24 HAND-BOOK FOR HORSEWOMEN. 



the right hand, which rests on the second pommeL 

 These are trifling details, but they help to render a 

 lady self-reliant, and it may happen to her at some 

 time to ride a horse who will not stand patiently 

 while straps are being arranged and a whip passed 

 from hand to hand. 



I offer here a few suggestions for the use of any 

 gentleman who may wish to assist a lady to mount. 

 He should stand facing her at the left side of the 

 horse, his right foot slightly in front of his left. He 

 should then stoop and offer his left hand for her 

 foot. Unless the lady is an experienced rider, he 

 should place his right hand lightly under her left 

 arm to steady her as she rises. He should count 

 aloud with her, one, two, three, and at three he 

 should straighten himself, giving a strong support 

 for her left foot. 



There are two other ways of helping a lady to 

 mount : the first consists in offering both hands, 

 with the fingers interlaced, as a support for her foot ; 

 and in the second he appears to kneel, almost touch- 

 ing the ground with his left knee, and holding his 

 right leg forward with the knee bent, in order that 

 she may step on it and mount as if from a platform. 

 Both these ways seem to me to be dangerous, as, in 

 case the horse moves his hind-quarters suddenly to 

 the right, as the lady rises, which is not uncommon, 

 she will be suspended in space, with nothing to 

 steady her but her hand on the pommel, and may 

 fall under the horse's feet. 



