The stirrup having been placed across the shield of the saddle in front of the pommels, the lady, holding the reins and the whip with its point down in her right hand,—which must rest upon the second pommel,—should stand with her right side toward the horse's left, about four or five inches from it, her left shoulder being slightly turned back. Then, taking a firm hold upon the second pommel with her right hand, she should with the left lift her riding skirt enough to enable her to place her left foot fairly and squarely into the gentleman's palms, which should be clasped firmly together. This done, she should drop the skirt, place her left hand upon his right shoulder, bend her knee, or give the word "ready," as a signal, and at once spring from her right foot up and a little towards the horse. The gentleman, at the same moment, must raise his hands, and move them toward the horse. The lady must, when rising, press or bear lightly upon his shoulder, and also keep a firm hold upon the second pommel, which she must not relinquish until she is seated. If correctly performed, this manœuvre will place the rider in the saddle sideways. The gentleman should then remove the stirrup from the front of the saddle, while the lady transfers the reins to her left hand, passes her right knee over the second pommel and her left under the third. She will then be ready to have her foot placed in the stirrup. ([Fig. 17.])
It will, however, be found very difficult to mount in this manner, gracefully, unless the gentleman who assists thoroughly understands his duties; should he be awkward about helping her, the lady will find it much better to depend upon the horse-block. If, for instance, he should raise his hands too high, or with too much energy, when she makes her spring, he may push her too far over, or even—if she should loosen her grasp of the second pommel,—cause her to fall from the off-side of the horse. This is a dangerous accident, and almost certain to occasion severe injuries. On the other hand, if he does not use energy enough, or neglects to carry his hands toward the body of the horse as the lady rises, she may not reach the saddle at all, and will he apt to fall to the ground on the left side of the horse, especially if she relinquishes her hold on the second pommel. The gentleman must also be careful not to let his foot rest on the lady's skirt, as this will pull her back, and perhaps tear the dress, as she makes her spring.
In assisting a lady to mount, the gentleman should first arrange the snaffle-reins evenly and of the proper length, and place them in her right hand, leaving the curb-reins to lie loosely on the neck of the horse. Then, after putting the stirrup out of the way, as described above, he should take a position facing her, with his left shoulder toward the left shoulder of the horse. Clasping his hands together with the palms turned up, he should stoop sufficiently to enable her to put her left foot upon them, and, in raising them as she springs, he must gradually assume the erect posture. When the lady is seated, he should return the stirrup to its proper position and place her foot in it, after first, with his left hand, adjusting her skirt so that it will fall evenly; he should then place the curb-reins in her left hand, with the others. No gentleman is a finished equestrian, nor a desirable companion for a lady on horseback, who does not know how to assist her dexterously and gracefully to mount and dismount.
A lady who is not very nimble in her movements, or who is very heavy, should be extremely careful in mounting not to accept assistance from a gentleman who is not strong enough to support her weight easily and firmly. It will be much better for her to use a horse-block or something of the kind. But if she does accept the aid of a gentleman, the following changes in the methods described above have been recommended: instead of facing her, he should stand close to her side, with his face turned in the same direction as hers: she should then place her left foot in his united hands, and in order to do so must pass her left leg between his right arm and his body. He will thus be enabled to support and lift her with greater ease, and, as she rises, her left leg will readily escape from under his right arm, and she will be able to seat herself sideways in the saddle, as by the former method. During this manœuvre she must sustain herself by the second pommel, as in the preceding instance.
If a horse is restless and uneasy when being mounted, he should be held by a third person, who must stand in front of his head and take a firm hold of the curb-bit on each side, but without touching the reins, which should always be held and managed by the rider only. It is always a better plan, when mounting, to have the horse held, although a well-trained horse will stand quietly without such control.
Mounting is a part of the rider's education which should be carefully studied and practiced, for when properly and gracefully accomplished it is the very poetry of motion, and will enable her to display more pliancy and lightness than she can even in the ball-room. There is another branch of the rider's education which also requires careful study, as it is rarely accomplished satisfactorily, and is apt to occasion as much embarrassment and dismay to a beginner as mounting. This is dismounting. To alight from a horse easily and well, without disarranging the dress, and without being awkwardly precipitated into the arms of the gentleman who assists, is by no means an easy task, and very few lady riders accomplish it with skill and address.
When assisting his companion from the saddle, the gentleman should stand about a foot from her with his face toward the horse, while she, after taking her foot from the stirrup and disengaging her right leg from the pommel, must turn her body so as to face him. After putting the stirrup over the shield of the saddle, as in mounting, he should then extend his hands so as to support her by the elbows, while she rests a hand upon each of his shoulders. Then, by giving a gentle spring, she will glide lightly to the ground, he meanwhile supporting her with his hands, and, as she descends, bending his body, and moving his right side slightly backward. She can also assist him to lessen the shock as she touches the ground by bending her knees a little, as if courtesying.
Another way of assisting the lady, especially if she be rather stout and not very active, is for the gentleman to clasp her waist with both hands, instead of holding her by the elbows. He should, in this case, stand as far from her as he can while still supporting her, and, as she descends, should make a step backward with his right foot, and turn a little away from the horse, which should be held by a third person, in the manner described before, in mounting.
