12 HORSEMANSHIP. 



pared to his horse, he should place his right hand 

 well over on the off side of the cantle, so that he may 

 not disarrange the position of the saddle when mount- 

 ing. If he be very short, he may not be able to reach 

 the cantle at all, and, in that case, will be obliged to 

 steady himself by means of the flap of the saddle. He 

 should, if tall enough, spring smartly up into an erect 

 position, with his foot in the stirrup, his left hand on the 

 mane, and his right on the off side of the cantle. He 

 should swing his right leg over, knee nearly, if not quite 

 straight, while at the same moment, he should let go the 

 cantle. His left hand now quits the mane, and his right 

 foot takes the stirrup. If the horse be fidgety, the 

 rider may have to steady the off stirrup, with his right 

 hand, while the right foot is being put into the iron. It 

 looks very slovenly for the rider, when throwing his 

 right leg over, to do so with a bent knee. All appear- 

 ance of "climbing" into the saddle, in a laboured 

 manner, should be avoided. Care should be taken not 

 to touch the horse with the point of the left toe w^hen 

 mounting, nor with the right foot when taking up the 

 stirrup. One should never make a practice of putting 

 the left foot in the stirrup, before getting on, without 

 first steadying the iron with the right hand, for, if this 



