i84 MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 



he will be liable to receive a painful shock from either 

 mouth-piece or curb-chain, or from both, and consequently to 

 rear or to make some other effort to escape from the control 

 of the man who is holding him. 



I wish to draw special attention to the necessity of every 

 riding horse being taught to stand quietly to be mounted 

 without being held by a groom or other assistant ; because 

 any horse which requires this to be done, is dangerous to 

 mount when held by an inexperienced person, who might 

 from ignorance cause a serious accident from holding the 

 animal in a wrong way, letting him go too soon, or hanging 

 on to his head too long. Under ordinary conditions, it 

 would be impracticable to have a capable man always at 

 hand for this particular duty. 



DISMOUNTING WITH STIRRUPS IN MILITARY STYLE. 



The action of dismounting is here divided into " preparing 

 to dismount" and "dismounting." 



Preparing to disnionnt. — i. The right hand takes hold of 

 the reins behind the left, and the right foot quits the stirrup. 

 2. The left hand slides forward on the reins, until it is about 

 twelve inches in front of the pommel. 3. The right hand 

 throws the slack of the reins to the off side, takes a lock 

 of the mane, brings it through the left and twists it round 

 the left thumb, and the fingers of the left hand close on it. 

 The right hand is then placed on the pommel or off holster, 

 and the body is kept erect. 



Dismounting. — While supporting the bod}' with the right 

 hand and left foot, the right leg is brought gently (without 

 touching the horse's hind quarters or the saddle) to the near 

 side, heels together. 2. The body is gently lowered until 

 the right toe touches the ground. 3. The left foot quits 

 the stirrup and is placed in a line with the horse's fore feet ; 

 the position of the hands remaining unaltered. 4. Both 



