LADY'S SEAT. 29 



the mane at the withers does not become pressed upon by the 

 pommel of the saddle, the irritation from which often causes 

 the animal to " play up." 



A few words about putting a lady into a saddle may be 

 useful, not only for horsewomen, but also for men who have 

 the somewhat parlous honour of touching a lady's foot. I 

 regret to say that when being " put up " a lady generally does 

 the very opposite of what she ought to do. She places the 

 left foot in the hands of her male attendant, and jumps from 

 the right foot on to the left foot, while carrying the body for- 

 ward, with the result that all the weight falls suddenly on the 

 hands of the man, who is inevitably pushed backwards and 

 away from the shoulder of the animal. On the contrary, 

 when her left foot is on his hands, she ought to use the right 

 leg onl)^ to make a slight spring which will enable her, by 

 straightening her left knee, to hold the body upright and a 

 little inclined to the rear. This is a very simple movement, 

 and is exactly similar to that which one makes when getting 

 up a rather high step of a staircase. The lady should not try 

 to jump up, but should limit her spring to straightening the 

 left knee, while keeping the upper part of the bod}^ well bent 

 forward ; and she should use her arms, her left hand resting 

 on the shoulder of her attendant and her right hand on the 

 upper crutch. In acting thus, she will mount quite straight 

 by the impulse given by the hands, and will come natural])- 

 on the saddle, and will carry the seat a little to the rear. She 

 should not try to place herself on the horse, which is the busi- 

 ness of her attendant, but should merely occupy herself with 

 sitting down. If a lady attempts to jump into the saddle, she 

 will generally strike it and fall on the man, 



I cannot help adding that the old practice of giving the left 

 foot is bad, and am unable to explain its origin or the reason 

 of its continuance. In fact, to be put on the saddle with the 

 left foot on the hands of the attendant, the lady, when she is 



