THE BARB AND THE BRIDLE. 99 



For my own part, of two evils, I would rather see a lady jammed 

 into a lane with twenty or thirty horses, after hounds had just got 

 away, and everybody wag strugghng to get out, than I would see 

 her in the Park unattended by a gentleman, and mounted upon 

 a well-bred horse that was very fresh. I do not by any means 

 deprecate riding in the Row. It is a splendid piece of riding 

 ground, and relieved to some extent, as it now is, of overcrowding 

 by the ride on the upper side of the Park ;"' it is a glorious place for a 

 canter. But I repeat, let everybody who takes a horse there be able 

 to ride him, and have eyes for liis neighbours as well as himself ; 

 and especially let gentlemen who attend ladies there be always on 

 the qui vive for the adventurous Gilpins and "pretty horse-breakers." 



The canter for the Row, conventionally and wisely, should be 

 almost as collected as that of the riding school. It is an understood 

 thing, in fact, that no lady or gentleman (properly so called) "sets 

 a horse going " there ; and trotting when practised should also be 

 done very collectedly, both paces admitting of the display of talent 

 and proficiency in equitation of the rider. 



For the more extended paces, it is necessary again to have recourse 

 to open heath or common; and, before the pupil attempts to "set 

 her horse going," the difference between cantering, in the " andante " 

 pace, and galloping, should be clearly explained to her. The main 

 difference in this cantering is to some extent an artificial pace, 

 because, when practised collectedly, the greater weight of the horse 

 is brought from his forehand on to his haunches ; and the shorter 

 the pace, the more his weight is on his hind legs. It is for this 

 reason that very collected cantering should not be continued for 

 any great length of time, from its tendency to strain the hocks , 

 nevertheless cantering, Hke trotting, cannot fairly be pronounced 

 altogether artificial, because anybody who has had the handling of 

 a great number of young horses must have seen many of them 

 rimning loose who would canter the length of a paddock at quite a 

 short pace, both legs on the same side (generally the near side) ; and 

 I have seen a foal at a mare's foot trot, true and fair, for a consider- 

 able distance. 



Gallopping, however, like walking, is a perfectly natural pace, 



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