The morning call., 1894-07-08
HORSE LORE FOR WOMEN.
Ride Across Country Teaching Horse to Leap.
1t is Easy Enough.

thing more than half speed. at the
same time settling we'll back in the
saddle, steady your horse and keep him
we'll in hand. When you are within
twenty wards or SO Of the fence he will un-
derstand that il is your purpose to jump
il and will "let ont a link" increasing his
speed little. Keep a good lookout for
obstacles on the other side OF the fence.
and at the same time be on the watch for
a possible refusal ur blunder on his part.
Do not keep a stiff rein, but let your
hand give and take-"feeliDg the horses
mouth" He will give gentle tug
at the reins at every step, and unless
you can catch and maintain the
rhythm of this you will never have good
hands" for riding or driving. Good horse
men do this unconscIOusly. but L have
seen riders maintain vlce-like grip on
the reins. their hands all but immOvable.
and then wonder why the creature fretted
So" In riding across country you should
learn to study the nature of the ground
and regulate the pace accordingly. Rough,
soft or newly plnwed ground is very hard
on the horse You will often save time
by skirting the edges of a plOwed field
rather than to ride straight over ii and
have more speed and strength left in your
mount for the balance Of the journey.
In this part of the country it is hardly
possible to ride very far afield without
having streams to cross. Generally as The
summer wanes these are easily fordable,
but sometimes. for a few feet, amid stream
a horse in crossing may find il necessary
to swim, As a rule he makes this dis
coverv before you do, and II his change OF
position takes YOU unaware you Will lind
ii very discOncerting. In any case you
can scarcely escape a wettlng, but you
need not, as an unfortunately surprised
compannn Of my own once did, roll
bodily into the water. As soon as
a horse gets beyond his depth his
hindquarters sink and his head rises. H.
stantly you should let the reins go loose
and grasp his name Even slight tug
on the reins is liable 10 pull him over
backwards, and if you keep your hold oD
the reins you are APT 10 give this tug un-
cons nsciously. | knew good horsewoman
t0 drown an animal this way once. She
jerked violently at the rens in her fright,
pulled the horse over backward. his
mouth and postrils filed with water and
he sank to the bottom. 1t is, of course.
possible to avoid deep streams In pleasure
riding, but it is well to have ones wits
about one and remember what is best 20
be done in the event of getting beyond
ones depth.
The distance to be covered in a long ride
is point TO be governed largely by cir
cumStances. A horse cannot endure as
much as man. or even as much as dell
day, or even two days, and he is going TO
have a chance to rest and recuperate, after
sixty or seventy miles. between early
morning and the heat of The day. on good
roads. will not hurt him, but if the trip is
TO he an extended one If, say, ten days or
more. and you wish your mount to keen
fresh and in good spirits, he should rot be
taken more than twenty-five or thirty
miles a day. This is supposing the an NAL
is well fed with grain and well cared for IN
other respects. If the roads are rougn. as
they are apt to DE w1en among the hills,
or if you are travelling light and depend ng
upon pasture forage. you must De easier
still on your equine companion.
There is n" more delightful way of
taking a vacatio in California han in the
saddle. The climate is such that at some
time during each day it is d pleasure to
ride, and there are glorious trips TO b.
taken all over the Safe, when one has
succeeded in finding the one essential to
pleasure on such journey. A strong,
safe and reliable mount.
Miss RUSSELL.