ROAD RIDINC). 39 



have his attention and mind on his horse and his sur- 

 roundings. The trained horse should be ridden with both 

 reins equally, and the untrained horse only with the 

 snaffle ; it is not often the bits that worry the horse, but 

 the riders hand. When wishing to stop a horse, do so 

 gradually, but never suddenly, for you might strain your 

 horse by doing so. 



As I have explained to you before, some horses 

 require to be handled differently to what others do, and 

 one should always remember that fact. I hope that my 

 readers will not think me too exacting or too pointed in 

 my remarks, for I am not at all ; but during the many 

 years that I have had to do with horses and horsemen, I 

 have secretly stored all the knowledge I could obtain, and 

 always looked for points as regards riding and horses. 

 When a boy, I had the good luck to be acquainted with 

 some few of the best horsemen in the old world, and have 

 hunted with them for several seasons. I used to meet 

 boys about the same age as myself, young men and old 

 men as well, and many a good word of advice has been 

 given to me by men who had three score years or more 

 over their heads and their hair as white as snow. I can 

 safely say that I never once forgot the kindness extended 

 to me by any of my friends in those days. What happy 

 days they were to me, and the only thing to mar the 

 sport was that I received so many spills ; that is, had 

 horses fall into ditches, striking their head on the oppo- 

 site bank, and sending;- me to, I cannot remember where 



