336 TiiR Book of the Horse. 



riding displays the sole of her foot to those riding in rear of her — an equestrian blunder of 

 a grave character. This faulty position of the leg and foot also prevents the rider from 

 sitting straight in the saddle, and unduly throws her weight to the right side. Another very 

 common fault, although not so dangerous, is equally defective as to the straight position of the 

 lady on her horse — that is, when the heel is pressed down while the knee is straightened. This 

 makes the saddle slip to the left side, causing pain, and frequently giving the horse a sore back 

 and withers. 



" No lady can have a straight and elegant seat unless she so places her knee and foot that her 

 knee is in line with the ground, and the leg from the knee to the foot perpendicular to the knee. 



" In order to ensure a straight seat, when the lady alights on the saddle she should look 

 straight between the horse's ears. This will make the saddle sit fair and square upon the 

 horse's back, ana give a proper and even bearing to the girths." 



The lady is now on her saddle, in a position from which, as long as her limbs retain their 

 ordinary muscular force and the horse keeps on his legs, she cannot be displaced. It is, as 

 ■already mentioned, a seat much stronger than a man's astride, with the double disadvantage 

 of being entirely dependent on the girths for safety and of not being able to urge the horse 

 on more than one side. 



The picture at page 335, the first of the kind ever published, must be carefully studied by 

 every one who really desires to become a horsewoman, because it is on an implicit imitation 

 of this seat as regards the position of the two legs that a good seat depends. More than half 

 the ladies riding in public poke out the right toe and draw back the left heel. 



It is in consequence of the importance of strictly observing the details of the seat that, 

 in my humble opinion, all lady pupils above the age of mere children should receive their 

 J)rimary education — to adopt a School Board phrase — from women. Men, in nine cases out 

 of ten, are much more capable teachers of all the niceties of horsemanship than even the 

 finest horsewomen ; but where it is necessary to put feet and legs in their proper places, the 

 duty is more properly placed in the hands of a woman. 



In the same direction, it may be observed that a skirt which conceals all defects is not 

 the proper dress for preliminary lessons. At all gymnastic institutions the pupils wear a 

 costume which consists of a tunic and a loose pair of trousers buttoned at the ankle. In that 

 easy dress all the ladies who frequent a celebrated Liverpool gymnasium appear, and it is 

 also the costume at Madame Brenner's institution. 



In order to show as plainly as possible the proper angles of a lady's seat as regards the 

 pommels, the trousers in the preceding picture have been made tight, but that is not essential. 

 Ladies who swim wear a bathing costume, not a loose gown ; it is quite time that a similar 

 reform in the direction of common sense should be introduced into the riding-school. 



The pupil properly seated should appear on her horse like the right-hand figure at page 338 ; 

 but the average horsewoman, afraid of falling over on the off side, or with a stirrup-leather an 

 inch too long, unconsciously, and perhaps perfectly well satisfied with herself, appears, especially 

 if trotting, like the other figure on the same page, all one side ! 



Once properly placed in the saddle, the next point is for the pupil to attain a "seat," 

 which, amongst other things, means a confident feeling that no ordinary accident will unhorse 

 her. To complete this important part of a lady's equestrian education the following suggestions 

 will be found useful. She ought not to be troubled with the management of the reins, much less 

 with a whip, which she can have no idea of properly employing ; her whole attention should be 

 concentrated on learning the proper grip of the pommels and the proper balance on the saddle. 



