ld, as a
rule, be avoided, because, apart from its not being very graceful, it
is apt to disarrange the position of the saddle, by pulling it to the
near side, and the animal would then be liable to get a sore back,
especially if he had to go through a long day with hounds.

[Illustration: Fig. 69.--Dismounting without help.]

_Mounting from a block_, low wall, or other suitable object, may be done
without help, if the animal is "confidential" and accustomed to the
work. If a man be present, he may stand in front of the horse and hold
him in the way already described for the groom to do (page 125). If the
animal shows unwillingness to approach the mounting-block, the man
should hold the off cheek-piece of the headstall of the bridle with his
right hand, and, with the flat of his left hand, prevent the horse from
swinging his hind quarters out. When the horse is sufficiently close,
the lady should take the whip and reins in her left hand, put her left
foot in the stirrup, take the upper crutch with her left hand and the
cantle with the right, and spring lightly between both hands into the
saddle. The right leg is then put over the upper crutch and the skirt
arranged.

DISMOUNTING,

in the days of voluminous skirts, was a far more serious business than
it is now; for the "knee recess" had to be carefully freed from the
crutches of the saddle, and the skirt gathered up in the hands of the
rider, so that she might not tread on it. Riding women of to-day
generally prefer to dismount without assistance, for they are no longer
hampered with an early Victorian skirt. While a man holds the horse, the
rider releases her foot from the stirrup and loop, removes her right leg
from the crutch, and placing her right hand on it and her left hand on
the leaping head to steady herself (Fig. 69), springs lightly to the
ground. If help is required from a male attendant, it is best for him to
offer his right arm, on which the rider places her left hand (Fig. 70),
as she leaves the saddle. If there is only one man present, he should
take the snaffle reins in his left hand, before offering his right arm
to the lady. Another plan is for the lady to give her hands to the man
who assists her to dismount, but that would not be pleasant in the case
of an ordinary groom. An old-fashioned way of helping a lady to
dismount, was to put an arm round her waist and lift her from the
saddle!

[Illustration: Fig. 70.--Dismounting with help.]