.16 THE BARB A^^D THE BRIDLE. 



Assuming, then, that some of my fair readers may be so placed 

 • as to render access to a professional riding master impossible, I have 

 ventm-ed upon this brief manual of "Equitation for Ladies," be- 

 cause I believe that there are many gentlemen, good horsemen, who 

 would willingly undertake the teaching of their young friends, but 

 that the former are unacquainted with the readiest way of going to 

 work. Let me hope that the following may be of use in such case, 

 both to preceptor and pupil. Addressing myself first to the former, 

 let me advise hmi to be guided from first to last by the following 

 maxims : 1st. Xever do anything to shake the confidence or nerve of 

 . your pupil, and never give away a chan.ce of doing it to the horse 

 she rides. 2nd, Never talk to her about lesson No. 2 until she 

 thoroughly understands lesson No. 1. While tittuping hacks are 

 useless, and it is necessary to have an animal, even for a beginner, 

 that has still plenty of life, vigour, and action in him, such a horse 

 requires to be thoroughly well-broken to carry a woman, and shoidd 

 have plenty of work, so as to do away with the possibility of his 

 flirting when she is mounted. It should be borne in mind that, 

 although a woman who has had years of practice will be equally at 

 home on almost every horse upon which you can put her, yet only a 

 particular stamp of animal is adapted to carry her in her earlier 

 essays. 



Let me endeavour to give my idea of him. In height he should 

 be from 15.2 to 15.3. A very tall woman may look better on a taller 

 horse, but it is rarely that one finds an animal over 15.3 with the 

 requisite proportions to ensure good action. Colom* is of little 

 accoimt, except that grey horses in the summer time part with their 

 coats so freely as to spoil a lady's habit. Quality is indispensable. 

 A three-part-bred horse, however, is the best, because he is Kkely to 

 have more substance in the right place than a thoroughbred. A 

 good blood-like head and neck are warranty for fashion. Good 

 shoulders, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, are not always 

 good shoulders for a lady's horse, because while they should be clean 

 and sloping as to the scapula, the withers should not be too fine. 

 A little thickness there causes a side saddle to fit better for the 

 -comfort of the rider. There should be plenty of depth in the girth 



