MOUNTING. 185 



weight ; because mounting in the ordinary way would be apt 

 to damage it. With a racing saddle, the jockey should take 

 the reins in his left hand, which he should place on the mane 

 if he can reach it. If tall enough, he should place the flat 

 of his right hand on the centre of the saddle, and not on the 

 cantle, lest by bearing his weight on the cantle, he might hurt 

 the tree. He should then raise his left foot off the ground, 

 and the man who is going to give him a leg up, should take 

 hold of his left leg, just above the foot, with his right hand 

 (Fig. 1/8), or, if the rider is comparatively heavy, he may 

 place his fore-arm underneath the rider's left leg, close to the 

 foot, steadying himself the while with his left hand on the 

 horse's mane, and should raise him up without giving any 

 jerk, which might cause him to come heavily down on the 

 saddle, or might cant him over to the other side. The jockey 

 being raised to the proper height, brings his right leg over 

 the saddle while steadying himself with his left hand on the 

 mane, and with the flat of his right hand on the centre of 

 the saddle. He then sinks carefully down in the seat and 

 takes the stirrups. If the saddle be a very light one, the 

 jockey when getting into it, should bear the weight of his 

 body on his thighs, and should not plump suddenly down in 

 the saddle lest he might injure the tree. The same method 

 of mounting may be adopted with an ordinary saddle, though 

 the precautions I have described against breaking it need not 

 be observed. 



MOUNTING DURING MOVEMENT. 



As directed by Colonel Greenwood, the rider should hold 

 the reins and mane in his left hand and the pommel with 

 his right, and then spring into the saddle, after taking a few 

 steps along with the horse. This is much easier to do when 

 the horse is in movement than when he is standing still, and 

 is a very useful feat to learn. Being able to mount in this 



