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«^eapon. This practice only puts the cow on her guard, and as you 

 come near her with the stool she uses nature's defense and kicks. 

 Handle her gently. If she walks off or kicks, pay no attention to it, 

 using no loud words or blows. If her teats are sore, she is quite lia- 

 ble to do either ; and you must have patience till they are healed. 

 In our experience we have never found a confirmed kicker in a yard 

 where kindness was a characteristic of the family who handled the 

 dairy. On the contrary, we have found plenty of them where 

 quarreling, loud words, and general bad temper prevailed. 



r 



Ladies' Equestrian Horsemanship. 



The saddlery for the use of the ladies is similar in principle 

 to that devoted to gentlemen's riding, with the exception that 

 the bits and reins of the bridle are lighter and more orna- 

 mental and the saddle furnished with crutches for side riding ; 

 the reins are narrower than those used by the gentlemen, but 

 otherwise the same. The ddle should be carefully fitted to 

 the horse and there should n I ways be a third crutch, the use of 

 which will hereafter be explained. There is an extra leather girth, 

 which keeps the flaps o' '.' 'die in their places. The stirrup 



may be either like a man' ha lining of leather or velvet, or 

 it may be a slipper, which safer and also easier to the foot. 

 The lady's whip is a light affair, but as her horse ought seldom 

 to require punishment, it is carried more to threaten than to 

 give punishment. A spur may be added for a lady's use ; it is 

 sometimes needful for the purpose of giving a stimulus at the 

 right moment. If used, it is buckled on to the boot, and a 

 small opening is made in the habit with a string attached to the 

 inside, which is then tied around the ankle, and thus keep the 

 spur always projecting beyond the folds of the habit. A nose 

 martingale is generally added for ornament ; but no horse which 

 throws his head up is fit for ladies' use. The lady's horse ought 

 to be a most perfect goer, instead of being, as it often is, a stupid 

 bru^e, fit only for a dray. 



Many me/i think that any horse gitfed with a neat outline will 

 carry a lady ; but it is a great mistake ; and if the ladies them- 

 themselve/. had the choice of horses they would soon decii'.. > the 

 contrary. The only thing in their favor^ in choosing a lady's horse, 



