RIDING AND TRAINING. 5 



iron-shod feet ; that the pull upon the cantel may 

 turn the saddle; and that the right arm is taken 

 away, to permit the right leg being passed over the 

 back of the horse, at the moment its support is 

 greatly needed. 



For those who mount with the stirrup I suggest 

 the following method, which is free from all of these 

 dangers. 1 



Let the rider stand opposite the girth, facing the 

 near side of the horse : holding the reins in his right 

 hand, he should with that hand take a grasp of the 

 saddle on the pommel or just back of it ; then let 

 him insert the left foot in the stirrup and take a lock 

 of the mane in the left hand ; aided by the grasps 

 upon the saddle and the mane he should rise from 

 the right foot and take his weight upon the left leg 

 straightened in the stirrup, then carry the right leg 

 over the back of the horse, and sink into the seat. 

 By following this mode the horse may be readily 

 checked by removing the right hand from the saddle ; 

 the left foot will come out of the stirrup if the horse 

 moves forward before the rider has left the ground 

 from his right foot ; the support from the right arm 

 does not require to be withdrawn to pass the right leg 

 over the back of the horse, and there is no danger 

 of pulling the saddle from its place, as the rider may 



1 See the three figures of Mounting with Stirrups. 



