112 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. 



neck, retaining, however, the whip and snaffle- 

 reins in her left hand, and then, removing her 

 foot from the stirrup and her right leg from 

 the pommel, she should seat herself a little side- 

 ways upon the saddle. Now, with a slight turn 

 of her shoulders to the right, she should place 

 her left hand — still holding the whip and 

 reins — upon the second pommel, and her right 

 hand upon the off one, and thus alight sideways 

 with her face toward the horse's head. In ef- 

 fecting this manoeuvre, she must be careful to 

 retain her hold upon the snaffle-reins and also 

 upon the second pommel until she is safe upon 

 the horse-block ; she must also remember the 

 caution given before, in regard to having her 

 skirts free from the pommels. 



To dismount upon the ground, or upon a 

 very low horse-block, without assistance, is a 

 difficult feat to execute gracefully, but some 

 young ladies in the country, who are active and 

 light, accomplish it so easily and quickly that 

 they do not appear awkward. The manner in 

 which this is to be done is nearly the same as 

 that just explained, the only difference being, 

 that the gliding down must be effected quickly 

 and lightly, and the rider, as she passes down, 

 must release her hold upon the off-pommel, but 

 retain that upon the second, also taking care to 



