I 7 6 MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 



will also be out of the way of danger, in case the animal hits 

 out with his near fore, or cow-kicks with his near hind. By 

 placing the left hand well up on the crest, the rider ensures for 

 himself a short hold of the reins, in the event of the horse 

 wanting to start off the moment he feels weight on his back. 

 Besides, by having his hands well separated, the rider is able 

 to balance himself better when mounting, in the event of the 

 horse moving, than he could do if his left hand was on or 

 close to the pommel. If he is below middle height, he may 

 have to stand close to the horse's flank, so as to reach the 

 stirrup with his left foot. In this position, however, he will 

 run the risk of being cow-kicked if the horse be vicious. If 

 he is of very short stature, he may not be able to reach 

 the cantle, in which case he will probably be obliged to steady 

 himself by catching hold of the flap of the saddle. If tall 

 enough, he should spring smartly up into an erect position, 

 with his foot in the stirrup, his left hand on the mane, and his 

 right hand on the off side of the cantle. He should then 

 swing his right leg over, with the knee nearly if not quite 

 straight, and at the same moment he should let go the cantle. 

 The act of mounting, from the time the right foot quits the 

 ground, till the rider " drops " lightly into the saddle, should 

 be done in one easy and graceful motion, or with only a very 

 slight pause before swinging the right leg over. The left 

 hand now quits the mane, and the right foot takes the stirrup. 

 If the horse is fidgety, the rider may have to steady the off 

 stirrup with his right hand, while the foot is being put into the 

 iron. 



It looks very slovenly for a man in the act of mounting, to 

 throw his right leg over with a bent knee, or to " climb " into 

 the saddle in a laboured manner. When preparing to mount, 

 it is a bad practice to try to put the left foot in the stirrup 

 without holding the iron with the right hand at the same time, 

 so as to avoid touching the horse with the toe, which would be 



