28 IN THE HIDING-SCHOOL. 



drooping head, looking as if training to play the 

 part of the dead warrior's charger at a military 

 funeral. 



Shorten your reins now, carefully ! Not quite 

 so much, or your horse will think that you 

 intend to begin to trot, and do not lean 

 backward, or he will fancy that you wish him 

 to back or to stop. The poor thing has to 

 guess at what a pupil wishes, and no wonder 

 that he sometimes mistakes. 



But, Esmeralda, keep your mind on those 

 thumbs and hold them close to your forefingers. 

 Driving will give no idea of the slipperiness of 

 leather, but after your first riding lesson you 

 will wonder why it is not used to floor roller- 

 skating rinks. But remember that your reins 

 are for your horse's support, not for yours ; they 

 are the telegraph wires along which you send 

 despatches to him, not parallel bars upon which 

 your weight is to depend. Hitherto, you have 

 not ridden an inch. Your horse has strolled 

 about, and you have not dropped from his back, 

 and that is not riding, but now you shall begin. 



In a large ring, pupils are required to keep to 

 the wall when walking, as this gives the horse a 



