106 THE HORSE. 
one showing these qualities, nor yet is it prudent for a bad horseman to 
mount one without previous riding, although he may know him to be quiet 
enough when regularly worked. 
THE LADIES’ HORSE 
THIS VARIETY OF THE HoRSE should be a perfect park-hack such as I 
have already described, but moulded in somewhat longer proportions, so 
as to give room for the habit to spread without quite eclipsing the animal. 
Many a hack looks extremely well under a man, but when a side-saddle 
and habit are on him, he shows nothing on the near side from the point 
of the shoulder to the hip, and hence is not adapted in appearance to a 
lady's use. A back too long to carry the weight of a man above nine 
stone is yet strong enough for a lady of average proportions, who seldom 
weighs, even with an eighteen pound or twenty pound saddle, more than 
ten stone, and many not nearso much. This formation also gives a softer 
canter, and therefore possesses every good quality desired for a lady’s use 
without auy drawback. To be in proportion to this increased length of 
body, the neck should also be long, and thus an animal is well chosen for 
a lady which would be rejected by most male judges for their own use. 
Tn point of soundness, mouth, and temper, he must be unimpeachable, for 
the legs are far more tried by the canter than by any other pace, and 
ladies generally choose the cleanest, and therefore the hardest part of the 
road, and ride the faster there, because they can do so without splashing 
their habits. In wind also there should be no defect, as a gallop is not 
avoided whenever turf is at hand, and sometimes when this is not to be 
obtained, itis taken on harder ground. The mouth ofa lady’s horse should 
be light and level, and the neck so easily bent that there is not the slightest 
tendency to throw the head up, even when the hands are held so high as they 
necessarily must be from the nature of the lady’s seat. There is a popular 
idea that a horse does not pull as much with a lady as with a gentleman, 
which is very erroneous. The hands of most men are bad enough, but for 
one good pair of female hands there are a dozen possessed by men, and this 
is irrespective of the greater number of riders among the male sex, but 
calculated in proportion, that is to say, the per centage of good hands is 
far greater among men than among women. Of course we do not see the 
same severe hanging on the bit displayed by ladies, because they have 
neither the same weight nor the same strength as their brothers, fathers, 
or husbands ; but as far as they can, they spoil their horses’ mouths, with 
some few occasional exceptions. From the nature of the lady’s seat, the 
hands cannot be held low over the withers, and if the horse’s mouth 
absolutely requires the hands to be kept down below the level of the knee, 
they must be divided, and a rein taken in each. ‘This generally gives an 
inelegant seat, but a year or two ago it was the fashion, and wherever it 
could be adopted it was: in order to maintain an upright position of the 
body, the hands must be brought alimost back to the hips, and no shifting 
of the rein from one to the other can be effected wthout raising them 
above the knee. It follows, therefore, that the lady’s position causes great 
difficulty in the management of an awkward mouth, and that, therefore, a 
very perfect one should be chosen for her use. In addition to good legs, 
length of body and neck, and a perfect mouth, the ladies’ horse should be 
of a fine temper, and not too lazy, or he will need the spur; nor too hot, 
or he will get beyond her control. In height he should be between fifteen 
and sixteen hands, less than the former being objectionable on account of 
