i8o 



mouth. Her motion is out of harmony with his 

 paces, while her position in the saddle is awkward, 

 stiff, and entirely devoid of gracefulness and ease. A 

 lady should sit evenly in the saddle, with her shoulders 

 square to the front. There is often a tendency to un- 

 duly elevate the right shoulder which should be 

 carefully avoided. When this is neglected the rider 

 instead of rising gracefully to the paces of the horse 

 in a straight forward direction, moves at an angle 

 the line of which would run from the off rear of the 

 horse to the near front, which is very fatiguing both 

 to rider and horse, to say nothing of the awkward 

 display produced. The weight of the body should be 

 equalised over the back of the colt which will prevent 

 saddle-galls and other injuries (Fig. 25). 



THE SUGGESTED CHANGE OF ATTIRE AND POSTURE. 



At present, at the beginning of the twentieth 

 century, there is a ridiculous notion abroad suggesting 

 a complete and revolutionary overhaul in the riding 

 costume of ladies, as well as a radical change of their 

 position in the saddle. The idea may have sprung 

 from the influx of bicycles in such numbers, because 

 on the '* wheel " the position of both sexes is virtually 

 identical. Or it may be an importation from our 

 cousins on the other side of the Atlantic, who are 

 not generally the last to show the way, either in 

 fashionable attire or in equine matters. It is argued 

 in the interests of health, safety, and comfort that 

 ladies should adopt a maaculine position in the 



