58 Limit of School-Riding. 



steed of the average equestrian are all too often 

 resident mainly in the animal itself is shown by 

 the chapter of accidents daily reiterated in the 

 news-columns. The School-man is apt to ride 

 more moderately, and to indulge in a bracing gal- 

 lop less frequently, because to him the pleasure 

 of slow and rhythmic movement on a fleet and 

 able horse is far greater than mere rapidity can 

 ever be ; the untrained rider resorts to speed be- 

 cause this is the one exhilaration within the 

 bounds of his own or his horse's knowledge. 



I do not wish to be understood as advocating 

 the School habit of always keeping a horse col- 

 lected. However much for some purposes I ad- 

 mire it, I do not practice it I often saunter off 

 a half-dozen miles without lifting the rein, while 

 Patroclus wanders at his own sweet will. I often 

 trot or gallop at my nag's quite unrestrained gait. 

 But if I want to collect him, if I want that obedi- 

 ence which the School teaches him to yield, he 

 must, to be to me a perfect horse, at my slightest 

 intimation give himself absolutely to my control, 

 and take all his art from me. I feel that I am a 

 good judge of either habit of riding, as I have 

 well tried both, and absolutely adhere to neither. 

 I pretend by no means, in School-riding, to have 

 carried my art so far as to be even within hail of 

 the great masters of equitation ; but I have not 

 for many years been without one or more horses 



