40 THE BARB AND THE BIJIDLE. 



cr 



from the waist, by bringing forward the right shoulder when tiimin 

 to the left and vice irrsd, in order to enable her to move exactly on 

 the same line as the horse, and so to preserve completely her due 

 aplomb or balance in the saddle. The above, in a slightly modified 

 form, is the instruction laid down in the " Mihtary Aid Book," as is 

 the following. 



Q. What is meant by a light hand ? — ^A. An almost imperceptible 

 easing and feeling of the bridle hand, so as to preserve the natiu-al 

 delicacy of the horse's mouth. 



The foregoing, however, while it indicates correctly and concisely 

 what a light hand is, is scarcely exi^licit enough for a beginner. I 

 believe the best definition to be this : when a horse is " light in 

 hand," according to the technical meaning, it should by no means be 

 understood that he has so delicate a mouth that he fears the action 

 of the bit in it. On the contrary, ha^T.ng in his breaking been fairly 

 balanced, the greater part of the weight on his haunches, and ridden 

 well up to his bridle, he should admit of a steady appid between his 

 mouth and the rider's hand, while he bends in the poll of the neck. 



Tlioroughly balanced, and bending as above described, his mouth 

 yields to the action of the rider's hand, and is " light " in the true 

 sense of the principles of equitation. 



A great deal of nonsense is talked about ladies' hands being so 

 much more light and dehcate than those of a man. The truth is, 

 that, assmning both male and female rider to be equally f)ractised in 

 the saddle, there is no differcnee whatever in the feeling or appui 

 given by the horse. 



Thoroughly habituated to obey certain indications conveyed to 

 him through the medium of the bridle reins and leg or other aid of 

 the rider, he will answer to them precisely in the same manner to a 

 lady as he would to a man ; while, on the other hand, if these 

 indications are not given with well-defined clearness and precision,^ 

 he will not answer to anybody's riding. 



There is a point, however, as regards the action of the hands, 

 to which I beg to call the particular attention both of young ladies 

 commencing their lessons in equitation and of gentlemen (non-pro- 

 fessional) who may undertake the task of teaching riding. 



