52 Mounting. 



the groom then removes his hand, and the lady 

 draws her own back, suffering the reins to glide 

 gently and evenly through her fingers, until she 

 reaches the near crutch of the saddle, which she 

 takes with her right hand, still holding the whip 

 and reins, and places herself close to the near side 

 of the horse, with her back almost turned towards 

 him. The groom now quits his former post, and 

 prepares to assist her to mount. The horse being 

 thus left to the lady's government, it is proper, 

 that in passing her hand through the reins she 

 should not have suffered them to become so loose 

 as to prevent her, when her hand is on the crutch, 

 from having a light, but steady bearing on the bit, 



and thus keeping the horse to his position during 

 the process of mounting. She next places her left 

 foot firmly in the right hand of the groom, or gen- 



