2 RIDING RECOLLECTIONS. 



misgiving comes confusion, effort, breathlessness, pos- 

 sibly collapse and defeat Morally and physically, there 

 is no creature so nervous as a man out of his depth. 



In offering the following pages to the public, the 

 writer begs emphatically to disclaim any intention of 

 laying down the law on such a subject as horsemanship. 

 Every man who wears spurs believes himself more or 

 less an adept in the art of riding ; and it would be the 

 height of presumption for one who has studied that art 

 as a pleasure and not a profession to dictate for the 

 ignorant, or enter the lists of argument with the wise. 

 All he can lay claim to is a certain amount of experi- 

 ence, the result of many happy hours spent with the 

 noble animal under him, of some uncomfortable 

 minutes when mutual indiscretion has caused that 

 position to be reversed. 



If the few hints he can offer should prove service- 

 able to the beginner he will feel amply rewarded, and 

 will only ask to be kindly remembered hereafter in the 

 hour of triumph when the tyro of a riding-school has 

 become the pride of a hunting-field, judicious, cool, 

 daring, and skilful light of hand, firm of seat, 

 thoroughly at home in the saddle, a very Centaur 



" Encorpsed and demi-natured 

 With the brave beast." 



