1 88 MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 



very awkward for a man when dismounting, to bring his 

 right leg with a bent knee, over the saddle, and to get off 

 " all of a heap." When dismounting, as well as when mount- 

 ing, the body should be kept erect, and the different move- 

 ments should be performed with smartness and precision, 

 but without any appearance of stiffness or exaggerated 

 gesture. We may take for granted that every motion of the 

 horseman ought to be characterised by grace. 



An inexpert rider, especially if his horse is fractious, will 

 be much assisted in dismounting by the groom standing in 

 front of the animal and holding its head by the snaffle reins, 

 one in each hand, and three or four inches from the rings 

 on each side. The horse's mouth should be held somewhat 

 higher than its withers, both for appearance' sake and for 

 obtaining increased control. If there be no snaffle, the 

 groom should hold the cheek-pieces of the headstall of the 

 bit, and not the curb reins ; for if these reins are grasped 

 and the horse happens to throw his head about impatiently 

 he will be liable to receive a painful shock from either 

 mouth-piece or curb-chain, or from both, and consequently to 

 rear or to make some other effort to escape from the control 

 of the man who is holding him. 



I wish to draw special attention to the necessity of every 

 riding horse being taught to stand quietly to be mounted 

 without being held by a groom or other assistant ; because 

 any horse which requires this to be done, is dangerous to 

 mount when held by an inexperienced person, who might 

 from ignorance cause a serious accident from holding the 

 animal in a wrong way, letting him go too soon, or hanging 

 on to his head too long. Under ordinary conditions, it 

 would be impracticable to have a capable man always at 

 hand for this particular duty. If a riding school is not avail- 

 able in which to teach a horse to stand quietly to be mounted 

 without being held, the first lessons may be given in a roomy 



