MOUNTING. 221 



and his horse has learned to turn his head that way without 

 letting his body follow his head. You can see that he liandles 

 the reins roughly, and that his horse is not happy, but takes 

 every movement in fear, not as if he enjoyed going so fast." 



521. — Whilst saying this, you will see the shoulders go 

 down, and the little feet be turned straight. Mr. French and 

 Tom will be minutely surveyed when they next ride abroad, and 

 it will not be long before the little pupil will understand all their 

 perfections and faults as well as you do. 



522. — A six or seven years old child cannot be taught to 

 mount a horse or pony in orthodox form. He will learn that 

 from some good pattern in after years. In the mean time his 

 pony must be taught to stand in a ditch, or to let him use 

 a box, a stool, a stile, a gate, a bank, or anything that will 

 answer the purpose. "With a pony as quiet as a child's pony 

 should always be, the child may often spend an hour with it in a 

 loose box, getting on and off by any convenient aid. He may 

 also be early taught to let down the left stirrup for this purpose 

 and to take it up again after he has mounted. A child that is 

 fond of riding, and that has established a good understanding 

 between himself and a quiet pony, will often discover some very 

 original method of reaching his seat. 



Of course a child of this age has no business to be alone 

 with anything but the quietest of animals, but perhaps few 

 persons have any idea how ridiculously quiet some good tempered, 

 well used horses will be with a child that is much with them. 



523. — Keep the child riding for years, if you possibly can 

 before you allow him to ride anything but a quiet horse. Avoid 

 falls, not only for the sake, of the child's safety, but to keep him 

 as long as possible under the happy delusion that he cannot get 

 hurt. The nerves and muscles will never adapt themselves to 

 every possible call on them so well as whilst fear is unknown and 

 danger unsuspected. When the boy gets twelve or fourteen years 

 old will be time enough for leaps and tumbles. If all has gone 

 well up to that, he will be so completely at home on horseback, 

 and his agility so great, that tumbles are not likely to harm him 

 much. He will be pretty sure to land on his legs, and to choose 



