108 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. 



ease, and, as she rises, her left leg will readily 

 escape from, under his right arm, and she will 

 be able to seat herself sideways in the saddle, as 

 by the former method. During this manoeuvre 

 she must sustain herself by the second pommel, 

 as in the preceding instance. 



If a horse is restless and uneasy when being 

 mounted, he should be held by a third person, 

 who must stand in front of his head and take 

 a firm hold of the curb-bit on each side, but 

 without touching the reins, which should always 

 be held and managed by the rider only. It is 

 always a better plan, when mounting, to have 

 the horse held, although a well-trained horse 

 will stand quietly without such control. 



Mounting is a part of the rider's education 

 which should be carefully studied and practiced, 

 for when properly and gracefully accomplished 

 it is the very poetry of motion, and will enable 

 her to display more pliancy and lightness than 

 she can even in the ball-room. There is an- 

 other branch of the rider's education which 

 also requires careful study, as it is rarely accom- 

 plished satisfactorily, and is apt to occasion as 

 much embarrassment and dismay to a beginner 

 as mounting. This is dismounting. To alight 

 from a horse easily and well, without disarrang- 

 ing the dress, and without being awkwardly 



