228 HACKING. 



the part of her animal. Loose horses which we meet 

 in fields have such a playful way of galloping up 

 behind, and frequently taking great liberties, that it 

 is often necessary to get into the next enclosure as 

 quickly as possible. Even when quietly cantering 

 on grass by the side of the road, the vagaries of 

 loose horses or cattle, or even the sudden flight ol 

 birds on the other side of the dividing boundary, may 

 cause a rider to be taken by surprise, if she has not 

 previously made a mental note of her neighbourhood. 

 Also, she should always have reassuring words on the 

 tip of her tongue for her animal in case of momentary 

 alarm. The quietest horse in the world may occasion- 

 ally exhibit fear, but if his rider uses her eyes and 

 ears, she will generally be prepared for any sudden 

 flight of fancy on his part, and will not be likely to 

 lose her head. 



A lady should avoid trotting on broken or uneven 



ground, or on a road which is covered with loose stones, 



as her horse would be liable to fall and perhaps cut his 



knees. Unless in a hurry to reach her destination, she 



should not, like a butcher's boy, trot her horse at his 



fastest speed. The ground chosen for a canter should 



be soft and, if possible, elastic, and she should, of 



course, avoid the '' 'ammer, 'ammer on the 'ard 'igh 



road," which is a fruitful cause of lameness. Any soft 



parts at the side of a road may be used for the canter, 



or if the ground is very hard and dry, as it sometimes 



is in summer, and also in frosty weather, only quiet 



trotting and walking exercise could be taken with 



