OUGHT CHILDREN TO RIDE ? 5 



to slipping-, stumbling, falling completely under her, or 

 behaving in some unseemly manner that is entirely beyond 

 her powers to check or control. To these dangers and 

 discomforts — as well as to many others with which eques- 

 trians, old and young, are uncomfortably familiar — she is at 

 all times liable to be exposed, and, this being an admitted 

 truth, I ask whether it can for a moment be asserted that a 

 child is as capable as an adult of coping with such risks ? 

 The answer miLst be " No." The perils are the same for 

 both — while the weaker side is absolutely unable to 

 grapple with them when they arise. I speak from ex- 

 perience, and strive to teach from it also. Having been 

 largely associated with juvenile riders, especially in country 

 parts of England, the knowledge which I have picked up 

 from their absolute want of it has proved most fitting and 

 serviceable to me when offering hints and instructions to 

 others of similar age. Five years ago I had the un- 

 happiness of seeing a pretty child who was riding with me 

 seriously hurt, through her horse falling under her while 

 traversing an extremely rutty road. He made what is 

 called a double stumble, and had her hands possessed the 

 cunning, or her arms the strength, to have pulled him 

 together after he had made the first blunder, he would 

 undoubtedly not have gone down ; but he was a slovenly 

 animal, — one that wanted " collecting " and keeping well 

 in hand : two things of which my tender little companion 

 knew nothing whatever ; nor was she capable of putting 

 them in practice, even had it been otherwise. 



About the same time I saw another bright-eyed little 



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