Introductory Address
Preparatory Remarks
Directions for Mounting
The Seat and Balance
Holding the Reins
Aids and Indications
Guiding
Animations
Soothing
Corrections
Vices
Paces of the Horse
Leaping
Road Riding
Dismounting
Concluding Remarks
EQUITATION.
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS.
“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.
PREPARATORY REMARKS.
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.