RIDING AND DRIVING 249 



in jumping particularly, the fall cannot be pre- 

 vented. When the rider feels it coming the best 

 way is to take the feet from the stirrups, tuck in 

 the chin, and fall as much like a ball as possible, 

 holding the reins, however, until the feet are 

 surely clear of the stirrups. I was recently 

 knocked off my horse on a steep hillside path by 

 coming in contact with the limb of a tree. I rolled 

 down the hillside for fifty feet, but suffered no in- 

 convenience though I weigh 175 pounds and 

 carry an undue amount of that weight at the 

 middle. Had I landed on my head, the conse- 

 quences would probably have been serious. 



Every rider should learn how to make a horse 

 change his lead in the gallop, that is, change the 

 leading foot from right to left and back again. 

 Horses naturally go with the right foot in front 

 or the left foot in front, as the case may be, just 

 as children are more dextrous with the right 

 hand or the left. When the change is desired, the 

 horse should be well in hand, and when from 

 right to left is required the right heel should be 

 applied when the leading foot is on the ground, 

 and the hind legs are leaving it; immediately 



