232 HACKING. 



the animal unseat his rider, and it is no uncommon thing 

 for a horse to fall when going over apparently level 

 ground, even at a walk, in either of which cases she 

 might get dragged by her stirrup or skirt, if it is of 

 the non-safety pattern. In any case of difficulty with 

 a horse, a lady should contrive at all hazards to retain 

 her self-possession and her seat, remembering that the 

 least symptom of alarm on her part will increase the 

 terror or obstinacy of the animal. My advice for 

 stopping a runaway is not so easy to follow as drawing 

 on a glove, but it has extricated me on many occasions 

 from a dangerous position and, therefore, I know 

 it to be practicable ; but I hope no lady may ever 

 have occasion to put it to the proof. Although all 

 quarrels between horse and rider should be avoided, a 

 woman should never, by over-indulgence, induce her 

 mount to consider that she is afraid of him, because if 

 he once gets that idea into his head, he will exert every 

 means to convince her that he is the master, and will 

 end by doing precisely what he likes, instead of im- 

 plicitly obeying her commands. By watching my 

 husband reduce to subjection vicious horses in various 

 parts of the world, I have seen that although equine 

 demons cannot be conquered by physical strength, they 

 can be controlled by coolness, patience and knowledge, 

 which is a fact that every riding woman should bear in 

 mind. 



