6 RIDING 



sex, the boy, on his saddle, I will digress for a moment to dis- 

 cuss the pony which either the boy or the girl should ride. 

 There is no doubt whatever that, as regards the boy, he will 

 either bully the pony, or the pony will bully him. The young 

 lady is of too kindly a nature to bully, and therefore she re- 

 quires a more docile animal to ride than the boy. It is far 

 better for the boy's future proficiency in riding that he should 

 bully his pony than that the reverse should be the case ; but 

 when the boy has these inclinations he requires looking after 

 and repressing. There is no animal so artful as an old pony 

 that has carried several young beginners. His craftiness is re- 

 markable. He will pretend to be tired long before he really 

 is so. He will take his rider home against his will, or will 

 refuse a small fence, or go in the contrary direction to the one 

 he is directed to go ; and therefore the boy must have sufficient 

 confidence in himself to coerce to a certain extent, but should 

 on no account ever be allowed to act cruelly to him. Bullying 

 is a vice that grows upon boys. If he can do it successfully 

 with his ponies, the lad will follow it up by bullying his sisters,, 

 and other boys ; and as he gets older will go on bullying every 

 one he can, till eventually he may come to bully his wife. 

 Therefore, though it is necessary that he should be master of 

 his pony, he should be carefully watched and prevented from 

 ill-using him. A nice docile pony is one of the most intelligent 

 and kindest creatures in the world, and should be cherished 

 and petted accordingly. One that carries a little girl well is 

 worth all the care and kindness that can be extended to him. 



We now come to putting the boy on his pony. Some people 

 like to put him up first of all without stirrups, and to make 

 him ride for a year or more before furnishing him with those 

 aids. I am decidedly against this system ; there can be no 

 doubt that the effect of such practice is to make him cling on 

 and ride like a monkey on a dog, and to completely spoil his 

 hands. With a recruit joining a cavalry regiment it may be all 

 very well. He is from eighteen to twenty-three years of age, 

 and has strength enough in his thighs to grip the stuffed saddle 



