Let me now offer a few remarks on a subject upon which considerable
diversity of opinion exists, namely, whether the teaching of a young
lady in riding may or may not be entrusted to a female professor of
equitation in preference to a man. At the first glance, there seems to
be good reason for preferring the tuition of the lady but, on careful
consideration, I believe most of those interested in the matter will
agree with me that, under many circumstances likely to occur, one lady,
however good a horsewoman herself, is likely to be quite unable to
render the desired assistance to a pupil, conceding, at the same time
that, as regards the details of dress, the opinion of a lady who has had
long practice in the saddle may be very useful.
In the first place, the placing of the pupil on the horse and taking her
off cannot possibly be as well done, to say the least, by a lady
instructor as it can by a gentleman; neither would the performance of
such an office be graceful or convenient to either. Secondly, all that
portion of the instruction which should be given by the instructor on
foot while the pupil is on horseback can be better given by a man who
understands his business than by a lady, because, although the tone of
voice in which the instruction is conveyed should be kindly, and the
manner cheerful and encouraging, a degree of _firmness_ and
_conciseness_ is necessary, which few ladies possess, for the reason
that the art of teaching riding, like riding itself, requires a
considerable practice and long drilling into the instructor in a school
where smartness of diction and expression form part of the education of
an intended professor of equitation. Thirdly, assuming both instructor
and pupil to be in the saddle, a lady, although thoroughly mistress of
her own horse, is unable to aid her pupil as easily as a man can.
In the early lessons given (the instructor being on horseback), it is
necessary that the latter should be close enough to the pupil's horse on
the off side to be able at any moment to place the hands of the learner,
to check any exuberant action of the horse by laying the left hand
firmly upon the reins; and in the first essays made by the pupil in the
trotting lesson, to assist her by the left hand of the instructor placed
under the right elbow of the beginner.
And finally, should any necessity arise during a ride for dismounting
the pupil, a lady instructor labours under this difficulty, that having
dismounted herself, and both pupil and teacher being on the ground, the
act of mounting again by two ladies, unattended by a man, is one of
considerable difficulty and possible danger.
From the very necessity of her position in the saddle, a lady teaching
another cannot, without inconvenience to both legs (the left
especially), approach near enough to her pupil's horse to assist the
latter with her left hand, because her left leg is always in danger of
coming in contact with the other horse; while on a windy day the skirt
of her habit is likely enough to be blown into his flank, and thereby
make him unsteady. Not long since I saw two ladies who were riding,
unattended by a man, in a very awkward predicament. Both are practised
riders, possessing capital seats and hands, and are equal to any
contingency likely to occur as long as they are in the saddle; nay, one
of the ladies is, I believe, the most accomplished horsewoman I ever
saw. Her seat is both fine and graceful to a degree; her hands
perfection, her nerve first-rate, and her experience in riding even
difficult horses with hounds considerable. This lady was the elder of
the two; her companion was considerably younger, but although a very
accomplished rider, she lacked the experience of her friend. Something
had gone amiss with the younger lady's saddle, and both ladies
dismounted to arrange it. The elder was quite equal to this, for I have
seen her many times saddle and bridle her own horse, and with one that
would stand quietly (being herself exceedingly supple and active), she
can put her hands on the upper pommel and vault into the saddle without
any assistance. But in the case I allude to she was completely fixed.
Her horse was a chesnut thoroughbred, only four years old; and,
although, despite all difficulty I believe, had she been alone, she
would have succeeded in mounting, her friend and her horse placed her in
an awkward dilemma. She was compelled from time to time to use one hand
to disengage the folds of her habit, and she had to hold both horses,
even if her friend could have gained her saddle unassisted. Neither
horse would stand still; the one, as is invariably the case in such
little difficulties, setting a bad example, which the other was not slow
to follow. To hold two horses, keep clear of her own habit, while the
horses were shifting their positions continually, and give her friend
even the least help in mounting, proved too much even for the
highly-finished lady equestrian, and as the _contretemps_ occurred on a
lone country road, I believe they would have been compelled to lead
their horses a considerable distance, had I not chanced opportunely to
arrive. In such places as Rotten-row a lady instructor may get on
tolerably well with her pupil, because, in case of any mishap, there are
plenty of men always at hand who know what a horse is; but in
out-of-the-way country places it is very different. The British rustic,
whatever other good qualities he may possess, is not celebrated, as a
rule, for over politeness to ladies--strangers particularly. In proof of
the above, there is a story current in this neighbourhood which is
likely enough to be true, although I cannot vouch for it myself. The
tale runs thus:--A lady (one of the daughters of a noble house) having
married, had gone abroad with her husband, and been absent from the home
of her early days so long that the uprising generation of young people
about the estate knew her not. She was taking a ride one day unattended,
and mounted on a steady cob, had been visiting the long-cherished scenes
of her childhood, when she came to a very awkward bridle gate, seated on
which was a juvenile "wopstraw" in duck frock, leather leggings, and
wideawake. The boy jumped down and opened the gate for the lady, at the
same time taking off his hat. Now the fair recipient of this delicate
attention was well aware of the fact that the village people on the
paternal estate were celebrated in the county for their rough manners to
strangers, ladies forming no exception, so she was agreeably surprised
at the exceptional good behaviour of the youngster, the more so as she
was quite sure he did not know her. Taking a shilling out of her purse
she gave it to him, observing: "You are a very good boy," and added,
laughing, "I am sure you were not born at D." (the name of the principal
village on the estate). But to the donor's horror the youngster,
grasping his hat firmly in one fist and the shilling in the other, with
a fiery glare of indignation in his fat face and flashing eye, replied,
"Thou be'st a loyar (liar), I wor."
_Verbum sap._ All rustics are not so ill behaved as the one above
mentioned. But as very few of them will go far out of their road to
assist a stranger, it is as well that ladies riding in remote country
parts should be attended by a gentleman; and I repeat, for all purposes
of instruction, the attendance of a man will be found far more efficient
than that of a lady.