THE CAXTEE. 73 



authors, then I acknoTvJedge it is an artificial 

 pace, and one very tiring to the animal as ^'ell 

 as very prejudicial to his soundness, and, to 

 my mind, very ugly to boot. If ladies must 

 ride rocking-horses, they would be much better 

 supplied with wooden ones, which could be 

 kept at much less cost, requiriug neither food, 

 shoeing, nor grooming, whilst the wear and 

 tear of the habit would be much reduced, 

 owing to the lack of mud thrown up. Luckily 

 we seldom see one of these hopping, shuffling 

 brutes, which by some are supposed to be the 

 perfection of a lady's horse. 



The colt is tauo^ht to canter bv ursincr him 

 forward, the meanwhile restraining him with 

 the bit. In the canter as in the trot, true action 

 is required, and for the same reason, namely, 

 that speed not being requisite, comfort and 

 beauty of pace take its place, which can only 

 be accomplished by having the hind legs well 

 drawn under the body, and the knees well 

 elevated and flexed. If the colt is for a gentle- 

 man to ride, I do not think it matters whick 



