53 



false ribs and with the relaxation of the body, after a short time become 

 loose. The girths should be so tight as to permit the passing- ^^p and 

 down of a flat hand between them and the horse ; too tightly girthed 

 horses often resent the pain caused thereby, by overthrowing them- 

 selves or by buck-jumping, and too loose a saddle is not only liable to 

 turn during the act of mounting, but its unsteady position may cause 

 galling and soreness of the withers or back by friction. 



The adjustment of the length of the stirrups now requires our at- 

 tention, 



Starting on the left side, the pupil stands by the left shoulder of the 

 horse and passes the left arm from above through the left rein, leaving it 

 to hang over their elbow. 



The right hand pulls down the left stirrup and places the stirrup 

 iron into the left hand, where it is held from underneath by four fingers. 

 The right arm and hand is now laid outstretched upon the stirrup-strap 

 and the foot plate raised under the right arm pit by the left hand. The 

 length of the stirrup should cover the distance from the tip of the mid- 

 dle finger of the right hand, to the arm pit. 



After the final measurement has proved the correctness of the stir- 

 rup, the latter should be carefully lowered by the left hand to its hanging 

 position, because the throwing down or dropping of the stirrup iron, 

 may cause it to strike against the side of the horse and frighten the 

 latter. 



The pupil now proceeds to adjust the right stirrup in exactly the 

 same manner, exchanging right for left and left for right in the use of 

 hands and arms. 



Then the position before the horse's head is resumed and raising the 

 same with both hands, a final glance at both stirrups will convince the 

 pupil of their equal length. 



The preparations for mounting are now completed and the pupil steps 

 closely to the horses left shoulder. 



The reins are laid upon the withers of the horse and the riders left 

 hand is placed upon the ridge of the horse's neck, where the mane 

 grows abundantly, about on the lower third of the neck, with the back 

 of the hand downward and the palm opened and upward. 



The right hand now crosses the reins through the left hand, first 

 drawing the right one and then the left one through the palm of the left 

 hand, sufficiently tight, to prevent the horse from moving during th e 

 act of mounting. It will be of advantage, to have the right rein 

 slightly shorter, in order to prevent the horse's turning to the left, in 

 case the point of the foot should touch its side when placed in the stir- 

 rup or if the riders weight should draw the horse to the left while be- 

 ing raised to a standing position. 



After the crossing of the reins a full bunch of mane is grasped with 

 the right hand, beginning by the roots and placed from below through 

 the palm of the left hand and drawing it around the thumb between 

 i he middle and ring finger, where upon the left hand is closed, firmly 

 holding the mane and reins. The advantage of holding the mane in 



