IN THE RIDIXG-SCHOOL. 149 



almost, but not quite straight, and they have 

 strength enough in their hands to control any 

 of our horses, although they complain that 

 these English bits are poor things compared 

 to the Spanish bit. You see, they can stay 

 on, although they cannot ride scientifically." 



"And isn't that best ?" asked Nell. 



"It is better," corrects the master. "The 

 very best is to stay on because one rides scien- 

 tifically, and that is what I hope that you two 

 will do by and by. There's that girl who always 

 brings in a bag of groceries for her horse ! 

 Apples this time ! " 



" Isn't it a good thing to give a horse a tid- 

 bit of some kind after a ride ? " asked Nell. 



" ' Good,' if it be your own horse, but not good 

 in a riding-school. It tends to make the horses 

 impatient for the end of a ride, and sometimes 

 makes them jealous of one another at the mount- 

 ing-stand, and keeps them there so long as to 

 inconvenience others who wish to dismount. 

 Besides, careless pupils, like that girl, have a 

 way of tossing a paper bag into the ring after 

 the horse has emptied it, and although we 

 always pick it up as soon as possible, it may 



