VICES. 63 



order to baffle his attempts. Restive horses, or even 

 docile animals, when put out of temper, sometimes en- 

 deavour to crush their riders' legs against walls, gates, 

 trees, posts, &c. An inexperienced lady, under such cir- 

 cumstances, would strive to pull the horse away ; but her 

 exertions would he unavailing : the animal would feel 

 that he could master the opposition, and thus discover- 

 ing the rider's weakness, turn it to her disadvantage on 

 future occasions. We cannot too often repeat, that, 

 although a rider should not desist until she have sub- 

 dued her horse, she must never enter into an open, 

 undisguised contest with him. It is useless to attack 

 him on a point which he is resolute in defending : the 

 assault should rather be directed to his weaker side. If 

 he fortify liimself in one place, he must proportionately 

 diminish his powers of defence in another. He antici- 

 pates and prepares to resist any attempt to overcome 

 him on his strong side ; and his astonishment at being 

 attacked on the other, and with success, on account of 

 his weakness in that quarter, goes far to dishearten 

 and subdue him. If he plant himself in a position of 

 resistance against being forced to advance, it is a 

 matter of very little difficulty to make him go back. 

 If he appear to be determined not to go to the right, 

 the rider may, on account of the mode in wliich he 

 disposes his body and limbs, turn him, with great 

 facility, to the left. If he stand stock-still, and will 

 not move in any direction, his crime may be made his 



