Riding for Ladies: With Hints on the Stable

by Mrs. Power O'Donoghue

MOUNTING.

Be careful, when seated, to keep the toe of the right foot from pointing outward, and the left heel from going back—and look right between your horse’s ears, to ensure sitting straight.

SEATED.

When you have once obtained a correct idea of position, you should seek to acquire what is termed “a good seat”—in other words, an easy confidence, which will add grace to your pose. I am now surmising that you are teaching yourself—say, in a large field, or private school—and that you have not anybody with you, save, perhaps, some male friend or relative, who may be capable of assisting you if required—without, however, being able to instruct. I cannot for a moment advise you to go out alone for the purpose of learning, no matter how high-couraged you may be. Always enlist the services of a suitable companion, or attendant, but remember that if the latter is a servant—even though his service may be of many years’ standing—you are not on any account to permit him to give you so much as the very smallest hint on any subject connected with equitation. Coachmen know nothing at all about riding; and grooms, as a rule, very little: a fact that is every day testified by their heavy hands and awkward gait on horseback. Laying all this aside, however, there can be no doubt that whatever hints servants may be capable of imparting to boy pupils, they are the very worst possible instructors for girls, while pretending very often to be the best. I attribute one-half the faults in style which shock our eyes in park, street, and hunting-field, to the pernicious teachings of “John the groom”; therefore, the moment that such persons attempt to open their lips to you, except when spoken to, shut them up at once, in a manner which (without any rudeness) will show that you desire them to keep silent except when addressed.

As soon as you are secure upon your saddle, and have learned to feel at home there, get your horse walked about with the reins looped over his neck. Do not touch them at all at first, or trouble yourself about carrying a whip, but rather devote your energies and attention to acquiring an even balance, and learning the proper grip of the pommels—without which you never can ride well. Do not lean heavily upon the stirrup, or force yourself to undue muscular action; nor will it be in all cases wise to thrust the left foot “home,” as it is called,—better ride from the ball of it. Further reference to this point will be found in the concluding chapter.

Ascertain before starting that your stirrup-leather is precisely the right length, in order that you may not be induced to lean to the left side owing to its being too long, or have your knee uncomfortably thrust up on account of its shortness. You should sit erect and square, with chest forward and shoulders well back, yet without any appearance of stiffness or rigidity of position. Be as firm as a rock below the waist, but light and flexible as a reed above it. On these two rules all the beauty, and indeed the safety, of equestrianism depend.

You must practice hard to attain a good, steady seat, for it will not come to you by magic. On the contrary, you will find yourself at one moment sitting as stiff as a poker, with your chin thrust forward in the air—and then, when you catch yourself thus, and strive to rectify it by assuming a sudden limpness, you will discover that your lower limbs have grown limp also, in sympathy with the rest of your body, and are hanging so loosely that a touch will send you out of the saddle. Again, you will discover that the toe of your right foot has a dreadful tendency to turn outward from the ankle, while that of the left turns down, and shows the sole of your boot to those in the rear of you.

All these things will be seemingly against you for a long time after you have begun to have your horse led about: a process which must be done first by hand and then with a leading-stick, while you sit perfectly erect, with your arms crossed upon your bosom, or your hands lying easily (fingers laid together) in your lap, just below the waist. Avoid, above all things, sitting too much to the left; it will not only induce you to lean too hard upon the stirrup, a thing which you ought not to do at all, but will be pretty certain to give your horse a tender back from the very beginning.

When you find that you can sit quite straight and steady while your mount carries you at a walking pace, you may have him led by a lunging-rein, and cantered slowly in a circle to the right, or in a figure of 8. Never on any account grip the pommels, or clutch at the mane, no matter how frightened you may be. A little start will not upset you, nor will a sudden playful movement have the power to send you off, provided that you are sitting “square,” with your right leg well pressed over the up-pommel, and your left against the leaping-head, while your whole attention is given to your seat, and to nothing else whatever. This is the true secret of learning to ride from balance, and once it is yours, nothing can unseat you, so long as your mount remains upon his legs.