50 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. 



cases there should, of course, be no out-of-door 

 scenery visible from the box. 



The groom should exercise the horse daily, 

 in a gentle and regular manner ; an hour or 

 two of walking, varied occasionally by a short 

 trot, will generally be found sufficient. Being 

 self-taught in the art of riding, grooms nearly 

 always have a very heavy bridle hand, and, if 

 allowed to use the curb bit, will soon destroy 

 that sensitiveness of the horse's mouth which 

 adds so much to the pleasure of riding him. 

 The man who exercises the horse should not be 

 permitted to wear spurs ; a lady's horse should 

 be guided wholly by the whip and reins, as 

 will be explained hereafter, and in no case 

 whatever should the spur be used. If the lady 

 wishes to keep her horse in good health and 

 temper she must insist upon his being exercised 

 regularly, and must assure herself that the 

 groom executes her orders faithfully ; for some 

 men, while professing to obey, have been known 

 to stop at the nearest public house, and, after 

 spending an hour or two in drinking beer and 

 gossiping with acquaintances, to ride back com- 

 placently to the stable, leaving the horse to 

 suffer from want of exercise. Other grooms 

 have gone to the opposite extreme, and have 

 ridden so hard and fast that the horse on his 



