In the Riding-School; Chats with Esmeralda

in a

th

rity, that fifty lessons in class are worth a hundred private lessons? And the same authority says that the class lessons should be preceded by at least twice as much priva

rth just in time to see another class, a long line of pretty girls, making its closing rounds, the leader sitting with exquisitely balanced poise, which seems perfectly careless, but is the result of years of training and practice; others following her with somewhat less grace, but still accomplishing what even your slightly taught vision perceives to be feats of management far beyond you; still others, one blushing

the beauty, and the society young lady, and Nell, and you stare at them in wrathful astonishment fully equalled by theirs, and then, in the following grand outburst of confession, you are informed that, each one having planned

en there is a general muster of grooms and horses, and in a moment you are all in your saddles and walking about the ring, into which, an instant after, another lady rides easily and gracefully, to be saluted by bot

p a distance of about three feet between your horse and the one before you, and that you must

on of astonishment from the teacher, not because he is surprised, habit already rendering him sadly familiar with young

s Versatilia. She must look over her horse's head between his ears. Now, forward! Now, look straight between your horse's ears, each one of you, and see something on the horse before you that is just on a line with the top of his head, and use that as a guide to tell you whether or not you are in place! Now, forward, Miss-Miss Lady! Not so fast! Keep walk

the race course. A lady is not a jockey, and she should employ her whip almost as quietly as she moves her left foot. Forward, forward! And keep on the track, ladies! Keep your horses' heads straight by holding your reins perfectly even, then their bodies will be straight, and you will make one line instead of being on six

you, guide your horse to his proper place, and the next time that you come to that part of the ring, make him go right! Forward, forward! Ladies, not one of you is in the right place! Keep up! Keep up! Miss Lady, you must go forward regularly! Now prepare to trot! No, no! Walk! When I say, 'Prepare to trot,' it is not for you to begin, but to think of what you must do to begin, and you must not let your

relaxing her hold of the reins, and turning both hands very slightly inward, brings her horse to a walk and

nd then he repeats again and again that series of injunctions which already seems so threadbare to you, Esmeralda, but which you do not follow, not because you do not try, but because you have not full control of your muscle

close to you, "that you seem timid, M

ou assu

exibility in the fingers, the wrists, the elbows, everywhere! You are not tired? No? Be easy then, be easy!" A

n of nerves, he smiles indulgently, and the other teacher rides up beside you, and advises you steadily and quietly during the next succession of trotting and walking, and

dge of your position by the feeling of your shoulders and by thinking whether you are observing every rule; but, once in a great while, when you are walking, take your reins in your left hand, pass your right hand lightly along the edge of your saddle, ad satisfy yourself that you are quite correct in position. If you be quite sure that you can take a downward gla

ourselves! Prepare to trot! Trot!" And away go the horses, for it is not every hour that they hear the strong voice which means that instant obedience must be rendered. "Keep up! keep up!" cries your teacher. "Come in!" says your own guide, and then pauses himself, to urge one of the beginners behind you, and for a minute or two the orders foll

t in any passageway through which his horse could walk in a straight line. The whole class gazes enviously, to be brought to the proper frame of mind by a sharp expostulatory fire of: "Keep you

r, no, never! never so long as she lives, come again; and in spite of Nell's attempts to quiet her, she repea

d as she could desire. "You should

ut I know something, and I will no

do not know, my young lady, is how little that something is! This is a sch

teach! Three men orde

ust keep to my own old way. It may be wrong -for you, my young lady-but it has made soldiers to ride, and

y behind you, Esmeralda, and leaves you to stamme

old you the other day that I spoke for your good, not for my own. If I should say every time I want trotting,

ociety young lady, "and we

treated as my pupils," he says with a courtly bow and a "Good morning,"

o overbearing for me," and just at that minute the voice of the society young lady is hear

d you should use it immediately, before the rigidity becomes habitual. Continue your other exercises, b

wing them lifelessly to and fro. Execute the movement fir

the knuckles, and shake them in

hang from the elbow, an

from the shoulder, and swing

thrust straight forward, with the arms bent at right angles to them and with the arms flung backward as far as possi

e almost as valuable as the ability to hold yourself firm and steady. You will find the exercises in Mrs. Thompson's "Society Gymnastics," but these are all that you w