98 THE BARB AND THE BRIDLE. 



men to take charge by turns of the Row in the London season, and 

 order the mounted police on duty quietly to see everybody out of 

 it who was unable to command their horses. Matters, since 

 the mounted constables have been put on, are not quite so bad as 

 formerly ; but there is plenty of room for improvement still, both as 

 regards dogs, pretty horsebreakers, and tailors. 



At all events, I recommend any man taking a young lady into the 

 Park in the height of the London season " to have his eyes about 

 him" in every direction, lest some "dashing equestrian," male or 

 female, should come bucketing a horse in rear of his charge, and 

 to keep a close watch also upon the latter — to see that she rides her 

 horse all the time she is in the place, keeping him well into his 

 bridle, which reduces to a minmium the chances of his suddenly 

 flirting. 



Elsewhere I have gone at considerable length into the subject of 

 possible accidents in the Park. It is perhaps necessary that I 

 repeat the gist of it here, which is simply that no young lady, how- 

 ever accomplished a horsewoman she may be, should be allowed by 

 her friends to ride in the Row unattended by a male companion, who 

 is not only a thoroughly good horseman, but accustomed to ride 

 beside a lady and anticipate anything in the shape of bad manners 

 on the part of her horse ; that the attendance of a groom, who 

 rides at a considerable distance in rear of the lady (whatever appear- 

 ance of conventional style it may give to the fair equestrian), is 

 utterly useless to her in case of accident, nay, in more than one 

 instance that I have known has been productive of it from the 

 groom galloping up at a critical moment, and still further exciting 

 the lady's horse. Finally, that no lady should ever ride a horse 

 of high breed and courage that has been allowed to " get 

 above himself," by remaining day after day in the stable, or having 

 insufficient work, when exercised, to keep down exuberant fresh- 

 ness. 



There is no danger to a thoroughly good horsewoman in riding a 

 horse that is •' light-hearted." But there is risk to everybody, man 

 or woman, in riding one " mad fresh," ready to jump out of his 

 skin, as the grooms say, in a crowd of other horses. 



