THE SEAT ON HORSEBACK. 135 



Y., who is attempting to turn her hard-mouthed 

 racker. Instead of doing this by an almost 

 imperceptible movement of the hand, her left 

 hand and arm can be distinctly seen to move, 

 and to fairly pull the animal around. Her right 

 hand — probably acting in sympathy with the 

 left, so tightly clasped over the reins — holds 

 the whip as if it were in a vise intended to 

 crush it. In odd contrast with the rigidly held 

 hands is the body with its utter lack of firm- 

 ness. 



It can be seen at a glance why the lady will 

 only ride an easy racker, for it is well known 

 that on a good racker or pacer the body of a 

 rider in a faulty position is not jolted so much 

 as in other gaits. For this reason also the rack 

 and pace are the favorite gaits of most Amer- 

 ican horsewomen. 



Nearly every lady who rides has an ambition 

 to be considered a finished horsewoman, but this 

 she can never be until she is able to ride prop- 

 erly the trot and gallop, can keep herself in 

 unison with her horse, whether he leads with 

 the left or right fore-leg, and has hands that 

 will " give and take " with the horse's move- 

 ments and bring him up to his best gait. From 

 this point of view, Miss X. and Mrs. Y., then, 

 are by no means the "splendid riders" that 



