niDING.] 



THE HOESE, AI^D 



[eidikg. 



In speaking of bridles, Tve should observe 

 that the curb alone, and with single rein, is an 

 unfair bridle, and entirely deceptive to the 

 rider, since its first effect is to torture, and 

 ultimately to harden the mouth of the animal^ 

 depriving it of that sensibility which is the 

 basis of what we sliould call a good mouth. 

 The curb, beside, is an awkward bit with whicli 

 to effect the turn, it being only calculated for 

 pulling straight forward. In former days the 

 snaffle was deemed the severest bit, no doubt 

 from its having been made small and sharp. 

 Since then the snaffle has been changed into a 

 mild bit, although hard and sharp snaffles still 

 remain. Young horses should be first put to 

 work with mild bits, and chiefly accustomed to 

 the snaffle, which will ensure a good mouth, 

 sufficiently hard for fair pulling, yet with a 

 due share of sensibility and liability to be 

 affected and acted on by the occasional use of 

 the curb. The snaffle bit should be of con- 

 siderable thickness, particularly at the ends 

 next to the reins, and not made so long that 

 the joint will work into the bars of the mouth. 

 Many riders prefer a good snaffle-bridle horse 

 to any other; still we think there is an ad- 

 ditional convenience in the double-reined bri- 

 dle, in case of a rein breaking. 



In reference to the lady's horse, her pad 



should indicate considerable blood ; and should 



rarely exceed fifteen hands in height ; its paces 



should be rough ; and the trot should be both 



slow and easy, which is the pace of health, 



and which is a valuable quality. The canter, 



however, is the principal requisite, which 



should be both natural and graceful ; the 



neck handsomely curved, and the mouth 



possessed of a pleasant feeling. "Whatever 



may be the natural beauties of such animals, 



however, the grand consideration is in the 



safety of their step ; for a horse deficient in 



this respect, is perhaps, in his canter, always 



most liable to " kiss the ground." The most 



graceful canterers may be observed to lead 



generally with the off" leg; but, no doubt, 



there is such an error as a horse, both in his 



canter and gallop, going with the wrong leg 



first, to the great uneasiness of the rider. 



This is more particularly felt on worn and 



battered horses, which change their legs to 



procure for themselves a momentary cessation 



from weakness, weariness, or pain. 



152 



The person who attends for the purpose of 

 assisting a lady to mount her animal, should 

 be close to her, join his hands, by placing his 

 fingers within each other, to form a stirrup 

 for her left foot, as near to the ground as 

 possible. Her left knee must be quite straight, 

 which will facilitate tlie assistant's eff"ort to 

 place her in the saddle — an act facilitated by 

 a moderate spring from herself. 



Some masters teach their lady pupils to 

 ride on either side of the liorse, and recom- 

 mend the pommel of the saddle to be made 

 very low, that the knee may not be thrown 

 too high. They also recommend that the 

 pommel be made with a screw, to be taken off 

 in case of a lady wishing to change sides when 

 she rnay desire it. 



Ladies' riding-shoes should be always straight- 

 soled, as, in case of accident, there is the risk 

 of the foot hanging in the stirrup, when the 

 sole, according to the old fashion, is hollow 

 next the heel. A lady's pad should par- 

 ticularly be accustomed to walk off" quietly; 

 and with respect to his improvement in that 

 pace, it is accomplished by touching him gently 

 behind with the whip. 



In case a lady should have to dismount with 

 the assistance of only one person to hold her 

 horse, steps or a chair are requisite. If there is 

 not this convenience, she springs from her seat ; 

 and should her pad, which is so often the case, 

 be upwards of fifteen hands, she may some- 

 times meet with a strained ankle, or some other 

 accident. Having an assistant, she gives him 

 her left hand, and holding herself by the 

 crutch of the saddle, she alights. Her pre- 

 liminary act, however, is gently to change her 

 whip from the right to the left, or bridle hand, 

 leaving its end to hang down the near shoulder 

 of her pad, placing the reins upon the upright 

 horn of the saddle, on which, also, she rests 

 her right hand. Her garments clear of giving 

 any obstruction, she may then, turning a little 

 to the right, make her spring towards the 

 assistant, who is ready to break her fall. She 

 should be careful, on quitting the stirrup, to 

 keep her knee upon the crutch, as a security 

 in case of the horse starting. It is perhaps 

 unnecessary to mention, that a gentleman who 

 attends a lady on horseback, rides on her near 

 side; and that it is one of his first duties, 

 to keep himself between the lady and any 



