132 RIDING FOR LADIES. 



riding on the road, you will save yourself and your mount 

 a great deal of unnecessary fatigue. 



If you find, when trotting, that your horse is going in an 

 uncomfortable, one-sided manner, giving now and again a 

 strange sort of cow kick, you may be confident that the 

 saddle is hurting him. In such a case dismount at once, 

 and if at all close to home, put the bridle over your arm 

 and lead him the rest of the journey. Should it happen, 

 however, when you are a long distance away, you must 

 only take him very quietly indeed, until you are near 

 enough to walk the remainder of the way yourself. 



It is on just such emergencies that the practice, which I 

 have so staunchly recommended, of wearing comfortable 

 easy-fitting boots, comes most usefully in. I have seen 

 ladies remain seated upon the backs of most palpably suffer- 

 ing horses, simply because they were absolutely incapable 

 of walking even half a mile in the boots which they had 

 donned for riding. 



Never allow your horse to get into a jog-trot when in 

 company with a riding party, or in the park — but remember 

 that it is a most valuable pace at which to bring home a 

 tired hunter. A very light easy canter, wherever the road 

 is soft, or where there is sufficient grass by the side of it 

 to take the jar off his feet, or else what is known as the 

 " ioo-" will be the most humane way of getting him safely 



to his stable. 



Many lady riders imagine that cantering is a safer as 

 well as a pleasanter pace at which to travel, than trotting 

 (whether fast or slow) can ever be. This is really a great 



