I never look
so well as when I've got my hair dressed for riding.

I always go out for these morning excursions quite alone. Aunt Deborah
fought for a long time, and insisted on my taking the coachman; but he
is an old family servant, and I soon knocked him up completely. In the
first place, the ride is always soft, and I hate going _slow_, so he
used to get a dreadful stitch in his side trying to keep up with me on
one of the high-actioned coach-horses; then he didn't see the fun of
having two horses to clean when he got home instead of one; so when he
found he couldn't get another helper, we begged him off between us,
and I go out now unencumbered by that excellent and pursy old man.
After all, I ought to be able to take care of myself. I have ridden
ever since I was five years old; and if habit is second nature, as
Aunt Deborah says, I'm sure my habit ought to be natural enough to me.
I recollect as well as if it was yesterday, when poor papa put me on a
shaggy Shetland pony, and telling me not to be frightened, gave it a
thump, and started me off by myself. I wasn't the least bit afraid, I
know that. It was a new sensation, and delightful; round and round the
field we went, I shaking my reins with one hand, and holding on a
great flapping straw hat with the other; the pony grunting and
squeaking, with his mane and tail floating on the breeze, and papa
standing in the middle, waving his hat and applauding with all his
might. After that I was qualified to ride anything; and by the time I
was twelve, there wasn't a hunter in the stables that I wouldn't get
on at a moment's notice. I am ashamed to confess that I have even
caught the loose cart-horses in a field, and ridden them without
saddle or bridle. I never was beat but once, and that was at Uncle
Horsingham's when I was about fifteen. He had bought a mare at
Tattersall's for his daughter to ride, and brought her down to
Dangerfield, thinking she would conduct herself like the rest of her
species. How well I remember my governess's face when she gave me
leave to go to the stable with Sir Harry and look over the new
purchase. I was a great pet of Uncle Horsingham; and as Cousin Amelia
was not much of an equestrian, he proposed that I should get upon the
chestnut mare first, and try her paces and temper before his daughter
mounted her. As we neared the stables out came one of the grooms with
a sidesaddle on his head, and the longest face I ever beheld.

"O Sir 'Arry