MOUNTING. - 13 



be done, the horse, if at all fidgety, will be rendered 

 unsteady by the rider poking his toe at him in this way. 

 If the animal be difficult to mount, the rider, when he 

 takes up the reins and places his left hand on the mane, 

 may have to shorten one of the reins — the off one generally 

 — more than the other, so as to prevent the horse from 

 whipping round. When the rider has his left foot in the 

 stirrup, his left hand on the mane, and his right on the 

 cantle, he should, if at all active, be able to get into the 

 saddle, or rest himself, foot in stirrup, even if the horse 

 moves forward, or begins to "dance about." He cannot, 

 however, do this, if, as some instructors teach, he holds 

 the pommel of the saddle instead of the mane, with his 

 left hand ; for the space between his two hands would, 

 then, be too short for him to balance himself properly. 



Mounting without stirrups, and with, or without, a 

 saddle, may be accomplished in the manner described 

 on page 15, for mounting during movement. Mounting 

 by placing the left hand on the pommel and the right 

 on the cantle, and then supporting the weight of one's 

 body on both hands, before throwing one's right leg 

 over, may do wxU enough with a steady school horse, 

 but it is a dangerous and unworkmanlike proceeding 

 with any animal which is not a mere machine ; for if the 



