

162 THE BARB AND THE BRIDLE. 



ably dearer, and generally not so good as at home. At the Cape, in 

 Australia, and in New Zealand — the two former colonies especially — 

 long journeys have frequently to be done by ladies on horseback ; 

 and if a thoroughly practical education in the saddle is necessary to 

 health, as regards a sojourn in India ; it is equally so as a matter 

 of convenience in other of the British dependencies abroad. 



Let me, then, close my humble efforts at carefully tracing out the 

 readiest way for a lady to become a thorough horsewoman by again 

 recommending them all to begin early, and to pay implicit attention 

 to the tuition of a first-class instructor ; always to throw their 

 whole heart into their riding, fixing their minds rigidly on it whUe 

 learning, and never, however proficient or confident they may be, 

 venture, unless upon a life-and-death emergencj'-, upon half -broken 

 norses. During the Indian mutiny instances occurred in which ladies 

 owed their lives to their nerve and courage in mounting horses 

 ill-adapted to carry them, and by dint of sheer determination urging 

 them into top speed and safety to the fair fugitives. In such 

 <lesperate emergencies there is no alternative but to accept the lesser 

 risk ; but in ordinary cases my advice (the result of long experience) 

 is to all lady writers, never moimt an untrained horse, and never 

 allow your horse to become too fresh for want of work. 



A casualty which may be attended with trifling consequences to 

 a man may have the most serious results in the case of a lady ; 

 while I am firmly of opinion that no such thing as an accident 

 ought ever to occur to her on horseback if due care and foresight 

 are exercised by those about her, and if the lady herself will be 

 careful whenever or ;mder whatever circumstances she approaches 

 or mounts a horse to be always on her guard, to ride all the time 

 she is on him, to remember that in all matters that relate to riding 

 the homely old adage, " Afterwit is not worth a penny an ounce " 

 is strictly applicable, and that the golden rule is, " Never give away 

 a chance to your horse." 



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