FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN. i$ 



girl should, under any circumstances, be permitted to ride 

 on a side-saddle, or to mount the back of an unled animal. 

 I prefer a small horse to a pony for the initiatory lessons, 

 as being generally better paced and better broken. The 

 child should not at first be allowed to touch the bridle at 

 all. She should sit perfectly square and erect, her figure 

 well balanced, her shoulders thrown back, and her arms 

 folded upon her breast, while an attendant walks alongside 

 her horse and keeps his paces evenly regulated. This is 

 the correct method of teaching a child how to ride from 

 balance, — an accomplishment most desirable for every class 

 of rider. The ordinary fashion of putting a little one up, 

 and giving her the reins to hold on by, is about as efficient 

 a plan of instruction as teaching the same child to play the 

 piano by ear only — thus ignoring the very first principles 

 of the art — or running-up a building without laying a 

 foundation-stone. Circus-children, the most beautiful 

 balance-riders in the world, are taught to ride at first 

 without ever torching the reins ; and nothing else that 

 could be suggested would ever be capable of giving the 

 same firmness of seat. 



If the learner be a boy, he should be taught his first 

 lessons without stirrups ; but I would not deny the assis- 

 tance of such support to a little girl, as her position on the 

 saddle would otherwise entail much extra fatigue upon 

 the left leg. Be it understood, however, that the stirrup 

 should be taken away after the first few lessons, and the 

 child be instructed to ride for at least an hour a day with- 

 out any such aid ; otherwise she will trust to it, when riding, 



