THE LADY S HORSE. 



115 



To provide against the latter inconvenience, how- 

 ever, all horses intended for this purpose, should 

 not be much under fifteen hands and a half in 

 height, which size corresponds with the lengthened 

 drapery of a lady's riding costume. As a preven- 

 tive against accidents, ladies' horses, however well 

 broken and bitted, should not be too highly fed ; 

 and, if at all above themselves, should be ridden by 

 a careful servant, with good use of his hands, be- 

 fore ladies mount them. It is, however, an ac- 

 knowledged fact, that horses go more quietly under 

 women than they do under men, which is account- 

 ed for by the lightness of their hand, and the back- 

 ward position of the body, in the saddle. We have, 

 in fact, known several instances of horses being 

 very hard pullers with men, standing up in their 

 stirrups, and, consequently, inclining their bodies 

 forward, but going perfectly temperate and at their 

 ease under women. 



The power and parts conducive to action in the 

 roadster, or hackney, are derived much from the 

 same shape and make as we have shown to be best 

 fitted for the hunter ; but it is desirable that he 

 should be more up in his forehand than the hunter 

 is required to be, as such form gives confidence to 

 the rider. The most dangerous form he can exhibit, 

 if we may be allowed such a term, is, with his fore- 

 legs standing too much behind the points of his 

 shoulders, and those points loaded. Even with the 

 best-formed hinder-legs, the centre of gravity, being 

 thrown so far forward beyond the pillars of support, 

 is, in this case, with great difficulty preserved on 



