THE BAEB AND THE BEIDLE. 51 



If she has been well tutored in the extension and suppling practices 

 •alluded to in my second chapter, she will understand what "one, 

 two " time means in this way as well as in dancing, and her know- 

 ledge of balance on foot will assist her on horseback. These rising 

 and falling motions should be continued until the pupil executes them 

 with precision, fair intervals of rest being allowed. The master 

 ishould then place the lady's foot again in the stirrup. 



The absence of this support in the previous lesson will have pre- 

 vented the pupil from leaning to the near side, and throwing her 

 weight out of the perpendicuiar — a most pernicious habit, which 

 ladies who try to learn their trotting in one lesson are very apt to fall 

 into, and it is a fault very difficult to correct. In fact, the main 

 object in beginning without a stirrup is to avoid this error. 



With the support of the stirrup the pupil will find the act of rising 

 and maintaining an upright or slightly bent forward position (the 

 figure raised well up from the saddle) a comparatively easy matter, 

 and the lesson should be continued thus for a quarter of an hour 

 longer. However trying to the patience this riding without gaining 

 ground — "marking time" in the saddle — may be, the lady maybe 

 assured, that it is by rigid attention to such minutiae only that she 

 ■can become a first-class horsewoman, and that she is in reality losing 

 no time. 



AVhen we hear the singing of Mme. Titiens, or recollect the un- 

 rivalled dancing of Taglioni, we are apt to forget that with all the 

 natural talent of these great artistes, it was close attention to rudi- 

 mentary elements that laid the foundations of their excellence. It is 

 so in riding, to excel in which is far more difficult than in dancing. 

 It is those only who are content with mediocrity who ignore detail. 

 We come now to the second section of this lesson, in which the pupil 

 will begin to find the first fruit of her previous exertion. The master 

 having led her horse to the side of the school, should give her instruc- 

 tion to walk him freely out, riding him, however, well up against the 

 snaffle, if necessary for this purpose using her whip sharply. The 

 horse will then take fairly hold of her hand, and give her a good 

 appui. The rising and falling should then be continued at a walk, 

 and assisted by the impetus given by the horse's forward motion, and 



