148 m THE HIDING-SCHOOL. 



inward. The horse will take a step, you must 

 instantly sit up straight, lower your hands, and 

 then repeat the movement until he has backed 

 far enough. Four steps will be quite as many 

 as you should try when working thus by your- 

 self, because you do not wish to form any bad 

 habits, and your master will probably find much 

 to criticise in your way of executing the move- 

 ment. The most that you can do for yourself 

 is to be sure that Abdallah makes but one step 

 for each of your demands. If he make two, 

 lower your hands, and make him go forward, 

 for a horse which backs unbidden is always 

 troublesome and may sometimes be dangerous. 

 ''Just watch that man on Billy Buttons,'* 

 says your master, coming up to you, "and make 

 up your minds never to do anything that you 

 see him do. And look at these two ladies who 

 are mounting now, and see how well it is possi- 

 ble to ride without being taught in school, pro- 

 vided one rides enough. They cannot trot a 

 rod, but they have often been in the saddle half 

 a day at a time in Spanish America, whence 

 they come, and they can Mope,' as they call it, 

 for hours without drawing rein. They sit 



