Part 6

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.

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.

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.

IN THE SADDLE

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.