4 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



often richly adorned, were placed beneath the rider, 

 but always without stirrups. It is a very extra- 

 ordinary fact that even the Romans, in the times when 

 luxury was carried to the utmost excess amongst 

 them, never devised so simple an expedient for as- 

 sisting the horseman to mount, lessening his fatigue, 

 and securing his seat, although painful diseases were 

 not unfrequently caused by the habit of riding with 

 the feet unsupported. Many ancient sculptures 

 prove that the horsemen of almost every country 

 used to mount on the right side of the animal, in 

 order the better to grasp the mane which hangs 

 on that side. The practice is invariably reversed 

 in modern days, and none but a Billy Button would 

 think of mounting on the off side, notwithstanding 

 the classical authority that may be alleged for so 

 doing. 



The ancient heroes generally leaped on their 

 horses' backs ; or their spear, if they carried one, had 

 a loop, or projection, about two feet from the bottom, 

 which served them as a step. The horse was some- 

 times trained to lower his neck and back, or to kneel 

 down for his rider ; and both in Greece and Rome 

 the local magistracy were bound to see that blocks, 

 for mounting from (what the Scotch call loupin-on 

 stanes)) were placed along the roads at convenient 



