However as no one hath ever yet lent a helping hand in putting pen to paper on the subject, by way of adding, if possible, to the ladies, elegance, ease and safety on horse back; I shall without any other apology then assuring those ladies who may please to read what I write on the matter, is well meant, and are such ideas that have [occured] to me in many years study, and practice in the [manage.]
DIRECTIONS IN MOUNTING.
LET the ostler or servant being on the off side the horse, with right hand holding the bridoun reins, to properly stay the horse, and his left hand on the part of the saddle called the crutch, by this method both horse and saddle will be kept firm and steady, it is the riding master’s duty to examine the bridle whether it is properly placed, the curb, chain, or chin chain in due order, the saddle in a proper place, and the girths sufficiently tight, &c. Direct the lady then to take her whip, or switch in the right hand, the small end of it turned towards the horse’s croup, then with the right hand take a firm hold of the pommell of the saddle standing upright with her right shoulder square, and in a line with the horse’s left, she then bending the left knee pretty much, the master or gentleman who [asists] her standing facing the lady, he stooping a little receives the lady’s left foot in his hands being clasped firm together, the lady must then be directed to straiten her knee, being now bent, with a firmness and elasticity pressing her left hand on the man’s left shoulder, making a little spring at the same time, by which the riding-master, gentleman, or servant, if permitted, by paying due attention to these rules will spring the lady on the saddle with the greatest ease and safety. The method of adjusting the petticoats; I then place the lady’s foot in the stirrup tho’ it is a wonder if a proper length, being guess work, as we are now to suppose this to be the first lesson, and the stirrup cannot be properly fixed, till the lady is in her seat, I say I then give her the stirrup, directing she may take a firm hold with the left hand of a lock of the horse’s mane, at the same time she having a firm hold of the crutch with the right, by which means she rises herself up from the saddle, standing firm in the stirrup, looking rather over the off side of the horse’s neck, the intention of this is that the attendant shall adjust the coats so as they sit smooth and easy, by pulling them round a little to the right, then on returning to the saddle, or seat, and while in coming down she must put her right knee over the pommel of the saddle, and by these simple rules she will find all comfortable and easy; in regard to the adjustment of the bridle reins, and the managing and directing the horse by them, pay strict attention to those set down in the first lecture addressed to the gentlemen; let the whip be placed firm and easy in the right hand, with the taper or small end downwards, and the arm hanging carelessly down without contraction, and when the whip is made use off, let it be by means of the wrist, without lifting the arm from the body, and be careful not to touch the horse with the whip too backward as many of them will kick on their being flogged in that part, which if it should not occasion a fall, would much alarm the young scholar, before she has acquired any degree of ballance.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE LENGTH OF THE STIRRUP.
THE Stirrup should be such length as when the lady sits upright and properly on her seat, with the knee being easily bent, the heel kept back, with the toe raised a little higher than the heel, so that the heel, hip and the shoulder, are in a line and as upright as when walking along, for if otherwise it is unjust and not agreeable to nature; for suppose you are riding along the road with the foot stuck out and so forward as the horses front of his shoulder, as is not uncommon to see girls riding in this manner along the road in the country, as tho’ they were directing with their foot which road their horse should take, I say this method is not only very unbecoming but very unsafe, for instance if riding carelessly along the road with the foot and leg in this attitude being to pass some stubborn or inflexible object on the left or near side, perhaps before you are aware or apprised of the danger you might have your foot and leg sorely bruised, nay even dragged from your horse, I have seen similar instances to this, happen more than once, even when the foot has been in a good situation by ladies who unthinkingly have endeavoured to pass objects to the left when they could as easily have passed those objects to the right, which ladies should make an invariable rule so to do at all times, if possible; for reasons which must be plain to any one, who will think one minute on the matter; another inconvenience will frequently arise by suffering the leg and foot to be in this horrid form, which is, the stirrup leather will frequently press against the leg, so as to hurt it very much, this I have often had beginners complain of, by saying the buckle of the stirrup hurt them, when behold I never use a buckle to my stirrups on the left side, as they are always fastened and buckled on the off side, for two particular good advantages which arise from it; the principal of which is, that as the pressure or bearing coming from the off side, it greatly assists in keeping the saddle even, especially with those ladies through a bad habit who accustom themselves to bear hard on the stirrup which is nothing more [then] a habit, and want of learning to ride the right way at first.
The other reason is, you can lengthen or shorten the stirrup at pleasure, without disturbing the lady at all, and without even dismounting yourself, if you are riding on the road, as the business is done on the off side the horse, nay I have altered the stirrup often without stopping at all.