112 LADIES ON HORSEBACK. 



the management of a rearing animal — but 

 for my own part I always do it. My ex- 

 perience is, that when a horse struggles to 

 his feet his movement is almost invariably 

 retrograde. He tries to get away, conse- 

 quently his heels are turned from me ; and 

 so long as I keep my hold of the bridle his 

 head will be nearest me and his feet furthest. 

 He will not think of turning to kick me, 

 unless lie be a vilely vicious brute, not worth 

 his keep ; and so I can hold him with safety 

 until I am up myself and ready to remount 

 him. When my horse falls with me on the 

 flat, I roll clear of him without letting go 

 the rein, and as the only danger of a kick is 

 whilst he is getting up, I shield my head 

 with one arm and slip the rein to its fullest 

 length with the other, thus allowing the 

 animal so much head-room that he is enabled 

 to make that retrograde movement, or '' drag- 

 ging away," which is natural to him, and 

 which saves me from the possible contact of 

 his heels. 



This is, in my opinion (which I cannot, of 

 course, pretend to think infallible), the best • 



