io6 HORSES 



understood, will hold her safely in the saddle 

 however much the horse may kick. 



The left leg from below the knee should hang 

 straight down, and, except when it is necessary to 

 take a strong grip, it should not quite touch the 

 pommel. See that your heel does not touch the 

 horse's ribs and irritate him. 



A woman ought always to sit straight in the 

 saddle, and if she is feeling tired she had better go 

 home ; but if she ever allows herself to loll, she will 

 become an eyesore to her friends, and a saddle-sore 

 to her horse. First of all you have to learn to sit 

 plumb in the middle of the saddle, and after that you 

 can get into the way of sitting there easily, without 

 stiffness and without poking your head. You will 

 have to be an extraordinarily bad rider if you cannot 

 find one man to admire your style of riding, and 

 extraordinarily good if you hope to evade the criti- 

 cism of your own sex. Beyond these few hints, 

 which are alone applicable to girls, my advice to 

 boys holds good for both. 



