Teaching Ladies to ride. 327 



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the whip across the knees, which accustoms them from the 

 first to keep their hands low, besides teaching them to keep 

 their seat without " riding the bridle " as so many people do. 

 The horse is driven with long reins, like those used in break- 

 ing by Captain Hayes, and managed by him with the dex- 

 terity of a circus master. After a few turns at a canter, 

 wicker hurdles are put up, and to my astonishment, the 

 children, without the slightest fear or hesitation, settled 

 themselves down, leaned well back, and popped over without 

 raising their hands or altering the position of their legs. 

 They had been over the same hurdles at the second lesson, 

 and too much can hardly be said in praise of a system that 

 has such results to offer in so short a space of time.' 



When we got our pupils secure in their seat by balance 

 and grip alone, we used to give them the reins, and teach 

 them how to manage the horse. For any average young 

 lady who had never been on a horse before, we found a 

 dozen lessons amply sufficient to make her ride in a graceful 

 and workmanlike manner on the flat or over fences, of course 

 without any ' bumping,' ' screwing ' or hanging on to the horse's 

 head. We had several young and married ladies who had 

 been given up as hopeless by riding-masters. They were, 

 naturally, nervous and were painfully wanting in confidence. 

 As soon as they understood that I had entire command of 

 their mount, and that it was absolutely under my control, 

 they felt relieved of the serious responsibility of managing 

 the horse, and were then able to devote all their attention to 

 acquiring a strong seat. Having obtained that great requisite 

 for success in the saddle, they readily learned the use of the 

 reins and the whip (as an aid). As one cannot manage the 

 reins properly without having a good seat, and as the temp- 

 tation to hang on by the reins is well nigh irresistible so long 

 as the seat is insecure, it is surely advisable to prevent the 

 pupil acquiring the fatal habit of ' riding the bridle,' by not 

 allowing her to touch the reins, until she feels absolutely 

 confident that nothing, except the bursting of the girths and 



