THE WALK. 27 



The Walk. 



The rider is now seated on what — in the case of a begin- 

 ner — should be an absolutely quiet, good-tempered, and 

 perfectly trained horse. Before schooling her as to seat, 

 we will ask her to move forward at the walk. At first it 

 is better to have the horse led by a leading rein till the 

 debutante is accustomed to the motion and acquires some 

 stock of confidence. She must banish from her mind all 

 thoughts of tumbling off. We do not instruct after this 

 fashion : — Lady (after having taken several lessons at two 

 guineas a dozen) loq. : "Well, Mr. Pummell, have I made 

 any good progress?" "Well, I can't say, ma'am," replies 

 the instructor, " as 'ow you rides werry well as yet, but you 

 falls off, ma'am, a deal more gracefuller as wot you did 

 at first." We do not say that falls must not be expected, 

 but in mere hack and park riding they certainly ought to 

 be few and far between. At a steady and even fast walk 

 the merest tyro cannot, unless bent on experiencing the 

 sensation of a tumble, possibly come to the ground. Doubt- 

 less the motion is passing strange at first, and the beginner 

 may be tempted to clutch nervously at the pommel of her 

 saddle, a very bad and unsightly habit, and one that, if not 

 checked from the very first, grows apace and remains. 



It is during the walk that the seat is formed, and the 

 rider makes herself practically acquainted with the rules 

 laid down on the handling of the reins. A press of the left 

 leg, a light touch of the whip on the off-side, and a " klk " 

 will promptly put the horse in motion. He may toss his 

 head, and for a pace or two become somewhat unsteady ; 

 this is not vice but mere freshness, and he will almost im- 

 mediately settle down into a quick, sprightly step, measuring 



