diff options
Diffstat (limited to '40220-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 40220-0.txt | 3603 |
1 files changed, 3603 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/40220-0.txt b/40220-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..740b4e3 --- /dev/null +++ b/40220-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3603 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40220 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 40220-h.htm or 40220-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40220/40220-h/40220-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40220/40220-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://archive.org/details/howwomenshouldri00dehu + + + + + +HOW WOMEN SHOULD RIDE + +by + +"C. DE HURST" + +Illustrated + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + +New York +Harper & Brothers, Franklin Square +1892 + +Copyright, 1892, by HARPER & BROTHERS. +All rights reserved. + + + + + TO + E. E. F. + + TO WHOM I OWE THE EXPERIENCE + WHICH HAS ENABLED ME TO WRITE OF RIDING + + THIS BOOK + + IS GRATEFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY + DEDICATED + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +It has not been the intention of the author of this little volume to +present the reader with elaborate chapters of technical essays. + +Entire libraries have been written on the care and management of the +horse from the date of its foaling; book upon book has been compiled +on the best and proper method of acquiring some degree of skill in the +saddle. The author has scarcely hoped, therefore, to exhaust in 248 +pages a subject which, after having been handled on the presses of +nearly every publisher in this country and England, yet contains +unsettled points for the discussion of argumentative horse-men and +horse-women. + +But it happens with riding--as, indeed, it does with almost every +other subject--that we ignore the simpler side for the more intricate. +We delve into a masterpiece, suitable for a professional, on the +training of a horse, when the chances are we do not know how to saddle +him. We stumble through heavy articles on bitting, the technical terms +of which we do not understand, when if our own horse picked up a stone +we probably would be utterly at a loss what to do. + +We, both men and women, are too much inclined to gallop over the +fundamental lessons, which should be conned over again and again until +thoroughly mastered. We are restive in our novitiate period, impatient +to pose as past-masters in an art before we have acquired its first +principles. + +Beginning with a bit of advice to parents, of which they stand sorely +in need, it is the purpose of this book to carry the girl along the +bridle-path, from the time she puts on a habit for the first attempt, +to that when she joins the Hunt for a run across country after the +hounds. + +There is no intention of wearying and confusing her by a formidable +array of purely technical instruction. + +The crying fault with nearly all those who have handled this subject +at length has been that of distracting the uninformed reader by the +most elaborate dissertation on all points down to the smallest +details. + +This author, on the contrary, has shorn the instruction of all hazy +intricacies, with which the equestrienne has so often been asked to +burden herself, and brought out instead only those points essential +to safety, skill, and grace in the saddle. + +No space has been wasted on unnecessary technicalities which the woman +is not likely to either understand or care to digest, but everything +has been written with a view of aiding her in obtaining a sound, +practical knowledge of the horse, under the saddle and in harness. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I + + A WORD TO PARENTS Page 3 + + Dangers of Early Riding, 4.--Vanity, 9. + + + CHAPTER II + + GIRLS ON HORSEBACK 13 + + Hints to Mothers, 13.--The Beginner's + Horse, 14.--Costuming, 16.--Preparatory + Lessons, 16.--Instructors, 20.--Balance, 21.--Hands, + 23.--Position, 25.--Management, 26. + + + CHAPTER III + + BEGINNING TO RIDE 31 + + Form, 32.--Insufficient Training, 33.--Mounting, + 34.--Dismounting, 37.--Stirrup, 38. + + + CHAPTER IV + + IN THE SADDLE 43 + + Below the Waist, 44.--Above the Waist, 48.--Hands + and Wrists, 49.--Reins, 53. + + + CHAPTER V + + EMERGENCIES 63 + + Eagerness to Start, 63.--Shyers, 65.--Stumblers, + 66.--Rearers, 66.--Plungers, 67.--Buckers, + 68.--Pullers, 70.--Runaways, 72.--Punishment, 76. + + + CHAPTER VI + + CHOOSING A MOUNT 83 + + An Adviser, 83.--Park Hack, 87.--Measurement, + 88.--Conformation, 90.--Hunter, 94.--Gait and + Manners, 95. + + + CHAPTER VII + + DRESS 99 + + Skirt, 100.--Safety Skirt, 100.--Divided + Skirt, 102.--Bodice, 103.--Waistcoat, 104.--Corsets, + 105.--Boots, Breeches, Tights, 106.--Collars and + Cuffs, 110.--Gloves, 111.--Hair and Hat, 112.--Veil, + 113.--Whip or Crop, 113.--Spur, 114. + + + CHAPTER VIII + + LEAPING 121 + + Requirements, 121.--In the Ring, 122.--Approaching + Jump, 122.--Taking off, 124.--Landing, + 125.--Lifting, 126.--Out-of-Doors, 127.--Pilot, + 128.--Selecting a Panel, 128.--Stone Wall, 130.--In + Hand, 131.--Trappy Ground and Drops, 131.--In and + Out, 133.--Picket and Slat Fences, 134.--Wire, + 135.--Combined Obstacles, 136.--Refusing, + 136.--Timidity, 137.--Temper, 138.--Rider at Fault, + 139. + + + CHAPTER IX + + LEAPING (continued) 145 + + Rushers, 145.--Balkers, 147.--Sluggards, 149.--Falls, + 150. + + + CHAPTER X + + RIDING TO HOUNDS 159 + + Courtesy, 159.--The Novice, 161.--Hard + Riding, 162.--Jealous Riding, 163.--Desirable + Qualities, 164.--Getting Away, 165.--Indecision, + 166.--Right of Way, 167.--Funk, 168.--Excitable + and Sluggish Horses, 169.--Proximity to Hounds, + 170.--Choosing a Line, 172. + + + CHAPTER XI + + SYMPATHY BETWEEN HORSE AND WOMAN 179 + + Talking to Horse, 180.--In the Stall, 183.--On the + Road, 185.--Cautions, 187. + + + CHAPTER XII + + PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE STABLE 193 + + Stabling, 193.--Picking up Feet, 194.--Grooming, + 197.--Bitting, 197.--Clipping, 199.--Bridling, + 200.--Noseband, 202.--Martingale, 203.--Breast-plate, + 204.--The Saddle, 205.--Stirrup, 208.--Girths, + 209.--Saddling, 210. + + + CHAPTER XIII + + SOMETHING ON DRIVING 215 + + Desirability of Instruction, 215.--Vulgar + Display, 218.--Bad Form, 219.--Costume, 220.--Cockade, + 221.--Confidence, 222.--The Family-Horse Fallacy, + 222.--On the Box, 223.--Position of Reins, 224.--Handling + Reins, 225.--A Pair, 226. + + + CHAPTER XIV + + SOMETHING MORE ON DRIVING 231 + + Management, 231.--Stumbling, 232.--Backing, + 232.--Rearing and Kicking, 234.--Rein under Tail, + 236.--Bolting and Running, 238.--Crowded + Driveways, 239.--Road Courtesy, 241.--Tandems and Teams, + 243.--Reins, 244.--Unruly Leader, 245.--Turning, 246. + + + + +Illustrations + + + CORRECT POSITION _Facing p._ 24 + + INCORRECT POSITION " 26 + + INCORRECT LEFT LEG AND HEEL 43 + + CORRECT LEFT LEG AND HEEL 44 + + INCORRECT RIGHT THIGH AND KNEE 46 + + CORRECT RIGHT THIGH AND KNEE 47 + + CORRECT KNUCKLES, SIDE VIEW 50 + + INCORRECT POSITION OF HANDS 51 + + HANDS IN GOOD FORM, FRONT VIEW 52 + + SNAFFLE OUTSIDE, CURB INSIDE, FRONT VIEW 54 + + SNAFFLE OUTSIDE, CURB INSIDE, SIDE VIEW 55 + + REINS IN TWO HANDS, SNAFFLE OUTSIDE, + CURB INSIDE _Facing p._ 56 + + POSITION OF REINS AND HANDS IN JUMPING, + CURB OUTSIDE, SNAFFLE INSIDE 57 + + REINS IN TWO HANDS, CURB OUTSIDE, SNAFFLE + INSIDE, SIDE VIEW 58 + + HANDS AND SEAT IN REARING _Facing p._ 66 + + CROP 114 + + A GOOD SPUR 115 + + TAKING OFF _Facing p._ 124 + + ABOUT TO LAND " 126 + + DOUBLE BRIDLE FOR GENERAL USE " 202 + + CORRECT SADDLE 205 + + UNDESIRABLE SADDLE 206 + + SAFETY STIRRUP, CLOSED 209 + + SAFETY STIRRUP, OPEN 210 + + A WELL-BALANCED CART _Facing p._ 220 + + POSITION IN TANDEM DRIVING " 244 + + + + +I + +A WORD TO PARENTS + + +Riding has been taken up so generally in recent years by the mature +members of society that its espousal by the younger element is quite +in the natural order of events. We can look upon the declaration of +Young America for sport with supreme gratification, as it argues well +for the generation to come, but we should not lose sight of the fact +that its benefits may be more than counterbalanced by injudiciously +forcing these tastes. That there is danger of this is shown by the +tendency to put girls on horseback at an age much too tender to have +other than harmful results. + +It is marvellous that a mother who is usually most careful in guarding +her child's safety should allow her little one to incur the risks +attendant upon riding (which are great enough for a person endowed +with strength, judgment, and decision) without proper consideration of +the dangers she is exposed to at the time, or a realization of the +possible evil effects in the future. + +[Sidenote: Dangers of Early Riding] + +Surely parents do not appreciate what the results may be, or they +would never trust a girl of eight years or thereabouts to the mercy of +a horse, and at his mercy she is bound to be. No child of that age, or +several years older, has strength sufficient to manage even an unruly +pony, which, having once discovered his power, is pretty sure to take +advantage of it at every opportunity; and no woman is worthy the +responsibilities of motherhood who will permit her child to make the +experiment. + +Even if no accident occurs, the knowledge of her helplessness may so +frighten the child that she will never recover from her timidity. It +is nonsense to say she will outgrow it; early impressions are never +entirely eradicated; and should she in after-life appear to regain her +courage, it is almost certain at a critical moment to desert her, and +early recollections reassert themselves. + +The vagaries of her own mount are not the only dangers to which the +unfortunate child is exposed. + +Many accidents come from collisions caused by some one else's horse +bolting; and it is not to be expected, when their elders often lose +their wits completely, that shoulders so young should carry a head +cool enough to make escape possible in such an emergency. + +It is a common occurrence to hear parents inquiring for a "perfectly +safe horse for a child." + +Such a thing does not exist, and the idea that it does often betrays +one into trusting implicitly an animal which needs perhaps constant +watching. If fresh or startled, the capers of the most gentle horse +will not infrequently create apprehension, because totally unexpected. +On the other hand, if he is too sluggish to indulge in any expressions +of liveliness, he is almost sure to require skilful handling and +constant urging to prevent his acquiring a slouching gait to which it +is difficult to rise. + +A slouching horse means a stumbling one, and, with the inability of +childish hands to help him recover his balance, he is likely to fall. + +Supposing the perfect horse to be a possibility--a girl under sixteen +has not the physique to endure without injury to her health such +violent exercise as riding. From the side position she is forced to +assume, there is danger of an injured spine, either from the unequal +strain on it or from the constant concussion, or both. + +If a mother can close her eyes to these dangers, insisting that her +child shall ride, a reversible side-saddle is the best safeguard that +I know of against a curved spine; but it only lessens the chances of +injury, and is by no means a sure preventive, although it has the +advantage of developing both sides equally. + +Another evil result of beginning too young is that if she escapes +misadventures and does well, a girl is sure to be praised to such an +extent that she forms a most exaggerated idea of her prowess in the +saddle. By the time she is sixteen she is convinced that there is no +room for improvement, and becomes careless, lapsing into many of her +earlier faults. Parents should guard against this. It is often their +affection which permits them to see only the good points of their +daughter's riding, and their pride in her skill leads to undue +flattery, which she is only too willing to accept as her due. + +Later I shall mention some of the principles a young rider should +acquire, and it is the duty of those who have put her in the saddle +when too young to judge for herself to see that she follows them +correctly. The necessity of riding in good form cannot be too firmly +impressed on her mind. One often hears: "Oh, I only want to ride a +little in the Park; so don't bother me about form. I ride for pleasure +and comfort, not work"--all of which is wrong; for, whether in the +Park, on the road, in the country, or in the hunting-field, nothing +is of more importance than to ride in good form. To do so is to ride +easily, being in the best position to manage the horse, and therefore +it is also to ride safely. + +[Sidenote: Vanity] + +The desire to attract attention often induces women to ride. Young +girls soon learn to do likewise, and their attempts at riding for the +"gallery" by kicking the horse with the heel, jerking its mouth with +the curb, that she may impress people with her dashing appearance, as +the poor tormented animal plunges in his endeavors to avoid the +pressure, are lamentable and frequent sights in many riding-schools. + +Objectionable as this is in an older person, it is doubly so in a +child, from whom one expects at least modesty instead of such boldness +as this betokens. It is to be hoped that those in authority will +discourage her attempts at circus riding, and teach her that a quiet, +unobtrusive manner will secure her more admirers than an air of +bravado. + + + + +II + +GIRLS ON HORSEBACK + + +[Sidenote: Hints to Mothers] + +Notwithstanding these numerous reasons to the contrary, mothers will +undoubtedly continue to imperil the life and welfare of children whom +it is their mission to protect, and, such being the case, a few +directions as to the best and least dangerous course to pursue may be +of service to them. + +Sixteen is the earliest age at which a girl should begin to ride, as +she is then strong enough to control her mount, has more judgment, is +better able to put instruction into practice, more amenable to reason, +and more attentive to what is told her. If the parents' impatience +will not admit of waiting until this desirable period, it is their +duty to see that the child has every advantage that can facilitate her +learning, and to assure her such safety as is within their power. + +[Sidenote: The Beginner's Horse] + +A common theory is that any old screw, if only quiet, will do for a +beginner. Nothing could be more untrue. The horse for a novice should +have a short but square and elastic trot, a good mouth, even +disposition, and be well-mannered; otherwise the rider's progress will +be greatly impeded. Even if the child is very young, I think it is a +mistake to put her on a small pony for her first lessons, as its gaits +are so often uneven, interfering with all attempts at regular rising +to the trot. + +Ponies are also more liable to be tricky than horses, and, from the +rapidity of their movements, apt to unseat and frighten a beginner. +They are very roguish, and will bolt across a road without any reason, +or stand and kick or rear for their own amusement; and, being so quick +on their feet, their various antics confuse a child so that she loses +her self-possession and becomes terrified. It is just as bad to go to +the other extreme, as a large, long-gaited horse will tire the muscles +of the back, and, if combined with sluggish action, require twice the +exertion needed for a free traveller. Furthermore, it destroys the +rhythm of the movement by making the time of her rise only half as +long as necessary, thus giving her a double jolt on reaching the +saddle. + +Having secured the right sort of horse, the saddle should be chosen +with great care. + +[Sidenote: Costuming] + +It is a shame that little girls are made to ride in the ill-fitting +habits seen half the time. They must set properly, or the best riders +will be handicapped and appear at a disadvantage. A child's skirt +should not wrinkle over the hips more than a woman's, nor should it +ruck up over the right knee, exposing both feet, while the wind +inflates the superfluous folds. Above all things, a girl should not +lace nor wear her habit bodice tight, as no benefit can possibly be +derived from riding with the lungs and ribs compressed. + +[Sidenote: Preparatory Lessons] + +It often happens that a child is put into the saddle before she has +had the opportunity of becoming familiar with a horse, either by +visiting it in its stall or going about it when in the stable. A more +harmful mistake could not be made; the child is likely to be afraid of +the animal the first time she is placed on its back, and nothing so +interferes with tuition as terror. Many of the difficulties of +instructing a little girl will be overcome if her familiarity with the +horse she is to ride has given her confidence in him. She should +frequently be taken to the stable, and encouraged to give him oats or +sugar from her hand, and to make much of him. Meanwhile whoever is +with her must watch the animal, and guard against anything which might +startle the child. She may be lifted on to his back; and if he is +suitable to carry her, he will stand quietly, thus assuring her of his +trustworthiness and gaining her affection. + +Before being trusted on a horse, a beginner should have the theory of +its management explained to her; and here is another drawback to +infantile equestrianism, as a young mind cannot readily grasp the +knowledge. Nevertheless, she must be made to understand the necessity +of riding from balance, instead of pulling herself up by the horse's +mouth, and be shown the action of the curb chain on the chin, that she +may realize why the snaffle should be used for ordinary purposes, so +that in case of an emergency she may have the curb to fall back upon. +She must know that if she pulls against him, the horse will pull +against her, and therefore she must not keep a dead bearing on his +mouth. Unyielding hands are the almost invariable result of riding +before realizing the delicate manipulation a horse's mouth requires. A +light feeling on the curb and a light touch of the whip will show her +how to keep the horse collected, instead of allowing him to go in a +slovenly manner. + +She must not try to make the horse trot by attempting to rise. Until +the animal is trotting squarely she should sit close to the saddle, +instead of bobbing up and down, as he jogs or goes unevenly at first. + +When wishing to canter, in place of tugging at the reins, clucking, +and digging the animal in the ribs with her heel, the child should be +told to elevate her hands a trifle, and touch him on the shoulder with +the whip. + +No habit is more easily formed than that of clucking to a horse, and +it is a difficult one to cure. It is provocative of great annoyance to +any one who is near, and who may be riding a high-spirited animal, as +it makes him nervous and anxious to go, for he cannot tell whether the +signal is meant for him or not, and springs forward in response, when +his owner has perhaps just succeeded in quieting him. Thus can one +make one's self an annoyance to others near by, in a manner which +might so easily have been avoided in the beginning. + +After being familiarized with such rudimentary ideas of horsemanship, +comes the time for putting them into practice. + +[Sidenote: Instructors] + +It is a pity that there are not more competent instructors in the +riding-schools, for it is of great importance to begin correctly; to +find a teacher, however, who possesses thorough knowledge of the +subject is, unfortunately, rare. Their inefficiency is amply +demonstrated by the specimens of riding witnessed every day in the +Park; and either their methods, if they pretend to have any, must be +all wrong, or they are but careless and superficial mentors, as the +results are so often far from satisfactory. + +There are, to be sure, plenty of teachers who ride well themselves, +but that is a very different matter from imparting the benefit of +their knowledge and experience to others. With the best intentions in +the world, they may fail to make their pupils show much skill in the +saddle. Skill, and the power of creating it in the pupil, is an +unusual combination. + +[Sidenote: Balance] + +If a young girl is to ride, she should be put in the saddle and not +permitted to touch the reins. Her hands may rest in her lap, and the +horse should be led at a walk, while the teacher shows her the +position she must try to keep, and tells her what she must do when the +pace is increased. As she becomes used to the situation, and +understands the instructions, the horse may be urged into a slow trot, +she being made to sit close, without, at first, any attempt at rising. +Then a quiet canter may be given her, but on no account should the +child be allowed to clutch at anything to assist in preserving her +balance. It is that she shall not rely on the horse's mouth for +balance that I have advocated keeping the reins from her, and it is a +plan which men and women would do well to adopt. Dependence on the +reins is one of the commonest faults in riding, and every one should +practise trotting (and even jumping, if the horse be tractable) with +folded arms, while the reins are left hanging on the animal's neck, +knotted so they will not fall too low. If the importance of riding +from balance above the waist were more generally recognized, the seat +would of necessity be firmer, the hands lighter, and horses less +fretful. + +[Sidenote: Hands] + +Too much emphasis cannot be put on the importance of good hands. Good +hands are hands made so by riding independently of the reins. +Intuitive knowledge of the horse's intentions, sympathy and +communication with him, which are conveyed through the reins in a +manner too subtle for explanation, must accompany light hands to make +them perfect. Such qualities are absolutely impossible with heavy +hands, which are incapable of the necessary delicate manipulation of +the horse's mouth. Light hands, therefore, should be cultivated first, +and experience may bring the rest. A child, beginning as I have +advised, will early have this instilled into her mind, and not be +obliged to overcome heavy hands when from experience she has learned +their disadvantages. + +After sitting close to the trot and the canter, the beginner must be +told to rise to the trot. At first she will find it difficult to make +her effort correspond to the action of the horse's fore-legs, but, +having once caught the motion, she will soon have no trouble in rising +regularly. When she rises correctly and without much effort, the reins +may be given her. A snaffle will be the best to use until she is sure +of not letting them slip through her fingers, or of not interfering +with the horse's mouth. She should hold the reins in both hands, as +this lessens the probability of sitting askew, although as she becomes +more certain of her seat she may transfer them to the left hand, and +carry a whip or crop in the right. + +If a double bridle has been substituted for the snaffle, the +instructor must show the child that the left snaffle rein goes outside +of her little finger, the left curb between the little and third +fingers, the right curb between the second and third fingers, and the +right snaffle between the first and second. + +[Illustration: CORRECT POSITION] + +Now, as the child begins to have confidence in herself, is the time to +guard against the formation of bad habits, which would later, if +uncorrected, be difficult to eradicate. + +If parents will take the trouble to make an impartial criticism of +their daughter's riding, they can aid her by insisting upon her doing +as she ought, which is beyond the authority of the riding-master. + +[Sidenote: Position] + +They should see that her body is held erect, her shoulders squarely to +the front and thrown back, head up, chin held back, arms hanging +straight to the elbows, hands low and close together, her right knee +immovable, as from there she must rise. Her left leg must be held +quiet, and the heel away from the horse, the ball of the foot resting +on the stirrup; but she must be kept from placing too much reliance on +that support, by practising without it every time she rides, taking +care that, in relinquishing that aid, she does not instead take hold +of the horse's mouth. + +[Illustration: INCORRECT POSITION] + +[Sidenote: Management] + +As the most trustworthy mount will at times be frisky or make a +mistake, a child should be prepared for such a contingency, and know +how to meet it. If a horse stumbles, she must sit well back and pull +his head up. In rearing, the reins must be left loose and the body +thrown forward. A tendency to back must be met with a sharp crack of +the whip. In shying, she must try to sit close, and in case of a +runaway she should understand that no good will come of throwing +herself off. To stick close and try to direct him is all she can do, +for she cannot hope to stop him when once started. If a horse falls +with her, it is best to try and hold on to the reins, as then he +cannot reach her with his heels; but if she cannot succeed in doing +this, she must endeavor to get clear of him and as far away as +possible, to avoid being rolled on or trampled upon as he makes his +effort to get up. + +When I consider the trials and dangers she must pass through, a girl +who is allowed to ride before she is sixteen has my sympathy, while I +look with indignation on the mothers who thus thoughtlessly expose +children to all the evils attendant upon a too early attempt at +riding. + + + + +III + +BEGINNING TO RIDE + + +That riding is increasing in popularity is clearly attested by the +crowded bridle-path of Central Park. It is greatly to be hoped, +however, that with its growth in public favor a more than superficial +knowledge of horsemanship will be sought for by those who desire to +experience all the pleasure which may be derived from this sport. +Women especially, laboring as they do under the disadvantages of a +side-saddle and imperfectly developed muscles, should try to follow +the most efficacious means of managing their horses, a result best +attained by riding in good form. + +[Sidenote: Form] + +Even those who consider themselves first-class horsewomen, and who are +undoubtedly competent to manage an unruly animal, often have defects +in form which destroy the grace and ease of their appearance, and +prevent them, in case of an emergency, from employing the full amount +of power of which they are capable. Besides this, there are so many +benefits to be derived from the exercise--if one will take it in a +common-sense manner--that every endeavor should be made to extract +from it the full amount of good. + +This cannot be done with any undue strain on the muscles arising from +either a poor saddle, a back bent almost double, the arms nearly +pulled out by improper handling of the horse's mouth, or with that +abomination--a tight waist. Sense in dressing and attention to form +are the two indispensable attributes by which women can make riding a +means to improved health. Under such conditions all the organs are +stimulated, and good digestion, an increased appetite, quieted nerves, +better spirits, and sound sleep follow. With such advantages in sight, +it is strange that more of an effort is not made to bring about these +results by overcoming bad habits. + +[Sidenote: Insufficient Training] + +In most instances the faults come either from improper instruction, or +vanity which will not permit or heed criticism. If her horse has been +docile, and refrained from any attempt to throw her, a woman is +sometimes so impressed with her skill that after a few lessons she no +longer regards the advice of her instructor, and thinks she is beyond +the necessity of heeding his admonitions. Having acquired so little +knowledge, she will soon have numerous objectionable peculiarities in +form, resulting from her imperfect conception of horsemanship. + +Occasionally, too, a woman considers herself "a born rider, with a +natural seat," and the result of this belief is a combination of +pitiful mistakes, when, had her taste for the sport been properly +trained and cultivated, instead of being allowed to run wild, she +would probably have become a rider. There might yet remain hope of her +acquiring a seat could she be convinced that there really is some +knowledge on the subject that she has not yet mastered. + +In reference to those who have been taught by incompetent masters, a +great deal is to be said, both to enable them to adopt the right way, +and to prevent those who are desirous of learning from falling into +their mistakes. + +[Sidenote: Mounting] + +Unfortunately it is almost impossible for a woman to mount without +assistance, unless she be very tall and her horse small. In this case +she can reach the stirrup with her foot, and pull herself up by the +saddle. Sometimes the stirrup can be let down and used to mount with, +then drawn up when seated in the saddle. But this can only be done +when the stirrup leather buckles over the off flap, which is not +usual. Another method is to lead the horse to a fence or wall, climb +that, and jump on to his back; but all these methods require a very +quiet horse, and even then are not always practicable. + +It is advisable to learn to mount from the ground as well as from a +block. This is done by placing the right hand containing whip and +reins on the upper pommel, the left foot, with the knee bent, in the +clasped hands of the attendant, the left hand on his shoulder, and, at +a signal, springing from the right foot and straightening the left +leg. + +Nine out of ten women, after mounting, first carefully adjust the +habit, and have the stirrup or girths tightened before putting the +knee over the pommel, while some even button their gloves before; and, +as a secondary consideration, when everything else has been seen to, +they take up the reins, which have been loose on the horse's neck. He +might easily wrench himself from the groom at his head, and without +her hold on the pommel she would fall heavily to the ground; or if she +were seated, but without reins, the horse might bolt into a tree, a +wall, or another horse. She would probably grasp the first rein at +hand, perhaps the curb, and then the horse might rear dangerously, and +if she did not relax her hold on his mouth at once would be likely to +fall backwards with her--the worst thing that can happen to a woman on +a horse. All this may be avoided by taking the reins before mounting, +and upon touching the saddle, instantly putting the right knee over +the pommel. The reins should then be transferred to the left hand, +with the snaffle on the outside, and the curb inside, but loose. It +will then be the proper time to arrange the skirt and the stirrup. + +[Sidenote: Dismounting] + +To dismount she must transfer the reins to her right hand, take her +left foot from the stirrup, and lift her right knee over the upper +pommel, making sure that her skirt is not caught on any part of the +saddle. She must then take a firm hold of the pommel with the hand +containing the reins and the whip, the latter held so that it will not +touch the horse. If there is some one to assist her she may reach out +her left arm, and by this she can be steadied as she dismounts. In +jumping down she should keep hold of the pommel and turn slightly, so +that as she lands she is facing the horse, ready to notice and guard +against signs of kicking or bolting. Until she is fairly on the ground +she must not let go of the reins or the pommel, for should the horse +start she might be dragged with her head down, if her skirt or her +foot caught, and without the reins she could not stop him. + +[Sidenote: Stirrup] + +It is well to discard the stirrup for some time during each ride, +first at the canter, then at the trot, to make sure that too much +weight is not rested on this support, and that the rise is from the +right knee. If too much dependence is placed on the stirrup the seat +is sure to be too far to the left, unless the leather is too short, +when the body will be as much too far to the right, instead of +directly on top of the horse. + +If these directions are observed, a very firm seat will be the result, +which gives a confidence that enables one to be thoroughly flexible +above the waist without fear of going off, and dispels a dread that +often accounts for a stiff or crouching position. A test as to whether +one is sitting sufficiently close in the canter is to put a +handkerchief on the saddle, and note if the seat is firm enough to +keep it there. + + + + +IV + +IN THE SADDLE + + +[Illustration: INCORRECT LEFT LEG AND HEEL] + +[Sidenote: Below the Waist] + +The first impulse of a novice is to grasp the horse with her left +heel, while the leg is bent back from the knee so that it almost +reaches his flank. Instead of this, the leg from the knee, which +should not be more than half an inch below the pommel, must hang +naturally in a perpendicular line, and the foot parallel with the +horse, the heel being held away from his side and slightly depressed, +the ball of the foot resting on the stirrup. This alters the grip +entirely, and gives the greatest possible purchase, with the knee +firmly in the angle between the pommel and the saddle flap, the thigh +close to the saddle above, and the inside of the calf below, where one +should be able to hold a piece of paper without having it fall out +while trotting. The left foot will, of necessity, remain quiet--a most +desirable point often neglected. + +[Illustration: CORRECT LEFT LEG AND HEEL] + +Now for the right leg. The first direction usually given is to grasp +the pommel with it. That is all very well, but it leads to a grievous +error. In the endeavor to obey the order, the right knee is pressed +hard to the left--against the pommel, it is true, but in such a manner +that there is considerable space between the leg and the saddle, +extending from the knee half-way up the thigh. Thus the rider rises, +owing to her grip being too high, so that a person on the right can +often see the pommel beneath her. + +[Illustration: INCORRECT RIGHT THIGH AND KNEE] + +The first thing to do is to sit well back on the saddle, with the +shoulders square to the front, and press down from the hip to the knee +until as close to the saddle as possible. Then, when sure that the +knee is down, taking care that it does not leave the saddle in the +slightest degree, grasp the pommel. It is from this knee that one +must rise, and the most essential point is to have it absolutely firm, +with a secure hold on as extended a surface as possible. From the knee +the leg hangs straight, kept close to the horse, with the toe +depressed just enough to avoid breaking the line of the skirt. It is +seldom realized that the right leg below the knee should be held as +firmly against the horse as the left, but such is the case. + +[Illustration: CORRECT RIGHT THIGH AND KNEE] + +[Sidenote: Above the Waist] + +The body should be held erect at all times, the back straight while +rising, instead of appearing to collapse with each movement, or rising +from right to left with a churning motion instead of straight up and +down; shoulders should be level--the right one is inclined to be +higher than the left, as well as farther forward--well back and +equidistant from the horse's ears, chest expanded, and chin held near +the neck, as nothing is more unsightly than a protruding chin. The +arms should fall naturally at the sides, bending inward from the +elbow, but on no account to such an extent as to cause the elbows to +leave the sides or form acute angles. All stiffness should be avoided. + +Some difficulty may be experienced at first, though, in attempting to +relax the muscles above the waist while keeping the lower ones firm. A +little practice will accomplish this, and, as a stiff carriage is +most frequently the result of self-consciousness, it will be desirable +to practise where there are no spectators. As the woman becomes more +accustomed to riding she will lose some of her rigidity; but she must +not go to the other extreme and be limp or careless in her way of +holding herself. A woman's body should be at right angles to her +horse's back, neither inclining backwards nor giving evidence of a +tendency to stoop. Her anxiety to comply with these directions may +render her conscious and awkward for a while; but if she will +persevere, bearing them all in mind, they will become as second +nature, and she will follow them naturally and gracefully. + +[Sidenote: Hands and Wrists] + +The hands should be held about two thirds of the way back between the +right knee and hip, and as low as possible. They should be perfectly +steady, and in rising never communicate the motion of the body to the +horse's mouth. If the right knee is used to rise from, the seat will +not need to be steadied by the reins. In the canter, however, the +hands, as well as the body above the waist, should sway slightly with +the horse's stride, but not more than is necessary; for that, and +rising too high in the trot, give an appearance of exertion not +compatible with grace. + +[Illustration: CORRECT KNUCKLES, SIDE VIEW] + +[Illustration: INCORRECT POSITION OF HANDS] + +The wrists should be bent so that the knuckles point straight ahead +with the thumbs up, thus giving the horse's mouth play from the wrist, +instead of, as is often the case, from the shoulder, the former +admitting of much greater delicacy of handling, and the give-and-take +movement being not so easily observed. Most teachers instruct a pupil +to keep her finger-nails down, but this also necessitates all movement +coming from the shoulder, or else sticking out the elbows. + +[Illustration: HANDS IN GOOD FORM, FRONT VIEW] + +[Sidenote: Reins] + +Many hold their reins in the left hand, allowing the right to hang at +the side. This does not look well, and in case of an emergency, such +as stumbling, the hand being so far from the reins precludes the +possibility of rendering the quick assistance required. The reins +should be held in the left hand, but the right should be on them, +lightly feeling the horse's mouth, thereby anticipating his movements. + +The left snaffle-rein should go outside of the little finger, the left +curb between the little and third fingers, the right curb between the +third and middle fingers, and the right snaffle between the middle and +first fingers. They must all be brought through the hand, over the +second joint of the first finger, where they must lie flat and in +order, held there by the thumb. The third finger of the right hand +should rest on the right snaffle, leaving the first and second free +to use the curb if required, thus giving equal bearing on all four +reins. + +[Illustration: SNAFFLE OUTSIDE, CURB INSIDE, FRONT VIEW] + +If the use of the curb alone is wanted, the third finger of the right +should release the right snaffle, the first and second retaining their +hold on the curb, and the desired result will be produced. + +[Illustration: SNAFFLE OUTSIDE, CURB INSIDE, SIDE VIEW] + +If only the snaffle is desired, it may be brought to bear more +strongly by keeping hold of the right rein with the third finger of +the right hand, and reaching over on the left snaffle with the first +finger. + +When this method is pursued there is no necessity for shifting the +reins or hauling at them, and constantly changing their position and +length. When a rein has slipped through the fingers of the left hand, +instead of pushing it back from in front it should be pulled to the +proper length from back of the left hand. + +[Illustration: REINS IN TWO HANDS, SNAFFLE OUTSIDE, CURB INSIDE] + +It is quite correct, though inconvenient, to hold the reins in both +hands; but the hands should be held close together, with the thumbs +up, and always on the reins to prevent slipping. The little fingers +then separate the reins, the left snaffle being outside of the left +little finger, the left curb between the little and third fingers, +with the reins drawn over the first finger; the right snaffle outside +of the right little finger, the right curb between the little and +third fingers, and these also drawn over the first finger, in both +instances held by the thumbs. In this way the right reins may quickly +be placed in the left hand by inserting the middle finger of the left +hand between them without displacing the others. Sometimes the ends +of the left reins are passed over the first finger of the right hand +as well as of the left one, and carried on past the little finger, the +same being done to the right reins, thus giving additional purchase +should the horse pull. + +[Illustration: POSITION OF REINS AND HANDS IN JUMPING, CURB OUTSIDE, +SNAFFLE INSIDE] + +It is well to know several ways of holding the reins, and to practise +them all. For instance, the positions of the snaffle and curb may be +reversed; indeed, many expert riders always hold their reins with the +curb outside and the snaffle inside, especially in jumping, where the +curb is not used, and therefore requires a less prominent place in the +hand. + +[Illustration: REINS IN TWO HANDS, CURB OUTSIDE, SNAFFLE INSIDE, SIDE +VIEW] + +Another position of the reins is to have the middle finger of the left +hand separate the snaffle and the little finger the curb, both right +reins being above the left ones. However, unless a horse is +bridle-wise this plan is not a convenient one, because the right and +left reins alternate. A horse so trained may be guided by a turn of +the wrist. To turn him to the left the hand should be moved in that +direction, pressing the right reins against his neck, and to go to the +right the hand should be carried to that side, the thumb turned +downward, thus pressing the left reins against the horse's neck. + + + + +V + +EMERGENCIES + + +Although she may ride in good form, and, when her horse goes quietly, +feel at home in the saddle, no woman can be considered proficient +until she is prepared for any emergency, and knows how to meet it. + +[Sidenote: Eagerness to Start] + +Many horses show restlessness while being mounted, some carrying it to +such an extent as to back and rear or swerve most unpleasantly. The +groom at his head should hold him lightly but firmly by the snaffle, +or, better still, the cheeks of the bridle; not lugging or jerking at +him, but endeavoring to soothe him. If the horse swerves from her, he +should be made to stand against a wall. The woman must get settled in +the saddle as expeditiously as she can, not taking any unnecessary +time in the arrangement of her skirt, which might augment the animal's +uneasiness. Once mounted she must walk the horse quietly for a few +minutes, using the snaffle only, as his restlessness may have come +from expecting the spur on starting, as is customary with the horses +of those who care for display rather than good manners. Before long +she should dismount, and, at a different place, repeat the lesson +without fighting him, even should he fail to show much progress at +first. If he rears, the attendant should let go of his head until he +comes down; then, before starting, try to make him stand a few +moments. Each time the rider mounts she should increase the period of +his standing, doing it firmly while talking to him, but without +force or harshness, and presently he will obey as a matter of course +and without an idea of resistance. + +[Sidenote: Shyers] + +The most common fault of a horse is shying, and though no one who has +a secure seat should be inconvenienced thereby, its treatment needs +some discrimination. Shying often arises from defective vision. If, +however, the animal's eyes are in good condition, it may come from +timidity, but in either case the horse should be soothed and coaxed up +to the object of his aversion and shown its harmlessness. If it is +merely a trick, then playing with his mouth and speaking in a warning +tone when approaching anything likely to attract his notice will +usually make him go straight. As a rule the whip should not be used, +because the horse may learn to associate a blow with the object he +has shied at, and the next time he sees it is likely to bolt in order +to avoid the impending chastisement--thus going from bad to worse. + +[Sidenote: Stumblers] + +For the same reason, I object to a horse being punished for stumbling. +Disagreeable as it is, the fault usually comes from defective muscular +action or conformation, or from not being kept collected by his rider. +It is not fair to punish the horse for these causes. The thing to do +is to sit well back and give the reins a sharp pull to bring his head +up, and then keep him going up to the bit, for if the rider is +careless the horse will follow her example. + +[Illustration: HANDS AND SEAT IN REARING] + +[Sidenote: Rearers] + +A rearing horse is not fit for a woman to ride. If she finds herself +on one which attempts it, she must throw her weight forward and a +little to the right, because she can lean farther forward on this +than on the left side, to help the horse preserve his balance, as well +as to prevent being struck by his head. If necessary she can clutch +his mane, but on no account must she touch his mouth in the slightest +degree. As he comes down, a vigorous kick with the heel, a shake of +the snaffle, and a harsh exclamation may send him along. I cannot +advocate a woman's striking him, for if he has a temper, it may arouse +it to such an extent that he will throw himself back. + +[Sidenote: Plungers] + +Those with a strong seat have no reason to fear a horse that plunges, +if it does not develop into rearing or bucking. They should sit close +and urge the horse to a faster pace, as it stands to reason that if he +is kept going briskly he cannot so easily begin his antics as he could +at a slower gait. + +[Sidenote: Buckers] + +A woman is seldom if ever required to ride a horse which bucks, and if +he is known to do it viciously she had better not try any experiments +with him, as he will surely exhaust her in a fight. By bucking I do +not mean the mild form of that vice which is usually found under that +name in the East. Here an animal that plunges persistently and comes +down hard is said to buck; while if his head is lowered, that settles +the question in the minds of those ignorant of what a real bucking +horse is capable. In encountering the Eastern variety of this species, +the woman must elevate the horse's head, sit well back, and firmly +too, for even the mild form of bucking is not easy to sustain +undisturbed. + +The genuine article, the real Western bucker, is quite another +matter. Newspapers have published instances of women who have managed +to stay on one through all his various and blood-stirring antics; but +such cases are in fact unknown outside of Buffalo Bill's Wild West +Show, and there the animals have been taught to perform to order. When +the bronco bucks, he gives no preliminary warning by harmless +plunging; he simply throws his head down between his knees, humps his +back like a cat, and proceeds to business. He jumps into the air, +coming down to one side of where he started, with all four feet +bunched and legs stiffened, only to bound into space again. An +occasional squeal adds to the general hilarity of the scene, and the +alacrity with which that meek-looking mustang can land and go into the +air again would astonish one not accustomed to the sight. + +[Sidenote: Pullers] + +In riding a puller, his head must be kept in a correct position, +neither low nor high, by lightly feeling his mouth until he gives to +the motion. Should he have his head up and nose out, elevating the +hands and drawing the snaffle across the bars sometimes causes the bit +to bear in such a manner that the horse will drop his nose, and at +that moment an effort must be made to keep it there. This method is +exceptional, however, and should be resorted to only when other means +fail, and the horse's head is so high, with the nose protruding, that +the bit affords no control. Ordinarily, the hands should be low, one +on each side of the withers, and quietly feeling the snaffle until he +obeys its signal. + +If he pulls with his head down, almost between his knees, the curb +must not be touched, but the snaffle should be felt and the hands held +higher than usual and a little farther forward, playing with his +mouth. This may make him raise his head; but if not, then several +determined pulls, yielding the hand between them, given without temper +and with a few soothing words, may stop him. If he has the bit between +his teeth, quick give-and-take movements will probably surprise him +into releasing it. It is useless for a woman to try to subdue him by +force. + +It is well to have a horse's teeth examined for pulling, as one which +has become displaced or sensitive causes excessive pain, and often +results in this habit. When a horse shows a tendency to kick, by +putting his ears back or a peculiar wriggle of the body, his head must +instantly be pulled up and kept there, for in that position he will +not attempt it. + +[Sidenote: Runaways] + +A runaway nearly always frightens a woman so that she loses her head. +Composure will best enable her to escape without accident. As the +horse starts she must keep her heel well away from his side and her +hands down, and instantly begin sawing his mouth with the reins; then +a succession of sharp jerks and pulls should be resorted to--never a +dead pull--and possibly he may be brought down. + +Once well in his stride, no woman can stop a horse. She must then be +governed by circumstances, and, if in a crowd or park, try to keep him +clear of all objects, and not exhaust herself and excite the horse by +screaming. Some one will try to catch him; and as a terrific jerk will +be the result, she must brace herself for it. If the horse runs where +there is open country, and she is sure his running is prompted by +vice, not fright, she should urge him on when he tires and keep him +going up-hill or over heavy ground if possible, using the whip freely, +and not permit him to stop until he is completely done. + +There are some good riders who advise pulling a horse into a fence to +stop him, but there is always a chance of his attempting to jump it, +while, as the rider tries to prevent this, the horse may be thrown out +of his balance or stride and fall over the fence. If he is driven at a +high wall or other insurmountable obstruction the horse will stop so +suddenly that the rider is likely to be precipitated over the animal's +head, even if she have a good seat. Again, the horse may miscalculate +the distance and run into the object, perhaps seriously hurting +himself and his rider. If this method is to be employed, a grassy or +sandy embankment should be chosen, if possible, as there will then be +fewer chances of injury. + +Others believe in throwing the horse, which may be done by letting him +have his head for a few strides, then suddenly giving a violent tug at +the reins. If he can thus be made to cross his legs, he will go down. +Another way is for a woman to put all her strength into pulling one +rein, and if she can use enough force he may be twisted so that he +will lose his balance and fall. Then the danger is that a woman will +not get clear of him before he regains his footing and starts off, in +which case she might better have remained on his back than risk being +dragged at his heels. If some one else's horse is running instead of +the one she is on, and it is coming towards her, a woman should +instantly, but quietly, wheel her horse, and keep him as much to one +side of the road as possible; and if she is sure of her control over +him, a brisk canter will be the safest gait. Thus, if the runaway +strikes her horse, it will not be with the same force as it would had +they met from opposite directions. Besides, it is almost impossible to +tell which way a frightened horse may turn, and in endeavoring to +avoid him, if they are facing, a collision may result. + +If a horse falls, from crossing his legs for instance, to keep hold of +the reins must be the first thought, and then to get clear of him as +quickly as possible and out of his way if he seems likely to roll. If +the rider retains her hold on the reins, he cannot kick her, as his +head will be towards her; nor can he get away, leaving her to walk +home. + +[Sidenote: Punishment] + +Punishment of a horse should never be begun without the certainty that +what has given displeasure is really his fault, wilfully committed. +Even then a battle should always be avoided, if possible, for it is +better to spend a half-hour, or even much more, gently but firmly +urging a horse to obedience than to fight him. It sometimes drives him +to such a state of excitement and temper that the effects of it will +be perceptible for days, sometimes weeks, in a nervous, highly strung +animal, and he will, perhaps, prepare for a combat whenever the same +circumstances again arise. That which comes from misconception on the +part of the horse is often treated as though it were vice, and such +unjust chastisement, without accomplishing its object, bewilders and +frightens the unfortunate victim. Therefore one should know positively +that it is obstinacy or vice, not dulness or timidity, which has made +the horse apparently resist his rider's authority. A horse with much +temper may only be made worse by the punishment he undoubtedly +deserves; therefore, forbearance and ingenuity should be exercised to +bring him into submission. Discipline must be administered at the time +of insubordination, or it loses its meaning to the horse. It is folly +to postpone punishing him, for then he fails to connect it with the +act of resistance which has provoked it. + +Another great mistake, and one to be strongly censured, is that of +venting one's impatience or temper on the poor brute, which may be +doing its best to understand the clumsy and imperfect commands of a +cruel taskmaster. + +Having calmly decided that the horse requires punishment, it should be +given in a firm and temperate manner, no more severity being employed +than is necessary. However, the whip should fall with force and +decision, or it is worse than useless; and if a moderate amount of +whipping or spurring does not result in victory, it must be increased, +as, once begun, the fight must end in the conquest of the animal, or +the woman on his back will thenceforth be unable to control him. It +must be done dispassionately and continuously, and no time allowed him +to become more obstinate by a cessation of hostilities when he might +be about to give in. At the first sign of yielding, he should be +encouraged, and the punishment cease, until he has had an opportunity +to do what is desired of him. + +While using the whip, the right hand should never be on the reins, as +that necessitates jerking the horse's mouth and hitting from the +wrist, a weak and ineffectual method. The blow should fall well back +of the saddle and with the force given by the full swing of the arm. +A woman usually expends her energy in hitting the saddle-flap, making +some noise, to be sure, but not producing the desired effect. + +If these suggestions are followed, there will be comparatively little +trouble in learning to properly handle a horse that he may be kept up +to the mark. Until having laid a solid foundation for one's self, it +is useless to hope to obtain the best results from the horse, which +will surely appreciate and take advantage of any incompetency on the +part of the rider. Even if not aspiring to more than ordinary park +riding, attention to these hints will add so materially to the comfort +and safety of both horse and woman that it will be a subject of wonder +to the latter how she could have found the wrong way pleasant enough +to admit of any hesitation in giving the correct one at least a fair +trial. + + + + +VI + +CHOOSING A MOUNT + + +Much of a woman's comfort will depend on the horse she chooses. She is +too often inclined to procure a showy one, which pleases the eye, even +though she cannot control his antics, rather than a trustworthy and +less conspicuous mount. + +[Sidenote: An Adviser] + +In choosing a horse, she should not rely exclusively on her own +judgment. Few women are aware of the artifices resorted to by +dishonest dealers to render presentable some animal which in its +natural condition she would at once reject; therefore she should +enlist the services of some man in whose knowledge of horse-flesh she +has reason to place confidence, and of whose disinterestedness she is +certain. When a horse is found which appears to fulfil her +requirements, she should insist upon a trial of him herself; for, +although he may go well and comfortably with her friend, a woman might +not possess the qualities which had assured success in the former +trial by the man. The horse would recognize the difference, take +advantage of her inexperience or lack of skill, and act as he would +not think of doing under an expert. Furthermore, gaits which would +suit a man are often too hard for a woman, and a horse which he might +think merely went well up to the bit would to her weaker arms seem a +puller. + +After being approved of by her friend, the woman should try the animal +herself, outside, alone and in company. If he proves satisfactory, she +should endeavor to have him in her stable for a few days, and during +that time to have him examined by a veterinary surgeon, obtaining his +certificate of the horse's soundness. An animal absolutely sound and +without blemish is a rare sight; but there are many defects which do +not lessen the horse's practical value, although their presence lower +his price, and may enable her to secure something desirable which +would otherwise have been beyond her means. + +Such a horse should be accepted only after a thorough examination by +the veterinary, and upon his advice. It is well to avoid purchasing a +horse from a friend, unless one is perfectly familiar with the animal, +as such transactions frequently lead to strained relations, each +thinking bitterly of the other. Some, having pronounced their horse +sound, would take offence should a veterinary be called; while if he +were not consulted the horse might go wrong, and the purchaser would +perhaps think the former owner had disposed of him with that +expectation, or at least knowing the probability of it, yet their +social relations would prevent accusation or explanation. Furthermore, +a difference of opinion as to the price is awkward, and altogether it +requires more tact, discretion, and liberality than most people +possess to make a satisfactory horse-trade with a friend. + +Having decided as to whose advice she will take, a woman should not be +influenced by the comments and criticisms of others. If she waits +until all her friends approve of her choice she will never buy a +horse. However, by listening to what the best informed of them say, +she may gain much instruction and knowledge. As a woman may wish to +know what points are desirable in a horse, and what to look for, a +general idea of this may be welcome. It is only by comparison that she +will learn to distinguish whether certain parts are long or short, +normal or excessive, therefore she should critically notice horses at +every opportunity, and observe in what they differ from one another. + +[Sidenote: Park Hack] + +If a woman could have a Park hack made to order, the following points +would be the most prominent: A horse should always be up to more +weight than he will have to carry; and as, in the Park, appearances +are of importance, a woman should buy a horse on which she will look +well. Much will depend upon her mount being of an appropriate size and +build. A woman of medium size will look her best on a horse of about +15.2. No exact height can be fixed upon, as the present system of +measurement is so incomplete. + +[Sidenote: Measurement] + +A horse standing 15.2 at the withers, where it is always measured, may +be much higher there than anywhere else, his quarters being +disproportionately low. On the other hand, the withers might be low +and the rump high, giving the strength, power, and stride to a horse +of 15 hands which might be expected in one of several inches higher. +In races and shows it enables low-withered horses to run and compete +against those which, although high at the withers, have not the +posterior conformation to justify their being in the same class. The +more common-sense and accurate method of measurement, if it would only +be generally adopted, is to take the height at the withers and also at +the rump, average it, and call that the size of the horse. For +instance, a horse 15.3 at the withers and 15.2 at the rump should be +registered as measuring 15.2-1/2. The fashionably bred trotting horse +often measures higher at the rump than at the withers, while the +properly proportioned saddle horse should measure as high, or highest, +at the withers. + +In a saddle horse there are other points than height to be considered. +If the woman is stout, the horse should be of substantial build, very +compact, and like a cob. If she is slight, she will look best on a +horse of light build and possessed of quality. + +In my opinion, three quarters, or a trifle more, thoroughbred blood +makes the pleasantest mount for a woman. Five to seven is a good age +at which to buy a horse, as he will then have been through the early +ailments of young horses and be just entering his prime. + +[Sidenote: Conformation] + +As to his points, his head should be small and clear-cut, with +delicately pointed ears, prominent eyes, a fine muzzle, full nostrils, +clean-cut angle at the throttle, and the head carried somewhat less +than vertical to the ground; the crest curved, and the neck thin and +supple, but muscular and well set on to broad shoulders. These should +be long and oblique, thus reducing the concussion and making the horse +easier to ride as well as safer, because his forelegs are +proportionately advanced, giving less weight in front of them to cause +a fall should he trip. The true arms (commonly called lower bones of +the shoulders), extend from the points of the shoulders to the elbows, +and should be short, or the forelegs will be placed too far back. The +forearms, extending from the elbows to the knees, should be large and +muscular and rather long. Broad, flat knees are indicative of +strength, and they should have considerably more width than the +forearms or the shanks. + +Below the knees and to the fetlocks the legs should be rather short, +flat, deep, and fine, no swelling to prevent one from feeling +distinctly, especially near the fetlocks, the tendons and ligaments +quite separate from the shanks or cannons and the splint-bones. The +fetlock-joints much developed give evidence of overwork, therefore any +undue prominence is not desirable. Long, slanting pasterns give +elasticity to a horse's gait and prevent disagreeable concussion; but +if the length is excessive, there will be too much strain on the back +tendons. The fetlocks reach to the coronet, below which are the feet, +which must be of good shape and absolutely sound. + +The thorax must be either broad or deep and full, so that the lungs +and heart may have plenty of room to expand. It should be well +supplied with muscle where the forelegs are joined to it, and these +should be straight, with the feet pointing straight ahead. The toe +should be under the point of the shoulder. High withers are preferred +to low ones, but if they are too high they place a side-saddle at an +uncomfortable angle, which needs an objectionable amount of padding at +the back to rectify the fault. The back should not sink perceptibly, +but it may be somewhat longer in a woman's horse than in a man's, as +her saddle occupies so much more space; but the ribs should be long in +front and short back of the girth, running well up to the hips. This +conformation will prevent the saddle from working forward; a tendency +to slip back may be checked by using a breast-plate. + +A horse should be broad across the loins; if these are strong, and the +horse well ribbed up, there will be no unsightly sinking of the flanks +even in front of hips that are broad, as they should be. The thighs +extend from the lower part of the haunches or hips to the +stifle-joints, and these and the haunches are covered with powerful +muscles, which, when well developed, form strong quarters. A +well-placed tail, carried at a correct angle, adds greatly to a +horse's appearance. From the stifles to the hocks are found the lower +thighs, and these should be long and strong. The hocks should be +prominent, clearly defined, and free from all puffiness or swelling. +From the hocks to the fetlocks the leg should descend perpendicularly, +neither bent under him nor back of him. The same rule applies to these +fetlocks as to the fore ones; and the same may be said of the feet, +but the latter are too important to dismiss without further comment. + +The hoofs when on the ground should be at an angle of about forty-five +degrees from the toe to the coronet. Any unevenness or protrusions on +the wall of the hoofs, or a sinking-in at the quarters, should be +viewed with suspicion. Breadth is desirable at the heels, and the bars +should not be cut away. The frog should be nearly on a level with the +shoes, and the soles should be slightly concave. + +[Sidenote: Hunter] + +If a hunter is to be chosen, looks are not of so much importance, +although I like him to be almost if not quite thoroughbred. However, +if the animal can gallop and jump, has good staying qualities and a +strong constitution, a kind disposition and a light mouth, good +manners and plenty of power, he should not be discarded because he +lacks beauty. A large head, ewe neck, ragged hips, rat-tail, poor +coat, and other such ungainly points, are not bad enough to condemn +him if he has the other qualities I have mentioned; and often a +peculiarly shaped animal will out-jump a horse of the most correct +conformation. + +[Sidenote: Gait and Manners] + +After carefully looking over the horse, a woman should have some one +trot and canter him, to see that his action is what she wants. A Park +hack should have free, easy gaits, with good knee and hock action, and +travel evenly and without brushing, cutting, interfering, dishing, or +showing any such irregularities of gait. She should watch him from in +front, from behind, and at the sides; and, after his trial by a man, +the woman should ride him, and find out what his faults are under the +saddle. His manners should be perfect: no sign of bolting, or +rearing, or other vices; nor should he be a star-gazer, nor lug on the +bit, as a good mouth is very essential to her comfort. + +However, if he is green--that is, unaccustomed to his surroundings and +to being ridden--he should not be rejected without a fair trial, to +ascertain whether his cramped gait, shying, and other such failings +are the result of inexperience under the saddle, or are established +traits. The most desirable points are a light but not over-sensitive +mouth, even gait, with swinging (not jerky or shuffling) action, a +kind disposition--with which quality considerable friskiness need not +condemn him--good manners, and freedom from tricks and vices. He +should be practically sound and of correct conformation--a more +valuable attribute for safety and ease than high action. + + + + +VII + +DRESS + + +Simplicity is the rule for the habit. It should be of Thibet +cloth--black, dark brown, or blue for winter, tan or a medium shade of +gray for summer. All conspicuous colors and materials are to be +avoided. It is well to have the skirt made of a heavy-weight cloth, +which will help to make it set properly without the assistance of +straps; while the bodice may be of a medium weight of the same cloth, +that it may fit better and be less bulky. For very warm weather in the +country a habit made of heavy gingham or white duck is cool and +comfortable, and will wash. The skirt and bodice may be of the same +material, or a silk or cheviot shirt and leather belt may be worn +with the skirt. A straw sailor-hat completes this convenient +innovation, but it should be reserved for use out of town. + +[Sidenote: Skirt] + +The skirt should reach only far enough to cover the left foot, and be +too narrow to admit of any flowing folds. Fashion and safety both +demand this. A skittish horse is often frightened by a loose skirt +flapping at his side. + +[Sidenote: Safety Skirt] + +I should be very glad to see the safety skirt, which is worn in the +hunting-field, adopted in general riding. Its advantages are manifold. +Although it appears the same, less cloth is used, therefore it is +cooler; there is nothing between the pommel and the breeches, thus +improving the hold, and in case of accident it is impossible to be +dragged. There are several kinds in use, but the less complicated the +more desirable it is. The simplest is made like any other skirt, +except that where the pommels come there is a large piece of the cloth +cut out, extending in a circle at the top, and then straight down, at +both sides, so that there is no cloth near the pommels or where it +could catch in case of a fall. This leaves enough to extend under both +legs when in the saddle, and looks like an ordinary one. Under the +right knee, where the skirt is rounded out, a small strip of cloth +buttons from this point on to the piece which is under the leg; this +and an elastic strap on the foot keep it in place; but neither is +strong enough to stand any strain, therefore would not be dangerous in +a fall. + +Another pattern has eyelet holes made on each side from where the +cloth has been taken, and round silk elastic laced through them, thus +preventing the possibility of disarrangement. Both of these skirts +loop at the back, and can be kept from appearing unlike others if the +wearer will immediately fasten them on dismounting. An ordinary skirt +may be made safer by having no hem. + +[Sidenote: Divided Skirt] + +We hear a great deal now of the divided skirt, and the advisability of +women riding astride. The theory is good, as having a leg each side of +the animal gives much greater control over his movements. + +For most women, however, it is impracticable, since they cannot sit +down in the saddle and grip with their knees as they should, owing to +the fact that their thighs are rounded, instead of flat like a man's. +It might be possible for a lean and muscular woman to acquire a secure +seat, but not for the average one. Being short is another drawback to +a strong seat against which most of them would have to contend. This +is particularly trying, as so much of her weight is above the waist, +making it difficult to ride from balance, which might otherwise +replace the deficient leverage of the short thigh. Again, if on a +large or broad horse, the constant strain on the muscles necessary +when astride him must be injurious. + +Aside from any physical reasons, the position for a woman is, in my +opinion, most ungraceful and undignified, while few of them possess +the strength to profit by the changed seat in forcing the horse up to +his bridle or keeping him collected; and I cannot blame those who +think it open to the charge of impropriety. + +[Sidenote: Bodice] + +The bodice should be single-breasted, long over the hips, reaching +almost to the saddle in the back, and cut away in front to show a +waistcoat, the upper edge of which makes a finish between the collar +and lapels of the waist and the white collar and Ascot or +four-in-hand. The waistcoat gives more of an opportunity for the +exercise of individual taste. The most desirable, I think, has a white +background, on which is a black, brown, blue, or red check. It may be +all tan or a hunting pink, plain, figured, or striped, so long as too +many colors are not combined; but, as a rule, something quiet and +simple will be the most desirable. In summer a piqué waistcoat is +worn, or something similar, that is light, cool, and will wash. A +black or white cravat always looks well, or one which, without being +glaring, harmonizes with the waistcoat. + +[Sidenote: Waistcoat] + +Sense, health, and comfort all demand that the waist shall not be +laced to the painful extent endured by many foolish and vain women. +They would let out an inch or two if they could realize that the blood +is forced from their waists to their faces, making them scarlet at any +exertion, while they have difficulty in conversing except in gasps, +and are compelled to walk their horses at frequent intervals to catch +their breath. + +[Sidenote: Corsets] + +It is so invigorating to feel the lungs expanded by a long, deep +breath, and the blood, quickened by the motion of the horse, coursing +unrestrained through all the veins, while the muscles of the back and +abdomen are allowed full play, that those who go along panting and +aching lose half the beneficial effects of riding, and more pleasure +than they can possibly derive from trying to make people believe that +they have small waists. The corsets are of great importance and must +be of good quality and not very stiff, small bones being used instead +of large ones or steels. They must be short in front and over the +hips, that the movements may not be unnecessarily restricted, or the +skin become raw from rubbing against the ends of the bones. A plain +corset-cover should be worn over them, as the lining of the +habit-waist sometimes discolors the corsets if this precaution is not +taken. + +[Sidenote: Boots, Breeches, Tights] + +Considerable latitude is permitted a woman in the choice of what she +shall wear under her skirt. Boots and breeches are considered better +form than shoes and trousers; but there is no reason why the latter +should not be used, especially if the shoes lace. Boots and tights, +however, are the most comfortable of all. Breeches are made of +stockinette, re-enforced with chamois skin, and reach half-way down +the calf, where they should button close to the leg--the buttons +being on the left side of each leg, that the right may not be bruised +by the buttons pressing against the saddle. Chamois skin is sometimes +used to make breeches, but it is not very satisfactory. At first they +are soft and pliable, but after being worn a few times they become +stiff and unyielding, and rain will render them hard as boards. + +Tan box-cloth gaiters, extending from the instep almost to the knee, +are sometimes worn with breeches and shoes. They are made exactly like +those for men, and take the place of boots. Boots may be of calf-skin +or patent leather, with wrinkled or stiff legs, the tops reaching a +few inches above the bottom of the breeches. In warm weather tan boots +are often worn; but, of whatever variety they may be, they should +always be large, with broad, thick soles and low, square heels. + +Trousers are of the same material as the skirt, and are also +re-enforced. Elastic bands passing under the shoes keep the trousers +down. Tights should be of the color of the habit, and fit smoothly +without being stretched. They come in different weights, and either +silk, cotton, or wool may be worn. They should have feet woven on +them, thus doing away with the necessity for all underclothing below +the waist. + +When breeches or trousers are worn, tights may advantageously be +substituted for the other usual garments worn under such conditions. +If tights are not worn, whatever replaces them should fit snugly and +be without starch or frills. The stockings should be kept up from the +waist, as garters chafe the knee when it presses the pommel, and +often interfere with the circulation. Some women wear union garments, +which are practically tights extending from the neck to the feet, +taking the place of shirts. However, when a shirt is worn it will be +most comfortable if of a light-weight wool. This absorbs the +perspiration, and is therefore pleasanter to wear than silk, and more +likely to protect from a cold. Outside of this should be the corset. + +When it is cold a chamois-skin waist with long sleeves should be worn +under the bodice, as this is much better than a fur cape, which is +often used, and which confines the arms. A covert coat is the most +convenient, but the former is more readily obtained. A wool shirt, +short corsets, plain corset-cover, and tights are all the +underclothing needed for riding. Some women wear a linen shirt, with +collar and cuffs attached, like a man's, except that it is narrowed +at the waist. With this the corset-cover is not needed. + +[Sidenote: Collars and Cuffs] + +Separate collars and cuffs are more generally used, and the scarf +should be pinned to the collar at the back, as these have a way of +parting company that is most untidy. To make it more certain, a clasp +or pin such as men use to hold a four-in-hand tie in place should +fasten the ends of the scarf to the shirt-front or corset-cover, thus +securing it against slipping. + +The cuffs should not be pinned to the sleeve, as the lining of the +coat will be torn, and the pin will catch on the habit and stretch and +roughen it in places. A small elastic band put over a button at the +wrist of the sleeve, and attached to the cuff-button, will answer +every purpose. + +[Sidenote: Gloves] + +Gauntlets should be discarded, and gloves worn large enough to admit +of the muscles of the hand being used freely. Dogskin of a reddish +shade of tan is the best material for gloves. The stitching is such as +to form slight ridges of the glove itself on the back of the hand, the +red stitches being scarcely perceptible at a little distance. It is +difficult to find women's gloves broad enough for comfort in riding, +and it is a good plan to buy boys' gloves, which give the desired +freedom. They have only one button, an advantage over women's, which +have two or three that are in the way under the cuff. + +Should the wrists need more protection from the cold, wristlets may be +worn, as they take up but little room. For cold weather, gloves come +in a softer kid, like chevrette, and have a fleecy lining, very warm, +but too soft and light to make the gloves clumsy. Flowers and jewelry +are decidedly out of place on horseback, and a handkerchief should +never be thrust into the front of the bodice. It should be put in the +slit on the off saddle-flap, or in the pocket at the left side of the +skirt where it opens. + +[Sidenote: Hair and Hat] + +The hair should be firmly coiled or braided on the neck, and not worn +on top of the head. A top hat is correct, especially on formal +occasions, but it should not be allowed to slip to the back of the +head. However, I prefer usually a derby, as being more comfortable and +looking more business-like. It should be kept on by an elastic which +fastens under the hair. Pins through the crown are an uncalled-for +disfigurement, and a hat may be made just as secure without them. In +fact, they will be of but little use if the hair is not done high. A +large hair-pin on each side should pin the hair over the elastic; and +if the wind or anything else causes the hat to become displaced, it +will not come off entirely, forcing some one to dismount and restore +it to the woman, who cannot get it alone. Hair-pins should be long and +bent half-way up each prong, so that they will not easily slip out. + +[Sidenote: Veil] + +[Sidenote: Whip or Crop] + +When a veil is worn, it should be of black net or gauze, never white +or figured, and the ends should be neatly pinned out of sight, instead +of being allowed to float out behind, like smoke from a steam-engine. +If a whip is carried for use, it should be a substantial stiff one, +held point down, not a flimsy thing that a sound blow will break, nor +should it be made absurd by a bow or tassel being tied to it. If for +style, then a crop is the correct thing, with the lash-end held up. +The handle should be of horn, rather than silver or gold, and the +stick quite heavy and somewhat flexible. Short bamboo sticks are in +favor just now, and are often tipped with gold, and have a gold band a +few inches from the end where it is held. + +[Illustration: CROP] + +[Sidenote: Spur] + +I do not approve of a spur for women, as it is difficult to use it +just right, and its unintentional application often has disastrous +results, while should she be dragged by the foot, it will keep hitting +the horse, urging him faster and faster. In mounting, the spur +sometimes strikes the horse, making him shy just as the rider expects +to reach the saddle, and a nasty fall is the consequence. Where a man +would use it advantageously, a woman cannot produce the same effect, +having it only on one side. Moreover, a horse suitable for her to ride +should not require more than her heel and her whip. + +[Illustration: A GOOD SPUR] + +Some horses are very cunning, and will shirk their work if they +discover that there is no spur to urge them, but such may be taught +that a whip in skilful hands is quite as effective. In a crowd a spur +is of value, as it may be applied noiselessly, and without danger of +startling other horses, as a whip will do. In leaping, a spur on one +side of the horse and the whip on the other form a combination which +will often compel him to jump when, from sulkiness or indolence, he +has been refusing. + +It requires some practice, however, to use it in the right place and +at the right moment; a woman's skirt has an unhappy faculty of +intercepting the spur when it should strike him, and her heel of +hitting the horse when it should leave him alone. For these reasons I +am in favor of women riding without a spur when it is possible, for, +although it looks well as a finish to a boot, its adoption by inexpert +riders may lead to sad results. + +If a spur is to be worn, there are several kinds from which to choose. +I prefer a box-spur with a rowel, such as men use, but having a +guard, which prevents it from catching in the habit, and lessens the +probabilities of its unintentionally punishing a horse. When it is +applied with force, the rowel comes through the guard, which works on +a spring, and upon releasing the pressure the guard again protects the +sharp rowel. They may be of the kind that fit in a box which has been +put in the heel of the boot, or they may have straps and buckle over +the instep. + + + + +VIII + +LEAPING + + +[Sidenote: Requirements] + +When a woman has attained some degree of proficiency in the saddle, +she will probably desire to perfect herself in riding by learning to +leap. Her equestrian education cannot be considered complete without +this, but she should not attempt it until she has learned thoroughly +how to ride correctly on the road. A secure seat, light hands, a cool +head, quick perception, judgment, and courage form a combination which +will enable her in a short time to acquire skill in jumping. Few women +possess all these qualities, but an effort should be made to obtain as +many of them as possible before trying to jump. + +[Sidenote: In the Ring] + +The first lessons should be on a horse which has been well trained to +this work and requires no assistance from his rider. He should inspire +confidence, and jump easily and surely rather than brilliantly. I +think it is well to begin in a school over bars, as there the rider is +not under the necessity of choosing a good take-off or landing, and is +thus free to give undivided attention to herself. + +[Sidenote: Approaching Jump] + +Three feet is high enough to put the bars at the start; or they may be +even lower should the rider feel timid. As she approaches the jump she +must sit firmly in the middle of the saddle (not hanging either to the +right or to the left, thereby upsetting the horse's balance), and she +must look straight at the obstacle, with her head up and her body +thrown a trifle back. The reins should at first be held in both +hands, for several reasons. It lessens the chances of sitting crooked, +and it prevents throwing up the right arm as the horse jumps--a common +and unsightly practice, calculated to frighten him and distract his +attention from his work, and to jerk his mouth, while it has no +redeeming features. In addition to this, when the horse lands, the +reins are not so liable to slip through two hands as through one. + +Approaching the jump, the horse should break into a moderate canter, +and the only rule his rider will be likely to remember at the first +trial will be to "lean back as he jumps and give him his head." As she +becomes accustomed to the action, her attention must be called to +details. While nearing the jump, she must keep her hands low, and just +feel her horse's mouth with the snaffle without interfering with it +or shifting her hold on the reins. Quiet, steady hands are +indispensable to success. + +[Illustration: TAKING OFF] + +[Sidenote: Taking off] + +[Sidenote: Landing] + +By watching his stride one can tell when he will take off. At that +moment he will stretch out his neck; then she must, by instantly +pushing them forward, let her hands yield to his mouth. This must be +accurately calculated, for should the pressure on his mouth be varied +too suddenly and at the wrong time, it would throw him out of his +stride by letting go of his mouth when he needed steadying. Some +advocate leaning forward before leaning back as the horse takes off, +but the slight involuntary motion communicated to the body by +thrusting the hands forward will be sufficient to precede the backward +movement. Before he has finished his effort, she must lean back just +enough (but no farther) to avoid being thrown forward by the action +of his quarters or by the angle at which he comes down. Her left heel +should not come in contact with him after he has taken off, although +she may strike him with it to urge him on if he goes at the jump too +slowly. Below the waist she must be firm and immovable; above, +yielding and flexible. As the horse lands, she regains her upright +position, and should be careful that he does not pull the reins +through her fingers. Under all circumstances she must have too firm a +hold on the reins to admit of such an occurrence. If the horse +stumbles at the moment of landing, he needs the support of her hands; +or should he bolt, it must not be necessary to pull in the slack rein +before being able to check him. + +[Sidenote: Lifting] + +One of the most erroneous theories extant is that it is desirable to +"lift" a horse at his fences. Doing so only necessitates carrying the +weight of his rider's hands on his mouth, and risks pulling the horse +into the jump, while he is hindered from stretching his neck, as he +must to land safely and correctly. Hanging on to his mouth is often +the cause of a horse's landing on all four feet at once, or dropping +too close to the jump. The pull on the reins holds him back, thus +inducing these bad habits, and will often make him refuse or dread to +jump, knowing that it entails a sharp jerk on his sensitive mouth. To +a casual or ignorant observer it sometimes looks as though a good +rider were "lifting" his horse; but it only appears so because, +knowing intuitively at just what instant his hands must yield, he so +accurately gives to the animal's mouth that the action of the horse's +mouth and the rider's hands is simultaneous. + +[Illustration: ABOUT TO LAND] + +[Sidenote: Out of Doors] + +After some practice in the ring, a woman may try jumping out-of-doors, +for inside there is not a sufficient variety of obstacles; and she +should then have a breast-plate attached to her saddle. By this time +she should, in jumping, hold her reins in one hand, the snaffle +inside, curb outside, and quite loose. As she goes towards a jump, her +right hand should be placed in front of the left on the snaffle to +steady the horse. In this way she can remove it without leaving an +uneven pressure on the horse's mouth, as would be the case if, as is +customary, her hand had rested on the two right reins, then been +suddenly withdrawn in order to urge the horse with the whip, or to +protect the face from overhanging branches. + +[Sidenote: Pilot] + +The most favorable conditions under which a woman may begin jumping +in the country are when she can go across fields with a capable pilot +to give her a lead over some easy timber or walls. She must never +forget to see that the horse in front of her is well away from the +fence before she jumps, or she will risk landing on top of him if he +makes a mistake; or if he refuses, her horse, if too near, would be +forced to do likewise. She should not allow herself to become +dependent on the services of a pilot, or let her horse become +accustomed to jumping only when he has a lead; therefore she must +learn to choose a panel of the fence for herself. + +[Sidenote: Selecting a Panel] + +Supposing the fences to be moderate, she must decide, as she canters +towards the first, where she will jump, and there are a number of +considerations by which she must be governed. First, to find a panel +which is low, for in riding across country it is wise to save one's +mount, as all his strength may be needed at a big place later on. Then +the take-off must be looked to, sound level turf being chosen if +possible; and if the landing is plainly visible, so much the better. A +moderately thick top rail is often safer to put a horse at than a very +thin round one, which is liable to be a sapling, that will not break +if a horse tries to crash through it, as he is sometimes tempted to do +by its fragile appearance. + +It is well to send a horse at the middle of a panel; for, should he +hit it, this, being the weakest spot, may break, while should he hit +nearer the end, where it is strong, he may be thrown. Such details as +these she will observe instinctively with a little practice. Having +decided where she will jump, her horse's head must be pointed straight +at the place, and her mind must not waver. If the rider is determined +to go, and has no misgivings, the horse is sure to be inspired with +the same confidence. + +Having once put him at a panel, she should avoid changing her mind +without good reason, as her uncertainty will be imparted to him. A +fence such as described is jumped just as are the bars in the ring; +safely over it, the next obstacle must be examined. + +[Sidenote: Stone Wall] + +If it be a stone wall, it may often be taken in one of two +places--either where it is high and even, or where it is lower and +wide, because of the stones which have fallen from the top. In the +first instance it should be jumped in a collected manner, but at a +slower pace than the second requires. At the latter some speed is +necessary, as the horse must jump wide enough to avoid the rolling +stones on both sides. + +[Sidenote: In Hand] + +Few riders remember that it is as important to keep a horse collected +when going fast as at any other time. When he is hurried along, no +chance is given him to measure his stride or get his legs well under +him, but he is nevertheless expected to take off correctly and clear +the obstacle. + +A good rider will always have her horse well in hand, and never hustle +him at his fences, even if she goes at them with considerable speed. + +[Sidenote: Trappy Ground and Drops] + +If the take-off looks treacherous, or is ploughed or muddy, the horse +should be brought to it at a trot, well collected, and allowed to take +his time at it. + +When the ground approaching the jump is uphill, or descending, the +same tactics should be pursued, and unlimited rein given the horse. On +encountering a drop on the far side of a fence or wall, a woman must +lean back as far as possible, leaving the reins long, but ready to +support the horse's head as he lands. At a trappy place, where, for +instance, there might be a broken-down fence among some trees, +overgrown with vines and bushes, the horse must be taken quietly and +slowly and made to crawl through the gap. His rider will even then +have enough trouble in keeping her feet clear of the vines, and in +preventing the branches from hitting her face, which she could not do +if a jump were made with a rush. If her horse carries his head high, +she can probably pass where it has been without injury by leaning +forward over his withers, to the right, and raising her right arm to +ward off the branches with her whip or crop. + +[Sidenote: In-and-out] + +Sometimes she will not notice a limb or other obstruction until almost +under it, when it will be necessary for her to lean back, resting her +shoulders on the horse's quarters. Under these circumstances it is +most important that her right arm should guard her eyes from pieces of +bark or other falling particles. Where two fences are within a few +feet of each other, forming an "in-and-out," the pace needs to be +carefully regulated. If the horse goes very fast, he will jump so wide +that he will land too close to the second fence to take off as he +should. Therefore if he is rushing, his stride must be shortened and +his hind-legs brought well under him. + +On the other hand, he must not go so slowly that all impetus for the +second effort is lost, as he would then be likely to refuse. It is +difficult to turn him in so short a space and get him into his stride +before he is called upon to jump. + +At a ditch or stream considerable speed is needed to gain the momentum +necessary to cover the distance, and the horse must have plenty of +rein given him. + +[Sidenote: Picket and Slat Fences] + +A picket fence is usually regarded as a very formidable obstacle, but +if negotiated properly it is no worse than others. It should be taken +at a good rate of speed, for the danger is that the horse will get +hung up on it and be cut with the points by not having enough impetus. +It is not so dangerous to hit this fence in front, for it is frail and +the top of the pickets will snap off at the binder if hit with force. +A slat fence is more to be dreaded, on account of the ledge on the top +of it formed by the binder. This should be taken with deliberation, as +the thing to be guarded against is having the horse hit his knees on +the ledge which protrudes a couple of inches beyond the fence. The +lower slats give way easily if they are approached from the side where +the posts are; if from the opposite direction, they are braced against +the posts and offer great resistance. + +[Sidenote: Wire] + +Any fence that has wire on it should be avoided if possible, unless +the horse has been trained to jump it. When it extends along the top +of a fence, the horse should be made to jump a post, as it is not safe +to count on his seeing the wire. If the fence is made of strands of +wire, with only a binder of timber, it should be taken slowly, so that +the horse will not attempt to crash through it, under the impression +that it is a single bar. + +[Sidenote: Combined Obstacles] + +A stone wall having a rail on top must be taken in the horse's stride, +for considerable swing is required, as there is width as well as +height to clear. When a ditch is on the near side of a wall or fence, +the horse should be allowed time to see it. When it is on the landing +side, he should be sent at it fast enough to carry him safely over. + +Thus far I have been supposing that the horse has gone without a +mistake. Under these circumstances he should not be struck--just to +encourage him, as some maintain--or he will grow to dislike jumping if +associated with a blow. + +No woman who rides much can expect to be always so perfectly mounted; +therefore, a few suggestions as to what she should do in emergencies +may be of practical value. + +[Sidenote: Refusing] + +[Sidenote: Timidity] + +The most common fault of the jumper is refusing, and it must be dealt +with according to its cause. If it arises from weakness in the hocks, +the horse hesitating to propel himself by them, or from weak knees, +or corns that cause him to dread the concussion of landing, he should +not be forced to jump--it is both cruel and unsafe. If he be sound and +well, and the fence not beyond his capabilities, the rider must know +whether the disinclination to jump comes from timidity or from temper. +She will soon learn to distinguish between the two, but it is +difficult to lay down any rule for recognizing the difference. If she +thinks it is for the former reason, the cause may be that he was not +in his stride when he should have taken off, and was allowed to sprawl +as he cantered. She should take him back and keep him well collected, +making him take short, quick strides in the canter, measuring the +distance, and giving him his head when he should take off. If he seems +inclined to swerve or hesitate, the whip, applied just when he should +rise, will often prevent his stopping. When over, a caress and a word +of praise will greatly encourage him. + +[Sidenote: Temper] + +Temper is a very different and a very difficult thing to manage. +Coaxing and ingenuity may accomplish something; turning him short at +another place will often surprise him into jumping before he realizes +it. The human voice has great power over animals, and a few loud, +sharp exclamations, with a quick use of the whip, may make him take +off when otherwise he would have refused. A really obstinate horse, +having made up his mind not to jump, needs such a thrashing as a woman +is seldom able to give him. If she begins it, she must keep it up +until she has conquered him, or he will try the same trick constantly. + +As a horse almost invariably turns to the left when he refuses, a +sharp crack on the near shoulder, being unusual and unexpected, +sometimes prevents his turning. When, in one way or another, he +finally has been forced to yield, he should be rewarded by a few words +of approval. At the next fence a firm hold, keeping his head straight +and his legs well under him, will be of more service than a whip, +unless he refuses again, when the lesson must be repeated. + +[Sidenote: Rider at Fault] + +At least half of the refusals are the fault of the rider, and it is +most unjust to punish a horse at such times. Unfortunately, conceit is +such a common failing that few of us are willing to acknowledge +ourselves in the wrong, therefore the poor horse suffers for our +error. The timid rider sends the horse at an obstacle in such a +half-hearted way that he does not know whether he is expected to jump +or not; or, feeling his rider waver, he imagines there must be unknown +dangers connected with the place, and so hesitates to encounter them. +One of a woman's frequent failings is shifting the reins as she nears +a jump. This form of nervousness is very disconcerting to a horse, and +takes his mind from the work in front of him. + +Lack of skill makes one lug at a horse's mouth just as he is getting +ready to jump, thus throwing him out of his stride and frustrating his +effort. After one or two refusals, a woman often puts her horse at the +place in a mechanical way, fully expecting the animal to stop, and +doing nothing to guard against such an occurrence. If she would +instead then summon all her courage, and determine to go either over +or through the fence, and ride at it with resolution, the horse would +be infected with her spirit and probably clear the obstacle, as he +would have done at first had his rider's heart then been in the right +place. In such cases it does not seem fair to punish a horse for our +own want of nerve. + + + + +IX + +LEAPING--(_Continued_) + + +[Sidenote: Rushers] + +On a horse which rushes when put at a jump, the use of the whip will +only make matters worse. This habit of rushing comes most frequently +from the horse having been frightened while being taught to jump, +either by extreme harshness and punishment or from having hurt himself +severely. Even if it comes from viciousness, quiet, kind treatment +will do more to eradicate the tendency than coercive measures. + +Such a horse should be walked towards a fence until within half a +dozen strides of it. This can best be achieved by not indicating that +he will be expected to jump, but by approaching it as though by +chance. Otherwise the restraint will make him the more unmanageable +when he does start. He should be induced to stand a few moments, while +his rider strokes him and talks to him in a soothing way. The snaffle +should then be gradually and quietly shortened until there is a light +but firm feeling on the reins, when a pressure of the leg (not of the +heel, which might suggest a spur) will put him to a trot. If the hands +be held low and steady and the voice be soft and pacifying, they will +probably prevail upon him to trot all the way, although he may break +into a canter a stride before the jump. When over it he should be +gently, not sharply, pulled up, and coaxed to walk again, or, better +still, to trot slowly. When he has learned to jump from the trot he +will soon do so from a slow canter, which will be more trying for him, +as it has a closer resemblance to the gait at which he has been in +the habit of rushing, and he will therefore be inclined to return to +his old failing. + +[Sidenote: Balkers] + +Sometimes a horse will not go near a fence, and on being urged will +back or rear. If he persists in backing, his head should be turned +away from the jump, and when he finds his movements only bring him +nearer the fence, he will stop. If then he is made to wheel suddenly, +and can be kept going by whip or spur, he will be likely to jump. +Should he, instead, face the direction in which he should go, and rear +whenever an attempt is made to urge him forward, the whip only +inciting him to rear higher, the woman who hopes to triumph over him +must resort to strategy; she must not whip him, at the risk of his +falling back on her. + +A ruse which may prove successful is to occupy his attention by +playing with his mouth while he is allowed to go diagonally towards +the fence. He will be apt to concede this point, in the hope of +bolting alongside of it; but when he has been inveigled into a closer +proximity to the jump, even if he be parallel to it, and before he has +time to divine his rider's intention, he should be turned sharply to +the fence. He must be ridden at it resolutely and with a firm hand, +while a determined swing of the body, corresponding to his stride, +conveys to his mind the impression that he will be forced to jump. If +he can be kept moving forward, he cannot rear; therefore, should he +attempt to swerve or bolt, a blow from the whip will keep him +straight, and when he should take off, another will guard against a +refusal. + +[Sidenote: Sluggards] + +A sluggish animal calls for constant watching, as he cannot be +trusted at small places any more than at large ones. He is always +liable to rap, or even fall, at his fences, because of the careless, +slovenly manner in which he moves. He should be forced up to the bit, +and kept active by the whip, the noise of which is desirable in his +case, as it will assist in rousing him. If his laziness or sulkiness +is such that he will endeavor to crash through fences, he is not +suitable for any woman to ride. He may miscalculate his power and come +in contact with a rail which withstands his weight, when a fall will +ensue. + +In this case the lunging-rein should be resorted to, and, either in a +ring or out-of-doors, the horse should be put over some stiff bars, +that he may learn he will be hurt if he touches them. I do not approve +of intentionally throwing him by pulling him in the jump; there are +too many chances of his being injured, even though he has no weight to +carry. The bars should be strong enough to sustain his weight, without +breaking, so that if he hits them hard he will have a tumble and a +lesson. The top bar should, if possible, be covered with straw, to +protect the knees from sharp edges. Some forcible raps and a few +tumbles will teach the horse the necessity of exerting himself, and +how to bend his knees and lift his hind-legs over a jump. + +[Sidenote: Falls] + +A fall is, at the best, a dangerous and often a disastrous affair for +a woman, whose very position on a horse lessens the chance of escape +from such a predicament without injury. A safety skirt will prevent +her being dragged; but much harm may result from the fall, even though +she be clear of the horse when he gets up. If she is not hurt, there +is still danger that the shock to her nerves will weaken her pluck. +Should such symptoms appear, she should remount at once; for the +longer she waits the greater will be her apprehension, and it might +end in her never regaining her nerve. She should make as light of the +casualty as possible, and not regard it seriously if she has been only +somewhat bruised or shaken up. + +It is marvellous how many and what ugly falls one can encounter +without being any the worse for them; nevertheless, no precaution +should be neglected to prevent exposure to them. When a woman has +experienced several, she will know instinctively what to do; but at +first she should try to bear in mind some points which may help her on +such occasions. + +A rider not accustomed to jumping will probably lose her seat if the +horse hits a fence with much force; as she feels herself going she +should try to grasp the animal's neck, and not attempt to keep on by +the aid of the reins, for by so doing she might throw him. Even if she +has gone farther than the saddle, if she can fling her weight, above +the waist, to the off side of the horse's neck, she will balance there +for a moment, and that will give her time to grasp the saddle and pull +herself back. Should she find herself beyond that, then as she slips +off she can keep her head from the ground by seizing hold of the +breast-plate with one hand, but without letting go of the reins. + +These must always be retained, as their possession renders it +impossible for the horse to reach her with his heels, and precludes +the chance of his getting away. + +If the horse bungles the jump, or comes down on his knees without +disturbing his rider's equilibrium, and seems likely to fall, a woman +cannot disentangle herself from him in time to get away. If he should +go down, therefore, she must sit evenly, leaning back, that her weight +may be taken from his fore-legs, while he is allowed plenty of rein. +He may thus regain his balance or his footing after a scramble; but it +will be impossible, in a slow fall like this, for a woman to be thrown +clear of him. As he will not roll immediately, the closer she sits the +better; so that if he tumbles on his near side, the force of the blow +will be broken by the pommels, which, if she be sitting close, will +hit the ground first, thus protecting her legs from the concussion. +Moreover, if she were half out of the saddle, the pommels might +strike her chest or crush a rib, and she would be more likely to be +kicked. + +As the horse makes an effort to get up, she must be ready to extricate +herself from him and scramble as far away as possible, as the danger +then is that he will not regain his feet, but will sink down a second +time and thus roll over his prostrate rider. + +If he should fall on his off side, a woman must strive to get clear on +that side as he lands, and not where the horse's feet are. + +Where a ditch has caused a fall, it is usually from unsound banks; +therefore, in attempting to climb out, firmer ground should be chosen. +If the woman has been thrown and the horse has landed on top of her, +the ditch being deep or narrow, she must try to keep his head down +until help arrives, so that he cannot strike her, as he might do, +because of the limited space, in his struggles to get up. + +In a stream, if she has preserved her seat, she must keep the horse +moving, or he will be inclined to lie down. + +If she has been thrown into the water, she must obtain a hold on the +saddle and the reins, but use only the former to support herself until +the horse reaches the shore. + +In all of these events a cool head and presence of mind will be of the +greatest assistance; but when a horse turns completely over at a +fence, or falls heavily and without warning, to drop her stirrup, +relax her muscles, and get clear of him as best she may is all a woman +can do. + +Occasionally, after a number of jumps, the girths become loosened and +the saddle begins to turn. In such an emergency the horse's mane +should be firmly grasped and the foot taken out of the stirrup. The +horse should be quieted and stopped, if he is not too much startled by +the turning saddle. With a breast-plate it will probably not turn all +the way, and her hold of the mane will enable a woman to keep her head +up until some one comes to the rescue. + +It will probably be a long time before such a variety of contingencies +as I have mentioned will happen to any one rider. A well-mounted woman +may jump a great deal and escape with only a few tumbles. If she +perseveres, there will be so many delightful experiences to +counterbalance each mishap that she will gladly risk the consequences +of indulging in a sport which, to so great an extent as leaping, +develops her nerve, skill, and self-possession. + + + + +X + +RIDING TO HOUNDS + + +Whether hounds are running on the scent of a fox or a drag, a woman +who is following them should always remember certain points to guide +her in her conduct and in the management of her horse while in the +field. + +[Sidenote: Courtesy] + +Many a beginner renders herself objectionable by striving to take a +place among the hard riders of the first flight. + +It is not to be expected that a woman without experience in the +hunting-field can keep up with those who have followed hounds for +several seasons; and should she attempt it, the probable result would +be a fall not only endangering herself and her horse, but compelling +some man to come to her assistance, and thereby perhaps lose the +remainder of the run. Even though too well mounted to have this occur, +there are countless ways in which a novice, in endeavoring to keep on +even terms with the leaders, may unwittingly call down anything but +blessings on her head from those for whose good opinion she most +cares. It is a mistake for her to suppose that people are watching +her, ready to admire her pluck and dash, when she crashes through +fences because her horse was not collected, or rides so close to the +hounds as to risk hitting them. If she flatters herself that she is +cutting out the work, it is pretty certain she has no business to be +so far forward, and that she will add to the number of men who +consider the hunting-field no place for women. + +[Sidenote: The Novice] + +A beginner should be content to stay behind the first flight until, +by experience and skill, she has earned the right to take a better +place. At first she should find out which of the men go straight, yet +ride cautiously and manage to keep the hounds in sight. Such a one she +should choose as her pilot, rather than a reckless rider or one who +shirks his fences. Unless she is very well acquainted with him, a +woman should not let a man know that she is following him. It annoys +him to think that some one is "tagging on behind," or that he is +responsible for the jumps she takes. Above all things, she must +invariably give him or any one in front of her time to get well away +from a jump before she takes it. This is of the utmost importance, and +is a point neglected by men and women alike in the excitement and +impatience of a run. + +If she desires to be looked upon otherwise than as a nuisance, she +must be as unobtrusive and cool-headed as possible, always courteous +to and considerate of others, patient when waiting for her turn at a +narrow place, and not try to take jumps that well-mounted, hard-riding +men deem impracticable. + +[Sidenote: Hard Riding] + +Women seldom need to be urged on in the hunting-field; they require +rather to be cautioned and restrained. If they are new at it, they do +not know the dangers to which they are exposed, so go recklessly; if +they appreciate the chances they take, they grit their teeth and go +desperately; if they are timid they nevertheless resolve not to be +outdone, and, trusting all to their horse, go blindly, even closing +their eyes at a critical moment. Therefore hard riding does not prove +that a woman has either pluck or skill. She is an exception who goes +straight and keeps with the hounds without taking foolish risks, +unnecessarily tiring her mount, or interfering with others, for this +requires judgment, discretion, skill, and nerve. + +[Sidenote: Jealous Riding] + +An undesirable trait observed in many instances is jealous +riding. This cannot be too strongly condemned, not only for the +unsportsmanlike spirit it betrays, but because it often threatens the +safety of others than those who ride in that manner. A jealous rider +crowds past people, jumps too close to them, and is constantly trying +to be among the first, regardless of the consequences to those he or +she hurries by. The motive that usually actuates a woman in such a +case is vanity. She cannot bear to see another woman ahead of her, so +she dashes along unmindful of the rules of etiquette and the +hunting-field, until by pushing, crowding, and taking big chances for +herself and against others, she reaches the object of her jealousy, +thinking to wrest from her the admiration of the field. If the other +woman is of the same mind and objects to being passed, a steeple-chase +will ensue that may end in accidents, disabled hounds, and bad +feelings. Admiration is far from the minds of the spectators, who do +not fail to see that jealousy and vanity, not eagerness for sport, are +the incentives to such hard riding. + +[Sidenote: Desirable Qualities] + +When a woman begins riding to hounds, she should already have had some +experience in larking a horse across country, and be acquainted with +the way to take the different kinds of jumps she will encounter during +a run. If she starts with a good seat and hands, pluck and nerve, a +little time and practice will add composure, judgment, and discretion, +and the experience necessary to cross a stiff country without mishap. +She may then discard the services of a pilot and ride her own line. + +[Sidenote: Getting Away] + +When hounds are thrown in, she must watch them, and, although not +interfering with their work, be ready to get away on good terms with +them when they begin to run. + +Indecision at the first two jumps may cost one dearly, for during that +moment of hesitation hounds slip away, horses crowd one another and +begin to refuse, while the few who make the most of their +opportunities ride on ahead with the hounds. Much hard galloping may +retrieve the lost ground, but a stern chase is always disheartening to +horse and rider. By getting away in front, both are encouraged, and +start with mutual good-will and satisfaction--relations which should +always exist between a hunter and his rider. + +[Sidenote: Indecision] + +If, after pointing her horse's head at a certain part of a jump, she +thinks another place is more inviting, she must not change her course, +unless certain that she can do so without inconveniencing some one +else who may have been going straight at it. + +It is inexcusable to turn from one place to another by cutting in +ahead of following riders. It throws their horses out of their stride, +and may force them to pull up in order to avoid a collision. +Therefore, in suddenly changing her direction, a woman must assure +herself that she is at least half a dozen lengths in front of her +follower, who is going straight, or she must wait until she has been +passed. + +[Sidenote: Right of Way] + +When a horse refuses, the rule is that the rider shall immediately +pull out and give the next a chance to jump. This is so often +overlooked in the field, that a few words seem desirable to impress +its importance upon the minds of those who hunt. + +Women particularly seem to consider themselves privileged to keep +their horse at a fence while he refuses at each trial, blocking the +way, if there is no other place to jump, of those in their rear. +Frequently, when her horse refuses, his rider thinks there is time to +try it again before the next one reaches the place; she puts him at +the fence, in her hurry turning him so short he could not jump if he +wanted to, and the result is that he stops just as the other horse +arrives, whose rider is thereby obliged to pull up. + +Had the woman pulled to one side in the first place, and waited until +her follower had given her horse a lead, which would probably have +induced him to jump, both would have been in the next field much +sooner than her impatience in the first instance eventually permitted. + +[Sidenote: Funk] + +A horse should not be ridden behind one that is likely to refuse, or +he may be inclined to imitate the misdoings of his predecessor. + +In the same way, it is injudicious to take a horse to a place where +others are refusing, either from their own or their riders' timidity. +He is liable to be infected with their faint-heartedness; for it needs +an unusually sensible, reliable horse to be the first to jump out from +a crowd at a place that has stopped those in front of him. + +It is far better for a woman to choose another way of reaching the +hounds than to risk adding to the number of refusers, unless she be so +well mounted as to be sure of giving the rest a lead. + +[Sidenote: Excitable and Sluggish Horses] + +A hot-headed, excitable horse will go more quietly if he can be made +to think he is ahead of the others. Therefore his rider should choose +a line for herself, apart from the others, and if he is a good +performer it will be safer to put him at a big jump where he can take +it coolly than to trust him at a smaller place where other horses are +crowding and goading him into a state of such impatience that in his +anxiety to overtake any one in front of him he will jump without +calculation, and endanger all in his vicinity by kicking, rearing, or +rushing. + +A sluggish horse, on the contrary, should be kept near others, that +their lead and example may arouse his ambition and keep up his heart. +It will not do to allow such a horse to fall far behind, as he will +probably get discouraged and refuse to jump without a fight, at the +end of which the hunt may have disappeared in the distance. + +[Sidenote: Proximity to Hounds] + +It is never wise to ride on the line of hounds, but rather to the +right or left of them. Horses directly behind them frighten the hounds +and interfere with their hunting. It also makes a few run very fast to +keep from being galloped over, while many others sneak away or get +behind the horses, of whose heels they stand in terror. + +It is a nuisance to be obliged to stop and give some slow hound a +chance to get by, or, if not considerate enough to do this, no rider +likes to see a hound going through a fence with the probability of +having a horse jump on him, should he pause for a moment on the other +side. + +A woman will escape these occurrences if she will keep to one side of +the pack. In this position it is permissible to ride farther up than +when so doing would bring her too near the pack; but the leading +hounds must be watched closely, and should always be allowed plenty of +room to turn sharp to the side where she is, without bringing them in +contact with her horse. The instant they check, or even hover, for a +moment, a woman must stop, and for two reasons: + +In the first place, because she does not want to be in the way should +it be necessary to cast the hounds in her direction; and, secondly, +because she should seize every opportunity of giving her horse a few +moments' respite, which she can afford to do if well enough up to +notice what the hounds are doing. + +[Sidenote: Choosing a Line] + +She must be guided as to her course by the character of the country +over which she is riding. + +If the hounds run over a succession of small hills, much unnecessary +exertion may often be spared the horse by galloping around the base of +them, instead of over their crest. But the hounds must not be lost +sight of too long, or a sharp turn may hide them from view and conceal +the line they have taken. + +When a very steep hill is to be descended, it should be done by going +down sideways in a zig-zag course, so that in case of a slip or +stumble the horse will not roll over, as he might if attempting to +make the descent in a straight line. + +If the going is rough or through furze or some low growth of +underbrush, a woman should sit well back in her saddle, and although +guiding her horse, allow him plenty of rein to stretch his neck and +see where he is putting his feet. Should he stumble or step into a +hole, she will in this way have the best chance of keeping her seat, +and he of regaining his balance. + +If riding in a district where wire is extensively used for fencing, it +will not do for a woman to go very far to one side of the hounds or to +try to cut out a line for herself, unless she knows the country. +Otherwise she may get pocketed by the wire, which few horses here are +trained to jump, and which, therefore, should not be ridden at. In +this case she would have to go back the way she came until she could +get clear of it. + +In jumping towards the sun, extra precautions should be taken. A horse +is often quite blinded, and unable to accurately gauge the size of the +jump he is to take, especially if it is timber. When the rays are +directly in his eyes, the best thing to do is to walk him up to and +alongside of the fence for a few yards, giving him a chance to measure +it, then take him back and put him at it. This must not be done where +it will interfere with any one else, but in any case such a jump must +be approached slowly. + +Wide ditches and streams are probably shirked as often as any kind of +jump. Too much preparation for them excites the horse's suspicions and +makes him hesitate, then refuse. A horse must be kept collected, yet +sent along too fast to admit of any faltering on his part, and there +must be no involuntary checking of his stride as the rider tries to +see the depth or width of ditch or stream. When such are in sight, it +is well to quicken the horse's pace, that he may reach the place +before he sees any horse refusing, or before the banks have been made +unsound by the jumping of the others. Each horse will probably widen +the distance as the ground gives way beneath him, so a woman must use +her own judgment in deciding where she will jump, instead of following +some one else. + +A bog or swamp is a most disagreeable place in which to be caught, and +calls for calmness to get out without a wetting or fall. To quiet the +horse is the first thing, and prevent his plunging into it deeper and +deeper, as he will with every struggle. Should he be sinking, his +rider must get off, keeping hold of the reins, for, although their +combined weight would cause the bog to give beneath them, they might +separately be able to keep on the surface, and quietly and gradually +work their way to firm ground. + +Whenever one comes upon something that cannot be seen at a distance, +such as a hole, a drop, or a wire, the first person who discovers it +should warn those behind by shouting back what it is, and, if +possible, motioning where it is, that those in the rear may avoid it, +each person cautioning the next one. + + + + +XI + +SYMPATHY BETWEEN HORSE AND WOMAN + + +The advantages derived from the existence of sympathy between horse +and rider cannot be too highly estimated. When a woman gives her horse +to understand that he will be ruled by kindness, he is very certain to +serve her far more willingly and faithfully than if she tried to +control him by force. If he has learned to be fond of her voice, it +will calm and reassure him in moments of excitement which might +otherwise result in a runaway; it will stimulate him to expend his +best energies at her command, when force or punishment would fail, and +will do more to establish a mutual understanding in a few weeks than +would be gained in as many months of silent control. + +A horse soon learns to distinguish the intonation of words of praise +from those of censure, terms of endearment from admonition, and will +often respond to them more readily than to severe discipline. + +Few horses are so dull as not to be susceptible to kindness, or so +vicious as not to be influenced by gentle treatment. + +[Sidenote: Talking to Horse] + +I do not approve of a woman, once she is in the saddle, entering upon +a lengthy address of endearment to her horse if she is riding with +friends. They may care for a little of her attention themselves; it is +just as well not to show them the horse is the more interesting, even +if she feels so. + +Moreover, incessant chatter becomes after a little time so familiar to +the animal that the voice loses its power when intended to convey a +definite meaning, and he fails to distinguish the difference between +commands and idle pettings. + +It is only necessary to reprove him, to give words of command, such as +"walk," "trot," "canter," "whoa," which he may easily be taught to +obey, and a few words accompanied by a caress to soothe, encourage, or +command him when the occasion presents itself. + +When living in the country, with a stable near the house, a woman is +afforded the most favorable opportunity of making friends with her +horse. + +A good way to begin will be to dismount at the stable after a ride and +take off the saddle and bridle. + +It is very simple, for it is only to unbuckle the outside leather +girth, stirrup leather, two inside girths, and perhaps a balance +strap, and take off the saddle, unfasten the throat latch, lip strap, +and curb chain on the bridle, throw the reins over his head, and take +hold of the headstall, when he will withdraw his head. + +She must have his halter ready to put on at once, or he might pull +away. + +This will give him a pleasant impression of her, which is an important +point gained. + +Should she through some mistake find no one in the stable, and the +horse in a heat at the end of her ride, she should not hesitate to +scrape him herself, brush the mud off his legs, put a light blanket on +him, give him only a mouthful of water, and put him in his stall with +a little hay. If she will rub his ears, and sponge out his mouth, it +will be a great relief to him. + +All this should be accomplished in a quiet manner, nothing done to +alarm or excite him; and she may talk to him most of the time, and +thus become quite friendly with him. + +[Sidenote: In the Stall] + +When she visits him in the stall, she should always speak before +touching him or entering, otherwise he might be startled and kick or +plunge from fright. + +If in a standing stall, entrance should always be made at the near +side of the horse. + +I greatly prefer a loose box in which the horse may turn at his +pleasure. If he eats too much of his bedding, it is better to keep a +leather muzzle on him than to tie his head up. + +Before opening the door of the box, he should be induced to face it, +to avoid the possibility of his kicking. This can be managed by +offering him some sugar, carrots, or oats, which he will come for, +held quietly on the palm of the hand, with the fingers out of his +reach. + +It is well for a woman, at first, to keep a light hold of the halter, +so that he cannot crush her against the wall or hit her with his head. +She should never put her head above his, or a severe knock may be the +result. She should pet him, avoiding all sudden movements, and +accustom him to her voice; when it has become familiar to him, he will +listen for it, and neigh at her approach. + +If he seems inclined to kick, the closer she keeps to him the better, +as then she will receive only a shove, instead of the full force of +the blow. If he shows a tendency to nip or bite, from play or +mischief, he should be muzzled until, by coaxing and kindness, he has +been made to give it up. + +To strike him would be to turn his playful though dangerous prank into +a vicious habit. + +In petting him she should begin by stroking his neck, and gradually +work down and backwards with a firm, light touch, until he does not +resent being handled. He must be taught to let her lean on any part of +him, and not to fear her skirts. This is often of value in case a +woman is thrown and her habit catches on the saddle; for if the horse +were accustomed to her weight and skirt being against him, he would +not become frightened. Knowing her voice, he might be quieted by it, +and had he learned the important lesson of stopping at the word +"whoa," she might escape being dragged. + +[Sidenote: On the Road] + +If in the course of a ride a woman dismounts at a house or stable, she +should always be sure that a light blanket is immediately thrown over +her horse. She should not start for a ride until some time after her +horse has been fed, or his digestion will become impaired, as would +hers under similar circumstances. After mounting, it is always well, +by a light hold of the snaffle, to make a horse walk a short while; it +is most annoying to have him start with a series of plunges or an +inclination to bolt. + +If he is so fresh that he will not walk without restraint likely to +irritate him, perhaps spoiling his temper for the rest of the ride, it +will be better to let him indulge in a brisk trot, after which he may +be brought back to a walk. The next time, if having had more work, he +will walk at first, while had his mouth been jerked the previous time, +or a fight ensued, he would remember it, and prepare for a repetition +of the performance. + +A horse should not of his own will be allowed to change his gaits, but +his rider must think to vary them; for if the horse is kept on one +too long, it tires him unnecessarily and causes him to travel +carelessly. Whatever gait she makes him adopt, it should be distinct +and regular, and he should be kept collected and not urged beyond the +pace at which he can comfortably travel. + +[Sidenote: Cautions] + +A jog-trot, trotting in front and cantering behind, and other such +eccentricities, should not be permitted in a park hack. + +In turning a corner, the horse should always be somewhat supported, +and have his hind-legs brought well under him, or he will be liable to +slip. He should never be cantered around a corner unless leading with +the foot towards which he will turn. + +He should not be pulled up abruptly, unless to avoid sudden obstacles, +but his pace should be gradually decreased until it is as required. A +sharp stop entails considerable strain on the back tendons and hocks, +and if done too often would be apt to make the horse throw a curb. + +In going downhill, a walk is the gait which should be taken, or the +horse's fore-legs will suffer. Should the ground be uneven and rough, +or covered with rolling stones, the horse ought to be permitted to +walk. His head should not be held too tightly, or he will be unable to +see where he is going, while if the reins are slack he will appreciate +that he must pick his way, and then will seldom put a foot wrong. + +It is most undesirable to canter where there is a hard road; nothing +will more quickly use up a horse than pounding along, each stride +laying the foundation of windgalls and stiffness, if nothing more +serious results from this ill-advised practice. + +If a horse is at all warm, he must never be allowed to stand in a +draught; five minutes of it might founder him, so that he would be +ruined, or thrown into pneumonia. If, while on her ride, a woman +should be forced to wait, she must keep her horse moving in a circle +or any other way, keeping his chest from the wind as much as possible. +Before reaching home, the horse should be walked for some time, so +that he may enter the stable cool, and not be endangered by draughts +if not attended to at once. + +When riding with others, their horses should be regarded; and as the +woman sets the pace, she should not make it faster than that which her +companions' horses can easily maintain. + + + + +XII + +PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE STABLE + + +[Sidenote: Stabling] + +The woman should visit her horse in the stable, and there she cannot +talk to him too much. If it be a private one, I assume that it is +constructed on hygienic principles; but as horses are frequently +boarded at livery-stables, a woman should not leave the choice of a +stall to her groom. She should see that of those procurable it is the +best drained and ventilated, though free from draughts, and well +lighted. If these conditions are not obtained, sickness and incapacity +may be looked for in the horse. She should notice the feed +occasionally, and see that her horse is supplied with all he requires, +and of the best quality, and that he has an abundance of good +bedding. A frequent or indiscriminate use of physics is to be +deprecated. Pure air, good food, careful grooming, and regular, +moderate exercise are the best tonics. + +[Sidenote: Picking up Feet] + +She must learn to pick up her horse's feet, as she should examine his +shoes personally, and ascertain that they have been made to fit the +feet, instead of the horn being rasped away to fit the shoes. The +soles must be pared, but the frogs and bars should not be interfered +with. She cannot expect to have the shoes on more than a month; +although, if the horse has not had enough work to wear them down, they +may be removed and put on again, for were they worn too long, corns +and inflammation, causing lameness, would be the result. Another +reason for knowing how to lift his feet is that he might pick up a +stone on the road, and if alone she would be obliged to take it out, +or run the risk of seriously laming him. While a woman is playing with +him is an excellent opportunity for her to look at her horse's feet, +which should be taken up in the following manner. + +She must stand on his near side, a trifle back of his fore-legs, and +facing his hind ones. She should run her left hand from his knee to +his fetlock, behind, and inside of his near fore-leg, grasping just +below his fetlock, with the fingers on the coronet and the thumb above +on the pastern. A horse which has been broken will yield his foot, +bending his knee at once, but sometimes with such force that she must +keep her head held up, so that there be no chance of contact with his +heel. With the right hand she can examine his foot, after which she +may pass to his off fore-foot, and then to the near hind-leg. + +For this she must stand close to his side, and stroke him firmly from +the quarters to the hock. Passing her right hand under his hock to his +fetlock, and grasping his foot as she did the fore one, she must raise +it, letting the hock rest in the angle of her arm, while with her +right hand she turns up the foot for inspection. She must not lean too +far over or get back of the horse, or she is likely to be kicked if he +offers any resistance. + +Then, too, she may unfasten the roller and throw back his blanket, +that she may be sure the saddle has not rubbed his back. A slight +abrasion of the skin, if treated at once, will require only a day or +two to heal; but if neglected for some days, the time will be greatly +prolonged. If any soreness is detected, the saddle should be looked to +immediately and the cause of the trouble remedied. + +[Sidenote: Grooming] + +A shining coat is not positive proof that the horse is properly +groomed. The hair should be rubbed the wrong way, and if the skin +leaves a whitish deposit on the fingers, it will be well for the +horse's owner to watch the groom the next time the horse is dressed, +and to insist upon its being thoroughly done. + +[Sidenote: Bitting] + +Much of what seems to be vice in a horse comes from his having been +imperfectly bitted when young, or from subsequently having his mouth +roughly handled. He should always be ridden in as easy a bit as +possible, as some horses go well and quietly in a plain snaffle, and +will pull, bolt, or run in a curb or any severe contrivance. No rule +can be given as to what bit will best control certain tendencies. +Experimenting with each kind will be the only means of finding out, +but pulling is as likely to arise from an over-sensitive mouth as +from a hard one, in which case a rubber snaffle might prove +efficacious where a Chifney would fail. + +Sometimes certain parts of the mouth become callous, and a bit bearing +on a different place might produce the desired result. Most horses +will go well in a bit and bridoon, varied to suit their peculiarities +by the height of the port, the length of the branches, and the +pressure of the curb-chain. There are certain points which should +always be regarded. The mouth-piece must fit the horse's mouth +exactly, being neither so narrow as to pinch him, nor so wide as to +lose its power. The port should be the same width as the +tongue-channel, and no higher than required to leave room for the +tongue. The curb-chain must be sufficiently tight to furnish leverage +for the branches, yet not so tight as to pinch the jaw when no force +is applied. + +[Sidenote: Clipping] + +Clipping horses in winter I have heard objected to on the ground of +its being unsafe to deprive them of the thick coat which affords +protection from the cold. If their coat is thick and long, it is, in +my opinion, much wiser to clip them, and for several very good +reasons. Their work is rarely continuous, and the alternating of the +heated with the cooling-off condition is very liable to work more or +less injury. A heavy-coated horse which has been driven until very +warm, and then left for half an hour to stand outside of a shop or +house and become chilled by the wind striking the heavy wet coat, +which frequently does not dry for hours, is likely to become a subject +for the veterinary. + +On the other hand, if the horse is clipped, he does not get so warm +in the first place, and, in the second, would cool off more quickly +and without danger of becoming chilled. In very cold weather quarter +blankets will furnish all the protection necessary, and prevent the +wind from striking the horse while standing. + +With saddle horses, although not so important, it is an advantage to +have them clipped, because a cold day is certain to make the rider go +steadily to keep warm, and the horse, becoming overheated (if his coat +is heavy), is in great danger of taking cold if permitted to stand for +a moment in a draught. + +[Sidenote: Bridling] + +No woman who rides should be without a practical knowledge of how to +saddle and bridle her horse, as the groom often turns him out +imperfectly bitted or girthed; and unless she knows how to do it +herself, she will not perceive that anything is wrong until too late +to prevent mischief. She should learn to hold the bridle by the +headstall, in her left hand, as with the right she slips off the +horse's halter, and throws the reins over his head. Then change it to +the right hand, putting her left on the bits, which she gently inserts +between his jaws. With the right she must pull his ears under the +headstall, and then turn her attention to fitting the bridle. + +She must see that the headstall fits, that the forehead-band is not +too tight, and that there is plenty of room between the throat-latch +and the throat. The snaffle-rein is fitted by the buckles of the +cheek-piece, and should fall a trifle below the angle of the mouth. +The curb needs careful adjustment, that the mouth-piece may rest +exactly on the bars of the mouth. Then the chain must be hooked when +quite flat on the chin-groove, but not tight enough, unless used +vigorously, to inconvenience the horse. The lip-strap should pass +through the small ring attached to the curb-chain, thus keeping it in +place. I like a bridle with buckles, or billets as they are called, +rather than one which is stitched to the rings. In the first place, it +is frequently desirable to change the bits, especially in a large +stable, and being sewed would necessitate a bridle for each bit. +Furthermore, when the bits are washed, the leather gets wet, and the +stitching is apt to become rotten, and unexpectedly give way at a +critical moment, when some unusual strain is put on it. + +[Illustration: DOUBLE BRIDLE FOR GENERAL USE] + +[Sidenote: Noseband] + +A noseband furnishes additional control over a horse; but it should +not be attached to the bridle, or it may interfere with the action of +the bit. It should have a headstall and cheek-pieces, and be +buckled tight enough to prevent the horse from opening his mouth too +wide, but it must not restrain his breathing. + +[Sidenote: Martingale] + +If a martingale is used, I much prefer a running to a standing one. It +is useful with star-gazers or horses that get their noses out too far. +Some horses need one to steady them in hunting, but the running +martingale is the only one which should be tolerated in jumping, and +then not be used unless necessary. It is attached to a girth, and at +the two upper ends are sewed rings through which the snaffle passes. +With a running martingale there must be a stop on each snaffle, +considerably larger than the rings of the martingale; otherwise there +is danger of these rings getting caught in the bits, frightening the +horse, and making him rear or back, as there is no way to release the +pressure thus brought on his mouth. The length should be carefully +regulated, so that it will keep the horse's head at the desired +height. This admits of considerable play to the horse, but within +control of the rider, while with a standing martingale no liberty is +attainable. Once mounted, the rider cannot influence its bearing; and +should the horse trip, he cannot fling up his head, as he must to +regain his balance. + +[Sidenote: Breast-plate] + +For ordinary riding a breast-plate is not always used, but in hunting +it is almost indispensable, and is always a safeguard against a +woman's saddle slipping back. It is put on over the horse's head with +the reins, and one strap passes between his fore-legs, through the +loop of which one of the girths passes. Two other ends buckle, one on +each side of the saddle, near the horse's withers, and it should be +loose enough to admit of free movement in galloping and jumping. + +[Illustration: CORRECT SADDLE] + +[Illustration: UNDESIRABLE SADDLE] + +[Sidenote: The Saddle] + +The saddle should be very plain in appearance. It must have a level +seat, which can only be obtained in those having the tree cut away +above the withers; otherwise, to clear them, the saddle must be so +elevated in front that it is sometimes six inches higher than the +cantle, placing the knee in an awkward and fatiguing position, and it +is impossible to rise without an unusual amount of exertion, which +will lead to arching the back, thrusting the head forward, and +probably galling the horse's withers. There should be no third pommel, +such as there formerly was on the right side of the saddle, bending to +the left over the right leg. + +The two pommels must fit the knees exactly, or the circulation will be +impeded, and a cramp brought on which renders the muscles powerless to +grip the pommels. The seat must extend about an inch beyond the line +of the spine, and, although I usually object to it, for a child the +seat should be covered with buckskin. No more padding should be used +than is required to fit the horse's back, as it looks badly for the +top of the saddle to be several inches above the horse. Moreover, the +nearer one is to the animal's back, the greater will be the control. +It enables one more readily to detect the stiffening of the muscles +when mischief is contemplated, and to be prepared to thwart it. It +should not have any superfluous straps, stitching, or attempts at +ornamentation: the simpler the style the better; even the slit on the +saddle-flap for the pocket is now frequently dispensed with. A safety +pommel-band is sometimes fastened from the extreme upper forward end +of the right saddle-flap to the top of the right pommel, thence to the +left. This lessens the likelihood of a skirt becoming caught. + +[Sidenote: Stirrup] + +On no account should a slipper stirrup be used, but a safety stirrup +without any padding, and one which does not work by having the bottom +drop out, as these are apt to come to pieces when least desired, +leaving the foot without any support. The best kind have the inner +half-circle jointed in the middle and working on a hinge at both +sides, so that it can open only on being pulled from below, as in case +of a fall. Next to this in safety comes a plain, small racing stirrup. + +[Illustration: SAFETY STIRRUP, CLOSED] + +[Sidenote: Girths] + +The Fitz-William web girths are the best for a woman's saddle, white +being used in preference to darker shades. There are braided raw-hide +and also cord girths, the former being very serviceable, but they do +not look so well as either of the others. + +[Illustration: SAFETY STIRRUP, OPEN] + +[Sidenote: Saddling] + +When the saddle is in position, free from the play of the shoulders, +the first girth is taken up, then the back one, and kept clear of the +horse's elbows, that his action may not be impeded. Although pulling +the girths excessively tight is to be avoided, it will not do to leave +them loose, as a woman's unevenly distributed weight might cause the +saddle to turn. Any wrinkles in the skin caused by the girthing should +be smoothed away by passing the fingers between the girths and the +horse. Then the stirrup-leather is buckled, after this the outside +leather strap that keeps the saddle-flap in place, and finally the +balance-strap, which must be fairly tight, assists in keeping the +saddle in position. Before mounting she should always glance at the +saddle and bridle, and be sure that they are properly put on; +otherwise her ride may be rendered uncomfortable, if not dangerous. + + + + +XIII + +SOMETHING ON DRIVING + + +[Sidenote: Desirability of Instruction] + +Ninety-nine women out of every hundred are firmly convinced that +instruction is by no means necessary to their driving safely and in +good form. Four men out of five labor under the same delusion. It is a +sad error, that leads to numberless failures, and many accidents which +might so easily be avoided if the services of a competent teacher were +employed at the beginning. Having seen others drive without any +apparent difficulty, the novice conceives the notion that there is +nothing to learn which cannot be mastered without assistance after one +or two attempts. If such a one escapes a bill of damages, it should +be credited to the ministering care of her guardian angel. She may +indeed escape accident; she may learn to start without dislocating the +neck of every one in the trap, and get around the corner without an +upset; but she will never learn to _drive_. There is something more +for her to know than that she must pull the off rein to turn to the +right and the near one to go to the left, though this appears to be +the extent of knowledge deemed necessary. + +Women, even more than men, require a thorough understanding of what +they are doing, for they lack the strength to rectify a miscalculation +at the last moment. The ignorance, indecision, and weakness frequently +displayed by women in driving are what so often render them objects of +apprehension to experienced whips. + +It is folly for any woman to flatter herself that she needs only a +little practice, and that the rest "will come." If she has not begun +correctly, practice will only wed her to the faults she must have +acquired. + +Assuming, however, for the sake of argument, that, after having +discounted her call on an all-protecting Providence and stricken with +terror her long-suffering friends, she manages to guide the family nag +along the turnpike without the aid of a civil escort to clear the road +before her--what of it? She hasn't learned anything; her form is +execrable; and in case of an emergency she is quite as unprepared as +when she took up the reins weeks before, with the ill-conceived notion +that she was not of the common clay, and that, a whip, rather than a +rattle, had been the insignia of her infantile days. + +How much better, safer, and more sensible to acquire good form than by +its neglect to become an object of ridicule to those who, by their +knowledge of driving and exposition of superior horsemanship, are +entitled to criticise others who have disregarded proper instruction, +and, wise in their own conceit, relied on their ignorance for +guidance. + +[Sidenote: Vulgar Display] + +Some women there are who drive only because they consider it the +"proper thing." Absorbed in the opportunity for display, and ignorant +of the fitness of things, they array themselves in the treasures of +their wardrobe, more likely than not to be a gay silk, and, with every +discordant ribbon and flounce of their _bizarre_ costume loudly +challenging the attention of the on-lookers, they sally forth perched +on the box of a spider phaeton, Tilbury, or dog-cart, indifferent to, +because ignorant of, the incongruity of their turnout, unconscious of +the signal they have flung to the breeze, which unmistakably proclaims +their lack of early instruction. + +[Sidenote: Bad Form] + +These are they who in the handling of their animals instantly call to +mind the puppet-shows of our childhood days, and fill us with an +almost irresistible desire to look under the box-seat and discover who +is working the invisible wires. Every movement is spasmodic--the arms +work as though an alternating electric current were constantly being +turned through them--the hands finger the reins nervously; and if the +vehicle happens to be a two-wheeler, the unhappy driver looks as +though every jolt of the poorly balanced cart would send her into the +road from her very insecure seat. + +Another harrowing spectacle is that of the woman leaning forward, a +rein in each hand, with her arms dragged almost over the dash-board +by her horse's mouth, a look of direful expectancy in her eyes, and a +much be-flowered and be-ribboned hat occupying unmolested a rakish +position over one ear, where it has fallen during her hopeless +struggle with the reins. + +[Illustration: A WELL-BALANCED CART] + +[Sidenote: Costume] + +It is strange women should not have a sufficiently clear idea of the +fitness of things to realize that elaborate toilets of silks, laces, +and flowers, and large hats, although appropriate in a victoria, are +inconvenient and totally out of place when driving a sporting-trap, +such as a dog-cart. + +A plain, neatly fitting, but not tight cloth suit, with a small hat, +which will not catch the wind, is far more serviceable and in better +taste. However, she should avoid the other extreme affected by the +woman who desires to appear masculine and "sporty," and who, +showing a large expanse of shirt front, wears a conspicuous plaid +suggestive of a horse-blanket. + +This specimen of feminine "horsy-ness" invariably drives with her +hands held almost under her chin, and her whip in as vertical a +position as herself. She is as powerless to control her animal as is +the one who leans over the dash-board. + +[Sidenote: Cockade] + +This is the sort of woman who compels her groom, if she have one, to +wear a cockade in his hat, in ignorance of the fact that we in this +country have no claim to its use. In Great Britain it is the +distinguishing mark of either the royal family or the military, naval, +or civil officers of the government; but used here it is only a +meaningless affectation. + +[Sidenote: Confidence] + +To achieve success, and to obtain a business-like appearance in +driving, a woman must possess confidence in her power to control her +horses, and it must be the confidence derived from knowledge and +skill, and not that born of ignorance or fool-hardiness. + +She must know what to do, and how to do it promptly, under all +circumstances, and this necessitates a thorough comprehension of the +sport she is pursuing. + +It is to be hoped she will gain this from competent instruction, and +that she will embrace every opportunity of adding to her information +on the subject. + +[Sidenote: The "Family-Horse" Fallacy] + +A quiet, steady old horse, such as one might expect to see doing +farm-work, cannot always be recommended even to a beginner, for he +generally requires so little management that when he does +occasionally become unruly it is so unusual that the woman is taken +unawares. + +Moreover, it makes one careless and slovenly always to drive a horse +which goes along in a leisurely manner, without any display of life. + +A woman who has been accustomed to such an animal will be at a loss to +manage a spirited pair, should she be called upon to do so. If she +begin with a horse which goes well into his collar and does his work +generously, she will learn twice as much as she would in the same time +with a lazy horse, and will sooner be able to drive a pair. + +[Sidenote: On the Box] + +The position on the driving seat should be comfortable and firm, which +cannot be the case when it is used merely to lean against, instead of +to sit upon. + +From the knee down, the leg should be but slightly bent, with the +feet together and resting against the foot-rail. + +The elbows should be held near the body, and the reins in the left +hand, with the little finger down, and the knuckles pointing straight +ahead, about on a line with or a trifle below the waist, and in the +middle of the body. + +Whether driving one or two horses, the manner of holding the reins is +the same; but more strength and decision, as well as the judgment +which, of course, experience will bring, are required for the pair. + +[Sidenote: Position of Reins] + +The near rein belongs on top of the first finger, held there firmly by +the thumb, and the off rein should be between the second and third +fingers. + +The gloves should be large, broad across the knuckles, and long in the +fingers; otherwise cold, stiff hands will result from the impeded +circulation. + +The right hand, close to the left, should contain the whip, which must +be held at an angle of a little less than forty-five degrees, and at +the collar, about eight to ten inches from the butt, so that it +balances properly. + +[Sidenote: Handling Reins] + +When about to start, the reins should be tightened, to feel the +horse's mouth, and a light touch of the whip will suffice to send him +forward. The hand should then yield, so that as he straightens the +traces there will be no jerk on his mouth. + +In turning to the right or to the left, the reins must not be +separated. + +The right hand should be placed on the rein, indicating the desired +direction, until the turn has been made; but a slight pressure on the +opposite rein should keep the horse from going too near a corner. + +The left hand must not relax its hold, so that when the right is +removed the reins will be even, as they were before. + +In stopping, the body is not to be bent backwards, suggestive of an +expected shock, and the hands raised to the chin. + +It cannot be too strongly impressed on the woman's mind that the less +perceptible effort she makes, the more skilful will she appear. +Therefore, if she take hold of the reins with her right hand as far in +front of the left as she can handily reach, and then draw them back, +she will have accomplished her purpose in a quiet and easy manner. + +[Sidenote: A Pair] + +Driving a pair is much the same as driving one horse; but allowances +should be made for the peculiarities of each, and they should not be +treated as though machines of identical construction. + +Frequently a woman driving a nervous horse with a quiet one will hit +them both with the whip, when, should she touch the quiet one only, +the sound of it would urge the other as much as the blow does the dull +one. + +Here is another objection to clucking to horses: one of them needs it +much more than the other, yet they hear it with equal clearness, and +simultaneously; therefore the high-mettled horse increases his pace +sooner and more than his sluggish companion, and does more than his +share of the work. Several noiseless touches of the whip, administered +in quick succession to the laggard, will do more to equalize their +pace than would a sharp, loud cut or any amount of clucking. + +Sometimes a woman will experience great inconvenience from not having +her horses properly bitted and harnessed. This should always be seen +to, either by herself or some one who is competent to judge for her. +When she has more than one horse to control, she will soon become +tired if one of them pulls and the other will not go into his collar. + +A judicious readjustment of the curb-chain and the coupling-rein will +often make the difference between discomfort and ease. + + + + +XIV + +SOMETHING MORE ON DRIVING + + +[Sidenote: Management] + +While a horse is doing his work in a satisfactory manner he should not +be irritated by having his mouth jerked and the whip applied for the +driver's amusement. It is a pity all women do not realize that a horse +will accomplish, with less fatigue, much more work when taken quietly +than he will if fretted and tormented by needless urging or restraint. +Constant nagging affects an animal in the same way as it does a human +being; and though a horse is usually subjected to such treatment +through want of thought, it is none the less exasperating to him. + +One result of this ordeal is that it prompts him to break into a +canter as he becomes restless; and then he must be brought back to a +trot by decreasing the speed and keeping the hands steady. + +[Sidenote: Stumbling] + +A stumbling horse must be kept awake and going at a medium rate of +speed. In either a very fast trot or a slow one he is likely to trip, +and unless his driver is prepared for it, and ready to keep him up, he +will probably fall, and she may be pulled over the dash-board. + +A bearing-rein may assist in keeping him on his feet, but an habitual +stumbler can never be considered safe. Such a horse must not be driven +with loose reins, as a feeling on his mouth is necessary at all times. + +[Sidenote: Backing] + +When a horse persistently backs, there are two great dangers: first, +he may upset the carriage, unless it cuts under; and, secondly, he may +back into something or over an embankment. + +If the road be level, a woman must try to keep the horse from backing +to one side, although in case of a steep declivity it may be necessary +to pull him sideways, and risk an overturn rather than a fall over a +bank. In all events, the whip should be vigorously applied, in the +hope of starting the horse forward; if the woman have a groom with +her, he should go to the horse's head at once and lead him. + +Occasionally, backing may arise from sore shoulders caused by an +ill-fitting collar; but if there is no such excuse for his action, and +it should become a habit, the horse is not suitable for any woman to +drive. + +If desirous of making a turn in a narrow lane, it will often be +necessary to back off the road, between trees or on to a foot-path, +to obtain room. Some horses will not back under these circumstances, +nor from a shed where they have been tied. In most instances all that +will be required is to get out, take the horse by his bridle, and by +lightly tapping one foot make him raise it, at the same time pushing +him back by the bit. The other foot should be moved in the same way, +and this repeated until he has gone far enough. After a few steps the +woman may resume her seat, with the probability of the horse backing +without further resistance. + +[Sidenote: Rearing and Kicking] + +If the horse is nervous, the pull at his mouth may make him back so +fast that in his excitement he will rear. In this event the reins +should be loosened a moment and the animal quieted, after which the +backing process may be continued. + +If the rearing comes from temper, and takes place when he has been +going forward, there should be no weight on his mouth while he seems +in danger of falling backward, but a cut of the whip administered as +he comes down may prevent his trying it again. It is important to feel +his mouth at this juncture, as the whip will make him plunge forward, +and the hold on his mouth must be firm enough to keep the traces loose +as he lands; otherwise there would be a sudden strain on them, and +consequently an unpleasant jerk, which might bring the carriage on to +his hocks, as he stopped to gather himself for another effort, and, +even if it did not make him kick or run, he would probably be bruised. + +A determined kicker needs to have his head kept up, and for this +purpose a bearing-rein will be found of great service. He should be +driven with a kicking-strap, but it must not be too tight, or it will +induce the habit it is intended to cure. He may kick if the crupper is +too tight, so this also should be looked to. + +[Sidenote: Rein under Tail] + +When a rein gets under the tail of a horse, under no circumstances +should an attempt be made to pull it away. It should be pushed +forward, and the horse spoken to in a reassuring manner. + +If he does not then release it, a slight cut of the whip may divert +his attention; he will whisk his tail, and at this instant the rein +must be allowed to fall to one side, as were it pulled directly up, it +would be likely to be caught again. If these methods do not prove +efficacious, a woman must try to keep the horse straight, and prevail +upon him to walk until some one sees her predicament and comes to her +assistance. In some traps she might be able to reach forward and +remedy the difficulty, meanwhile watching for any symptoms of kicking. +But whether she does it herself or directs some one else, she must see +that the tail is lifted, instead of an effort being made to pull the +rein away. + +Many mishaps come from this seemingly trivial occurrence, and a horse +frightened by improper treatment is liable to bolt or run. + +It is always an excellent plan to have a horse trained to stop short +at the word "whoa!" This expression is usually misapplied, being made +to do duty for "steady" or "quiet," and it will be difficult to teach +a horse its true significance unless he is never driven without this +end in view, and the term employed only when it is meant. + +[Sidenote: Bolting and Running] + +In the event of a horse bolting, the chances are very great against a +woman's checking him. If she can do it at all, it will be by sawing +his mouth, and giving a succession of sharp jerks, while endeavoring +to control his course. + +The most dangerous and irrational thing she can do is to jump out of +the trap. + +Severe injuries almost invariably attend such a proceeding; and if it +be possible to stay in, she should do so, never relinquishing her hold +on the reins. If from the swaying of the carriage she seems in danger +of being thrown out, a woman must make sure that her skirts are not +caught on anything, and that her feet are clear of the reins. + +Men sometimes pull a runaway horse into a ditch or up a steep bank, +which stops him; but a smash or an overturn is inevitable; and should +a woman attempt this, there is great danger of her being unable to +extricate herself from the tangle. She is handicapped by her skirts, +which are more than likely to cause her to be dragged should the horse +manage to start off again. Besides this, after a struggle such as she +will have had, a woman will seldom have enough strength left to force +a horse from the direction he has chosen. + +[Sidenote: Crowded Driveways] + +In whatever pranks horses indulge, the dangers are multiplied and +intensified when encountered by a woman who ventures to drive in a +crowded park or avenue during the afternoon. + +Women of culture and refinement, realizing this, and wishing to avoid +making themselves conspicuous on public highways, are content to be +driven at this hour, reserving the mornings for the pleasure of +handling the reins themselves. + +Some women there are who drive better than most coachmen, and a few of +these may desire to display their skill and their well-appointed traps +when the spectators are most numerous. They may be competent to make +their way through such a maze as one finds on popular carriage roads, +but they do it in defiance of the condemnation they will receive from +people of more refined ideas. + +The majority of women who drive are unable to control their horses, +and they need not flatter themselves that their immunity from +accidents is the result of their skill. They owe their safety to the +fact that men, appreciating the uncertainty of their movements, give +them plenty of room, and keep as far as they can from anything driven +by a woman. + +[Sidenote: Road Courtesy] + +Such women would be less objectionable if they were more considerate +of others. For example, they should keep on their own side of the +drive, and, if they are going slowly, as much to the right of it as +possible, that those who desire to pass may not have their way +blocked. + +Again, they should remember that some one is behind them, and that +they should not endeavor to turn or stop abruptly without having +intimated their intention to those in the rear. + +Another heedless thing they do is, in passing a leading trap to turn +in ahead of it so sharply that a more careful driver is forced to pull +up rather than endanger his horses by having the wheels swing against +them. + +Women seem to forget now and then that they must always pass to the +left of a vehicle in front of them, and not try to get through a +small space on its right. If they would only take a few lessons in +driving, pay attention to the instruction they receive, and cultivate +consideration for others, their presence on the box might be welcomed +more frequently and with greater warmth than it now is. + +It would be well if equestrians rode with more regard for the +convenience of those who are driving. When a bridle-path is provided +for them, there is no reason why they should usurp any of the road +intended for carriages. They would feel outraged, and justly so, if +one vehicle should appear on their road; yet swarms of them daily use +the drive, occupying much-needed space, and clattering and darting +along, unmindful of startled horses and the narrow escapes of their +own mounts from collisions with many wheels. + +[Sidenote: Tandems and Teams] + +Comparatively few women are so fortunate as to have an opportunity to +drive tandem or four-in-hand. If they are so situated that they would +be likely to do so frequently, they should not hesitate to take +lessons, as otherwise they would slowly learn from many dangerous and +costly experiences what a trustworthy teacher could have shown them +with safety and expedition. However, it is well to be prepared for all +contingencies, and therefore many women may desire to know something +about these branches of driving, in case they should in some +unforeseen manner have an opportunity to essay them. + +If, for instance, she were driving with a friend who offered to let +her take the reins, a woman would not be expected to look to the +harnessing and bitting, but there are a few points she might be glad +to know. + +[Sidenote: Reins] + +The reins are held the same in tandem and team-driving. The first +finger separates the leaders' reins, and the second those of the +wheelers, with each near rein above the off one. Thus over the first +finger will be the near leader, under it the off leader, and between +this rein and the second finger the near wheeler, with the off wheeler +between the second and third fingers. The right hand must be free to +hold the whip and to manipulate the reins. + +The off-wheel rein will often need attention, as the third finger is +not so strong as the other two used, and therefore this rein will more +readily slip through. + +In changing a rein it must always be done by pushing it back from in +front of the hand, instead of pulling it through from behind. + +[Illustration: POSITION IN TANDEM] + +The correct handling of the whip can be mastered only after much +patience and constant practice, but its proper use is of paramount +importance. + +Women will find driving tandem easier than driving four, because, +although it requires more skill to keep the horses straight, it does +not call for the amount of muscle needed to manage four horses, the +brake, and whip. + +[Sidenote: Unruly Leader] + +At first the weight alone of the reins would tire her, and of course +there are more chances of mishaps with four horses than with two. In +the latter the leader has no horse at his side to steady him; but if +well trained he will travel straight, and not attempt to turn around +and join the wheeler. Should he do this, and not respond to the reins, +the whip should hit his neck with force sufficient to make him change +his mind. + +As a last resort, the wheeler must be turned to follow him, and then +they must both be made to proceed in the direction desired by the +driver. If the leader, instead of being exactly in front of the +wheeler, gets too far to the right, his near rein should be shortened; +but the wheeler must be made to meet him half-way by pulling his off +rein at the same time. In the opposite case the off-lead and +near-wheel reins must be shortened. + +[Sidenote: Turning] + +To turn a corner, say to the left, with a tandem or a four, the +near-lead rein should be looped by taking up several inches, pushing +it back of the forefinger, and holding it there in this shape with the +thumb. The right hand must be placed on both off reins, to guard +against the turn being made too sharply, and the cart or coach being +brought into contact with the corner. To turn to the right, the +reverse tactics are employed, but it is more difficult to loop the +off rein. + +When the corner has been successfully rounded, the right hand should +be taken away and the left thumb raised, thus leaving the horses in a +position to go straight. + +In going downhill all the reins should be shortened, and care taken +that the leaders' traces particularly are loose, or they may pull the +wheelers down when these should be holding back the coach. + +The wheelers should always, if possible, start and stop the load. + +In going uphill the leaders must do their full share, and on the level +each horse must be kept up to his work. + +An unnecessary nervous fingering of the reins should be avoided, as, +besides being most unworkmanlike, it irritates the horses. + +It is the height of folly for a woman to attempt to drive a tandem or +a four-in-hand until she is thoroughly familiar with one horse and a +pair. She may understand the theory of it, but until she has had some +practice under proper instruction she should not take the reins, +unless some one is near to assist her, or she will endanger not only +her own safety, but jeopard that of those who may accompany her. + + +FINIS + + + * * * * * + + + + +BLAIKIE'S HOW TO GET STRONG. + + How to Get Strong, and How to Stay So. By WILLIAM BLAIKIE. + Illustrated. 16 mo, Cloth, $1 00. + +Mr. Blaikie has treated his theme in a practical common-sense way that +appeals at once to the judgment and the understanding. A complete and +healthful system of exercise is given for boys and girls; instructions +are set down for the development of every individual class of muscles, +and there is sound advice for daily exercise for children, young men +and women, business men and consumptives. There are instructions for +home gymnastics, and an easy routine of practice laid out.--_Saturday +Evening Gazette_, Boston. + +Every word of it has been tested and confirmed by the author's own +experience. It may be read with interest and profit by all.--_Christian +Instructor_, Chicago. + +A successful performance, everything in the line of gymnastic exercise +receiving copious illustrations by pen and pencil. The author's aim is +genuinely philanthropic, in the right sense of the word, and his work +is a useful contribution to the cause of physical culture.--_Christian +Register_, Boston. + + +Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. + +_The above work will be sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part +of the United States, Canada, or Mexico, on receipt of the price._ + + + + +BLAIKIE'S SOUND BODIES. + + Sound Bodies for our Boys and Girls. By WILLIAM BLAIKIE. + With Illustrations. 16 mo, Cloth, 40 cents. A manual of safe + and simple exercises for developing the physical system. + +Mr. William Blaikie's new manual cannot fail to receive a warm welcome +from parents and teachers, and should be introduced as a working +text-book into thousands of schools throughout the country.--_Boston +Herald._ + +A book which ought to be placed at the elbow of every +school-teacher.--_Springfield Union._ + +The directions are so simple and sensible that they appeal to the +reason of every parent and teacher.--_Philadelphia Press._ + +The influence of judicious exercise upon mind as well as body cannot +be overestimated, and this will be a safe guide to this end, requiring +no costume nor expensive apparatus.--_Presbyterian_, Philadelphia. + + +Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. + +_The above work will be sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part +of the United States, Canada, or Mexico, on receipt of the price._ + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Obvious typographical errors were corrected. + +Hyphenation variants were retained as in the original. + +Illustration List: "Hands and Seat in Rearing ... facing P. 66." The +illustration was actually facing P. 64; it has been moved to P. 66. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40220 *** |