RING RIDING. 



3$ 



to l)ridle hand, whereas in passing from the left hand to 

 the right, you do not do so. 



The reason the term right and left hand is used, is 

 because when on the right hand, the right shoulder of the 

 horse is towards the centre of the ring, and when riding 

 on the left hand the left shoulder is towards the centre, 

 and in the canter the horse extends one shoulder more 

 than the other ; there are other rules given, but the above 

 one is correct. 



A great many riders in this country ride on buckskin 

 saddles and use rubber pads. I think it a very bad habit 

 to become accustomed to. There are some ladies who 

 like to ride with the slipper stirrup, but I do not like it, as 

 it teaches a pupil to ride from it. The best stirrup in the 

 market is the Victoria Stirrup, and it pleases every one. 

 The best way for a man to become a good rider, is to 

 ride on the horse bareback, and also to ride on the saddle 

 without stirrups. One must ride by natural means, not 

 by artificial means, as it were, but try to balance yourself 

 and to ride that way for some time without using other 

 means. If you ride every day for a few months without 

 stirrups, if only for a few minutes at a time, you will soon 

 feel a great improvement in your riding. If you should 

 be riding on a horse that you know, I think it is a very 

 good plan to speak to him once in a while. You can 

 often calm a highstrung horse down by doing so. I do 

 not mean that you should speak to your horse when tak- 

 ing a lesson, leave that for your teacher to do, as the 



