10 UNASKED ADVICE. 



back for weeks. The horse being perfect in his paces 

 may be ridden with something flapping about him, to use 

 him to a habit, if such a proceeding be considered neces- 

 sary in these days of short skirts. Individually, I have 

 never seen but one horse who objected to the habit in my 

 life, and he was in every way too " scarey " for a lady. 

 Of course the horse will finish his training in the bridle 

 he is to wear with his mistress. The saddlery question 

 will be the next for discussion. 



Figs. 4 and 5 show the position to which we want to 

 bring the head and haunches in the trot and canter ; the 

 latter not an easy thing to draw. 



For London work, our hack, after the course of training 

 recommended, will have completed his education. It 

 will, perhaps, be well, in addition to what I have 

 described, to show him some volunteers, who, as rule, 

 make a point of appearing on any scene where a timid 

 rider and fresh or startlish horse are the actors. For the 

 country there is another thing needful. Even if the 

 lady never intends to leave the highway, and though 

 there may not be a pack of hounds in the county, the 

 lady's horse should know how to jump to the extent of a 

 sheep hurdle or small open ditch, and especially the 

 latter. In the country it is nearly impossible to confine 

 one's ride entirely to the high road, at all events when 

 any farming or similar business has to be done. Most 

 gentlemen have some such pursuits in the country, and if 

 she declines to go off the road our fair friend's ride has to 

 be put off, or she must find a special escort, which is not 

 always so easily done in a rural district. She need never 

 jump a sheep hurdle unless she chooses, as these will 

 always pull up, but many grass fields are intersected with 

 little ditches for irrigation, &c., and the latter, which a 



