h him only on one spot, in which case the knee would have to be
brought well away from the flap of the saddle, and the toe of the boot
turned outwards. This would necessitate the use of a long stirrup
leather, which would bring the rider's weight too much to the
near-side, and would also render her seat insecure; because, instead of
being able to get grip by the play of her left ankle joint (p. 149), she
would have to draw back the left foot, and press the upper part of the
thigh against the leaping head. Her forced adoption of this feeble
attempt to obtain firmness of seat is due to the fact that if she raised
her left knee to put pressure on the leaping head, her foot, in all
probability, would come out of the iron, owing to the long leather being
slack at that moment. Besides, with a leather at that length, it would
be impossible for her to press her leg strongly against the leaping head
by the action of the ankle joint. A lady who rides with her stirrup
leather at the correct length (Fig. 79), can use the spur only in a more
or less parallel direction to the animal's side, in which case, the
spur, if it is sharp, will be almost certain to tear the skin, instead
of lightly pricking it.

The entirely wrong system of handling, feeding, and leading horses
almost always on the near side, teaches them to turn much more easily as
a rule to that side, which is a lady's weak side, than to the right.
Consequently, when they "run out" at a fence, they almost invariably
swerve to the left. In such a case, a man has his hands to turn the
animal's head and neck, and his drawn back right leg to straighten the
hind quarters; but the handicapped lady can supplement the action of her
reins only by the whip, which she cannot use very effectively, owing to
her perched-up position on the saddle. If she used a spur she would be
at a still greater disadvantage, because, in order to escape the pain of
the "persuader," the animal would naturally swing his hind quarters
round to the right, and would consequently bring his fore-hand still
more to the left, by the action of this misapplied "aid." If the lady's
whip is not sufficiently long to give her mount the requisite reminder
on the off flank, either by being pressed closely against it, or by the
administration of a sharp tap, it will be useless for straightening him.
Lady Augusta Fane, who is one of the best horsewomen in Leicestershire,
and who certainly rides a greater variety of hunters