20 THE BAEB AND THE BRIDLE. 



into his bridle when the master asked him. " You see, miss, it is 

 easy enough," said the master ; "a little patience, and you will do it 

 presently." But the second essay of the lady was as unsuccessful as 

 the first ; nay more so, as the horse was getting very angry. " What 

 can be the reason?" at last said the lady, halting her horse; "I 

 must be very stupid." "It is some peculiarity in your hand," 

 said the master, soothingly ; " it will be all right by-and-by." Do 

 you think," said the lady, deferentially, "that the diflPerence of seat 

 — your leg on the right side — has anything to do with it? " "Not a 

 bit," replied the preceptor. But it had all to do with it, and event- 

 ually the lady had to be put upon an old school hack for her ride in 

 the park, leaving her own horse at the riding school. 



When the lady was gone the master observed, " Most extra- 

 ordinary thing ! I can't get this horse to do wrong, and Miss A. 

 cannot get him to go a yard." " Did you ever ride hira in a side- 

 saddle?" I inquired. "I? Certainly not," was the answer; "no 

 man can break a horse in a side-saddle " (this was true enough as 

 regards the early stages), "and," continued the professor, "I can't 

 ride a bit in a side-saddle." The latter observation settled the 

 matter in my mind ; for it has been always clear to me that, if a 

 man cannot acquire a true and firm seat himself on a side-saddle, it 

 is impossible he can teach a woman to ride. He may teach her to 

 sit square and upright on an old horse that has been carrying 

 women for years, but "going about" on such an animal is not 

 riding — my idea of which, as regards a lady, is, that on a horse still 

 full of courage and action (though not too fresh or short of work) 

 the rider should be able, by the application of aids sound in theory 

 and practice, to render the horse thoroughly obedient to her will. 

 This is riding. Cantering along upon an old tittuping hack is 

 merely taking horse exercise in a mild form. 



As regards a man riding in a side-saddle, I may say that some 

 years ago a young friend of mine, now deceased — than whom there 

 never was a better man with hounds — hunted in a side-saddle for 

 three or four seasons before his death. He had injured his right 

 foot so badly in a fall as to necessitate amputation at the instep, and 

 he preferred the side-saddle seat to the awkward and disagreeable 



