HORSEBACK RIDING 



a beginner's confidence. For this 

 reason a frantic mount should 

 not be chosen for the first rides. 



One may ride bareback for the 

 first lesson or tw^o; or if pre- 

 ferred, a saddle may be used with 

 the stirrups crossed. This helps 

 in two ways: it gets rid of the ten- 

 dency to support the weight on 

 the stirrups instead of the saddle, 

 a fault that many beginners eas- 

 ily fall into; it trains the rider to 

 grip with knees and thighs and 

 so hold on, a lesson that should 

 be learned so thoroughly that it 

 w^ill never be forgotten. 



Avoid placing only the toe of 



the foot in the stirrup. Many do 



this, thinking it aids in rising to 



the trot. The fact is, the lower 



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