ILLUSTRATED GUIDE. 119 



to and play with if allowed, rather than by a dead pull. 

 In this way, by taking advantage of everv inch yielded, 

 and yet not going too far, the hea 1 is gradually brought 

 in and the hind legs as gradually are thrust forward, so as 

 instinctively to steady the mouth and prevent the pressure 

 which is feared. When this " sitting on the haunches " is 

 accomplished, a horse-cloth may be strapped on the near 

 side of the saddle, to accustom him to the flapping of the 

 habit; but I have always found, in an ordinarily good-tem- 

 pered horse, that if the paces and mouth were all perfect, 

 the habit is sure to be borne. 



It is a kind of excuse which gentlemen are too apt to 

 make, that their horses have never carried a lady ; but if 

 they will carry a gentleman quietly, they will always car- 

 ry a lady in the same style, though they may not perhaps 

 be suitable to her seat or hand. The directions for hold- 

 ing the reins, and for tlieir use, already given, apply 

 equally well to ladies; the only difference being that the 

 knee prevents the hand being lowered to the pommel of 

 the saddle. This is one reason why the neck requires to 

 be more bent than for the gentleman's use, because, if it 

 is straight, or at all ewe-necked, the hands being high 

 raise the head into the air, and make the horse more of a 

 •'star gazer" than he otherwise would be. Many ladies 

 hold the reins as in driving, the directions for which are 

 given elsewhere. (See Driving.) It is in some respects 

 better, because it allows the hand to be lower than in the 

 gentleman's mode, and the ends of the reins fall better 

 over the habit. In mounting, the horse is held steadily, 

 as for a gentleman's use taking care to keep him v/ell up 

 to the place where the lady stands, from which he is very 

 apt to slide away. The gentleman assistant then places 



