LADIES MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 69 



them most comfortably to herself. In a week or ten days 

 she will be ready for a short canter, and in a week or two 

 more she will be ready for the road, always supposing she 

 has followed the rules for hand and seat. From their po- 

 sition on the saddle, very many ladies incline their weight 

 too much on one side ; this is very ungraceful, and ruinous 

 to your horse's back. She should move in her seat 

 until, from her own sense of gravity or some one tell- 

 ing her her position is fair and square, her weight is 

 equally distributed, her shoulders well back, elbows 

 down and in, head perfectly straight, looking directly 

 between her horse's ears. When she has occasion to 

 turn to speak or answer, her shoulders should not be 

 moved, but the head, and that only turned for a moment, 

 then back again, to look between the ears to the road in 

 front to avoid any obstacles. Now if her stirrup is just so 

 long that her limb and foot are comfortable, and at same 

 time by a little pressure on it, added to a little spring on 

 her part, she can raise herself in the saddle, say six inches, 

 and then fall back again, she will begin to feel very 

 much at home in her saddle ; and if she rides the first 

 month carefully to maintain this seat and perfect it, she 

 will very soon become a first-rate rider. Haying control 

 of her reins and seat alike, her horse, if broken, will be 

 perfectly safe for her, and she can use the curb more than 

 a gentleman, as her touch is so much lighter. It is fair 

 to presume now, if she is on the road, that a gentleman 

 is with her; if so, on which side shall he ride? That is a 

 much-mooted question, and one that I will answer in my 

 own way (after a large experience). A good horseman 

 should ride on her left, a doubtful or unaccustomed rider 

 on the right. The former on the left has his right hand 

 free to use either in adjusting her dress, if required, or 

 arranging anything about her bridle ; in short, whatever 



