“What delight
To back the flying Steed, that challenges
The wind for speed! Seems native more of Air,
Than Earth! Whose burden only lends him fire!
Whose soul is in his task, turns labour into sport
And makes your pastime his!”
‘Love Chase.’
“The chief point in Horsemanship”, Colonel Greenwood observes in his “Hints on Horsemanship” “is to get your horse to be of your party; and not only to obey, but to obey willingly,”—“Good riding as a whole is indeed no trifle, and is worth acquiring by those whose pleasure or business it is to ride, because it is soon, and easily acquired, and when acquired it becomes habitual, and is as easy, nay much more so; and infinitely more safe, than bad riding. Good riding is an affair of skill, but bad riding is an affair of courage.” Yet, in no other art, are there so many self-thought Amateurs. Many ladies have a decided objection to going through the ordeal of a riding school; others have no opportunity of obtaining instructions, and the generality consider, that they are in possession of all that can be acquired upon the subject, when they have discovered a mode of retaining the seat, and guiding the horse; but to those who wish to sit a horse through all his paces, firmly, yet gracefully, to have the animal entirely under command, and as if imbued with one intelligence, to unite boldness, with modesty, and employ energy, without losing delicacy, these hints are addressed.
A lady’s riding dress, should be neat, and compact, at the same time she should carefully avoid the slightest approach to a mannish appearance; she may study the becoming, provided there be nothing in her whole toilette likely to become disarranged or loosened by wind, or violent exercise. The hair should be so arranged that it cannot be blown about the eyes, and the hat should be perfectly secured on the head. So much for outward appearance, in other respects comfort alone should be studied.
The whip, should be light, and stiff. When too pliable, a lady frequently touches her horse with it unintentionally, thereby teasing and exciting him, and moreover such a whip is useless as an “aid.”
The lady’s bridle, should be, what is called a double bitted bridle, consisting of a bit with a curb-chain; and a snaffle, two separate head-stalls, united by one brow-band, each, with a separate rein.
The curb-bit is a very powerful implement, the best for all purposes is a light one; in choosing a bit for a horse, the distance between the cheeks, should accord with the width of the horse’s mouth; they should be of an average length, and the mouth-piece should be only sufficiently arched, to admit of the horse’s tongue passing freely underneath it. The bit should be placed in the horse’s mouth, so that the mouth-piece be one inch above the lower tusk, the curb chain should be laid flat, and smooth under the jaw, and so loose, as to allow a finger to pass freely inside of it.
The snaffle acts as an auxiliary to the curb-bit, and is placed above it in the horse’s mouth, it should bear slightly upon the corners of the mouth, but not so as to wrinkle the cheeks.
For a person who has not a light hand, the curb-bit may, with advantage, be placed a little higher in the horse’s mouth; and when the mouth may be wanting in delicacy, it may be lowered a little, but it should never touch the tusk, or it will fret the horse.
The reins should be soft, flexible, and of a good quality, the rein which is attached to the curb-bit is usually fastened in the centre by a sewing, while that attached to the snaffle may be known, by its having a small buckle in the centre.
Throat-strap should not be buckled too tightly, but only sufficiently so, to prevent the headstalls of the bridle, from getting out of place.
Martingales, though frequently used, are very seldom necessary if the horse has been educated, and taught to carry his head properly, and to be obedient to the bit; but if a horse carries his head high, or be unsteady and fretful, then a light running martingale will be found of service; it must however be attached to the snaffle reins, and never to the curb-bit reins.
The saddle should be roomy, but not too large, it should in short, be made to fit the person. The third crutch is indispensable, as it renders the seat so much more secure, and if properly fitted, it never incommodes the rider. The saddle should be placed on the horse’s back, so as not in the least to interfere with the action of the horse’s shoulder, and care must be taken that the pad, or stuffing, only rests on the horse’s ribs, leaving in the centre a thorough channel, over the spine.
The lady’s horse