PASSING CARRIAGES. 229 



safety to the horse. A lady should always study her 

 mount, and carefully select the ''going." It is best to 

 ride down-hill at a walk. If a horse stumbles he should 

 never be hit or jobbed in the mouth, because he takes 

 no pleasure in making false steps, or even in breaking 

 his knees. 



A lady should always give any passing vehicle as 

 much room as possible. If her animal is afraid to pass 

 any object on the road, the groom or attendant should 

 at once ride in advance and give him a lead. If he 

 still evinces fear, his rider should speak encouragingly 

 to him, pat him on the neck, and tell him to go 

 on. If this fails, and he shows an inclination to 

 turn in an opposite direction, she should check him 

 at once, and order him to go on in a severe tone 

 of voice. It will be on such occasions as these 

 that a rider who has never acquired the silly habit 

 of constantly talking to her mount, will find the 

 voice a powerful factor in horse control. Unfortu- 

 nately, many people, w^hen a horse shies, lose their 

 heads, clutch at the reins, hit the horse, and com- 

 mit other foolish acts which only irritate the animal, 

 without in any way allaying his fear, supposing, as we 

 do, that the horse is good-tempered, and is not shying 

 from vice. The voice of his rider will inspire him with 

 confidence, and, therefore, when he has made an anxious 

 and fearful step in the right direction, he should be 

 patted and spoken to in an encouraging tone, so that 

 his mind may not be wholly occupied with the terrifying 

 object in front of him. It is a good plan to incline his 



