How to become a good rider—­The care of a horse—­Saddles

So many branches of outdoor sport depend on a knowledge of horsemanship that every boy or girl who has the opportunity should learn to ride horseback.  When once acquired, we shall never forget it.  The first few lessons will make us feel discouraged, because the jolting and jarring every one receives in learning to ride almost make it appear that we can never acquire the knack, but remember that even the cowboy has had to go through the same experience.  A beginner should only ride a gentle horse.  In case we do take a tumble, it is well to take our first lesson on soft ground or in a tanbark ring.

There are three types of saddles generally used:  The English saddle is simply a leather seat with stirrups, and while it is the most refined type and the one used for fox hunting and all expert riding in England, it is not the best kind to learn on.  The army saddle and the Mexican or cowboy saddle with a pommel or box-stirrups are far safer and less expensive.  If you know of a dealer in second-hand army equipments you can buy a saddle and bridle of excellent material at less than half the retail price of the stores.

[Illustration:  Mexican saddle, Army saddle, English saddle]

Before mounting your horse always examine carefully your saddle and bridle to see that the girths are tight, that the bridle is properly buckled, and the stirrups are the proper length.  The latter is sometimes determined by placing the stirrup under the armpits and touching the saddle with the finger tips.  A more accurate way is to have the straps adjusted after you are in the saddle.  A beginner will prefer a short stirrup, but it is a bad habit to acquire.  In mounting, stand on the left side and place the left foot in the stirrup.  Swing the right leg over the horse and find the right stirrup with the toe just as quickly as possible.  Do not jerk a restless horse or otherwise betray your excitement if he starts.  Let him see by your calmness that he too should be calm.

So much depends on the kind of horse you are riding that it will be difficult to say just how to handle him.  A horse that is “bridle wise” is not guided in the customary way; that is, by pulling on the rein on the side you wish him to turn as one does in driving.  A bridle-wise horse is guided by pressing the opposite rein against his neck.  Such a horse is much easier to handle on horseback and we should try to teach our horse this method as soon as possible.

There is very close understanding between a horse and rider that does not exist when a horse is driven to a carriage.  A horse can be guided simply by the leg pressure or spur.  The proper seat is well back in the saddle with the toe pointing almost straight ahead.  In order to learn to ride quickly we must overcome any strain or tension of our muscles and try to be flexible above the waist.  In this way we soon accommodate our own motion to that of the