122 THE HORSE OWNER'S 



violent attempts at coercion, whicli are better carried out 

 by the fine hand and delicate tact of the lady, all the 

 feats which man can perform may well be imitated by 

 her. In dismounting the horse is brought to a dead stop, 

 and his head held by an assistant; the lady then turns 

 her knee back again from the position between the out- 

 side crutch, takes her foot out of the stirrup, and sits com- 

 pletely sideways ; she then puts her left hand on the gen- 

 tleman's shoulder, who places his right arm around her 

 waist, and lightly assists her to the ground, 



DRIVING. 



Driving a single horse is a very simple process, and re- 

 quires only a good hand and eye. The reins are held 

 differently from riding ; the near rein passing over the 

 fore-finger, and the off between it and the middle finger 

 and then through the hand, descending from the palm 

 by the side of the knees. The thumb keeps the near rein 

 firmly against the forefinger, and 1 have always found it 

 a good plan to pass both reins out of the hand between 

 the little and ring fingers, so that without keeping the 

 thumb very firmly fixed, they do not slip through the 

 fingers when the horse makes a mistake. This has saved 

 me many an accident, because when a person is tired with 

 driving many miles and the attention flags, a horse in 

 making a mistake is not checked till it is too late, in 

 consequence of the thumb and fore-finger suffering the 

 rein to slip some inches before it is held firmly between 

 them ; but when passing through an additional pair of 

 fingers, and maki)ig an angle in oider to do this, it is as- 

 tonishing how firmly the reins are held, and yet with how 

 much less fatigue to the hand. The bearing-rein is now 



