228 HORSEMANSHIP. 



to be held perpendicular, the thumb being upper- 

 most, and placed on the bridle. Modern practice 

 is in favour of the knuckles being uppermost. The 

 perpendicular hand may do very well in the school, 

 or with the severe bit of the highly- drilled dragoon 

 horse ; but no man could ride a free-going race- 

 horse over a course, or a hasty hunter over a coun- 

 try, in that form. 



In dismounting a horse, the bridle and mane 

 should be held together in the left hand, in the same 

 manner as in mounting. Unless the horseman be 

 very active, he may put his right hand on the pum- 

 mel of the saddle, to raise himself, previously to 

 throwing his right leg back over the horse ; when, 

 by grasping the hinder part of the saddle with the 

 right hand, he lets himself down with ease. The 

 right leg, however, should not be bent at the knee, 

 or the spur may strike the horse's side, in the act 

 of being thrown backward. 



The first step towards perfection in a horseman, 

 is to know and to feel how his horse is going ; but 

 this must be the result of some practice and expe- 

 rience. A horse may not only gallop false, that is 

 to say, if going to the right he leads with the left 

 leg, or, if going to the left, he leads with the right ; 

 but he is at times what is called disunited, that is, 

 he leads with the opposite leg behind, to that which 

 he leads with before. In both these cases, either 

 in the school, or in his exercise, he must be stop- 

 ped, and put off again properly. The method of 

 effecting this, is by approaching your outward leg, 

 and putting your hand outwards ; still keeping the 



