7IIE CANTER. 39 



selves, horses are not up to the mark every day, and though 

 they do not go to heated theatres and crowded ball-rooms, 

 or indulge as some of their masters and mistresses are said 

 to do, they too often spend twenty hours or more out of 

 the twenty-four in the vitiated atmosphere of a hot, badly 

 ventilated stable, and their insides are converted into apothe- 

 caries' shops by ignorant doctoring grooms. When a free 

 horse does not face his bit, he is either fatigued or some- 

 thing is amiss. 



The Canter. 



Properly speaking, this being, /«?/- excellence, the lady's pace, 

 the instruction should precede that of the trot. The com- 

 parative ease of the canter, and the readiness with which the 

 average pupil takes to it, induces the beginner to at once 

 indulge in it. It is, on a thoroughly trained horse, so agree- 

 able that the uninitiated at once acquire confidence on 

 horseback. Moreover, it is the pace at which a fine figure 

 and elegant lady-like bearing is most conspicuously dis- 

 played, and for this, if for no other reason, the pupil applies 

 lierself earnestly — shall I say lovingly ? — to perfect herself 

 in this delightful feature of the art. On a light-actioned 

 horse, one moving as it were on springs, going well on his 

 haunches, and well up to his bit, the motion is as easy as 

 that of a rocking-chair. All the rider has to do is to sit 

 back, keep ^the body quite flexible and in the centre of 

 the saddle, preserve the balance, and, with pressure from the 

 left leg and heel, and a touch of the whip, keep him up to 

 his bit. She will imperceptibly leave ihe saddle at every 

 stride, which, in a slow measured canter, will be reduced 

 to a sort of rubbing motion, just sufficient to ease the slight 

 jolt caused by the action of the haunches and hind legs. 



Many park-horses and ladies' hacks are trained to spring 



