that has thrown his rider, will never be a safe one to ride subsequently. Unsteadiness while beixg mounted. — It is very annoying, as well as dangerous, to have a horse moving about unsteadily while the rider DEFENSES OF THE HORSE, 291 is attempting to mount ; this restlessness is some- times occasioned by his impatience and eager- ness to start, and may then be remedied by hav- ing him held by the bit, with his right side placed against a wall, fence, or other firm bar- rier, where he can be kept until the lacly has mounted. The horse must not be allowed to start immediately after the rider has become seated, but must be restrained until he is per- fectly quiet, and must be chidden every time he commences to prance. A few lessons of this kind will teach him to stand still while being mounted. When the horse from viciousness, or from dis- like to carrying a rider, attempts to evade being mounted, he had better be disposed of ; for should the lady succeed in mounting she will receive but little benefit from the ride, as the bad temper and unwillingness of her steed will not only make it unpleasant, but even danger- ous for her. Sometimes the restiveness of the horse may be the fault of the person holding him, who, per- haps, either takes too heavy a hold of the snaf- fle-rein, thus pressing the sides of the snaffle-bit against the animal's mouth, and pinching him, or pulls upon the curb-reins, which should not be touched. Either of these mistakes will cause the horse to move backward. Not unfrequently 292 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. a horse will violently plunge and kick from the pain of some injury in his side or back, which, though not painful when the rider is seated, be- comes so when she bears upon the stirrup. Such a horse is unsound and not suitable for a side- saddle. Stumbling. — When a horse, not naturally indolent, and having his ears well placed, allows the latter to project out and to fall loosely on each side of his head, he is then fatigued, and must be kept well supported by the bridle, for he may stumble, or even fall. Whenever a horse is felt to trip or stumble, the rider's body must instantly be inclined backward, her hands be lifted, and her horse be steadied and supported by sufficient tension on the reins. Should the tired horse be walking down a hill, he must al- ways be well balanced by pressure of both leg and whip ; this will keep him light upon his fore-legs, and he will not be so apt to fall. A horse should never be whipped for stum- bling, as it is not likely that he would do so of his own accord, and it would be cruel to punish the poor animal for what he could not help. It may be the fault of the blacksmith in not slioe- ing him properly. Should an indolent horse fail to raise his feet sufficiently to escape tripping, the proper course DEFENSES OF THE HORSE, 293 to pursue will be to keep him collected and make him move at rather a rapid gait, because, when he is animated, he will lift his feet more briskly and to better advantage. A straight-shoulciered horse, when carrying a woman, will be apt to stumble, to bear upon the reins, and to move heavily on his fore-feet, and will therefore require an expert horsewoman to keep him moving in good form. When the rider hears a metallic clinking sound at each step of her horse, it will be an in- dication that the shoes of his hind-feet are strik- ing against those of his fore-feet ; this is very dangerous, as in the trot, or gallop, he may " overreach " and strike one of his fore-legs with one of his hind-shoes in such a manner as to in- jure himself severely, or he may catch the toe of a hind-shoe in the heel of a fore-shoe so that they will become locked together, when the fore-shoe will have to give way and come off, or a terrific fall will ensue. Some horses overreach on account of their natural conformation, others only when fatigued ; again, some will be free from this defect when fat, but will manifest it when they become lean from overwork, defi- ciency of food, or other cause. Young horses will occasionally move in this manner before they are taught their paces, but as soon as they 294 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. are thoroughly trained this dangerous annoy- ance ceases. When a horse falls to the ground, or merely falls on his knees, if the rider be not thrown off by the violence of the shock it will be better for her to keep to the saddle, as the horse will rise very quickly, and if she attempts to jump off he may step upon her as he is in the act of rising, or her habit may catch upon the pommel and add to the peril of the situation by causing her to be dra2r«:ed alono; should the horse move on, or become frightened and run away. She must not attempt to assist the horse by pulling upon the bridle, but must allow him to get upon his feet in his own way. Should she be thrown off as he falls, she must free her skirt from the sad- dle asjiromptly as possible and quickly get away from him in order to escape being stepped upon as he rises. The fall of a horse upon his right side is much less dangerous than upon his left, because in the latter case the rider's left leg may be caught beneath him, perhaps injured, and she would then be unable to extricate her- self without assistance. Whip and Spur. — A lady's whip is employed as a substitute for the riirhtleg^ of the horseman in collecting and guiding the horse. For this reason, it must always be firm, strong, and well- DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 295 made. It is also used both to give light taps to the horse in order to increase his speed, and like- wise, when necessary, to chastise him moderately and thus make him more obedient. If it can possibly be avoided, a lady should never whip her horse ; but when it is required, one quick, sharp stroke, given at the right time, and with judgment, will subdue him and bring him to his senses. Deliberately to give stroke after stroke, or to flog him, will always do more harm than good, for it will make him wild, vicious, and un- manageable, and the lady will gain nothing by it except the reputation of being a virago. When a horse has committed a fault requiring the whip, he knows that the first stroke given is for this fault, and submits ; but he does not understand why the succeeding blows are given, and resents them accordingly. An expert rider will rarely whip her horse, and will never become ancrrv at even the most obstinate resistance on his part, but will, instead, manage him intelli- gently, and subdue him in a subtle way that he cannot comprehend. She will turn his disobe- dient acts against himself in a manner that is mysterious to him, and which will make them appear to him to be the will of his rider. The horse will find himself foiled at every turn, in a way against which he can present no permanent 296 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. defense, and there will be nothing left for him but submission. When a horse fails in his attempts to gain the ascendency, and yields to her skill and author- ity, she should be generous and forgiving, and treat the vanquished one with kindness and con- sideration, letting him know that there is no re- sentment harbored against him. He will quickly appreciate this forbearance, and it will have a lasting effect. But while accepting the olive branch, she should not give him his usual pats and caresses for some little while afterward, as these acts might be misinterpreted by him as a weakening on the part of his rider, or lead him to imagine that he has been doing right instead of wrono;. A lady's horse should never be trained with the spur. The horse that requires a spur is un- suited for the side-saddle ; even the dullest ani- mal will soon learn that he is spurred only on one side, and will shrink from the attack by a shy or a jump to the right, knowing there is no spur on this side. An indifferent rider may place herself in danger by unconsciously spur- ring her horse, thus goading him to madness, and to such a frenzy of despair that the only alternative left for him will be to unseat his fair rider in order to escape the pain thus uncon- sciously inflicted upon him. DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 297 The novice in riding must not be dismayed nor discouraged by all the instructions in regard to defending one's self against restive and vi- cious horses, as she may ride for years, or even for a life-time, and never be in any serious dan- ger. But a time might possibly come, when she would suddenly and unexpectedly be called upon to exert herself in order to exact obedience from her steed, or to extricate herself from a perilous situation, and then a knowledge of what should be done will be of great use to her. Being armed at all points, and understand- ing the means required for any emergency, she will not depend for safety altogether upon the caprice or the gentleness of her horse, but chiefly upon her own knowledge and skill ; this will give her a confidence and sense of security that will greatly add to the pleasure of her ride. EXPLANATION. 1. The lips. 21. The croup; the most elevated 2. Tip of the nose. Figs. 1 and 2 part of the posterior extremity form the muzzle. of the body. 3. Chanfriii, or face ; the parts that 22. The tail. correspond to the bones of the 24. The flank. nose, and that extend from the 25. The abdomen. brow to the nostrils. 27. The saphena vein. 4. The brow, or forehead. 28. The shoulder and arm. 5. The eye-pits ; cavities more or less 28'. The point of the shoulder. deeply situated above the eyes. 29. The elbow. G. Forelock ; hairs between the ears 30. The fore-arm. that fall upon the forehead. 32. The knee. 7. The ears. 3.{. The cannon bone, shank. 8. The lower jaw and channel, or 34. The large pastern joint. space comprised between the 35. The small pastern joint. two lower jaws. Cheek. Jowl. 30. The coronet. 9. The jaws: nether jaws. 37. The front foot and hoof. 10. The nostril. 38. The fetlock and ergot. The fet- 11. The throat. lock consists of hairs, and the 12. Region of parotid glands, at the ergot of a horny-like substance posterior and internal part of constantly found at the back each of the lower-jaw bones. and lower part of the large 13. The crest. pastern joints. 13'. The mane. 39. The haunch. 14. Windpipe and groove of the ju- 40. The thigh, gaskin, or femur. gular veins. 41. The stifle joint. 15. The chest, thorax. 42. The buttock. 16. The withers, or the sharp, pro- 43. The tibia, or leg proper (lower jecting part at the inferior ex- thigh); a small bone lies be- tremity of the crest and of the hind it, the Jibula. mane. It is formed by the 44. The hock (curb place). projection of the first dorsal 44'. The point of the hock. vertebra. 4G. The cannon bone. 17. The back, or part upon which 47. The large pastern joint. the saddle is placed. 48. The fetlock and ergot. 18. The ribs. 49. Tlie small pastern joint. 19. The passage for the girths. 50. The coronet. 20. The loins. 51. Uiud-foot and hoof. ADDENDA. GOOD RULES TO BE REMEMBERED. (1.) When in company with a gentleman, an accom- plished horsewoman will prefer to have him ride at the right side of her horse, because, being thoroughly able to control her steed, she will require little or no assistance from the cavalier. On the contrary, if she be an inexperienced rider, it will be better for the gentleman to ride at the left side, because, in this position, his right hand will be free to ren- der any assistance she may require, and he will also be placed between her and any approaching object. (2.) A finished horseman, when riding at the left side of a lady's horse, will not allow his spurs to catch in her dress, nor will he permit his steed to press so closely against this left side as to injure or interfere with the action of her left foot and leg. (3.) In the park, or in any public place, a gentleman should always approach a lady on the off-side of her horse. (4.) When in company with two ladies, a gentleman should ride on the off-side of them, and never between the two, unless they request it. (5.) When obliged to pass or meet a lady who is riding without an escort, always do so at a moderate gait ; this is an act of politeness and consideration which may prevent her steed from becominoj fractious. (6.) When passing by a horseman who is leading another 302 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. horse, never ride by him on the side of the led animal, for if you do tlie latter will be apt to kick or plunge, and become unruly. This precaution is essential for the safety of the horsewoman, as well as for the better management of the led horse by the horseman. In a crowded place it will be better to wait until there is sullicieut room to pass without hindrance. (7.) Give assistance to a companion, or other lady rider, when it is indispensable for her safety, but do not give ad- vice unless directly requested. And if, when you are riding a fractious horse, assistance be politely offered, do not de- cline it. (8.) In city, town, or village, always ride at a moderate gait. (9.) Be extremely careful never to ask for a friend's horse to ride, but always wait until the animal is freely offered, and when accepted, do not follow the advice con- tained in the horseman's proverb, — " With spurs of one's own and the horse of a friend, one can go where he pleases." (10.) Before setting out for a ride, in company with other lady riders, the equestrienne, after having mounted, should move a short distance away from the others, and then keep her horse perfectly quiet and steady ; by this course the neighboring horses will not be apt to become uneasy and restive while her companions are mounting. (11. ) Always, when with others, begin the ride at a mod- erate gait. A number of horses, fresh from the stable, when assembled together, are apt, if started on a gallop, to become too highly excited ; and it will always be better to have them start slowly. (12.) Should a lady be a better horsewoman than her companions, and be riding a horse superior to theirs, she should restrain him, and not allow him to be constantly in RULES FOR LADY RIDERS. 303 advance of the others. It will be more courteous for her to follow the lead of her companions, and to consult with them as to the kind and rapidity of gait most agreeable to them. The preceding rules of politeness and propriety will be readily understood and appreciated. A lady under no cir- cumstances will forget her tact and consideration for others. (13.) In riding up hill the body should be inclined for- ward, and the bridle-hand be advanced, in order to give the horse space to extend his head and neck, as it is natural for him to do under such circumstances. In case the ascent be very steep, the rider may support herself by holding, with her right hand, to her horse's mane, but never to the off- pommel, because her weight may cause the saddle to slip backward. (14.) In riding down hill the body must be inclined more or less backward, in proportion to the steepness of the hill, and as the horse lowers his head upon the commencement of the descent, the rider must advance her bridle-hand just enough barely to feel his mouth. Timid and awkward riders, on descending a hill, are apt to confine the horse's head too much, thus keeping it too high, and preventing him from freely stepping out, as well as from placing his feet firmly upon the ground. By doing this, they are likely to bring about the very catastrophe they are trying to avoid, namely, a stumble and a fall. Never ride at a rapid gait when going down hill. (15.) It is always customary to keep to the left when passing by others on horseback or in vehicles, who are go- ing in the same direction as the rider ; and in passing those who are approaching, to keep to the right. But, in the latter instance, should anything be present that might cause the horse to shy, and a declivity, ditch, or other source of danger be on the right, while none exists on the left, it will then be safer for the rider to take the left side. 304 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. (16.) "Wlien crossing a stream, or when allowing one's horse to drink from it, a watchful eye should be kept upon him, especially in warm weather, lest he attempt to take an impromptu bath. If he begins to paw the water, or bend his knees, the rider must raise his head, give him a sharp stroke with the whip, and hurry him on. (17.) After severe exercise, or when the horse is very warm, he should neither be fed nor be allowed to drink un- til a sulFicient time has passed to enable him to become com- posed, rested, and cool. Many a valuable steed has been lost because his mistress did not know this simple, but highly important rule. Again, a horse should never be ridden at a fast gait just after he has eaten a meal, or taken a good drink ; he should be allowed at least an hour in which to have his meal digested. (18.) A horse should never be allowed to drink from a public trough, if it can possibly be avoided ; and when he is permitted to do so, the trough should first be emptied and then filled anew. Horses often contract serious diseases from these public drinking-places. (19.) When riding over a rough road, the horse's mouth should only be lightly felt, and he should be allowed to have his own way in selecting the safest places upon which to step. (20.) When it is observed that the horse is moving un- easily, at the same time violently twitching his tail, or giving a kick outward or under him, the rider may be certain that something is hurting hira, and should immediately dismount, loosen the saddle-girths, and carefully inspect the girths, the saddle, and parts touched by them to ascertain whether a nail be loosened from the saddle, the skin be pinched or abraded, the hair be pulled upon by the girths, or whether some hard object has become placed beneath the saddle, etc. ; she should also carefully examine the head-stall and bit, to RULES FOR LADY RIDERS. 305 see that all is right about the horse's head ; after having re- moved or diminished the irritating cause, she should care- fully readjust both saddle and girths. (21.) If, when riding rapidly, it be observed that the horse is breathiniJ: with difficultv and with a strancre noise, or that his head and ears are drooping, the rider should imme- diately stop him, as he has been driven too hard, and is on the point of falling. (22.) A lady's horse should never be placed in harness, because in order to pull a load he will be obliged to throw his weight forward, thus spoiling the lightness of his saddle gaits. (23.) When turning a corner the horse should not be drawn around by the reins ; these should merely indicate the desired direction for the turn, and should never be drawn upon more than will bring that eye of the animal which is toward the direction of the turn into view of the rider. (24.) Should a horse which is usually spirited move lan- guidly, and, during warm, or moderately cold weather, have his hair stand out and appear rough, particularly about the head and neck, or should he frequently cough, it would be better to relinquish the ride, have him returned to the stable, and a warm bran-mash given to him as quickly as possible. It may be that he has contracted only a cold that can be checked by prompt measures. But should he continue to grow worse, a veterinary surgeon should be speedily sum- moned. Be very firm and decided in not permitting the groom to administer his favorite patent medicines, because such nostrums are as liable to occasion injury to animals as similar preparations are to human beings. (25.) A few observations with regard to shoeing a horse may not be amiss. It may happen when riding on a coun- try road, that one of the horse's shoes will come off, and the rider be obliged to resort to the nearest rural blacksmith to 20 306 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. have it replaced. In such case she will find that some knowledge on her part of the manner in which a shoe should be fitted to a horse's foot will prove very useful. The black- smith should not be permitted to cut the frog (the soft and elastic substance in the middle of the foot) of the foot, but should leave it entirely alone, and pare around the margin of the hoof just enough to adjust the shoe evenly and firmly. Country blacksmiths, as well as many in cities, are very fond of paring and rasping the horse's hoof, as they think they can make a neater fit of the shoe by such a course. An eminent writer on the subject of shoeing states that, ex- cept in case of disease, undue paring and rasping are never indulged in by jiersons who understand how to fit a shoe to the horse's feet properly ; he also observes : " This is paring and rasping the horse's foot till it be small enough to fit the shoe, rather than kindle a fire and forge a new set which shall just suit the feet of the animal. It may to some read- ers seem like a jest, to write seriously about the horse's shoes being too tight ; but it is, indeed, no joke to the quad- ruped winch has to move in such articles. The walk is strange, as though the poor creature were trying to progress, but could obtain no bearing for its tread. The le^s are all abroad, and the hoofs no sooner touch. the ground than they are snatched up again. The head is carried high, and the countenance denotes suffering. It is months before the horse is restored to its normal condition." (26.) There is not the least necessity for stables being the foul smelling places they so frequently are, for if the hostler and his assistants perform their duties properly all offen- sive odors will be banished. A foul atmosphere in a stable, besides being repulsive to visitors, is, not unfrequently, the cause of blindness and otiier diseases of the horse, who will also carry the odor in his hair and communicate it to the cloth- ing of his rider as well as to her saddle. Yov these reasons, a RULES FOR LADY RIDERS. 307 lady should alwajs positively insist that the stable as well as the horse should be kept perfectly clean and free from ob- noxious exhalations. Attention to cleanliness, and a free use of disinfectants will bring about this highly desirable result. (27.) After a ride, the saddle should always be aired, and placed where the sun's rays can fall upon its under surface. After exercise that causes the horse to perspire freely, the saddle should not be removed until he has become cool ; this will jDrevent him from having a sore back, from which he often suffers when this precaution is neglected. (28.) When a lady stops in her ride to visit a friend, she should always attend to her horse herself — be sure that he is properly hitched ; that in warm weather he is fastened in a shady place, and that in cold weather he is protected, as far as possible, from the cold, as well as from wind, rain, or snow. It will sometimes happen, especially in the country, that, instead of being hitched, the hoi'se will be allowed to remain free, but within some inclosure, that he may nibble the grass ; in this instance, the saddle should always be re- moved, as otherwise he may roll upon it. A city horse, when ridden into the country, should not be allowed to eat grass, from a mistaken idea that it will be a good treat for him, for, as he is not accustomed to it, it will be very apt to injure him. (29.) After a good seat and attitude in the saddle have been obtained, more freedom is allowable ; should the rider have occasion to speak or to look aside, she should never move her shoulders, but only her head, and this momenta- rily, because it is required that a go^od lookout in front be kept up, to discover and avoid obstacles. (30.) Delicate persons who desire to derive benefit from horseback riding in the country should select suitable hours in which to pursue this exercise. The intense heat of a summer noon should be avoided, as well as the evening dew, 308 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. the imperceptible dampness of which will penetrate the cloth- ing and, perhaps, implant the germ of some serious malady. Riding upon a country road in the noon heat of a summer day, where there is little or no shade, will tan and roughen the finest complexion, will overheat the blood, anull upon the reins, 169. Defenses of tlie liorse, 271. Differences between high and low bred horses, 23. Dismounting, 99, 108. gentleman's aid in, 109. without assistance, 111. Distinguishctl equestriennes, 46. Disunited canter, 234. horse, 177- Double bridle, management of, 166. * Drawers, riding, 59. Ears, the language of horses', 25, 273. Education of the horse, 35. Enj^lish trot, 21, 200, 207. Equestriennes, distiniiuisiied, 46. Erroneous ideas about riding, 7. Exercise of the horse, remarks upon, 50. Fabric for riding-dress, 57. Falling down of the horse, 286, 294. False on the turn, in canter, 234. Faulty position of limbs, 136. Fay's training, 38. First lessons in riding, 22, 125, 149, 217. Flying gallop, 238. caiTiage of body in, 246. holding of reins in, 240. management of horse in, 239. stop in the, 248. turns in, dangers of, 242, 248. Flying leap, 249, 267. Flying trot, 198. Foot-loop in skirt, 56. Foot, the leadinj:, 209. Forcing the hands, 169,316. Formation of low-bred horse, 24. Formation of thoroughbred horse, 24. French trot, 21, 199, 203. Gaits for a lady's horse, 20. Gallop, the, 238. Gallop, flying, dangers of turns in, 242. flying, to stop in, 248. flying, turns in, 242, 248, hand, 238. Gauntlets, riding, 64. Gayety of the hor.se, 282. Gentleman's aid in dismounting, 109. Gentleman's aid in mounting, 103. Girthing the saddle, 77, 93. Girths, 76, 95. Give and take movements, 169, 171,316. Glossary, 313. Good ridin^% tight corsets incom- patible with, 6. Grooms, 44, 50, 97, 305. Habit, the riding, 52. liair, in riding, 61. Hand gallop, 238. dangers in, 240. Hard mouth of horses, 50. Hat, the riding, 62. Head-dress, 61. Health from horseback riding, 3. Height of horse for a lady, 19. Holding the reins, 145. in flying gallop, 247. Holding the riding skirt, 65. Holding the whip, 66. Horse, affection of, 4, 16. cares of the lady for, 4, 44, 47. character of. 4. collected, 177. confidence of, 5, 16, 317. defenses of, 271. dismountiuiT the, 99, 108. disunited, 177. education of, 35. exercise of the, 50. falling down of, 286, 294. for a city lady, 30, 31. for a country lady, 37. gaits of, for a lady's, 20. hei^rht of, for a lady, 19. livery stable, for a lady, 51. managing the, 145. managing, with different reins, 145. mounting the, 99. INDEX, 321 Horse, orif2:in of the, 13, purchase of, 18, 30. temperaments of the, 22. the, 13. the Arab, 1 6, 23. the kind of, to select, 18. the low-bred, 23. the thoroughbred, 23. to collect the, 170, 177. to stop the, 152, 1.56, 164, 191, 212, 236, 248. training the, 34. treatment of the, 35. united, 177. unsteadiness of, while being mounted, 290. whipping the, 295. Horseback, positions on, 129, 133, 137. riding, heiilthy, 3. the seat on, 114. wrong positions on, 115, 128. Horses, box stalls for, 49. corns on feet of, 32. hard mouth of, 50. humane training of, 35. ladies', attentions to, 4, 44, 47. moderate priced, 31. mouth, changes of pressure on, should be gradual, 174, 195. Stalls for, 47, 49. Horse's head, raising the, 174. Humane training of horses, 35. Hunting, 10. Introduction, I. Jacket, the riding, 53. Jog-trot, the country, 21, 198. Kicking, 282. Ladies riding in park, observations on, 128. Lady, cares of, for her horse, 4, 38, 44. correct scat for a, 118. horse for a, 1 8, 30, 34. livery-stable horse for a, 51. 21 Lady's attention to her horse, 4, 38, 44. bridle, 82. hor.-^e, what gaits for a, 20. pantaloons, 58. saddle, 69, 93. visiting lier stable, 44. whip, 66. Language of horse's ears, 25, 273. Latcbford's safety stirrup, 80. Leading foot, which is the, 209, Leap, the, 249. the flying, 249, 267. the standing, 249, 253. Length and width of saddle, 72, 73. Lenuan's safety stirrup, 80. Lessons with lunge-line, 42, 125. Libcrtv of reins, when to give, 175.' Limbs, correct position of, 1 24. faulty position of, 136. Livery-stable horse for a lady, 51. Long stirru])-leathcr, 74, 139. Low-bred horse, formation of, 24, Lunge-line lessons, 42, 125. Management of the horse in flying gallop, 239. Managing the horse with reins, 145^ Martingales, 83. Moderate-priced horses, 31. Mounting, 99. from a high horse-block, 100. from a low horse-block, 101. from the ground, 101. gentleman's aid in, 103. unsteadiness of horse while, 290. Movements of the rider's body, 6. Nati?ralriders, 8, 114, 128. Near pommel to saddle, 317, Observations on ladies riding in park, 128. Off-pommel to saddle, 75, 317, Origin of the horse, 13. Original position of snafflc-reins, cue in each hand, 150. INDEX. Origiual position of snafflc-reins, both in one hand, 154. posiition of suuttle and curb reins, all iu one hand, 161. position of snaffle and curb reins, one of each iu each hand, 106. Over-reaching, 293, 317. Pace, the, 21, 197, 218. Pantaloons, a lady's, 58. IVtticoat, the riding, 58. Placing the saddle, 71, 93. Plunging, 176, 284. Pommels to saddle, 69. use of, 70, 73, 100, 116. Position of lind).s should be taught by a lady, 144. Positions on horseback, 129, 133, 137, oriixinal, of reins, 150, 154, 161, 166. Pressure on horse's mouth, changes of, to b'i gradual, 174, 195, I'ujtil and teacher, 142. Purchase of horse, 18, 30. Racing trot, 198. Pack," the, 21, 218. Kaising the horse '.<» head, 174. Rearing, 286. Kein, to loosen or tighten one, when doul)le bridle is iu left hand, 162. Eeining back iu the walk, 184, 193. Reins, changing the, 156. curb iiud bridoou iu one hand, 100. dead pull upon, 169. doulile, one in each hand, 100. double, to change from left to right hand, 164. double, to change from right to left hand, 164. double, to separate, and hold one of each iu a hand, 165. holding the, 145. snalHe, both in one hand, 152. Reins, snaffle, both in one hand, original ])osition of, 154. suatfle, both iu one hand, to separate, 158. snallle, boih in one hand, to stop the horse, 156. snatHe, both in one hand, to turn to the left, 155. sualHe, both in one baud, to turu to the right, 155. snatHe, one iu each hand, 149. snalHe, one iu each hand, original position of, 150. snallle, one in each hand, to stop the horse, 152. suatfle, one iu each hand, to turn to the left, 151. snallle, one in each hand, to turn to the ri^ht, 151. to change quickly, 158, 165. to change snattte from left to right hand, 156. to change snalfle from right to left hand, 157. to hold, iu flying-gallop, 247. to return snaffle, to the left hand, 157. to shorten the curb and lenuthen the snaffle, 162. to shorten the snaffle and lengthen the curb, 16.3. to shorten or lengthen the curl) and snaffle, 102. to shorten or lengthen the snaffle, 159. when to give more liberty of, 175. Remarks, on exercise of horse, 50. on groom.s, 44, 50, 97, 305. on the stable, 44, 47. on training the horse, 34, 35, 43. Restivcness, 173. Rider's body, movements of, 6. figure, style of, 18. natural, 8. Riding basque, 53. boots, 59. coiffure, 61. corsets. 00. dress, fabric for, 57. INDEX. Riding, does not produce coarse- ness iu rider, 9. drawers, 59. erroneous ideas concerning, 7. first lessons iu, 22, 125, 149, 217. gauntlets, 64. habit, 52. habit, shirt, 59. habit, skirt of, 55. habit skirt, how to hold, 65. habit, waist of, 53. hair in, 61. hat, 62. jacket, 53. pantaloons, 58. petticoat, 58. whip, 06, 308. Rising in the saddle in English trot, 207. RiinuiuL,'' away, 288. Running walk, 20. Saddle-flaps, 76. Saddle, girthing the, 77, 93. lady's, 68, 93. length of, 72, 73. off-])ommel to, 75. placing the, 71, 93. seat to the, 72. second jionimel to, 68, 75. third jioinniel to, 68, 73, 74. to adjust the, 71, 93. to rise in the, in English trot, 207. weight of the, 76. width of the, 73. Safety stirrnps, 79. Seat, correct one for a lady, 118. on horseback, 1 14. to saddle, 72. Separation of the reins, 165. Shirt, the riding-habit, 59. Short stiirnp-leather, 74. Shying, 273. Skirt, foot-loop in, 56. holding the, 65. of the riding habit, 55. Snaffle-bit, 84, 148. wlien best to u.^e, 170, 177. To hold the riding-skirt, 65. To manage the horse with the va- rious reins, 145. To rise in the saddle in the Eng- lish trot, 207. Too long stirrnp-leatlicr, 74, 139. Too short stirrnp-leather, 74, l.'?6. To turn the horse to the loft, 151. To turn the horse to the right, 151. 324 INDEX. Training horses, humane, 35. remarks on, 34, 35, 42. to stop at the voice, 43. Treatment of horse, 34, 35, 42. Trot, circling to the left, 216. circling to the riglit, 215. country -jog, 21, 198. English or rising, 21, 200, 207. French or cavalrv, 21, 199, 203. the flying, 198. the true, 199. to canter from the, 232. Trotting in a circle, 214. True trot, 199. Turns in the canter, 233, 234. dangers of, in the flying gallop, 242, 248. in the hand gallop, 240. in the walk, 187. United canter, 234. Unsoundness of horses' feet and legs, 23. Unsteadiness of horse while being mounted, 290. Use of pommels, 70, 73, 100, 116, 202. Victoria stirrup, 79. Waist of riding habit, 53. "Walk, reining back in, 184, 193. running, 20. stopping in the, 191. the, 181. the advance in the, 184, turning in the, 187. Weight of the saddle, 76. What gaits to train a laci^ horse in, 20. When best to use the curb, 170, 174, note 178. best to use the snaflle, 148, 170. When to give more liberty of reins, 175. Which is the leading foot, 209. Whip, the lady's, 66. the lady's, how to hold, 66. Whip])ing the horse, 295. Whip and spur, 294. Why some women do not enjoy riding, 6. Width of saddle, 73. Wrong positions on horseback, 115, 128. » I Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine Cl. ^ \3ciicineat Tufts I 200'"'