84 HORSEMANSHIP FOR WOMEN. 



onghly prepared for the present lesson ; and the same 

 tact and patience which have brought you on thus far 

 will assuredly carry you triumphantly through it. 



First, however, you should learn to tell with which 

 foot you are leading, and you can do so by leaning for- 

 ward in the saddle while cantering, when you will see 

 that the knee of the leading leg is thrown up higher 

 than its fellow, and by bending still farther you may 

 see this foot planted in advance upon the ground. If 

 your horse has never been trained, it is as likely to be 

 one foot as the other. Now, the first step to be taken 

 is to put your horse in such a position that it will be 

 easy and natural for him to lead off with the desired 

 foot, and awkward to lead off with the other. This 

 position is with the head turned in the direction you 

 wish to go, and with the croup advanced a little in the 

 same direction, so that the body is placed obliquely 

 across the line of advance. Thus, if you wish to lead 

 with the right foot, you keep his head turned in the 

 direction } r ou wish to go, while with the heel you move 

 the croup over two steps to the right; then, touching 

 him with the heel and raising the hand, you give the 

 signal to canter, and he will probably lead off with the 

 right foot. If not, stop him and try again, giving him 

 a sharp cut with your whip just behind the right shoul- 

 der.. To lead with the left the process is reversed, the 

 croup being moved two steps to the left before the 

 signal to canter is given, a sudden dig with the heel 



