MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 113 



have the reins quite loose. This mode of alight- 

 ing is, however, entirely out of place except in 

 the country, where assistance cannot always be 

 had readily, or in cases where the lady is obliged 

 to dismount very quickly. 



If the lady rider, after carefully studying 

 these different methods of mounting and dis- 

 mounting with assistance, will select the one 

 she thinks suits her best, and then practice it a 

 few times with her gentleman escort, she will 

 soon find herself able to perform with ease these 

 apparently difficult feats, and will have no need 

 of resorting to a horse-block, nor to some se- 

 cluded spot, where she can mount or dismount 

 unobserved. A lady once told the author that 

 the pleasure of her daily ride was at one time 

 almost spoiled by the knowledge that she must 

 mount and dismount in front of a hotel, the 

 piazza of which was always crowded with ob- 

 servers, for, not having been properly taught to 

 execute these manoeuvres, she was rather awk- 

 ward at them. She, however, placed herself 

 under correct tuition, and soon overcame the 

 difficulty. She can now execute these move- 

 ments with such grace and elegance as to fasci- 

 nate gentlemen, and excite the envy of rival 

 belles who are still obliged to seek the aid of a 

 horse-block. 



8 



