THE CAVALRY HORSE. 317 



saddle on him, attaching a skirt or rug to it, and circling, 

 turning, and reining him back with the long reins until he 

 ceases to pay attention to the loose cloth on his left side. 

 We should also make him, by means of the rope twitch 

 (see page 129), stand perfectly steady while an assistant 

 wearing a skirt is mounted like a lady on the saddle. 

 I have never found that it required more than half-an- 

 hour's tuition to make a horse which was quiet for a man 

 to ride, equally quiet for a lady. It is well to know that a 

 horse which is mounted for the first time by a lady, is apt 

 to be frightened chiefly by the right leg and the portion of 

 the skirt that covers it, being brought over his shoulder 

 and lower part of his neck. 



I may point out that for a secure seat, a lady requires 

 to ride with the stirrup leather so short (see The Horse- 

 woman) that she cannot use a spur with ease and precision. 

 Hence, if she wishes to practise high school riding (see 

 Chapter IX.), she will have to ride with as long a stirrup 

 leather as a man. The whip, which may have a spur 

 attachment on it, performs on the off side the duty of a 

 spur. 



The cavalry horse. — As the work of the trooper has 

 often to be carried out under rough conditions which 

 demand the cleverness of the hunter more than the pre- 

 cision of the school horse, I would advise that, althouo-h 

 his education should comprise the course laid down in 

 Chapter IX., v/ith the exception of the " Additional School 

 Movements " (see page 305), he should also be taught to 

 turn on his centre by the pull of the rein without the 



