MOUNTING, 



across the neck, they act like a bearing rein, and oblige 

 the horse to carry his head up and his nose in. In 

 hunting this would bring his hind legs on his fences, and 

 oblige him to leap from the top of his banks and to 

 land all fours, instead of extending himself and letting 

 himself down gently. In swimming it obliges him to 

 keep his whole head and neck out of water. I very 

 nearly drowned a horse in this way in the Serpentine " 

 (Colo7iel Greenwood). 



As a rule, a man should ride with both hands on the 

 reins. 



To Mount. 



When standmg still.— ThQ rider should place himself 

 at the horse's near shoulder, take up the reins with 

 the left hand, and lay hold of the mane a little 

 in front of the withers. He should take the stirrup 

 in the right hand, at the part where the leather 

 goes through the eye of the iron. The left foot is placed 

 in the stirrup, while the rider faces to the rear. If his 

 legs be very short, he may have to stand close to the 

 horse's flank, so as to reach the stirrup with his left foot. 

 In this position, however, he will run the risk of being 

 cow-kicked if the horse be vicious. If he be tall, com- 



