Vi PREFACE. 



with credit, but who have heretofore been un- 

 able to ecain that information which would en- 

 able them to ride with ease and grace, and to 

 manage their steeds with dexterity and con- 

 fidence. The author — who has had several 

 years' experience in horseback riding with the 

 old - fashioned, two - pommeled saddle, and, in 

 later years, with the English saddle, besides 

 havinii; had the benefit of the best continental 

 teaching — believes she will be accused of 

 neither vanity nor egotism when she states that 

 within the pages of this work instructions will 

 be found amply sufficient to enable any lady 

 who attends to them to ride with artistic cor- 

 rectness. 



Great care has been taken to enter upon and 

 elucidate all those minute but important details 

 which are so essential, but which, because they 

 are so simple, are usually passed over without 

 notice or explanation. Especial attention has 

 also been given to the errors of inexperienced 

 and uneducated riders, as well as to the mis- 

 takes into which beginners are apt to fall from 

 incorrect modes of teach in i]^, or from no instruc- 

 tion at all ; these errors have been carefully 

 pointed out, and the methods for correcting 

 them explained. A constant effort has been 

 made to have these practical hints and valuable 



