RIDING ON THE ROAD. 123 



you go out, you can hope to escape discovering the un- 

 comfortable effects which pernicious training, or subsequent 

 injudicious handUng, invariably bring about. To be pre- 

 pared for these — not to be taken aback by them — to be 

 ready to face every emergency, and overcome every 

 difficulty in the way of equitation — is the true meaning 

 of the word " horsewoman." It shall be my office, then, 

 in this chapter to endeavour to tell you as concisely as 

 possible how to act (in all cases of ordinary road-riding), 

 when called upon to control horses with whose ways you 

 are not altogether familiar. 



In the first place, when your mount is led to the door, 

 be ready in time to go out and inspect him. This you can 

 readily do while the laggards of the party are preparing 

 for their ride. In using the term "inspect," I do not 

 mean that you are to assume a confident, boastful air, or 

 proceed to make an ostentatious examination, as though 

 nobody knew anything about horse business save your- 

 self. This would only make you appear ridiculous, and 

 be calculated to incur dislike. You should go quietly to 

 your horse's head, and while affecting to be engaged in 

 caressing him, run a hasty eye over the following points : 

 that the saddle is quite clear of the play of the shoulders, 

 and yet not too far back ; that the girths are tight enough, 

 and the surcingle not too loose, although decidedly easier 

 than the girths ; that the headstall is sufficiently long, and 

 in every way easy-fitting — the curb-chain the correct 

 length — the lip-strap on — the martingale (if a standing 

 one) of easy length, and if a running, so arranged that the 



