legs, and incline her body in the direction to be taken by her mount. By
watching the animal's ears, she will soon learn to become independent
of the driver's signal.

She will find, until she has acquired practice in riding without reins,
that it is far more difficult to retain her balance in the saddle during
these turns, than in riding over a fence; for when an obstacle has to be
negotiated, she is made aware beforehand of the intended movements, but
in turning without a signal she has not that advantage. If the lessons
are given, first at a walk, and the pace gradually increased according
as she becomes secure in her saddle, she will soon acquire a good firm
seat, and will have no tendency to be displaced by her horse shying with
her, or by making a sudden plunge to right or left.

I have described in Chapter VIII. how a lady should sit in her saddle,
so I need not repeat these directions. While being driven with the long
reins, the rider should endeavour to sit as upright as she can, without
any stiffness, and leaning neither to the front nor back, except when
rising at the trot, when the body should be inclined a little forward,
so as to make the movement smooth.

The _walk_ requires no special mention. At the _trot_, before she has
learned when and how to rise in her stirrup, it is best for her not to
make any attempt to do so, but to let herself be bumped up and down
until she feels that, although the movement may be unpleasant, it does
not render her seat insecure. While doing this, she should be careful
not to put any weight on the stirrup. After she has thus learned to trot
without rising, she should try to feel her stirrup just before her body
is bumped upward by the horse, and she will soon become able to time her
movements, so as to rise in her stirrup with grace and ease. To do this,
her effort should be strictly confined to aiding the upward lift which
the horse gives to her body, and should be free from any jerk or
wriggle. She should have her weight well on her right leg, and should
keep her stirrup in one unaltered position (p. 192). The ankle acts here
as a spring to take away any jerk that might occur during the movement.
The stirrup, as I have said on page 192, should be at the ball of the
foot, and the left knee should be kept steady and close against the flap
of the saddle. If the horse, during the trot, suddenly breaks off into a
canter, the rider should sit down in her saddle, and be ready t