THE TROT. 33 



and to the right about, and in executing the same move- 

 ments to the left, on all of which I shall have a few words 

 to say later, and when she can halt, rein back, and is generally 

 handy with her horse at the walk, she may attempt a slow 

 Trot, and here her sorrows may be said to begin. 



The Trot. 



In this useful but trying pace the lady must sit well down 

 on her saddle, rising and falling in unison with the action 

 of the horse, springing lightly but not too highly by the 

 action of the horse coupled with the flexibility of the instep 

 and the knee. As the horse breaks from the walk into the 

 faster pace, it is best not to attempt to rise from the saddle 

 till he has fairly settled down to his trot — better for a few 

 paces to sit back, somewhat loosely, and bump the saddle. 

 The rise from the saddle is to be made as perpendicularly 

 as possible, though a slight forward inclination of the body 

 from the loins, but not with roached-back, may be permitted, 

 and only just so high as to prevent the jar that ensues from 

 the movements of the rider with the horse not being in 

 unison. The return of the body to the saddle must be 

 quiet^ light, and unlaboured. Here it is that the practice 

 without a stirrup will stand the novice in good stead. 



This pace is the most difficult of all to ladies, and few there 

 be that attain the art of sitting square and gracefully at this 

 gait, and who rise and fall in the saddle seemingly without 

 an effort and without riding too much in the horse's mouth. 

 Most women raise themselves by holding on to the bridle. 

 Instead of rising to the right, so that they can glance down 

 the horse's shoulder, and descending to left, and thus regain 

 the centre of the saddle, they persist in rising over the 

 horse's left shoulder, and come back on to the saddle in 



D 



