32 The Lady's Horse. 



at all events so far as regards the walk and canter. 

 The former should be fast, bold, firm, and lively, 

 without being unsteady ; and the latter, light, easy, 

 well-combined, and graceful : so, too, should the 

 hand-gallop ; although, it is true, a lady's horse is 

 rarely put to this pace, unless used for the field. 

 The trot, again, is but little practised : still the 

 complete lady's horse is expected to be capable of 

 performing it with great precision of step, and but 

 little concussion to the rider : — many ladies re- 

 garding it, — however discountenanced by the ma- 

 jority, perhaps, — as preferable, from its vigor, 

 liveliness, and dash, to any other pace. 



To expatiate on the absolute necessity of the 

 lady's horse being safe on his limbs, would be need- 

 less. 



The mouth should be sensible of the most deli- 

 cate hint of the rider's will, communicated to it by 

 means of a bit. A horse that pulls hard, or hangs 

 heavily upon the reins, is very unsuitable for a 

 lady's use : so, again, is one having the mouth so 

 tender as to suffer from moderate pressure, either 

 by the snaffle or the curb. The former is no less 

 fatiguing to, than the latter is distressed by, the 

 bridle hand. 



If, however, a horse possessed every quality 

 requisite for a good horsewoman, a lady of timid 



