opposition to her expressed command. The adoption
of a conciliatory method with horses which deliberately refuse to obey
orders is fatal, because the lady who takes that course literally allows
the reins of authority to slip through her fingers.

[Illustration: Fig. 99.--Good seat at canter or gallop.]

[Illustration: Fig. 100.--Good seat at canter or gallop.]

GALLOP.

An experienced hunting man remarked to me that a large number of ladies
who hunt, fail in ability to make their horses gallop, which is a pace
never taught by riding masters. The gallop is not only necessary to
acquire, especially by a lady who intends to hunt, but it improves the
strength of seat more than any other gait. Besides, a rider who is
unaccustomed to it, is always in danger of coming to "grief," if her
horse breaks away with her, either from being startled or from mere
"light-heartedness." For a lady's first lesson in galloping, a piece of
nice soft smooth ground, free from stones and holes, and, say, a quarter
of a mile or three furlongs in length, should be selected. The pupil
should be provided with a rather sluggish horse, which requires some
"riding up to his bridle," and should be told to canter her horse at his
highest speed, for the canter and gallop merge imperceptibly into each
other. The seat in the canter is precisely the same as that in the
gallop, except that when the horse is going very fast, a lady will find
it easier to lean slightly forward, take a good steady hold of the
reins, and keep her hands in one fixed position, as low down as
possible. If she has any difficulty in getting her mount to extend
himself, the instructor should ride with her and set the pace. When the
lady's horse is really galloping, he should slacken speed a little, and
let the animal pass him, in order that the pupil may learn to ride a
gallop without a lead. The chances are that her horse will want to
follow the example of his companion and go slower; but she should keep
him going at the same fast pace by a touch with the whip and a click of
the tongue, until she has arrived at the end of the specified distance.
As a fast gallop is very trying to a horse's legs, it should be limited
to occasional short spins on soft and smooth ground. In the next lesson
the instructor should assume the lead, and tell his pupil to pull her
horse up at a given distance, while he gallops away from her. This would
be excellent practice for testing her power of horse