146 RIDING FOR LADIES. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



A LESSON IN LEAPING. 



Surmising that you are now as perfect as possible in park 

 and road riding, you must qualify yourself as a huntress^ 

 by learning to jump every kind of obstacle that will be 

 likely to come in your way. Indeed, it is advisable for 

 every rider, even though destined to spend a lifetime 

 without ever hearing the music of the hounds, to acquire 

 practice in leaping, as a means of improving the seat and 

 securing immunity from possible danger and inconvenience. 

 I mean to convey, that to a lady equestrian who knows 

 nothing of sitting over a jump, a long ride in the country 

 will be likely to prove somewhat embarrassing, seeing that 

 newly-cut ditches and small sheep-hurdles are frequently 

 to be met with, and where some members of the party 

 jump them and others hang back, the difference of opinion 

 will not tell in favour of the laggards. To be ready for all 

 emergencies is the rule of good riding, and even if country 

 difficulties have not to be encountered, there may be times 

 — probably will be — when an animal will bounce suddenly 

 forwards, or bound into the air from very exuberance of 

 spirits, and if his rider has not learned to sit over a fence 

 it will be ten to one against her keeping her position in the 



