ILLUSTRATED GUIDE. 91 



Riding and Driving. 



BIDING. 



The accoutrements and aids required are a saddle, bri- 

 dle, and a whip or stick. Spurs are not commonly used 

 unless the horse is sluggish ; but some are never to be de- 

 pended upon without this stimulus. They are sometimes 

 so indolent as to stumble at every few yards without the 

 spur, but on the slightest touch they are all alive, and 

 their action changes in a moment. With such animals 

 the spur should always be worn, though it need seldom 

 be used. 



MOUNTITJ-G- AND DISMOUNTING. 



The directions for these, the preliminary feats of horse- 

 manship, are generally given as if all horses were of mod- 

 erate height, and all men six feet in their stockings, 

 Thus Captain Richardson in his recent contributions to 

 " sporting " literature, advises as follows : " Stand opposite 

 the near fore foot of the horse, place the left hand on the 

 neck, near to the withers, having the back of the hand to 

 the horse's head, and the reins lying in front of the hand. 

 Take up the reins with the right hand, put the little fin- 

 ger of the left hand between them, and draw them 

 through until you feel the mouth of the horse ; turn the 

 remainder of the reins along the side of the left hand, let 



