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Full text of "Ladies on horseback : learning, park-riding, and hunting, with hints upon costume, and numerous anecdotes"

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SUver  Medal  ^^^j^Kf^M^^^Wcy  Paris  1878. 

Vienna  1873.  ^7^&in'^:^^'r\^^      Philaiielpliia  1876. 


SWAINE     ADENEY, 

WHIP   MANUFACTURERS, 

To  THE  QUEEN,  THE  PRINCE  and  PRINCESS 
OF  WALES  and  the  ROYAL  FAMILY, 

185,     PICCADILLY, 


LONDON,    W. 


I 


WHIPS    OF    EVERY    DESCRIPTION    FOR 
RIDING,  DRIVING,  &  HUNTING,  &c. 


WHIPS  MOUNTED  IN   GOLD  AND  SILVER,  FOR 
PRESENTATION,  ALWAYS  ON  HAND. 


HUNTING    FLASKS,    HOilNS,    6cc. 


TUFTS  UNIVERSITY   LIBRARIES 


^■i    3   9090  013  421    496 


THE 


NEW  LEVEL-SEAT  SIDE  SADDLE, 

With  Adjustable  Third  Crutch  and  other  Improvements, 

As   recommended  and  used   by    Mrs.   Power  O'Douogbue,   Authoress   of 

"Ladies  on  Horseback,"  &c.  &c. 

This  perfect  Side  Saddle  is  moderate  in  price,  light  and  elegant  in 
appearance,  faultless  in  materials  and  workmanship,  ensures  ease,  comfort, 
and  security  to  the  rider,  and  obviates  sore  backs  with  horses. 

MADE  TO  ORDER  AND  MEASURE  BY 

F.  V.  NICHOLLS  &  CO., 

Hunting  &  Military  Saddlers, 

Manufacturers  of  Harness,   Horse  Clothing,  Whips, 

and  Stable  Requisites, 

2,   JERMYN    STREET,   HAYMARKET, 


The  Gentleman's  narrow-grip  "Brough"  Saddle,  any  size  and 

weight,  from  £7,  complete. 

The  Gentleman   Eider's  Racing  Saddle,    .£3  to  M,  complete, 

very  roomy,  with  Buckskin  Flaps,  &c. 

THE  IMPROVED    NEWMARKET  &  ING  GUY  SNAFFLE   BRIDLES, 

FOR  PULLING   HORSES. 


Branch  Business :  18,  ARTILLERY  PLACE,  WOOLWICH. 


ROWLANDS'  ODONTO  OR  PEARL 

DENTIFRICE 

has  been  celebrated  for  more  than  half  a  century  as  the  best,  purest,  and 
most  fragrant  preparation  for  the  teeth  ever  made.  Health  depends  in  a 
great  measure  upon  the  soundness  of  the  teeth,  and  all  dentists  will  allow 
that  neither  washes  nor  pastes  can  possibly  be  as  eflBcacious  for  polishing 
the  teeth  and  keeping  them  sound  and  white  as  a  pure  and  non-gritty 
tooth-powder ;  such  Kowlands'  Odonto  has  always  proved  itself  to  be. 
Great  care  must  be  taken  to  ask  for  ROWLANDS'  ODONTO,  of 
20,  Hatton  Garden,  London,  and  to  see  that  each  box  bears  the  3d. 
Government  Stamp,  without  which  no  ODONTO  is  genuine. 

ROWLANDS'  MACASSAR  OIL 

is  universally  in  high  repute  for  its  unprecedented  success  during  the  last 
80  years  in  promoting  the  growth,  restoring,  improving,  and  beautifying 
the  human  hair.  For  children  it  is  especially  recommended,  as  forming 
the  basis  of  a  beautiful  head  of  hair,  while  its  introduction  into  the 
nursery  of  Eoyalty  is  a  suflEicient  proof  of  its  merits.  It  is  perfectly  free 
from  any  lead,  mineral,  or  poisonous  ingredients. 

ROWLANDS'  KALYDOR 

produces  a  beautiful  pure  and  healthy  complexion,  eradicates  freckles, 
tan,  prickly  heat,  sunburn,  &c.,  and  is  most  cooling  and  refreshing  to  the 
face,  hands,  and  arms  during  hot  weather. 


AsJc  any  Perfumery  dealer  for   E0WLAND8*  Articles,  of  20, 
Hatton  Garden,  London,  and  avoid  spurious  worthless  imitations. 


MESSRS.  JAY 

Mave  tye  J)onour  to  solwit  a 
visit  from  tf)e  jBeau  Monde  to 
inspect  a  variety  of  £kgant 
Silk  -Costumes,  Mantles,  ^r- 
tistit  Millinery,  Mats,  also 
Novelties  in  ^ress,  specially 
selected  in  Paris  from  t1)e 
best  ^rtistes  representing  t^e 
JFasUons  of  tl)e  Season. 


243,  245,  247,  249,  251,  &  253,  Regent  Street,  W. 


a 


W.  FAULKNER, 

LADIES'  &  GENTLEMEN'S 

HUNTING,  SHOOTING,  &  WALKING 

BOOT    MAKER, 

52,  SOUTH  MOLTON  STREET,  BOND  STREET,  W. 

Manufacturer  of  the  Celebrated  Edinburgh  Boot  Varnish, 
Blacking,  and  Waterproof  Leather  Dresshig. 

MILITARY    BOOTS. 

The  *'Bective"  Boots  and  Shoes  to  match  Costumes. 


Improved  Flexura 
Boots. 

Mountain  Boots. 

Skating  Boots. 


Lawn  Tennis 
Shoes. 

Oxford  Shoes. 

Slippers  to  any 
style. 


LADIES'  RIDING  &  HUNTING  BOOTS  OF  EVERY  DESCRIPTION, 

The  Shape  of  the  Feet  taken  and  Lasts  Modelled  on  the  w,ost  approved 
anatomical  principles,  and  kept  exclusively  for  each  customer. 

W.  Faulkner  begs  most  respectfully  to  call  the  attention  of  Ladies  and 
Gentlemen  to  the  BOOT  TREE  Branch.  Boot  Trees  assist  to  keep  the 
boots  in  proper  shape,  preventing  them  from  wrinkling  and  shrinking  after 
they  have  been  worn  in  the  wet ;  they  can  be  cleaned  better,  and  do  not 
require  so  much  blacking,  thereby  preventing  the  deleterious  effect 
produced  by  its  frequent  application. 

Iiasts  and  Boot  Trees  of  every  description  Manufactured  on  the 

Premises. 


Ladies  residing  in  the  Country  can  have  Boots  or  Boot  Trees  sent  their 
exact  size  by  forwarding  an  Old  Boot  by  Post. 


To  H.R.H.   PRINCESS   CHRISTIAN. 


"CORSETS."     * 

280,  REGENT  STREET,  LONDON", 


AND 


56a,  old  STEYNE,  BRIGHTON. 


RIDING    CORSETS    OF    EVERY    DESCRIPTION 

MADE    TO    ORDER. 


(  EUE  EAMBUTEAU,  PAEIS. 
Manufactokies  ^  ^^^^^  ^^g^^^  STREET,  LONDON. 


HOW  TO  RIDE 


AND 


SCHOOL  A  HORSE 

BY 

E.  L.  ANDERSON. 

Crown  ^vo,     Price^  2^.  6c?. 


"  It  requires  the  study  of  only  a  very  few  pages  of  this  book 
to  convince  the  reader  that  the  author  thoroughly  understands 
his  subject." — Illustrated  Sporting  and  Dramatic  News. 

"  Concise,  practical  directions  for  riding  and  training,  by 
which  the  pupil  may  become  his  own  master." — Land  and 
Water. 

'*  A  useful  and  carefully -written  volume." — Sporting  Times. 

"  It  is  sensible  and  practical." — Whitehall  Review. 

"  We  cordially  commend  this  book." — Indian  Daily  News. 

"  The  work  is  a  good  riding-master's  book,  with  no  super- 
fluous words,  and  with  plain,  straightforward  directions 
throughout.  The  chapter  on  '  The  Walk  and  the  Trot '  seems 
to  us  especially  practical  and  good." — Farmer. 

"  Goes  straight  to  the  core  of  the  subject,  and  is  throughout 
replete  with  sound  sense." — Home  News. 

"  Cannot  fail  to  be  of  service  to  the  young  equestrian,  while 
it  contains  many  hints  that  may  be  advantageously  borne  in 
mind  by  experienced  riders." — Scotsman. 

"  Mr.  Anderson  gives  good  practical  advice,  and  we  com- 
mend the  work  to  the  attention  of  our  readers." — Live  Stock 
Journal. 

London :  W.  H.  ALLEN  &  CO.,  13  Waterloo  Place. 


THE  ILLUSTRATED  HORSE  DOCTOR. 

Being  an  Accurate  and  Detailed  Account,  accompanied  by  more 
than  400  Pictorial  Representations,  characteristic  of  the  various 
Diseases  to  which  the  Equine  Race  are  subjected ;  together 
with  the  latest  Mode  of  Treatment,  and  all  the  requisite  Pre- 
scriptions written  in  Plain  English. 

By  EDWARD  MAYKEW,  M.B.C.V.S. 

Svo.j  18s.  6d. 
Contents. — The  Brain  and  Nervous  System. — The  Eyes. — 
The  Mouth.— The  Nostrils.— The  Throat.— The  Chest  and  its 
contents. —  The  Stomach,  Liver,  &c. — The  Abdomen. —  The 
Urinary  Organs. — The  Skin. — Specific  Diseases. — Limbs. — The 
Eeet. — Injuries. — Operations. 

"  The  book  contains  nearly  600  pages  of  valuable  matter,  which  reflects 
great  credit  on  its  author,  and,  owing  to  its  practical  details,  the 
result  of  deep  scientific  research,  deserves  a  place  in  the  library  of 
medical,  veterinary,  and  non-professional  readers." — Field. 

"  The  book  furnishes  at  once  the  bane  and  the  antidote,  as  the  drawings 
show  the  horse  not  only  suffering  from  every  kind  of  disease,  but 
in  the  different  stages  of  it,  while  the  alphabetical  summary  at  the 
end  gives  the  cause,  symptoms  and  treatment  of  each." — Illustrated 
London  News. 


ILLUSTRATED  HORSE  MANAGEMENT. 

Containing  Descriptive  Remarks  upon  Anatomy,  Medicine, 
Shoeing,  Teeth,  Food,  Vices,  Stables  ;  likewise  a  plain  account 
of  the  situation,  nature,  and  value  of  the  various  points ; 
together  with  comments  on  grooms,  dealers,  breeders,  breakers, 
and  trainers.  Embellished  with  more  than  400  engravings 
from  original  designs  made  expressly  for  this  work. 

By  E.  MAYKEW. 

A  New  Edition,  Revised  and  Improved,  8vo.,  125., 
By  J.  I.  LUPTON,  M.B.C.V.S. 

Contents  : — The  body  of  the  horse  anatomically  considered. 
Physic. — The  mode  of  administering  it,  and  minor  operations. 
Shoeing. — Its  origin,  its  uses,  and  its  varieties.  The  Teeth. — 
Their  natural  growth,  and  the  abuses  to  which  they  are  liable. 
Food. — The  fittest  time  for  feeding,  ^nd  the  kind  of  food  which 
the  horse  naturally  consumes.  The  evils  which  are  occasioned 
by  modern  stables.  The  faults  inseparable  from  stables.  The 
so-called  "incapacitating  vices,"  which  are  the  results  of  injury 
or  of  disease.  Stables  as  they  should  be.  (3^room5.— Their 
prejudices,  their  injuries,  and  their  duties.  Points. — Their 
relative  importance,  and  where  to  look  for  their  develop- 
ment. Breeding. — Its  inconsistencies  and  its  disappointments. 
Breaking  and  Training. — Their  errors  and  their  results. 

LONDON:  W.  H.  ALLEN  &  CO.,  18  WATERLOO  PLACE. 


SELECTION     J^^ROM 

W.  H.  Allen  &  Co.'s  Catalogue. 


SKETCHES     FROM    NIPAL.      Historical    and 

Descriptive,  with  Anecdotes  of  Court  Life  and  Wild 
Sports  of  the  country  in  the  Time  of  Maharaja  Jang 
Bahadui',  G.C.B.  With  lUustrations  of  EeHgious  Monu- 
ments, Architecture,  and  Scenery,  from  the  Author's  own 
Drawings.  By  the  late  Henry  Ambrose  Oldfield,  M.D., 
many  years  Eesidency  Surgeon  at  Khatmandu,  Nipal. 
2  vols.     8vo.,  365. 

"  The  work  is  full  of  facts,  intelligently  observed  and  faithfully 
recorded." — Saturday  Revieiv. 

"  We  have  nothing  but  unquaHfied  praise  for  the  manner  in  "which 
Dr.  Oldfield's  manuscript  has  been  edited  and  published  by  his 
relatives.  The  sketches  have  just  claims  to  rank  very  high 
amongst  the  standard  works  on  the  Kingdoms  of  High  Asia." — 
Spectator. 

RECORDS  OF  SPORT  AND  MILITARY  LIFE 

IN  WESTEEN  INDIA.     By  the  late  Lieutenant-Colonel 

G.  T.  Eraser,  formerly  of  the  1st  Bombay  Fusiliers,  and 

more  recently  attached  to  the  Staff  of  H.M.'s  Indian  Army. 

With  an  Introduction  by  Colonel  G.  B.  Malleson,  C.S.I. 

Crown  8vo.,  7s.  Qd. 
» 

"  The  style  is  free  from  humbug  and  affectation,  and  none  of  the 
stories  are  incredible.  .  .  Some  of  the  anecdotes  about  the 
early  life  of  Outram  confirm  the  opinion  of  that  gallant  officer 
held  by  his  contemporaries." — Saturday  Review. 

"  Records  his  experience  in  a  very  simple  and  unaffected  manner, 
and  he  hag  stirring  stories  to  tell." — Spectator. 

THIRTEEN     YEARS    AMONG     THE     WILD 

BEASTS  OF  INDIA  ;  THEIK  HAUNTS  AND  HABITS. 
From  Personal  Observation  ;  with  an  account  of  the  Modes 
of  Capturing  and  Taming  Wild  Elephants.  By  G.  P. 
Sanderson,  Officer  in  Charge  of  the  Government  Elephant 
Keddahs  at  Mysore.  With  21  full-page  Illustrations  and 
Three  Maps.     Second  Edition.     Fop.  4to.     £1  5s. 


LATCHFORD  &  WiLLSON, 

11,     UPPER     ST.     MARTIN'S     LANE, 

LONDON,    W.C. 

By  Appointment  to  HER  MAJESTY,  H.R.H.  THE  PRINCE 

OF  WALES,  &c.  &c. 

MAKERS 


OF   ALL   KINDS   OF 


BRIDLE-BITS,  STIRRUPS,  &  SPURS. 


ALL  MODERN  FASHIONS,  ARMY  REGULATIONS,  Ac. 


THE  LORINER:    Latchford    on  Bridle-bits  and  the  Bitting 

of  Horses.     Illustrated,  7s. 


PRIZE     MEDAL,     PARIS. 

Just  Published^  Price  2s.  6c?., 
A  SYSTEM  OF 

SCHOOL  TRAiraO  FOR  HORSES. 

By  E.  L.  ANDEBSON, 

AUTHOR    OP    "  HOW    TO    RIDE    AND    SCHOOL    A    HORSE." 

"  He  is  well  worthy  of  a  hearing." — BelVs  Life. 

'*  There  is  no  reason  why  the  careful  reader  should  not  be 
able,  by  the  help  of  this  little  book,  to  train  as  well  as  ride  his 
horse." — Land  and  Water. 

"  Each  successive  stage  of  the  school  system  is  carefully 
traced,  and  anyone  accustomed  to  the  management  of  horses 
will  therefore  be  able  to  follow  and  appreciate  the  value  of 
Mr.  Anderson's  kindly  method  of  training." — Daily  Chronicle, 


London :  W.  H.  ALLEN  &  CO.,  13  Waterloo  Place. 


HOUSE!   STABLE!   FIELD! 


¥ 


T  CLARK'S  ELASTIC  WATER- 
.  PROOF  POLISH,  for  Hunting, 
Shooting,  and  Fishing  Boots ;  also  for 
Ladies'  and  Gentlemen's  ordinary  Walk- 
ing Boots  and  Shoes. 

W  CLARK'S  BROWN  BOOT-TOP 
•  FLUID,  for  restoring  Brown  Top- 
Boots  to  their  original  colour ;  also  a 
Cream  for  Polishing,  making  them  equal 
to  new. 

W     CLARK'S    BREECHES    PASTE, 
.      for    softening     and     preserving 
Hunting  Breeches,  Gloves,  &c. 

W  CLARK'S  BOOT-TOP  POWDERS, 
0  of  various  colours.  White,  Pink, 
Rose  Pink,  Straw,  Salmon,  Natural,  Flesh, 
Cream,  Drab,  Melton  Brown,  three  colours 
of  Brown,  all  of  the  newest  description. 

W  CLARK'S  LIQUID  SHOE  BLACK- 
•  ING.the  best  in  the  world  for  soften- 
ing, preserving,  and  superior  brilliancy. 
W  CLARK'S  WATERPROOF  HAR- 
,  NESS  BLACKING  requii-es 
neither  Oil  nor  Dye. 

W  CLARK'S  Newly -invented  PASTE, 
•  for  Harness,  Patent  and  Enamelled 
Leathers.  This  preparation  does  not 
wash  off,  it  renders  the  leather  soft,  and 
produces  a  polish  superior  to  any  of  its 
kind  in  existence. 

W     CLARK'S  PLATE  POWDER,  for 
•     Cleansing   and    Restoring    Plate, 
Brass,  and  Metals  of  every  description. 


W  CLARK'S  SADDLE  PASTE,  for 
•  Softening,  Preserving,  and  Beauti- 
fying Saddles,  Bridles,  and  every  descrip- 
tion of  Brown  Leather,  &c. 

W  CLARK'S  METROPOLITAN 
.  POLISH.  This  article  is  used  for 
Ladies'  and  Gentlemen's  Patent,  Enamel, 
Bronze  Glace,  Morocco,  Kid  Boots  and 
Shoes,  producing  a  superior  polish. 

W  CLARK'S  PATENT  KID  RE- 
,  VIVER,  for  cleaning  Black  Kid 
Boots  and  Shoes,  making  them  equal  to 
new,  also  for  reviving  all  kinds  of  Black, 
Blue,  and  Dark  SLlks,removes  grease  spots. 

W  CLARK'S  NE  PLUS  ULTRA 
,  RAVEN  JET  FRENCH  VAR- 
NISH, for  Ladies'  and  Gentlemen's 
Evening  Dress  and  ordinary  Walking 
Boots  and  Shoes,  producing  a  most 
brilliant  polish,  warranted  not  to  crack 
or  soil  the  finest  Cambric. 

W  CLARK'S  BRASS  PASTE  pro- 
•  duces  a  fine  polish  upon  Brass, 
Copper,  Tin,  Pewter,  Britannia  Metal, 
Coach  Glasses,  and  Windows. 

W  CLARK'S  WATERPROOF  POUCH 
.  PASTE,  for  Pouches,  Belts, 
Straps,  Knapsacks,  Canteen  Coverings, 
Boots,  Leggings  &c. 

W  CLARK'S  EMBROCATION  FOR 
.  HORSES  AND  CATTLE,  gives 
immediate  relief  in  all  cases  of  Lameness, 
Sore  Throat,  Influenza,  and  Rheumatism. 


W.    CLARK'S 
PATENT    HORSE    CLIPPERS. 


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By  Appointment  ^^^f^^^^t^^^  ^•'  ^PJPo^'ntment 

to  H.M.  THE  QUEEN     ^W^'W  ^|^^^     ^^  ^M.  THE   QUEEN 

OF  ENGLAND.  ^^^^^^^^^^        ^^  DENMARK. 

REDFERN, 

LADIES'    TAILORS, 

To  H.B.H.  THE  PRINCESS  OF  WALES  and  H.I.R. 
THE  E MP  BESS  OF  RUSSIA, 

26,   CONDUIT   STREET, 

Bond  Street,  London,  W. 

"<*     ■  I  ■     11  I  .,  I      .  ■  ■         I.  I  ■     II  ■  ■  -  .    -I-  ^PM^.^M—  III     IIIM     ■ 

SPECIALITIES— 

RIDING    HABITS, 

From  specially  prepared  Melton  Cloths,  &c. 

John  Redfern  and  Sons  would  particularly  draw  the 
attention  of  Ladies  to  their  Improvements  in  the  cut  of  Riding 
Habit  Skirts,  on  the  proper  set  of  which  depends  the  whole 
effect  of  the  Habit.  These  improvements,  while  maintaining  a 
tight,  well-fitting  appearance,  give  perfect  comfort  and  safety  to 
the  rider. 


DRIVING    COATS, 

From  Waterproofed  Box-Cloths,  Faced  Cloths,  Tweeds,  &c. 

These,  together  with  J.  R.  and  Son's  Improved  Newmarket 
Coats,  will  be  found  most  useful  for  driving  to  meet  and  for 
constant  wear. 


Branch  Businesses  at  Cowes,  Isle  of  Wight, 
and  242,  Rue  de  Rivoli  (Place  de  la  Concorde),  Paris. 

"  The  most  noted  Firm  of  Ladies'  Tailors  in  the  world,  and,  be  it  aaid,  the 
most  original." — Extract  from  Court  Journal. 


By  Appointment  ^^^l^r'^^^^^^^T^^W  ^^  Appointment 

toH.M.  THE  QUEEN     ^W^W[^JP^&     to  HM.  THE  QUEEN 
OF  ENGLAND.  i^^^^lf^^^^S  OF  DENMARK. 


REDFERN, 

LADIES'  TAILORS, 

To  H.E.H.  THE  PRINCESS  OF  WALES  and  H.I.H. 
THE  EMPRESS  OF  RUSSIA, 

26,  CONDUIT    STREET, 

BOND    STREET,   LONDON,  W. 


SPECIALITY— 

YACHTING  &  TRAVELLING  GOWNS. 

#%  From  original  Colourings  in  Cloth  and  Serge,  &c. 


The  Firm  personally  sitpeiHntend  every  order,  and  a  perfect  fit  is  guaranteed. 


N.B. — On  the  occasion  of  the  visit  to  England  of  H.S.H.  the  PrinceBS 
Helena  of  Waldeck,  in  March  1882,  John  Kedfern  and  Sons  had  the  honour 
of  making  for  Her  Serene  Highness. 

On  the  visit  of  H.l.M.  the  Empress  Eugenie,  accompanied  by  the  late 
Napoleon  III.,  J.  R.  and  Sons  had  a  similar  honour. 

On  the  visit  of  H.I.H.  the  Crown  Princess  of  Germany,  J.  R.  and  Sons 
had  the  honour  of  making  for  Her  Imperial  Highness  and  all  the  Princesses. 

On  the  visit  to  the  Queen  of  T.R.H.  the  Princesses  of  Hesse  Darmstadt, 
J.  R.  and  Sons  had  the  honour  of  making  for  their  Royal  Highnesses. 

On  the  visit  to  Her  Majesty  of  the  Daughters  of  H.R.H.  the  late  Princess 
Alice,  J.  R.  and  Sons  had  a  similar  honour. 


Branch  Businesses  at  Cowes,  Isle  of  Wight, 
and  242,  Rue  de  Rivoli  (Place  de  la  Concorde),  Paris. 


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Goods  sent  on  approval  on  receipt  of  satisfactory  references  (a  London  tradesman 
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LADIES  ON   HOESEBACK, 

LEAKNING,  PARK-EIDING,  AND  HUNTING, 

WITH 

HINTS  UPON  COSTUME,  AND  NUMEROUS 

ANECDOTES. 


BT 


MES.    POWEK   O'DONOGHUE 

(Nannie  Lambert). 

AUTHORESS   OF    "THE    KNAVE  OF    CLUBS," 
"  HOBSES   AND   HORSEMEN,"    "  GRANDFATHER'S   HUNTER," 
"ONE   IN   TEN   THOUSAND,"    "SPRING   LEAVES," 
"  TH00GHT8   ON   THE   TALMUD,"  ETC.,  ETC.    • 


LONDON: 
W.  H.  ALLEN  &  CO.,  13,  WATERLOO  PLACE,  S.W, 


1881. 

[^All  rights  reserved.'] 


INTEI)  BY  W.  H.  ALLEN  AND  CO.,  13,  WATERLOO  PLACB,  S.W. 


TO  MT  FRIEND 

ALFEED  E.  T.  WATSON,  ESQ., 

AUTHOR    OF    **  SKETCHES   IN    THE    HUNTING   FIELD,"  ETC., 

TO   WHOM   I   OWE 

MUCH   OF   MY    SUCCESS   AS   A    WRITER, 

THESE    PAGES 

ARE    GRATEFULLY   INSCRIBED. 


INTKODUCTION. 


In  preparing  this  work  for  the  press,  I  may 
state  that  it  is  composed  chiefly  of  a  series  of 
papers  on  horses  and  their  riders,  which 
appeared  a  short  time  since  in  the  columns  of 
The  Illustrated  Sporting  and  Dramatic  News, 
How  they  originally  came  to  be  written  and 
published  may  not  prove  uninteresting. 

One  day,  in  the  middle  of  February  1880,  a 
goodly  company,  comprising  many  thousands 
of  persons,  assembled  upon,  the  lawn  of  a 
nobleman's  residence  in  the  vicinity  of  Dub- 
lin; ostensibly  for  the  purpose  of  hunting, 
but  in   reality  to  gaze  at  and  chronicle   the 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

doings  of  a  very  distinguished  foreign  lady^ 
who  had  lately  come  to  our  shores.  I  was 
there,  of  course;  and  whilst  we  waited  for 
the  Imperial  party,  I  amused  myself  hy 
watching  the  moving  panorama,  and  taking^ 
notes  of  costume  and  effect.  Everybody  who 
could  procure  anything  upon  which  to  ride, 
from  a  racehorse  to  a  donkey,  was  there 
that  day,  and  vehicles  of  all  descriptions 
blocked  np  every  available  inch  of  the  lordly 
avenues  and  well-kept  carriage-drives. 

There  is  for  me  so  great  an  attraction  in  a 
number  of  "  ladies  on  horseback "  that  I 
looked  at  them,  and  at  them  alone.  One 
sees  gentlemen  riders  every  hour  in  the  day, 
but  ladies  comparatively  seldom;  every 
hunting  morning  finds  about  a  hundred  and 
fifty  mounted  males  ready  for  the  start,  and 
only  on  an  average  about  six  mounted  females, 
of  whom  probably  not  more  than  the  haK  will 
ride  to  hoimds.     This  being  the  case,  I  always 


INTKODUCTION,  VU 

look  most  particularly  at  that  which  is  the 
greater  novelty,  nor  am  I  by  any  means 
singular  in  doing  so. 

On  the  day  of  which  I  write,  however, 
ladies  on  horseback  were  by  no  means  un- 
common :  I  should  say  there  were  at  least 
two  hundred  present  upon  the  lawn.  Some 
rode  so  well,  and  were  so  beautifully  turned 
out,  that  the  most  hypercritical  could  find 
no  fault ;  but  of  the  majority — what  can  I 
say  ?  Alas  !  nothing  that  would  sound  at  all 
favourable.  Such  horses,  such  saddles,  such 
rusty  bridles,  such  riding-habits,  such  hats, 
whips,  and  gloves ;  and,  above  all,  such 
coiffures!  My  very  soul  was  sorry.  I  could 
not  laugh,  as  some  others  were  doing.  I  felt 
too  melancholy  for  mirth.  It  seemed  to  me 
most  grievous  that  my  own  sex  (many  of 
them  so  young  and  beautiful)  should  be  thus 
held  up  to  ridicule.  I  asked  myself  was  it 
thus  in  other  places ;  and  I  came  to  London 


TUl  INTEODUCTION. 

in  the  spring,  and  walked  in  the  Eow,  and 
gazed,  and  took  notes,  and  was  not  satisfied. 
Perhaps  I  was  too  critic aL  There  was  very 
much  to  praise,  certainly,  but  there  was  also 
much  wherewith  to  find  fault.  The  style  of 
riding  was  bad ;  the  style  of  dressing  was 
incomparably  worse.  The  well-got-up  only 
threw  into  darker  shadow  the  notable  defects 
visible  in  the  forms  and  trappings  of  their 
less  fortunate  sisterhood.  I  questioned  myself 
as  to  how  this  could  be  best  remedied. 
Eemonstrance  was  impossible — advice  equally 
so.  Why  could  not  somebody  write  a  book 
for  lady  equestrians,  or  a  series  of  papers 
which  might  appear  in  the  pages  of  some 
fashionable  magazine  or  journal,  patronised 
and  read  by  them  ?  The  idea  seemed  a  good 
one,  but  I  lacked  time  to  carry  it  out,  and  so  it 
rested  in  embryo  for  many  months.  Last 
June,  whilst  recovering  from  serious  illness, 
my  cherished  project  returned  to  my  mind. 


INTKODUCTION  .  Ix 

T^orbidden  to  write,  and  too  weak  to  hold  a 
pen,  I  strove  feebly  with  a  pencil  to  trace  my 
thoughts  upon  odd  scraps  of  paper,  which  I 
thrust  away  in  my  desk  without  any  definite 
idea  as  to  what  should  eventually  become  of 
them.     In  July,  whilst  staying  at  a  country 
house  near  Shrewsbury,  I  one  day  came  upon 
these  shorthand  jottings,  and,  having  leisure- 
time   upon    my  hands,  set  to  work  and  put 
them  into  form.     A  line  to  the  Editor  of  The 
Illustrated    Sporting    and    Dramatic   News,  with 
whom,  I  may  state,  I  had  had  no  previous 
acquaintance,  brought  an  immediate  reply,  to 
send  my  work  for   consideration.     I  did  so; 
called  upon  him  by  appointment  when  I  came 
a  few  days  later  to  London;  made  all  arrange- 
ments in  a  three-minutes  interview ;  and  the 
first  of  my  series  of  papers  appeared  shortly 
after.     That  they  were  successful,  far  beyond 
their  deserts,  is  to   me  a   proud   boast.     On 
liheir  conclusion   numerous   firms    negotiated 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

with  me  for  the  copyright :  with  what  result 
is  known ;  and  here  to  my  pubhshers  I  tender 
my  best  thanks. 

In  arranging  now  these  writings — put 
together  and  brought  before  the  public  at  a 
time  when  I  had  apparently  many  years  of 
active  life  before  me — it  is  to  me  a  melan- 
choly reflection  that  the  things  of  which  they 
treat  are  gone  from  my  eyes, — for  alas !  I  can 
ride  no  more.  Never  again  may  my  heart  be- 
gladdened  with  the  music  of  the  hounds,  or 
my  frame  invigorated  by  the  exercise  which 
I  so  dearly  loved.  An  accident,  sudden  and 
unexpected,  has  deprived  me  of  my  strength, 
and  left  me  to  speak  in  mournful  whispers  of 
what  was  for  long  my  happiest  theme.  Yet 
why  repine  where  so  much  is  left  ?  It  is  but 
another  chapter  in  our  life's  history !  We 
love  and  cling  to  one  pui'suit — and  it  passes 
from  us ;  then  another  absorbs  our  attention, 
— it,    too,    vanishes ;     and    so    on — perhaps 


INTEODUCTION.  XI. 

midway  to  the  end — Tintil  the  ^*  looking  back  " 
becomes  so  filled  with  saddened  memories, 
that  the  *' looking  forward"  is  alone  left. 
And  so  we  turn  our  wistful  eyes  where  they 
might  never  have  been  directed,  had  the 
prospect  behind  us  been  less  dark. 

A  few  more  words,  and  I  close  my  pre- 
liminary observations  and  commence  my 
subject.  1  cannot  but  be  aware,  from  the 
nature  of  the  correspondence  which  has 
flowed  in  upon  me,  that  although  far  the 
greater  number  of  my  readers  have  agreed 
with  me  and  entirely  coincided  in  my  views, 
not  a  few  have  been  found  to  cavil.  Let  not 
such  think  that  I  am  oblivious  of  their  good 
intentions  because  I  remain  unconvinced  by 
their  arguments,  and  still  prefer  to  maintain 
my  own  opinions,  which  I  have  not  ventured 
to  set  forth  without  mature  dehberation,  and 
the  most  substantial  reasons  for  holding  them 
in    fixity   of   tenure.     I    have    spent    some 


Xll  INTRODUCTION. 

considerable  time  in  turning  over  in  my  mind 
the  advisability,  or  otherwise,  of  publishing, 
as  a  sort  of  appendix  to  this  volume,  a  selec- 
tion from  the  letters  which  were  printed  in 
The  Illustrated  Sporting  and  Dramatic  Neivs  with 
reference  to  my  writings  in  that  journal. 
After  much  deliberation  I  have  decided  upon 
suffering  the  entire  number,  with  a  few 
trifling  exceptions,  to  appear.  They  only 
form  a  very  small  proportion  of  the  volumi- 
nous correspondence  with  which  the  Editor 
and  myseK  were  favoured ;  but,  such  as  they 
are,  I  give  them — together  with  my  replies, 
— not  merely  because  they  set  forth  the  views 
and  impressions  of  various  persons  upon 
topics  of  universal  interest,  but  because  I 
conceive  that  a  large  amount  of  useful  in- 
formation may  be  gleaned  from  them,  and 
they  may  also  serve  to  amuse  my  lady  readers, 
who  will  doubtless  be  interested  in  the 
numerous   queries  which  I   was  called  upon 


INTEODUCTION.  xiii 

to  answer.  Whether  or  not  I  have  been  able 
to  fight  my  battles  and  maintain  my  cause, 
must  be  for  others  to  determine. 

I  likewise  subjoin  a  little  paper  on  **  Hunting 
in  Ireland  " — also  already  published — which 
brought  me  many  letters  :  some  of  them  from 
persons  whose  word  should  carry  undoubted 
weight,  fully  coinciding  in  and  substantiating 
my  views  with  regard  to  the  cutting  up  of 
grass-lands ;  whilst  further  on  will  be  found  my 
article  entitled  "  Hunting  in  America,"  origin- 
ally published  in  Life^  and  copied  from  that 
journal  into  so  many  papers  throughout  the 
kingdom,  and  abroad,  that  it  is  now  universally 
known,  and  cannot  be  here  presented  in  the 
form  of  a  novelty, — but  is  given  for  the  benefit 
of  those  who  may  not  have  chanced  to  meet 
with  it,  and  for  whom  the  subject  of  American 
sports  and  pastimes  may  happen  to  possess 

interest. 

N.  P.  O'D. 


CONTENTS. 


PAKT    I. 

LEARNING. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A  Popular  Error. — Excellence  in  Riding  attainable 
without  any  Youthful  Knowledge  of  the  Art. — 
The  Empress  of  Austria. — Her  Proficiency. — 
Her  Palace. — Her  Occupations. — Her  Dispo- 
sition.— Her  Thoughts  and  Opinions.— The  Age 
at  which  to  learn. — Courage  inditpeisable. — 
Taste  a  Necessity      ...... 

CHAPTER  II. 

Learner's  Costume. — The  Best  Teacher. — Your 
Bridle. — Your  Saddle. — Your  Stirrup. — Danger 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

from  "Safety-stirrup." — A  Terrible  Situation. 
— Learning  to  Ride  without  any  support  for  the 
Foot •        •      11 


CHAPTER  III. 

Mounting. — Holding  the  Reins. — Position  in  the 
Saddle. — Use  of  the  Whip. — Trotting. — Canter- 
ing.— Riding  from  Balance. — Use  of  the  Stirrup. 
Leaping. — Whyte  Melville's  opinion  .        •        •      28 


PAET    II. 

PARK  AND  ROAD  RIDING. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

How  to  Dress. — A  Country -girl's  ideas  upon  the  sub- 
ject.— How  to  put  on  your  Riding-gear. — How 
to  preserve  it. — First  Road-ride. — Backing. — 
Rearing,  and  how  to  prevent  it .         •        •        .44 

CHAPTER  V. 

Bunning  away. — Three  Dangerous  Adventures. — 
How   to  act  when  placed  in  Circumstances  of 


CONTENTS.  XVn 


PAGE 


Peril.— How  to  Eide  a  PuUer.— Through  the 
City.— To  a  Meet  of  Hounds.— Boastful  Ijadies. 
— A  Brasf2:art's  Resource ^^ 


*oo' 


PAKT    III. 

HUNTING. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Hunting-Gear. — Necessary  Regard  for  Safe  Shoeing. 
Drive  to  the  Meet. — Scene  on  arriving. — A  Word 
with  the  Huntsman. — A  Good  Pilot. — The 
Covert-side. — Disappointment. — A  Long  Trot    .       81 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Hounds  in  Covert.— The  First  Fence. — Follow  your 
Pilot. — A  River-bath. — A  Wise  Precaution. — A 
Label  advisable.— Wall  and  Water  Jumpmg.— 
Advice  to  Fallen  Riders.— Hogging.— More  Tail       98- 

CHAPTER  Vlli. 

Holding  on  to  a  Prostrate  Horse.— Is  it  Wise  or 
otherwise  ? — An  Indiscreet  Jump. — A  Difficult 

b 


XVUl  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Finish. — The  Dangers  of  Marshy  Grounds. — 
Encourage  Humanity. — A  Eeclaimed  Cabby !     .     Ill 

CHAPTEE  IX. 

Selfishness  in  the  Field. — Fording  a  Eiver. — Shirking 
a  Fence. — Over-riding  the  Hounds. — Treatment 
of  Tired  Hunters. — Bigwig  and  the  Major. — 
Naughty  Bigwig. — Hapless  Major     ;         .         .     120 

CHAPTEE  X. 

Feeding  Horses.— Forage-biscuits. — Irish  Peasantry. 
— A  Cunning  Idiot. — A  Cabin  Supper. — The 
Eoguish  Mule. — A  Day  at  Courtown. — Paddy's 
Opinion  of  the  Empress 131 

CHAPTEE  XI. 

The  Double-rise.— Pointing  out  the  Eight  Foot.— The 
force  of  Habit. — Various  kinds  of  Fault-finding. 
— Mr.  Sturgess'  Pictures. — An  English  Harvest- 
home. — A  Jealous  Shrew. — A  Shy  Blacksmith. 
— How  Irishmen  get  Partners  at  a  Dance  .         .     144 

CHAPTEE  XII. 

Subject  of  Feeding  resumed. — Cooked  Food  recom- 
mended.— Effects  of  Eaw  Oats  upon  "  Pleader." 
— Servants'  Objections. — Snaffle-bridle,  and  Bit- 


CONTENTS.  Xix 

and-Bridoon.— Kindness  to  the  Poor. — An  Un- 
sympathetic Lady.— An  Ungallant  Captain.— 
What  is  a  Gentleman  ? — Au  Revoir  !  .         .159 


PAET    IV. 

HUNTING  IN  lEELAND I73 


PAET     V. 
HUNTING  IN  AMERICA 183 


COERESPONDENCE 192 


LADIES  ON  HOKSEBACK. 


P  A  E  T     I 

LEAKNING. 


CHAPTEK  I. 

A  POPULAR  ERROR. — EXCELLENCE  IN  RIDING  AT- 
TAINABLE WITHOUT  ANY  YOUTHFUL  KNOW- 
LEDGE      OF      THE      ART. THE      EMPRESS     OF 

AUSTRIA. HER  PROFICIENCY. HER  PALACE. 

HER     OCCUPATIONS. HER     DISPOSITION. HER 

THOUGHTS  AND  OPINIONS. — THE  AGE  AT  WHICH 
TO  LEARN. — COURAGE  INDISPENSABLE. — TASTE 
A  NECESSITY. 

It  is  my  belief  that  hints  to  ladies  from  a 
lady,  upon  a  subject  which  now  so  miiversally 
occupies  the  female  mind — hints,  not  offered 
in  any  cavilling  nor  carping  spirit,  but  with  an 
affectionate  and  sisterly  regard  for  the  interests 
of  those  addressed — cannot  fail  to  be  appre- 
ciated, and  must  become  popular.     Men  write 

1 


LADIES   ON   HOKSEBACK. 

very  well  for  men,  but  in  writing  for  us  ladies 
they  cannot,  however  willing,  enter  into  all 
the  Httle  deHcacies  and  minutiae  of  our  tastes 
and  feehngs,  and  so  haK  the  effect  is  lost. 

I  do  not  purpose  entering  upon  any  discus- 
sion, nor,  indeed,  touching  more  than  very 
lightly  upon  the  treatment  and  management 
of  the  horse.  A  subject  so  exhaustive  lies 
totally  outside  the  limits  of  my  pen,  and  has, 
moreover,  been  so  ably  treated  by  men  of 
knowledge  and  experience,  as  to  render  one 
word  further  respecting  the  matter  almost 
superfluous.  I  shall  therefore  content  myself 
with  surmising  that  the  horses  with  which  we 
may  have  to  do  throughout  these  remarks — be 
they  school-horses,  roadsters,  or  hunters — are 
at  least  sound,  good-tempered,  and  properly 
trained.  Their  beauty  and  other  attributes 
we  shall  take  for  granted,  and  not  trouble 
ourselves  about. 

And  now,  in  addressing  my  readers,  I  shall 
endeavour  to  do  so  as  though  I  spoke  to  each 
separately,  and  so  shall  adopt  the  term  ^^  you," 
^s  being  at  once  friendly  and  concise. 

My  subject   shall    be    divided    into  three 


LEABNING. 

heads.  First,  the  acquirement  of  the  eques- 
trian art;  second,  road  and  park  riding;  third, 
hunting;  with  a  few  hints  upon  the  costume, 
&c.  required  for  each,  and  a  sHght  sprinkHng 
of  anecdote  here  and  there  to  enliven  the 
whole. 

I  shall  commence  by  saying  that  it  is  a 
mistake  to  imagine  that  riding,  in  order  to  be 
properly  learnt,  must  be  begun  in  youth  :  that 
nobody  can  excel  as  a  horsewoman  who  has 
not  accustomed  herself  to  the  saddle  from  a 
mere  child.  On  the  contrary  some  of  the 
finest  equestriennes  the  world  has  ever  produced 
have  known  little  or  nothing  of  the  art  until 
the  spring-time  of  their  Hfe  was  past.  Her 
Imperial  Majesty  the  Empress  of  Austria,  and 
Hkewise  her  sister  the  ex-Queen  of  Naples, 
cared  nothing  about  riding  until  comparatively 
late  in  life.  I  know  little,  except  through 
hearsay,  of  the  last-named  lady's  proficiency 
in  the  saddle,  but  having  frequently  v^itnessed 
that  of  the  former,  and  having  also  been 
favoured  with  a  personal  introduction  at  the 
gracious  request  of  the  Empress,  I  can 
imhesitatingly  say  that  anything  more  superb 

1  * 


4  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

than  her  style  of  riding  it  would  be  impossible^ 
to  conceive.  The  manner  in  which  sha 
mounts  her  horse,  sits  him,  manages  him,  and 
bears  him  safely  through  a  difficult  run,  is 
something  which  must  be  seen  to  be  under- 
stood. Her  courage  is  amazing.  Indeed,, 
I  have  been  informed  that  she  finds  as^ 
little  difficulty  in  standing  upon  a  bare-backed 
steed  and  driving  four  others  in  long  reins, 
as  in  sitting  quietly  in  one  of  Kjreutzman's^ 
saddles.  In  the  circus  attached  to  her  palace 
at  Vienna  she  almost  daily  performs  these 
feats,  and  encourages  by  prizes  and  evidences 
of  personal  favour  many  of  the  Viennese 
ladies  who  seek  to  emulate  her  example. 
There  has  been  considerable  discussion  re- 
specting the  question  of  the  Empress's- 
womanliness,  and  the  reverse.  Ladies  have 
averred — oh,  jealous  ladies  ! — that  she  is  not 
womanly ;  that  her  style  of  dressing  is 
objectionable,  and  that  she  has  *^  no  business 
to  ride  without  her  husband !"  These  sayings 
are  all  open  to  but  one  interpretation ;  ladies 
are  ever  envious  of  each  other,  more  especially 
of  those  who  excel.     The  Empress  is  not  only 


LEARNING. 


a  perfect  woman,  but  an  angel  of  light  and 
goodness.  Nor  do  I  say  this  from  any 
toadyism,  nor  yet  from  the  gratitude  which  I 
must  feel  for  her  kindly  favour  toward  myself. 
I  speak  as  I  think  and  believe.  Blessed  with 
a  beauty  rarely  given  to  mortal,  she  combines 
with  it  a  sweetness  of  character  and  dis- 
position, a  womanly  tenderness,  and  a 
thoughtful  and  untiring  charity,  which  deserve 
to  gain  for  her — as  they  have  gained — the 
hearts  as  well  as  the  loving  respect  and 
reverence  of  all  with  whom  she  has  come  in 
contact. 

I  was  pleased  to  find,  whilst  conversing 
with  her,  that  many  of  my  views  about  riding 
were  hers  also,  and  that  she  considered  it  a 
pity — as  I  Hkewise  do — that  so  many  lady 
riders  are  utterly  spoilt  by  pernicious  and 
ignorant  teaching.  I  myself  am  of  opinion 
that  childhood  is  not  the  best  time  to  acquire 
the  art  of  riding.  The  muscles  are  too  young, 
and  the  back  too  weak.  The  spine  is  apt  to 
grow  crooked,  unless  a  second  saddle  be 
adopted,  which  enables  the  learner  to  sit  on 
alternate  days  upon  the  off-side  of  the  horse  ; 


6  LADIES   ON    HOBSEBACK. 

and  to  this  there  are  many  objections.  The 
best  time  to  learn  to  ride  is  about  the  age  of 
sixteen.  All  the  delicacy  to  which  the  female 
frame  is  subject  during  the  period  from  the 
thirteenth  to  the  fifteenth  year  has  then 
passed  away,  and  the  form  is  vigorous  and 
strong,  and  capable  of  enduring  fatigue. 

I  know  it  to  be  a  generally  accepted  idea 
that  riding  is  hke  music  and  Kterature — the 
earlier  it  is  learnt  the  better  for  the  learner, 
and  the  more  certain  the  proficiency  desired 
to  be  attained.  This  is  an  entirely  erroneous 
opinion,  and  one  which  should  be  at  once 
discarded.  I  object,  as  a  rule,  to  children 
riding.  They  cannot  do  so  with  any  safety, 
unless  put  upon  horses  and  ponies  which  are 
sheep-like  in  their  demeanour;  and  from 
being  accustomed  to  such,  and  to  none  other, 
they  are  nervous  and  frightened  when  mounted 
upon  spirited  animals  which  they  feel  they  have 
not  the  strength  nor  the  art  to  manage,  and, 
being  unused  to  the  science  of  controlHng, 
they  suffer  themselves  to  be  controlled,  and 
thus  extinguish  their  chance  of  becoming. 
accompHslied    horsewomen.     I   know  ladies. 


LEARNING. 

certainly,  who  ride  with  a  great  show  of 
boldness,  and  tear  wildly  across  country  after 
hounds,  averring  that  they  never  knew  what 
fear  meant :  why  should  they — having  ridden 
from  the  time  they  were  five  years  old? 
Very  probably,  but  the  bravery  of  the  few  is 
nothing  by  which  to  judge  of  a  system  which 
is,  on  the  whole,  pernicious.  It  is  less  objec- 
tionable for  boys,  because  their  shoulders  are 
not  apt  to  grow  awry  by  sitting  sideways,  as 
little  girls'  do  ;  nor  are  they  liable  to  hang 
over  upon  one  side;  nor  have  they  such 
deHcate  frames  and  weakly  fingers  to  bring  to 
the  front.  Moreover,  if  they  tumble  off,  what 
matter  ?  It  does  them  all  the  good  in  the 
world.  A  little  sticking-plaister  and  shaking 
together,  and  they  are  all  right  again.  But 
I  confess  I  don't  like  to  see  a  girl  come  off. 
Less  than  a  year  ago  a  sweet  httle  blue-eyed 
damsel  who  was  prattling  by  my  side  as  she 
rode  her  grey  pony  along  with  me,  was  thrown 
suddenly  and  without  warning  upon  the  road. 
The  animal  stumbled — her  tiny  hands  lacked 
the  strength  to  pull  him  together — she  was 
too  childish  and  inexperienced  to  know  the  art 


8  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

of  retaining  her  seat.  She  fell !  and  the 
remembrance  of  uplifting  her,  and  carrying 
her  Kttle  hurt  form  before  me  upon  my  saddle 
to  her  parents'  house,  is  not  amongst  the 
brightest  of  my  memories. 

We  will  assume,  then,  that  you  are  a  young 
lady  in  your  sixteenth  year,  possessed  of  the 
desire  to  acquire  the  art  of  riding,  and  the 
necessary  amount  of  courage  to  enable  you 
to  do  so.  This  latter  attribute  is  an  absolute 
and  positive  necessity,  for  a  coward  will  never 
make  a  horsewoman.  If  you  are  a  coward, 
your  horse  will  soon  find  it  out,  and  will  laugh 
at  you ;  for  horses  can  and  do  laugh  when 
they  what  is  usually  termed  **  gammon  "  their 
riders.  Nobody  who  does  not  possess  un- 
limited confidence  and  a  determination  to 
know  no  fear,  has  any  business  aspiring  to 
the  art.  Courage  is  indispensable,  and  must 
be  there  from  the  outset.  All  other  difficulties 
may  be  got  over,  but  a  natural  timidity  is  an 
insurmountable  obstacle. 

A  cowardly  rider  labours  under  a  two-fold 
disadvantage,  for  she  not  only  suffers  from 
her    own   cowardice,  but  actually  imparts 


LEABNING.  9 

iiO  her  horse.  An  animars  keen  instinct  tells 
him  at  once  whether  his  master  or  his  servant 
is  upon  his  back.  The  moment  your  hands 
touch  the  reins  the  horse  knows  what  your 
courage  is,  and  usually  acts  accordingly. 

No  girl  should  be  taught  to  ride  who  has 
not  a  taste,  and  a  most  Jdecided  one,  for  the 
art.  Yet  I  preach  this  doctrine  in  vain  ;  for, 
all  over  the  world,  young  persons  are  forced 
by  injudicious  guardians  to  acquire  various 
accomplishments  for  which  they  have  no 
calling,  and  at  which  they  can  never  excel. 
It  is  just  as  unwise  to  compel  a  girl  to  mount 
and  manage  a  horse  against  her  inclination, 
as  it  is  to  force  young  persons  who  have  no 
taste  for  music  to  sit  for  hours  daily  at  a 
piano,  or  thrust  pencils  and  brushes  into 
hands  unwilling  to  use  them.  A  love  for 
horses,  and  an  earnest  desire  to  acquire  the 
art  of  riding,  are  alike  necessary  to  success. 
An  unwilling  learner  will  have  a  bad  seat,  a 
bad  method,  and  clumsy  hands  upon  the  reins ; 
whereas  an  enthusiast  will  seem  to  have  an 
innate  facility  and  power  to  conquer  difficulties, 
and  will  possess  that  magic  sense  of  touch,  and 


10  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

facile  delicacy  of  manipulation,  which  go  so 
far  toward  making  what  are  termed  *'good 
hands," — a  necessity  without  which  nobody 
can  claim  to  be  a  rider. 


LEAENING,  11 


CHAPTEE   II. 

LEABNER'S    costume. THE   BEST    TEACHER. TOUR 

BRIDLE. YOUR      SADDLE. YOUR      STIRRUP. 

DANGER  FROM  '^  SAFETY- STIRRUP." A  TER- 
RIBLE SITUATION. LEARNING  TO  RIDE  WITH- 
OUT  ANY    SUPPORT    FOR   THE    FOOT. 

Having  now  discussed  your  age,  your  nerve, 
and  your  taste,  we  shall  say  a  few  words 
about  your  costume  as  a  learner.  Put  on 
a  pair  of  strong  well-made  boots ;  heels  are 
not  objectionable,  but  buttons  are  decidedly 
so,  as  they  are  apt  to  catch  in  the  stirrup  and 
cause  trouble.  Strong  chamois  riding-trousers, 
cloth  from  the  hip  down,  with  straps  to  fasten 
under  the  boots,  and  soft  padding  under  the 
right  knee  and  over  the  left,  to  prevent  the 
friction  of  the  pommels,  which,  to  a  beginner,. 


12  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

generally  causes  much  pain  and  uneasiness. 
A  plain  skirt  of  brown  hoUand,  and  any  sort 
of  dark  jacket,  will  suit  your  purpose  quite 
well,  for  you  are  only  going  to  learn ;  not  to 
show  off — yet.  Your  hat — any  kind  will  do 
— must  be  securely  fastened  on,  and  your  hair 
left  flowing,  for  no  matter  how  well  you  may 
fancy  you  have  it  fastened,  the  motion  of  the 
horse  will  shake  it  and  make  it  feel  unsteady, 
and  the  very  first  hairpin  that  drops  out,  up 
will  go  your  hand  to  replace  it,  and  your  reins 
will  be  forgotten.  As  soon  as  you  have  put 
on  a  pair  of  strong  loose  gloves,  and  taken  a 
little  switch  in  your  hand,  you  are  ready  to 
mount. 

The  nicest  place  in  which  you  can  learn  is 
a  well-tanned  riding-school  or  large  green 
paddock,  and  the  nicest  person  to  teach  you 
is  a  lady  or  gentleman  friend,  who  will  have 
the  knowledge  and  the  patience  to  instruct 
you.  Heaven  help  the  learner  who  is  handed 
over  to  the  tender  mercies  of  John,  the  coach- 
man, or  Jem,  the  groom  !  Servants  are  rarely 
able  to  ride  a  yard  themselves,  and  their 
attempt  at  teaching  is  proportionately  lame. 


LEARNING.  13 

Your  horse  having  been  led  out,  your  atten- 
dant looks  to  his  girthing,  &c.,  as  stable 
servants  are  not  always  too  particular  re- 
specting these  necessary  matters. 

The  pleasantest  bridle  in  which  to  ride  is  a 
plain  ring-snaffle.  Few  horses  will  go  in  it ; 
but,  remember,  I  am  surmising  that  yours  has 
been  properly  trained.  By  riding  in  this  bridle 
you  have  complete  control  over  the  move- 
ments of  your  horse — can,  in  fact,  manage 
him  with  one  hand,  and  you  have  the  additional 
advantage  of  having  fewer  leathers  to  encumber 
and  embarrass  your  fingers.  A  beginner  is 
frequently  puzzled  to  distinguish  between  the 
curb  and  the  snaffle  when  riding  with  a  double 
rein,  and  mistaking  one  for  the  other,  or 
pulling  equally  at  both,  is  apt  to  cause  the 
horse  much  unnecessary  irritation.  It  m 
lamentable  to  see  the  manner  in  which  grown 
men  and  women,  who  ought  to  know  so  much 
better,  tug  and  strain  at  their  horses'  mouths 
with  an  equal  pull  upon  both  reins,  when 
riding,  as  is  the  custom,  in  a  bit  and  bridoon. 
Perhaps  of  the  two  they  draw  the  curb  the 
tighter.     It  is  not  meant  for  cruelty — they  do 


14  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

not  appear  to  be  aware  that  it  is  cmel :  but 
there  is  no  greater  sign  of  utter  ignorance. 
Horses  are  not  naturally  vicious,  and  very  few 
of  them  who  have  had  any  sort  of  fair-play  in 
training,  really  require  a  curb,  or  will  go  as 
well  or  pleasantly  upon  it  as  if  ridden  in  a 
snaffle-bridle. 

Your  saddle  is  another  most  important 
point.  Never  commence,  be  your  age  ever 
so  tender,  by  riding  upon  a  pad.  Accustom 
yourself  from  the  beginning  to  the  use  of  a 
properly  constructed  saddle,  made  as  straight 
as  a  board,  seat  perfectly  level,  and  scarcely 
any  appearance  of  a  pommel  upon  the  off-side. 
A  leaping-head,  or  what  is  commonly  termed 
a  third  crutch,  is,  in  my  opinion,  indispensable. 
To  procure  a  saddle  such  as  I  describe  you 
must  have  it  made  to  order,  for  those  of  the 
present  day  are  all  made  with  something  of  a 
dip,  which  is  most  objectionable.  I  do  not 
like  the  appearance  of  much  stitching  about 
a  saddle.  It  has  always  appeared  to  me 
absurd  to  see  the  amount  of  elaborate  em- 
broidery which  every  old-fashioned  saddle 
-carries  upon  the  near  flap.     Nothing  could  be 


LEAKNING.  15 

more  unnecessary  than  an  outlay  of  labour 
upon  a  portion  of  the  article  which  is  always 
concealed  beneath  the  rider's  right  leg.  There 
might  be  some  sense,  although  very  little,  in 
decorating  the  off-side  and  imparting  to  it 
something  of  an  ornamental  appearance  ;  but 
in  my  opinion  there  cannot  be  too  much 
simplicity  about  everything  connected  with 
riding  appointments.  A  plainness,  amounting 
even  to  severity,  is  to  be  preferred  before  any 
outward  show.  Eibbons,  and  coloured  veils, 
and  yellow  gloves,  and  showy  flowers  are  alike 
objectionable.  A  gaudy  "  get  up  "  (to  make 
use  of  an  expressive  common-place)  is  highly 
to  be  condemned,  and  at  once  stamps  the 
wearer  as  a  person  of  inferior  taste.  There- 
fore avoid  it.  Let  your  saddle  be,  like  your 
personal  attire,  remarkable  only  for  its  perfect 
freedom  from  ornament  or  display.  Have  it 
made  to  suit  yourseK — neither  too  weighty, 
nor  yet  too  small — and  if  you  want  to  ride 
with  grace  and  comfort,  desire  that  it  be 
constructed  without  one  particle  of  the 
objectionable  dip.  There  is  a  very  old- 
established  and  world-noted  firm  in  Piccadilly 


16  LADIES    ON    HOKSEBACK. 

— Peat  &  Co. — where  you  can  obtain  an 
article  such  as  I  describe,  properly  made,  and 
of  durable  materials,  at  quite  a  moderate  cost. 
I  can  say,  speaking  from  experience,  that  no 
trouble  will  be  spared  to  afford  you  satis- 
faction, and  that  the  workmanship  will  be 
not  only  lasting,  but  characterised  by  that 
neatness  for  which  I  am  so  strong  an  advo- 
cate. You  should  ride  on  your  saddle,  not  in  it, 
and  you  must  learn  to  ride  from  balance  or 
you  will  never  excel,  and  this  you  can  only 
do  by  the  use  of  the  level  seat.  A  small 
pocket  on  the  off-side,  and  a  neat  cross  strap 
to  support  a  waterproof,  are  of  course  neces- 
sary items. 

Your  stirrup  is  the  next  important  matter. 
I  strongly  disapprove  of  the  old-fashioned 
slipper,  as  also  of  the  so-called  "  safety " 
stirrup,  which  is,  in  my  opinion,  the  fruitful 
:  source  of  many  accidents.  HaK  the  lament- 
able  mischances  with  which  our  ears  are  from 
time  to  time  shocked,  are  due  to  the  perti- 
nacity with  which  ladies  will  cling  to  this 
murderous  safety  stirrup.  So  long  as  they 
will  persist  in  doing  so,  casualties  must  be 


NING.  17 

looked  for  and  must  occur.  The  padding  over 
the  instep  causes  the  foot  to  become  firmly 
imbedded,  and  in  the  event  of  an  accident  the 
consequences  are  dire,  for  the  mechanism  of 
the  stirrup  is  almost  invariably  stiff  or  out  of 
order,  or  otherwise  refuses  to  act.  Mr.  Old- 
acre  was,  I  believe,  the  inventor  of  the  padded 
stirrup,  and  for  this  we  owe  him  or  his 
memory  little  thanks,  although  the  gratitude 
of  all  lady  riders  is  undoubtedly  due  to  him 
for  his  admirable  invention  and  patenting  of 
the  third  crutch,  without  which  our  seat  in 
the  saddle  would  be  far  less  comfortable  and 
less  secure. 

I  dare  say  that  I  shall  have  a  large  section 
of  aggrieved  stirrup-makers  coming  down 
upon  me  with  the  phials  of  their  wrath  for 
giving  pubHcity  to  this  opinion,  but  in  writing 
as  I  have  done  I  merely  state  my  own  views, 
which  I  deem  we  are  all  at  liberty  to  do  ;  and 
looking  upon  my  readers  as  friends,  I  warn 
them  against  an  article  of  which  I  myself 
have  had  wofiil  experience.  I  once  pur- 
chased a  safety  stirrup  at  one  of  the  best 
houses,  and  made  by  one  of  the  best  makers. 

2 


18  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

The  shopman  showed  it  off  to  me  in  gallant 
style,  expatiating  upon  its  many  excellencies, 
and  adroitly  managing  the  stiff  machinery 
with  his  deft  fingers,  until  I  was  fairly 
deceived,  and  gave  him  a  handful  of  money 
for  what  subsequently  proved  a  cause  of 
trouble.  I  lost  more  than  one  good  run  with 
hounds  through  the  breaking  of  this  dearly- 
bought  stirrup,  having  upon  one  occasion  to 
ride  quite  a  long  distance  away  from  the  hunt 
to  seek  out  a  forge  at  which  I  might  undergo 
repairs.  Nor  was  this  the  worst,  for  one  day, 
having  incautiously  plunged  into  a  bog  in  my 
anxiety  to  be  in  at  the  death,  my  horse  got 
stuck  and  began  to  sink,  and  of  course  I  sought 
to  release  myself  from  him  at  once  ;  but  no, 
my  foot  was  locked  fast  in  that  terrible 
stirrup,  and  I  could  not  stir.  My  position 
was  dreadful,  for  I  had  outridden  my  pilot, 
my  struggling  steed  was  momentarily  sinking 
lower,  and  the  shades  of  evening  were  fast 
closing  in.  I  shudder  to  think  what  might 
have  been  my  fate  and  that  of  my  gallant 
horse  had  not  the  fox  happily  turned  and  led 
the  hunt  back   along  the  skirts  of  the  bog, 


LBABNING.  19 

thus  enabling  my  cries  for  help  to  be  heard 
by  one  or  two  brave  spirits  who  came  gal- 
lantly to  my  rescue.  I  have  more  than  once 
since  then  been  caught  in  a  treacherous  bog 
when  following  the  chase,  but  never  have 
I  found  any  difficulty  in  jumping  from  my 
horse's  back  and  helping  him  to  struggle 
gamely  on  to  the  dry  land,  for  I  have  never 
since  ridden  in  a  safety-stirrup,  nor  shall  I 
ever  be  likely  to  do  so  again.  It  may  be  said, 
and  probably  with  truth,  that  my  servant  had 
neglected  to  clean  it  properly  from  day  to 
day,  and  that  consequently  the  spring  had  got 
rusted  and  refused  to  act.  Such  may  possibly 
have  been  the  case,  but  might  not  the  same 
thing  occur  to  anyone,  or  at  any  time  ? 
Servants  are  the  same  all  over  the  world,  and 
yet  you  must  either  trust  to  them  or  spend 
half  your  time  overlooking  them  in  the  stable 
and  harness-room,  which  for  a  lady  is  neither 
agreeable  nor  correct. 

There  is  nothing  so  pleasant  to  ride  in  as  a 
plain  little  racing- stirrup,  from  which  the  foot 
is  in  an  instant  freed.  I  have  not  for  a  long 
while  back  used  anything  else  myself,  nor  has 

2  * 


20  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

my  foot  ever  remained  caught,  even  in  the 
most  dangerous  falls. 

I  conceive  it  to  be  an  admirable  plan  to 
learn  to  ride  without  a  stirrup  at  all.  Of 
course  I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  a  lady  should 
ever  go  out  park-riding  or  hunting  sans  the  aid 
of  such  an  appendage,  but  she  should  be 
taught  the  necessity  of  dispensing  with  it  in 
case  of  emergency.  The  benefits  arising  from 
such  training  are  manifold.  First,  it  imparts 
a  freedom  and  independence  which  cannot 
otherwise  be  acquired ;  secondly,  it  gives  an 
admirable  and  sure  seat  over  fences ;  thirdly, 
it  is  an  excellent  means  of  learning  how  to 
ride  from  balance  ;  and  fourthly,  in  spite  of 
its  apparent  difficulties,  it  is  in  the  end  a 
mighty  simpHfier,  inasmuch  as,  when  the  use 
of  the  stirrup  is  again  permitted,  all  seems, 
such  marvellously  plain  sailing,  that  every 
obstacle  appears  to  vanish  from  the  learner' s^ 
path.  In  short,  a  lady  who  can  ride  fairly 
well  without  a  support  for  her  foot,  must, 
when  such  is  added,  be  indeed  an  accompHshed 
horsewoman.  I  knew  a  lady  who  never  made 
use  of  a  stirrup  throughout  the  whole  course 


LEARNING.  2] 

of  an  unnsnally  long  life,  and  who  rode  most 
brilliantly  to  hounds.  Few,  however,  could 
do  this,  nor  is  it  by  any  means  advisable,  but 
to  be  able  occasionally  to  dispense  with  the 
support  is  doubtless  of  decided  benefit. 

I  have  often  found  my  training  in  this 
respect  stand  me  in  good  stead,  for  it  has 
more  than  once  happened  that  in  jumping 
a  stiff  fence,  or  struggHng  in  a  heavy  fall, 
my  stirrup-leather  has  given  way,  and  I 
have  had  not  alone  to  finish  the  run  with- 
out it,  but  to  ride  many  miles  of  a  journey 
homeward. 

Nothing  could  be  more  wearisome  to  an 
untutored  horsewoman  than  a  long  ride 
without  a  stirrup.  The  weight  of  her  sus- 
pended limb  becomes  after  a  moment  or  two 
most  inconvenient  and  even  painful,  whilst 
the  trot  of  the  horse  occasions  her  to  bump 
continuously  in  the  saddle, — for  the  power  of 
rising  without  artificial  aid  would  appear  a 
sheer  impossibility  to  an  ordinary  rider  whose 
teaching  had  been  entrusted  to  an  ordinary 
teacher.  I  would  have  you  then  bear  in  mind 
that  although  I  advocate  practising  without  the 


22  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

assistance  of  a  stirrup,  I  am  totally  against 
your  setting  out  beyond  the  limits  of  your 
own  lawn  or  paddock  without  this  necessary 
support. 


i. 


LEARNING.  23 


CHAPTEE  III. 

MOUNTING. — HOLDING     THE      REINS. — POSITION     IN 

THE  SADDLE. USE  OF  THE  WHIP.—  TROTTING. 

CANTERING. RIDING    FROM  BALANCE. — USE 

OF     THE     STIRRUP. ^LEAPING. WHYTE     MEL- 
VILLE's    OPINION. 

Having  now  seen  that  your  bridle,  saddle,  and 
stirrup  are  in  proper  order,  you  prepare  to 
mount,  and  this  will  probably  take  you  some 
time  and  practice  to  accomplish  gracefully, 
being  quite  an  art  in  itself.  Nothing  is  more 
atrocious  than  to  see  a  lady  require  a  chair  to 
mount  her  animal,  or  hang  midway  against 
the  side  of  the  saddle  when  her  cavalier  gives 
her  the  helping  hand.  Lay  your  right  hand 
firmly  upon  the  pommel  of  your  saddle,  and 
the  left  upon  the  shoulder  of  your  attendant. 


24  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

in  whose  hand  you  place  your  left  foot. 
Have  ready  some  signal  sentence,  as  **  Make 
ready,  go !"  or  "  one,  two,  three !"  Im- 
mediately upon  pronouncing  the  last  syllable 
make  your  spring,  and  if  your  attendant  does 
his  duty  properly  you  will  find  yours  If  seated 
deftly  upon  your  saddle. 

As  I  have  already  stated,  this  requires 
practice,  and  you  must  not  be  disappointed  if 
a  week  or  so  of  failure  ensues  between  trial 
and  success. 

As  soon  as  you  are  firmly  seated,  take  your 
rein  (which,  as  I  have  said,  should  be  a  single 
one)  and  adjust  it  thus.  Place  the  near  side 
under  the  Httle  finger  of  your  left  hand,  and 
the  off  one  between  your  first  and  second 
fingers,  bringing  both  in  front  toward  the 
right  hand,  and  holding  them  securely  in 
their  place  with  the  pressure  of  your  thumb. 
This  is  merely  a  hint  as  to  the  simplest 
method  for  a  beginner  to  adopt,  for  there  is 
really  no  fixed  rule  for  holding  reins,  nor  must 
you  at  all  times  hold  them  in  one  hand  only, 
but  frequently — and  always  when  hunting — 
put  both  hands  firmly  to  your  bridle.     Any- 


LEARNING.  25 

thing  stiff  or  stereotyped  is  to  be  avoided. 
A  good  rider,  such  as  we  hope  you  will  soon 
become,  will  change  her  reins  about,  and 
move  her  position  upon  the  saddle,  so  as  to 
be  able  to  watch  the  surrounding  scenery — 
always  moving  gracefully,  and  without  any 
abrupt  or  spasmodic  jerkings,  which  are  just 
as  objectionable  as  the  poker-Hke  rigidity 
which  I  wish  you  to  avoid.  How  common  it 
is  to  see  ladies  on  horseback  sitting  as  though 
they  were  afraid  to  budge  a  hair,  ynth 
pinioned  elbows  and  straightly-staring  eyes. 
This  is  most  objectionable ;  in  fact,  nothing 
can  be  more  unsightly.  A'graceful,  easy  seat, 
is  a  good  horsewoman's  chief  characteristic. 
She  is  not  afraid  of  tumbling  off,  and  so  she 
does  not  look  as  though  she  were  so ;  more- 
over, she  has  been  properly  taught  in  the 
commencement,  and  all  such  defects  have 
been  rectified  by  a  careful  supervision. 

With  regard  to  your  whip,Jt  must  be  held 
point  downwards,  and  if  you  have  occasion  to 
touch  your  horse,  give  it  to  him  down  the 
shoulder,  but  always  with  temperance  and 
kindly    judgment.      I    once    had    a    riding- 


26  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

master  who  desired  me  to  hold  my  whip 
balanced  in  three  fingers  of  my  right  hand, 
point  upwards,  the  hand  itself  being  absurdly 
bowed  and  the  little  finger  stuck  straight  out 
like  a  wooden  projection.  My  natural  good 
sense  induced  me  to  rebel  against  anything 
so  completely  ridiculous,  and  I  quietly  asked 
my  teacher  why  I  was  to  carry  my  whip  in 
that  particular  position.  His  answer  was — 
"  Oh,  that  you  may  have  it  ready  to  strike  your 
horse  on  the  nech.'^  Shades  of  Diana  !  this  is 
the  way  our  daughters  are  taught  in  schools, 
and  we  marvel  that  they  show  so  little  for  the 
heaps  of  money  which  we  hopefully  expend 
upon  them. 

Being  then  fairly  seated  upon  your  saddle, 
your  skirt  drawn  down  and  arranged  by  your 
attendant,  your  reins  in  your  hand  and  your 
whip  arranged,  you  must  proceed  to  walk 
your  horse  quietl  around  the  enclosure, 
having  first  gently  drawn  your  bridle  through 
his  mouth.  You  will  feel  very  strange  at 
first :  much  as  though  you  were  on  the  back 
of  a  dromedary  and  were  completely  at  his 
mercy.     Sit  perfectly  straight  and  erect,  but 


EAENING.  2  i 


without  stiffness.  Be  careful  not  to  hang 
over  upon  either  side,  and,  above  all  things, 
avoid  the  pernicious  habit  of  clutching 
nervously  with  the  right  hand  at  the  off 
pommel  to  save  yourseK  from  some  imaginary 
danger.  So  much  does  this  unsightly  habit 
grow  upon  beginners,  that,  unless  checked,  it 
will  follow  them  through  life.  I  know  grown 
women  who  ride  every  day,  and  the  ver}'- 
moment  their  horse  breaks  into  a  canter  or  a 
trot  they  lay  a  grim  grip  upon  the  pommel, 
and  hold  firmly  on  to  it  until  the  animal  again 
lapses  into  a  walk.  And  this  they  do  un- 
consciously. The  habit,  given  way  to  in 
childhood,  has  grown  so  much  into  second 
nature  that  to  tell  them  of  it  would  amaze 
them.  I  once  ventured  to  offer  a  gentle 
remonstrance  upon  the  subject  to  a  lady  with 
whom  I  was  extremely  intimate,  and  she  was 
not  only  astonished,  but  so  displeased  with 
me  for  noticing  it,  that  she  was  never  quite 
the  same  to  me  afterwards ;  and  so  salutary 
was  the  lesson  which  I  then  received  that  I 
have  since  gone  upon  the  principle  of  complete 
non-interference,    and  if  I    saw    my  fellow 


^28  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

equestriennes  riding  gravely  upon  their  horses' 
heads  I  would  not  suggest  the  rationality 
of  transferring  their  weight  to  the  saddle. 
And  this  theory  is  a  good  one,  or  at  least  a 
wise  one  ;  for  humanity  is  so  inordinately 
conceited  that  it  will  never  take  a  hint  kindly, 
unless  asked  for ;  and  not  always  even  then. 

To  sit  erect  upon  your  saddle  is  a  point  of 
great  importance  ;  if  you  acquire  a  habit  of 
stooping  it  will  grow  upon  you,  and  it  is  not 
only  a  great  disfigurement,  but  not  unfre- 
quently  a  cause  of  serious  accident,  for  if 
your  horse  suddenly  throws  up  his  head,  he 
hits  you  upon  the  nose,  and  deprives  you  of 
more  blood  than  you  may  be  able  to  replace 
in  a  good  while. 

As  soon  as  you  can  feel  yourself  quite  at 
home  upon  your  mount,  and  have  become 
accustomed  to  its  walking  motion,  your 
attendant  will  urge  him  into  a  gentle  trot. 
And  now  prepare  yourself  for  the  beginning 
of  sorrows.  Your  first  sensation  will  be  that 
of  being  shaken  to  pieces.  You  are,  of  course, 
yet  quite  ignorant  of  the  art  of  rising  in 
your  saddle,  and  the  trot  of  the  horse  fairly 


LEARNING.  29 

chums  yon.  Your  hat  shakes,  your  hair  flaps, 
your  elbows  bang  to  your  sides,  you  are 
altogether  miserable.  Still,  you  hold  on 
bravely,  though  you  are  ready  to  cry  from  the 
horrors  of  the  situation. 

Your  attendant,  by  way  of  reHeving  you, 
changes  the  trot  to  a  canter,  and  then  you  are 
suddenly  transported  to  Elysium.  The  motion 
is  heavenly.  You  have  nothing  to  do  but  sit 
close  to  your  saddle,  and  you  are  borne 
dehghtfully  along.  It  is  too  ecstatic  to  last. 
Alas !  it  will  never  teach  you  to  ride,  and  so 
you  return  to  the  trot  and  the  shaking  and 
the  jogging,  the  horrors  of  which  are  worse 
than  anything  you  have  ever  previously 
experienced.  You  try  vainly  to  give  yourself 
some  ease,  but  fail  utterly,  and  at  length 
dismount — hot,  tired,  and  disheartened. 

But  against  this  latter  you  must  resolutel}^ 
fight.  Remember  that  nothing  can  be  learned 
without  trouble,  and  by-and-by  you  will  be 
repaid.  It  is  not  everybody  who  has  the  gift 
of  perseverance,  and  it  is  an  invaluable  attri- 
bute. It  is  a  fact  frequently  commented  upon, 
not  alone  by  me  but  by  many  others  also,  that 


30  LADIES   ON   HOKSEBACK. 

if  you  go  for  the  hiring  of  a  horse  to  any 
London  livery-stable  you  will  be  sent  a  good- 
looking  beast  enough,  but  he  will  not  be  able 
to  trot  a  yard.  Canter,  canter,  is  all  that  he 
can  do.  And  why  ?  He  is  kept  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  carrying  young  ladies  in  the 
Kow,  and  these  young  ladies  have  never  learnt 
to  trot.  They  can  dress  themselves  as  vanity 
suggests  in  fashionably-cut  habits,  suffer  them- 
selves to  be  lifted  to  the  saddle,  and  sit  there, 
looking  elegant  and  pretty,  whilst  their  horse 
canters  gaily  down  the  long  ride ;  but  were  the 
animal  to  break  into  a  trot  (which  he  is  far  too 
well  tutored  to  attempt  to  do),  they  would 
soon  present  the  same  shaken,  dilapidated, 
dishevelled,  and  utterly  miserable  appearance 
which  you  yourself  do  after  your  first  experi- 
ence of  the  difficulties  which  a  learner  has  to 
encounter. 

The  art  of  rising  in  the  saddle  is  said  to 
have  been  invented  by  one  Dan  Seffert,  a 
very  famous  steeplechase  jockey,  who  had,  I 
beheve,  been  a  riding-master  in  the  days  oi 
his  youth.  If  this  be  true — which  there  is  no 
reason  to  doubt — we  have  certainly  to  thank 


LEAENING.  31 

lim,  for  it  is  a  vast  improvement  upon  the 
jog-trot  adopted  by  the  cavahy,  which,  how- 
ever well  it  may  suit  them  and  impart 
imiformity  of  motion  to  their  **  line-riding," 
is  not  by  any  means  suited  to  a  lady,  either 
for  appearances  or  for  purposes  of  health. 

You  come  up  for  your  next  day's  lesson  in  a 
very  solemn  mood.  You  are,  in  fact,  con- 
siderably sobered.  You  had  thought  it  was 
all  plain  saiHng :  it  loolced  so  easy.  You  had 
seen  hundreds  of  persons  riding,  trotting,  and 
even  setting  off  to  hunt,  and  had  never 
dreamed  that  there  had  been  any  trouble  in 
learning.  Now  you  know  the  difficulties  and 
what  is  before  you. 

You  recall  your  sufferings  during  your 
first  days  upon  the  ice,  or  on  the  rink.  How 
utterly  impossible  it  seemed  that  you  could 
ever  excel;  how  you  tumbled  about;  how 
miserably  helpless  you  felt,  and  how  many 
heavy  falls  you  got !  Yet  you  conquered  in 
the  end,  and  so  you  will  again. 

You  take  courage  and  mount  your  steed. 
First  you  walk  him  a  Httle,  as  yesterday  ;  and 
then  the  jolting  begins  again.      How  are  you 


'J2  ladies  on  horseback. 

ever  to  get  into  that  rise  and  fall  which  yon 
have  seen  with  others,  and  so  much  covet  ? 
How  are  you  to  accomplish  it  ?  Only  by 
doing  as  I  tell  you,  and  persevering  in  it.  As 
your  horse  throws  out  his  near  foreleg  press 
your  foot  upon  your  stirrup,  in  time  to  lift 
yourself  sHghtly  as  his  off  foreleg  is  next 
thrown  out.  Watch  the  motion  of  his  legs, 
press  your  foot,  and  at  the  same  time  slightly 
lift  yourself  from  your  saddle.  For  a  long 
while,  many  days  perhaps,  it  will  seem  to 
be  all  wrong ;  you  have  not  got  into  it  one 
bit;  you  are  JQst  as  far  from  it  apparently 
as  when  you  commenced.  You  are  hot  and 
vexed,  and  you,  perhaps,  cry  with  mortifica- 
tion and  disappointment,  as  I  have  seen  many 
a  young  beginner  do  ;  bitterly  worried  and 
disheartened  you  are,  and  ready  to  give  up, 
when,  lo  !  quite  suddenly,  as  though  it  had 
come  to  you  by  magic  and  not  through  your 
own  steady  perseverance,  you  find  yourself 
rising  and  falHng  with  the  trot  of  the  horse, 
and  your  labours  are  rewarded.  ; 

After    this    your   lessons    are    a   source  of 
delisrht.     You    no    longer    come    from    theiu 


LEARNING.  83 

flushed  and  worried,  but  joyous  and  exultant 
and  impatient  for  the  next.  You  have  begun 
to  feel  quite  brave,  and  to  throw  out  hints 
that  you  are  longing  for  a  good  ride  on 
the  road.  You  now  know  how  to  make  your 
horse  trot  and  canter  ;  the  first  by  a  light 
touch  of  your  whip  and  a  gentle  movement  of 
your  bridle  through  his  mouth;  the  second 
by  a  slight  bearing  of  the  rein  upon  the  near 
side  of  his  mouth,  so  as  to  make  him  go  off. 
upon  the  right  leg,  and  a  little  warning  touch 
of  your  heel.  You  fancy,  in  fact,  that  you 
are  quite  a  horsewoman,  and  have  already 
rolled  up  your  hair  into  a  neat  knot,  and 
hinted  to  papa  that  you  should  greatly  like  a 
habit.  But,  alas  !  you  have  plenty  of  trouble 
yet  before  you,  plenty  to  learn,  plenty  of  falls 
to  get  and  to  bear.  At  present  you  can  ride 
fairly  well  on  the  straight ;  but  you  know 
nothing  of  keeping  your  balance  in  time  of 
danger.  Your  horse  is  very  quiet,  but  if  he 
chanced  to  put  back  his  ears  you  would 
be  off. 

You  are  taught  to  maintain  your  balance  in 
the  following  way  : — 

3 


34  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

Tour  attendant  waits  until  your  horse  is 
•cantering  pretty  briskly  in  a  circle  from  left 
to  right,  when  he  suddenly  cracks  his  whip 
close  to  the  animal's  heels,  who  immediately 
swerves  and  turns  the  other  way.  You  have 
had  no  warning  of  the  movement,  and  con- 
sequently you  tumble  off,  and  are  put  up 
again,  feehng  a  Httle  shaken  and  a  good  deal 
crestfallen.  Most  likely  you  will  fall  again 
and  again,  until  you  have  thoroughly  mastered 
the  art  of  riding  from  balance. 

This  is  a  method  I  have  seen  adopted, 
especially  in  schools,  with  considerable  suc- 
cess, but  it  is  certainly  attended  with  incon- 
venience to  the  learner,  and  with  a  goodly 
portion  of  the  risk  from  falls  which  all  who 
ride  must  of  necessity  run.  To  ride  well  from 
balance  is  not  a  thing  which  can  be  accom- 
plished in  a  day,  nor  a  month,  nor  perhaps  a 
year.  Many  pass  a  life-time  without  prac- 
tically comprehending  the  meaning  of  the 
term.  They  ride  every  day,  hold  on  to  the 
bridle,  guide  their  horses,  and  trust  to  chance 
for  the  rest ;  but  this  is  not  true  horsemanship. 
It  could  no  more  be  called  riding  than  could  a 


LEARNING.  35 

piece  of  mechanical  pianoforte-playing  be 
termed  music.  When  you  have,  after  much 
difficulty  and  delay,  mastered  the  obstacles 
which  marred  your  progress,  you  will  then 
have  the  happy  consciousness  of  feehng  that 
however  your  horse  may  shy  or  swerve,  or 
otherwise  depart  from  his  good  manners,  you 
can  sit  him  with  the  ease  and  closeness  of  a 
young  centaur. 

This  art  of  riding  from  balance  is  not  half 
sufficiently  known.  It  is  one  most  difficult  to 
acquire,  but  the  study  is  worth  the  labour. 
Nine-tenths  of  the  lady  equestrians,  and 
perhaps  even  a  greater  number  of  gentlemen, 
ride  from  the  horse's  head ;  a  detestable 
practice  which  cannot  be  too  highly  con- 
demned. I  must  also  warn  you  against 
placing  too  much  stress  upon  the  stirrup  when 
your  horse  is  trotting.  You  must  bear  in 
mind  that  the  stirrup  is  intended  for  a  support 
for  the  foot — not  to  be  ridden  from.  By 
placing  your  right  leg  firmly  aroimd  the 
up-pommel,  and  pressing  the  left  knee  against 
the  leaping-head,  you  can  accomplish  the 
rise    in   your   saddle   with    slight   assistance 

3  * 


36  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

from  the  stirrup  ;  and  this  is  the  proper  way 
to  ride.  The  lazy,  careless  habit  into  which 
many  women  fall,  of  resting  the  entire  weight 
of  the  body  upon  the  stirrup,  not  only  fre- 
quently causes  the  leathers  to  snap  at  most 
inconvenient  times,  but  is  the  lamentable 
cause  of  half  the  sore  backs  and  ugly  galls, 
from  which  poor  horses  suffer  so  severely. 

Having  at  length  perfected  yourself  in 
walking,  trotting,  cantering,  and  riding  from 
balance,  you  have  only  to  acquire  the  art  of 
leaping — and  then  you  will  be  finished,  so  far 
as  teaching  can  make  you  so.  Experience 
must  do  the  rest. 

It  is  a  good  thing,  when  learning,  to  mount 
as  many  different  horses  as  you  possibly  can ; 
always,  of  course,  taking  care  that  they  are 
sufficiently  trained  not  to  endeavour  to  master 
you.  Horses  vary  immensely  in  their  action 
and  gait  of  going  :  so  much  so,  that  if  you  do 
not  accustom  yourself  to  a  variety  you  will 
take  your  ideas  from  one  alone,  and  will,  when 
put  upon  a  strange  animal,  find  yourself 
completely  at  sea. 

Do  not  suffer   anything  to  induce  you  to 


LEARNING.  37 

iake  your  first  leap  over  a  bar  or  pole  similar 
to  those  used  in  schools.  The  horse  sees  the 
daylight  under  it,  knows  well  that  it  is  a 
sham,  goes  at  it  unwillingly,  does  not  half  rise 
to  it,  drops  his  heels  when  in  the  air,  and 
knocks  it  down  with  a  crash, — only  to  do  the 
same  thing  a  second  time,  and  a  third,  and 
a  fourth  also,  if  urged  to  do  that  which  he 
despises. 

Choose  a  nice  little  hurdle  about  two  feet 
high,  well  interwoven  with  gorse  ;  trot  your 
horse  gently  up  to  it,  and  let  him  see  what  it 
is ;  then,  turn  him  back  and  send  him  at  it, 
sitting  close  glued  to  your  saddle,  with  a  firm 
but  gentle  grip  of  your  reins,  and  your  hands 
held  low.  To  throw  up  the  hands  is  a  habit 
with  all  beginners,  and  should  at  once  be 
checked.  Fifty  to  one  you  will  stick  on  all 
right,  and,  if  you  come  off,  why  it's  many  a 
good  man's  case,  and  you  must  regard  it  as 
one  of  the  chances  of  war. 

The  next  day  you  may  have  the  gorse  raised 
another  half-foot  above  the  hurdle,  and  so  on 
by  degrees,  until  you  can  sit  with  ease  over  a 
jump  of  five  feet.     Always  bear  in  mind  to 


38  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

keep  your  hands  quite  down  upon  your  horse's 
withers,  and  never  interfere  with  his  mouth. 
Sit  well  back,  leave  him  his  head,  and  he  will 
not  make  a  mistake.  Of  course,  I  am  again 
surmising  that  he  has  been  properly  trained, 
and  that  you  alone  are  the  novice.  To  put  a 
learner  upon  an  untrained  animal  would  be  a 
piece  of  folly,  not  to  say  of  wickedness,  of 
which  we  hope  nobody  in  this  age  of  enlighten- 
ment would  dream  of  being  guilty.  In  jump- 
ing a  fence  or  hurdle  do  not  leave  your  reins 
quite  slack ;  hold  them  lightly  but  firmly,  as 
your  horse  should  jump  against  his  bridle, 
but  do  not  pull  him.  A  gentle  support  is 
alone  necessary. 

That  absurd  and  vulgar  theory  about  "lift- 
ing a  horse  at  his  fences,"  so  freely  affected 
by  the  ignorant  youth  of  the  present  day, 
cannot  be  too  strongly  deprecated.  That  same 
**  lifting  "  has  broken  more  horses'  shoulders  and 
more  asses'  necks  than  anything  else  on  record. 
A  good  hunter  with  a  bad  rider  upon  his  back 
will  actually  shake  his  head  free  on  coming  up 
to  a  fence.  He  knows  that  he  cannot  do  what 
is  expected  of  him  if  his  mouth   is  to  be 


LEARNING.  3^ 

chucked  and  worried,  any  more  than  you  or  I 
could  under  similar  circumstances,  and  so  he 
asserts  his  hberty.  How  often,  in  a  steeple- 
chase, one  horse  early  deprived  of  his  rider 
will  voluntarily  go  the  whole  course  and  jump 
every  obstacle  in  perfect  safety,  even  with  the 
reins  dangling  about  his  legs,  yet  never  make 
a  mistake ;  whilst  a  score  or  so  of  compeers 
wiU  be  tumbhng  at  every  fence.  And  why  ? 
The  answer  is  plain  and  simple.  The  free 
horse  has  his  head,  and  his  instinct  teUs  him 
where  to  put  his  feet ;  whereas  the  animals 
with  riders  upon  their  backs  are  dragged  and 
pulled  and  sawn  at,  until  irritation  deprives 
them  of  sense  and  sight,  and,  rushing  wildly 
at  their  fences  (probably  getting  another  tug 
at  the  moment  of  rising),  they  faU,  and  so 
extinguish  their  chance  of  a  win. 

I  do  not,  of  course,  in  saying  this,  mean  for 
a  moment  to  question  the  judgment  and 
horsemanship  of  very  many  excellent  jockeys, 
whose  ability  is  beyond  comment  and  their 
riding  without  reproach.  I  speak  of  the  rule^ 
not  of  the  few  exceptions. 

HaH  the  horses  who  fall  in  the  hunting- 


40  LADIES   ON    HOESEBACK. 

field  are  thrown  down  by  their  riders ;  this  is 
a  fact  too  obvious  to  be  contradicted.     Men 
over-riding  their  horses,  treating  them  with 
needless  cruelty,  riding  them  when   already 
beaten :  these  are  the  fruitful  causes  of  falls  in 
the  field,  together  with  that  most  objection- 
able practice  of  striving  to  "lift  "  an  animal 
who  knows  his  duties  far  better  than  the  man 
upon  his  back.     It  is  a  pity,  and  my  heart  has 
often  bled  to  see  how  the  noblest  of  God's 
created  things  is  ill-treated  and  abused  by  the 
human  brute  who  styles  himself  the  master. 
It  is,  indeed,  a  disgrace  to  our  humanity  that 
this  priceless  creature,  given  to  a  man  with  a 
mind  highly  wrought,  sensitive,  yearning  for 
kindness,  and   capable   of  appreciating   each 
word  and  look  of  the  being  whose  willing  slave 
it  is,  should  be  treated  with  cruelty,  and  in  too 
many  cases  regarded  but  as  a  sort  of  machine 
to  do  the  master's  bidding.   Who  has  not  seen, 
and  mourned  to  see,  the  tired,  patient  horse, 
spurred  and  dragged  at  by  a  remorseless  rider, 
struggling  gamely  forward  in    the  hunting- 
field,  with  bleeding  mouth  and  heaving,  bloody 
flanks,  to  enable  a  cruel  task-master  to  see 


LEARNING.  41 

the  end  of  a  second  run,  and  even  of  a  third, 
after  having  carried  him  gallantly  through  a 
long  and  intricate  first?  It  is  a  piece  of 
inhumanity  which  all  humane  riders  see  and 
deplore  every  day  throughout  the  hunting 
season.  We  cannot  stop  it,  but  we  can  speak 
against  it  and  write  it  down,  and  discountenance 
it  in  every  possible  way,  as  we  are  all  bound 
to  do.  Why  will  not  men  be  brought  to  see  that 
in  abusing  their  horses  they  are  compassing 
their  own  loss  ?  that  in  taxing  the  powers  of  a 
beaten  animal  they  are  riding  for  a  fall,  and 
are  consequently  endangering  the  life  which 
God  has  given  them  ? 

There  is  much  to  be  learnt  in  the  art  of 
fencing  besides  hurdle-leaping.  A  good  timber- 
jumper  will  often  take  a  ditch  or  drain  in  a 
very  indifferent  manner.  I  have  seen  a  horse 
jump  a  five-barred  gate  in  magnificent  style, 
yet  fall  short  into  a  comparatively  narrow 
ditch ;  and  vice  versa  ;  therefore,  various  kinds 
of  jumps  must  be  kept  up,  persevered  in,  and 
kept  constantly  in  practice.  Two  things  must 
always  be  preserved  in  view  ;  never  sit  loosely 
in  your   saddle,  and  always  ride  well  from 


42  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

balance,  never  from  your  horse's  head.  In 
taking  an  up  jump  leave  him  abundance  of 
head-room,  and  sit  well  back,  lest  in  his  effort 
he  knock  you  in  the  face.  If  the  jump  is  a 
down  one — what  is  known  as  an  ^^  ugly  drop  '* 
—  follow  the  same  rules  ;  but,  when  your 
horse  is  landing,  give  him  good  support  from 
the  bridle,  as,  should  the  ground  be  at  all  soft 
or  marshy,  he  might  be  apt  to  peck,  and  so 
give  you  an  ugly  fall. 

It  is  a  disputed  point  whether  or  not  horses 
like  jumping.  I  am  incHned  to  coincide  in 
poor  Whyte-Melville's  opinion  that  they  do 
not.  He  w^as  a  good  authority  upon  most 
subjects  connected  with  equine  matters,  and 
so  he  ought  to  know ;  but  of  one  thing  I  am 
positively  certain  :  they  abhor  schooling. 
However  a  horse  may  tolerate  or  even  enjoy 
a  good  fast  scurry  with  hounds,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  he  greatly  dishkes  being  brought 
to  his  fences  in  cold  blood.  He  has  not,  when 
schooling,  the  impetus  which  sends  him 
along,  nor  the  example  or  excitement  to  be 
met  with  in  the  hunting-field.  The  horse  is 
naturally  a  timid  animal,  and  this  is  why  he 


LEAENING.  4S 

SO  firequently  stops  short  at  his  fences  when 
schooling.  He  mistrusts  his  own  powers. 
When  running  with  hounds  he  is  home  along 
by  speed  and  by  excitement,  and  so  goes 
skying  over  obstacles  which  appal  him  when 
trotted  quietly  to  them  on  a  schooling  day. 
It  is  just  the  difference  which  an  actor  feels 
between  a  chilling  rehearsal  and  the  night 
performance,  when  the  theatre  is  crowded  and 
the  clapping  of  hands  and  the  shouting  of 
approving  voices  lend  life  and  spirit  to  the 
part  he  plays. 

You  will  probably  get  more  falls  whilst 
schooHng  than  ever  you  will  get  in  the 
hunting-field,  but  a  few  weeks'  steady  practice 
over  good  artificial  fences  or  a  nice  natural 
country,  will  give  you  a  firm  seat  and  an 
amount  of  confidence  which  will  stand  to  you 
as  friends. 


44  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 


PART     II. 

PARK  AND  ROAD  RIDING. 

CHAPTEE    IV. 

HOW    TO    DRESS. — A     COUNTRY- GIRL 'S    IDEAS   UPON 
THE      SUBJECT.  —  HOW     TO       PUT      ON     YOUR 

RIDING-GEAR. — HOW  TO    PRESERVE    IT. FIRST 

ROAD-RIDE. — BACKING. REARING,      AND     HOW 

TO   PREVENT   IT. 

Having  now  mastered  the  art  of  riding,  you 
will  of  course  be  desirous  of  appearing  in 
the  parks  and  on  the  public  roadways,  and 
exhibiting  the  prowess  which  it  has  cost  you 
so  much  to  gain. 

For  your  outfit  you  will  require,  in  addition 
to  the  articles  already  in  your  possession,  a 
nice  well-made  habit  of  dark  cloth.  If  you 
are  a  very  young  girl,  grey  will  be  the  most 
suitable  ;  if  not,  dark  blue.  If  you  hve  in 
London,  pay  a  visit  to  Mayfair,  and  get  Mr. 
Wolmershausen  to  make   it   for  you;  if  in 


PAEK   AND   ROAD   RIDING.  45 

Dublin,  Mr.  Scott,  of  Sackville  Street,  will  do 
equally  well ;  indeed,  for  any  sort  of  riding- 
gear,  ladies'  or  gentlemen's,  he  is  not  to 
be  excelled.  If  you  are  not  within  easy 
distance  of  a  city,  go  to  the  best  tailor 
you  can,  and  give  him  directions,  which  he 
must  not  be  above  taking.  Skirt  to  reach  six 
inches  below  the  foot,  well  shaped  for  the 
knee,  and  neatly  shotted  at  end  of  hem  just 
below  the  right  foot ;  elastic  band  upon  inner 
side,  to  catch  the  left  toe,  and  to  retain  the 
skirt  in  its  place.  It  should  be  made  tight 
and  spare,  without  one  inch  of  superfluous  cloth ; 
jacket  close-fitting,  but  sufficiently  easy  to 
avoid  even  the  suspicion  of  being  squeezed ; 
sleeves  perfectly  tight,  except  at  the  setting 
on,  where  a  shght  pufiiness  over  the  shoulder 
should  give  the  appearance  of  increased  width 
of  chest.  No  braiding  nor  ornamentation  of 
any  sort  to  appear.  A  small  neat  hnen 
collar,  upright  shape,  with  cuffs  to  correspond, 
should  be  worn  with  the  habit,  no  frilling 
nor  fancy  work  being  admissible — the  collar 
to  be  fastened  with  a  plain  gold  or  silver 
stud. 


46  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

The  nicest  hat  to  ride  in  is  an  ordinary  silk 
one,  much  lower  than  they  are  usually  made, 
and  generally  requiring  to  be  manufactured 
purposely  to  fit  and  suit  the  head.  Of  course, 
if  you  are  a  young  girl,  the  melon  shape  will 
not  be  unsuitable,  but  the  other  is  more  in 
keeping,  more  becoming,  and  vastly  more 
economical  in  the  end,  although  few  can  be 
induced  to  believe  this.  It  is  the  custom  in 
many  households  to  purchase  articles  for  their 
cheapness,  without  any  regard  to  quaHty  or 
durability,  and  this  you  should  endeavour  to 
avoid.  Speaking  from  experience,  the  best 
things  are  always  the  cheapest.  I  pay  from  a 
guinea  to  a  guinea  and  a  half  for  a  good  silk 
hat,  and  find  that  it  wears  out  four  felt  ones  of 
the  quality  usually  sold  at  ten  and  sixpence. 
There  is  no  London  house  at  which  you  can 
procure  better  articles  or  better  value  than  at 
Lincoln,  Bennett,  &  Co.,  Sackville  Street, 
Piccadilly.  For  nearly  half  a  century  they 
have  been  the  possessors  of  an  admirable 
contrivance,  which  should  be  seen  to  be 
appreciated,  by  which  not  alone  is  the  size  of 
the  head  ascertained,  but  its  precise  shape  is 


PARK  AND   ROAD   RIDING.  47 

definitely  marked  and  suited,  thus  avoiding  all 
possibility  of  that  distressing  pressure  upon 
the  temples,  which  is  a  fruitful  source  of 
headache  and  discomfort  to  so  many  riders. 
Hats  made  at  this  firm  require  no  elastics — 
if  it  be  considered  desirable  to  dispense  with 
such — as  the  fit  is  guaranteed.  Never  wear  a 
veil  on  horseback,  except  it  be  a  black  one, 
and  nothing  with  a  border  looks  well.  A  plain 
band  of  spotted  net,  just  reaching  below  the 
nostrils,  and  gathered  away  into  a  neat  knot 
behind,  is  the  most  distingue.  Do  not  wear 
anything  sufl&ciently  long  to  cover  the  mouth, , 
or  it  will  cause  you  inconvenience  on  wet  and 
frosty  days.  For  dusty  roads  a  black  gauze 
veil  will  be  found  useful,  but  avoid,  as  you 
would  poison,  every  temptation  to  wear  even 
the  faintest  scrap  of  colour  on  horseback.  All 
such  atrocities  as  blue  and  green  veils  have 
happily  long  since  vanished,  but,  even  still,  a 
red  bow,  a  gaudy  flower  stuck  in  the  button- 
hole, and,  oh,  horror  of  horrors !  a  pocket  hand- 
kerchief appearing  at  an  opening  in  the  bosom, 
looking  like  a  miniature  fomentation — these 
still  occasionally  shock  the  eyes  of  sensitive 


48  LADIES    ON    HOKSEBACK. 

persons,  and  cause  us  to  marvel  at  the  wearer's 
bad  taste. 

I  was  once  asked  to  take  a  young  lady  with 
me  for  a  ride  in  the  park,  to  witness  a  field- 
day,  or  polo  match,  or  something  or  another 
of  especial  interest  which  happened  to  be 
going  forward.  I  would  generally  prefer  being 
asked  to  face  a  battery  of  Zulus  rather  than 
act  as  chaperone  to  young  lady  equestriennes y 
who  are  usually  ignorant  of  riding,  and  in- 
sufferably badly  turned  out.  However,  upon 
this  occasion  I  could  not  refuse.  The  lady's 
parents  were  kind,  amiable  country  folks,  who 
had  invested  a  portion  of  their  weal  h  in 
sending  their  daughter  up  to  town  to  get 
lessons  from  a  fashionable  riding-master,  and 
to  ride  out  with  whomsoever  might  be  induced 
to  take  her. 

Well,  the  young  lady's  horse  was  the  first 
arrival :  a  hired  hack — usual  style  ;  bones 
protruding — knees  well  over — rusty  bridle — 
greasy  reins — dirty  girths — and  dilapidated 
saddle,  indifferently  polished  up  for  the 
occasion. 

The  young  lady  herself  came  next,  stepping 


PARK   AND   EOAD    RIDING.  49 

daintily  out  of  a  cab,  as  though  she  were  quite 
mistress  of  the  situation.  Ye  gods  !  What  a 
get  up  !  I  was  positively  electrified.  Her 
habit — certainly  well  made — was  of  bright 
blue  cloth,  with  worked  frills  at  the  throat 
and  wrists.  She  wore  a  brilliant  knot  of 
scarlet  ribbon  at  her  neck,  and  a  huge  bouquet 
in  her  button-hole.  Her  hat  was  a  silk  one, 
set  right  on  the  back  of  her  head,  with  a  velvet 
rosettte  and  steel  buckle  in  front,  and  a  long 
veil  of  grey  gauze  streaming  out  behind. 
When  we  add  orange  gloves,  and  a  riding- whip 
with  a  gaudy  tassel  appended  to  it,  you  have 
the  details  of  a  costume  at  once  singular  and 
unique. 

I  did  not  at  first  know  whether  to  get  a 
sudden  attack  of  the  measles  or  the  toothache, 
and  send  her  out  with  my  groom  to  escort  her, 
but  discarding  the  thought  as  ill-natured,  I 
compromised  matters  by  bringing  her  to  my 
own  room,  and  effecting  .alterations  in  her 
toilet  which  soon  gave  her  a  more  civihsed 
appearance,  I  set  the  hat  straight  upon  her 
head,  and  bound  it  securely  in  its  place, 
removed  from  it  the  gauze  and  buckle,  and 

4 


50  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

tied  on  one  of  my  own  plain  black  veils  of 
simple  spotted  net.  I  could  not  do  away 
with  the  frillings,  for  they  were  stitched  on 
as  though  they  were  never  meant  to  come  off ; 
hut  the  red  how  I  replaced  with  a  silver 
arrow,  threw  away  the  flowers,  removed  the 
whip-tassel,  and  substituted  a  pair  of  my  own 
gloves  for  the  cherished  orange  kid.  Then  we 
set  out. 

I  wanted  to  go  a  quiet  way  to  the  park, 
so  as  to  avoid  the  streets  of  the  town,  but  she 
would  not  have  it.  Nothing  would  do  that 
girl  but  to  go  bang  through  the  most  crowded 
parts  of  the  city,  the  hired  hack  sHding  over 
the  asphalte,  and  the  rider  (all  unconscious 
of  her  danger)  bowing  delightedly  to  her 
acquaintances  as  she  passed  along.  Poor 
girl !  that  first  day  out  of  the  riding-school 
was  a  gala  day  for  her. 

The  nicest  gloves  for  riding  are  pale  cream 
leather,  worked  thickly  on  the  backs  with 
black.  A  few  pairs  of  these  will  keep  you 
going,  for  they  clean  beautifully.  A  plain 
riding-whip  without  a  tassel,  and  a  second 
habit    of  dark  hoUand   if  you  live   in   the 


PARK   AND   ROAD   RIDING.  51 

country,  will  complete  your  necessary  out- 
fit. 

I  shall  now  give  you  a  few  hints  as  to  the 
best  method  of  putting  on  your  riding  gear, 
and  of  preserving  the  same  after  rain  or  hard 
weather.  Your  habit-maker  will,  of  course, 
put  large  hooks  around  the  waist  of  your 
bodice,  and  eyes  of  corresponding  size  attached 
to  the  skirt,  so  that  both  may  be  kept  in  their 
place,  but  if  you  have  been  obKged  to  entrust 
your  cloth  to  a  country  practitioner,  who  has 
neglected  these  minor  necessaries,  be  sure  you 
look  to  them  yourself,  or  you  will  some  day 
find  that  the  opening  of  your  skirt  is  right  at 
your  back,  and  that  the  place  shaped  out  for 
jour  knee  has  twisted  round  until  it  hangs  in 
unsightly  crookedness  in  front  of  the  buttons 
of  your  bodice. 

Let  it  be  a  rule  with  you  to  avoid  using  any 
pins.  Put  two  or  three  neat  stitches  in  the 
back  of  your  collar,  so  as  to  affix  it  to  your 
jacket,  having  first  measured  to  see  that  the 
ends  shall  meet  exactly  evenly  in  front,  where 
you  will  fasten  them  neatly  with  a  stud.  The 
ordinary  system  of  placing    one  pin  at  the 

4  * 


52  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

back  of  the  collar  and  one  at  either  end  is 
much  to  be  deprecated.  Frequently  one  of 
these  pins  becomes  undone,  and  then  the 
discomfort  is  incalculable,  especially  if,  as 
often  occurs,  you  are  out  for  a  long  day,  and 
nobody  happens  to  be  able  to  accommodate 
you  with  another. 

Pinning  cuffs  is  also  a  reprehensible  habit, 
for  the  reason  just  stated.  Two  or  three  little 
stitches  where  they  will  not  show,  upon  the 
inner  side  of  the  sleeve,  will  hold  the  cuff 
securely  in  its  place  and  prevent  it  turning 
round  or  slipping  up  or  down,  any  of  which 
will  be  calculated  to  cause  discomfort  to  the 
rider. 

It  is  not  a  bad  method,  either,  to  stitch  a 
small  button  at  the  back  of  the  neck  of  the 
jacket,  upon  the  inner  side,  upon  which  the 
collar  can  be  secured,  fastening  the  cuffs  in 
the  same  manner  to  buttons  attached  to  the 
inner  portion  of  each  sleeve.  In  short, 
anything  in  the  shape  of  a  device  which  will 
check  the  unseemlyhabit  of  using  a  multiphcity 
of  pins,  may  be  regarded  as  a  welcome  innova- 
tion, and  at  once  adopted. 


PARK   AND   ROAD    RIDING.  53 

It  is  a  good  plan,  when  you  undress  from 
your  ride,  to  ascertain  whether  your  collar 
and  cuffs  are  sufficiently  clean  to  serve  you 
another  day,  and  if  they  are  not,  replace  them 
at  once  hy  fresh  ones ;  for  it  may  happen  that 
i;vhen  you  go  to  attire  yourself  for  your  next 
ride,  you  may  be  too  hurried  to  look  after 
what  should  always  be  a  positive  necessity, 
namely,  perfectly  spotless  linen. 

There  is  a  material,  invented  in  America 
and  as  yet  but  little  known  amongst  us  here, 
which  is  invaluable  to  all  who  ride.  It  is 
called  Celluloid,  and  from  it  collars,  cuffs,  and 
shirt-fronts  are  manufactured  which  resemble 
the  finest  and  whitest  Hnen,  yet  which  never 
spot,  never  crush,  never  become  limp,  and 
never  require  washing,  save  as  one  would 
wash  a  china  saucer,  in  a  basin  of  clear  water, 
using  a  fine  soft  towel  for  the  drying  process. 
I  do  not  know  the  nature  of  the  composition, 
but  I  can  certainly  bear  testimony  to  its 
worth,  and  being  inexpensive  as  well  as  con- 
venient, it  cannot  fail,  when  known,  to  become 
liighly  popular. 

The    adjusting    of   your    hat   is     another 


54:  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

important  item.  Stitch  a  piece  of  black 
elastic  (the  single-cord  round  kind  is  the  best) 
from  one  side — the  inner  one  of  course — to 
the  other,  of  just  sufficient  length  to  catch 
well  beneath  your  hair.  This  elastic  you  can 
stretch  over  the  leaf  of  your  hat  at  the  back, 
and  then,  when  the  hat  is  on  and  nicely 
adjusted  to  your  taste  in  front,  you  have  only 
to  put  back  your  hand  and  bring  the  band  of 
elastic  deftly  under  your  hair.  The  hat  will 
then  be  immovable,  and  the  elastic  will  not 
show.  In  fastening  your  veil,  a  short  steel 
pin  with  a  round  black  head  is  the  best.  The 
steel  sHps  easily  through  the  leaf  of  the  hat, 
and  the  head,  being  glossy  and  large,  is  easily 
found  without  groping  or  delay,  whenever  you 
may  desire  to  divest  yourself  of  it. 

I  shall  now  tell  you  how  to  proceed  with 
the  various  items  of  your  toilet  on  coming 
home,  after  being  overtaken  by  stress  of 
weather.  No  matter  how  wealthy  you  may 
be,  or  how  many  servants  you  may  be  entitled 
to  keep,  always  look  after  these  things  your- 
self. 

Hang  the  skirt  of  your  habit  upon  a  clothes- 


PARjt   AND   EOAD   RIDING  55 

horse,  with  a  stick  placed  across  inside  to 
extend  it  folly.  Leave  it  until  thoroughly 
dry,  and  then  brush  carefully.  The  bodice 
must  be  hung  in  a  cool  dry  place,  but  never 
placed  near  the  fire,  or  the  cloth  will  shrink, 
and  probably  discolour. 

Dip  your  veil  into  clear  cold  water,  give  it 
one  or  two  gentle  squeezes,  shake  it  out,  and 
hang  it  on  a  line,  spreading  it  neatly  with 
your  fingers,  so  that  it  may  take  no  fold  in  the 
drying. 

Your  hat  comes  next.  Dip  a  fine  small 
Turkey  sponge,  kept  for  the  purpose  and  freed 
from  sand,  into  a  basin  of  lukewarm  water, 
and  draw  it  carefully  around  the  hat.  Ee- 
peat  the  process,  going  over  every  portion  of 
it,  until  crown,  leaf,  and  all  are  thoroughly 
cleansed;  then  hang  in  a  cool,  airy  place  to  dry. 
In  the  morning  take  a  soft  brush,  which  use 
gently  over  the  entire  surface,  and  you  will 
have  a  perfectly  new  hat.  -  No  matter  how 
shabby  may  have  been  your  headpiece,  it  will 
be  quite  restored,  and  will  look  all  the  better 
for  its  washing.  This  is  one  of  the  chief 
advantages  of   silk    hats.     Do    not  omit  to 


56  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

brush  after  the  washing  and  drying  process, 
or  your  hat  will  have  that  unsightly  appear- 
ance  of  having   been   ironed,   which   is    so 
frequently  seen  in  the  hunting-field,  because 
gentlemen  who  are  valeted  on  returning  from 
their  sport  care  nothing  about  the  manage- 
ment of  their  gear,  but  leave  it  all  to   the 
valet,   who    gives    the    hat     the    necessary 
washing,    but  is  too  lazy  or   too  careless  to 
brush  it    next  day,  and  his   master  takes  it 
from  his  hand  and  puts  it  on   without  ever 
noticing  its   unsightliness.      Sometimes  it  is 
the  master  himself  whose  clumsy  handiwork 
is  to  blame  ;  but  be  it  master  or  servant,  the 
result  is  too  often  the  same. 

Should  your  gloves  be  thoroughly,  or  even 
slightly  wetted,  stretch  them  upon  a  pair  of 
wooden  hands  kept  for  the  purpose,  and  if 
they  are  the  kind  which  I  have  recommended 
to  you — I  mean  the  best  quahty  of  double- 
stitched  cream  leather — they  will  be  little  the 
worse. 

Having  now,  I  think,  exhausted  the  sub- 
ject of  your  clothing,  and  given  you  all 
the  friendly  hints  in  my  power,  I  am  ready 


PAEK    AND    ROAD    RIDING.  57 

±0    acoompany    you    upon    your    first    road 

ride. 

Go  out  with  every  confidence,  accompanied 
of  course  by  a  companion  or  attendant,  and 
make  up  your  mind  never  to  be  caught  napping, 
but  to  be  ever  on  the  alert.     You  must  not 
lose   sight   of  the    fact  that    a  bird  flitting 
suddenly  across,  a  donkey's  head  laid  without 
warning     against    a    gate,    a    goat's    horns 
appearing  over  a  wall,   or   even   a   piece  of 
paper  blown    along  upon  the   ground,    may 
cause  your  horse  to  shy,  and  if  you  are  not 
sitting   close   at  the  time,  woe  betide  you! 
Always  remember  the  rule  of  the  road,  keep 
to  your  left-hand  side,  and  if  you  have  to  pass 
a  vehicle  going  your  way,  do  so  on  the  right 
of  it.     Never  neglect  this  axiom,  no  matter 
how  lonely  and    deserted  the  highway  may 
appear,  for  recollect  that  if  you  fail  to  comply 
with  it,    and  that  any  accident    chances  to 
occur,  you  will  get  all  the  blame,  and  receive 
no  compensation. 

Never  trot  your  horse  upon  a  hard  road 
when  you  have  a  bit  of  grass  at  the  side 
on  which  you  can  canter  him.     Even  if  there 


58  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

are  only  a  few  blades  it  will  be  sufficient  ta 
take  the  jar  off  his  feet. 

If  you  meet  with  a  hill  or  high  bridge,  trot 
him  up  and  walk  him  quietly  down  the  other 
side.  If  going  down  a  steep  dechne,  sit  well 
back  and  leave  him  his  head,  at  the  same 
time  keeping  a  watchful  hand  upon  the  rein 
for  fear  he  should  chance  to  make  a  false 
step,  that  you  may  be  able  to  pull  him  up ; 
but  do  not  hold  him  tightly  in,  as  many  timid 
riders  are  apt  to  do,  thus  hobbling  his  move- 
ments and  preventing  him  seeing  where  he  is 
to  put  his  feet.  If  he  has  to  clamber  a  steep 
hill  with  you,  leave  him  unlimited  head-room, 
for  it  is  a  great  ease  to  a  horse  to  be  able  to 
stretch  his  neck,  instead  of  being  held  tightly 
in  by  nervous  hands,  which  is  frequently  the 
occasion  of  his  stumbling. 

Should  your  horse  show  temper  and  attempt 
to  back  with  you,  leave  him  the  rein,  touch 
him  lightly  with  your  heel,  and  speak  en- 
couragingly to  him;  should  he  persist,  your 
attendant , must  look  to  the  matter;  but  a 
horse  who  possesses  this  dangerous  vice  should 
never  be  ridden  by  a  lady.     I  have  surmised 


PARK   AND   ROAD   RIDITTCf.  59 

that  yours  has  been  properly  trained,  and 
doubtless  you  might  ride  for  the  greater 
portion  of  a  lifetime  without  having  to  en- 
counter a  decided  jibber,  but  it  is  as  well  to 
be  prepared  for  all  emergencies.  Should  a 
horse  at  any  time  rear  with  you,  throw  the 
rein  loose,  sit  close,  and  bring  your  whip 
sharply  across  his  flank.  If  this  is  not 
effectual,  you  may  give  him  the  butt- end  of 
it  between  the  ears,  which  will  be  pretty 
sure  to  bring  him  down.  This  is  a  point, 
however,  upon  which  I  write  with  con-^ 
siderable  reserve,  for  many  really  excellent 
riders  find  fault  with  the  theory  set  forth  and 
adopted  by  me.  One  old  sportsman  in 
particular  shows  practically  how  seriously  he 
objects  to  it  by  suffering  himself  to  be 
tumbled  back  upon  almost  daily  by  a  vicious 
animal,  in  preference  to  adopting  coercive 
measures  for  his  own  safety. 

My  reasons  for  striking  a  rearing  horse  are 
set  forth  with  tolerable  clearness  in  one  of 
the  letters  which  form  an  appendix  to  this 
volume  ;  but,  although  I  do  it  myself,  I  do 
not  imdertake  the  responsibility  of  advising 


60  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

others  to  do  likewise,  especially  if  a  nervous 
timidity  form  a  portion  of  their   nature.     I 
am     strongly    of    opinion,     however,     that 
decisive  measures  are   at  times   an  absolute 
necessity,  and  that  the  most  effectual  remedy 
for  an  evil  is  invariably  the  best  to  adopt.    I 
have  heard   it    said    by    two    very   eminent 
horsemen  that  to    break   a    bottle  of  water 
between  the  ears  of   a  rearing  animal  is  an 
excellent  and  effectual  cure.     Perhaps  it  may 
be — and,  on  such  authority,  we  must  suppose 
that  it  is — but  I  should  not  care  to  be  the  one 
to  try  it,  although  I  consider  no  preventive 
measure  too  strong  to   adopt  when  deahng 
with  so  dangerous  a  vice.     A  horse  may  be 
guilty  of  jibbing,   bolting,  kicking,  or  almost 
any    other   fault,     through     nervousness     or 
timidity,  but  rearing  is  a  vicious  trick,  and 
must  be  treated  with  prompt  determination. 
It  would  be  useless  to  speak  encouragingly  to 
a  rearer ;    he  is  vexing  you  from  vice,   not 
from  nervousness,    and  so   he  needs   no  re- 
assurance— do    not  waste  words   upon  him, 
but  bring  him  to  his  senses  with  promptitude, 
or  whilst  you   are  dallying  he  may  tumble 


PARK   AND    ROAD    RIDING.  61 

back  upon  you,  and  put  remonstrance  out  of 
your  power  for  some  time  to  come,  if  not  for 
ever.  In  striking  him,  if  you  do  so,  do  not 
indulge  in  the  belief  that  you  are  safe  because 
he  drops  quickly  upon  his  fore-legs,  but  on 
the  contrary,  be  fully  prepared  for  the  kick  or 
buck  which  will  be  pretty  sure  to  follow,  and 
which  (unless  watched  for)  will  be  hkely  to 
unseat  even  a  most  skilful  rider.  Both  rearing 
and  plunging  may,  however,  be  effectually 
prevented  by  using  the  circular  bit  and 
martingale,  procurable  at  Messrs.  Davis, 
saddlers,  14,  Strand,  London.  This  admirable 
contrivance  should  be  fitted  above  the  mouth- 
piece of  an  ordinary  snaffle  or  Pelham  bridle. 
It  is  infinitely  before  any  other  which  I  have 
seen  used  for  the  same  purpose,  has  quite  a 
separate  headstall,  and  should  be  put  on  and 
arranged  before  the  addition  of  the  customary 
ridle.  Being  secured  to  the  breastplate  by  a 
standing  martingale,  it  requires  no  reins. 


62  LADIES   ON   HOBSEBACE, 


CHAPTEE   V. 

KUNNING      AWAY. THREE      DANGEROUS      ADVEN- 
TURES.  HOW     TO     ACT     WHEN     PLACED      IN 

CIRCUMSTANCES    OF    PERIL. HOW    TO    RIDE    A 

PULLER. THROUGH    THE    CITY. TO    A    MEET 

OF     HOUNDS. — BOASTFUL     LADIES. A     BRAG- 
GART'S  RESOURCE. 

In  the  event  of  a  horse  running  away,  you 
must  of  course  be  guided  by  circumstances 
and  surroundings,  but  my  advice  always  is, 
if  you  have  a  fair  road  before  you,  let  him  go. 
Do  not  attempt  to  hold  him  in,  for  the 
support  which  you  afford  him  with  the  bridle 
only  helps  the  mischief.  Leave  his  head 
quite  loose,  and  when  you  feel  him  beginning 
to  tire — which  he  will  soon  do  without  the 
support  of  the  rem — flog  him  until  he  is  ready 


PARK   AND    ROAD    RIDING.  63 

to  stand  stiil.  I  warrant  that  a  horse  treated 
thus,  especially  if  you  can  breast  him  up  hill, 
will  rarely  run  away  a  second  time.  He  never 
forgets  his  punishment,  nor  seeks  to  put  him- 
self in  for  a  repetition  of  it. 

I  have  been  run  away  with  three  times  in 
my  Kfe,  but  never  a  second  time  by  the  same 
horse.  It  may  amuse  you  to  hear  how  I 
escaped  upon  oach  occasion. 

The  first  time,  I  was  riding  a  beautiful  little 
thoroughbred  mare,  which  a  dear  lady  friend 
— ^now,  alas !  dead — had  asked  me  to  try  for 
her.  The  mare  had  been  a  flat-racer,  and, 
haying  broken  down  in  one  of  her  trials,  had 
been  purchased  at  a  cheap  rate,  being  still 
possessed  of  beauty  and  a  considerable  turn  of 
speed. 

Well,  we  got  on  splendidly  together  for  an 
hour  or  so  on  the  fifteen  acres.  Phoenix  Park, 
but,  when  returning  homewards,  some  boys 
who  were  playing  close  by  struck  her  with  a 
ball  on  the  leg.  In  a  second  she  was  off  like 
.the  wind,  tearing  down  the  long  road  which 
leads  from  the  Phoenix  to  the  gates.  She  had 
the  bit  between  her  teeth,  and  held  it  like  a 


64  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

vice.  My  only  fear  was  lest  she  should  lose 
her  footing  and  fall,  for  the  roadway  was 
covered  from  edge  to  edge  with  new  shingle. 
On  she  went  in  her  mad  career,  amidst  the 
shrieks  of  thousands,  for  the  day  was  Easter 
Monday,  and  the  park  was  crowded.  Soldiers, 
civilians,  lines  of  policemen  strove  to  form  a 
barrier  for  her  arrest.  In  vain  !  She  knocked 
down  some,  fled  past  others,  and  continued 
her  headlong  course. 

All  this  time  I  was  sitting  as  if  glued  to  my 
saddle.  At  the  mare's  first  starting  I  had 
endeavoured  to  pull  her  up,  but  finding  that 
this  was  hopeless,  I  left  the  rein  loose  upon 
her  neck.  Having  then  no  support  for  her 
head,  she  soon  tired,  and  the  instant  I  felt 
her  speed  relaxing  I  took  up  my  whip  and 
punished  her  within  an  inch  of  her  life.  I 
made  her  go  when  she  wanted  to  stop,  and 
only  suffered  her  to  pull  up  just  within  the 
gates,  where  she  stood  covered  with  foam  and 
trembling  in  every  limb. 

Her  owner  subsequently  told  me  that  during 
the  three  years  which  she  afterwards  kept  her 
she  never  rode  so  biddable  a  mare. 


PARK    AND    ROAD    RIDING.  65 

I  must  not  forget  to  mention  the  comic  side 
of  the  adventure  as  well  as  the  more  serious. 
It  struck  me  as  being  particularly  ludicrous 
upon  that  memorable  occasion  that  an  old  gen- 
tleman,  crimson  with  wrath,  actually  attacked 
my  servant  in  the  most  irate  manner  because 
he  had  not  clattered  after  me  during  the 
progress  of  the  mare's  wild  career.  ^'  How 
dare  you,  sir,"  cried  this  irascible  old  gentle- 
man, "how  dare  you  attempt  to  neglect  your 
young  lady  in  this  cowardly  manner  ?  "  Nor 
was  his  anger  at  all  appeased  when  informed 
that  I  as  a  matron  was  my  own  care-taker, 
and  that  my  attendant  had  strict  injunctions 
not  to  foUow  me  in  the  event  of  my  horse 
being  startled  or  running  away. 

My  next  adventure  was  much  more  serious, 
and  occurred  also  within  the  gates  of  the 
Phoenix  Park. 

Some  troops  were  going  through  a  variety 
of  manoeuvres  preparing  for  a  field-day,  and 
a  knot  of  them  had  been  posted  behind  and 
around  a  large  tree  with  fixed  bayonets  in 
their  hands.  Suddenly  they  got  the  order  to 
move,  and  at  the  same  instant  the  sun  shone 

5 


66  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

out  and  glinted  brilliantly  upon  the  glittering 
steel.  I  was  riding  a  horse  which  had  lately 
been  given  me  ;  a  fine,  raking  chestnut,  with 
a  temper  of  his  own  to  manage.  He  turned 
like  a  shot,  and  sped  away  at  untold  speed. 
I  had  no  open  space  before  me ;  therefore  I 
durst  not  let  him  go.  It  was  an  enclosed 
portion  of  the  park,  thickly  studded  with 
knots  of  trees,  and  I  knew  that  if  he  bore  me 
through  one  of  these  my  earthly  career  would 
most  probably  be  ended.  I  strove  with  all 
the  strength  and  all  the  art  which  I  possessed 
to  pull  him  up.  It  was  of  no  use.  I  might 
as  well  have  been  pulling  at  an  oak-tree;  it 
only  made  him  go  the  faster. 

Happily  my  presence  of  mind  remained.  I 
saw  at  once  that  my  only  chance  was  to 
breast  him  against  the  rails  of  the  cricket- 
ground,  and  for  these  I  made  straight,  prepared 
for  the  shock  and  for  the  turn  over  which  I 
knew  must  inevitably  follow.  He  dashed  up  to 
the  rails,  and  when  within  a  couple  of  inches 
of  them  he  swerved  with  an  awful  sudden- 
ness, which,  only  that  I  was  accustomed  to 
ride  from  balance,  must  have  at  once  unseated 


PARK   AND    ROAD    RIDING.  67 

me,  and  darted  away  at  greater  speed  than 
ever.  Right  before  me  was  a  tree,  one  heavy 
bough  of  which  hung  very  low — and  straight 
for  this  he  made,  nor  could  I  turn  his  course. 
I  knew  my  fate,  and  bent  on  a  level  with  my 
saddle,  but  not  low  enough,  for  the  branch 
caught  me  in  the  forehead  and  sent  me  reehng 
senseless  to  the  ground. 

I  soon  got  over  the  shock,  although  my 
arm  (which  was  badly  torn  by  a  projecting 
branch)  gave  me  some  trouble  after  ;  but  the 
bough  was  cut  down  the  next  day  by  order  of 
the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  the  park-rangers 
still  point  out  the  spot  as  the  place  where 
**the  lady  was  nearly  killed." 

My  third  runaway  was  a  hunting  adven- 
ture, and  occurred  only  a  few  months  since. 

I  had  a  letter  one  morning  from  an  old 
friend,  informing  me  that  a  drag-hunt  was 
to  take  place  about  thirty  miles  from  Dublin 
to  finish  the  season  with  the  county  harriers, 
and  that  he,  my  friend,  wished  very  much 
that  I  would  come  down  in  my  habit  by  the 
mid-day  train  and  ride  a  big  bay  horse  of  his, 
respecting  which  he  was  desirous  of  obtaining 


68  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

my  opinion.  I  never  take  long  to  make  up 
my  mind,  so,  after  a  glance  at  mj-  tablets ^ 
which  showed  me  that  I  was  free  for  the  day^ 
I  donned  my  habit,  and  caught  the  specified 
train. 

At  the  station  at  the  end  of  my  journey  I 
found  the  big  bay  saddled  and  awaiting  me^ 
and  having  mounted  him  I  set  off  for  the 
kennels,  from  a  field  near  which  the  drag  was 
to  be  run.  I  took  the  huntsman  for  a  pilot, 
knowing  that  the  servant,  who  was  my  atten- 
dant, was  rather  a  duffer  at  the  chase. 

The  instant  that  the  hounds  were  laid  on 
and  the  hunt  started,  my  big  mount  com- 
menced to  pull  hard,  and  by  the  time  the 
first  fence  was  reached  his  superior  strength 
had  completely  mastered  mine.  He  was 
puUing  like  a  steam-engine,  head  down,  ears 
laid  backward,  neck  set  like  iron.  My  blistered 
hands  were  powerless  to  hold  him.  He  rushed 
wildly  at  the  fence,  and  striking  the  horse  of 
a  lady  who  was  just  landing  over  it,  turned 
him  and  his  rider  a  complete  somersault !  I 
subsequently  learned  that  the  lady  escaped 
unhurt,  but  I  could  not  at  the  moment  pause 


PARK    AND    ROAD    RIDING.  69 

±0  inquire,  for  my  huge  mount,  clearing  the 
jump  and  ten  feet  beyond  it,  completely  took 
head,  and  bore  me  away  from  the  field 

Over  park,  over  pale, 
Through  bush,  through  briar, 

until  my  head  fairly  reeled,  and  I  felt  that 
some  terrible  calamity  must  ensue. 

Happily  he  was  a  glorious  fencer,  or  I  must 
have  perished,  for  he  jumped  every  obstacle 
with  a  rush ;  staked  fences,  wide  ditches — so 
wide  that  he  landed  over  them  on  his  belly — 
tangled  gorse,  and  branches  of  rivers  swollen 
by  recent  rains  ;  he  flew  them  all.  At  length, 
when  my  strength  was  quite  exhausted  and 
my  dizzy  brain  utterly  powerless  and  con- 
fused, I  beheld  before  me  a  stone  wall,  a  high 
•one,  with  heavy  coping-stones  upon  the  top. 
At  this  I  resolved  to  breast  him,  and  run  my 
chance  for  Kfe  or  death  in  the  turn  over, 
which,  from  the  pace  at  which  we  were 
approaching  it,  I  knew  must  be  a  mighty  one. 
In  a  moment  we  were  up  to  it  and,  with  a 
<3ry  to  heaven  for  mercy,  I  dug  him  with  my 
spur  and  sent  him  at  it.  To  my  utter 
iistonishment,  for  the  wall  was  six  and  a  half 


70  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

feet  high,  he  put  down  his  head,  rushed  at  it^ 
cleared  it  without  ever  laying  a  shoe  upon  the 
topmost  stones,  and  landed  with  a  frightful  sHp 
and  clatter,  but  still  safely  on  his  feet — 
where  ?  in  the  midst  of  a  farm-yard. 

Were  it  not  that  this  adventure  actually 
occurred  to  myself,  I  should  be  strongly 
tempted  to  question  its  authenticity.  That 
there  are  horses — especially  Irish  ones — quite 
capable  of  compassing  such  a  jump,  there 
cannot  be  the  slightest  doubt ;  but  I  hava 
never  before  or  since  seen  one  who  could  da 
it  without  being  steadied  as  he  approached 
the  obstacle.  In  the  ordinary  course  of  events 
a  runaway  steed  would  strike  it  with  his  head 
and  turn  over, — which  was  what  I  expected 
and  desired — but  no  such  thing  occurred,  and 
to  the  latest  hour  of  my  life  it  must  remain 
a  mystery  to  me  that  upon  the  momentous 
occasion  in  question  neither  horse  nor  rider 
was  injured,  nor  did  any  accident  ensue. 
Nothing  more  disastrous  than  a  considerable 
disturbance  in  the  farm-yard  actually  occurred; 
but  it  was  indeed  a  mighty  one. 

Such  a  commotion  amongst  fowls  was  surely 


PARK   AND    ROAD    RIDING.  71 

never  witnessed ;  the  ducks  quacked,  the 
turkeys  screeched,  the  hens  ran  hither  and 
thither;  two  pigs,  eating  from  a  trough  close 
by,  set  up  a  most  terrific  squalling,  dogs 
barked,  and  two  or  three  women,  who  were 
spreading  clothes  upon  a  line,  added  to  the 
general  confusion  by  flinging  down  the  gar- 
ments with  which  they  had  been  busy  and 
taking  to  their  heels,  shrieking  vociferously. 
In  the  meantime  the  big  bay,  perceiving  that 
he  had  run  to  the  end  of  his  tether,  stood 
snorting  and  foaming,  looking  hither  and 
thither  in  helpless  amazement  and  dismay ; 
whilst  I,  relieved  at  length  of  my  anxiety, 
burst  first  into  tears,  and  then  into  shouts  of 
hearty  laughter,  as  I  fully  took  in  the  absurdity 
of  the  situation. 

After  a  considerable  delay  one  of  the  women 
was  induced  to  come  forward  and  listen  to  a 
recital  of  my  adventure  ;  and  the  others,  being 
assured  that  '*the  baste  '*  would  not  actually 
devour  them,  came  near  me  also,  and  we  held 
an  amicable  council  as  to  the  possibility  of 
my  ever  getting  out,  for  the  gates  were 
locked,  and  the  owner  of   the  property  was 


72  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

away  at  a  fair  in  the  neighbouring  town  and 
had  the  key  stowed  away  in  his  pocket.  To 
jump  the  wall  again  was  impracticable.  No 
horse  that  ever  was  foaled  could  do  it  in  cool 
blood  ;  nor  was  I  wilHng  to  risk  the  experiment, 
erven  if  my  steed  made  no  objection. 

At  length  we  decided  upon  the  only  plan. 
I  dismounted,  and,  taking  the  rein  over  my 
arm,  led  my  mighty  hunter  across  the  yard, 
induced  him  to  stoop  his  head  to  enter  by  a 
back  door  through  a  passage  in  the  farm- 
house, and  from  thence  through  the  kitchen 
and  front  door,  out  on  to  the  road.  I  have  a 
cheerful  recollection  of  an  old  woman,  who  was 
knitting  in  the  chimney-corner,  going  off  into 
screams  and  hysterics  as  I  and  my  big  steed 
walked  in  upon  her  solitude,  a  loose  shoe  and 
a  very  audible  blowing  making  the  entrance  of 
my  equine  companion  even  more  prononce  than 
it  would  otherwise  have  been.  The  poor  old 
creature  flung  down  her  needles,  together  with 
the  cat  which  had  been  quietly  reposing  in 
her  lap,  and  kicking  up  her  feet  yelled  and 
bellowed  at  the  top  of  a  very  discordant  voice. 
It   took  the    combined    efforts    of    all    four 


PARK    AND    ROAD    RIDING.  73 

women  to  pacify  her,  and  she  was  still 
shrieking  long  after  I  had  mounted  the  big 
bay  and  ridden  him  back  to  inform  his  owner 
of  how  charmingly  he  had  behaved. 

I  have  now  told  you  three  anecdotes,  partly 
for  your  amusement  and  partly  for  your  in- 
struction ;  but  I  would  not  have  you  think 
that  it  would  be  at  all  times  and  under  all 
circumstances  a  wise  thing  to  ride  a  runaway 
horse  against  so  formidable  an  obstacle  as  a 
stone  wall.  Mine  was,  I  hope,  an  exceptional 
case.  When  the  animal  was  led  down  to 
meet  me  at  the  station,  I  saw,  not  without 
misgiving,  that  I  was  destined  to  ride  in  a 
so-called  ^^  safety-stirrup,"  and  at  the  time 
when  he  took  head  with  me  my  foot  was 
fixed  as  in  a  vice  in  this  dangerous  and 
horrible  trap,  from  which  I  could  not  succeed 
in  releasing  it.  FeeHng  that  my  brain  was 
whirHng,  and  that  I  could  not  longer  main- 
tain my  seat  in  the  saddle,  I  rode  for  an 
overthrow,  which  I  deemed  infinitely  better 
than  being  dragged  by  the  foot  over  an 
intricate  country,  and  most  probably  having 
my  brains   scattered   by   a    pair   of  crashing 


74  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

heels.     If  a  horse   should  at   any  time   run 
away  with  you,  keep  your  seat  whilst  you  can 
do  so,  and  whilst  you  have  anything  of  a  fair 
road  before  you ;    but  if  there  is  any  danger 
of  your  being  thrown  or  losing  your  seat  whilst 
your  foot  is  caught,  then   by  all  means  ride 
for  a  fall ;  put  your  horse  at  something  that 
will  bring  him   down,  and   when   he  is  down 
struggle  on  to  his  head,  that  he  may  not  rise 
until  somebody  has  come  to  your  assistance. 
Of  course    the    experiment    is   fraught   with 
excessive  danger,  but  it  is  not  certain  death, 
as  the  other  alternative  must  undoubtedly  be. 
I  cannot,  however,  wish  you  better  than  to 
hope  most  fervently  that  you  may  never  be 
placed  in  a  position  which  would  necessitate 
your    making    a   choice    between  two     such 
mighty  evils.     Avoid   riding   strange   horses. 
No  matter  how  accomphshed  a   horsewoman 
you  may  become,  do   not   be    too  ready  to 
comply  with  the  request  to  try  this   or  that 
unknown   mount.     I   have    done   it    myself, 
often,    and   probably  shall    again ;  *   but  my 

*  This  was   written    previous    to   the   accident   which 
has  disabled  me. 


PARK    AND    ROAD    RIDING.  75 

experience  prompts  me  to  warn  others  against 
a  practice  which  is  frequently  fraught  with 
danger  to  a  lady.  A  horse  knows  quite  well 
when  a  strange  or  timid  rider  gets  upon  his 
back,  and  if  he  does  not  kill  you  outright,  he 
will  probably  make  such  a  ^^hare"  of  you  as 
will  not  be  at  all  agreeable,  either  for  yourself 
or  for  the  lookers-on. 

Whenever   you   take   a  young  horse   upon 
grass,   whether  he  be   a  stranger  to  you  or 
otherwise,  be  prepared  for  a  certain  show  of 
friskiness  which  he  does  not  usually  exhibit 
upon  the  road.     The  soft  springy  turf  beneath 
his  feet  imbues  him  with  feehngs  of  hilarity 
which  he   finds  himself  powerless  to   resist, 
and  so  you,   his   rider,  must  prepare  for  his 
little  vagaries.     He  will,    most  probably,  in 
the  first  place  try  a  succession  of  bucks,  and 
for  these  you   must   prepare   by  sitting  very 
close  to  your  saddle,  your  knee  well  pressed 
against    the    leaping-head,  ^  and    your    figure 
erect,  but  not  thrown  back,  as  the  shock,  or 
shocks  to  your  spine  would  in  such  a  case  be 
not  only  painful  but  positively  dangerous,  and 
should  therefore  be   carefully   avoided.      He 


76  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

will  next  be  likely  to  romp  away,  pulling  yon 
much  harder  than  is  at  all  agreeable,  and 
seemingly  inclined  to  take  head  with  you 
altogether.  As  a  remedy  against  this  you 
must  neither  peld  to  him  nor  pull  against  him. 
I  have  heard  fairly  good  riders  advocate  by 
turns  both  systems  of  management,  especially 
the  former ;  indeed,  the  expression,  '^  Drop 
your  hands  to  him,"  has  become  so  general 
amongst  teachers  of  the  equestrian  art,  that 
it  has  almost  passed  into  a  proverb.  I  do 
not  advocate  it,  nor  do  I  deem  it  advisable 
ever  to  pull  against  a  pulling  horse.  When 
an  animal  tries  to  forereach  you,  you  should 
neither  give  up  to  him  nor  yet  pull  one  ounce 
against  him.  Close  your  fingers  firmly  upon 
the  reins  and  keep  your  arms  perfectly 
motionless,  your  hands  weD  down,  without 
giving  or  taking  one  quarter  of  an  inch.  In 
a  stride  or  two  he  will  be  sure  to  yield  to 
your  hand,  at  which  moment  you  should 
immediately  yield  to  him,  and  his  wondrous 
powers  of  inteUigence  will  soon  enable  him  to 
discern  that  you  are  not  to  be  trifled  with. 
Were  you  to  give  up  to  him  when  he  rushes 


PARK    AND    ROAD    RIDING.  77 

away  or  romps  with  his  head  he  would  very 
soon  be  going  all  abroad,  and  would  give  you 
a  vast  amount  of  trouble  to  pull  him  into 
proper  form.  Above  all  things,  keep  clear  of 
trees,  of  which  I  myself  have  an  unbounded 
dread.  Should  you  have  occasion  to  ride 
through  a  city,  give  your  eyes  and  attention 
to  your  horse,  and  not  to  passing  acquamtances, 
for  in  the  present  dangerous  tangle  of  tram- 
lines, slippery  pavements,  and  ill-driven 
vehicles,  it  will  require  all  your  energies  to 
bring  you  safely  through.  Never  trot  your 
horse  through  a  town  or  city:  walk  him 
quietly  through  such  portion  of  it  as  you  have 
to  pass,  and  leave  him  abundant  head-room, 
that  his  intelligence  may  pick  out  a  way  for 
his  own  steps. 

A  very  nice  ride  for  a  lady  is  to  a  meet  of 
the  hounds,  if  such  should  occur  within 
reasonable  distance,  say  from  four  to  eight 
miles.  The  sight  is  a  very  pretty  one,  and 
there  is  not  any  reason  why  you  should  not 
thoroughly  enjoy  it ;  but  having  only  ridden 
to  see  the  meet,  you  must  be  careful  not  to 
interfere  with,  nor  get  in  the  way  of  those 


78  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

about  to  ride  the  run.  Nothing  is  more 
charming  than  to  see  three  or  four  ladies, 
nicely  turned  out,  arrive  to  grace  the  meet 
with  their  presence,  but  nothing  is  more 
abominable  than  the  same  number  of  amazons 
coming  galloping  up  in  full  hunting  toggery, 
although  without  the  least  idea  of  hunting, 
and  rushing  hither  and  thither,  frightening 
the  hounds  and  getting  in  everybody's  way, 
as  though  they  were  personages  of  the  vastest 
possible  importance,  and  meant  to  ride  with  a 
skill  not  second  to  that  of  the  Nazares.  Such 
women  are  the  horror  and  spoliation  of  every 
hunting-field.  They  dash  off  with  the  hounds 
the  moment  the  fox  is  found,  but  happily  the 
first  fence  stops  them,  and  a  fervent  thankful- 
ness is  felt  by  every  true  lover  of  the  chase 
as  they  pause  discomfited,  look  dismally  at 
the  yawning  chasm,  and  jog  crestfallen  away 
to  the  road. 

There  are  many  ladies,  and  estimable  ladies, 
too,  who  take  out  their  horses  every  hunting- 
day,  and  by  keeping  upon  the  roadways  see  all 
that  they  can  of  the  hounds.  Sometimes 
they  are  fortunate,  sometimes  not ;  it  depends 


PARK   AND    ROAD    RIDING.  79 

upon  the  line  of  country  taken.  Their 
position  is,  in  my  opinion,  a  most  miserable 
one  ;  yet  they  must  derive  enjoyment  from  it, 
else  why  do  they  come  ?  They  surely  cannot 
imagine  that  they  are  participating  in  the 
hunt ;  yet  it  affords  them  amusement  to  keep 
pottering  about,  and  enables  them  to  make 
their  little  harmless  boast  to  credulous  friends 
of  their  '*  hunting  days,''  and  the  **runs" 
they  have  seen  throughout  the  season.  Indeed, 
so  far  does  this  passion  for  boasting  carry  the 
fair  sex,  that  I  myself  know  two  young  ladies 
who  never  saw  a  hound  in  their  lives,  except 
from  the  inside  of  a  shabby  waggonette,  yet 
who  brag  in  so  audacious  a  manner  that  they 
have  been  heard  to  declare  to  gentlemen  at 
evening  dances,  "  Eeally  we  cawn't  dawnce ; 
we  are  50  tired  !  Out  all  day  with  the  Wards 
— and  had  such  a  clipping  run  !  " 

This  sort  of  thing  only  makes  us  smile 
when  we  hear  it  amongst  ladies,  but  when 
men  resort  to  it  we  become  inspired  with 
sufficient  contempt  to  feel  a  longing  desire  to 
offer  them  severer  chastisement  than  our 
derision. 


80  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

I  once  asked  a  little  mannikin,  who  had 
given  himself  the  name  and  airs  of  a  great 
rider,  if  he  would  be  kind  enough  to  pilot 
me  over  an  intricate  piece  of  country  with 
which  I  was  unacquainted.  The  creature 
pulled  his  little  moustaches,  and  sniffed,  and 
hemmed  and  hawed,  and  finally  said,  *'  Aw, 
I'm  sure  I  should  be  delighted,  but  you  see  I 
ride  so  deuced  hard,  I  should  not  expect  a  lady 
to  be  able  to  keep  up  with  me.''  I  said 
nothing,  but  acted  as  my  own  pilot,  and  took 
opportunity  to  watch  my  hard-riding  friend 
during  the  course  of  the  run.  He  positively 
never  jumped  a  fence,  but  worked  rampantly 
at  locks  of  gates,  and  bribed  country-folks  to 
let  him  pass  through.  The  last  I  saw  of  him 
ho  was  whipping  his  horse  over  a  narrow 
ditch,  preparatory  to  scrambling  it  himself  on 
foot. 

And  this  man  was  only  one  of  many,  for 
the  really  accomplished  rider  never  boasts. 


81 


P  AET    III. 

HUNTING. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

HUNTING-GEAB. — NECESSARY     REGARD     FOR     SAFE 

SHOEING. DRIVE    TO    THE    MEET. SCENE   ON 

ARRIVING. A     WORD     WITH    THE    HUNTSMAN. 

A    GOOD    PILOT. THE    COVERT    SIDE. DIS- 
APPOINTMENT.— A   LONG    TROT. 

Now  that  you  are  thoroughly  at  home  on  your 
saddle — in  the  park,  on  the  road,  and  over  the 
country — you  are  doubtless  longing  to  display 
your  prowess  in  the  hunting-field,  and  thither 
we  shall  have  much  pleasure  in  accompanying 
you. 

Your  outfi.t  will  be  the  first  thing  to  con- 
sider ;  and  do  not  be  alarmed  when  I  tell  you 
that  it  will  require  a  little  more  generosity  on 
the  part  of  papa  than  you  have  hitherto  called 
upon  him  to  exercise. 

G 


82  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

To  commence  with  your  feet — which  I  know 
is  contrary  to  custom — you  will  need  two 
pairs  of  patent  Wellington  boots.  These  are 
three  guineas  per  pair,  but  are  a  beautiful 
article,  and  will  last  a  long  time  with  care. 
Woollen  stockings  of  light  texture,  with  a  pair 
of  silk  ones  drawn  over,  are  the  most  comfort- 
able for  winter  wear.  A  small  steel  spur  to 
affix  to  your  left  heel  will  be  the  next  item 
required.  The  nicest  kind  are  those  with  a 
strap  attached,  which  crosses  the  instep,  and 
buckles  securely  at  the  side.  Of  course,  all 
ladies'  spurs  are  spring  ones,  displaying  no 
rowels  which  could  tear  the  habit,  but  simply 
one  steel  projection  with  spring  probe  within, 
which,  when  pressed  to  the  horse's  side,  acts 
most  efficiently  as  an  instigator.  Latchford's 
patent  is  the  best. 

Two  pairs  of  chamois  riding-trousers,  cloth 
from  the  hip  down,  and  buttoning  quite  close 
at  the  ankle  to  allow  of  the  boot  going  over, 
will  be  the  next  necessary  ;  and  you  must  also 
provide  yourself  with  two  riding  corsets  of 
superior  shape  and  make. 

Three  habits  of  strong  dark  cloth,  one  of 


HUNTING.  83 

-fchem  thoroughly  waterproof,  will  be  required 
— the  skirts  to  be  made  so  short  as  barely  to 
cover  the  foot,  and  so  spare  as  to  fit  like 
glove,  without  fold  or  wrinkle.  If  a  hunting- 
habit  be  properly  cut  it  will  require  no  shotting, 
which  will  be  an  advantage  to  your  horse 
in  diminishing  the  weight  which  he  would 
otherwise  have  to  carry.  An  elastic  band 
nicely  placed  upon  the  inside  in  position  to 
catch  around  the  toe  of  the  right  foot  will  be 
sufficient  to  answer  alljpurposes.  You  cannot 
do  better,  to  procure  an  article  such  as  I 
describe,  than  entrust  your  order  to  Wolmer- 
shausen  (whom  I  believe  I  have  already 
named  in  a  former  chapter),  corner  of  Curzon 
Street,  Mayfair,  where  you  will  not  fail  to  find 
your  instructions  intelligently  carried  out. 
This  firm  has  a  speciality  for  skirt-cutfcing, — 
is,  indeed,  unapproachable  in  this  particular 
branch,  of  what  is  in  reality  an  aet  ;  and  even 
in  these  daj^'S  of  eager  competition  the  old- 
estabHshed  house  suffers  from  no  rivahy, 
and  holds  its  own  in  the  widely-contested 
field. 

A  very  neatly-made  waterproof  jacket  will 


84  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

"be  an  addition  to  your  wardrobe,  as  also  a  cape 
with,  an  elastic  band  from  the  back  to  fasten 
around  the  waist,  and  hold  the  front  ends 
securely  down.  This  latter  is  an  almost 
indispensable  article.  It  is  so  light  that  it 
can  be  carried  with  ease  in  your  saddle-strap, 
and  in  case  of  an  unexpected  shower  can  be 
adjusted  in  a  single  instant  and  without 
assistance,  which  is  not  the  case  with  a  jacket. 
It  should  be  made  with  a  collar,  which  can  be 
arranged  to  stand  up  close  around  the  neck, 
and  thus  prevent  the  possibility  of  damp  or 
wet  causing  you  cold  or  inconvenience.  I 
approve  of  the  jacket  for  decidedly  wet  days, 
when  it  should  be  donned  on  going  out,  but 
for  a  showery  day  the  cape  is  preferable,  as  it 
can  be  much  more  easily  taken  off  and  again 

put  on. 

Two  silk  hats,  with  the  addition  of  a 
melon-shape  if  you  desire  it— a  long-lashed 
hunting-whip,  and  a  plentiful  supply  of  collars, 
cuffs,  gloves,  veils,  and  handkerchiefs,  will 
complete  your  outfit.  I,  hunting  four  days  a 
week,  find  the  above  quite  sufficient,  and  if 
you  care  your  things  (having  got  them  in  the 


HUNTING.  85 

fest  instance  of  the  best  quality)  it  is  surprising 
how  long  they  may  be  made  to  serve.  I  have 
told  you  how  to  take  care  of  them,  but  believe 
me,  if  you  leave  the  task  to  servants  the  end 
will  prove  disappointing.  You  will  never  be 
one-haK  so  well  turned  out,  and  your  outlay 
will  be  continual. 

It  is  an  excellent  precaution  for  a  hunting- 
day,  to  look  the  previous  morning  at  your 
horse's  shoes  ;  and  do  this  yourseK,  for  it  not 
unfrequently  happens  that  a  careless  groom 
will  suffer  him  to  go  out  with  a  loose  shoe 
which  gradually  becomes  looser,  and  finally 
drops  off,  perhaps  in  the  middle  of  an  exciting 
run,  and  obhges  you  to  leave  your  place  with 
the  hounds  and  seek  the  nearest  forge.  All 
this  sort  of  thing  could,  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten,  be  obviated  by  a  Httle  care  and  forethought, 
but  the  majority  of  riders  are  too  grand,  or  too 
careless,  or  too  absurdly  squeamish  about  the 
^^  propriety "  of  entering  a.  stable,  and  not 
unfrequently  too  ignorant  of  things  they  ought 
io  know,  to  see  to  such  matters  themselves, 
and  so  they  are  passed  over  and  neglected. 
A  groom  is  too  often  utterly  careless.     He  is 


86  LADIES   ON   HOKSEBACK. 

bound  to  send  your  horse  from  the  yard  looking" 
shiny,  and  sleek,  and  clean.  Any  deviation 
from  this  would  at  once  attract  your  attention^ 
and  arouse  your  displeasure.  The  groom  knows 
this,  and  acts  accordingly  ;  but  he  also  knows 
what  you  do  not — ^that  one  of  the  shoes  is 
three-parts  loose  ;  it  will  probably  hold  very 
well  until  you  begin  to  go,  and  then  it  will 
drop  off  and  leave  you  in  a  fix,  perhaps  mile& 
away  from  a  village  where  the  damage  could 
be  repaired.  The  groom  knew  all  about  it, 
very  likely,  the  day  before,  but  he  saw  that 
you  were  not  troubling  yourseK,  and  why 
should  he  ?  you  never  made  any  inquiry  about 
such  matters,  nor  seemed  to  interest  yourself 
in  them,  and  why  should  he  be  troubled 
concerning  them  ?  A  loose  shoe  is  nothing^ 
to  him :  it  does  not  cause  him  any  incon- 
venience, not  it;  then  why  worry  himself? 
He  does  not  want  to  bring  the  horse  down  to- 
the  forge  through  mud  and  rain,  and  stand 
there  awaiting  the  smith's  convenience  ;  not 
a  bit  of  it.  He  is  much  more  comfortable 
lolling  against  the  stable-door  and  smoking  a 
pipe  with  Tom,  Dick,  or  Harry. 


HUNTING.  87 

It  frequently  occurs  in  the  hunting-field 
that  a  horse  loses  a  shoe  in  going  through 
heavy  ground,  or  in  jumping  a  fence  where  he 
brings  his  hind  feet  too  close  upon  the  front 
ones,  and,  catching  the  toe  of  the  hind  shoe 
in  the  heel  of  the  front,  drags  the  latter 
forcibly  oJBf,  and  leaves  it  either  on  the  ground 
behind  him  or  carries  it  for  a  field  or  two 
hanging  by  one  or  two  nails  to  his  hoof,  before 
it  finally  drops  off. 

The  moment  you  are  made  aware  that  your 
horse  has  cast  a  shoe,  which  will  generally 
be  by  somebody  informing  you  of  the  fact, 
ascertain  at  once  which  of  the  animal's  feet 
has  been  left  unprotected.  If  the  lost  shoe 
happens  to  be  a  hinder  one,  the  matter  is  less 
serious,  but  if  a  front  one  should  be  cast,  do 
not  lose  any  time  in  inquiring  your  road  to 
the  nearest  smithy,  and,  whilst  wending  your 
way  thither,  be  careful  to  keep  as  much  as 
possible  upon  the  grass  by  the  roadside,  that 
the  shoeless  foot  may  not  become  worn,  nor 
suffer  from  concussion  by  coming  in  contact 
with  the  hard  road. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  send  your  horse  early 


88  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

to  the  meet :  quite  in  the  morning ;  or,  should 
the  distance  he  a  long  one,  despatch  him  the 
previous  evening  in  charge  of  a  careful  servant, 
and  stable  him  for  the  night  as  near  as  possible 
to  the  point  at  which  you  may  require  him 
upon  the  following  day.  If  you  are  fortunate 
enough  to  have  a  friend's  house  to  send  him 
to,  so  much  the  better  a  great  deal ;  but 
under  any  circumstances  it  is  pleasanter 
both  for  you  and  your  animal  that  he  should 
be  fresh  and  lively  from  his  stable,  and  not 
that  you  should  get  upon  him  when  he  is  half- 
jaded  and  covered  with  mud,  after  a  long  and 
tiresome  road  journey. 

To  drive  to  the  meet  or  go  by  train  yourself 
is  the  most  agreeable  way.  Some  ladies  ride 
hacks  to  covert,  and  then  have  their  hunters  to 
replace  them,  but  this  is  tiresome,  and  not  to 
be  advocated  for  various  reasons.  If  the 
morning  is  fine  the  drive  will  be  pleasant, 
and  you  can  then  send  your  conveyance  to 
whatever  point  you  deem  it  most  Hkely  the 
hunt  wiU  leave  off.  You  must,  of  course, 
exercise  your  judgment  in  the  endeavour  to 
decide  this,  but  you  may  assist  it  considerably 


HUNTING.  89 

by  asking  the  Master  or  the  huntsman  to  be 
kind  enough  to  give  you  a  hint  as  to  the 
direction  in  which  they  will  most  probably 
draw. 

We  will,  then,  surmise  that  you  drive  to  the 
meet.  It  is  an  excellent  plan,  whether  you 
drive  or  go  by  train,  to  take  with  you  a  small 
bag  containing  a  change  o.  clothing ;  leave 
this  in  charge  of  your  servant,  with  directions 
where  he  is  to  meet  you  in  the  evening,  and 
then,  should  you  come  to  grief  in  a  dyke  or 
river  you  can  console  yourself  with  the 
knowledge  that  dry  garments  are  awaiting 
you,  and  that  you  will  not  have  to  encounter 
the  risk  of  cold  and  rheumatism  by  sitting  in 
drenched  habiliments  in  a  train  or  vehicle. 
You  will  also,  if  wise,  take  with  you  a  foot-pick 
and  a  few  yards  of  strong  twine.  Even  if  you 
should  not  require  them  yourself  you  may  be 
able  to  obUge  others,  which  is  always  a  pleasure 
to  a  right-minded  and  unselfish  huntress. 
Take,  likewise,  a  few  shillings  in  your  pocket 
to  reward,  if  necessary,  the  wreckers,  whose 
tasks  are  at  all  times  difSicult  and  laborious, 
and  too  often  thankless. 


90  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

Arrived  at  the  meet,  your  horse  and  servant 
are  waiting  for  you  in  good  time  and  order ; 
but  it  is  a  little  early  yet,  and  so  you  look 
about  you. 

What  a  pretty  sight  it  is  !  How  full  of 
healthful  interest  and  charming  variety  !  The 
day  is  bright  and  breezy — a  little  bit  cloudy, 
perhaps,  but  no  sign  of  rain.  A  glorious 
hunting  morning  altogether.  Numbers  of 
vehicles  are  drawn  up,  filled  with  happy-looking 
occupants,  mostly  ladies  and  children.  There 
are  a  good  many  dog-carts,  polo-carts,  and  a 
few  tandems,  from  which  gentlemen  in  ulsters 
and  long  white  saving- aprons  are  preparing  to 
ahght.  It  is  nice  to  see  their  steeds,  so 
beautifully  groomed  and  turned  out,  led  up  to 
the  trap- wheels  for  them  to  mount,  without 
the  risk  of  soiling  their  boots.  Very  particular 
are  these  gentlemen.  The  day  is  muddy,  and 
they  know  they  must  be  splashed  and  spattered 
as  they  ride  to  the  covert-side,  but  they  will 
not  leave  the  meet  with  a  speck  upon  horse 
or  rider.  There  is  a  military-looking  man — 
long,  tawny  moustache,  and  most  perfect  get-up 
— divesting  himself  of  his  apron,  and  frowning 


HUNTING.  91 

because  his  snow-white  breeches  are  disfigured 
by  just  one  speck  of  dirt ;  probably  it  would 
be  unobservable  to  anybody  but  himseK,  yet 
he  is  not  the  less  annoyed.  A  dapper  Httle 
gentleman,  in  drab  shorts  and  gaiters,  is 
covertly  combing  his  horse's  mane ;  and  a 
hoary  old  fox-hunter,  who  has  just  mounted, 
has  drawn  over  close  to  the  hedge,  and  extends 
first  one  foot  and  then  the  other  for  his  servant 
to  remove  the  blemishes  which  mounting  has 
put  upon  his  boots.  This  extreme  fastidious- 
ness is  carried  by  some  to  an  absurd  excess. 
I  remember  upon  one  occasion  seeing  a 
gentleman  actually  re-enter  his  dog-cart  and 
drive  sulkily  away  from  the  meet  because  he 
considered  himself  too  much  splashed  to  join 
the  cavalcade  which  was  moving  away  to  the 
covert,  although  he  was  fully  aware  that  a 
trot  of  a  few  hundred  yards  upon  the  muddy 
road  in  company  with  numerous  other  horses 
would,  under  any  circumstances,  have  speedily 
reduced  him  to  the  condition  which  he  was 
then  lamenting. 

A  few  ladies   come   upon  the  scene,  and 
many  more  gentlemen ;  and  then  comes  the 


92  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK, 

huntsman  in  proud  charge  of  the  beauties. 
The  whips  and  second  horsemen  come  also, 
and  the  Master  drives  up  about  the  same 
time,  and  loses  not  a  moment  in  mounting  his 
hunter.  The  pack  looks  superb,  and  many 
are  the  glances  and  words  of  commendation 
which  it  receives. 

Always  have  a  smile  and  pleasant  word  for 
the  huntsman  and  whips.  They  deserve  it, 
and  they  value  it.  I  always  make  it  a  point 
to  have  a  httle  conversation  with  them  before 
we  leave  the  meet — in  fact,  I  know  many  of 
the  hounds  in  the  various  packs  by  name,  and 
I  love  to  notice  them.  Nothing  pleases  the 
huntsman  more  than  to  commend  his  charge  : 
it  makes  him  your  friend  at  once.  Many  a 
time  when  I  have  been  holding  good  place  in 
a  run,  we  have  come  across  some  dangerous 
fence  which  it  would  be  death  to  ride  in  a 
crowd,  and  the  huntsman's  shout  of  ^*  Let 
the  lady  first ! "  has  secured  me  a  safe 
jump,  and  a  maintenance  of  my  foremost 
position. 

All  being  now  ready,  you  mount  your  horse. 
It  would  be  well  if  some  gentleman  friend  or 


HUNTING.  93 

relative  would  look  first  to  his  girths,  &c. ; 
but,  should  such  not  be  available,  do  not  be 
above  doing  it  yourself.  Servants,  even  the 
best,  are,  as  aforesaid,  often  careless,  and  a 
horse  may  be  sent  out  with  girths  too  loose, 
throat-lash  too  tight,  runners  out,  or  any  of 
the  thousand  and  one  little  deficiencies  which 
an  interested  and  careful  eye  will  at  once 
detect. 

Of  course  you  have  not  come  to  hunt  without 
having  secured  a  good  pilot.  You  have,  I 
hope,  selected  somebody  who  rides  well  and 
straight — boldly,  and  yet  with  judgment — for, 
beheve  me,  a  display  of  silly  recklessness  does 
not  constitute  good  riding,  however  it  may  be 
thought  to  do  so  by  ignorant  or  silly  persons. 
Your  pilot  will  ride  a  few  yards  in  advance  of 
you,  and  it  will  be  your  duty  to  keep  him  well 
in  view,  and  not  to  get  separated  from  him. 
This  latter  you  may  at  times  find  difficult,  as 
others  may  ride  in  between,  but  you  must 
learn  smartness,  and  be  prepared  for  all 
emergencies.  Moreover,  if  your  pilot  be  a 
good  one,  he  will  see  that  you  keep  close  to 
him,  and,  by  glancing  over  his  shoulder  after 


^4  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

clearing  each  obstacle,  will  satisfy  himself 
that  you  also  are  safely  over,  and  that  no 
mischance  has  befallen  you.  Any  man  who 
will  not  take  this  trouble  is  unfit  to  pilot  a 
lady,  for  whilst  he  is  careering  onward  in  all 
the  glories  of  perfect  safety,  she  may  be  down 
in  some  ugly  dyke,  perhaps  ridden  on,  or 
otherwise  hurt ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  his 
bounden  duty  to  see  that  no  evil  befals  her. 
I  cannot  say  that  I  consider  the  position  of 
a  trusty  pilot  at  all  an  enviable  one,  and 
few  men  care  to  occupy  it  in  relation  to  a 
beginner  or  timorous  rider,  although  they 
are  ever  anxious  to  place  their  services  at 
the  disposal  of  a  lady  who  is  known  to  ''go 
straight." 

In  selecting  a  pilot,  do  so  with  judgment. 
Choose  one  who  knows  the  country,  and  who 
will  not  be  too  selfish  nor  too  grand  to  take 
care  of  you ;  for,  remember,  you  are  only  a 
beginner,  and  will  need  to  be  taken  care  of. 
If,  then,  you  have  secured  the  right  sort  of  man, 
and  your  own  heart  is  in  the  right  place,  you 
may  prepare  to  enjoy  yourseK,  for  a  real  good 
day's   hunting  is   the   keenest  enjoyment  in 


HUNTING.  95 

which  man  or  woman  can  hope  to  participate 
in  this  life. 

The  trot  to  the  covert-side  is  iisnally  very- 
pleasant.  You  and  your  horse  are  quite  fresh. 
You  meet  and  chat  with  your  friends.  The 
two,  three,  or  four  miles,  as  the  case  may  he, 
seem  to  glide  away  very  fast.  Then  comes 
the  anxious  moment  when  the  beauties  are 
thrown  in,  and  all  wait  in  eager  suspense  for 
the  whimper  which  shall  proclaim  Reynard 
at  home.  But  not  a  hound  gives  tongue  this 
morning.  You  can  see  them — heads  down, 
sterns  up,  heating  here  and  there  through 
the  gorse — but,  alas  !  in  silence  ;  and,  after 
awhile,  someone  says,  *^  No  fox  here  !  "  and 
presently  your  ear  catches  the  sound  of  the 
huntsman's  horn,  and  the  hounds  come 
trooping  out,  almost  as  disappointed  as  the 
field. 

Then  the  master  gives  the  order  for  the 
next  or  nearest  covert,  and  there  is  a  rush, 
and  a  move,  and  a  long  cavalcade  forms  upon 
the  road,  headed,  of  course,  by  the  hounds. 
Get  well  in  front,  if  you  can,  so  as  to  be 
quite  up  when  they  reach  their  next  try,  for 


96  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

sometimes  they  find  as  soon  as  ever  they  are 
thrown  in,  and  are  far  away  over  the  country 
before  the  stragglers  come  up,  and  great,  then, 
are  the  lamentations,  for  hunting  a  stern- 
chase  is,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  not  cheerful. 
You  will  have  another  advantage,  also,  in 
being  well  forward,  for  your  horse  will  get  the 
benefit  of  a  temporary  rest,  whilst  those  who, 
by  lagging,  have  lost  time  at  the  start,  are 
obliged  to  follow  as  best  they  can  upon  the 
track,  bucketing  their  horses,  and  thus  de- 
priving them  of  the  chance  of  catching  their 
wind — which  is,  in  a  lengthened  run,  of  very 
material  consequence. 

One  especial  difference  you  observe  between 
road-riding  and  hunting  :  you  are  obHged  to 
trot  at  a  fast  swinging  pace  such  long  tire- 
some distances  from  covert  to  covert,  without 
pause  or  rest,  and  you  feel  already  half  tired 
out.  Hitherto,  when  riding  on  the  road,  or 
in  the  park,  if  you  felt  fatigued  you  have  only 
had  to  pull  up  and  walk  ;  but  on  hunting 
days  there  is  no  walking.  The  time  is  too 
precious,  these  short,  dark,  wintry  days,  to 
allow  of  such  ^*  sweet  restings."     The  evening 


HUNTING. 


closes  in  so  rapidly  that  we  cannot  afford  to 
lose  a  moment  of  our  time,  and  so  we  go 
along  at  a  sweeping  pace.  Nobody  who  is 
unable  to  trot  long  distances  without  rest  has. 
any  business  hunting. 


■^8  LADIES    ON    HOESBBAOK. 


CHAPTEE    VII. 

HOUNDS   IN    COVERT. — THE    FIRST    FENCE. FOLLOW 

YOUR    PILOT. A   RIVER-BATH. A     WISE     PRE- 
CAUTION.  A     LABEL     ADVISABLE. WALL    AND 

WATER    JUMPING. ADVICE  TO   FALLEN  RIDERS. 

HOGGING. MORE    TAIL. 

You  have  now  arrived  at  the  next  covert,  and 
have  seen  the  hounds  thrown  in.  In  an 
instant  there  is  a  whimper,  taken  up  presently 
hy  one  and  another,  until  the  air  rings  with 
the  joyous  music  of  the  entire  pack,  as  they 
rattle  their  game  about,  endeavouring  to  force 
him  to  face  the  open.  The  whips  are  standing 
warily  on  the  watch,  the  huntsman's  cheery 
voice  is  heard  encouraging  the  hounds,  the 
Master  is  galloping  from  point  to  point, 
warning  off  idlers  whose  uninvited  presence 


HUNTING.  99 

-would  be  sure  to  send  the  ^'  varmint "  back 
into  his  lair.  Your  pilot,  knowing  that  a  run 
from  here  is  a  certainty,  selects  his  vantage 
ground.  Being  a  shrewd  man,  he  knows 
that  no  fox  will  face  a  keen  nor'-easter,  nor 
will  he  be  hkely  to  brave  the  crowd  of  country 
bumpkins,  who,  despite  the  Master's  entreaties, 
are  clustering  about  yondei;  hedge.  In  short, 
there  is  only  one  point  from  which  he  can  well 
break,  and  so  your  pilot  prepares  accordingly. 
Another  anxious  moment  ere  the  *'  Gone 
away  !  Tally-ho  !  "  rings  out  upon  the  keen 
air ;  and  then  follows  that  glorious  burst 
which  is  worth  giving  up  a  whole  year  of  one's 
life  to  see.  Hounds  running  breast  high, 
fairly  flying,  in  fact ;  huntsmen,  whips,  horse- 
men, all  in  magnificent  flight,  each  riding 
hard  for  the  foremost  place,  amid  such  a 
chorus  of  dehcious  music  as  is  never  heard 
from  any  save  canine  throats  ;  and  then,  when 
the  first  big  fence  is  reached,  such  hurry  and 
scurry  !  such  tumbling  and  picking  up  again  ! 
such  scrambKng  of  dogs  and  shouting  of 
men  !  such  cold  baths  for  horses  and  riders ! 

and  oh,  such  glory  amongst  the  wreckers,  as 

7  * 


100  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

they  stand  tantalizingly  at  the  edge  of  the 
chasm  in  which  so  many  are  hopelessly 
struggling,  whilst  their  audacious  cries  of 
"  What '11  you  give  me,  sir  ?  "  '*  Pull  you  out 
for  a  sovereign,  captain  !  "  are  heard  and 
laughed  at  by  the  fortunate  ones  who  are  safe 
upon  the  other  side. 

Your  pilot  has  been  a  wise  man.  He 
selected  his  starting-point  at  the  sound  of  the 
very  first  opening  out,  and  when  the  general 
scrimmage  took  place  he  had  his  line  chosen,, 
and  so  has  led  you  wide  of  the  ruck,  yet  in 
the  wake  of  the  hounds. 

And  here  suffer  me  to  advise  you,  if  you 
should  ever  chance  to  be  left  without  a  leader, 
do  not  fall  into  the  mistake  of  following  the 
others,  for  my  experience  of  hunting  is  that 
nine-tenths  of  those  out  do  not  know  where 
they  are  going,  nor  where  fox  or  hounds  have 
gone  before  them.  Cut  out  a  line  for  yourself, 
and  follow  the  pack.  A  pilot  is,  of  course,  a 
great  acquisition,  if  he  be  a  good  one,  but 
throughout  some  of  my  best  runs  I  have 
performed  the  office  for  myself,  and  have 
succeeded  in   being    in  at  the   death.     But 


HUNTING.  101 

then  I  am  not  a  beginner,  and  I  am  sur- 
mising that  you  are.  Keep  about  six  yards 
behind  your  leader  ;  follow  him  unswervingly, 
and  jump  after  him,  but  not  on  him.  Always 
wait  till  he  is  well  out  of  the  way  before  you 
take  the  fence  in  his  wake.  Your  horse  will 
jump  more  readily  having  the  example  of 
his  before  him,  but  I  cannot  too  well  impress 
upon  you  the  necessity  of  allowing  him  to  get 
w^eli  over  before  you  attempt  to  follow.  One 
of  the  ugliest  falls  I  ever  got  in  my  life 
was  through  riding  too  close  upon  my  leader. 
The  run  was  a  very  hot  one,  and  only  four  of 
us  were  going  at  the  time.  None,  in  fact,  but 
those  who  had  first-rate  horses  had  been  able 
to  live  through  it.  We  came  to  a  wide  braucL 
•of  a  river,  swollen  by  recent  rains.  My  pilot, 
going  a  rare  pace,  jumped  it  safely  ;  I  came 
too  fast  upon  him.  My  horse's  nose  struck 
his  animal's  quarters,  which,  of  course,  threw 
my  gallant  little  mount  off  his  balance,  and 
prevented  his  landing.  He  staggered  and 
fell  back,  and  we  both  got  a  drowning  !  I 
was  dragged  up  with  a  boat-hook,  the  horse 
swam  on  until  he  found  a  place  to  scramble 


102  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

up  the  bank,  and  then  galloped  off  over  the 
country.  I  recollect  standing  dismally  by 
that  river,  my  pilot  and  two  wreckers 
scrapiiiL;  the  mud  from  me,  and  wringing  my 
drenched  garments,  whilst  two  or  three  more 
were  scouring  the  adjacent  lands  in  search  of 
my  truant  steed.  When,  at  length,  he  was 
caught,  I  had  eleven  miles  to  ride  to  the  place 
at  which  I  had  left  my  trap,  and  was  obHged 
on  arriving  to  change  every  atom  of  my 
clothing,  and  wash  off  the  superabundant  mud 
in  a  horse-bucket,  kindly  lent  for  the  occasion. 
The  fall  involved  the  loss  of  the  run,  the 
loss  of  a  habit,  the  loss  of  many  odd  shilhngs 
to  wreckers,  the  loss  of  my  temper,  a  wound 
from  the  boat-hook,  and  a  heavy  cold,  the 
result  of  immersion  on  a  perishing  winter 
day.  All  these  disasters  were  the  punish- 
ments consequent  upon  my  impetuosity  in 
coming  too  close  upon  my  leader ;  therefore,, 
having  thus  myself  suffered,  I  warn  you,  from 
woful  experience,  never  to  tread  upon  the 
horse  jumping  in  advance  of  you.  Allowing, 
even,  that  you  do  not  cannon  against  him, 
there   is   another    casualty    which    may  not 


HUNTING.  108 

improbably  occur.  Supposing  that  he  falls 
and  throws  his  rider,  your  horse  may  in 
alighting  just  chance  to  plant  a  foot  upon 
the  empty  saddle  of  the  prostrate  animal,  the 
shppery  nature  of  which  throws  him  off  his 
balance,  and  you  and  he  roll  upon  the  earth 
together — perhaps  receiving  a  kick  from  your 
pilot's  struggling  mount.  From  this  species 
of  accident  many  evils  have  from  time  to 
time  arisen,  and  therefore  I  dutifully  en- 
deavour to  put  you  well  upon  your  guard. 
I  would  also  again  remind  you  that  if  you 
really  mean  to  ride  an  intricate  country,  you 
should  never  under  any  circumstances  neglect 
to  bring  a  change  of  clothing,  for  you  may 
at  any  moment  be  dyked,  and  to  remain  in 
wet  garments  is  highly  dangerous, — not  so  long 
as  you  are  exercising,  but  during  the  journey 
to  your  home.  It  is  not  in  the  saddle,  but 
in  vehicles  and  railway  carriages  that  colds 
are  contracted  and  the  seeds  of  disease  are 
sown.  It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to 
offer  you  a  piece  of  wholesome  advice.  Should 
you  at  any  time  have  the  ill-fortune  to  be 
riding  a  kicking  horse  in  the  midst  of  a  crowd, 


104  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

always  put  back  your  hand  when  the  caval- 
€ade  pauses,  to  warn  those  behind  not  to 
come  too  close  to  the  heels  of  your  unquiet 
«teed.  By  so  doing  you  may  save  an  accident, 
and  may,  moreover,  guard  yourself  from  more 
than  one  anathema.  I  once  saw  the  horse 
of  a  fiery  old  General  kicked  by  the  mount  of 
n  young  nobleman,  who  thought  it  not  worth 
his  while  to  offer  an  apology.  '^  See  here, 
young  man,"  said  the  irate  officer,  riding  up 
to  the  offender's  side,  "  whenever  you  come 
out  to  hunt  on  brutes  like  that  you  should 
paste  a  danger-card  upon  your  back,  and  not 
run  the  risk  of  breaking  valuable  bones.  I 
have  said  my  say,"  he  added,  *^  and. now  you 
may  go  to  the  devil !  " 

A  few  hints  next  as  to  jumping. 

If,  in  the  course  of  a  run,  you  meet  with 
stone  walls,  do  not  ride  too  fast  at  them. 
Always  steady  your  horse  at  such  obstacles, 
and  follow  my  oft-repeated  advice  of  leaving 
him  abundant  head-room.  If  you  have  to 
cross  a  river  or  very  wide  ditch,  come  fast  at 
it,  in  order  that  the  impetus  may  swing  you 
safely  over  ;  few  horses  can  cross  a  wide  jump 


HUNTING.  105 

without  having  what  is  called  a  **  run  at  it." 
Never  expect  your  animal  to  take  such 
obstacles  at  a  stand,  or  under  the  disadvan- 
tages consequent  upon  coming  at  them  at  a 
slow  pace.  Should  the  leap  be  a  river  or 
wide  water-jump,  suffer  your  horse  to  stretch 
fonvard  his  head  and  neck  when  coming  up  to 
it.  If  you  fail  to  do  so,  you  will  most  probably 
go  in,  for  an  animal  who  accomplishes  his 
work  requires  his  liberty  as  an  absolute 
necessity,  and,  if  denied  it,  will  teach  you, 
at  the  cost  of  a  good  wetting,  to  treat  him 
next  time  with  greater  consideration.  You 
will  frequently  see  men  ride  pretty  boldly  up 
to  some  yawning  chasm  or  ugly  bullfinch — 
stop  and  look  at  it,  hesitate  an  instant,  and 
then,  by  cruel  spurring,  urge  an  exhausted 
animal  to  take  it  at  a  stand.  This  is  truly 
bad  horsemanship,  and  leads  to  many  direful 
results.  A  good  rider  will,  on  perceiving  that 
the  obstacle  is  a  formidable  one,  turn  his 
horse  round,  take  him  some  little  distance 
from  it,  and  then,  again  turning,  come  fast  at 
it —  k  gallop,  hands  down,  horse's  head 
held  straight  and  well  in  hand,  but  without 


106  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

any  pulling  or  nervous  reining  in.     Such  a 
one  wiU  be  pretty  sure  to  get  safely  over. 

Should  your  horse,  in  jumping  a  fence,  land 
badly,  and  slip  his  hind  legs  into  a  gripe  or 
ditch,  do  not  wait  more  than  an  instant  to 
see  if  he  can  recover  himself ;  you  will  know 
in  that  time  whether  he  will  be  likely  to  da 
so.  The  best  advice  I  can  give  you  is  to  kick 
your  foot  free  of  the  stirrup  and  jump  off 
before  he  goes  back.  You  will  thus  keep  your 
own  skin  dry ;  and,  if  you  have  been  for- 
tunate enough  to  retain  a  hght  hold  of  the 
rein,  you  can  rescue  your  horse  without  much 
difficulty ;  for  an  animal,  when  immersed, 
makes  such  intelligent  efforts  to  release  him- 
self, that  a  very  trifling  assistance  upon  your 
part  will  enable  him  to  struggle  safely  to  your 
side,  when  you  can  remount  him  and  try 
your  chances  of  again  picking  up  the  hounds. 
Be  cautious,  however,  in  pulling  him  up,  that 
you  do  so  over  smooth  ground.  I  had  a 
valuable  young  horse  badly  staked  last  season 
through  being  dragged  up  over  a  clump  of 
brushwood  after  a  fall  into  the  Lara  river. 

Should  your  steed  peck  on  landing  over  a 


HUNTING.  107 

fence  you  will  be  pretty  certain  to  come  over 
his  head,  for  this  is  an  ugly  accident,  and  one 
very  Hkely  to  occur  over  recently-scoured 
drains.  You  may,  however,  save  both  youself 
and  him,  if  you  are  smart  in  using  your  hands 
in  assisting  him  to  recover  his  lost  equili- 
brium. 

In  the  event  of  your  horse  jumping  short 
with  you,  either  from  having  taken  off  too 
soon  or  from  any  other  cause,  and  falling 
upon  you  into  a  gripe,  you  may  (when  you 
gain  a  httle  experience)  be  able  to  stick  to 
him  without  leaving  the  saddle.  The  first 
effort  a  fallen  animal  makes  is  to  try  to  get 
up ;  therefore,  if  you  are  not  quite  thrown, 
hold  on  to  his  mane,  and  as  he  struggles  to 
right  himself  make  your  effort  to  regain  your 
seat.  Be  guided,  however,  in  doing  this  by 
observing  with  a  quick  glance  whether  there 
are  thorns  or  brambles  overgrowing  the  place, 
for  if  there  are,  and  your  horse^  on  recovering 
himseH  strides  onward  in  the  ditch,  seeking  a 
place  at  which  he  may  get  out,  your  face  will 
undoubtedly  suffer.  This  sort  of  thing  once 
occurred   to   me   in  the    course    of    a    day's 


108  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

hunting.  I  held  on  to  my  animal  when  he 
fell,  and  regained  my  seat  without  very  much 
difficulty,  but  before  I  could  recover  my  hold 
of  the  bridle  he  had  rushed  forward,  and  my 
face  was  terribly  punished  by  the  overhanging 
brambles. 

Be  very  careful,  in  this  matter  of  hold- 
ing on  to  a  fallen  animal,  not  to  confound 
the  mane  with  the  rein.  By  clinging  to  the 
former  you  assist  yourself  without  in  the 
smallest  degree  impeding  the  movements  of 
your  horse ;  by  clinging  to  the  latter  you 
seriously  interfere  with  his  efforts  at  recovery, 
and  most  probably  pull  him  back  upon 
you. 

And  this  brings  me  to  the  subject  of 
hogging  horses'  manes.  Never,  under  any 
circumstances,  allow  an  animal  of  yours  to 
be  'thus  maltreated.  Not  only  is  it  a  vile 
disfigurement,  depriving  the  horse  of  Nature's 
loveliest  ornament,  but  it  also  deprives  the 
rider  of  a  very  chief  means  of  support  in 
case  of  accident.  Many  a  bad  fall  have  I 
been  saved  by  clutching  firmly  at  the  mane, 
which  an  ignorant  groom   had   oft   implored 


HUNTING.  109 

me  to  sacrifice  ;  and  many  a  good  man  and 
true  have  I  seen  recover  himself  by  a  like 
action,  when  a  hog-maned  animal  would 
undoubtedly  have  brought  him  to  grief. 
Grooms  are  especially  fond  of  this  system  of 
^^  hogging,"  and  many  a  beauteous  adjunct 
of  Nature's  forming  has  been  ruthlessly 
sacrificed  to  their  ceaseless  importunities  to 
be  permitted  to  **  smarten  the  baste."  Tails, 
too,  are  remorselessly  docked  by  these  gentle- 
men of  the  stable  ;  not  that  they  really  think 
it  an  improvement,  any  more  than  they 
veritably  admire  the  hogging  process,  but  it 
saves  them  trouble,  it  lightens  their  labours, 
they  have  less  combing  and  grooming  to 
attend  to.  Tails  were  sent  by  Nature,  not 
merely  as  an  ornament,  but  to  enable  the 
animal  to  whisk  away  the  flies,  which  in  hot 
weather  render  its  life  a  burthen.  Man,  the 
ruthless  master,  by  a  cruel  process  of  cutting 
and  searing,  deprives  his  helpless  slave  of 
one  of  its  most  valued  and  most  necessary 
possessions.  I  do  not  myself  advocate  long 
switch  tails,  which  are  rarely  an  ornament, 
being    usually   covered    with    mud  ;    but    I 


110  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

maintain  that  **  docking "  is  cruel  and  un- 
necessary, keeping  the  hairs  closely  and 
evenly  cut  being  quite  sufficient  for  purposes 
of  cleanliness,  without  in  any  way  interfering 
with  the  flesh  ;  therefore,  do  not  reject  my 
oft-repeated  plea  for  ^*  a  little  more  tail." 


HUNTING.  Ill 


CHAPTEE    VIII. 

HOLDING   ON    TO   A   PROSTRATE    HORSE. IS   IT  WISE 

OR    OTHERWISE  ? — AN     INDISCREET     JUMP. A 

DIFFICULT    FINISH. THE    DANGERS  OF  MARSHY 

GROUNDS.  —  ENCOURAGE    HUMANITY.  —  A     RE- 
CLAIMED cabby! 

To  return  to  the  subject  of  jumping. 

In  the  event  of  an  ordinary  fall  in  landing 
over  a  fence,  it  is  a  vexed  question  whether 
or  not  it  is  advisable  to  hold  on  by  the  rein 
whilst  your  horse  is  on  the  ground.  I  do  not 
now  mean  when  he  is  sunk  in  a  ditch,  but 
when  he  is  prostrate  upon  even  grass-land 
or  upon  smooth  earth.  Many  first-rate  riders 
affirm  that  it  is  a  highly  dangerous  practice, 
therefore  I  am  afraid  to  advocate  it,  and. 
must  speak  with  reserve — as  I  did  respecting 


112  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

the  management  of  a  rearing  animal — but 
for  my  own  part  I  always  do  it.  My  ex- 
perience is,  that  when  a  horse  struggles  to 
his  feet  his  movement  is  almost  invariably 
retrograde.  He  tries  to  get  away,  conse- 
quently his  heels  are  turned  from  me  ;  and 
so  long  as  I  keep  my  hold  of  the  bridle  his 
head  will  be  nearest  me  and  his  feet  furthest. 
He  will  not  think  of  turning  to  kick  me, 
unless  lie  be  a  vilely  vicious  brute,  not  worth 
his  keep  ;  and  so  I  can  hold  him  with  safety 
until  I  am  up  myself  and  ready  to  remount 
him.  When  my  horse  falls  with  me  on  the 
flat,  I  roll  clear  of  him  without  letting  go 
the  rein,  and  as  the  only  danger  of  a  kick  is 
whilst  he  is  getting  up,  I  shield  my  head 
with  one  arm  and  slip  the  rein  to  its  fullest 
length  with  the  other,  thus  allowing  the 
animal  so  much  head-room  that  he  is  enabled 
to  make  that  retrograde  movement,  or  ''  drag- 
ging away,"  which  is  natural  to  him,  and 
which  saves  me  from  the  possible  contact  of 
his  heels. 

This  is,  in  my  opinion  (which  I  cannot,  of 
course,  pretend  to  think  infallible),  the  best  • 


HUNTING.  113 

course  to  pursue.  It  is  the  one  which  I 
always  adopt,  and  I  have  never  yet,  except 
in  one  trifling  instance,  received  a  kick  from 
a  fallen  horse. 

I  remember  one  day,  a  couple  of  seasons 
ago,  I  was  riding  hard  against  a  very 
beautiful  Imperial  lady,  who  dearly  loves  a 
little  bit  of  rivalry.  Neck  and  neck  we 
had  jumped  most  of  the  fences  for  forty 
minutes  or  so,  and  both  our  steeds  were 
pretty  well  beaten,  for  the  running  had  been 
continuous,  without  a  check.  We  came  to  an 
awful  obstacle — a  high  thick-set  hedge,  so 
impenetrable  that  there  was  no  chance  of 
knowing  what  might  be  on  the  other  side. 
There  was  but  one  nttle  apology  for  a  gap, 
and  at  this  the  Empress's  pilot  rode — imme- 
diately putting  up  his  hand  as  a  warning  to 
us  not  to  follow,  and  pointing  lower  down. 
I  knew  that  when  Bay  Middleton  thought 
there  was  danger,  it  did,  indeed,  exist ;  but  I 
was  too  much  excited  to  stop.  We  had  the 
hunt  all  to  ourselves,  the  hounds  running 
right  in  front  of  us,  and  not  a  soul  with  them. 
I  came  at  the  fence  with  whip,  spur,  and  a 

8 


114  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

shout !  My  horse — than  which  a  better  never 
was  saddled — rose  to  the  leap,  and  landing 
upon  his  head  after  a  terrific  drop,  rolled 
•completely  over.  I  was  not  much  hurt,  and 
whilst  he  was  on  his  knees  getting  up,  I 
scrambled  back  to  the  saddle,  and  went  on ; 
but,  oh  !  under  what  dire  disadvantages  !  My 
rein  had  caught  upon  a  stake  in  the  fence  and 
was  broken  clean  off,  and  I  fancy  it  was  this 
chuck  to  my  animal's  mouth  which  had  thrown 
him  out  of  his  stride  and  caused  him  to  blunder^ 
for  it  was  the  first  and  last  mistake  he  ever 
made  with  me,  nor  could  I,  in  the  hurry  of 
regaining  my  seat  unassisted,  get  my  foot  into 
the  stirrup ;  so  I  finished  the  run  as  if  by  a 
miracle,  and  astonished  myself  even  more  than 
anybody  else  by  bringing  home  the  fox's  brush 
as  a  trophy  that  I  was  in  at  the  death. 

Always  bear  in  mind  when  hunting  that 
you  are  bound  to  save  your  horse  as  much  as 
possible.  Jump  no  unnecessary  fences ;  look 
out  for  a  friendly  gate  whenever  you  can  find 
one  at  hand ;  and  in  going  up  hill  or  over 
ploughed  land,  ease  your  animal  and  take 
your  time.     By  acting  thus  judiciously  you 


HUNTING.  115 

will  be  able  to  keep  going  when  others  are 
standing  still.  Always  avoid  bogs  and  heavy 
bottoms ;  they  are  most  treacherous,  and 
swamp  many  an  unwary  hunter  in  their 
dangerous  depths.  If  you  should  ever  have 
the  bad  fortune  to  be  caught  in  one,  dismount 
at  once,  and  lead  your  horse.  It  is  not  a 
pleasant  thing  to  have  to  do,  but  if  you 
remain  upon  him,  your  weight,  added  to  his 
own,  will  probably  sink  him  up  to  his  saddle- 
girths,  and  there  he  will  stick. 

I  would  desire  particularly  to  impress  upon 
you  that  if  your  horse  carries  you  safely  and 
brilliantly  through  one  good  run,  you  ought 
to  be  contented  with  that,  and  not  attempt  to 
ride  him  a  second.  It  is  through  the  unwise 
and  cruel  habit  of  riding  beaten  animals  that 
haK  the  serious  accidents  occur.  Also  re- 
member that  if  you  are  waiting  at  a  covert- 
side  where  there  seems  likely  to  be  a  delay, 
after  your  steed  has  had  ^  gallop  or  a  long 
trot,  you  should  get  off  his  back  and  shift 
your  saddle  an  inch  one  way  or  the  other, 
generally  backwards,  as  servants  are  usually 
apt  in  the  first  instance  to  place  the  saddle 

8  * 


116  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

too  close  upon  the  withers.  By  adopting  this 
plan  you  will,  when  you  again  get  upon  him, 
find  him  a  new  animal.  If  you  or  I  were 
carrying  a  heavy  burthen  upon  our  shoulders 
for  a  certain  number  of  hours  in  precisely  the 
same  position,  would  it  not  make  a  new  being 
of  us  to  have  it  eased  and  shifted  ?  And 
exactly  so  it  is  with  the  horse.  A  selfish  man 
will  sit  all  day  upon  his  beast,  rather  than 
take  the  trouble  of  getting  off  his  back ;  but 
against  himself  does  it  tell,  for  his  animal  is 
fagged  and  jaded  when  that  of  a  merciful  man 
is  able  to  keep  its  place  in  the  run. 

There  is  nothing  which  should  more  fully 
engross  the  thoughts  of  the  humane  hunter 
than  kindly  consideration  towards  the  noble 
and  beautiful  creature  which  God  has  sent  to 
be  the  help  of  man.  Your  horse  should  be 
your  companion,  your  friend,  your  loved  and 
valued  associate,  but  never  your  wronged  and 
over-tasked  slave.  Humanity  cries  out  with 
ready  uproar  against  the  long  Hst  of  grievances 
which  animals  have  to  endure,  yet  how  few  of 
us  exert  ourselves  to  lighten  the  burthen  by 
so  much  as  one  of  our  fingers  !     There  is  not 


HUNTING  117 

one  of  us  who  may  not,  if  he  choose,  be  daily 
and  hourly  striving  to  curtail  the  load  of 
misery  which  the  equine  race  is  called  upon  to 
bear.  We  may  not  be  fortunate  enough  to 
possess  horses  ourselves  upon  which  to  exer- 
cise our  humanity,  but  can  we  not  do  some- 
thing— yea,  much — for  others  ?  Surely  we 
can,  if  we  only  possess  the  courage  and  the 
will.  Even  a  word  judiciously  spoken  will 
often  effect  more  than  we  could  have  hoped 
or  supposed.  Two  years  ago  I  saw  a  cabman 
in  Dubhn  cruelly  iU-treating  his  horse.  The 
poor  animal  was  resting  its  worn  and  tired 
body  upon  the  stand,  ready  for  the  wrench 
which  its  jaw  would  receive  as  soon  as  the 
next  prospect  of  a  **fare"  should  excite  the 
cupidity  of  its  owner.  One  would  have 
thought  that  the  sight  of  so  much  patient 
misery  would  have  moved  the  stoniest  heart 
to  suffer  the  hapless  creature  to  enjoy  its 
few  moments  of  needed  repose.  But  no  ;  the 
driver  wanted  some  amusement,  he  was  weary 
of  standing  by  himself,  without  some  sort  of 
employment  to  divert  his  ignoble  mind,  and 
so   he  found   such  out.     How?     By  beating 


118  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

upon  the  front  legs  and  otherwise  crueUy 
worrying  with  the  whip  the  poor  iU-used  slave 
which  he  should  have  felt  bound  to  protect. 
I  saw  it  first  from  a  distance — more  fully  as 
I  came  near — and  with  a  heart  bursting  with 
sorrow  and  indignation,  I  crossed  over  and 
remonstrated  with  the  man.  I  said  very 
little ;  only  what  I  have  tried  to  inculcate  in 
these  pages — ^that  humanity  to  quadrupeds  is 
not  only  a  duty  which  we  owe  to  their 
Creator,  but  will  in  time  repay  ourselves.  I 
expected  nothing  but  abuse,  and,  indeed,  the 
man's  angry  face  and  half-raised  whip  seemed 
to  augur  me  no  good;  but,  suddenly,  as  some- 
thing that  I  said  came  home  to  him,  his 
countenance  softened,  and,  laying  his  hand 
quite  gently  upon  the  poor  beaten  side  of  the 
animal  which  he  had  been  ill-treating,  he 
said  :  *^  Well,  if  there  was  more  Hke  youy  there 
'ud  be  less  Hke  me !  that's  the  thruth,  at  all 
events.'*  And  then  he  said  no  more,  for  he 
was  satisfied  that  I  knew  I  had  not  spoken  in 
vain.  For  two  years  that  man  has  been  my 
constant  driver.  He  is  almost  daily  at  my 
door:  he  drives  me    to  and  from  the  trains 


HUNTING.  119 

when  going  to  and  returning  from  the  hunts, 
and  dearly  loves  to  hear  something  of  the 
runs ;  nor  is  there  a  more  humane  driver 
nor  a  better  cared  horse  in  any  city  of  the 
empire. 

I  have  related  this  true  incident,  not  from 
any  egotism — God  is  my  witness — but  merely 
to  show  you  how  good  is  '*  a  word  in  season.'* 
You  may  speak  many  which  may  be,  or  may 
seem  to  be,  of  none  effect,  but,  hke  the  '*  bread 
upon  the  waters,"  you  know  not  when  it  may 
return  unto  you  blessed. 


1^ 


120  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 


CHAPTEK    IX. 

SELFISHNESS   IN    THE    FIELD.— FORDING    A    RIVER. 

SHIRKING     A     FENCE. OVER-RIDING      THE 

HOUNDS. — TREATMENT  OF  TIRED  HUNTERS. 
BIGWIG  AND  THE  MAJOR. NAUGHTY  BIG- 
WIG.— HAPLESS   MAJOR. 

You  must  be  particularly  cautious  in  the 
hunting-field  to  avoid  being  cannoned  against. 
There  is  no  other  place  in  the  whole  world 
where  there  is  so  little  ceremony ;  and  so 
very,  very  little  politeness.  It  is  verily  a 
case  of  ^'  Every  man  for  himself,  and  the 
devil  take  the  hindmost !  "  There  is  scarcely 
one  man  in  the  entire  field  who  will  not  in 
liis  heart  of  hearts  resent  your  presence,  and 
so  he  will  pay  you  no  court.  The  crowding 
i)t  gaps,  and  at  certain  negotiable  places  in 


HUNTING.  121 

different  well-known  fences  is  simply  dis- 
graceful; and  persons — I  cannot  call  them 
gentlemen — ride  each  other  down  like  dogs. 
At  such  places  you  will  be  fortunate  if  you 
can  enlist  a  friend  to  ride  behind  you,  and 
thus  prevent  your  being  jumped  upon  in  the 
event  of  a  fall. 

I  must  not  omit  to  remind  you  that  in 
crossing  a  ford  your  horse  will  be  very  apt  to 
lose  his  footing.  You  will  know  when  he 
does  so  by  his  making  a  kind  of  plunge,  and 
an  endeavour  to  swim,  which  he  only  does 
when  he  feels  himself  out  of  his  depth.  If  at 
such  a  time  you  interfere  with  his  mouth,  he 
will  inevitably  roll  over.  Your  only  chance  is 
to  throw  him  the  reins,  and  let  him  scramble 
or  swim  as  he  finds  easiest.  If  the  latter,  lift 
your  left  leg  (with  foot  still  in  the  stirrup) 
completely  over  the  third  crutch,  that  he  may 
not  strike  your  heel  with  his  near  hind  foot, 
or  become  in  any  way  entangled  with  the 
stirrup  or  in  your  skirt.  At  the  same  time 
grasp  the  up-pommel  firmly  with  your  hand, 
that  you  may  not  be  unseated  when  he  makes 
his  second  struggle,  which  he  will  do  as  soon 


122  LADIES    ON    HOKSEBACK. 

as  he  recovers  his  footing  at  the  bottom  of  the 
water. 

A  horse  who  shirks  his  fences  is  a  terrible 
infliction  to  have  to  ride.  Of  course  the  first 
refusal  condemns  you  to  lose  your  place,  for 
it  is  the  etiquette  of  the  hunting-field  that  if 
your  horse  refuses  you  must  at  once  draw 
aside  and  let  the  whole  field  go  by  before  you 
again  essay  it.  But,  provoked  though  you 
may  be,  do  not  allow  yourself  to  be  van- 
quished. If  you  do  not  now  gain  the  victory 
your  horse  will  always  be  your  conqueror. 
Bring  him  again  to  the  leap,  keeping  his 
head  straight  and  your  hands  low  and  firm. 
If  he  refuses  a  second  time,  bring  him  round 
again  and  again,  always  turning  him  from 
right  to  left — that  is,  with  the  pressure  upon 
you  right  rein — and  not  suffering  him  to  have 
his  own  way.  Kemember  that  if  you  suffer 
him  to  conquer  you  or  bring  him  to  any 
other  part  of  the  fence  than  that  which  he  is 
refusing,  you  wiU  thoroughly  spoil  him.  Do 
not,  however,  treat  him  with  harshness. 
Coax  him  and  speak  gently  to  him.  It  may 
be  nervousness,  not  temper ;  and  if  so,  you 


HUNTING.  123 

will  soon  get  him  over  by  kindly  encourage- 
ment. The  horse  is  essentially  a  timid  crea- 
ture. He  is  oftentimes  subjected  to  cruelties 
for  his  ''obstinacy,"  where  a  little  kindness 
and  a  few  reassuring  words  would  be  infi- 
nitely more  effectual.  Every  glance  of  your 
eye,  every  look  upon  your  countenance  is 
noted  by  your  horse  whilst  he  can  see  you, 
and,  when  you  are  upon  his  back,  your  words 
fall  upon  highly  sensitive  ears.  A  horse's 
soul  is  full  of  affection  for  his  owner.  He 
yearns  to  please  him.  He  would  yield  his  Hfe 
to  serve  him.  Alas  !  how  is  such  nobihty 
requited  ?  Man's  cruelty  converts  a  peerless 
and  incomparable  companion  into  a  terrified 
and  trembling  slave.  Young  limbs  are  heavily 
weighted  before  they  have  had  time  to  grow ; 
dark,  wretched,  solitary  confinement  too  early 
takes  the  place  of  the  open  air  and  free 
pasturage  to  which  the  creature  would  fain  a 
little  longer  cling;  young  heads,  pining  for 
freedom,  are  tied  or  chained  up  in  melancholy 
imprisonment.  The  numerous  Uttle  devices 
with  which  the  captive  strives  to  while  away 
the  tedium  of  its  captivity  are  punished  as 


124  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

^*  vices "  by  heartless  and  ignorant  grooms. 
Nervousness  is  called  bad  temper,  and  timidity- 
regarded  as  a  punishable  offence.  All  the 
horrors  of  the  modern  stable  are  brought  to 
bear  upon  the  priceless  creature  who  is  born 
to  freedom,  and  whose  fettered  limbs  he  is 
scarce  permitted  to  stretch.  A  rack  of  dry, 
and  oftentimes  vitiated  hay  is  placed  ahove  the 
head  which  was  created  to  stoop  to  gather 
the  juicy  grasses  of  the  earth.  A  measure  of 
hard  dry  corn,  or  a  bucket  of  water,  is  period- 
ically brought  and  thrust  before  the  prisoner, 
who  eats  and  drinks  for  mere  pastime,  often 
without  appetite,  and  whose  frequent  rejec- 
tion of  the  offered  dainties  is  regarded  as 
*' sulkiness  "  or  "vice."  The  whole  system 
of  modern  stable  management  is  lamentably 
at  fault.  I  cannot  hope  to  remedy  it.  I 
cannot  persuade  obstinate  humanity  that  the 
expenditure  of  a  few  shillings  will  turn  in  as 
many  pounds  :  that  by  the  bestowal  of  proper 
care,  proper  housing,  light,  and  exercise,  and 
proper  clothing,  food,  and  drink,  the  slave 
will  repay  by  longer  life  and  more  active 
service  the   care  and  kindness  which  Chris- 


HUNTING.  125 

tianity  should  deem  a  pleasure  and  privilege, 
instead  of,  as  now,  a  compulsory  and  doled- 
out  gift.  I  cannot  expect  to  remedy  these 
wide  and  universal  evils,  nor  yet  can  you; 
but  we  are  bound — you  and  I — to  guard 
against  such  things  in  our  own  management. 
If  your  horse  oppose  you  through  nervousness, 
you  can  conquer  him  by  kindness  ;  if  through 
obstinacy,  which  is  occasional  but  not  fre- 
quent, you  must  adopt  a  different  plan.  Use 
your  spur  and  whip,  and  shovv^  that  you  will 
not  be  mastered,  though  you  stay  there  till 
the  stars  come  out.  You  will  be  sure  to 
conquer  ere  long,  unless  your  horse  is  one  of 
those  inveterate  brutes  which  are,  fortunately, 
rarely  to  be  met  with,  and  when  you  succeed 
in  getting  him  over  the  obstacle  at  which  he 
has  sulked,  put  him  at  it  again,  making  him 
take  it  backwards  and  forwards,  and  he  will 
not  be  hkely  to  trouble  you  by  a  repetition  of 
Ms  pranks. 

You  must  be  very  cautious  in  the  hunting- 
field  not  to  leave  yourself  open  to  any 
suspicion  of  over-riding  the  hounds;  keep 
close  to   them,  but  never   so  near  as  to  be 


126  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

upon  them.  Over-riding  hounds  is  a  piece 
of  unpardonable  caddishness  of  which  no 
gentleman,  and  certainly  no  lady,  would  be 
guilty ;  yet  it  is  done ;  and  then,  when  the 
master's  wrath  is  aroused,  the  innocent  suffer 
with  the  guilty,  for  many  who  are  not  abso- 
lutely offenders,  ride  too  close  in  their  zeal  for 
the  pleasures  of  the  chase. 

When  your  day's  sport  is  over,  and  you  are 
riding  back  to  the  place  at  which  you  expect 
to  meet  your  trap,  remember  that  the  easiest 
way  to  bring  your  horse  in  is  in  a  quiet  jog- 
trot. It  is  nonsense  to  walk  him,  for  he  will 
only  stiffen,  and  will  be  the  longer  away  from 
his  stable  and  his  needed  rest.  If  you  chance 
to  come  across  a  piece  of  water,  ride  him  to 
it  and  let  him  have  a  few  ^^  go  downs," — six 
or  eight,  but  not  more.  When  you  get  off  his 
back,  see  that  his  girths  are  loosed  at  once, 
and,  if  very  tired,  a  little  water  thrown  over 
his  feet.  He  should  then  be  taken  quietly 
home — if  by  road,  in  the  same  easy  trot — and 
just  washed  over  and  turned  into  a  loose  box, 
where  he  can  tumble  and  luxuriate  without 
submitting  to  any  of  the  worries   of  profes- 


HUNTING.  127 

•sional  grooming.  Fifteen  minutes  after  my 
return  from  hunting,  my  horse — sheeted  and 
comfortable — is  feeding  quietly  in  his  stall, 
enjoying  his  food  and  rest ;  instead  of 
standing  in  some  wet  corner  of  a  cold  yard, 
with  his  unhappy  head  tied  up  by  an  un- 
sympathizing  rope,  and  a  fussy  groom  worry- 
ing his  tired  body  with  a  noisy  display  of 
most  unnecessary  zeal.  And  this  is  as 
it  ought  to  be.  Horses  are  like  human 
beings, — they  like  to  rest  when  wearied,  and 
their  chief  desire — if  we  would  only  beheve 
it —is  to  be  left  alone.  But  we  are  incre- 
dulous, and  so  we  hang  about  them,  and 
fuss  and  worry  the  fagged  and  patient  crea- 
tures who  would  fain  appeal  to  us  for  a 
cessation  of  our  attentions. 

There  are  few  things  more  truly  delightful 
than  a  mutual  understanding  and  affection 
between  horse  and  rider,  and  this  can  easily 
be  arrived  at  by  kindness  and  care.  I  have 
a  hunter— Bigwig,  son  of  The  Lawyer — who 
follows  me  all  over  the  place,  knows  my 
voice  from  any  distance,  rubs  his  nose 
down  my   dress,  puts  it  into  my  pocket  to 


128  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

look  for  apples,  and  licks  my  hands  and  face 
like  a  dog ;  yet  I  have  done  nothing  to 
induce  all  this,  except  treating  him  with 
uniform  justice  and  kindness.  He  has  carried 
me  most  brilliantly  through  three  successive 
seasons  without  one  single  display  of  sulk  or 
bad  temper.  He  knows  not  the  totich  of  a 
whip.  I  carry  one,  that  the  long  lash,  passed 
through  his  bridle,  may  assist  him  when 
necessary  in  getting  over  a  trappy  fence,  at 
which  I  may  deem  it  prudent  to  dismount,  but 
the  sight  of  it  never  inspires  him  with  fear ; 
if  I  showed  it  to  him,  he  would  probably  lick 
it,  and  then  gaze  inquiringly  at  me  to  see 
if  I  were  pleased  with  the  novel  performance. 
To  me,  this  noble  and  beautiful  creature  is 
a  priceless  companion ;  yet,  strange  to  say, 
nobody  else  (not  even  the  most  accompHshed 
rider)  can  obtain  any  good  of  him.  It  is  not 
that  he  displays  vice,  but  he  simply  will  not 
allow  himseK  to  be  ridden.  I  once  happened 
to  mention  this  fact  at  our  private  dinner- 
table,  in  presence  of  a  distinguished  major, 
who  had  been  boasting  largely  of  his  prowess 
n  the  saddle,  and  who  at  once  offered  to  lay 


HUNTINa.  129 

me  ten  to  one  that  he  would  master  the 
animal  in  question  within  five  minutes.  *^  I 
do  not  bet,'*  I  said,  "  but  I  will  venture  to 
assert  that  you  will  not  be  able  to  ride  hiui 
out  of  the  yard  within  as  many  hours."  He 
took  me  up  at  once,  and,  as  a  good  many 
sporting  men  were  dining  with  us,  who 
evidently  enjoyed  the  prospect  of  a  little 
excitement,  I  quietly  called  a  servant,  and 
sent  orders  to  the  groom  to  saddle  Bigwig 
without  delay.  It  was  a  lovely  evening  in 
summer,  and  we  all  adjourned  to  the  yard  to 
view  the  performance. 

The  moment  my  beautiful  pet  saw  me  he 
whinnied  joyously  and  strove  to  approach  me, 
but  I  dared  not  go  near  him,  in  case  it  should 
be  thought  that  by  any  sort  of  '^  Free- 
masonry"  I  induced  him  to  carry  out  my 
words.  The  sight  was  most  amusing;  the 
gentlemen  all  standing  about,  smoking  and 
laughing ;  the  horse  suspicious,  and  not  at 
ease,  quietly  held  by  the  groom,  whose  face 
was  in  a  grin  of  expectation,  for  none  knew 
better  than  he  what  was  likely  to  ensue.  The 
major  prepared  to  mount,  and  Bigwig  stood 

9 


130  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

with  the  utmost  placidity ;  although  I  must 
confess  he  was  naughty  enough  to  cast  back 
an  eye,  which  augured  no  good  to  the  gallant 
representative  of  Her  Majesty's  service.  He 
mounted  without  difficulty,  took  up  the  reins, 
and  evidently  prepared  for  a  struggle;  but 
none  such  ensued.  Bigwig  tucked  his  tail 
very  tight  to  his  body,  walked  quietly  for- 
ward for  a  yard  or  two,  and  then,  suddenly 
standing  up  as  straight  as  a  whip,  the  defeated 
major  slid  over  his  tail  upon  the  hard  ground, 
whilst  the  horse  trotted  back  to  his  box. 

I  have  related  for  you  this  anecdote,  not 
merely  for  your  amusement,  but  to  teach  you 
never  to  boast.  A  braggart  is  ever  the  first  to 
faU,  and  nobody  sympathizes  with  him.  If 
you  become  ever  so  successful  in  your  manage- 
ment of  horses,  do  not  exert  yourself  to  pro- 
claim it.  Suffer  others  to  find  it  out  if  they 
will ;  but  do  not  tell  them  of  it,  lest  some 
day  you  share  the  fate  of  the  prostrate  and 
discomfited  major. 


HUNTING.  131 


1 


CHAPTEE  X. 

DEEDING   HOESES. — FOEAGE-BISCUITS. — IRISH    PEA- 
SANTRY.  A  CUNNING  IDIOT. A  CABIN  SUPPER. 

— THE     ROGUISH    MULE. — A     DAY     AT     COUR- 
TOWN. — ^paddy's   OPINION   OF   THE   EMPRESS. 

I  SAID  at  the  commencement  of  these  pages 
that  I  should  offer  little  or  no  discourse  upon 
the  general  management  of  horses  ;  yet,  in  one 
reserved  instance,  I  may  be  permitted  to  break 
through  my  rule.  If  you  want  your  hunters 
to  thrive,  do  not  let  them  have  a  single  grain 
of  raw  oats.  People  have  laughed  at  me  when 
I  said  this,  and  have  scarcely  waited  for  the 
turning  of  my  back  to  call  me  a  mad  woman ; 
but  a  few  of  the  scoffers  have  since  come  to 
thank  me,  and  if  you  adopt  my  plan  you  will 

9  * 


132  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

think  that  this  little  volume  would  have  been 
cheap  at  a  ten-pound  note.  There  are,  of 
course,  times  when  raw  oats  must  be  given^ 
for  your  horse  may  not  always  be  in  your  own 
stable.  At  such  times  it  is  a  good  plan  to 
mix  chopped  clover  or  grass  through  the 
feeding,  taking  care  that  grain  and  clover  be 
thoroughly  mingled.  The  judicious  mixture 
of  green  meat  wdll  go  far  towards  counteracting^ 
the  binding  effects  which  raw  oats  will  be 
likely  to  have  upon  a  horse  not  accustomed  to- 
it,  and  will  also  induce  him  to  masticate  his 
food,  which  an  animal  inured  to  softer  feeding^ 
will  otherwise  be  apt  to  neglect,  wasting  the 
corn  by  dropping  it  from  his  mouth  in  a 
slobbering  fashion,  making  no  use  whatever  of 
his  grinders,  and  swallowing  a  certain  portion 
without  chewing  it  at  all.  I  am,  for 
various  tried  reasons,  a  thorough  advocate  for 
Mayhew's  and  Shingler's  style  of  feeding  upon 
cooked  food,  mingled,  of  course,  with  good 
sweet  hay,  or  an  admixture  of  the  juicy  grasses 
upon  which  the  animal  in  its  unfettered  state 
would  be  prone  to  live. 

In  my  stable-yard  are  a  large  boiler  and  an 


HUNTING.  133 

unlimited  supply  of  good  water.  The  groom 
boils  sufficient  oats  to  do  for  two  or  three 
days,  and,  when  cool,  mixes  through  it  a 
small  proportion  of  bruised  Indian  corn.  On 
this  the  horses  are  fed  as  with  ordinary  oats 
three  times  daily,  and  so  enjoy  the  feeding 
that  not  one  grain  is  left  in  the  mangers, 
which  are  placed  low  upon  the  ground.  The 
surest  proof  of  the  efficacy  of  this  excellent 
and  economical  feeding  is  that  my  horses 
never  sweat,  never  blow,  never  tire.  When 
other  hunters  are  standing  still,  mine  have 
not  turned  a  hair ;  and,  as  prize-winners  and 
brilliant  goers,  they  cannot  be  excelled. 

The  principle  I  go  on  is  this : — If  I  eat  a 
•cupful  of  raw  rice,  it  certainly  does  me  no 
good  ;  but  if  I  boil  it,  it  makes  three  or  four 
times  the  quantity  of  good,  wholesome, 
digestible  food,  every  grain  of  which  goes  to 
the  nourishment  of  my  body.  And  it  is 
precisely  so  with  the  oats  and  the  horse.  In 
addition  to  this  feeding,  I  give  abuuda  n^e  of 
good,  sweet,  moist  hay,  varied  by  green  food  in 
summer,  substituting  carrots  in  the  winter- 
time, of  which  vegetable  they  are  particularly 


134  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

fond.  The  carrots  are  given  whole,  either 
from  my  hand  or  put  loosely  in  the  manger. 
I  never  suffer  them  to  be  cut  up,  unless  it  be 
done  very  finely,  either  by  myself  or  under  my 
supervision,  to  induce  a  dehcate  feeder  to 
taste  his  food  through  which  the  chopped 
carrots  are  rubbed.  Grooms,  with  their 
accustomed  ignorance,  are  almost  always  in 
favour  of  the  *^  cutting  up,"  but  I  regard  it  as 
a  most  dangerous  practice.  If  the  carrot  be 
left  whole  the  horse  will  nibble  at  it,  and  will 
bite  off  just  such  pieces  as  he  knows  he  can 
chew  and  swallow,  but  there  is  more  than 
one  instance  upon  record  of  horses  choking 
themselves  with  pieces  of  cut  carrot,  and  very 
many  who  have  nearly  done  so.  I  can  feed 
my  horses  upon  this  system  for  very  little 
more  than  half  the  sum  which  my  neighbours 
are  expending,  with  advantages  which  are 
certainly  fourfold.  I  consider  it  an  excellent- 
plan  to  vary  horses'  feeding,  as  it  tells  quite 
as  beneficially  upon  animals  as  upon  ourselves ; 
— and  for  this  purpose  there  cannot,  in  my 
opinion,  be  anything  better  than  the  forage- 
biscuits,    manufactured    by    Spratt    &    Co.^ 


HUNTING.  135 

Henry  Street,  London,  ten  of  which  are  equal 
to  one  good  feed  of  oats,  and  are  so  relished 
that  not  so  much  as  a  crumb  is  suffered  to  go 
to  waste.  They  combine  all  the  most  nutritious 
of  grains,  with  dates  and  linseed  added  in  such 
proportions  as  experience  has  pointed  out  to 
the  inventor  to  be  the  best.  They  are  then 
baked,  and  thoroughly  dried,  so  that  they  are 
entirely  deprived  of  moisture,  and  wiU  con- 
sequently keep  good  for  any  length  of  time. 
The  baking  process  being  complete,  they  are, 
when  eaten,  practically  half-digested, — or,  as 
I  may  say,  they  present  the  materials  to  the 
horse  in  the  most  digestible  form  in  which  it 
is  possible  to  give  them.  There  are  certain 
chemicals  used  in  very  minute  quantities  in 
the  manufacture  of  these  biscuits,  which  are 
productive  of  highly  beneficial  effects  upon 
animals  thus  fed, — improving  their  muscular 
development,  and  imparting  to  their  coats  a 
pecuHarly  healthy  and  brilliant  appearance. 
One  feed  of  the  forage-biscuits  three  or  four 
times  weekly  is  the  proper  allowance, — and 
they  should  be  given  whole,  as  the  same 
objection   appHes  to  the  breaking  of    them 


136  LADIES    ON   HORSEBACK. 

as  I  have  set  forth  in  my  dissertation  upon 
the  cutting  up  of  carrots. 

I  now  desire  to  warn  you  that  if  you 
hunt  in  Ireland  you  must  be  prepared  for 
the  laughable  and  most  ingenious  frauds 
which  the  poor  people — alas  !  how  poor — will 
certainly  endeavour  to  practise  upon  you. 
I  can,  and  do  most  fully,  commiserate  their 
poverty,  but  with  their  attempts  at  im- 
position I  have  long  since  lost  patience. 
Doubtless  they  think  that  everybody  who 
hunts  is  of  necessity  a  rich  person,  and 
conceive  the  idea  that  by  fleecing  the  wealthy 
they  will  aid  in  blotting  out  the  poverty  of 
the  land.  Nothing  delights  the  old  cottage- 
woman  more  than  to  kill  an  ancient  hen  or 
duck  on  a  hunting-morning,  and  then,  when 
the  hunt  comes  sweeping  past  her  door,  out 
rushes  the  beldame  with  the  bird  concealed 
beneath  her  apron,  and  throwing  it  deftly — 
positively  by  a  species  of  sleight  of  hand — 
beneath  your  horse's  hoofs,  kicks  up  a  mighty 
whining,  and  declares  that  you  have  "  kilt  her 
beauty-ful  fowl !  "  I  was  so  taken  aback  upon 
the  first  of  these  occasions  that  I   actually 


HUNTING.  137 

stopped  and  paid  the  price  demanded ;  but, 
finding  that  the  same  thing  occurred  the 
following  week  in  a  different  locality,  I 
ascertained  that  it  was  a  trick  and  declined  to 
be  further  hocussed. 

It  is  likewise  a  common  thing  for  a  man  to ' 
accost  you,  demanding  a  shilling,  and  declaring 
that  it  was  he  who  pulled  your  ladyship's 
horse  out  of  the  ditch  or  quagmire  on  such 
and  such  a  day.  You  do  not  remember  ever 
having  seen  his  face  before ;  but  if  you  are  a 
hard-riding  lady  you  will  be  so  frequently 
assisted  out  of  difficulties  that  you  cannot 
undertake  to  say  who  nor  how  many  may  have 
helped  you  unrewarded,  and,  being  unwilling 
that  any  should  so  suffer,  you  bestow  the  coin, 
most  likely  in  many  instances,  until  you  find 
that  your  generosity  has  become  known  and 
is  consequently  being  traded  upon. 

I  remember  one  day,  a  couple  of  winters 
ago,  when  returning  from  hunting,  I  lost  my 
way,  and  being  desirous  of  speedily  re-linding 
it,  I  accosted  a  ragged  being  whom  I  saw 
standing  at  a  corner  where  four  roads  met, 
and  inquired  of  him  the  most  direct  route  to 


138  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

the  point  wliicli  I  was  desirons  of  reaching. 
The  creature  hitched  his  shoulders,  scratched 
his  collarless  neck,  pushed  the  hat  from  his 
sunburnt  forehead,  and,  finally,  looking  down 
and  rubbing  the  fore-finger  of  his  right  hand 
upon  the  palm  of  his  left,  thus  delivered  him- 
self: 

**  I  axed  him  for  a  ha'penny,  and  he  wouldn't 
give  it  to  me ;  but  he  put  his  hand  into  his 
pocket  and  pulled  out  a  pinny,  and  gave  it  to 
me,  and  I  took  it  in — ho,  ho  !  and  he  gave  me 
a  letter  to  take  up  to  Mrs.  Johnston,  and  when 
I  took  it  to  her,  she  opened  it  and  read  it. 
Now,  didn't  I  give  her  the  letter  ?  '\ 

"  Keally,"  said  I,  ^*  I  know  nothing  about 
Mrs.  Johnston  nor  her  letter.  I  want  to  know 
the  nearest  way  to  Dunboyne  station." 

"I  axed  him  for  a  ha'penny,"  began  the 
man  again.  And  then  I  had  the  whole  story 
of  the  *'  pinny"  and  "Mrs.  Johnston  "  repeated 
for  me  over  and  over,  without  a  smile  or  any 
variation,  until  my  vexation  vanished,  and  I 
fairly  roared  with  laughter.  Guessing  at  once 
how  the  land  lay,  I  produced  a  little  coin 
with  which  I  presented  him,   and  which  he 


HUNTING.  139 

immediately  pocketed,  and,  touching  his 
ragged  feather,  pointed  down  one  of  the  roads, 
and  said  quite  sensibly,  **  That's  the  right 
road,  my  lady."  And  so  I  found  it.  This 
man,  I  was  subsequently  informed,  made  quite 
a  respectable  maintenance  by  stationing  him- 
seK  at  the  cross-roads  on  daily  duty,  and 
informing  every  passer-by  that  he  **  axed 
for  a  ha'penny  "  but  was  generously  treated  to 
a  **  pinny,"  together  with  the  story  of  Mrs. 
Johnston  and  her  letter,  accompanied  by  all 
the  shruggings,  and  scratchings,  and  snif&ngs, 
which  never  failed  to  provoke  the  laughter  of 
the  hearer  and  to  elicit  the  coveted  coin. 

The  Irish,  with  all  their  little  faihngs,  are 
a  hospitable  people,  and  full  of  pungent  wit. 
I  was  one  evening  wending  my  way  to  Sallins 
station,  after  a  long  and  wearisome  day's 
hunting.  My  tired  horse  was  suffering  from 
an  over-reach,  and  I  was  taking  him  as  quietly 
as  I  could,  consistently  with  my  anxiety  to  be 
in  time  to  catch  the  train  by  which  I  desired 
to  return  to  town.  So  utterly  jaded  were  we 
both — I  and  my  steed — that  the  way  appeared 
very  long  indeed,  and  I  asked  the  first  country- 


140  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

man  whom  I  met  how  far  it  was  to  Sallins. 
*'  Three  miles,"  he  told  me,  and  I  jogged  on 
again.  When  we  had  traversed  quite  a  long 
distance,  and  I  thought  I  must  be  very  near 
my  journey's  end,  I  ventured  upon  asking  the 
same  question  of  a  farmer  whom  I  met  riding 
a  big  horse  in  an  opposite  direction  to  that  in 
which  I  was  myself  going.  It  was  a  matter 
of  about  two  miles,  he  told  me,  or  mayhap 
three,  but  not  more  he  thought,  and  I  was 
certainly  not  going  wrong  ;  I  was  on  the  right 
road,  and  no  mistake.  I  took  out  my  watch. 
No  hope  for  me  now.  I  w^as  undoubtedly 
late  for  the  train  which  I  had  hoped  to  catch, 
and  must  wait  two  long  hours  for  the  next.  A 
poor-looking  little  cottage  was  close  at  hand ; 
to  it  I  trotted,  and  looked  in  at  the  door.  The 
family  were  at  supper,  all  gathered  about  a 
narrow  table,  in  the  middle  of  which  lay  a 
pile  of  unpeeled  potatoes  and  a  little  salt. 
The  mule,  upon  which  much  of  their  fortune 
depended,  was  supping  with  them  ;  thrusting 
his  poor  attenuated  nose  over  the  shoulders 
of  the  children,  and  occasionally  snatching  a 
potato,  always  receiving  a  box  for  so  doing,  to 


HUNTING.  141 

•which,  however,  he  paid  no  sort  of  heed.  I 
was  at  once  invited  to  enter,  and  gladty 
accepted  the  invitation,  for  I  was  cold  and 
tired,  pleased  to  ease  my  horse  and  get  him 
a  draught  of  meal  and  water.  I  sat  down  in 
he  chimney-corner,  thankful  for  the  rest, 
but  determined  to  withstand  all  entreaties  to 
share  the  family  supper,  and  my  risible  facul- 
ties were  sorely  put  to  the  test,  w^hen  my 
host,  balancing  a  potato  upon  his  fork  and 
dipping  it  in  the  salt,  presented  it  to  me, 
saying,  ''  Arrah  !  take  it  my  lady,  just  /or  the 
jig  o'  the  thing!''  Of  course  I  took  it;  and 
never  have  I  enjoyed  the  richest  luxury  of  an 
a  la  Russe  dinner  more  than  that  simple  potato 
in  a  poor  man's  cabin,  in  company  with  the 
mule  and  the  pigs.  When  I  stood  up  to  go 
I  carefully  inquired  the  distance,  for  it  was 
dark,  and  I  had  long  since  lost  the  remainder 
of  my  party.  The  man  offered  to  accompany 
me  to  the  station,  and  I  believe  he  was 
actuated  solely  by  civility,  and  not  by  any 
hope  of  gain.  My  horse  was  sadly  done  up  ; 
he  had  stiffened  on  the  over-reach,  and  limped 
painfully.     We   proceeded   but    slowly,    and, 


142  LADIES    ON    HOKSEBACK. 

sighing  for  the  patient  suffering  of  my  dearly- 
loved  steed,  I  made  the  observation  that  the 
miles  were  very  long  indeed.  "  They  are  long, 
my  lady,"  said  the  man,  who  was  walking 
before  me  with  a  lanthorn ;  **  but,  shure  and 
faith,  if  they're  long  they're  narra' !  "  And 
with  this  most  intelligent  observation  he 
closed  his  mouth,  and  left  me  to  ponder  upon 
it  undisturbed  until  we  arrived  at  the  station. 

One  more  anecdote,  and  I  have  done  with 
them. 

On  one  of  last  season's  hunting-days  the 
hounds  met  at  Courtown,  and  great  excitement 
was  abroad,  for  the  Imperial  lady  was  expected 
to  join  the  chase.  She  was,  however,  pre- 
vented through  indisposition  from  attending, 
but  Prince  Liechtenstein  and  a  very  dis- 
tinguished company  came  over  from  Summer- 
hill.  As  we  were  trotting  to  the  covert  the 
country-folks  were  all  on  the  alert,  for  not 
having  heard  of  the  disappointment  respecting 
the  Empress  they  were  anxiously  expecting 
her,  and  many  were  the  surmises  respecting 
her  identity.  I  was  riding  close  to  the  front, 
escorted  by  Lord  Cloncurry,  and  as  we  swept 


HUNTING.  143 

past  one  of  the  wayside  cottages,  two  men 
and  a  woman  rushed  out  to  stare  at  us  and  to 
give  their  opinions  upon  the  *'  Impress." 
"  Which  is  she  ?  ''  cried  the  female,  shading 
her  eyes  to  have  a  good  look, — *^That  must 
be  her  in  front,  with  his  lordship.  Oh  !  isn't 
she  lovely  ?    A  quane,  every  inch  !  *' 

"  Arrah!  shut  up,  woman,"  said  one  of  the 
men,  testily  interrupting  her.  "  That's  not 
her  at  all,  nor  a  taste  Hke  her !  The  Impress 
is  a  good'lookin'  woman,^^  I  need  not  say  that 
this  genuinely-uttered  remark  took  the  wind 
completely  out  of  my  sails,  and  that  I  have 
never  since  dreamed  of  comparing  my  personal 
appearance  with  that  of  any  woman  whom  an 
Irishman  would  call  **  good-lookin'.'* 


144  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 


CHAPTEK    XI. 

THE      DOUBLE-RISE. — POINTING     OUT     THE      RIGHT 

FOOT. THE      FORCE      OF      HABIT. VARIOUS 

KINDS     OF      FAULT-FINDING. — MR.      STURGESS* 

PICTURES. — AN     ENGLISH     HARVEST-HOME. A 

JEALOUS    SHREW. A    SHY   BLACKSMITH. HOW 

IRISHMEN    GET    PARTNERS   AT    A   DANCE. 

I  SHALL  now  touch  very  briefly  upon  one  or 
two  points  which  I  have  not  before  mentioned, 
but  which  may,  nevertheless,  prove  interesting: 
to  some  lady  riders. 

Firstly,  then,  I  shall  speak  of  the  annoyance 
— ^sometimes  a  serious  one — which  ladies 
experience  from  what  is  known  as  the  double 
nse  in  the  trot.  I  have  been  asked  is  it  pre- 
ventible.  Before  suggesting  a  remedy  for 
anything — be  it   ailment   or  habit — we  must 


HUNTlNa.  145 

endeavour  to  get  at  the  cause  of  the  evil  com- 
plained of.  The  most  successful  medical  men 
are  those  who  first  take  time  and  pains  to 
ascertain  the  wherefore,  and  then  seek  to  effect 
the  cure. 

The  extremely  ungraceful  and  unpleasant 
motion  known  as  the  **  double  rise  "  is  attribut- 
able to  two  distinct  causes.  It  is  due  either  to 
the  horse  or  to  the  rider,  and  to  the  one  quite 
as  frequently  as  to  the  other.  A  large,  heavy 
animal,  with  slow  and  clumsy  action  will,  if 
ridden  by  a  lady,  be  almost  certain  to  necessi- 
tate the  double  rise.  This  I  know  by  the 
certainty  derived  from  experience.  I  was 
staying  some^time  ago  at  a  house  in  the  midst 
of  our  finest  hunting  county  in  Ireland, 
namely,  royal  Meath.  The  owner  was  a 
great  hunting-man  in  both  senses  of  the  word, 
for  he  was  a  superb  cross-country  rider,  and, 
if  put  in  the  scales,  would  pull  down  sixteen 
stone.  Being  a  top-weight^  he  always  rode 
immense  horses — elephants  I  used  to  call 
them,  greatly  to  his  indignation.  Very  good- 
he  was  about  lending  me  one  of  these  huge 
creatures  whenever  I  felt  desirous  of  joining 

10 


146  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

the  chase,  which  I  confess  was  but  seldom, 
for  the  first  day  upon  which  I  accepted  a 
mount  we  left  off  eighteen  miles  from  home, 
and  I  was  so  exhausted  by  the  time  we 
arrived  there,  that  I  fairly  fainted  before 
reaching  my  own  chamber.  It  was  not  the 
distance  which  tired  me,  although  it  was  a 
pretty  good  one,  but  the  fact  that  I  was 
troubled  with  the  double-rise  all  the  way. 
I  strove  in  vain  to  remedy  it  by  urging  my 
gigantic  steed  to  a  faster  trot,  and  making 
him  go  up  to  his  bridle ;  but  the  moment  I 
began  to  experience  a  little  relief,  my  com- 
panion— dear  old  man,  now  in  heaven ! — would 
say,  **Well,  that  is  the  worst  of  ladies 
riding :  they  must  always  either  creep  in  a 
walk,  or  bucket  their  horses  along  at  an 
unnecessary  pace.  Why  can't  you  jog  on 
quietly,  as  I  do  ?  "  He  was  clearly  not  suffer- 
ing from  the  annoyance  which  was  vexing 
and  fatiguing  me.  I  looked  at  him  closely, 
watched  his  motion  in  the  saddle — that  slow, 
slow  rise  and  fall — I  compared  it  with  mine, 
our  pace  being  the  same,  and  the  mystery  was 
at  once  solved.    Both  horses  were  trotting 


HUNTING.  147 

exactly  together,  keeping  step,  as  the  saying 
goes,  yet  my  companion  was  at  ease  whilst  I 
was  in  torment.  Why  was  this  ?  Because  he 
had  a  leg  at  either  side  of  his  mount,  his 
weight  equally  distributed,  and  an  equal 
support  upon  both  sides ;  in  fact,  he  had,  as 
all  male  riders  have,  the  advantage  of  a  double 
support  in  the  rise ;  consequently,  at  the 
moment  when  his  weight  was  removed  from 
the  saddle,  it  was  thrown  upon  both  feet,  and 
this  equal  distribution  enabled  him  to  accom- 
phsh  without  fatigue  that  slow  rise  and  fall 
which  is  so  tiring  to  a  lady,  whose  weight 
when  she  is  out  of  the  saddle  is  thrown 
entirely  upon  one  delicate  Hmb,  thus  inducing 
her  to  fall  again  as  soon  as  possible,  which, 
if  riding  a  clumsy  animal,  she  is  constrained  to 
do  at  variance,  as  it  were,  with  his  tedious  and 
heavy  motion,  and  hence  the  inconvenience 
of  the  double  rise. 

To  illustrate  my  meaning,  and  explain  more 
fully  how  it  happens  that  men  never  complain 
of  this  particular  evil :  a  man  will  be  able  to 
stand  in  his  stirrups  for  a  considerable  time, 
even  to  ride  a  gallop  so  doing,  because  he 

10  * 


148  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

ia^ansfers  his  weight  eqimlkj  to  his  feet;  but 
liow  rarely  do  we  see  a  lady  balanced  upon 
one  leg !  Never,  except  it  be  for  a  single 
instant  whilst  arranging  her  skirt  or  trying 
her  stirrup.  The  sensation  is  not  agreeable, 
and  would  be,  moreover,  unpleasantly  pro- 
ductive of  wrung  backs. 

A  heavy  horse  is  never  in  any  way  suitable 
to  a  lady.  It  looks  amiss.  The  trot  is  invariably 
laboured,  and  if  the  animal  should  chance  to 
fall,  he  gives  his  rider  what  we  know  in  the 
hunting-field  as  "  a  mighty  crusher  !  "  It  is, 
indeed,  a  rare  thing  to  meet  a  perfect  "  lady's 
horse.'*  In  all  my  wide  experience  I  have 
met  but  two.  Breeding  is  necessary  for 
stability  and  speed — two  things  most  essential 
to  a  hunter ;  but  good  light  action  is,  for  a 
roadster,  positively  indispensable,  and  a  horse 
who  does  not  possess  it  is  a  burden  to  his 
rider,  and  is,  moreover,  exceedingly  unsafe,  as 
he  is  apt  to  stumble  at  every  rut  and  stone. 

The  double  rise  may  also,  as  I  said,  be  quite 
attributable  to  the  rider.  A  careless  way  of 
riding  may  occasion  it,  sitting  loosely  in  the 
saddle,  and  allowing  your  horse  to  go  asleep 


HUNTING.  149 

over  his  work.  Pull  your  mount  together,  so 
as  to  throw  his  weight  upon  his  haunches,  not 
upon  his  shoulders.  Keep  your  reins  close  in 
hand.  Eise,  so  that  you  shall  be  out  of  the 
saddle  when  his  off  fore-leg  is  thrown  out, 
and  I  do  not  think  you  will  have  much  to 
complain  of  from  the  annoyance  occasioned 
by  the  double  rise. 

I  have  dwelt  upon  this  subject  because  so 
many  have  asked  me  privately  for  a  cure  for 
it,  and  I  have  surmised  that  numerous  others, 
who  have  not  had  opportunity — nor  perhaps 
courage — to  ask,  will  nevertheless  be  pleased 
to  receive  a  hint. 

It  has  also  been  inquired  of  me  whether 
there  is  any  remedy  for  that  excessively 
unsightly  practice  of  sticking  out  the  right 
foot  when  in  the  saddle,  as  we  have  seen  so 
many  ladies  do,  until  the  toe  is  positively 
almost  resting  upon  the  horse's  neck.  There 
is,  of  course,  a  remedy ;  a  nlost  effectual  one. 
Don't  do  it.  It  is  quite  possible  and  even  easy 
to  keep  the  right  leg  as  close  to  the  saddle  as 
the  left,  the  toe  pointing  downward,  and  the 
knee   well  bent.     I  know,  however,  that  in 


150  LADIBB    ON    HORSEBACK. 

some  cases  the  position  objected  to  is  conse-^ 
quent  upon  the  np-pommel  of  the  saddle 
being  placed  too  near  the  off  one,  thus  there 
is  not  sufficient  space  for  the  leg  to  lie  easily, 
and  consequently  it  sticks  out  in  the  ungrace- 
ful manner  so  often  seen  and  deplored. 

In  many  instances,  also,  it  is  habit ;  a  bad 
practice,  indulged  in  at  first  without  notice, 
and  then,  when  confirmed,  most  difficult  to 
eradicate.  These  pernicious  habits  are  ex- 
tremely apt  to  grow  upon  all  of  us,  unless 
most  carefully  watched,  I  have  seen  ladies 
utterly  disfigure  their  appearance  in  the  saddle 
by  placing  a  hand  upon  their  side,  or,  worse 
again,  behind  their  back,  and  riding  along  in 
this  jaunty  style  with  an  air  as  though  they 
thought  themselves  the  most  elegant  creatures 
in  creation.  Others  keep  their  elbows  a-kimbo, 
and  fairly  churn  themselves  in  the  saddle  with 
every  rise  and  fall.  Others,  again,  acquire  a 
habit  of  tipping  their  horse  with  the  whip  in 
an  altogether  unnecessary  manner.  It  is  not 
actually  enough  to  hurt  the  animal,  but  is 
amply  sufficient  to  worry  and  ruffie  his 
temper.     No  horse  fit  to  carry  a  lady  requires 


HUNTING.  151 

to  be  constantly  reminded  of  his  work.  A 
wliip  in  a  woman's  hand  should  be  more  for 
show,  and  to  give  completeness  to  the  picture, 
than  for  purposes  of  castigation.  Nothing 
looks  worse  nor  more  ungentle  than  to  see  it 
wantonly  applied.  It  has  been  said,  **  Spare 
the  rod  and  spoil  the  child,"  but  I  cannot 
agree  with  the  theory.  Eod  and  whip  may 
be  alike  useful  in  (happily)  isolated  cases,  but 
I  do  not  envy  the  disposition  of  child  or 
animal  who  cannot  be  made  amenable  by  less 
ungentle  means.  Practices  which  are  the 
result  of  habit  may  be  checked,  and  quite 
effectually,  by  the  bestowal  of  a  little  care. 
We  want  first  some  kindlv  friend  to  tell  us  of 
them ;  we  next  require  the  common  sense 
and  good  feeling  not  to  be  offended  at  the 
telHng ;  and,  finally,  we  need  the  patience 
and  perseverance  which  are  born  of  the  deter- 
mination to  overcome  the  fault.  With  regard 
to  the  telling,  how  few  of  us  know  how  to 
tell !  There  are  just  the  two  ways,  or  perhaps 
I  should  say  three.  There  is  the  cold,  carp- 
ing, disagreeable  fault-finding  manner,  which 
picks  holes  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  picking 


152  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

them,  and  the  unworthy^  delight  of  seeing 
how  the  victim  writhes  beneath  the  torture. 
There  is  the  snake-like,  insidious  fault- 
finding— the  worst  and  most  dangerous  of 
all — which  invariably  commences  with  the 
words,  '*  You  know,  my  dear,  I  am  only 
telling  you  for  your  own  good."  This  species 
of  fault-finding  is  pecuHar  to  the  female  friend, 
and  is  invariably  served  up  with  an  admixture 
of  honey  and  gall,  so  skilfully  compounded 
that  the  very  soul  of  the  listener  is  exercised 
and  deceived.  "Her  words  were  smoother 
than  oil,  yet  were  they  drawn  swords.'' 
Lastly,  there  is  the  genuine,  honest,  open- 
hearted,  fault-finding,  which  bears  no  malice, 
and  is  too  true  to  clothe  itself  with  the  gar- 
ment of  deceit.  By  this  alone  we  should 
be  influenced  or  seek  to  influence  others ; 
but,  for  my  own  part,  as  I  have  already  said, 
I  have  found  the  world  so  inordinately 
self-opinionated  and  determined  not  to  be 
advised,  that  I  have  long  since  ceased  to  offer 
counsel,  and  only  give  it  when  requested. 
Long  ago,  when  I  first  began  to  write,  I  was 
jealous  of  all  interference,  and  invariably  pre- 


HUNTING.  153 

faced  my  letters  to  my  Editors  with,  "  Please 
do  not  alter  anything  in  my  J  MS/*  Poor 
blind  child  I  was  then,  groping  about  in  the 
dark,  and  sadly  needing  the  helping  hand 
which  I  was  so  obstinately  rejecting.  Well, 
we  gain  sense  with  years,  and  wisdom  with 
experience.  Now  that  I  have  got  on  in  the 
world,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  I  am  only 
too  anxious  for  advice,  and  ready  to  grasp  at 
every  friendly  hint. 

And  so  it  should  be  with  riding  as  with 
writing.  Take  all  kindly  counsel  in  good 
part,  and  if  given  advice  ask  for  more.  Bad 
habits  grow  upon  us  with  giant  force ;  they 
strengthen  with  our  strength,  because  we  know 
not  of  them,  or  blindly  refuse  to  be  controlled. 
I  dare  say  a  good  many  of  us  are  acquainted 
with  a  very  famous  queen  of  song  who  always 
holds  her  hands  crossed  and  her  thumbs 
turned  stiffly  up  whilst  she  is  singing.  I  do 
not  beheve  she  is  at  all  aware  of  the  pecu- 
liarity of  her  attitude,  and  perhaps  she  could 
not  sing  half  so  well  nor  sweetly  if  she  altered 
it.  In  Hke  manner  I  told  you,  in  the  earlier 
portion  of  this  volume,  of  a  young  lady  who 


154  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

could  not  ride  a  yard  without  laying  a  firm  grip 
upon  the  off-pommel  of  her  saddle.  These 
things  are  habit ;  we  do  them  without  con- 
sciousness ;  we  are  not  aware  of  anything 
unusual  in  ourselves,  but  when  the  knowledge 
comes  to  us  (which  it  soon  will  if  we  are  known 
to  possess  sufficient  sweetness  to  take  a  hint) 
we  should  turn  it  to  advantage,  and  so 
.  improve  with  time. 

I  recollect  that  when  these  writings  of 
mine  were  first  issued  in  the  journal  to  which 
they  originally  owed  their  appearance,  a  dear 
lady  wrote  to  me  all  the  way  from  Ehode 
Island,  U.S.A.,  asking  me  for  hints  upon 
various  subjects,  and  hkewise  offering  me  a 
few  such,  with  so  much  sweetness  that  I  not 
alone  accepted,  but  welcomed  and  adopted 
them.  She  asked  me  many  questions  relative 
to  the  pictures  with  which  my  various  subjects 
were  illustrated,  and  admired  very  warmly  the 
spirited  drawings  which  Mr.  Sturgess  had 
made  of  my  leap  into  the  farmyard  and  also 
of  "  The  first  fence.''  Many  of  my  readers 
may  recollect  them  ;  and  as  there  was,  at  the 
time,  much  discussion  respecting  the  position 


HUNTING.  IbJ 

of  my  feet  as  ponrtrayed  in  the  former  picture, 
I  take  this  opportunity  of  ranging  myseK  upon 
the  artist's  side,  for,  after  much  thoughtful 
inspection  of  the  picture,  I  arrived  at  the 
conclusion  that  he  was  perfectly  correct,  and 
the  position  quite  such  as  must  of  necessity 
be,  in  the  event  of  a  runaway  steed  clearing 
such  an  obstacle  with  a  wearied  and  startled 
rider  scarce  able  to  retain  her  seat  upon  his 
back.  Even  had  the  artist  been  mistaken — 
which  I  am  bound  to  say  he  was  not — the 
matter  need  scarcely  have  evoked  criticism, 
for  his  strong  point  is  his  dehneation"  of 
horses,  and  as  he  has  no  equal  in  this  par- 
ticular branch  of  art,  he  may  well  be  forgiven 
if  such  trifles  as  a  lady's  feet  occasionally 
puzzle  him  a  little  !  Moreover,  he  draws  with 
a  view  to  producing  effect  as  much  as  en- 
suring stereotyped  correctness.  I  recollect 
when  I  saw  that  picture  I  sounded  my  pro- 
test against  the  flowing  skirt  and  flying  veil : 
two  things  quite  foreign  to  my  style  of  riding- 
dress,  which  is  always  severely  close-fitting 
and  curtailed.  His  answer  certainly  carried 
weight.     The  skirt  and  veil  were    necessary 


156  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

to  impart  an  appearance  of  rapid  motion,  or 
flying  through  the  air.  He  was  quite  right, 
and  I  was  decidedly  wrong.  I  felt  ashamed 
of  myself,  begged  his  pardon  mentally,  and 
atoned  for  my  audacity  by  henceforward 
believing  blindly  in  his  judgment. 

I  recollect  laughing  much  at  the  time  at  a 
grave  suggestion  made  to  me  by  a  dear  old 
lady,  who  thought  there  might  be  a  particular 
reason  why  Mr.  Sturgess  was  (in  her  opinion) 
less  successful  in  depicting  lady  equestrians 
than  when  pursuing  any  other  branch  of  his 
enchanting  art.  Neither  she  nor  I  had  or 
have,  unfortunately,  the  pleasure  of  his  per- 
sonal acquaintance,  but  we  thought  there 
might  possibly  be  somebody  in  authority  who 
strongly  objected  to  his  studying  the  details 
of  the  fair  creatures  whom  he  has  occasionally 
to  draw.  To  show  that  such  things  may  be, 
and  actually  are,  in  real  life,  I  recollect  that 
when  I  was  staying  some  two  or  three  years 
ago  at  a  famous  house  in  the  north  of  Eng- 
land, a  gay  harvest-home  took  place,  and  the 
servants  and  labourers  had  a  dance  in  the 
barn.      I   and    my  husband,   our    host  and 


HUNTING.  157 

hostess,  and  numerous  guests  staying  at  the 
castle,  went  out  to  see  the  fan,  and  greatly 
was  I  struck  with  the  gallant  appearance  ol 
the  old  barn,  so  gaily  decorated  with  corn, 
and  the  fiddler  fiddling   away  upon  a  beer- 
barrel!      A  mighty  cheer  was  raised  for  us 
when  we  all,  in  full  evening  dress,  joined  the 
motley  company  of  revellers,  and  the  lord  of 
the  soil  led  off  a  country  dance  with  a  blushing 
mountain-lass,  followed  by  her  ladyship  with 
an  equally  humble  partner.     The  blacksmith 
was   an  Irishman,  and   looked  very  shy,  as 
Irishmen  invariably   do  in   presence   of   the 
fair  sex  (?)     I  knew  him  as  a  workman  upon 
the  estate — I  knew  also  that  his  wife,  a  very 
ugly  woman,  was  a  terribly  jealous  shrew — 
and,  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  mischief,  I  went 
and  asked  him  to  dance ;  but  he  only  grinned, 
blushed,  and  said,  <*  No,  thank  you,  ma'am ; 
I'm  a  married  man  /  "     My  husband,  who  was 
standing  by,  said  laughingly,  "  Why,  Brian, 
you  ought  to  feel  flattered  to  be  asked.     Give 
Mrs.  O'Donoghue   your  arm,  and  take  your 
place  for  the  dance."     "  0,  faix,"  said  Brian, 
hastening  to  obey,  '*if  you  have  no  objection, 


158  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

I'm  sure  I  have  none.  Let  her  come  on! 
Only/'  he  added,  pausing  and  scratching 
his  head,  **begorrah,  I  hope  my  wife  won't 
see  me ! " 


HUNTING.  169 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

SUBJECT    OF     FEEDING    RESUMED. — COOKED     FOOD 

RECOMMENDED. EFFECTS  OF  RAW  OATS  UPON 

"  PLEADER."  servants'        OBJECTIONS.  

SNAFFLE-BRIDLE,      AND     BIT-AND-BRIDOON. 

kindness    to    THE    POOR. AN     UNSYMPATHE- 
TIC   LADY. — AN    UNGALLANT    CAPTAIN. WHAT 

IS    A    GENTLEMAN? AU   BEVOIR  f 

My  remarks  upon  the  subject  of  feeding  horses, 
having  gained  publicity  through  the  columns 
of  the  press,  have  called  forth  much  comment 
and  adverse  criticism.  Some  have  evidently 
considered — and  have  not  he.sitated  to  say — 
that  I  have  written  the  veriest  twaddle  ;  but 
happily  there  is  a  reverse  side  to  the  picture, 
and  many  (including  one  very  august  personage 
indeed)  have   expressed  a    determination  to 


''.60  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

adopt  my  system.  Beans  are  such  excellent 
feeding  that  I  cannot  object  to  an  admixture 
of  them,  and  to  most  EngHsh  horses  they  are 
almost  a  necessity ;  but  in  Ireland  we  care  little 
about  them.  It  is  unwise  to  give  too  much  hay. 
I  said  **  abundance  "  on  a  former  page,  but  the 
word,  as  I  used  it,  did  not  signify  a  large 
quantity.  For  horses  led  three  times  daily 
upon  a  plentiful  measure  of  oats,  crushed 
Indian  corn,  and  beans  if  desired,  a  few 
handfuls  of  hay  will  be  amply  sufficient,  and 
this  should  be  placed  where  the  horse  can 
stoop  to  it,  but  never  above  him,  as  in  the 
effort  to  disengage  it  from  the  rack  the  seeds 
fall  in  his  eyes  and  produce  irritation,  and 
sometimes  permanent  disease. 

A  bran-mash  on  a  Saturday  night,  or  after 
a  hard  day,  forms  an  admirable  variety  o  the 
ordinary  feeding  routine.  Let  the  bran  be 
thoroughly  well  steeped  and  mixed,  and  a 
portion  of  cooked  oats  or  chopped  carrots 
intermingled  with  it.  This  will  induce  almost 
any  animal  to  partake  of  the  bran,  from  which 
otherwise  many  dehcate  feeders  will  resolutely 
turn. 


HUNTING.  161 

I  have  strongly  recommended  cooked 
feeding,  even  against  the  uproar  of  a  general 
outcry  against  it,  because  I  have  seen  and 
proved  its  efficacy.  Last  November,  on  the 
first  Tuesday  in  the  month — the  opening  day 
with  the  Kildare  hounds — we  had  a  splendid 
run,  during  which,  however,  I  was  amazed  to 
find  that  my  great  horse.  Pleader,  sweated 
heavily — a  thing  which  had  never  previously 
been  the  case.  In  fact,  it  had  always  been  my 
boast  that  when  other  horses  were  thoroughly 
done,  mine  had  not  turned  a  hair  ;  but,  on  the 
day  in  question,  he  was  in  a  white  lather,  and 
I  thought  appeared  distressed.  Upon  coming 
home,  and  speakiag  about  it  in  my  stable,  I 
was  informed  that  the  boiler  was  in  some 
way  out  of  order,  and  the  horses  had,  un- 
known to  me,  been  fed  upon  uncooked  oats 
during  the  preceding  three  days.  Had  I 
required  any  confirmation  of  my  theory,  this 
circumstance  would  certainly  have  famished 
it,  and  entirely  defeats  the  general  sup- 
position that  cooked  food  renders  horses 
soft. 

I  have  now  given  the  best  advice  I  can 

11 


162  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

upon  the  subject  of  feeding,  and  I  shall  not 
again  refer  to  it,  nor  to  anything  connected 
with  the  treatment  or  stable  management  of 
horses,  as  the  subject  is  an  endless  one,  every- 
body entertaining  an  opinion  of  his  own,  which 
it  shall  not  be  my  ambition  to  upset.  What 
I  have  said  has  been  in  kindness,  and  with  a 
view  to  benefiting  both  man  and  beast ;  but  I 
do  not  by  any  means  expect  the  majority  of 
my  readers  to  coincide  in  my  views.  There 
is  a  stolid  determination  general  throughout 
the  world  to  stick  to  old  customs  and  old- 
fashioned  ways  and  habits,  no  matter  how 
excellent  the  modern  ones  may  be,  and  so  the 
^* horse  and  mill"  go  daily  round.  Masters 
object  to  my  system  because  it  involves  an 
outlay  in  the  erecting  of  a  proper  boiler  and 
other  necessary  adjuncts ;  servants  object  to 
it  because  it  gives  them  a  little  additional 
trouble.  It  is  far  easier  to  lounge  to  the  oat- 
bin,  fill  a  measure  from  it,  and  thrust  it  before 
the  animal,  not  caring  whether  it  is  rejected 
or  otherwise,  than  to  fetch  the  water  and  fill 
the  boiler  and  go  through  the  labours  of  a 
process  which,  in  itseK  exceedingly  simple,  is 


HUNTING.  163 

made  to  appear  complicated  and  laborious  by 
the  amount  of  fass  and  discontent  which  are 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  work.  There  is  an 
old  saying,  "If  you  want  a  thing  well  done, 
do  it  yourself"  ;  but,  unfortunately,  there  are 
some  things — and  this  is  one — which  ladies 
and  gentlemen  cannot  do,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  whatever  that  servants  accustomed  to 
the  old  style  of  management  will  never 
willingly  adopt  the  new — imless  they  belong 
to  that  rare  and  select  and  most  exclusive  few 
who  have  their  masters'  interest  at  heart. 

Much  information  has  been  asked  of  me 
relative  to  the  subject  of  holding  reins.  How 
often  shall  I  say  that  there  is  no  fixed  rule, 
and  that  a  method  which  may  look  well  for 
park-riding  will  be  totally  out  of  place  in  the 
hunting-field.  I  have  been  asked  how  I  hold 
my  own  bridle,  and  I  shall  answer  that  I 
almost  invariably  ride  with  a  single  rein,  and 
you  can  understand  my  method  readily  if  you 
will  follow  me  whilst  I  endeavour  to  explain. 
Take  your  pocket-handkerchief,  pass  it  through 
the  back  of  any  ordinary  chair,  and  bring  the 
ends  evenly  towards  you,  holding  them  for 

11  * 


164  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

an  instant  with  your  right  hand,  which  musty 
pro  tern,,  represent  the  buckle.  Place  your  left 
hand  within  the  loop  thus  formed,  the  httle 
finger  resting  firmly  against  the  near-side, 
about  four  inches  above  the  right  hand;  grasp 
the  opposite  side  between  the  forefinger  and 
thumb,  left  hand  (the  two  sides  of  the  hand- 
kerchief representing  the  reins);  press  the 
off-side  sHghtly  inward  with  the  pressure  of 
your  thumb,  slipping  it  entirely  away  from 
the  control  of  the  right  hand ;  then  bring  the 
near-side,  which  still  is  held  loosely  by  the 
right,  under  the  thumb  of  the  left,  and  hold  it 
firmly.  You  will  thus  see  that  you  estabhsh 
a  sort  of  *'  cross  rein,"  and  that  you  have, 
and  are  able  to  maintain,  a  secure  grip  upon 
either  side.  By  an  outward  movement  or 
slight  turning  of  the  wrist,  accompanied  by 
pressure  of  the  httle  finger,  you  will  control 
your  horse  upon  the  near-side  of  his  mouth, 
whilst  by  an  inward  movement  and  pressure 
of  the  forefinger  you  will  be  able  to  command 
him  upon  the  other  or  off-side.  It  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  these  movements  should 
be  from  the  wrist  only,  and  not  from  the  arm 


HUNTING.  165 

or  shoulder.     A  good   rider  will    keep  the 
elbows  close  to  the  sides,  just  drawing  the 
line  finely  between  that  pinioned  look  which 
is  so  disfiguring,  and  the  detestable  flapping, 
like  the  wings  of  an  unquiet  bird,  in  which 
so  many  riders,   both  male   and  female,   so 
frequently  indulge.     I  have  seen  ladies,  who 
wished  to  have  an  appearance  of  hard  riding, 
leaning  forward  in  the  saddle  and  working  their 
elbows   in    an  unsightly  manner,  the  hands 
(inlluenced  by  the  elbows)  sawing  also,  and 
the  poor  horse,  with  open  mouth  and  straining 
jaws,  staggering  along  in  distress,  fighting  his 
bridle,  and  presenting  altogether  a  melancholy 
spectacle.     A  firm  even  seat,   elbows   close, 
head  erect,  and  strong  steady  hands  held  lu:r 
— these  are  the  characteristics  of  a  good  and 
lady-like  rider.     In  going  across  country  put 
both   hands   to  your    bridle,   and   keep  your 
horse's  head  straight  and  well  in  hand,  but 
do  not  attempt  to  pull  him  nor  interfere  with 
him  at  his  fences,  or  you  will  undoubtedly 
come  to  grief.     If  you  ride  with  a  bit  and 
bridoon  my  advice  is,  ride  your  horse — even 
though  he  be  a  puller — upon  the  snaffle,  and 


166  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

keep  the  curb  rein  looped  over  yoiir  little 
finger,  hanging  quite  loose,  yet  in  such  a 
position  that  you  can  if  necessary  take  it  up 
at  a  second's  notice. 

I  cannot  too  often  impress  upon  you  the 
advisability  of  being  conciHatory  and  kind  in 
your  manner  to  everybody  with  whom  you 
may  come  in  contact.  No  matter  how  exalted 
your  rank  may  be,  you  can  all  the  better 
afford  to  be  courteous  to  those  beneath  you. 
Kind  words  cost  nothing,  and  are  as  balm  to 
the  hearer.  Many  of  the  lower  orders  are 
quite  as  much  gentry  at  heart,  and  far  more 
so,  than  those  who  hide  their  unworthinesa 
beneath  the  convenient  shadow  of  a  ^*  family 
tree."  I  have  been  more  than  once  pained 
upon  hunting  days  by  the  extreme  contempt 
and  rudeness  with  which  ladies  have  treated 
the  poor,  who  have  asked  nothing  from  them 
save  the  innocent  and  inexpensive  privilege  of 
seeing  them  mount  and  canter  away  with  the 
field.  It  is  all  very  well  to  say,  "  I  do  not 
like  to  be  stared  at,"  but  even  to  those  wha 
most  dislike  it,  surely  it  is  worth  a  little  self- 
sacrifice  to  see  the  undisguised   enjoyment 


HUNTING.  167 

and  listen  to  tlie  original  observations  of  the 
Irish  peasantry,  to  whom  a  sight  of  the  hounds 
— especially  when  followed  by  ladies — is  a 
treat  they  never  care  to  miss. 

I  was  riding  last  winter  in  company  with  a 
lady,  very  noble,  very  handsome,  very  proud. 
We  came  up  to  a  branch  of  a  river,  upon  the 
brink  of  which  some  country  folk  had  gathered, 
with  the  innocent  desire  of  seeing  it  jumped. 
A  poor  man,  very  quiet-looking  and  harmless, 
was  actually  knocked  down  and  immersed  in 
the  water  by  a  reckless  young  officer,  who 
galloped  over  him,  and  went  on  without  even 
glancing  back  at  the  spot  where  the  poor  half- 
drowned  creature  stood  wringing  his  dripping 
clothing,  yet  not  uttering  a  syllable  of  re- 
proach. My  companion  roared  with  laughter, 
first  at  the  catastrophe,  and  then  at  me  for 
sympathising  with  the  sufferer.  "  Apologise  !  " 
she  cried,  in  a  high  key.  '^  How  could  Captain 
Dash  apologise  to  a  man  like  that  ?  It  would 
be  different  had  he  been  a  gentleman."  I 
thought  so  too,  if  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"he"  had  only  been  reversed;  but  I  said 
nothing,  and  we  went  on. 


168  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

A  few  fields  further  we  came  to  a  terrible 
obstacle — a  high  post  and  rails,  with  a  deep 
and  yawning  ditch  upon  the  landing   side. 
Three  or  four  of  us  went  at  it :  the  rest  turned 
away  and  sought  the  road.     I  got  over  safely, 
my  noble  Pleader  proving  himself,  as  usual, 
worthy  of   my    confidence.       Captain   Dash 
came  next,    safely   also ;    and  then   my  ill- 
starred  lady  friend,  whose  horse  (an  inferior 
timber-jumper)   bungled,   and    left  her  com- 
pletely prostrate  upon  the  wet  earth.     Never 
a  pause  did  Captain  Dash  make  in  his  onward 
career,   although  he   glanced  back  when  he 
heard  her  shriek,  and,  incredible   as  it  may 
appear,  I  thought  1  saw  him  smile,  for  it  was 
ever  his  saying  that  ladies  had  no   business 
hunting,    and   always    deserved    mischance; 
but  the  poor  man,  at  whose  immersion  she 
had  laughed  a    few  moments  before,   came 
running  to    her    relief,   rendered    her  every 
assistance  in  his  power,  replaced  her  in  the 
saddle,  expressed  regret  for  her  accident,  and 
positively  declined  to  accept  of  any  remunera- 
tion for  his  services. 

Which  of  these  men,  think  you,  was  the 


HUNTING.  169 

gentleman  ?  I  know  what  I  thought  respect- 
ing the  question  ;  and  I  judged  that  my  friend's 
opinion  was  formed  as  mine,  for  she  now  loves 
and  cares  the  poor,  and  suffers  the  rich  to 
care  themselves,  as  every  true-hearted  and 
Christian  woman  should;  and,  moreover,  on 
glancing  over  a  book  of  my  poems  which  I 
lent  her  some  time  later,  I  found  a  leaf  turned 
down,  as  though  to  mark  these  lines— 

**  What  is  a  gentleman  ?    Is  it  a  thing 
Decked  with  a  scarf-pin,  a  chain,  and  a  ring, 
Dressed  in  a  suit  of  immaculate  style, 
Sporting  an  eye-glass,  a  hsp,  and  a  smile  ? 
Talking  of  operas,  concerts,  and  balls, 
Evening  assemblies,  and  afternoon  calls, 
Sunning  himself  at  *'  at  homes  "  and  bazaars, 
Whisthng  mazurkas,  and  smoking  cigars  ? 

**  What  is  a  gentleman  ?    Say,  is  it  one 
Boasting  of  conquests  and  deeds  he  has  done, 
One  who  unblushingly  glories  to  speak 
Things  which  should  call  up  a  flush  to  his  cheek? 
One  who,  whilst  railing  at  actions  unjust, 
Eobs  some  young  heart  of  its  pureness  and  trust; 
Scorns  to  steal  money,  or  jewels,  or  wealth, 
Thinks  it  no  crime  to  take  honour  by  stealth  ? 


170  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

*'  What  is  a  gentleman  ?    Is  it  not  one 
Knowing  instinctively  what  he  should  shun, 
Speaking  no  word  that  could  injure  or  pain, 
Spreading  no  scandal  and  deep'ning  no  stain  ? 
One  who  knows  how  to  put  each  at  his  ease, 
Striving  instinctively  always  to  please  ; 
One  who  can  tell  by  a  glance  at  your  cheek 
When  to  be  silent,  and  when  he  should  speak  ? 

"  What  is  a  gentleman  ?    Is  it  not  one 
Honestly  eating  the  bread  he  has  won. 
Living  in  uprightness,  fearing  his  God, 
Leaving  no  stain  on  the  path  he  has  trod  ? 
Caring  not  whether  his  coat  may  be  old, 
Prizing  sincerity  far  above  gold, 
Recking  not  whether  his  thand  may  be  hard, 
Stretching  it  boldly  to  grasp  its  reward  ? 

"  What  is  a  gentleman  ?     Say,  is  it  birth 
Makes  a  man  noble,  or  adds  to  his  worth? 
Is  there  a  family-tree  to  be  had 
Shady  enough  to  conceal  what  is  bad  ? 
Seek  out  the  man  who  has  God  for  his  Guide, 
Nothing  to  blush  for,  and  nothing  to  hide  ; 
Be  he  a  noble,  or  be  he  in  trade,  . 
This  is  the  Gentleman  Nature  has  made." 

Now,  kind  reader,  farewell.     If  I  have  given 
you  instruction,  called  a  laugh  to  your  lips,  or 


HUNTING.  171 

taught  you  to  prize  and  cherish  the  priceless 
creature  which  God  has  generously  sent  for 
our  enjoyment  and  our  use,  I  shall  cheerfully 
lay  aside  my  pen,  happy  in  the  conviction  that 
I  have  not  written  in  vain. 

Yet,  shall  I  say  in  the  song- words, 

**  Au  revoir.     Pas  adieu ! " 

for  we  meet  again,  I  trust,  soon  and  often ; 
but  the  subject  upon  which  I  have  been 
writing  has  come  to  an  end. 

Whilst  acknowledging  the  kindness  of  my 
friends,  I  would  desire  also  to  shake  hands 
with  my  enemies.  Life  is  short,  and  so  it 
behoves  us  to  bear  no  malice.  To  those  who 
have  unkindly  criticised  me  I  offer  freely  a 
forgiving  hand  and  heart.  I  have  never 
wilfally  offended  any,  and  if  my  efforts  have 
not  come  quite  up  to  the  standard  of  excel- 
lence  which  certain  captious  critics  have  set 
up,  I  have  at  east  done  my  best,  and  have 
been  careful,  in  propounding  theories  which 
might  appear  new  and  uncommon,  to  state 
that  such  things  were  according  to  my  notions, 
in  which,  however,  I  did  not  expect  all  persons^ 


172  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

to  coincide.  So  long  as  the  world  lasts  so 
long  will  there  be  differences  of  opinion ;  but 
it  is  not  because  such  exist  that  ill-feeling 
should  creep  in,  and  Christian  charity  become 
a  thing  of  nought.  In  ancient  days,  when  the 
Apostles  were  upon  the  earth,  these  things 
were  as  they  are  now;  yet  the  Great  Example, 
to  whose  pure  and  simple  teaching  we  all 
hopefully  look,  inspired  the  command,  "Let 
brotherhj  love  continue,'^'' 

So  be  it,  reader,  with  you  and  with  me. 


173 


PAET    IV. 


HUNTING  IN  IRELAND. 


There  is  at  present  a  mighty  outcry  in  our 
poor  land-  Not  against  '^battle,  murder, 
and  sudden  death,"  landlord-killing,  and 
**  Boycotting,"  but  against  our  royal  pastime 
— hunting.  The  tenant-farmers  are  uproarious 
in  their  opposition  to  it;  and,  with  a  head- 
strong determination  which  cannot  be  too 
strongly  condemned,  refuse  to  listen  to  the 
voice  of  the  reasoner.  We  are  but  in  the 
beginning  of  our  season,  yet  is  our  prospect 
marred  and  our  pleasure  spoilt  by  the  blind 
idiotcy,  not  of  the  few,  but,  unfortunately,  of 
the  many. 

They  have  but  one  cry,  **  You  are  ruining 
our  grass-lands  !  *'     A  more   egregious  error 


174  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

could  not  possibly  exist.  Is  it  wilful  blind- 
ness, or  merely  the  desire  to  banish  landlordism 
from  the  country  which  induces  this  senseless 
outcry  ?  If  the  latter,  there  is  unhappily 
every  probability  that  the  outcriers  will 
succeed ;  if  the  former,  there  may  be  some 
hope  of  ultimately  unclosing  their  sealed 
eyehds. 

A  body  of  horsemen  galloping  over  grass- 
land during  the  hunting  season  can  never 
occasion  injury ;  it  is  simply  an  absurdity  to 
endeavour  to  maintain  a  contrary  theory.  A 
great  friend  of  mine  and  a  most  practical 
gentleman,  who  possesses  a  large  common 
attached  to  his  grounds,  upon  which  he  can, 
if  desirable,  exercise  his  horses,  always 
prefers  doing  so  throughout  the  winter  upon 
his  finest  grass-land.  He  maintains,  and 
correctly,  that  they  do  it  an  immensity  of 
good,  and  once  offered  (to  prove  the  correct- 
ness of  his  judgment)  to  give  the  use  of  the 
said  land  to  the  colonel  of  a  cavalry  regiment 
stationed  in  his  vicinity — to  do  aU  his  work 
upon  throughout  the  winter  months.  The 
offer,   after  some  demur,  was  accepted,  and 


HUNTING   IN   IRELAND.  175 

proved  to  be  most  advantageous  to  the  land- 
owner. 

Being  an  enthusiastic  follower  of  the  Ward 
Union  stag-hounds,  I  am  enabled  to  state 
that  I  have  galloped  with  them,  in  company 
with  at  least  two  hundred  other  riders,  across 
the  Ward  Country  and  over  the  Fairyhouse 
lands,  which  are — as  is  well  known — of  a 
singularly  wet  and  holding  nature ;  and  this 
not  once,  but  many  times  throughout  the 
season.  Yet,  so  early  as  April,  at  which  date 
the  famous  Fairyhouse  races  take  place,  no 
track  or  footmark  can  be  seen  upon  the 
luxuriant  grass.  Again,  when  riding  in 
winter  through  Phoenix  Park,  I  have  been 
struck  by  the  state  of  mud  to  which  it  has 
been  reduced  through  the  frequent  galloping 
of  horses  over  ids  surface  ;  yet,  in  summer 
it  grows  the  finest  grass,  and  is  as  smooth  as 
a  biUiard-table.  One  day  in  June,  three  years 
ago,  a  grand  Eeview  was  held  there  in 
honour  of  the  Queen's  birthday.  A  terrible 
shower  came  down — one  of  those  mighty 
floods  which  can,  in  a  few  moments,  trans- 
form a  beauteous  green  sward  into  a  hideous 


176  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

mass  of  unsightly  mire  and  dirt.  Those  on 
foot  ploughed  patiently  through  it,  sinking 
ankle-deep  at  every  step ;  those  upon  horse- 
back, myself  included,  churned  it  beneath 
their  horses'  feet,  until  not  a  trace  was 
visible  of  the  emerald  carpet,  which,  one  short 
hour  before,  had  afforded  firm  footing  for 
many  thousands  of  spectators.  Three  weeks 
later,  I  rode  through  that  park  again;  the 
velvety  turf  was  green  and  fresh  as  ever,  nor 
was  there  visible  one  trace  of  the  countless 
feet  which  had,  as  it  were,  waded  over  it  so 
short  a  time  before.  The  day  upon  which 
St.  Stephen's  Park  was,  through  the  princely 
generosity  of  Lord  Ardilaun,  opened  to  the 
public,  was  a  wet,  or  at  least  a  damp  one, 
and  thousands  upon  thousands  of  roughly- 
shod  feet  cut  up  the  grassy  sward ;  yet, 
in  a  few  brief  days,  it  was  rich  and  ver- 
dant as  before.  Nor  do  I  think  there  is  in 
our  noble  Phoenix  Park  a  more  luxuriant 
stretch  of  grass-land  than  is  ^^the  nine 
acres'*  upon  which  polo  players  continually 
assemble. 

Having  thus,  then,  endeavoured  to    prove 


HUNTING   IN   IKELAND.  177 

that  the  galloping  of  horses  is  in  no  way 
injurious  to  pasture  lands,  I  shall  proceed  to 
the  consideration  of  other  matters  connected 
with  the  subject  in  question. 

If  hunting  in  Ireland  were  abohshed,  then 
indeed  might  the  cries  of  her  children  ascend 
heavenward,  for  I  know  not  what  would 
become  of  her !  The  gentry  who  are  now 
resident  landlords,  maintaining  large  and 
costly  establishments,  would  migrate  to  other 
countries  and  more  genial  climes.  Servants 
would  seek  in  vain  for  employment.  Boot- 
makers,  clothiers,  saddlers,  harness-makers, 
would  find  no  custom.  The  farmer  would  sigh 
vainly  for  a  price  for  his  corn.  Hay  and 
straw  would  be  a  drug  in  the  market.  Hunting- 
lodges  would  remain  unlet,  growing  mouldy 
with  time  and  damp.  Butchers,  bakers, 
poulterers,  butter-makers  would  be  ahke 
involved  in  one  common  ruin  ;  for  the  houses 
of  the  gentry  would  be  empty,  and  desolation 
would  overspread  the  land  !  No  buyers  then 
for  high-priced  hunters  and  promising  colts, 
which  now  command  so  high  a  figure;  no 
merging  of  grades  and  mingling  of  classes  in 


178  LADIES   ON    HOESEBACK. 

that  happy  contact  which  the  hunting-field  so 
well  engenders  ;  none  of  that  delicious  feehng 
of  equality  which  the  peer  and  the  peasant 
seem  alike  to  acknowledge  whilst  participating 
side  hy  side  in  the  dangers  and  excitement  of 
the  chase.  All  would  be  stillness,  solitude, 
•and  gloom  ! 

Suffer  me,  then,  to  Implore  my  countrymen 
and  countrywomen  to  do  all  in  their  power  to 
promote  the  pleasures  of  hunting.  It  must 
immensely  benefit  even  those  who  do  not 
actually  participate  in  the  sport,  inasmuch  as 
it  brings  rich  and  poor  into  happy  contact, 
and  causes  a  vast  amount  of  money  to  be 
circulated,  which  enriches  the  pockets  of  the 
poorer  classes,  and  brings  grist  to  many  a 
mill  which  would  otherwise  stand  desolate, 
with  disused  and  motionless  wheel.  To  us 
who  do  participate  in  it,  there  is  no  need  for 
speech.  Which  of  us  does  not  know  the 
pleasures  of  preparing  for  the  glorious  sport  ? 
the  early  rousing  up  from  slothful  slumber, 
the  anxious  outward  glance  at  the  weather, 
that  fitful  tyrant  which  makes  or  mars  our 
enjoyment ;  the  donning  of  hunting  garments, 


HUNTING   IN   IRELAND.  179 

the  packing  of  sandwich  boxes,  the  filling  of 
flasks  with  whisky,  or  better,  far  better,  with 
strong  cold  tea ;  the  cheery  drive  to  the  meet, 
the  many  happy  faces  assembled  there,  the 
greetings  amongst  friends,  the  praisings  of  tlie 
pack,  the  trot  to  the  covert,  the  dashing  of 
the  hounds  into  the  gorse,  tlie  sweet  music 
which  proclaims  that  Keynard  is  at  home,  the 
joyous  sound  of  the  *^  Gone  away  !  "  the  hurry- 
scurry  to  be  first  and  foremost  in  their  wake, 
the  anathemas  hurled  against  those  who  are 
over-riding  them,  the  tumbling  at  the  fences, 
the  picking  up  again,  the  drowning  in  the 
rivers,  the  fishing  out  by  the  wreckers,  the 
maddening  excitement  of  traversing  an 
intricate  country,  the  wild  desire  to  be  in 
at  the  death,  the  saving  of  our  horses  over 
holding  lands,  the  riding  of  them  up  to  their 
bridles  where  the  going  is  good,  the  last 
mighty  effort,  the  final  fence  cleared,  and  the 
•canter  up  to  where  the  huntsman  is  holding 
aloft  the  brush  and  mask,  and  the  hounds  are 
breaking  up  their  fox !  Who  that  has  ever 
experienced  these  joys  will  be  hkely  to  forget 
them,  or  will  fail  to  promote,  by  every  means 

12  * 


180  LADIES   ON    HOESEBACK. 

in  his  power,  so  health-giving  and  enUvening 
a  sport  ? 

We  have  one  very  serious  drawback  to  our 
hunting   in  Ireland,   and,    indeed,    in   many 
other  places  also — namely,  wire  fencing.      I 
saw  something  of  a  tragic  incident  occur  last 
season  whilst  hunting  with  the  Meath  hounds^ 
We  came  up  to  an  impassable  fence,  and  all 
made  for  the  gate,  which  was  open  ;  but  the 
owner    of    the    land    rushed     out    from    his- 
dwelhng,  shut  it  in  our  faces,  and  insolently 
refused  to   allow  us  to   pass.       Threats   and 
entreaties  were  alike  vain.     He  called  us  every 
name  in  the  calendar,   and   consigned  us  all 
to  a  very  ugly  place,  in  language  which  was 
certainly    not    parliamentary.      Many  of  the 
field  turned  off  and  sought  another  way,  but 
two  or  three  of  the   bold  ones  charged  the 
gate,  and  got  over,   clearing  man  and  all !     I 
and  one    other   took   the  fence — a  mad  pro- 
ceeding,   which  gave  us    both   an  ugly  fall; 
but  we  scrambled  up  somehow,  and  succeeded 
in  picking  up  the  hounds.    Late  in  the  evening, 
whilst  hunting  another  fox,   he  led  us  over 
the  same  identical  ground,  and  a  hard-riding 


HUNTING    IN    IKELAND.  181 

gentleman,  first  at  this  mighty  obstacle, 
charged  it  boldly,  but,  alas,  with  what  a 
result !  The  farmer  had,  during  our  absence, 
run  a  stiff  wire  through  the  fence,  which, 
catching  the  horse  in  the  breast,  turned  him 
completely  over,  breaking  the  rider's  arm,  and 
otherwise  severely  injuring  him.  Some 
members  of  the  hunt,  seeing  what  had 
occurred,  besieged  the  offender's  dwelling, 
and  he  had  an  extremely  uncomfortable  ten 
minutes.  I  have  heard  persons  aver  that  the 
man  was  badly  treated,  and  that  he  had  a 
perfect  right  to  wire  his  fences  if  he  so  willed. 
Undoubtedly  he  had,  if  it  were  done  openly 
and  in  such  a  way  that  the  wiring  could  be 
discerned,  but  not,  by  petty  treachery,  to 
imperil  the  safety,  if  not  the  lives,  of  a  largo 
number  of  persons. 

My  advice  to  farmers  would  be  this  ;  wire 
the  fences  if  necessary ;  but,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  hunting  season,  cut  away,  say 
twenty  yards  of  the  wiring  at  the  poorest 
point  of  the  field,  and  mark  the  spot  with  a 
pole  and  flag.  Every  rider  would  assuredly 
make  for  it  as  being  the  only  jumpable  place, 


182  LADIES   ON    HOESEBACK. 

and  at  the  close  of  the  season  a  few  boys 
with  five-grained  forks  would  speedily  set  all 
to  rights  ;  nor  can  there  be  any  doubt  that 
the  best  crop  in  the  field  would  be  on  that 
particular  spot.  Allowing  even  for  a  moment, 
for  argument's  sake,  that  expense,  trouble,  or 
loss  might  be  thus  occasioned,  there  is  not  a 
master  of  hounds  in  all  Ireland — neither,  I 
fancy,  in  any  other  country — who  would  not 
willingly  and  cheerfully  indemnify  the  owner 
of  the  land.  But  so  long  as  the  world  lasts, 
so  long  will  there  be  blindness  ;  and  until  the 
**  happy  hunting-grounds  "  are  reached,  horses 
and  horsemen  will  be  daily  anathematised  hy 
the  seK- willed  cultivators  of  our  native  soil. 


183 


PART    V. 

HUNTING  IN  AMERICA. 


There  is  a  great  land  across  the  Atlantic 
where  they  do  great  things,  and  utter  great 
sayings,  and  patent  great  inventions,  and 
erect  great  buildings — and  where,  in  short, 
the  inhabitants  beat  us  (as  they  themselves 
say)  ^^  all  to  fits!*' 

A  mighty  nation  they  are,  too — God  prosper 
them  as  they  deserve  ;  but  there  is  one  thing 
at  least  in  which  we  can  say,  without  boasting, 
we  are  able  to  beat  them,  and  that  is,  in  our 
hunting.  A  fox-hunt  in  America  is  a  very 
tame  and  inglorious  proceeding,  and  one  which 
decidedly  would  not  come  under  our  definition 
of  ''  sport." 

American  hunting  differs  in  the  first  instance 


184  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

from  ours,  inasmuch  as  it  is  always  a  summer 
pastime.  The  extreme  severity  of  the  winters 
necessitates  this,  as  during  the  cold  season 
neither  men  nor  horses  can  work.  i 

The  disadvantages  of  summer  hunting  are 
of  course  numerous.  The  heat  is  excessive, 
and  the  crops  are  in  the  ground.  Most  of 
the  American  farmers  and  graziers  own  their 
land,  and  the  greater  number  of  them  will  not 
suffer  hoofs  to  cross  it.  This  is  partly  from 
a  spirit  of  surly  independence — partly  from  an 
ignorant  determination  to  hold  with  stolid 
obstinacy  to  that  most  erroneous  behef,  that 
the  galloping  of  horses  is  injurious  to  grass- 
lands. But,  anyhow,  the  objection  exists  ;  and 
as  it  is  vain  to  attempt  to  overrule  it,  a  com- 
promise is  effected  between  hunting  under 
difficulties  and  not  hunting  at  all. 

The  system  pursued  is  this.  A  man — 
usually  a  stout-limbed  peasant — is  sent  out, 
who  drags  an  aniseeded  bag  across  country,  and 
over  the  lands  and  fences  of  such  as  will 
permit  it,  or  who  are  themselves  in  the  habit 
of  joining  in  the  chase.  Then,  when  the 
field  has  assembled,  the  hounds  are  laid  rn, 


HUNTING   IN    AMEEICA.  185 

and  work  their  way  after  the  drag,  a  *^  bag- 
man "  being  provided  to  blood  them  at  the 
finish.  Sometimes  the  pack  comes  too  close 
upon  the  dragger,  and  then  a  nasty  scene 
ensues,  which  is  pleasanter  not  described. 

Fortunately  for  men,  horses,  and  hounds, 
liunting  is  but  little  indulged  in  throughout 
America.  I  mean,  of  course,  fox-hunting,  for 
I  cannot  attempt  to  cry  down  the  many 
■splendid  and  manly  hunts  of  other  descriptions 
in  which  the  Americans  carry  off  the  palm. 

In  many  parts  of  the  country — more 
especially  in  the  States — the  people  so  affect 
trotting-horses,  that  the  matter  has  become  a 
craze.  It  is  a  fact,  which  has  more  than  once 
been  proved,  that  four  legs  capable  of  carrying 
any  sort  of  frame  a  mile  in  less  than  two-and-a- 
quarter  minutes,  will  easily  fetch  a  thousand 
pounds;  and  if  the  animal  is  in  condition  to 
repeat  the  performance  several  times  in  one 
day,  his  price  will  range^  correspondingly 
higher. 

The  usual  arrangement — very  seldom  varied 
— is  that  the  ^*  trots  "  shall  be  mile  heats ;  and 
as  the  horses  are,  generally  speaking,  pretty 


186  LADIES   ON    HOESEBACK. 

well  done  up  at  the  finish,  owing  to  pace,, 
excitement,  and  temperature,  twenty  minutes 
are  allowed  between  each  heat  for  "  cooling 
off"  purposes. 

When  a  horse  is  distanced  in  one  of  these 
trials,  he  is  at  once  withdrawn  ;  and  the  judges 
have  the  privilege,  which  they  use,  of  dis- 
tancing a  horse  for  breaking — or,  as  we  would 
say,  commencing  to  run — which  is,  as  may  be 
supposed,  a  thing  most  difficult  to  prevent. 

Sometimes  a  racehorse  is  hitched  double 
with  a  trotter.  This  is  called,  in  American 
parlance,  a  running-mate.  The  runner  takes 
all  the  weight  and  draft  of  the  **  sulky,"  and 
the  trotter  merely  trots  alongside  of  him.  It 
requires  a  very  level-headed  horse  to  keep 
evenly  to  his  trot,  with  a  runner  tearing  away 
at  sweeping  pace  beside  him,  and  the  trial  is 
regarded  as  simply  one  of  skill,  and  is  rarely 
successful.  A  trotter  who  can  coolly  and 
evenly  maintain  his  trot  when  hitched  with  a 
racer,  can  command  for  his  owner  any  amount 
of  money,  even  though  he  be  in  all  other 
respects  comparatively  worthless. 

Eaces,  of  which  many  are  held  at  Khode 


HUNTING   IN    AMEKICA.  187 

Island,  are  as  distinct  as  possible  from  trots. 
The  courses  are  made  circular ;  as  much  so,, 
at  least,  as  the  lie  of  the  land  will  permit, 
and  are  beautifully  constructed,  the  grading 
being  especially  attended  to.  They  are 
generally  enclosed  by  a  very  high  boarded 
fence,  an  admission  fee  being  charged  at  the 
opening.  This  arrangement  is  found  to 
answer  admirably,  as  the  amount  demanded — 
although  not  an  extravagant  one — is  sufficient 
to  exclude  a  goodly  number  of  racing  roughs, 
whose  interest  in  the  sport  is  not  more  keen 
than  their  desire  to  investigate  the  contents  of 
their  neighbours'  pockets. 

Trotting-tracks  are  constructed  upon  the 
same  principles  as  race-courses,  but  the  track 
is  harder.  Sometimes,  however,  although  not 
frequently,  races  and  trots  are  held  over  the 
same  course,  and  when  this  is  done  the  track 
is  carefully  softened  for  the  races,  by  a  harrow- 
ing process,  which  is  most  carefully  carried 
out. 

Most  of  the  hacks  and  hunters  in  use  in 
America — a  very  large  portion,  at  least,  of  the 
saddle-horses — are    racers  which  have    been 


188  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

rejected  from  the  racing-stables.  This  is 
particularly  the  case  at  East  Greenwich,  and 
throughout  the  States.  Some  of  these  horses 
are  "  weeds,"  but  a  few  of  them  are  well 
worthy  of  the  high  prices  given  for  them, 
being  really  splendid  animals,  in  spite  of  the 
crabbing  which  they  receive  at  the  judge's 
hands  before  they  are  thrown  out  of  the  con- 
test, and  passed  over  to  the  proprietorship  of 
dealers  in  hacks. 

Very  fine  horses  of  the  hunter  class  are  bred 
in  Kentucky — the  Yorkshire  of  America — and 
are  sold  at  comparatively  low  rates.  I  saw  a 
magnificent  chestnut,  seventeen  two  in  height, 
with  grand  action,  and  so  superbly  ribbed-up 
and  built  as  to  be  capable  of  carrying  twenty 
stone,  which  had  been  sold  there  to  an  enter- 
prising Irish  speculator  for  three  hundred  and 
twenty  dollars,  a  good  deal  less  than  eighty 
pounds  of  our  money.  The  animal  afterwards 
fetched  upwards  of  six  hundred  guineas  at 
Tattersall's,  to  carry  a  top-weight  millionaire 
with  the  Whaddon  Chase  hounds.  This 
was,  however,  an  exceptional  case,  for  it 
is  not  usually  an  easy  thing,  nor  even  possible, 


HUNTING   IN   AMEKICA.  18^ 

to  ake  money  by  trading  in  Kentucky 
hunters.  A  few  speculative  European  dealers 
have  from  time  to  time  tried  it,  but  their 
efforts  have  not  been  crowned  with  the  antici- 
pated reward,  the  reason  being,  that  traveUing 
expenses  swallow  up  profits.  Seven  days  and 
nights  of  constant  journeying  must  be  gone 
through  before  the  animals  are  brought  to  the 
Atlantic  sea-board;  and  then  there  is  the 
crossing  to  encounter,  with  its  cost  and  perils. 
Altogether,  it  is  scarcely  a  profitable  venture, 
and  some  who  have  embarked  in  it  will,  I 
know,  be  quite  ready  to  endorse  my  opinions 
upon  the  subject. 

Stag-hunting  used  to  be  very  prevalent  in 
distant  parts  of  America.  Strangers  traversing 
tracts  of  country  north  of  the  Ohio  will  be 
told  this  by  guides  and  fellow-travellers,  and 
will  marvel  that  in  such  a  district  it  could 
ever  have  been  a  popular  sport.  Anything 
more  perilous  it  would  be  impossible  to  con- 
ceive, the  *^ going"  being  principally  up  and 
down  precipitous  inclines,  dotted  at  frequent 
intervals  with  huge  boulders,  haK  buried  in 
the  reedy  grass,  over  which  the  horses  blunder 


190  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

and  stumble  at  almost  every  stride, — not 
tmfrequently  hurling  their  riders  headlong 
down  some  dangerous  ravine. 

Those  who  have  enjoyed  the  very  doubtful 
pleasure  of  hunting  at  the  Cape,  know  some- 
thing of  the  perils  of  the  Mimosa  tree,  which 
grows  there  in  such  deadly  luxuriance.  A 
similar  danger-trap  exists  in  the  stag-hunting 
districts  of  America,  the  long  sharp  thorns 
proving  terribly  destructive  to  the  flesh  of  man 
and  beast. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  escape  these  trees. 
They  grow  singly  and  in  groups,  with  long, 
light,  swaying  branches,  treacherously  out- 
stretched ;  and  if  an  excited  steed,  or  an 
unwary  rider  comes  too  near  to  one  of  them, 
no  close-set  company  of  razors  could  do  more 
cruel  injury,  nor  make  greater  havoc  of 
saddlery  and  clothing. 

When  we  come  to  regard  the  question  of 
district  hunting  in  a  comparative  light,  few 
will  hesitate  to  admit  that  in  spite  of  all  the 
drawbacks  consequent  upon  wire-fencing,  fox- 
trapping,  and  hound-poisoning,  there  are  worse 
countries  to  hunt  in  than  dear  old  England ; 


HUNTING   IN    AMERICA.  191 

and  we  who  know  the  sweet  delights  of  a  good 
gallop  over  rich  grass-lands,  dotted  pic- 
turesquely with  the  harmless  beech  or  elm, 
and  with  nothing  more  dangerous  to  negotiate 
than  fair  broad  fences  and  five-barred  gates, 
need  never  sigh  for  the  yawning  ravines  of 
foreign  hunting-grounds,  with  their  trea- 
cherous boulders  and  dangerous  Mimosas. 


192  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

Ladies  on  Horseback. 


To  the  Editor  of  The  Illustrated  Sporting  and  Dramatic 

News. 

Sir, — I  have  read  with  keen  interest  the 
article  on  ''  Ladies  on  Horseback  "  in  your  last 
number.  I  find  several  things  in  it  which 
differ  from  my  preconceived  ideas,  but  it  is 
impossible  not  to  perceive  that  the  writer, 
Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue,  speaks  from  an 
exnerience  which  makes  her  an  undoubted 
authority.  With  reference  to  safety-stirrups, 
for  instance.  I  have  always  seen  that  the 
ladies  of  my  family  were  provided  with  them, 
and  your  contributor's  objection  seems  not  to 
be  based  upon  the  mechanism  of  the  stirrup 
w^hen  in  proper  order,  but  on  the  circumstance 
that  it  is  ^'  almost  invariably  stiff,"  through 


CORRESPONDENCE.  193 

neglect.  I  must  admit  that  I  have  seen  a  lady 
hung  up  in  a  safety- stirrup ;  but  surely  it  is 
possible  to  see  that  the  stirrup  will  work  before 
setting  out  for  a  ride  or  a  day's  hunting,  and 
if  the  iron  is  large  enough,  so  that  '^the 
padding  over  the  instep  "  will  not  *^  cause  the 
foot  to  become  firmly  embedded,"  are  we  to 
understand  that  the  safety-stirrup  is  objection- 
able? Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  has  a  poor 
opinion  of  "  John  the  coachman,  and  Jem  the 
groom,*'  but  I  am  lucky  in  having  trustworthy 
people  in  my  stable.  What  stirrup  would 
your  contributor  have  instead  of  the  one  with 
which  so  large  a  proportion  of  ladies  ride? 
Another  thing  that  I  should  like  to  know 
more  about  is  the  saddle  recommended  in 
the  article.  "  Accustom  yourself  from  the 
beginning  to  the  use  of  a  properly  constructed 
saddle,  made  as  straight  as  a  board,  no  dip 
whatever,"  this  writer  says.  Now  I  have  never, 
so  far  as  my  recollection  goes,^  even  seen  such  a 
saddle,  and  may  I  ask  what  are  the  advantages 
of  a  thoroughly  straight  saddle,  and  what  are 
the  disadvantages  of  the  inevitable  slope  or 
dip  ?    I  ask  purely  for  information,  for  I  am 

13 


194  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

perfectly  ready  to  submit  my  judgment  and 
hitherto  received  notions  to  the  dictum  of  a  lady 
who  is  clearly  so  competent  to  treat  the  matter 
as  your  contributor.  Would  the  lady  have 
straight  saddles  also  for  men  ?  is  a  question 
which  incidentally  occurs  to  me.  I  am  far 
from  supposing  that  a  thing  must  be  right 
because  it  is  in  general  use,  but  there  seem 
good  reasons  for  the  adoption  of  the  ordinary 
shaped  saddle,  and  I  should  be  very  glad  if 
your  contributor  would  let  us  know  her  reasons 
for  departing  from  custom. 

Before  concluding,  let  me  thank  you  for  a 
series  of  articles  which  cannot  fail  to  be  of 
value  to  those  for  whom  they  are  intended. 
I  am,  Sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

H.  DE  V.  R. 


Sib, — I  feel  bound  to  answer  the  letter  of 
"  H.  de  V.  R.'*  which  appeared  in  your  journal 
of  last  week's  issue.  With  regard  to  the 
**  safety-stirrup,"  there  could  not  be  much 
objection  to  it  if  it  were  made  sufficiently  large 


CORRESPONDENCE.  195 

to  prevent  the  padding  over  the  instep  from 
causing  the  foot  to  become  embedded ;  and  if, 
likewise,  some  careful  and  competent  person 
were  ready  and  willing  to  give  the  machinery 
of  it  a  thorough  examination  immediately 
before  entrusting  the  safety  of  a  lady  to  such 
an  imcertain  support.  But  how  seldom  is  this 
the  case  ?  Servants — even  the  most  careful — 
are,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  apt  to  overlook 
these  important  details ;  and  when  the  steed 
is  led  to  the  door  the  cavaHer  who  is  to  escort 
the  lady  is  too  much  occupied  in  admiring  his 
fair  charge,  talking  to  her,  arranging  with  her 
where  they  shall  ride,  fastening  her  gloves,  or 
performing  a  like  office  for  himself,  to  worry 
his  head  about  such  an  apparently  insignificant 
thing  as  her  stirrup.  Provided  he  ascertains  that 
it  is  the  required  length,  he  troubles  himself  no 
further  about  it,  and  probably  in  nine  cases  out 
of  ten  the  dandy  youth  would  not  even  com- 
prehend the  meaning  of  the  term  **  safety'*  as 
appHed  to  the  article  in  question.  No  doubt 
it  often  happens  that  an  elderly  father,  a 
matter-of-fact  husband,  a  phlegmatic  uncle,  or 
a  careful  brother  may  be  upon  the  spot,  wifch 

13  * 


196  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

wits  and  hands  ready  to  avert  danger ;  but 
how  frequently,  also,  is  it  the  fashionable 
stripling  who  escorts  the  lady — a  cousin,  or  a 
lover,  perhaps — ignorant  of  all  connected  with 
riding,  except  the  pleasure  of  it ;  or  the  booted 
and  belted  servant,  who  touches  his  hat,  and 
thinks  he  has  done  his  duty  because  the 
saddle  is  clean  and  the  horse  sleek  and  shiny ; 
or  the  riding-master,  who  has  come  out  in  a 
hurry,  anxious  and  flurried  at  the  last  moment 
to  see  that  everything  looks  right,  and  who  has 
had  no  time  to  see  after  such  minor  accessories 
as  stirrups,  or  has  left  the  matter  (if  he  thought 
of  it  at  all)  in  the  hands  of  the  groom,  wha 
has  left  it  alone  altogether.  This  being  the 
case,  I  maintain  that  a  stirrup  encumbered 
with  machinery  is  unsuited  to  a  lady,  because, 
although  she  may  have  an  escort  who  will  look 
after  it,  there  is  the  possibihty  that  she  may 
not  have  such  good  fortune.  Moreover,  a 
stirrup  made  sufficiently  large  to  bear  padding 
over  the  instep,  and  yet  enable  the  foot  to- 
slip  easily  in  and  out,  must  of  necessity  be  a 
considerable  weight,  and  this  alone  would  be 
an  objection,  especially  to    a  hunting  lady^ 


COBRESPONDENCE.  197 

^ho  calculates  to  a  nicety  every  ounce  which 
her  steed  has  to  carry.  I  have  said  that  a 
small  racing,  or  jockey-stirrup,  is  the  nicest  in 
which  a  lady  can  ride,  and  I  am  bound  to 
adhere  to  my  judgment. 

So  much  for  the  first  portion  of  *'H.  de 
V.  K.'s"  letter.  Now  we  come  to  the 
second. 

My  *^  poor  opinion  of  John,  the  coachman, 
and  Jem,  the  groom,"  is  based,  not  upon  their 
untrustworthiness,  but  upon  their  want  of 
capacity  as  teachers  of  the  equine  art.  I  have 
never  yet,  in  all  my  experience,  met  with  any 
servant  who  was  capable  of  instructing  a  lady 
how  to  ride ;  yet  I  have  been  fairly  astonished 
to  find  the  contrary  idea  quite  general  amongst 
parents  in  the  country,  who  fondly  hope  that 
their  daughters  may  one  day  adorn  a  saddle 
and  grace  a  hunting-field.  ^*  I  shall  have  Mary 
and  Jenny  taught  immediately  now,"  said  a 
lady  to  me  one  day  in  the  course  of  last 
summer, — *'  They  shall  have  a  pony  a-piece, 
and  John  (the  groom)  shall  teach  them."  Of 
course,  I  said  nothing,  my  principle  of  non- 
interference standing  me  in  good  stead  ;  but 


198  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

when,  an  hour  or  so  later,  I  beheld  the  said 
John  disporting  himself,  and  showing  off  his 
equestrian  skill  upon  one  of  the  carriage- 
horses,  I  really  felt  pity  for  the  two  charming 
Httle  girls  who  were  so  soon  to  be  handed  over 
to  his  doubtful  tuition. 

And  now  for  the  third  portion  of  your 
correspondent's  letter :  namely,  the  question 
of  the  straight  saddle.  '*  H.  de  V.  E.  "  says 
he  has  never  seen  any  such ;  and  I  consider 
this  extremely  probable,  for  he  will  recollect 
my  saying  that  a  saddle  such  as  I  described 
should  be  made  to  order,  as  it  is  certainly  not 
in  general  use — but  I  am  not  altogether 
singular  in  my  advocacy  of  it.  Peat  and  Co.,. 
Piccadilly,  or  Box  and  Co.,  Abbey  Street, 
Dublin,  will  manufacture  saddles  of  this 
description  in  excellent  style,  but  only  ta 
order,  for  they  have  not  yet  found  sufficient 
favour — or,  to  express  it  better,  are  not 
sufficiently  known — to  have  become  popular, 
and  manufacturers  therefore  will  not  keep 
them  in  stock.  The  advantages  of  a  straight 
saddle  are  manifold.  Firstly,  it  is  the  only 
means  by  which  a  lady  can  learn  the  necessary 


CORRESPONDENCE.  199 

art  of  riding  from  balance.  This  can  be 
acquired  by  sitting  on  a  saddle,  but  never  by 
sitting  in  one.  Secondly,  she  can,  when 
riding  upon  a  straight  saddle,  change  and 
shift  her  position,  which  as  a  necessary  con- 
sequence changes  her  weight  upon  the  horse's 
back,  and  saves  him  from  being  galled.  A 
noble  lady  wrote  to  me  some  time  since,  '^  I 
know  not  how  it  is  ;  all  my  horses  are  laid  up 
with  sore  backs ;  and  yet  my  saddle  is  well 
padded."  I  guessed  the  secret  at  once ;  she 
was  riding  in  a  sort  of  well,  or  chair,  from 
which  her  heavy  weight  could  never  for  an 
instant  shift,  and  hence  the  trouble  of  which 
she  complained.  I  sent  her  a  sketch  of  my 
saddle,  with  the  address  of  the  man  who  had 
made  it,  and  she  has  since  been  a  staunch 
upholder  of  my  theory.  Thirdly,  the  best 
figure  in  the  world  would  look  to  disadvantage 
if  seated  in  a  saddle  with  a  dip  or  slope ; 
whereas  a  well-made  woman,  attired  in  a 
habit  properly  fitted  about  the  waist  and  hips, 
never  looks  to  such  complete  advantage  as 
when  sitting  gracefully  and  at  ease  upon 
a    well     constructed     straight-made    saddle. 


200  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

Fourthly,  if  in  taking  an  up-jump  the  horse 
misses  his  footing  and  struggles  in  an  unsuc- 
cessful effort  to  recover  himself,  the  lady  may 
— if  riding  upon  a  straight  saddle — succeed  in 
slipping  from  it  to  a  situation  of  comparative 
safety ;  but,  if  she  has  a  high  projection  of 
iron  and  stiff  leather  just  behind  her,  it  bars  her 
movement,  and  as  a  consequence  the  horse 
falls  back  upon  her,  and  catching  her  between 
his  weight  and  the  edge  of  the  ditch  or  furrow, 
as  the  case  may  be,  injures  her  spine,  some- 
times fatally,  and  frequently  in  a  serious 
manner. 

The  question,  *^  Do  I  also  advocate  straight 
saddles  for  men's  use  ?  '*  is  answered  by  my 
reminding  "  H.  de  V.  E.''  that  there  is  no 
analogy  between  a  gentleman's  position  upon 
horseback  and  that  of  a  lady.  What  would 
be  a  necessity,  or  at  least  a  luxury,  for  the  one 
would  be  eminently  unsuited  for  the  other. 
A  man's  superior  activity  and  greater  liberty 
of  motion  place  him  ever  at  an  advantage. 
And  whilst  upon  this  subject  I  would  strongly 
urge  upon  all  humane  riders,  especially  the 
male  portion  of  them,  to  have  their  saddles 


CORKESPONDENCE  201 

made  high  in  front,  so  as  not  to  press  "apon  the 
horse's  withers,  causing  him  much  needless 
suffering.  A  space  capable  of  accommodating 
at  least  two  fingers  should  be  between  withers 
and  saddle,  and  were  this  attended  to  we 
should  see  fewer  skin  abrasions  and  unsightly- 
lumps  upon  poor  submissive  animals,  and  less 
of  that  stuffing  of  handkerchiefs  between 
cruel  leather  and  bleeding  flesh  which  so 
frequently  pains  the  sorrowing  eyes  of  sensitive 
and  pitying  persons. 

I  think  I  have  now  dealt  fully  with 
"  H.  de  V.  R.'s  *'  letter,  and  must  thank  the 
writer  of  it  for  his  complimentary  observa- 
tions, and  his  kindly  appreciation  of  my 
labours  in  a  cause  which  I  certainly  have  very 
much  at  heart. 

Apologising  for  trespassing  thus  far  upon 
jour  valuable  space. 

I  am.  Sir, 

Yours  obediently, 
Nannie  Power  O'Donoghub. 

October  12,  1880. 


202  LADIES   ON    HOKSEBACK* 

Sir, — Many  readers  of  The  Illustrated  Sporting 
and    Dramatic    News   hope    that    Mrs.    Power 
O'Donoghue,  in  her  very  interesting  letters 
upon  ''Ladies  on  Horseback,"  will  touch  fully 
on  the  most  important  thing,  viz.  ''  the  ladies' 
horse."    One  sees  ladies  riding  all  sorts  ;  some 
too  big,  some  too  small,  some  good  shoulders 
and  no  backs,  others  just  the  reverse  ;  not  one 
out  of  twenty  what  it  ought  to  be.    Also,  up  to 
what  weight  should  it  be  ?  What  is  the  average 
weight  of  ladies,  and  the  difference  in  ordinary 
dress  to  the  habit?     It   is   often   said  that, 
owing  to  the  peculiar  seat,  the  weight  being 
all  on  one  side,  a  lady  tires  a  horse  much  more 
than  a  man ;  certainly  you  often  see  ladies' 
horses  going  short  with  the  near  hind  leg, 
possibly  from    this    cause.      Could    not    the 
weight  of  side-saddles  be  reduced?     Those 
used  by  the   Empress  of  Austria  could  not 
have  weighed  81b.,  and  she  was  herself  a  light 
woman.   Anything  on  this  subject  will  interest 

many  readers. 

I  am,  &c. 

Eques. 


CORRESPONDENCE.  203 

Sir, — ^There  is  one  point  to  which  I  should 
like  to  call  the  attention  of  the  writer  of  the 
able  and  interesting  articles  on  "Ladies  on 
Horseback,"    which     she     appears    to    have 
altogether  overlooked  in  her  enumeration  of 
the  articles  of  a  lady's  riding  attire.     It  is  the 
use    of    a    spur    by  lady    equestrians.     The 
recently  invented  lady's  spur  consists  of  one 
sharp  point  so  constructed  as  not  to  injure 
the  habit.    In  hunting,  a  spur  is  indispensable, 
and  in  park-riding  is  very  desirable  for  a  lady, 
who  has  so  much  less  control  over  her  horse 
than  a  man.     Young  girls  just  beginning  to 
ride  will  find  the  use  of  a  spur  most  beneficial 
in  managing  their  steeds.     Hired  horses  are 
never  altogether  to  be  trusted,  and  in  the  case 
of  their  showing  temper   or  laziness,  two  or 
three  pricks  with  a  lady's  spur  will  subdue 
them  far  more  quickly  than  the  apphcation  of 
a  whip.   I  have  more  than  once  ridden  a  horse 
that  was  a  confirmed  jibber,  and  have  always 
found  a  few  determined  thrusts  with  my  spur, 
combined  with   an   efficiently  appHed  whip, 
never  failed  to  bring  him  down.    I  confidently 
recommend  all  ladies,  and  especially  young 


204  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

girls  just  beginning  the  art  of  equitation,  to 
procure  a  lady's  spur,  and  never  to  mount  a 
horse  without  it. 

I  am,  &c. 

Mabel  Florence  Eaynb. 
The  Firs,  Cheltenham, 
Oct.  18th,  1880. 


Sir, — I  suppose  it  would  be  impossible  to 
advance  any  opinions  to  which  there  would 
not  be  objections  raised,  but  I  write,  not  in  a 
cavilling  spirit,  but  as  one  really  anxious  for 
information,  to  know  whether  Mrs.  Power 
O'Donoghue  would  seriously  advocate  striking 
a  horse  between  the  ears  when  it  rears. 
Surely  such  a  thing  would  be  exceedingly 
dangerous  for  any  lady  to  attempt,  and,  as 
your  correspondent  is  writing  solely  for  ladies, 
I  conclude  she  refers  to  them  in  the  present 
instance.  I  feel  very  strongly  upon  this  point, 
because  an  uncle  of  mine,  some  years  ago, 
when  out  riding  tried  this  experiment  at  the 
advice  of  a  friend.  The  horse  (not  a  vicious 
one)  suddenly  reared  ;  my  uncle  loosened  the 


i 


COEEESPONDENCE.  205- 

reins  and  urged  it  forward,  but  finding  this- 
ineffectual,  struck  it  violently  between  the 
ears  with  his  hunting-whip.  The  animal,. 
maddened,  I  presume,  by  the  pain,  reared 
straight  on  end  and  fell  backward ;  its  rider 
being  a  very  agile  man,  slipped  off  sideways, 
and  thus  escaped  nearly  certain  death ;  but 
had  the  rider  been  a  lady  instead  of  a 
gentleman  the  consequences  must  have  been 
fatal;  and  with  so  light  a  switch  as  a  lady 
usually  carries,  a  blow  between  the  ears  could 
only  serve  to  irritate  without  producing  any 
good  effect.  I  would  ask  one  more  question : 
Why  does  your  correspondent  so  strongly 
object  to  the  use  of  the  *^  old-fashioned 
slipper  "  stirrup  ?  I  am  rather  curious  on  this 
point,  because  I  have  ever  since  the  tender 
age  of  four,  when  my  riding  experiences  began, 
used  the  shoe- stirrup,  and  I  have  always 
thought  it  so  safe,  because  my  foot  sHps  out  in 
a  second.  I  am  aware  that  it  is  extremely 
unfashionable,  as  in  Eotton  Eow  you  hardly 
see  a  lady  using  it ;  but  I  keep  to  it  still,  not 
so  much  with  the  idea  of  its  safety,  but  for 
comfort,   especially    in    trotting.     I    find     it 


206  LADIES   ON   HOKSEBACK. 

extremely  difficult  to  keep  an  iron  stirrup 
from  slipping  back  into  the  instep,  and,  being 
used  to  rise  pressing  on  the  toes,  I  think  that 
rising  from  the  instep  is  more  difficult  and 
doubles  the  exertion  of  trotting.  In  conclusion, 
I  must  express  a  hope  that  Mrs.  Power 
O'Donoghue  will  not  give  me  credit  for 
writing  in  a  spirit  of  unfriendly  criticism; 
but  as  I  am  exceedingly  fond  of  riding,  I  feel 
an  interest  in  working  out  this  subject  to  its 
fullest  extent.  I  am  sure  all  lady  riders  must 
feel  grateful  to  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  for 
the  valuable  and  useful  instructions  contained 
in  her  interesting  letters,  and  one  has  only 
to  pay  a  visit  to  the  Kow  between  12  and  2 
in  the  season,  to  see  how  much  they  are 
needed  by  the  generality  of  the  **  ladies  on 
horseback." 

I  am,  &c. 

Equestrina. 
October  13th,  1880. 


Sir, — Though   not  an  "  aggrieved  stirrup- 
naaker,"  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  if  i,  aa  a 


CORRESPONDENCE.  207 

saddler  of  many  years'  experience  and  a  great 
lover  of  horses,  offer  a  few  comments  on  the 
** hints  and  instructions"  set  forth  in  your 
paper  for  the  benefit  of  ladies  on  horseback, 
written  by  one  of  the  sex  who  is  evidently  an 
authority  on  the  subject  she  treats  so  ably. 
There  is  no  doubt  these  articles  will  be  read 
with  great  interest  by  very  many  ladies  who 
desire  to  acquit  themselves  well  on  horseback, 
and  also  by  their  gentlemen  friends  who  are 
anxious  to  conduce  to  the  safety  and  comfort 
of  their  fair  companions  in  that  delightful 
exercise,  but  cannot  have  the  same  knowledge 
to  impart  the  theoretical  instructions  now 
given  by  your  lady  writer,  whose  criticisms 
will  therefore  be  valuable  to  both.  In 
following  her  remarks,  it  occurs  to  me  that 
I  may  perhaps  venture  on  a  httle  comment 
without  being  considered  too  intrusive.  The 
objection  taken  to  children  riding  is  no  doubt 
formed  on  good  grounds,  but  I  think  that  with 
care  young  ladies  might  be  permitted  at  a 
much  earHer  age  than  sixteen  to  acquire  some 
practice  in  the  saddle  ;  it  is  true  that  young- 
girls  are  Hable  to  curvature  of  the  spine,  when 


208  LADIES   ON    HOESEBACK. 

allowed  to  ride  day  after  day  on  the  same  side 
of  their  pony,  but  I  have  understood  that  this 
danger  is  obviated  by  changing  their  position 
to  the  other  side  on  alternate  days,  and  I 
should  be  glad  to  learn  what  are  the  objections 
to  this.  It  seems  to  me  rather  desirable  that 
ladies  should  have  equal  facility  in  riding  on 
either  side,  but  there  may  be  reasons  against 
it  of  which  I  am  ignorant.  This  lady  says 
that  the  nicest  bridle  for  a  beginner  is  a  plain 
ring- snaffle,  but  states  further  that  few  horses 
will  go  in  it ;  the  latter  remark,  if  correct, 
(which  I  should  venture  to  doubt),  raises  a 
fatal  objection  to  the  ring-snaffle,  as  I  fear 
that  not  one  young  lady  in  twenty,  under 
amateur  teaching,  would  be  put  upon  a 
perfectly  trained  nag,  desirable  as  this  must 
be ;  and  thus  an  ordinary  stout  mouth  plain 
snaffle,  or  plain  bar  with  single  rein,  would 
surely  be  preferable.  I  fancy  it  would  be 
found  of  much  advantage  if  riding  was  taught 
in  the  first  instance  without  the  use  of  reins 
at  all,  the  horse  simply  being  led  by  an 
attendant ;  the  learner  thus  gets  a  proper 
balance,  without  depending  on  the  bridle  for 


CORRESPONDENCE.  209 

•support,  as  many  are  found  to  do.  For  a 
young  girl  I  should  like  to  know  what  is  the 
objection  to  a  pad,  or  pilch  as  they  are  called, 
made  for  use  on  either  side.  These,  having 
no  tree,  are  nearly  level,  but  there  is  perhaps 
a  chance  of  its  ti"'rning  round  if  the  rider  does 
not  sit  straight ;  for  a  grown  girl,  the  properly 
made  saddle  is  better  every  way.  In  common 
with  your  correspondent  **H.  de  V.  E.,"  I 
fail  quite  to  understand  how  a  side-saddle  is 
to  be  made  *^  as  straight  as  a  board."  A 
saddle  is  made  on  a  foundation,  or  tree,  of 
wood  and  iron,  which  should  be  shaped  for  the 
back  intended  to  bear  it,  and  must  be  raised 
slightly  in  front  for  the  wither  and  behind  to 
clear  the  backbone  ;  but  it  is  right  that  the 
seat  should  be  as  level  as  possible.  This  is 
probably  the  lady's  meaning.  It  is  very 
essential  that  the  saddle  should  fit  the  horse 
correctly  and  be  of  suitable  size  and  shape  for 
the  rider ;  the  former  consideration  is  too 
often  overlooked  and  thus  entails  discomfort 
to  both.  There  are  saddles,  and  saddles,  as 
ladies  often  find  to  their  cost.  A  very  large 
proportion  in  use  here,  and  more  abroad,  are 

14 


210  LADIES    ON    HOKSEBACK. 

put  together  in  Birmingliain  and  Walsall  on 
the  slop  system ;  they  will  please  the  eyes  of 
an  inexperienced  purchaser,  but  are  formed 
with  little  regard  to  the  requirements  of  the 
poor  animals  who  suffer  under  them,  or  of 
their  riders'  comfort,  and  it  is  probable  that 
these  are  the  saddles  against  which  ladies  are 
very  properly  warned.  It  is  really  indis- 
pensable for  a  lady's  comfort  in  riding  that 
she  should  have  a  good  saddle,  made  by  a 
competent  and  conscientious  saddler,  whoso 
business  it  is  to  see  that  it  is  suitable- 
Considering  the  number  of  years  that  a  good 
saddle  with  care  will  last,  it  is  inconceivable 
Ihat  the  comparatively  small  additional  price 
should  be  grudged  for  a  perfect  and  satisfactory 
article  by  a  maker  of  repute,  instead  of  the 
machine-made  slop  rubbish,  by  which  many  a 
good  animal  is  injured  and  the  temper  of  his 
rider  seriously  chafed.  Enough  about  saddles 
for  the  present,  so  I  will  go  to  the  next  point 
under  discussion — the  stirrup.  Your  lady 
rider  must  have  been  very  unfortunate  in  her 
use  of  the  safety-stirrup,  which,  in  my  opinion, 
does  in  practice  usually  justify  its  name.     I 


CORRESPONDENCE.  211 

have  known  very  many  instances  in  which 
^adies  have  owed  immunity  from  serious 
accident  to  its  use.  As  '^  H.  de  V.  E."  justly 
says,  the  mechanism  of  the  stirrup  (which  is 
very  simple)  should  not  be  allowed  to  get  out 
of  order  by  neglect ;  surely  the  lady  or  her 
friends,  particularly  if  so  *'  knowledgeable  '*  as 
the  writer  of  the  article,  might  [They  "  might," 
That  they  so  often  do  not,  and  that  danger  so 
frequently  results  from  the  neglect,  is  the 
grievance  and  complaint  of  our  contributor. — 
Ed.  I,S.  d  D,  N,]  take  the  trouble  personally 
to  see  that  her  stirrup  is  not  out  of  order  from 
rast,  and  in  no  other  way  but  one  can  it  be  so ; 
the  other  way  is  that  if  the  groom  ignoranfcly 
or  carelessly  adjusts  the  stirrup  for  use  hind 
part  before,  the  inner  stirrup  cannot  be 
released,  and  the  rider's  foot,  in  case  of  a  fall, 
will  be  helplessly  fixed  in  the  stirrup.  This 
eventuahty,  however,  does  not  detract  from 
the  real  value  of  the  safety-stirrup,  for  neglect 
and  ignorance  will  entail  direful  consequences 
in  all  ways.  Next  to  the  safety- stirrup,  I 
quite  beheve  that  a  plain  steel  stirrup  of 
suitable  size,  with  side  pieces  at  the  bottom 

14  * 


212  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

to  take  sharp  pressure  off  the  foot,  is  the  most 
suitable  for  ladies'  use,  and  I  always  condemn 
the  sinall  padded  stirrup,  which  is,  indeed,  a 
fruitful  source  of  danger  to  lady  riders. 

With  the  rest  of  Mrs.  O'Donoghue's 
dissertation  I  cordially  agree,  and  believe  it 
would  be  beneficial  if  both  men  and  ladies 
practised  riding  without  the  aid  of  the  stirrup ; 
and  the  same  rule  appHes  to  and  is  generally 
practised  by  men,  as  I  saw  a  few  days  ago  on 
a  German  barrack-ground,  where  an  awkward 
squad  was  being  trained  in  that  manner. 
The  art  of  putting  a  lady  up  is  one  that  should 
be  practised  more  than  it  is  by  horsemen ; 
my  first  attempt  resulted  in  the  lady  sHpping 
down  again,  and  on  my  hat,  which  suffered 
^ven  more  than  my  self-esteem.  On  one 
occasion  in  the  Crimea,  years  ago,  I  was 
riding  with  a  lady  and  her  husband,  the 
former  dismounted  at  Mrs.  Seacole's  for  re- 
freshment, and  on  being  put  up  again  by  her 
husband  with  more  vigour  than  skill,  the  poor 
lady  was  sent  over  her  horse's  back  to  the 
ground  on  the  other  side,  and  being  somewhat 
portly,  was   shaken  severely.      I  fear  many 


CORRESPONDENCE.  213 

ladies  have  suffered  in  the  same  way  from  the 
awkwardness  of  their  attendants,  but  I  have 
seen  ladies  so  agile  as  to  mount  from  the 
ground  without  assistance — rather  a  difficult 
feat,  and  requiring  much  practice.  Having 
trespassed  so  much  on  your  space  I  must  not 
proceed  further  now,  but  shall  be  happy  to  air 
my  notions  again,  if  agreeable  to  your  readers 
and  riders. 

Yours,  &c. 

Jeemyn. 


Sir, — My  papers  entitled  **  Ladies  on 
Horseback  "  have  called  forth  many  letters. 
Some  of  these  you  have  printed,  some  have 
been  forwarded  to  me  from  your  office,  and 
many  have  been  received  at  my  own  house. 
I  shall  regard  it  as  a  favour  if  you  will  permit 
me  to  reply  to  a  few  of  them  through  the 
medium  of  your  paper,  as  in  answering  one  I 
shall  answer  many  who  have  written  upon  the 
same  subject. 

J.  V. — When  the  horse  took  head  with 
me  and  leaped  into  the  farm-yard  (as  depicted 


214  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

by  Mr.  Stnrgess)  I  had  no  way  of  getting  out 
except  by  the  passage  and  kitchen  of  the 
farm-house,  as  the  gates  of  the  yard  were 
locked,  and  the  owner  of  the  place — who  was 
away  at  the  neighbouring  town — had  the  key 
in  his  pocket. 

Eques. — The  reason  why  ladies  ride  *'  all 
sorts  of  horses  "  is  that  comparatively  few 
keep  horses  of  their  own,  and  those  who  are 
without  them  and  are  fond  of  riding,  jump 
eagerly  at  the  offer  of  a  friend's  mount, 
whether  it  be  suitable  or  otherwise.  A  nice 
horse  for  a  lady  may  be  thus  described : 
Height  about  15-3  ;  Colour  dark  bay  or  brown, 
well-set  sloping  shoulders,  good  back,  arched 
loins,  firm  and  graceful  neck,  small  head  and 
ears,  shapely  clean-cut  legs,  and  good  firm 
feet.  A  horse  of  this  description  will  be 
well  up  to  13  or  14  st.  For  a  heavy  weight 
an  animal  should  be  selected  with  a  short 
wide  back,  powerful  quarters,  big  healthy 
hocks,  and  stoutly-built  fore-legs.  The 
average  weight  of  ladies  is  about  9st.  Summer 
costume  and  riding  gear  would  weigh  about 
equally,   but  velvet  or   sealskin   would  out- 


CORRESPONDENCE.  215 

weigh  a  habit.  A  lady  seated  upon  a  properly- 
made  saddle,  if  she  has  been  well  taught,  will 
never  have  her  weight  '*  all  on  one  side." 
The  reason  why  horses  go  short  with  the 
near  hind  leg  is  because  ladies  ride  from  the 
stirrup,  leaning  their  full  weight  upon  it,  and 
galling  the  animal's  back.  The  stirrup  is 
meant  to  assist,  not  to  support,  the  rider. 
Old-fashioned  side-saddles  are  all  too  heavy ; 
but  a  well-constructed  modern  saddle  can 
scarcely  be  improved  upon.  It  is  a  mistake 
to  ride  in  too  light  a  saddle,  as  it  brings  the 
weight  of  the  body  too  near  the  horse's  back. 
That  used  by  the  Empress  of  Austria  weighed 
12 lbs.,  which  is  about  a  correct  standard. 

Ladybird. — Nobody  who  has  any  regard  for 
life  and  limb  now  rides  through  Dublin. 
All  wise  persons  gave  it  up  when  pavement 
and  tram-Knes  made  the  city  what  it  is. 
Consequently  the  park  is  deserted,  and  only  a 
sohtary  horseman  is  seen  in  Stephen's  Green. 

Inquirer. — The  shoe  should  be  made  to  fit 
the  foot.  It  is  most  cruel,  and  is  a  fruitful 
source  of  lameness,  to  pare  the  foot  away  to 
make  it  fit  a  ready-made  shoe.     If  you  cannot 


216  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK, 

trust  your  farrier,  change  him.  This  advice 
also  applies  to  James  E.,  but  I  do  not  under- 
take to  answer  questions  respecting  the  treat- 
ment or  management  of  the  horse. 

Mabel  Florence  Kayne. — I  had  not  for- 
gotten nor  overlooked  the  important  uses  oi 
the  spur.  You  will  find  the  subject  treated  in 
my  papers  upon  hunting  and  hunting-costume. 
I  do  not,  however,  at  all  approve  of  its  use  for 
beginners,  as  such  are  certain,  through 
nervousness,  to  press  the  left  heel  close  to 
the  horse's  side,  and,  if  furnished  with  a 
spur,  would  cause  him  much  needless  pain 
and  irritation,  besides  endangering  their  own 
safety. 

Robert  Keating. — Best  thanks  for  letter  and 

papers. 

G.  Elliot. — For   riding    with    a    bit    and 

bridoon,  place  a  rein  between  each  finger  of 

your  left   hand,  and  hold  them  securely  with 

your   thumb,    reserving    your  right   hand  for 

your  whip  ;  or  take  your  reins  in  both  hands, 

and  ride  your  horse  upon  the  curb,  or  snaffle, 

according    to  his  temperament.      For  riding 

with   a    single  rein,  place   the  near  leather 


CORRESPONDENCE.  217 

under  your  little  finger  and  the  off  one  between 
the  first  and  second  fingers,  which  is  as  good 
a  way  as  any ;  but  I  have  already  said  that 
there  is  no  fixed  rule  for  holding  reins,  and  a 
good  rider  will  constantly  change  them  about, 
and  move  the  bridle  in  her  horse's  mouth, 
which  prevents  him  hanging  upon  his  bit. 

Jane  Carr. — I  scarcely  know  whether  to 
regard  your  letter  as  a  comphment  or  the 
reverse.  My  labours  have  been  totally 
unassisted;  nor  has  my  experience  of  this 
world  shown  me  that  its  occupants  are 
sufficiently  philanthropic  to  labour  that 
another  may  reap  the  merit  and  the  reward. 

L.  K. — The  subject  is  not  within  my  pro- 
vince. Mayhew's  Horse  Management,  published 
by  Allen  &  Co.,  13,  Waterloo  Place,  London, 
is  the  best  I  can  recommend. 

Huntsman. — It  is  for  ladies  I  am  writing. 

Eleanor. — Thanks ;  but  if  I  adopted  one 
half  of  the  suggestions  offered,  a  strange 
result  would  ensue.  Happily  my  papers  went 
to  press  without  anybody  (save  the  Editor) 
havLQg  had  a  glance  at  them.  He  generouslj 
accepted  them  upon  their  merits  ;  but  had  I 


218  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

fihown  them  to  others  I  should  either  have 
altered  soniething  in  every  second  line  or 
have  given  offence  to  numerous  well-meaning 
persons.  When  I  was  a  child  I  committed  to 
memory  the  inimitable  fable  of  **  The  Miller, 
liis  Son,  and  his  Ass,"  and  have  taken  the 
moral  of  it  as  a  guide  through  hfe. 

GooDALL. — A  short  hunting-crop  without  a 
lash  would  do. 

Equestrina. — If  a  horse  rears  with  me  in  a 
Ticious  manner  I  hit  him  between  the  ears, 
but  I  do  not  by  any  means  expect  my  readers 
to  coincide  in  all  my  views,  and  those  who 
know  a  better  plan  can,  of  course,  adopt  it. 
If  an  animal  rears  sHghtly  I  lean  forward 
against  his  neck,  touch  him  with  my  heel,  and 
speak  to  him.  If  he  persists,  and  I  see  any 
danger  of  his  falling  back,  I  hit  him  between 
the  ears  with  the  butt-end  of  my  whip,  not 
sufficiently  heavily  to  ^*  madden  him,"  nor  even 
to  cause  him  the  least  pain,  but  to  occasion 
him  to  duck  his  head,  which  he  invariably 
does  ;  and  if  at  that  instant  I  hit  him  sharply 
with  my  heel,  he  drops  at  once  and  lashes  out 
hehind.     Allowing  for  a  moment  that  such  a 


CORRESPONDENCE.  219 

mode  of  action  may  be  open  to  objection,  is  it 
not  better  (seeing  that  it  is  frequently  effica- 
cious) than  sitting  quietly  and  permitting 
one's-self  to  be  fallen  back  upon,  without 
making  any  effort  to  avert  the  catastrophe  ? 
My  objection  to  the  shpper-stirrup  is  founded 
on  the  knowledge  that  it  encourages  ladies  to 
lean  their  weight  upon  it.  ^*  It  feels  so  com- 
fortable," I  heard  a  lady  say,  '^  so  like  a 
resting-board  beneath  my  foot,  th^  I  cannot 
help  riding  from  it."  An  iron  stirrup  with  the 
foot  well  home  is  the  proper  thing  to  ride  in ; 
and  remember  it  is  from  the  instep  and  not 
from  the  toes  that  you  should  rise.  The  iron 
should  meet  the  waist  of  the  boot-sole,  and  a 
long  flat  heel  (I  do  not  mean  one  of  those 
atrocities  known  as  a  high  one)  should  be  worn 
on  the  boot. 

Jermyn. — Your  letter  almost  answers  itself. 
The  pad  or  pilch  is  apt  to  turn  round,  for  it  is 
only  one  little  girl  in  twenty. who  sits  straight. 
You  judge  my  meaning  rightly  about  the 
straight  saddle,  but  I  opine  that  it  is  the 
stuffing  which  should  be  arranged  to  guard  the 
backbone  from  pressure,  and  that  it  is  in  no 


220  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

way  necessary  to  raise  the  seat  at  the  back. 
I  must  again  say,  for  the  third  time,  that  a 
plain  ring-snaffle  is  the  nicest  for  a  lady's  use, 
and  also  maintain  my  opinion  that  few  horses 
will  go  in  it,  according  to  mij  ideas  of  ^^  gomg." 
A  horse  who  goes  well  in  a  ring-snaffle  must 
have  a  perfect  temper  and  a  perfect  mouth,  a 
combination  as  rare  in  the  equine  as  in  the 
human  tribe.  For  ordinary  hunters  and 
roadsters  I  do  not  recommend  it,  simply 
because  they  will  not  go  in  such  a  bridle  ;  but 
I  shall  ever  hold  to  my  opinion  that  it  is  the 
nicest  and  the  least  puzzling  for  a  beginner. 

Katie. — Not  worth  denying.  It  is  one  of 
those  worthless  untruths  which  I  have  long 
since  learned  to  treat  with  contempt. 

LiVEEPUDLiAN. — Your  suggcstiou  is  so  good 
that  I  shall  certainly  adopt  it.  Nothing  could 
be  better  adapted  for  riding  in  than  a  warm 
jersey,  buttoned  in  front.  Being  elastic  it 
would  allow  full  play  for  the  arms  and 
shoulders,  and  would  also  display  a  good  figure 
to  advantage.  If  you,  or  some  other,  would 
only  get  up  a  sufflcient  amount  of  courage  to 
turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  hateful  and  oft-recurring 


CORRESPONDENCE.  221 

^*  What  will  be  said  ?"  we  might  have  many 
useful  and  elegant  innovations  of  which  at 
present  we  know  nothing. 

Young  Wife. — There  can  be  no  impropriety 
in  what  you  say.  ^*  Honi  soit  qui  mal  y 
pense  ? ''  So  long  as  you  have  a  good  con- 
science and  your  husband's  approval  you  need 
care  little  for  what  the  world  says. 

X.  Y.  Z.,  Dashaway,  and  Countryman. — 
I  cannot  reply  to  your  letters. 

Thanking  you,  Sir,  for  your  kindness  in 
panting  me  so  much  of  your  valuable  space, 

I  am,  &c, 
Nannie  Power  O'Donoghue. 

October  25. 


Sir, — The  ''recently-invented  lady's  spur," 
mentioned  in  your  last  issue  by  "  Mabel 
Florence  Kayne,"  was  patented  towards  the 
close  of  the  last  century,  and  illustrations  of 
it,  and  of  other  spurs  on  the  same  principle, 
can  be  seen  at  the  Patent  Ojfice.  I  quite 
concur  in  the  recommendation  that  a  lady 
should  always  wear  a  spur,  and  it  will  be 
seen  from  the    last   article    by    Mrs.  Power 


222  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

O'Donoghue  that  a  spur  forms  part  of  her 
hunting  equipment ;  but  I  strongly  advise 
ladies  to  wear  a  spur  with  a  rowel  having  only 
five  points,  which  should  be  long  and  sharp. 
The  spur  with  one  point  and  a  spring  sheath 
is  commonly  sold  by  saddlers  for  ladies'  use, 
but  is  liable  to  break  or  get  out  of  order,  and 
is  always  discarded  in  favour  of  the  one  with 
a  five-pointed  rowel  by  ladies  who  have  tried 
the  latter.  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  is  doing 
good  service  to  ladies  by  protesting  against 
the  stirrups  facetiously  so-called  ^*  safety." 
I  always  advise  a  lady  to  use  a  perfectly 
plain  steel  stirrup,  but  a  tolerably  heavy  one. 
Why  cannot  the  stirrup  be  attached  to  a  lady's 
saddle  in  the  same  manner  as  to  a  gentle- 
man's ?  Then,  in  case  of  accident,  the  stirrup 
and  leather  would  come  away  together.  An 
excellent  bit  for  a  lady's  horse  is  a  curb-bit, 
suspended  in  the  horse's  mouth  by  two  large 
rings,  to  which  the  snaffle-reins  are  also 
attached.  This  bit  is  very  hght  or  very 
severe,  at  the  rider's  wish. 

I  am,  &c. 
October  26,  1880.  Southeen  Cross. 


CORRESPONDENCE.  223 

Sir, — Continuing  my  remarks  on  this 
subject,  I  am  bound  to  say  that  your  contri- 
butor gives  sufficient  answer  to  the  question 
of  the  safety-stirrup  in  explaining  that  the 
objection  is  removed  providing  the  inner 
stirrup  is  large  enough  for  the  foot  to  be  easily 
extricated ;  the  stirrup  being  made  in  three 
different  sizes,  this  is  a  matter  easily  adjusted. 
The  shoe-stirrup  referred  to  by  **  Equestrina" 
was  in  use  by  ladies  for  many  years,  and  in 
point  of  safety  I  think  no  objection  can  be 
raised  to  it ;  the  same  shape  of  stirrup  is  much 
affected  by  men  in  South  America. 

The  instructions  in  Part  Second  of  Mrs. 
Power  O'Donoghue's  writings  are  very  admi- 
rable, except  that  I  do  not  see  the  utility  of 
a  lady's  striking  a  rearing  horse  between  the 
ears,  with  the  few  ounces  of  whip  usually  carried. 
I  have  known  men  do  so  with  a  loaded  whip, 
and  knocking  a  horse  down  to  cure  him  of  this 
vice,  but  it  would  be  scarcely  advisable  for  a  lady 
to  try  this.  I  am  rather  surprised  to  see  it 
stated  as  a  fact  that  both  rearing  and  plunging 
maybe  entirely  prevented  by  using  the  so-called 
anti-rearing  bit  martingale.     It  certainly  may 


224  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

prevent  rearing  on  the  first  attempt  if  the  horse's 
head  is  kept  down  tightly  by  this  martingale 
attached  to  the  breastplate,  but  as  the  latter  is 
seldom  worn  except  for  hunting,  it  cannot  be 
intended  to  recommend  it  for  that  purpose,  for 
it  would  infallibly  follow  that  the  fixed  martin- 
gale would  bring  both  horse  and  rider  to  grief  at 
the  very  first  fence  they  attempted  to  clear, 
and  if  the  horse  had  sufficient  liberty  of  action 
to  jump  freely,  the  martingale  would  be  no 
obstruction  to  his  rearing.  I  know  from  my 
own  experience  that  a  horse  can  be  knocked 
down  by  a  blow  on  the  head.  I  was  once 
doing  a  little  private  mounted  practice  at 
sword  exercise,  preparatory  to  a  prize  com- 
petition, and  grasping  my  sword  with  thick 
gloves  on,  the  weapon  somehow  turned  in 
my  hand,  caught  my  mare  below  the  ear  on 
the  bridle-hand,  and  knocked  her  completely 
off  her  legs,  to  our  mutual  amazement,  though 
no  great  harm  was  done.  I  do  not  see  what 
analogy  there  can  be  between  the  powerful 
Chifney  bit  and  a  rearing  martingale; 
the  effect  of  the  latter  may  be  secured  by 
attaching  a  split  martingale,  with  leather  or 


COREESPONDENCE.  225 

spring  billets,  to  the  mouth-rings  of  any  bit 
in  use,  snaJffle  or  Pelham  ;  but  I  believe  that  a 
horse  can,  if  determined,  rear  all  the  same, 
and  it  certainly  would  not  prevent  plunging  or 
bucking.  For  a  restive  or  jibbing  horse  in 
saddle  I  have  always  found  a  short  running 
martingale  very  useful;  the  rider  should 
shorten  and  lower  the  right  rein  well  down  the 
horse's  shoulder,  apply  the  right  leg  and  spur 
sharply,  and  turn  the  horse  round  like  a 
teetotum  until  he  is  dizzy,  then  give  him  both 
spurs  when  his  head  is  in  the  right  direction. 
This  will  set  him  going  before  he  knows 
where  he  is,  and  is  a  practice  I  have  found 
very  efficacious,  but  not  easily  applicable  by 
ladies. 

On  the  subject  of  bits,  my  own  favourite  is 
the  Hanoverian  Pelham  ;  it  will  generally  hold 
the  strongest  puller,  and,  with  a  light  hand,  I 
have  never  met  a  horse  that  would  not  face  it. 
For  show  or  park  riding  there  is  none 
better ;  it  is,  however,  not  suited  to  those  who 
trust  to  the  bridle-reins  for  their  balance  in 
the  saddle. 

*'Eques"  inquires  "what  is  the  average 

15 


226  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

weight  of  ladies  ?  '*  This  is  a  difficult  query, 
but  as  ladies  ride  at  all  weights  between  six 
and  eleven  stone,  with  a  margin  each  way,  I 
should  suppose  the  average  would  be  about 
8J  stone,  exclusive  of  saddle,  &c.  A  lady  who 
is  an  indifferent  rider  would  throw  more  weight 
on  one  side  than  the  other,  one  cause  of  so 
many  sore  backs  from  side-saddles ;  but  a 
thoroughly  good  horsewoman  would  sit  with 
as  level  a  balance  as  a  man.  The  weight  of 
good  modern  side-saddles  is  much  reduced, 
but  they  cannot  well  be  made  under  141b., 
with  furniture,  and  are  usually  considerably 
more.  If  the  Empress  of  Austria  uses  a 
saddle  of  8  lb.  only  (as  some  have  averred), 
she  must  ride  on  a  man's  steeplechase-saddle, 
which  perhaps  would  not  be  a  difficult  perform- 
ance for  a  lady  who  is  said  to  be  in  the  habit 
of  driving  four-in-hand. 

I  am  much  impressed  by  the  recital  of 
your  contributor's  adventures  and  hair-breadth 
escapes  on  the  saddle,  particularly  on  the 
occasion  she  refers  to  when  invited  by  a 
friend  to  ride  the  big  bay  horse.  If  the 
friend  was   a  gentleman,  I  must  repeat  the 


COPEESPONDENCE.  227 

opinion  I  heard  expressed  by  a  lady  when 
reading  the  article — that  any  man  who  would 
wiKully  expose  a  woman  to  risk  her  life  on 
such  a  brute  behaved  disgracefally.  There 
is  no  object  in  creation  to  my  mind  more 
attractive  than  a  graceful  woman  controlling 
with  ease  a  fine  and  well-trained  horse  ;  but 
no  one  with  due  respect  for  the  sex  would 
wish  to  see  her  taking  the  place  of  a  rough 
rider. 

Yours,  &c. 

Jeemyn. 


Sib, — Although  I  care  nothing  for  anything 
that  may  be  said  about  myseK,  I  am  ever 
loyal  to  my  friends,  and  it  seems  to  me  hard 
that  one  of  the  truest  of  them  should  be 
spoken  of  as  having  '*  behaved  disgracefully  " 
by  a  writer  who,  with  more  impetuosity  than 
judgment,  jumps  at  conclusions  without 
waiting  to  hear  the  truth.  When  I  was  riding 
homeward  after  the  leap  into  the  farm-yard,  I 
met  the  owner  of  the  horse  upon  the  road, 

15  * 


228  LADIES   ON   HOKSEBACK. 

driving  out  with  a  friend.  The  moment  he 
heard  what  had  occurred  he  took  me  off  the 
animal,  changed  my  saddle  to  the  very  quiet 
horse  he  was  driving,  and  actually,  after  nearly 
an  hour's  delay,  succeeded  in  putting  the 
harness  upon  the  ^*  hig  hay/*  and,  having  done 
so,  drove  him  home  regardless  of  his  own  safety, 
or  rather  of  his  danger,  which  was  imminent. 
I  do  not  think  there  are  many  men  at  his  time 
of  life,  and  in  his  delicate  state  of  health,  who 
would  have  done  the  same  thing  rather  than 
chance  a  second  runaway.  He  had  no  reason 
to  suppose  that  any  such  thing  would,  in  the 
first  instance,  have  happened,  and  I  believe  it 
was  attributable  to  the  fact  that  the  horse  had 
I  )een  ridden  a  daj^  or  two  previously  by  a  very 
udld  rider,  who  had  spoilt  his  mouth  and 
manners,  and  who  subsequently  apologised  to 
me  for  having  been  the  cause  of  what 
Dccurred.  I  might  have  mentioned  all  thi& 
before,  and  certainly  should  have  done  so  had 
i  thought  that  such  necessity  should  have 
arisen.  I  would  remind  "  Jermyn  "  that  my 
observations  respecting  the  martingale  were 
confined  to  my  papers  on  road-riding,  not  on 


COERESPONDENCE.  229 

hunting,  and  would  also  thank  him,  with 
my  hest  oheisance,  for  calling  me  a  rough- 
rider. 

I  am.  Sir, 

Yours  obediently, 
Nannie  Power  O'Donoghub. 
October  31,  1880. 


Sir, — I  must,  in  justice  to  myself,  ask  you 
io  he  so  kind  as  to  grant  me  space  in  your 
influential  journal  to  reply  to  the  very  serious 
charge  ^*  Jermyn  "  brought  against  me  in  your 
issue  of  the  30th  of  the  past  month.  I  am 
the  friend  who  asked  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue 
to  ride  **  the  big  bay,"  and  yet  I  believe  that 
nobody  in  all  the  world  has  a  higher  esteem 
for  that  lady,  nor  a  truer  regard  for  her  safety 
han  I  have.  Indeed  there  are  few  men  in 
Ireland  (if  one)  worth  being  called  the  name, 
who  would  not  willingly  lay  down  their  own 
lives  rather  than  imperil  the  life  of  one  so 
universally  beloved.  The  horse  up  to  the 
day  of  the  runaway  had  been  perfectly  quiet 
;and    most    easily  managed.     He  carried  me 


280  iiADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

two  seasons  to  hounds,  never  making  a  mistake 
nor  pulling  in  the  least.  Not  being  able  to  ride, 
having  shortly  before  met  with  a  very  serious 
accident,  I  lent  "  the  big  bay "  to  a  hard- 
riding  young  officer  for  a  day's  hunting.  He 
unfortunately  must  have  made  too  free  use  of 
his  long-necked  spurs,  and,  totally  unknown 
to  me,  ruffled  the  horse's  temper ;  the  animal 
remembering  the  treatment  he  received,  and 
finding  but  a  feather  on  his  back,  when  excited 
by  the  music  of  the  hounds,  overpowered  his 
rider ;  but,  thank  Heaven,  no  serious  accident 
occurred.  I  was  unutterably  shocked  and 
distressed  on  hearing  of  the  occurrence,  and 
may  state  that  on  the  day  in  question  I  was 
driving  in  my  dog-cart,  accompanied  by  a 
gentleman  (late  an  officer  in  Her  Majesty's 
service)  who  can  vouch  for  the  truth  of  my 
statement,  when  Mrs.  O'Donoghue  came  up 
to  me  and  told  me  of  her  very  narrow  escape. 
I  did  not  hesitate  an  instant  to  say,  "  I  will 
take  out  the  horse  I  am  driving.  You  know 
him  to  be  a  perfect  mount,  and  I  will  put 
*  the  big  bay '  in  my  trap."  The  lady  did  not 
wish  me  to  do  so,  knowing  the  risk  I  ran  in 


CORRESPONDENCE.  231 

putting  a  horse  in  harness  that  had  never 
been  in  such  before.  I  at  last  succeeded  in 
prevailing  on  her  not  to  lose  the  day's  sport, 
changed  the  saddle  with  great  difficulty,  and 
attached  "  the  big  bay  "  to  my  dog-cart ;  after  a 
few  plunges  and  an  endeavour  to  get  away,  he 
settled  down,  and  has  since  gone  grandly. 
My  friend,  though  a  very  bold  man,  would 
not  get  in  with  me  for  some  time.  I  hope 
after  this  explanation  your  correspondent  will 
be  sufficiently  generous  to  allow  that  I  did  all 
in  my  power  to  insure  the  safety  of  a  most 
precious  life.  With  regard  to  the  term 
"rough-rider,"  as  applied  by  "Jermyn"  to 
Mrs.  O'Donoghue,  I  feel  assured  if  he  knew 
the  lady  he  would  not  for  worlds  have  used 
such  an  expression. 
I  am,  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 
One  Who  has  Bidden  to  Hounds  for 
OvEB  Sixty  Years. 


Sir, — ^I  should  by  no  means  recommend  a 
young  lady  to  wear  a  spur  when  learning  in  a 


232  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

riding-school,  but  from  my  own  experience  I 
strongly  advise  all  girls  beginning  to  ride 
on  the  road  never  to  mount  their  steeds 
without  a  sharp  spur  on  their  left  boot.  The 
second  time  I  went  out  riding,  when  I  was 
fourteen,  my  cob,  startled  by  some  noise, 
suddenly  began  to  rear  and  pitch  vigorously. 
I  appHed  my  whip  sharply  across  his  flank, 
but  without  effect.  I  then  gave  him  a  series 
of  sharp  pricks  with  my  spur,  which  com- 
pletely subdued  him.  Had  I  been  without  a 
spur  I  should  probably  have  been  thrown  and 
severely  injured.  I  should  certainly  prefer  a 
spur  with  a  rowel  as  **  Southern  Cross " 
recommends,  but  would  it  not  be  apt  to  tear 
the  habit  ? 

I  am,  &c. 

Mabel  Florence  Eaynb. 
The  Firs,  Cheltenham, 
November  1,  1880. 


Sir, — ^A  correspondent  in  your  last  number 
advises  ladies  to  use  a  rowel  spur,  with  five 


COERESPONDENCE.  233 

prongs,  long  and  sharp,  so,  as  a  friend  of 
horses,  I  am  inclined  to  write  an  objection 
to  their  taking  this  advice.  In  the  first  place, 
from  the  nature  of  a  lady's  seat,  her  armed 
heel  would  often  unintentionally  irritate  and 
annoy  the.  horse ;  and  in  the  second  place 
many  would  probably  use  this  instrument  of 
torture  too  severely,  and  therefore  cruelly.  A 
rowel  spur,  with  five  long  and  sharp  prongs — 
in  fact,  a  jockey's  spur — is  a  much  more 
severe  instrument  than  is  required  for  ordi- 
nary riding,  either  by  man  or  woman,  and 
the  advantage  of  the  ladies'  bore  spur  is, 
that  it  can  only  be  applied  when  intended, 
and  then  is  quite  sufficiently  severe.  I 
have  no  objection  to  ladies,  who  are  good 
horsewomen,  wearing  a  spur,  and  using  it,  too, 
as  severely  as  necessary,  but  I  have  great 
objections  to  any  unnecessary  pain  or  annoy- 
ance being  given  to  my  friends,  the  horses. 
Another  lady  correspondent  of  yours  says 
that  a  spur  is  quite  indispensable  for  hunting. 
If  she  means  that  it  should  always  be  worn 
in  case  it  is  required,  I  agree ;  but  I  have 
ridden  a  courageous  high-tempered  horse  for 


234  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

years  with  hounds  without   ever  using    the 

spur. 

I  am,  &c. 

Fair  Play. 

Glasgow,  1st  November  1880. 


Sir, — As  the  subject  of  spurs  and  other 
riding  equipment  for  ladies  seems  at  the 
present  time  to  occupy  and  interest  many  oi 
your  fair  readers,  permit  me,  on  behaK  of 
my  sisters,  who  are  horsewomen  of  some 
experience,  both  at  home  and  in  the  colonies, 
and  who  have  practically  tried  most  known 
riding-costumes,  to  recommend,  through  the 
medium  of  your  columns,  the  following  as  a 
comfortable  and  serviceable  riding-dress  for 
a  lady,  for  long  country  rides,  picnics,  &c. ;  of 
course  not  for  the  Park,  or  a  lawn  meet. 
Habit — a  short,  strong  hunting- skirt,  short 
enough  to  walk  in  with  comfort,  with  jacket 
of  same  cloth  as  skirt,  made  loose  enough  to 
admit  of  a  jersey  being  worn  under  it  if 
required;  a  wide  leather  belt  for  the  waist, 
fastening  with  a  buckle.  This  belt  will  be 
found  a  great  comfort  and  support  when  on 


CORRESPONDENCE.  235 

horseback  for  many  hours.     Hat  of  soft  felt, 
or  a  melon-shaped  hat.    Pantaloons  of  chamois 
leather,  buttoning  close  at  the  ankles.     Hussar 
or  Wellington  boots,   reaching  to  about  four 
inches  of  the  knee,   to  be    worn  over   the 
pantaloons,  made  of  Peel  leather  with  moderate- 
sized  heels,  tipped  with  brass,  and  soles  strong 
but  not  thick.     A  leather  stud  should  be  sewn 
on  the  left  boot,  about  2J  inches  above  the 
heel,  on  which  stud  the  spur  should  rest,  and 
thus    be    kept    in   its    place    without    tight 
buckling.     The  spur  found  to  be  the  most 
useful  after  the  trial  of  many  is  a  rowel  spur 
of  plated  steel,  about  two  inches  to  two  and-a- 
half  inches   long,    strong  and  light,  hunting 
shape,  and  fastened  with  a  strap  and  buckle, 
the  foot-strap  of   plated  steel  chain.     This 
chain  foot-strap  looks  neater  than  a  leathei 
one,  and  does  not  become   cut  or  worn  out 
when  on  foot  on  rough  or  rocky  ground.     The 
rowel  pin  is  a  screw  pin ;  thus  the  rowel  can 
be  changed  at  pleasure,  and  a  sharp  or  a  blunt 
one   fitted  as  is  required  by  the  horse  one 
rides.     The  spur  I  mention  can  be  obtained 
of     Messrs.     Maxwell     &     Co.,     Piccadilly, 


236  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

London ;     or    of    Mr.     Thompson,    saddler, 
Dawson  street,  Dublin. 

Some    ladies    afiect    two  spurs — one,   the 
right,  being  fitted  mth   a  blank  rowel;  this 
is,  of  course,   for  appearance  sake  when  dis- 
mounted.    I  have  not  often  seen  two  spurs 
worn.      I  am  not    alluding  to    Miss  Bird's 
riding- costume,    as   described   in  her  books, 
Life  in   the   Sandwich  Islands   and    The    Bocky 
Mountains.       She    rode    a    la   cavaliere,    in    a 
Mexican    saddle,     and    wearing    big     rowel 
Mexican  spurs,  and  appears  from  her  account 
to  have  preferred  this  style  of  riding  to  the 
modern  style   and  side-saddle.      Some  years 
ago  I   saw  a   photograph   of  the    Queen  of 
Naples    (I  think  in  1860),   representing  the 
queen  mounted  a  la  cavaliere,  wearing  a  high 
felt  hat,   a  long  white  cloak,  patent-leather 
jack-boots,  and  gilt  spurs.     Can  any  of  your 
readers  inform  me  if  this  style  of  riding  for 
ladies  is  a  custom  of  Southern  Italy  as  well 
is  Mexico  and  the  Sandwich  Islands  ? 

I  am,  &c. 

Jack  Spur. 


COERESPONDENCE.  237 

Sir, — I  cannot  regret  that  my  letter  has 
given  the  authoress  of  this  work,  and  also 
the  owner  of  the  "big  bay''  horse,  an 
opportunity  of  explaining  the  circumstances 
attending  her  mount  on  that  puissant  but 
headstrong  animal,  and  of  repudiating  the 
erroneous  construction  put  upon  it,  as  probably 
the  same  idea  may  have  occurred  to  many 
other  readers  of  the  anecdote,  who  may  not 
have  cared  to  express  their  sentiments.  I 
must  say,  however,  that  I  am  very  sorry  if 
my  remarks  occasioned  pain  to  either  of  your 
correspondents.  The  explanation  given 
shows  clearly  that  no  blame  was  really 
attributable  to  the  gentleman  who  offered  the 
mount,  and  I  can  well  believe  he  never 
dreamt  of  danger  with  the  horse  in  sucli 
skilful  hands.  No  one  would  doubt  the 
sincerity  of  the  statement  given,  that  the 
horse  was  put  in  harness  for  the  first  time  and 
driven  away,  after  such  an  experience  of  his 
temper;  but  it  speaks  more  highly  for  the 
courage  than  discretion  of  his  owner,  and  I 
can  well  understand  the  friend's  hesitation  to 
share  the    driving-seat,   for    there    are    few 


238  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

things  more  trying  to  the  nerves  than  to  sit 
behind  a  determined  bolter.  Perhaps  I  write 
feeHngly,  having  been  in  that  predicament 
myself  three  years  ago,  resulting  in  a  fractured 
hip  and  permanent  lameness.  I  will  most 
certainly  admit  that  the  chivalrous  gentleman 
did  all,  and  more  than  was  necessary,  to  avert 
further  peril  to  the  lady  who  had  so  narrow  an 
escape.  As  for  the  obnoxious  term  "  rough 
rider,"  to  which  exception  is  taken,  it  was 
intended  to  be  used  generally  and  not 
individually ;  if  it  has  unfortunately  happened 
that  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue,  whom  I  have 
never  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing,  took  it  in  a 
personal  sense,  I  most  sincerely  beg  her 
forgiveness,  and  will  ask  her  rather  to  accept, 
as  appHcable  to  herself,  the  earher  remarks 
about  ladies  on  horseback  at  the  conclusion  of 
my  letter,  and  the  assurance  of  my  belief  that 
such  a  gentlewoman  as  she  is  described  could 
never  be  a  rough  rider  in  any  way. 

I  am,  &c, 

Jeemyn. 


CORRESPONDENCE.  239 

Sir, — The  spur  with  a  five-pointed  rowel 
was  strongly  recommended  for  ladies'  use 
many  years  ago  in  the  Queen,  and  is  worn  by 
many  :  it  does  not  tear  the  habit,  and  is  not 
more  severe  than  the  spring-sheath  spur  with 
a  point  of  the  same  length,  as  only  one  point 
of  the  rowel  can  prick  the  horse  at  a  time ; 
indeed,  it  is  not  so  severe,  as  it  can  be  apphed 
with  a  very  shght  touch,  which  generally  is 
all  that  is  required,  whilst  the  spring-sheath 
spur  must  be  appHed  with  sufficient  force  to 
overcome  the  resistance  of  the  spring,  with 
the  result  that  the  horse  is  often  more  sharply 
pricked  than  the  rider  intends.  The  points 
of  a  lady's  spur  should  be  long  enough  to  be 
effective  if  the  skirt  of  the  habit  intervenes, 
as,  with  any  arrangement,  it  sometimes 
will  do,  when,  if  the  points  are  too  short, 
the  horse  does  not  feel  it.  I  dissent  from  the 
statement  of  "Fairplay'*  that,  "from  the 
nature  of  a  lady's  seat,  her  armed  heel  would 
often  unintentionally  irritate^  and  annoy  her 
horse.''  If  apphed  to  a  clumsy  rider  the 
statement  is  accurate,  but  a  lady  who  is  a 
moderately  good  rider  has  no    difficulty  in 


240  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

keeping  her  foot  in  the  proper  position,  and  a 
lady's  left  foot  should  be  in  the  same  position 
as  a  man's ;  whilst,  as  a  lady  has  the  third 
crutch  to  steady  her  left  leg,  she  has  less 
excuse  than  a  man  would  have  for  the  unin- 
tentional use  of  the  spur ;  but  this  evil  carries 
its  own  antidote,  for  the  lady  would  soon 
perceive  the  result  of  the  irritation,  and 
become  more  careful.  The  best  way  to  cure 
a  boy  of  turning  out  his  toes  and  holding  on 
with  his  heels  is  to  give  him  a  pair  of  long- 
necked  spurs,  and  then  put  him  on  a  fidgetty 
horse ;  a  few  minutes'  experience  teaches  him 
more  than  a  month  of  lecturing.  I  never 
knew  of  a  mishap  occurring  to  a  lady  through 
accidentally  spurring  her  horse,  but  I  have 
known  many  instances  of  ladies  being  put  to 
great  inconvenience  and  annoyance  through 
not  wearing  a  spur,  and  I  do  not  understand 
why  a  lady  should  be  more  hkely  than  a  man 
fco  use  it  with  undue  severity.  That  it  is  an 
advantage  to  a  lady  is  clearly  shown  by  the 
fact  that  a  lady  who  once  tries  one  always 
continues  its  use.  "  Fairplay "  is  also 
mistaken  about  the  spring-sheath  spur,  for  it 


COKKESPONDENCE.  241 

is  as  readily  applied  as  any  other,  though, 
more  force  is  required,  which  is  objectionable, 
and  especially  so  in  park  riding,  when  the 
spring  of  the  horse  to  an  unintentionally 
sharp  appHcation  betrays  the  action  of  the 
rider.  I  claim  to  be  as  good  a  friend  of 
horses  as  ^'Fairplay,"  but  I  have  some  regard 
for  the  rider  as  well  as  for  the  horse,  and  I 
consider  that,  whilst  we  are  justified  in  riding 
horses,  we  are  justified  in  using  such  reason- 
able aids  as  we  find  most  satisfactory  to  our- 
selves ;  and  I  have  no  sympathy  with  anyone 
who  objects  to  a  lady  avaihng  herself  of  the 
convenience  and  assistance  so  readily  sup- 
pHed  by  a  judiciously-used  spur,  which  every 
horseman  knows  cannot,  in  very  many  cases, 
be  obtained  by  any  other  means,  and  which 
he  never  hesitates  to  avail  himself  of.  In 
these  days  of  locomotion  a  lady  loses  a  great 
deal  of  the  pleasures  of  traveUing,  and  of  the 
opportunities  of  seeing  the  countries  she  may 
visit,  unless  she  can  and  will  ride  such  horses. 
as  she  may  meet  with  in  those  countries ; 
and  even  in  the  rural  districts  of  England 
there  is  many  an  old  nag  of  the  "  Proputty 

16 


242  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

Proputty  "  type,  which  (though  not  possessed 
of  the  special  points  of  a  lady's  horse — **  Oh ! 
such  a  lovely  mane  and  tail")  will  carry  a  lady 
tolerably  well  if  he  feels  the  spur  occasionally. 
If  **  Mabel  Florence  Kayne"  tries  the  rowel 
spur  and  the  bit  I  mentioned  in  my  former 
letter,  I  am  sure  she  will  be  satisfied  with 
them,  and  perhaps  she  will  write  her  opinion 
for  the  benefit  of  others.  The  excellent  and 
sensible  letters  of  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue 
will  probably  convince  people  that  a  horse, 
when  he  has  a  lady  on  his  back,  is  very  much 
the  same  kind  of  animal,  and  requires  very 
much  the  same  kind  of  management,  as  when 
he  is  ridden  by  a  man.  If  Mrs.  Power 
O'Donoghue  can  obtain  this  result,  she  wiU 
sweep  away  many  of  the  peculiar  prejudices 
and  ideas  that  now  prevail  as  to  all  matters 
appertaining  to  ladies  on  horseback. 

I  am,  &c. 

SouTHEBN  Cross. 


Sir, — In    the    article    under    the     above- 
mentioned  heading,  pubHshed  in  your  issue  of 


CORRESPONDENCE.  243 

ihe  6th  November,  Mrs.  Power  0*Donoghiie 
recommends  that  horses'  tails  should  not  be 
docked.  Dealers,  when  offering  horses  for 
sale,  do  not  usually  volunteer  any  information 
as  to  whether  the  horses  have  been  docked. 
I  wish,  therefore,  to  inform  any  intending 
purchasers  who  may  not  know  how  to  ascer- 
tain whether  a  horse  has  been  docked,  and 
who  may  wish  to  obtain  some  which  have 
not  been  disfigured  in  this  manner,  that  if  the 
dock  (that  is,  the  portion  of  the  tail  which 
consists  of  bones  and  muscles,  &c.)  is  in  its 
natural  state,  the  hair  grows  thickly  at  the 
end  or  tip  of  it,  and  there  is  no  bare  space 
there ;  but  if  it  has  been  shortened  by  a 
portion  of  it  being  cut  off  (or  docked),  there 
is  at  the  end  or  tip  of  it  a  circular  space  of 
about  an  inch  in  diameter,  entirely  bare  of 
hair.  When  a  horse  has  been  docked,  the 
hair  of  the  tail  scarcely  grows  after  it  has 
reached  to  within  six  or  seven  inches  above 
the  hocks.  The  hocks  of  a  large  horse  are 
about  twenty-five  inches  above  the  ground. 
It  is  a  general  custom  with  London  dealers 
to  cut  the  hair  of  the  tail  very  short  before 

16  * 


244  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

offering  a  horse  for  sale,  so  that  it  does  not 
come  down  lower  than  to  a  distance  of  about 
nine  inches  above  the  hocks.  The  buyer 
cannot  then  tell  to  what  length  the  tail  is 
likely  to  grow.  If  customers  would  refuse 
to  buy  horses  with  the  hair  of  the  tail  cut 
short,  perhaps  the  practice  in  question  would 
be  discontinued  by  the  dealers. 

I  am,  Sir,  &c 

X.  Y.  Z. 
London,  November  10,  1880. 


Sir, — In  your  paper  of  last  week  I  notice  a 
letter  on  the  advisability  of  ladies  on  horse- 
back adopting  the  cross-saddle  in  place  of 
the  side,  that  is  to  say,  in  plain  Enghsh,  ride 
astride.  This  I  have  done  abroad  when  far 
beyond  conventional  bondage,  and  it  is 
incomparably  better.  Your  correspondent 
points  out  the  evils  resulting  from  the  one-sided 
twisted  seat,  which  a  lady  now  has,  and  also, 
in  the  same  paper,  the  authoress  of  Ladies  on 
Horseback  says  how  impossible  it  is  with  only 
one  foot  in  the  stirrup  to  rise  comfortably  to  a 


CORRESPONDENCE.  245 

liigh  trotter.  Now  I  should  never  have  dared 
to  name  such  a  change  had  it  not  been  thus 
mooted.  Society  will  shriek  out  and  say, 
*'  Woman  would  be  indeed  out  of  place  thus." 
Why  ?  I  am  sure  with  a  proper  dress  there 
is  nothing  to  hurt  the  extremely  proper  feelings 
of  the  most  modest.  All  who  have  hunted 
know  that  the  very  short  skirted  habits  at 
times  display,  well,  say  the  leg  of  the  fair 
equestrienne  most  liberally.  Now  the  dress  for 
the  cross-horse  style  is  much  the  same  as  a 
bathing  suit,  loose  Zouave  drawers  drawn  close 
below  the  knee,  and  fastened  tightly  over  the 
boot  at  the  ankle  ;  a  loose  tunic,  long  enough 
to  come  almost  to  the  knee  when  mounted, 
lightly  belted  at  the  waist,  a  cape  falHng  over 
the  shoulders,  not  quite  to  the  elbows.  This 
is  my  attire  when  free  to  ride  in  the  only 
really  comfortable  way,  a  foot  in  each  stirrup. 
Oh,  no  woman  would  ever  be  twisted  and 
packed  on  to  a  side  saddle  again  if  she  could 
help  it,  after  once  enjoying  the  ease  and  free- 
dom, as  well  as  complete  control  of  her  horse 
which  a  man's  seat  gives. 

So  far  as  exhibitions  of  limbs  go,  it  is  much 


2^6  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

more  delicate,  and  there  is  nothing  to  offend 
tiie  most  sensitive  lady  in  this  style.  Only 
it  is  not  fashionable.  When  shall  we  cease  to 
prostrate  ourselves  before  that  Juggernaut  of 
fashion  ?  For  all  paces  and  in  every  instance 
it  is  better,  and  the  risk  of  accidents  is  reduced 
at  least  one  half.  It  is  a  wonderful  ease  in  long 
rides  to  vary  the  stirrup  length.  The  mihtary, 
almost  straight-leg,  trot,  J  think  the  easiest, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  some  of  the  best 
riders  I  have  ever  seen  abroad  ride  with  a 
very  short  stirrup  ;  it  is  a  matter  of  habit  and 
custom.  But  if  the  fashion  were  once  intro- 
duced here,  I  know  it  would  prove  a  priceless 
boon  to  ladies  who  love  riding.  Let  some 
lady  who  has  the  opportunity  once  try  it  in 
her  own  private  grounds  (at  first)  or  in  soma 
quiet,  out-of-the-way  country  lane  or  moorland, 
and  she  will  be  surprised.  It  is  a  new  existence 
on  horseback,  and  nothing  indehcate  about  it,  clad 
as  I  have  named.  Oh,  what  a  difference  it 
does  make.  It  is  twenty-three  years  now  since 
I  first  took  the  idea  from  a  book  published  by 
a  lady,  entitled.  Unprotected  Females  in  Norway, 
and  whenever  I  can,   I    always  ride  so,   of 


CORRESPONDENCE.  247 

course   abroad  or  even  in  the  far  nortli   of 
Scotland.      What   a  sensation   in    the  Kow 
would  a  party  of  ladies  make  thus  mounted  ! 
Again,  it  is  much  easier  for  the  horse,  having 
your  weight  fairly  distributed,  not  all  perched 
on  one   side.      Your    seat  is   much    firmer; 
leaping  is,  oh,  so  easy ;  in  fact,  your  power 
seems  doubled  in  every  way.     In  case  of  con- 
flict with  your    horse,  you  feel   a  veritable 
centaur  compared  with  the  side  seat,  where 
you  have  no  grip,  only  the  aid  of  the  saddle, 
but  with  the  aid  of  your  own  knees  and  a  foot 
on  each  side  of  the  horse  I  think  I  could  not  be 
thrown.     Oh,  I  wish  it  could  be  initiated,  dear 
Mr.  Editor.     Do  use  your  influence  in  this 
direction.     And  it  really  looks  well  when  the 
dress  is  well-made  and  tasty,  and  you  feel  so 
very  free  and  at  ease,  can  turn  about    any 
way,  not  pinned  on  to  your  horse,  or  rather  on 
to  your  saddle,  as  ladies  are.     I  could  give 
full  directions  to    make  an^  outfit  for  going 
abroad  in  this  style  ;  you  would  smile  at  my 
saddle  I  know,  but  it  is  so  comfortable.     I  can 
hardly  bear  to  ride  on  an  orthodox  one  now. 
That  is  the  worst  of  it.     I  have  been  mounted 


24b  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

( 

on  mnles  in  this  manner  in  Honduras,  and 
ridden  immense  distances  without  being  stiff 
or  tired  unduly.  Some  of  these  are  the 
animals  to  try  your  mettle  and  seat,  and  I  was 
only  once  thrown,  owing  to  a  stirrup-leather 
breaking.  Then  a  lady  is  able  to  use  spurs 
as  easily  as  possible,  no  trouble  about  habit 
skirts  tearing  or  getting  in  the  way  of  the 
spur.  With  a  sharp  spur  on  each  foot  you 
can  do  anything  with  your  horse,  so  very 
different  from  the  wretched  box  spurs,  eternally 
entangled  in  your  habit  or  out  of  order.  I 
do  wish  an  association  could  be  formed  to 
carry  out  the  idea ;  one  or  two  could  not  do 
it,  it  must  be  simultaneous.  For  httle  girls 
it  would  be  simply  invaluable  as  an  improve- 
ment on  the  present  style,  which  really  does 
cause  distortion  of  the  spine  and  a  one-sided 
carriage  when  girls  ride  much.  Do  please 
ventilate    this     question,    and     oblige    very 

much, 

Yours,  &c, 

Heesilie. 

P.S. — I  have  taken  your  paper  ever  since 
October  2nd,  when  I  first  saw  Ladies  on  Horse- 


CORRESPONDENCE.  249 

bach  in  it,  and  have  been  mucli  pleased  with  it, 
and  also  much  amused  with  the  correspondence 
thereon,  but  I  never  expected  to  see  ladies' 
change  of  seat  advocated,  and  am  so  glad 
to-day  to  find  that  it  is. 


SiE, — Permit  me  to  state  that  the  object 
in  having  the  screw  rowel-pin  in  the  spur, 
recommended  by  me  for  the  use  of  ladies  in 
your  number  of  November  13th,  is  in  order  to 
enable  the  wearers  to  use  a  mild  or  a  severe 
rowel,  according  to  the  requirements  of  the 
horses  they  ride.  I  am  very  much  against 
sharp  spurs  for  ladies  (or  gentlemen  either), 
unless  they  are  absolutely  required ;  but 
from  some  experience,  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  I  am  quite  convinced  that  the  wearing 
of  a  spur  should  be  the  rule  and  not  the 
exception.  If  the  rowel  is  moderately  sharp 
only,  no  cruelty  can  arise,  less  I  maintain  than 
in  the  use  of  a  whip.  I  strongly  object  to  the 
use  of  the  sheath  spur  because  of  its  severity ; 
it  must  be  applied  with  a  hick  to  be  of  any 
use,    and    the   effect  is  usually  much  more 


250  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

punishing  than  there  is  any  necessity  for.  If 
ladies  will  use  rowel  spurs  with  moderately 
sharp  rowels,  such  as  are  usual  in  gentlemen's 
park  spurs,  they  will  find  that  they  are  in 
possession  of  a  very  useful  aid  (certainly  not  a 
cruel  one),  and  if  fitted  on  a  neat  patent 
leather  hussar  or  Wellington  boot,  a  very 
ornamental  one  as  well. 

I  am,  &G. 

Jack  Spur. 

December,  1880. 


Sir, — The  correspondence  on  Mrs.  Power 
O'Donoghue's  articles  has  contained  many 
remarks  on  ladies'  spurs,  but  I  have  noticed 
scarcely  any  reference  to  one  point  which  I 
think  is  worth  consideration — nanjely,  the 
mode  of  fastening.  I  think  ladies  would  find 
it  an  advantage  to  wear  what  are  known  as 
^^  spring"  or  ''box"  spurs,  instead  of  those 
fastening  with  the  usual  straps,  or  strap  and 
chain.  I  have  never  seen  a  lady's  spur  of 
this  description,  but  possibly  they  are  made — 
if  not,  they  easily  could  be.     They  are  much 


CORRESPONDENCE.  251 

the  most  easy  to  attach  or  remove,  and  there 
is  no  chance  of  a  strap  being  cut  in  walking 
or  otherwise,  or  of  an  over-tight  buckle 
hurting  the  foot.  Their  principal  advantage, 
however,  is  not  one  of  mere  convenience,  but 
of  safety ;  the  absence  of  strap  and  buckle 
removes  one  element  in  a  great  danger — that 
of  the  foot  sticking  in  the  stirrup  in  a  fall. 
Captain  Why te- Melville  speaks  from  observa- 
tion of  the  risk  of  the  buckle  catching  in  the 
angle  of  the  stirrup-iron,  and  says  he  has 
never  seen  a  spurless  boot  so  entangled.  He 
is  arguing  against  the  wearing  of  spurs  at  all ; 
but  the  risk  is  avoided  if  box  spurs  be  worn. 
Since  I  became  convinced  that  the  strap  and 
buckle  were  a  quite  possible,  though  perhaps 
unhkely,  source  of  danger,  I  have  altogether 
discarded  them,  and  have  felt  my  feet  more 
free  in  the  stirrups  in  consequence.  Box 
spurs  are  certainly  not  fashionable  in  the 
hunting-field,  and  I  have  often  seen  people 
looking  askance  at  them ;  I  suppose  a  par- 
ticular man  misses  the  finish  that  the  strap 
gives  to  the  boot.  But  I  don't  think  that 
matters   much,  and  to   ladies   it  would   not 


:Z52  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

matter  at  all,  as  the  difference  could  very 
seldom  be  detected.  In  getting  spurs  or  boxes, 
I  find  it  convenient  to  adhere  always  to  the 
regulation  cavalry  size,  because  then  one's  old 
spurs  fit  one's  new  boots,  and  vice  versa.  It 
would  be  well  to  have  a  uniform  standard  for 
ladies'  spurs  also.  I  have  not  ventured  to 
say  anything  on  the  subject  of  spurs  generally 
— my  own  opinion  is  that  legitimate  occasion 
for  their  use  is  excessively  rare — and  I  dare 
say  my  suggestion  may  seem  very  trivial. 
But  I  do  not  think  any  precaution  is  trivial 
which  lessens,  however  slightly,  the  risk  of 
that  most  disagreeable  and  dangerous  of 
accidents — getting  '*  hung  up.*' 
I  am,  Sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Oxonian. 
BaU.  Col.,  Oxon.,  December,  1880. 


Sib, — I  cannot  but  feel  flattered  that  my 
Ladies  on  Horseback  papers  should  have  called 
forth  so  large  a  correspondence.  I  have  read 
every  letter  most  carefully,  and  on  perusing  that 


CORRESPONDENCE.  258 

of  *'  Hersilie/'  wliicli  appeared  in  last  week's 
issue,  it  struck  me,  from  two  of  her  observa- 
tions, that  persons  might  suppose  I  had  said 
something  to  advocate  the  style  of  riding  of 
which    she    approves.      Permit    me   to   say, 
emphatically,  that  I  have  never  done  so,  and 
that  I  fervently  hope,  in  the  interests  of  my 
sex,  that  such  a  practice  may  never  be  intro- 
duced.    Modesty  is,  in  my  opinion,  a  woman's 
most  exquisite   attribute ;    once  this,    or  the 
semblance  of  it,  is  lost,  her  fairest  charm  is 
gone.     Nothing  could  be  more  ungraceful  or 
more  unwomanly  than  for  women  to  ride  like 
men;  and  for  short  women  or  '*  little  girls," 
it  would  be  most  objectionable.      I  maintain 
that  a  lady  who  knows  how  to  sit  has  a  far 
safer  and  surer  seat  on  a  side-saddle  than  a 
man  can  ever  have,  and  that  her  grip  of  the 
pommels  affords  her  infinitely  greater  security 
than  a  man's  ''  grip  of  the  knees."    ''  Hersihe" 
is  correct  in  saying  that  short-skirted  hunting- 
habits  frequently  ride  up,  but  she  might  just 
as  well  say  that  hunting-hats  frequently  fall 
off,  and  that  ladies'  back  hair  frequently  comes 
down  -  giving    these    facts   as   a    reason    for 


254  LADIES    ON   HORSEBACK. 

discarding  head-gear,  whether  natural  or  artifi- 
cial. As  a  rule,  nothing  that  is  properly  made 
and  properly  adjusted  ever  comes  to  grief.  It 
is  by  going  to  cheap  and  incompetent  habit- 
makers,  neglecting  to  stitch  elastics  to  their 
hats,  and  plaiting  the  hair  too  loosely  (being 
also  too  sparing  of  hair-pins),  that  ladies  are 
inconvenienced  and  made  to  blush.  Two 
yards  wide  round  the  hem  is  ample  for  a 
hunting-habit,  which  should  fit  like  a  glove 
about  the  hips.  First-class  tailors  always  have 
a  model  horse,  upon  which  they  mount  their 
lady  customers,  and  thus  secure  the  right 
position  for  the  slope  at  the  knee,  upon  which 
so  much  of  the  ^^  set  "  of  the  skirt  depends. 
A  well-dressed  woman,  sitting  properly  upon  a 
well- constructed  saddle,  cannot,  in  my  opinion, 
be  improved  upon  for  style  and  comfort,  and 
I  hope  it  will  be  long  indeed  before  ladies 
strive  to  follow  in  any  way  the  customs  or 
calhngs  of  the  sterner  sex.  I  may  add  that 
one  of  the  chief  recommendations  of  a  box 
spur  is  that  it  does  not  get  out  of  order,  nor 
can  it  possibly  become  entangled,  unless  the 
habit-skirt  be  one  of  those  which  some  ladies 


CORRESPONDENCE.  255 

still  persist  in  wearing — nearly  twice  too  long, 
and  quite  three  times  too  wide.  I  earnestly 
hope  **  HersiKe  "  will  take  these  observations 
in  good  part.  I  make  them  in  a  perfectly 
friendly  spirit.  I  feel  kindly  towards  all  ladies, 
especially  those  who  love  horses ;  and  so  I 
offer  ^'Hersilie  '*  a  warm  shake-hands,  and 
hope  she  will  fight  me  as  much  as  ever  she 
likes — in  a  friendly  way,  of  course  ! 

Now,  a  word  to  "  Jack  Spur."  I  think  he  is 
under  a  mistake  in  averring  that  there  is  any 
severity  in  the  sheath  spur.  He  says  it  must 
be  appUed  with  a  kick.  As  I  always  ride  with 
one,  and  never  with  any  other  description,  I 
must  entirely  differ  from  him  in  this  opinion. 
A  shght  pressure  is  alone  necessary.  No 
gentlewoman  would  be  guilty  of  kicking  her 
horse.  I  strongly  object  to  rowels,  as  I  hold  to 
the  beUef  that  almost  anybody — except  a  really 
first-class  equestrienne — would  be  likely  to  hurt  or 
worry  the  horse  in  an  unnecessary  manner. 

Strange  to  say,  I  had  only  got  thus  far  in 
my  letter  when  the  post  brought  me  a  com- 
munication from  Stirling,  signed  **Eeform," 
begging  of  me  to  advocate  ladies  riding  upon 


256  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

the  cross-saddle.  Were  it  not  that  the  writer 
says  so  many  nice,  kind  things  of  myself  (for 
which  I  heg  to  thank  her)  I  should  be  really 
angry  at  the  tremendous  display  of  zeal  thus 
wasted  upon  so  unworthy  a  subject.  It  is  true 
that  a  lady's  seat  on  horseback  prevents  her 
pressing  her  horse  up  to  his  bridle  as  a 
man  can,  unless — but  there  is  the  unless — she 
knows  how  to  do  it.  A  good  stout  hunting- 
crop,  properly  used,  will  admirably  fulfil  the 
duties  of  the  second  leg ;  but  in  all  my 
experience,  and  it  is  a  pretty  wide  one,  I  have 
never  seen  more  than  two  lady  riders  who 
had  any  idea  of  making  a  horse  gallop  or 
sending  him  up  to  his  bit.  I  do  not  mean 
riding  his  head  off — we  unfortunately  see  too 
much  of  that ;  but  pressing  him  up  to  his 
work,  and  riding  him  with  firm,  accomplished 
hands,  such  as  are  only  to  be  obtained  by 
good  teaching,  long  and  constant  practice, 
and  real  love  of  the  art.  To  give  some  idea 
of  the  hazy  notion  which  most  persons  have 
about  riding,  a  lady  who  came  to  call  upon 
me  in  London,  and  who  certainly  meant  to  be 
most  kind  and  pohte,  said,  as  we  sat  at  our 


CORRESPONDENCE.  257 

afternoon  tea,  ^^  I  am  looking  at  your  hands  ; 
how  well-developed  they  are,  from  pulling  your 
horses,  I  suppose  ! "  She  thought  I  was  offended 
when  I  told  her  that  my  riding  gloves  were 
No.  6,  and  that  I  never  pulled  my  horses ; 
but  I  am  not  captious,  nor  would  it  ba 
possible  to  take  offence  with  one  who  so  little 
intended  to  cause  it. 

The  offer  which  I  made  at  the  conclusion 
of  my  Ladies  on  Horsehach,  to  answer  private 
inquiries,  has  led  to  such  a  host  of  letters^ 
that,  although  I  regularly  devote  one  hour 
every  morning  to  the  task  of  replying  to  each 
in  turn,  I  find  it  impossible  to  keep  pace  with 
the  work.  Will  you,  therefore,  sir,  with  the 
kindness  extended  to  me  upon  a  former 
occasion,  suffer  me  to  answer  a  few  of  my 
correspondents  through  the  medium  of  your 
columns. 

EiCHARD  R. — One  measure  three  times  daily,, 
with  a  good  double-handful  of  Indian  corn 
mixed  through  it. 

Captain  Swordarm. — The  oats  will  require 
two  waters.  The  grains  should  swell  and 
separate,  like  rice  boiled  for  curries. 

17 


:258  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

Evelyn  Haekess. — Your  parcel  has  not 
reached  me.  My  tailor  will  endeavour  to 
please  you. 

Jane  Y. — A  very  cruel  practice. 

Eefoem. — ^You  will  see  that  I  have  acknow- 
ledged your  letter.  Judging  hy  the  post- 
mark it  should  have  come  to  hand  three 
days  ago,  but  you  gave  the  wrong  address, 
and  it  went  on  a  seeking  expedition. 
"  Dublin  "  will  at  any  time  find  me.  This 
is  also  for  "Quilp,"  ^'B.  Max,"  and  ^'Violet 
Grey." 

Ella. — ^Your  horse  is  evidently  a  rough 
trotter,  and  can  never  be  pleasant  to  ride.  Try 
to  exchange  or  sell  him. 

Maey  Peeplexed. — The  pommels  of  your 
saddle  are  most  likely  too  far  apart ;  that  is, 
the  leaping  head  is  placed  too  low.  If  you 
cannot  change  it,  ride  with  a  longer  stirrup- 
leather.  I  have  been  lately  shown  the 
preparation  for  an  improved  side-saddle,  by 
Messrs.  F.  V.  Nicholls  &  Co.,  of  2  Jermyn 
Street,  comprising  a  patented  arrangement 
for  the  third  crutch  or  leaping-head.  I  think 
that  this  will  be  a  great  boon  to  those  ladies 


COBRESPONDENCE.  259 

who,  like  myseK,  have  suffered  inconvenience 
and  accident  from  the  leaping-head  heing  a 
fixture,  and  not  in  the  position  required  to 
afford  a  proper  degree  of  support,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  admit  of  the  stirrup-leather 
being  used  of  correct  length  for  an  easy, 
secure,  and  graceful  seat.  The  improvement 
of  the  new  saddle  consists  in  a  sliding  socket 
or  apparatus,  by  which  the  leaping-head  can 
l)e  moved  freely  backward  or  forward  to  any 
position,  and  instantly  fixed  firmly  by  the  rider 
herseK,  thus  f  ^bhng  a  lady  to  alter  at  any 
time  the  lengtJi  of  her  stirrup,  and  yet  gain 
every  requisite  "'irport  from  the  third  crutch. 
Another  little  innovation  by  the  same  ex- 
perienced saddlers  in  riding  bridles,  an 
adaptation  of  my  favourite  double-ring  snaffle. 
The  loose  rings  of  the  snaffle  have  some  extra 
loops,  appended  to  which  is  a  short  noseband, 
acted  upon  by  one  rein,  giving  a  powerful 
effect  in  stopping  a  runaway  horse,  whilst  the 
use  of  the  other  rein  singly  has  the  pleasant 
and  easy  nature  of  the  ordinary  snaffle-bridle. 
The  principle  of  this  bridle,  which  is  called 
^^the    improved   Newmarket   snaffle,"    is,    of 

17  * 


260  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

course,  equally  applicable  to  the  use  of  persons 
of  either  sex. 

Giles. — Have  the  shoe  taken  off  and  give 
him  rest. 

Ursa  Major. — There  is  no  real  cure  for 
ringbone.     Do  not  waste  your  money. 

Claude,  Emma  Vane^  N.  Parkes,  Henry  B.^ 
Ehoda,  Nellie  K.,  and  thirty-one  others^ 
write  to  me  for — photographs !  I  am  sorry 
that  "for  lack  of  gold"  I  cannot  supply  a 
kindly  public  with  my  pictures,  and  I  am  not 
vain  enough  to  state  pubhcly  where  they  may 
be  had. 

NiMROD. — Pleader  was  purchased  from  me 
last  week  by  the  Earl  of  Eghnton.  It  will, 
therefore,  be  unnecessary  for  me  to  reply  to 
any  further  inquiries  respecting  him.  I  named 
his  price  and  made  no  change,  nor  was  I 
asked  to  do  so. 

Cropper. — ^You  were  evidently  sitting  loosely^ 
and  thus  suffered  for  your  carelessness.  You 
will  not  be  caught  napping  the  next  time. 

Anxious,  Martha,  and  a  host  of  others 
have  asked  me  a  very  famihar  question,  *^  How 
I  learned  to  ride  ?     I  have  hitherto  avoided 


-     COERESPONDENC^E.  261 

answering,  rather  than  introduce  a  name 
whose  owner  did  not  wish  me  to  do  so.  But 
I  think  I  may  hope  to  win  his  pardon.  Most, 
if  not  all,  my  skill  in  the  saddle  is  mainly  due 
to  the  kind  and  untiring  patience  of  my  dear 
old  friend  and  teacher,  Mr.  Allan  McDonogh, 
who — despite  his  threescore  years  and  ten — 
was,  up  to  the  time  of  his  lamentable  accident, 
ever  ready  to  act  as  my  pilot  and  instructor. 

Enquirer. — Eide  a  steady  horse,  and  your 
nerve  will  come  back  again.  Mine  did,  after 
a  much  more  terrible  mischance. 

CoRsicAN  Brother. — It  is  not  true. 

Critic. — You  only  discovered  one  mistake, 
but  there  are  really  three  in  my  story,  ^*  In 
Search  of  a  Wonder,"  which  appeared  in  the 
Christmas  Number  of  this  journal.  In  place 
of  '*  hustled  me  out  of  a  sort  of  enclosure," 
read  **  to  a  sort  of  enclosure."  Also,  ^^  sudden- 
ness "  requires  two  n's,  and  **  carrattella  "  is 
the  correct  way  to  spell  a  word  which  signifies 
a  small  cart  or  rough  carriage  peculiar  to  the 
Piedmontese.  These  are  all  printer's  errors, 
and  should  have  been  corrected  by  me,  but  I 
revised  my  proof  in  a  crowded  coffee-room  of 


262  LADIES   ON   HOKSEBACK. 

a  London  hotel,  with  at  least  a  dozen  persons 
talking  to  me  as  I  did  so,  and  thus,  being 
also  pressed  for  time,  a  few  mistakes  escaped 
my  notice. 

To  you,  sir,  and  to  all  my  friends,  best 
wishes  for  the  New  Year,  and  many  grateful 
thanks  for  more  kindness  than  I  can  deem 
myself  worthy  of. 

Yours  obediently, 

Nannie  Power  O'Donoghue. 

Dubhn,  December  1880. 


Sib, — In  case  no  one  more  able  than  myself 
answers  "  Hersilie's "  letter  in  this  week's 
number  of  your  valuable  paper,  will  you  allow 
me,  in  the  name  of  many  lady  riders  who 
**  can "  use  the  side-saddle,  to  write  and 
protest  against  the  idea  cropping  up  of  our 
riding  hke  men  ?  I  cannot  help  feeling  justly 
indignant  with  those  who  try  to  introduce 
such  a  radical  change,  for,  surely,  we  are 
already  too  much  inclined  to  follow  all  the 
ways  and  pursuits  of  the  opposite  sex 
without  so  far  forgetting  ourselves  as  to 
wish  to  ride  as  they  do.     I  do  not  want  to- 


COBRESPONDENCE.  263 

criticise  what  one  is  often  obliged  to  do  in 
foreign  lands  ;  there  it  may  prove  a  necessity, 
for  the  riding  is  not  simply  for  pleasure,  but 
often  the  only  means,  of  transport,  and  the 
horses  may  not  be  fitted  for  our  saddles,  nor 
we  accustomed  to  their  paces ;  but,  in  England, 
the  idea  of  a  number  of  ladies  fantastically 
dressed  and  mounted  Hke  men  must  shock 
many  of  your  readers.  I  hope  *^X.  Y.  Z," 
who  first  wrote  in  favour  of  this  change  some 
weeks  ago,  may  pardon  me  if  I  say  that  the 
ladies  of  his  or  her  acquaintance  who,  in  con- 
sequence of  only  one  stirrup,  cannot  avoid 
inclining  the  head  and  shoulders  too  much  to 
the  left,  &c.,  and  in  addition  gall  their  horses' 
backs,  had  better  not  attempt  to  ride  at  all. 
What  is  a  prettier  sight  than  a  neatly-dressed 
Enghshwoman  riding  a  horse,  '^  as  a  lady," 
and  should  we  retain  the  same  respect  we  now 
get  if  we  gave  up,  in  this  particular,  the  few 
feminine  tokens  left  to  us.  Why  not  let  us 
accept  the  male  attire  altogether  ?  It  would 
be  far  more  to  our  comfort  in  getting  about  on 
foot,  and  if  one  change  is  so  advisable,  surely 
the  other  is  quite  as  sensible.     I  agree  with 


^64  LADIES    ON   HOESEBACK. 

**  Hersilie  "  in  thinking  that  the  habits  of  the 
present  day  are  indelicately  short,  and  I  cannot 
see  that  ladies  ride  s>ny  better  showing  their 
boots  and  with  their  arms  akimbo  than  they 
did  a  year  or  so  ago,  when  their  feet  were 
covered  and  no  daylight  showed  between  their 
arms.  I  come  of  as  ** horsey"  a  family  as 
any  in  England,  and  have  ridden  ever  since  I 
•could  sit  upright ;  but  I  never  experienced,  or 
knew  that  my  sisters  experienced,  any  of  the 
troubles  ''X.  Y.  Z.  "  and  ^*  Hersilie  "  com- 
plain of.  My  father,  who  was  our  sole 
instructor,  put  us  on  any  animal  that  he 
thought  likely  to  suit  his  own  riding,  and  no 
matter  where  we  were,  in  the  hunting-field  or 
elsewhere,  the  least  deviation  from  sitting 
square  would  bring  from  him  the  sharp  repri- 
mand of,  ''  What  are  you  doing  ?  Bring  that 
left  shoulder  up,  and  don't  let  me  see  any 
daylight  between  your  arms ! "  He  also 
insisted  that  our  stirrups  should  be  short,  even 
to  discomfort,  until  we  got  used  to  it ;  but  this 
prevented  any  chance  of  our  hurting  the 
horse's  back,  which  most  frequently  comes 
from  a  lady  riding  with  a  long  stirrup,    and 


COBEESPONDENCE.  265 

i;vhen  she  trots  having  to  seek  her  stirrup, 
which  constantly  moves  her  saddle,  and  makes 
her  as  well  look  most  awkward  and  one- 
sided. 

If  not  trespassing  too  much,  may  I  say  one 
other  little  word  in  the  interest  of  the  horses  I 
love  so  well  ?  Over  and  over  again,  lately, 
have  I  seen  the  advice  given  in  your  paper 
that  we  should  never  be  without  a  spur.  Now, 
sir,  if  my  experience  can  have  any  weight,  I 
will  say  that  I  have  hunted  and  ridden  across 
country  in  all  parts  of  Gloucestershire  all  my 
young  days,  that  I  was  put  on  horses  whether 
they  or  I  liked  it  or  not,  both  kind,  unkind,  or 
violent  ones,  and  I  am  thankful  to  say  that 
the  idea  of  my  wearing  a  spur  never  entered 
my  father's  head  nor  mine.  It  seems  to  me 
such  an  underhand  way  of  punishing  one's 
horse — a  real  feminine  species  of  torture,  for 
no  one  sees  the  dig,  dig,  dig,  but  there  it  is  all 
the  time;  and  many  a  horse,  I  firmly  believe, 
comes  to  grief  with  its  rider  simply  because, 
not  understanding  its  power,  she  taxes  it 
beyond  its  strength.  Not  one  horse  in  twenty 
will  refuse,  or  need  either  whip  or  spur  if  he 


266  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

knows  his  mistress,  and  if  he  does  he  is  not 
fit  for  inexperienced  riders. 

I  wish  every  girl  was  taught  as  I  have  been^ 
*'  that  a  horse  can  do  no  wrong."  This  made 
me  study  the  pecuHarities  of  every  animal  I 
was  put  upon,  and  I  have  never  had  an  accident 
of  any  kind.  Every  horsewoman  who  loves 
riding  must  be  proud  of  the  feats  accomphshed 
by  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  in  the  side-saddle, 
but  would  she  be  admired  or  respected  as  she 
is  if  she  turned  out  as  a  man  and  rode  as  men 
do  ?  It  is  being  able  to  sit  square  and  ride 
straight  on  a  side-saddle,  that  we  should  be 
vain  of,  and  not  wish  to  make^a  change,  which 
could  only  bring  EngHshwomen  down  in  the 
estimation  of  all  those  who  are  now  so  justly 
proud  of  them  on  horseback. 

I  am.  Sir, 

Yours,  &G. 

The  Ladybird. 

December  18,  1880. 


Sir, — Will  you  allow  me  to  make  one  or 
two  remarks  upon  a  letter  I  read  last  night  in 


CORRESPONDENCE.  267 

your  valuable  paper  ?  It  is  from  a  correspon- 
dent speaking  of  the  ill  effects  produced  by 
the  use  of  side-saddles. 

In  the  first  place  your  correspondent  should 
remember  that  the  back  of  the  horse,  as  well 
as  the  shoulder,  is  soft  and  tender  when  not 
in  condition,  that  is,  in  constant  work,  and 
not  fit  for  either  riding  or  driving  long 
distances  at  once,  without  damage.  Get  the 
back  carefully  and  well  seasoned,  or  accustomed 
to  the  side-saddle,  during  the  time  the  horse 
is  getting  into  condition  for  the  hunting-field, 
and  use  a  leather  saddle-cloth  under  the 
saddle ;  let  it  be  long  enough,  and  not  the 
shape  of  the  saddle,  and  have  all  properly  put 
on  the  horse,  and  you  will  not  come  to  grief 
with  six  or  seven  hours'  work,  or  before  the 
lady  is  tired ;  that  is,  provided  the  lady  will 
sit  well  down  and  steady  in  her  saddle,  and 
keep  her  horse  as  much  from  trotting  as 
possible.  Her  horse  must  learn  to  canter 
slowly  both  to  cover  and  home,  it  will  be 
much  better  for  the  horse  and  much  easier  for 
the  lady  when  she  is  accustomed  to  it ;  she 
will  not  be  troubled  any  more  with  horses  witk 


26S  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

sore  backs.  Another  remark  from  "  X.  Y.  Z." 
is,  it  is  said  that  curvature  of  the  spine  some- 
times ensues  from  children  being  taught  at 
too  early  an  age  to  ride  on  side-saddles.  I  fear 
the  mistake  is  by  the  said  children  not  having 
been  taught  how  to  sit  or  to  put  themselves 
in  form  for  their  own  comfort,  but  left  to 
sit  as  they  like  on  horseback  and  get  bad 
habits  they  cannot  get  rid  of,  never  throw- 
ing the  weight  of  the  body  in  its  proper 
place.  Then,  as  to  the  remark  about  the 
riding-habit  on  the  pommels,  that  disadvantage 
either  has,  or  ought  to  have,  passed  away  a 
long  time  ago ;  for  I  am  well  satisfied  that  a 
lady  can  so  dress  herself  for  the  hunting-field 
in  boots,  Bedfords,  and  plenty  of  flannel  that 
she  can  keep  herself  warm  and  comfortable 
without  a  great,  strong,  heavy,  long  riding- 
habit.  Let  the  habit  be  short  and  very  hght, 
and  by  no  means  bound  round  the  bottom 
part  with  anything  strong,  but  left  so  that  it 
will  give  way  either  in  a  fall  or  in  leaping 
through  a  high  fence.  I  wonder  if  Mr.  Lovell 
had  his  knife  in  his  pocket  when  he  saw  his 
daughter  suspended  by  the  habit,  which  would 


CORRESPONDENCE.  269' 

neither  tear  nor  be  removed ;  had  it  been  of 
light,  thin  material,  and  short,  the  sad  accident 
wonld  not  have  occurred.  I  am  satisfied  a 
little  care  and  proper  attention  will  put  all 
things    right    of   which    your  correspondent 

complains. 

I  am,  &c. 

0.  P. 

December,  1880. 


giB, — In  your  issue  of  the  4th  December, 
"  Farmer  "  writes  that  his  horses  are  fed  upon 
oats  which  have  been  soaked  in  cold  water, 
and  that  he  has  the  corn  thus  prepared  because 
he  could  not  easily  manage  to  have  a  steaming 
apparatus  for  cooking  the  food  in  the  way  that 
is  recommended  by    Mr.   Edward   Mayhew 
M.R.C.Y.S.,  in  his  Illustrated  Horse  Management, 
The  plan  that  I  have  adopted  during  the  last 
two  months  has  been  to  have  the  oats  put  in 
a  pail  (made  of  oakwood)  in  th«  evening,  and 
to  pour  upon  them  from  a  kettle  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  boiling  water  to  rise  a  little  above 
the  oats  ;  a  sack  is  placed  over  it  to  keep  in 
the  heat,  and  the  oats  are  then  left  to  soak 


•270  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

during  the  niglat;  on  the  following  morning 
the  husk  is  so  much  softened  that  it  will  yield 
to  the  pressure  of  the  thumh  and  finger.  In 
this  state  the  oats  are  more  easily  digested  by 
the  horse,  and  it  is  better  for  his  teeth  than  to 
have  to  bite  a  hard  substance.  A  wooden  pail 
is  preferable  to  a  zinc  one,  because  it  does  not 
conduct  the  heat  from  the  oats  so  much  as 
one  of  the  latter  description  does.  A  lid 
would  be,  perhaps,  better  than  a  sack.  The 
pail  should  not  be  filled  with  the  oats,  because 
the  latter  will  swell  when  soaked.  In  the 
stall  in  our  stable  there  is  no  water-trough  at 
the  side  of  the  manger,  and  in  order  that  the 
horse  may  have  water  within  reach  during  the 
day  and  night,  a  zinc  pail  is  placed  in  and  at 
the  end  of  the  manger,  and  the  handle  of  it 
is  secured  by  a  chain  to  the  iron  bars  forming 
the  upper  part  of  the  partition  between  the 
two  stalls.  In  the  loose-box,  a  pail  containing 
water  is  suspended  by  a  chain  to  some  iron 
bars  placed  inside  the  window. 

I  am,  &c. 

X.  Y.  Z. 
London,  December,  1880. 


COEKESPONDENCE.  271 

Sib, — I  cannot  but  feel  flattered  that  Mrs. 
O'Donoghue  has  so  frankly  and  kindly  invited 
me  to  ^'  break  a  lance  "  with  her.  I  do,  with 
l^oth  my  hands  and  with  all  my  heart,  recipro- 
cate her  *^warm  shake-hands,"  and,  vizor 
down  and  spear  in  rest,  ride  full  tilt  at  her  in 
fair  and  open  fight  to  do  my  poor  devoirs^  if 
you  will  allow  me  once  again  to  enter  the 
lists  in  your  paper.  If  Mrs.  O'Donoghue  will 
read  her  paper  in  your  number  for  November 
27th  she  will  find  these  words:  *^My  com- 
panion was  in  ease  while  I  was  in  torture.'* 
Why  was  this?  '^Because  he  had  a  leg  on 
either  side  of  his  mount,  his  weight  equally 
distributed,  and  an  equal  support  upon  both 
sides ;  in  fact,  he  had,  as  all  male  riders  have, 
the  advantage  of  a  double  support  in  the  rise ; 
consequently,  at  the  moment  when  his  weight 
was  removed  from  the  saddle,  it  was  thrown 
upon  both  sides,  and  this  equal  distribution 
enabled  him  to  accomphsh  without  fatigue  that 
slow  rise  and  fall  which  is  so  tiring  to  a  lady 
whose  weight,  when  she  is  out  of  the  saddle,  is 
thrown  entirely  upon  one  dehcate  limb,  thus 
inducing  her  to  fall  again  as  soon  as  possible," 


272  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

Again,  in  the  very  next  paragraph,  Mrs, 
O'Donoghue  says,  "  A  man  will  be  able  ta 
stand  in  his  stirrups  for  a  considerable  time, 
even  to  ride  at  a  gallop,  so  doing  because  he 
transfers  his  weight  equally  to  his  feet ;  but 
how  rarely  do  we  see  a  lady  balanced  upon 
one  leg  !  The  sensation  is  not  agreeable,  and 
would,  moreover,  be  unpleasantly  productive 
of  wrung  backs."  These  are  verbatim  extracts 
from  **  Part  Three  continued."  I  think  my 
preference  for  a  leg  on  each  side  of  my  horse, 
and  a  distribution  of  my  weight  equally  on 
to  each  foot,  is  most  eloquently  and  forcibly 
justified  by  Mrs.  O'Donoghue  when  she  wrote 
the  above.  I  did  not  suggest,  or  at  any  rate 
did  not  mean  to  suggest,  that  she  advocated 
a  cross-seat  for  ladies,  but  that  she  unmistak- 
ably pointed  out  the  great  advantages  of  such 
a  seat  her  own  words  abundantly  testify. 
Again,  some  of  the  healthiest  children  I  have 
ever  seen  are  poor  little  gipsy  girls,  who, 
from  being  able  to  mount  a  donkey,  have 
always  ridden  astride  when  once  past  the 
pannier  period  of  their  nomadic  life.  Also, 
some  of  the    short,  stout  peasant  women  of 


CORRESPONDENCE.  273 

Normandy  ride  thus,  as  well  as  the  Indian 
squaws,  and  certainly  these  will  compare 
favourably  as  to  robust  health  with  their  side- 
saddle sisters  of  civilisation;  to  say  nothing 
of  the  South  American  ladies.  We  have  alsa 
the  testimony  of  many  lady  travellers  as  to 
the  superiority  of  a  cross-seat  when  horseback 
is  the  only  mode  of  transit.  I  cannot  admit 
that  in  any  case,  even  for  *^  short  women  *'  or 
"  little  girls,"  it  would  be  *'  most  objection- 
able," that  is,  from  a  hygienic  point  of  view. 
On  the  score  of  modesty,  de  gustihus,  &c.  &c. 
But  then  I  allow  a  great  latitude  on  such  a 
point  (our  highest  order  carries  the  truest 
motto,  Ifioni  soit  qui  mal  y  pense).  In  fact,  I  do 
not  regard  it  as  a  question  of  modesty  at  all ; 
simply  of  convenience,  efficiency,  and  com- 
fort. Mrs.  O'Donoghue  also  says  how  rare  it 
is  to  meet  with  a  perfect  lady's  horse.  *^  In 
all  my  wide  experience  I  have  met  but  two." 
Why  ?  because  a  lady  (and  mainly  on  account 
of  her  side-seat,  as  I  beheve)  is  heavily 
handicapped  as  compared  with  a  man  in  her 
choice  of  a  horse,  or,  I  should  say,  in  her 
requirements  from  her  horse.     Every  remark 

18 


^74  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

in  the  whole  of  the  papers,  "  Ladies  on  Horse- 
back," as  to  kindness,  temper,  and  gentleness 
in  the  treatment  of  a  horse  I  most  cordially 
endorse,  and  I  have  to  thank  the  fair  authoress 
for  the  pleasure  I  have  had  in  their  perusal. 

A  word  or  two  in  answer  to  "  The  Lady- 
l)ird."  In  reply  to  her  opening  remarks,  I 
merely  observe,  "  use  is  second  nature,"  and 
had  she  happened  to  have  lived  before  '*  Anne 
of  Bohemia "  introduced  side-saddles  she 
would  have  had  no  room  for  "  indignation "; 
possibly  in  that  case  she  would  have  always 
Tidden  pillion.  Oh  !  if  we  could  only  once 
realise  how  much  we  are  the  slaves  of  fashion, 
how  soon  would  the  yoke  be  broken  !  Con- 
trast the  crinoline  of  1857  and  the  umbrella- 
case  attire  of  1877  ;  put  a  fashionable  belle  of 
the  latter  alongside  her  sister  of  only  twenty 
years  earlier  mode.  What  a  satire  on  taste, 
•on  modesty  so  called  !  But  I  would  also  ask 
**  Ladybird  "  (if  it  be  worth  her  while)  to  read 
a,gain  my  letter  of  the  18th,  and  she  will  find 
I  did  not  complain  of  the  side-saddle,  which  I 
liave  an  idea  I  can  use,  but  pointed  out  its 
great  inferiority  (which  I  maintain)  to  the 


COEBESPONDENCE.  275 

<jross-saddle.  The  best  test  perhaps  is  the 
foreign  one.  Mount  a  horse  without  a  saddle, 
but  properly  bitted,  and  then  decide  which  is 
the  more  natural  and  easier  seat;  in  one 
case  you  feel  an  appendage ;  in  the  other 
almost  part  of  the  horse.  In  the  name  of 
womanhood  I  repudiate  the  suggestion  of  an 
*'  underhand  way  of  punishment,"  being  ^^  a 
real  feminine  species  of  torture.''  Perhaps  it 
is,  under  the  skirts  of  a  habit,  possible  to 
**  dig,  dig,  dig,"  for  no  one  sees,  truly;  but 
surely  no  lady  could,  or  would,  spur  her  horse 
for  the  sake  of  tormenting  him  ;  in  my  attire 
at  any  rate  it  would  not  be  unseen.  The 
extraordinary  teaching  that  a  "  horse  can  do 
no  wrong"  is  an  axiom  with  which  I  cannot 
agree.  I  have  been  mounted  on  horses  that 
*^  could  do  no  right,"  or  if  they  could  do  it 
would  not.  And  it  has  taken  me  all  my  time 
and  taxed  all  my  energies  to  prevent  them 
from  doing  the  things  which  they  ought  not 
to  do ;  for  I  do  object  to  a  horse  attempting 
to  erect  himseK  in  a  perpendicular  attitude, 
either  from  a  fore  or  aft  basis,  when  I  am  on 
Ms  back,  and  I  rejoice  to  know  that  I  have 

18  * 


276  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

(in  such  cases)  on  each  foot  a  sharp  spur  to 
use  with  him  as  a  cogent  argument  in  con- 
vincing him  that  ordinary  progression  on  four 
legs  is  infinitely  better  than   saltimbantique 
performance  on  two — at  least  from  my,  his 
rider's,    point    of    view.       On    a    well-bred^ 
highly-trained   animal  a    spur  is  scarce  ever 
required  to  be  used,  but  even  then  the  emer- 
gency may  arise.     I  really  laughed  outright 
when    I    read    what    you,    Sir,   said  of  the 
"shoals  of  letters"  arriving  from  fair  corres- 
pondents "  desiring  to  ride  "  as  '*  Hersihe  " 
suggested,  but  this  only  convinces   me   that 
there    are     many    ladies    who    feel    that    it 
would  be — just   exactly'  as   I   described  it — 
"  a  new  Hfe    on    horseback."     I   could  add 
much  more  on  the  subject,  but  have  already 
trespassed   too  long  on  your  space.     I  only 
repeat,  let  any  lady  once  fairly  try  it,  and  she 
will  always  prefer  it.     I  do  not  for  a  moment 
imagine  she  will  always  do  it.     I  admit  we 
must    conform    to    custom,    and  I   strongly 
deprecate  individual  eccentricity,  especially  in 
a  lady.     I   shall   continue   to   read   all   that 
appears  in  yom'  paper  on  this  and  kindred 


COEEESPONDENCE.  277 

topics  with  deep  interest.     Again,  I  specially 

thank  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  for  her  genial 

and  kindly  expression  of  goodwill,  and  again 

heartily  shake  the  shadowy  hand  she  offers. 

I   quite  believe  a  No.  6  gloved    hand  can 

control  a  horse  as  weU  as  any  7,  7J,  or  8,  if 

it  only  be  possessed   of  the  cunning.     And 

thanking  you,  sir,  for  your  kindness,  allow 

me  as  a  woman  to  have  the  last  word,  and 

again  assert,  "  the  cross   seat  is  much  the 

hetter." 

Yours,  &c. 

Heesilie. 
Ambleside  (pro  tem.)^  Dec.  1880. 


SiE, — Kindly  permit  me  to  say  a  few  words 
in  reply  to  ^'  Hersihe's  "  letter,  which  appeared 
in  your  issue  of  last  week.  I  am  referred  to 
my  own  paper  in  your  number  for  November 
27,  but  '^  Hersilie  "  does  not  quote  correctly, 
•or  perhaps  the  error  is  the  printer's.  I  think 
I  said  ^'  My  companion  was  at  ease,  whilst  I 
was  in  torture."  Now,  I  merely  related  the 
incident  with  which  these  words  were  asso- 
ciated in  order  to  instruct  ladies  how  to  avoid 


278  LADIES    ON   HOKSEBACK. 

the  double  rise — not  to  advocate  for  a  single 
instant  their  riding  upon  a  cross-saddle.  I 
am  quite  ready  to  reiterate  my  statement  that 
the  position  of  a  man  enables  him  to  ride  a 
rough  or  clumsy  trotter  with  infinitely  greater 
ease  than  can  a  woman ;  but  women  should 
not,  in  my  opinion,  ride  such  at  all,  nor  should 
I  have  done  so,  as  related  in  your  paper  of 
November  27,  were  it  not  that  my  host,  an 
immensely  heavy  man,  had  none  but  big  rough 
horses  in  his  stable,  and  I  was  obhged  either 
to  accept  a  mount  upon  one  of  them,  for  at 
least  once,  or  give  offence  to  a  dear  kind  friend, 
which  I  would  not  do  to  avoid  even  a  greater 
amount  of  inconvenience  than  I  experienced 
upon  the  occasion  in  question. 

The  cross-seat  is  not  the  only  thing  which 
ladies  may  envy  the  sterner  sex,  without  at 
the  same  time  advocating  the  propriety  of 
encroaching  upon  their  privileges.  For  my 
own  part  I  never  yet  set  out  to  walk  on  a  wet 
or  muddy  day  without  sincerely  envying  every 
man  who  passed  me,  his  big  boots,  tucked-up 
trousers,  and  freedom  from  the  petticoats  and 
furbelows  which  encumber  us  and  make  us. 


COERESPONDENCE.  279 

feel  miserable  in  the  rain;  yet  I  certainly 
never  felt  the  smallest  desire  to  adopt  his 
costume.  Nor  have  I  ever  seen  two  persons^ 
or  two  big  dogs,  engaged  in  fighting,  that  I 
did  not  envy  the  man  who  rushed  between  the 
combatants  and  stopped  the  unseemly  exhibi- 
tion ;  yet  I  decidedly  experienced  no  wish  to 
do  it  myself.  It  would  not  be  my  place. 
Men  have  their  costume,  their  avocations, 
their  sayings  and  doings,  their  varied  callings 
in  the  world,  and  women  have  theirs.  Each 
should  be  separate  and  distinct  from  the  other. 
A  manly  woman,  or  a  womanly  man,  is,  in  the 
eyes  of  all  rightly-judging  persons,  a  most 
objectionable  creature.  There  are  many 
things  which  a  woman  may  legitimately 
admire,  and,  in  a  certain  sense,  envy,  yet  with 
which  she  should  never  desire  to  meddle^ 
unless  she  is  ambitious  to  merge  her  woman- 
hood in  the  semblance  of  man.  The  cross- 
skddle  is  one  of  these.  It  may  do  very  weU 
in.  the  wild^  of  a  country  whose  inhabitants 
are  froin'  childhood  accustomed  to  it,  and 
where  aU  ride  alike,  but  not  in  civilised 
England.     As  weU  seek  to  advocate  the  dres& 


280  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

(or  undress)  of  the  Indian  squaws,  as  to 
endeavour  to  introduce  their  style  of  riding 
into  a  land  whose  daughters  are  as  modest  as 
they  are  fair. 

"  Hersilie  "  says  : — '*  I  do  not  regard  it  as  a 
question  of  modesty  at  all,  simply  of  con- 
venience, efficiency,  and  comfort.*'  The 
suhject  is  one  upon  which  a  woman  can  touch 
but  very  lightly,  yet  may  I  affirm  that  if  all 
women  were  to  lay  aside  their  chief  charm, 
and  simply  go  in  for  "  convenience,  efficiency, 
and  comfort,''  society  would  present  fewer 
attractions  than  it  at  present  does  ?  I  shall 
leave  **  The  Ladybird"  to  answer  for  herself, 
but  I  cannot  help  saying  that  I  think  *'  Hersi- 
lie "  is  hard  upon  her.  She  and  I  have  met 
but  once,  yet  I  know  that  she  is  gentle  and 
highborn,  and  worthy  of  nothing  but  the 
love  of  which  her  own  Christian  heart  is 
composed. 

You,  sir,  must  also  fight  your  own  little 
battle,  and  tell  *^  Hersihe "  she  is  not  to 
^* laugh  outright"  at  any  of  your  ^*  Circular 
Notes."  She  may  laugh,  of  course,  at  small 
fry  like  myself,  but  I  really  canH  have   my 


COKKESPONDENCE.  281 

Editor  laughed  at !  nor  my  sweet  "  Ladybird '' 
<5rushed ! 

And  now,  having  said  so  much,  I  once 
ugain  offer  a  shadowy  hand  to  my  adversary, 
and  hope  that  though  at  present  we  see  one 
another  but  darkly,  we  may  yet  do  so  *^  face 
to  face,"  and  meet  as  friends. 

A  word,  with  your  permission,  to  corres- 
pondents : — 

Evelyn  Haekess. — I  have  discovered  your 
parcel.  I  thought  you  were  sending  it 
addressed  to  me.  You  shall  have  the  contents 
in  a  few  days. 

Flink. — There  is  never  one  worth  buying, 
•although  unwise  persons  bid  fast  and  high. 
Try  a  private  source,  and  beware  of  imposition. 

E.  King. — The  horse  is  sold. 

H.  DuNBAB,  Shamus  O'Bkien,  W.  Hatfield, 
and  Eose  Maeie. — Your  questions  are  of  too 
personal  a  nature.  If  time  permits  I  will 
answer  privately. 

Ignokamus. — Dose  him  with  aloes  until  he 
is  dead  sick ;  then  put  a  saddle  on  him,  with 
ft  sand-bag  at  either  side,  and  ring  him  for  an 
hour.     I  warrant  he  will  allow  a  man  upon 


282  LADIES   ON    HOKSEBACK. 

Ms  back  after  tMs,  nor  will  he  seek  to  dislodge 
Mm  either.  It  is  much  better  and  more 
humane  than  the  whipping  and  spurring  which 
is  so  grievous  to  a  sensitive  looker-on. 

jjuGH. — Apply  to  Mr.  Chapman,  Oaklands, 
Cheltenham. 

I.  Stake. — How  shall  I  thank  you  ?  but  I 
know  not  when  I  can  ride  again.  Your  recipe, 
if  effectual,  would  be  indeed  invaluable.  I 
shall  look  for  a  purchaser  for  your  cob. 

May-blossom. — The  nicest  modern  saddles 
have  no  stitching  about  them.  Call  at  2, 
Jermyn  Street. 

NiMKOD  II. — I  have  nothing  that  would  suit 
you,  nor  do  I  ever  seU  my  horses,  unless 
under  exceptional  circumstances.  I  am,  of 
course,  flattered  that  so  many  are  desirous  of 
possessing  what  I  have  ridden,  but  my  stable 
is  extremely  hmited.     See  my  reply  to  Hugh. 

Hannah  Powell. — I  shaU  answer  by  letter. 

Synnobix. — I  said  in  a  former  letter  that 
there  was  no  cure  for  ringbone  ;  I  have  since 
heard  of  one  which  I  consider  invaluable,  and 
the  lady  who  possesses  it  would  seU  it  for  a 
trifling  sum.      Apply  to    Mrs.    Slark,   Eose 


COEKESPONDENCE.  283 

Cottage,  BletcUey.  I  hope  Ursa  Major  will 
see  this  reply  to  Synnorix,  and  will  profit  by  my 
advice,  whicli  is  to  apply  at  once  for  the  cure. 

K.  C,  Eedcar.— I  am  pleased  you  found 
my  system  effectual,  but  are  you  sure  you  did 
not  carry  it  out  to  rigorously?  Few  would 
have  such  courage. 

Jockey. — An  authority  says  Fairyhouse,  and 
1  dare  say  he  is  right,  although  there  is  a 
double  at  Punchestown — a  big  one — at  which 
many  a  good  man  and  true  has  come  to  signal 
grief.     I  saw  a  fine  young  racer  killed  there 

last  year. 

To  Edith,  Paul  Pry,  Jane  Burkitt,  Con- 
stance Haye,  and  Mousquetaire,  many  thanks. 
If  you  write  to  the  Editor  he  may  perhaps 
give  you  information  as  to  the  possibiHty  of 

what  you  ask. 

Yours  obediently, 
Nannie  Power  O'Donoghue. 


giR^ — As  I  learned  from  a  recent  letter  from 
that  most  amiable  and  talented  lady,  Mrs. 
Power  O'Donoghue,  that  her  teacher  has  been 


*284  LADIES   ON   HOESEBACK. 

iihe  fine  old  sportsman,  Allen  McDonogh, 
I  need  wonder  no  longer  at  her  having 
become  the  very  brilliant  horsewoman  which 
undoubtedly  she  is.  A  finer  or  more  grace- 
ful horseman  than  her  teacher  was,  has 
never  lived.  Since  growing  years  and  in- 
creasing weight  prevented  him  from  riding 
his  own  horses  he  has  brought  out  very 
many  crack  gentlemen  riders  within  the  past 
twenty  years,  some  of  them  quite  shining 
hghts.  Amongst  some  may  be  enumerated 
his  great  friend,  Captain  Tempest,  11th  Hus- 
sars ;  Captain  Prichard  Eayner,  5th  Dragoon 
•Guards ;  Mr.  Laurence,  4th  Hussars ;  Captain, 
now  Major,  Hutton,  1st  Eoyal  Dragoons; 
Captain  Brown,  of  the  Eoyal  Horse  Artillery, 
who  unfortunately  was  killed  a  few  years  since 
crossing  the  railway  returning  from  a  steeple- 
chase meeting  held  near  London ;  Captain 
Eicardo,  15th  Hussars;  Lieutenant-Colonel 
McCalmont,  7th  Hussars ;  Captain  Soames, 
4th  Hussars ;  and  the  ever-to-be-regretted 
Captain  the  Hon.  Greville  Nugent ;  and  last, 
but  by  no  means  least,  Mr.  Thomas  Beasley, 
besides  many  others,   all    these    gentlemen, 


COKRESPONDENCE.  285 

excepting  Mr.  Laurence,  having  their  first 
winning  mount  on  Mr.  McDonogh's  horses. 
As  professionals,  he  brought  out  Paddy  Gavin 
and  George  Gray,  the  former  of  whom,  when 
scarcely  more  than  a  child,  and  weighing  but 
4st.  71b.,  rode  and  won  the  Prince  of  Wales' 
Steeplechase,  at  Punchestown,  on  Blush  Eose. 
I  think  I  may  be  permitted  to  mention  two  of 
Mr.  McDonogh's  daring  feats.  When  riding 
Sailor  in  a  steeplechase,  over  an  awfully  severe 
country,  close  to  the  town  of  Bandon,  Co. 
Cork  (where  started,  amongst  nine  others,  the 
celebrated  horses  Monarch  and  Valentine,  the 
latter  running  second,  two  years  later,  for 
the  Liverpool  Grand  National,  and  the  former 
sold  soon  afterwards  to  the  great  Marquis  of 
Waterford  for  a  large  sum,  showing  that  the 
company  at  Bandon  was  by  no  means  a 
contemptible  lot),  in  this  race,  the  distance  of 
which  was  4J  miles.  Sailor  fell  four  times, 
each  time  unseating  his  rider ;  yet  so  active 
was  his  pilot  in  those  days  that  he  was  as 
quickly  in  the  saddle  as  out  of  it.  At  his 
fourth  and  last  fall,  the  horse  chested  the 
bank,  flung  his  rider  some  distance  from  him, 


286  LADIES   ON    HOESEBACK. 

and  having  a  tight  hold  of  the  bridle  reins, 
the  throat-lash  gave  way,  and  the  bridle  came 
off  the  horse's  head.  As  Sailor  was  getting 
on  his  legs,  Mr.  McDonogh  jumped  into  the 
saddle,  and  setting  his  horse  going  was  soon 
in  pursuit  of  the  leaders.  There  were  in  the 
IJ  miles  that  had  yet  to  be  travelled  nearly 
ten  awkward  double-posted  fences.  The  third 
last  impediment  was  a  narrow  lanC' — called  in 
Irish  a  ^'  boreen  " — with  an  intricate  bank 
into  and  out  of  it.  The  riders  of  Valentine 
and  Monarch  had  bridles ;  consequently  they 
could  steady  their  horses  and  jump  in  and  out 
"  clever."  Not  so  Mr.  McDonogh,  who  had 
nothing  to  guide  his  horse  but  his  whip. 
Steeringthe  animal,  however, for  the  ^^boreen," 
he  put  him  at  his  best  pace,  and  without  ever 
laying  an  iron  on  it,  he  went  from  field  to 
field  and  landed  alongside  the  leaders.  The 
riders  of  the  other  horses,  seeing  he  had  no 
power  to  guide  his  mount,  endeavoured  to  put 
him  outside  a  post  that  had  to  be  gone  round 
to  make  the  turn  into  the  straight  line  for 
home;  but  the  young  jockey,  stretching  his 
arms  almost  round  his  horse's  nose,  by  some 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


287 


means  got  him  straight,    and,    making  the 
remainder  of  the  running,  won  easily.     Valen- 
tine's rider  at  the  scales  ohjected  to  Sailor  for 
not  having  carried  a  bridle,  but  Mr.  McDonogh 
was  able  to  draw  the  weight,  and  was  declared 
the  winner  amidst  the  wildest   enthusiasm. 
The  other  extraordinary  performance  occurred 
one  day  on  his  pet  mount,   the   celebrated 
Brunette,  at  Cashel.     When  riding  Mountain 
Hare  the  previous  day  over  the  same  course 
he  was  crossed  by  an  old  woman  at  an  ugly  up 
bank.     The  horse  struck  the  woman  in  the 
chest  and  very  nearly  put  an  end  to  his  rider 
also,  who,  in  the  fall',  got  his  collar-bone  and 
six  ribs  broken.     The  late  Dr.  Kussell,   of 
Cashel,  was  quickly  by  his  side,  and  telling  the 
Marquis  of  Waterford  of  the  serious  injuries 
Mr.  McDonogh  had  received,  that  most  noble- 
hearted  man  instantly  sent  for  his  carriage, 
which,  with  two  post-horses,  speedily  took  the 
invahd  to  the  hotel  in  Cashel.     The  collar- 
bone being  set  and  ribs  bandaged,  he  passed  a 
miserable  night.     Brunette  was  in  a  race  the 
next  day,  and  as  he  would  allow  no  man  to 
sit  on  her  back,  he  got  out  of  his  bed,  mounted 


288  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

the  mare,  and,  bandaged  as  he  was  and  in 
great  pain,  won  the  race.  Lord  Waterford'& 
Begalia  was  second,  his  lordship  jestingly 
remarking  that  if  he  had  known  Brunette's 
master  would  have  ridden  her  he  would  have 
left  him  lying  at  the  bank.  In  conclusion^ 
Mr.  Editor,  permit  me  to  say  that  we  Irish 
are  charmed  with  Mrs.  O'Donoghue's  writings^ 
as  also  with  your  most  interesting  and  beauti- 
fully got-up  paper. 

Yours,  &c. 

Maurice  Lawlob. 
Battlemount,  Ballytore, 
Co.  Kildare. 


Sir, — Notwithstanding  the  enterprise  of  the 
large  number  of  ladies  who,  you  say,  desire  to 
ride  after  the  fashion  of  the  Mexican  senoras, 
I  venture  to  hope  that  the  present  custom  of 
riding  in  a  side-saddle  will  not  be  departed 
from  by  ladies,  except  in  case  of  necessity  ; 
and  I  point  out  that  in  India,  South  Africa, 
and  all  the  Australian  colonies  the  side-saddle 
is  always  used,  though  there  can  be  no  doubt 


COEKESPONDENCE.  239 

that  if  there  was  any  real  advantage  in  the 
Mexican  style  it  would  be  readily  adopted  in 
new  countries.  Many  persons  appear  to  be 
quite  unaware  of  what  the  lady's  seat  in  the 
side-saddle  should  be.  I  describe  it  thus  : 
let  a  man  seat  himseK  properly  in  his  saddle, 
shorten  the  left  stirrup  two  or  three  holes, 
and  then,  without  moving  his  body  or  his  left 
leg,  put  his  right  leg  over  the  horse's  wither  ; 
the  man  will  then  be  seated  on  his  horse 
precisely  as  a  lady  should  be  seated  in  her 
side-saddle.  A  lady's  seat  in  a  side-saddle,  of 
the  size  suited  to  her,  is  extremely  firm  ;  any 
one  who  has  not  tried  a  side-saddle  with  the 
third  crutch  has  no  idea  of  the  firm  seat  that 
a  lady  has.  I  was  quite  astonished  when  I 
tried  it,  and  I  believe  that,  after  practising 
for  a  day  or  two  to  get  the  balance,  I  could 
ride  any  horse  in  a  side-saddle  that  I  could 
ride  at  all ;  whilst  the  exploits  of  ladies 
show  clearly  that  a  change-  of  style  is  not 
required  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a 
more  secure  seat.  One  of  the  greatest  diffi- 
culties that  ladies  have  to  contend  with  in 
this  country  in  learning  to  ride  is  that  they 

19 


290  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

often  get  such  poor  instructors.  Many  oi 
those  who  call  themselves  riding  masters  are 
little  Letter  than  grooms,  and  the  people  who 
offer  to  turn  out  accomplished  horsewomen  in 
twelve  easy  lessons  for  £2  2s.  must  know  that, 
except  in  a  few  cases  of  natural  special  aptitude, 
they  cannot  do  much  more  than  teach  a  lady 
how  to  avoid  tumbling  too  quickly  out  of  the 
saddle.  On  the  other  hand,  a  lady  who  has 
heen  through  a  full  course  of  instruction  from 
a  good  master,  has  little  to  learn  except  those 
matters  of  detail  which  experience  alone  can 
teach ;  but  far  better  than  any  professional 
instruction  is  that  constant  and  careful  super- 
vision from  a  good  horseman,  such  as  Mrs. 
Power  O'Donoghue  and  '*  The  Ladybird" 
]nentioned  in  a  late  issue,  one  who  will  not 
be  afraid  of  being  called  a  ''  bother  "  when  he 
points  out  and  corrects  every  fault,  however 
small.  I  consider,  sir,  that  you  have  given 
good  advice  to  ladies  when  you  say,  **  I  think 
a  lady  should  wear  a  spur,"  though  she  may 
not  often  find  it  necessary  to  use  it.  In  your 
last  issue  two  experienced  ladies  give  their 
opinions  on  this  subject;  one  disapproves  oi 


COBEESPONDENCE.  291 

the  spur,  the  other  says  she  always  wears 
one.  Everyone  will  agree  with  ''  The  Lady- 
bird "  that  when  it  is  ''  dig,  dig,  dig  "  all  the 
time,  such  use  of  a  spur  is  improper;  for 
though  a  sharp  stroke  is  required  sometimes 
— ^for  instance,  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue,  when 
describing  her  flight  into  the  farmyard,  says  : 
*'  I  dug  him  with  my  spur  " — the  proper  way 
to  apply  a  spur  is,  in  general,  as  described  by 
Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  in  your  last  issue,  by 
pressure.  The  term  ^^  box  spur  "  is  usually 
apphed  to  spurs  that  fit  into  spring  boxes  or 
sockets  in  the  heels  of  the  boots  ;  a  spur  with 
a  spring  sheath  over  the  point  is.  usually 
called  a  ^'  sheath  spur";  for  hunting,  any- 
thing that  will  act  as  a  goad  will  answer  the 
desired  purpose,  but  for  park  or  road  riding 
the  spur  should  be  one  with  which  a  very 
slight  touch  or  a  sharp  stroke  can  be  given, 
as  may  be  required.  I  know  that  the  spur 
with  a  five-pointed  rowel  is  preferred  by 
ladies  who  have  tried  it  to  any  other ;  but, 
whatever  spur  is  selected,  a  lady  should  take 
care  that  the  points  are  long  enough  to  be 
effective  when  the  habit  intervenes.     I  think, 

19  * 


292  LADi::s  on  hoiiseback. 

sir,  with  yon,  that  a  lady  should  always  wear  a 
spur ;  and  I  notice  in  this  corres23ondence, 
the  ladies  who  denounce  the  use  of  a  spur 
almost  invariably  say  that  they  have  never 
tried  one ;  whilst  ladies  who  have  once  ex- 
perienced the  advantage  and  convenience  of 
it,  never  willingly  mount  a  horse  without  one. 
There  is  not  any  real  mystery  about  ladies' 
riding  or  ladies'  horses  ;  almost  any  horse  that 
will  carry  a  man  will  carry  a  woman,  and  the 
latter,  when  on  horseback,  ought  to  be  pro- 
vided, as  nearly  as  possible,  with  the  same 
aids  and  appliances  as  are  required  by  the 
former.  It  is  not  every  lady  who  can  indulge 
in  the  luxmy  of  a  three-hundred-guinea  saddle- 
horse,  and  the  treatment  that  may  answer 
with  such  a  horse  is  not  necessarily  suited  to 
an  ordinary  hack ;  yet  some  of  the  hand- 
somest and  most  highly- trained  ladies'  horses 
in  the  Eow  are  ridden  with  a  spur,  and  it  is 
only  proper  that  they  should  be  ;  they  have 
been  trained  by  the  professional  lady  riders 
with  a  spur,  and  they  are  accustomed  to 
receive  from  a  sHght  touch  of  the  spur  the 
indications  of  the  rider's  wish ;  whilst  as  to 


COERESPONDENCE.  293 

the  common  livery-stable  hacks,  it  is  often 
painful  to  ride  them  until  they  feel  that  you 
;are  provided   with  spurs,  when    their  whole 
nature  appears  to  change,  and  you  can  enjoy 
a  tolerably  pleasant  ride.     ''  The  Ladybird  " 
;says   she  was  taught  '^that  a  horse  can   do 
no  wrong."     As  a  matter  of  theory  the  idea 
is  a  very  pretty  one,  but  I  can  only  say,  as  a 
simple    matter   of    fact,    that    I   have    often 
known  a  horse  exhibit  a  very  large  amount  of 
what    the    late    Mr.   Artemus    Ward    called 
^'  cussedness  "  ;  and  I  know  of  nothing  that, 
when  a  horse  is  in  that  frame  of  mind,  will 
bring  him  to  his  senses  so  quickly,  so  effec- 
tually, and  with  so  much  convenience  to  the 
rider,  as  a  sharp  spur.     In  far-off  lands,  I  was 
once   nearly  two    hours  doing  a  distance  of 
some  seven  miles  on  a  new  purchase.     I  was 
then  without  spurs ;  but  the  next  day,  when 
I  was  provided  with  them,  the  same  animal 
did  the  same  distance  easily  and  pleasantly  in 
about  forty  minutes.     I  very  much  dishke  to 
see  a  lady  use  a  whip  to  her  horse  :   and,  as  I 
have  always  proved  spurs  to  be  a  great  con- 
venience, I  recommeud  a  lady  to  wear  one, 


294  LADIES   ON    HORSEBACK. 

and  to  use  it  when  necessary  in  preference  to 

the  whip. 

I  am,  &G. 

SouTHEEN  Cross. 
December,  1880. 


Sir, — Since  I  have  come  to  London  I  have 
been  asked  so  many  questions  respecting  the 
reason  why  ladies  so  offcen  *'pull  their  horses," 
that  I  feel  I  may  accomphsh  some  good  by 
answering,  or  may  at  least  assist  in  doing 
away  with  a  very  crying  evil.  My  opinion  is 
that  there  is  usually  but  one  reason,  viz. 
because  the  horses  pull  them ;  but  for  a 
woman  to  pull  against  a  pulling  horse  only 
increases  the  evil.  It  is  a  fallacy,  and  can 
never  accomplish  the  desired  end.  A  deter- 
mined puller  cannot,  under  any  circumstances^ 
be  suitable  to  a  lady,  and  should  never  be 
ridden  by  one,  unless  she  be  a  sufficiently 
good  rider  and  have  sufficiently  good  hands 
to  make  the  horse's  mouth,  which  is  not  the 
case  with  one  woman  in  five  hundred,  or,  I 
might  almost  say,  one  man  either.  Horses 
that  pull  have  been  almost  invariably  spoilt 


CORRESPONDENCE.  295 

in  the  training.  Occasionally  a  line-mouthed 
aniraal  will  be  ruined  by  an  ingnorant  or  cruel 
rider,  but  I  must  say,  in  justice  to  my  sex, 
that  they  are  seldom  guilty  of  doing  it.  The 
fault  lies  amongst  men.  Many  women  are 
mnorant  riders :  but,  thank  God  !  the  blot  of 
cruelty  rarely  defaces  their  name.  Women 
are  naturally  gentle,  kindly,  and — covanlhj ; 
three  things  calculated  not  to  injure  a  horse, 
ex'-ept  it  be  the  latter,  which  enables  him  to 
discover  that  he  can  be  master  if  he  p]o:ise. 
Doubtless  there  are  cruel  women,  also,  who 
cut  and  lash,  and  tug  and  spur,  and  treat 
heaven's  noble  gifts  as  though  they  were  mere 
machinery,  and  not  flesh  and  blood  like  our- 
selves;  but  how  often  shall  I  say,  in  answer 
to  the  numerous  cases  cited  to  me,  that  in 
writing  upon  this  or  any  other  subject  I  speak 
of  the  rule,  not  of  the  isolated  exceptions. 
When  a  man  begins  to  break  a  horse  he 
regularly  prepares  for  combat.  He  sets  him- 
self to  work  with  a  resolute  determination 
to  fight  and  be  fought,  as  though  he  had  a 
strong  rebellious  spirit  to  deal  with  and 
conquer,    instead    of    a    loving,     kindly,    timid 


296  LADIES    ON    HOnSEBACK. 

nature,  whicli  needs  nought  save  gentleness 
to  make  it  amenable  to  even  the  rudest  hand. 
The  man  begins  by  pulHng ;  the  horse,  on 
the  schoolboy  ^'  tit  for  tat  "  principle,  pulls 
against  him  in  return;  is  sold  before  his 
education  (bad  as  it  has  been)  is  haK  com- 
pleted ;  is  ridden  out  to  exercise  by  grooms 
with  heavy  iron  hands ;  is  handed  over  to  the 
riding-school  and  to  carry  young  ladies  when 
every  bit  of  spirit  has  been  knocked  out  of 
him,  except  the  determined  one  of  pulling — 
pulls  resolutely  against  the  feeble  hands 
striving  to  control  him ;  is  pulled  and 
strained  at  in  return,  and  becomes  in  time 
a  confirmed  and  unmanageable  brute.  I  wish 
1  could  persuade  ladies  not  to  pull  their  horses. 
In  a  former  number  I  endeavoured  to  tell 
them  the  proper  method  of  managing  or 
dealing  with  a  pulling  animal :  neither  to 
drop  their  hands  to  him,  nor  to  pull  one 
ounce  against  him.  He  will  be  certain  after 
a  few  strides  to  yield  a  bit,  w^ien  the  hands — 
hitherto  firm,  should  immediately  yield  to 
him,  thus  estabhshing  a  sort  of  give  and  take 
principle,  which  will  soon  be  perfectly  under- 


COERESPONDENCE.  297 

stood  by  the  intelligent  creature  under  control. 
We  do  not  half  appreciate  our  horses.  Every 
touch  of  our  fingers,  every  word  we  utter, 
every  glance  from  our  eye  is  noted  by  the 
horse,  and  is  valued  or  resented  as  it  deserves. 
So  many  animals  are  made  unruly  by  the 
undue  use  of  a  severe  curb  that  I  strongly 
advise  a  trial  of  the  snafide  only,  holding  the 
curb-rein  loosely  over  the  httle  finger,  so  that 
it  may  be  in  an  instant  taken  up  in  case  it 
prove  necessary,  which,  in  my  opinion,  it 
rarely  will.  To  illustrate  my  meaning,  on 
Monday  last  I  rode  a  mare  for  a  lady,  who 
was  very  desirous  of  ascertaining  whether 
the  animal  was  capable  of  carrying  a  lady 
with  safety.  The  groom,  who  was  to  accom- 
pany me,  was  evidently  extremely  nervous. 
He  told  me,  as  we  started,  that  the  mare 
had  never  done  any  saddle  work,  except  with 
a  very  wild  young  gentleman-rider,  who  Lad 
bitted  her  severely,  and  yet  found  her  diffi- 
cult to  manage  ;  and  he  implored  me  earnestly 
to  keep  a  good  hold  of  the  curb.  I  found 
that  she  hung  desperately  upon  her  bridle, 
kept    her   head   between   her    knees    with    a 


298  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK, 

strong,  determined,  heavy  pull  upon  the  bit^ 
and  rough,  jerky  action,  which  was  most 
unpleasant.  When  I  got  her  into  the  Eow 
she  nearly  pulled  my  arms  out  in  her  canter 
— the  tug  she  had  upon  the  bridle  was  quite 
terrific ;  and,  evidently  prepared  for  the  ac- 
customed fight,  she  put  back  her  ears  and 
shook  her  wicked  head  angrily.  I  rode  her 
from  Palace  Gate  to  Hyde  Park  Corner  in 
the  same  manner  as  I  have  sought  to  impress 
upon  my  lady  readers — namely,  not  pulling 
one  atom  against  her,  but  keeping  my  hands 
low  and  firm,  and  yielding  slightly  to  her  in 
her  stride.  By  the  time  we  had  turned  at 
the  Corner  she  had  quite  given  up  fighting, 
I  then  dropped  the  curb,  and  rode  her  en- 
tirely upon  the  snaffle.  The  effect  was 
magical.  She  lifted  her  head,  ceased  pulling 
altogether,  and  went  along  in  a  pleasant 
joyous  canter,  going  well  up  to  her  bridle, 
but  not  attempting  any  liberties  whatever. 
In  an  hour's  time,  as  you,  sir,  who  were 
riding  with  me  will  bear  testimony,  I  was 
holding  her  with  one  hand,  stooping  forward, 
and    making   much    of  her   with    the  other,. 


COEEESPONDENCE.  299 

an  attention  wMcti  she  evidently  regarded  as 
a  pleasing  novelty,  and  highly  appreciated. 
Finding  her  shghtly  untractable  during  the  ride 
homeward  I  once  more  lightly  took  up  the  curb. 
It  maddened  her  in  a  moment.  She  turned 
round  and  round,  ran  me  against  a  cart,  and 
behaved  so  excitedly  that  it  required  my  best 
skill,  confidence,  and  temper  to  restore  her 
equanimity  and  steer  her  safely  (using  the 
snaffle  only)  to  her  destination.  On  dis- 
mounting I  observed  to  the  groom  that 
considering  the  amount  of  exercise  and  ex- 
citement through  which  she  had  passed,  it 
was  wonderful  she  had  not  sweated.  His 
answer  was  that  she  was  always  fed  upon 
cooked  food,  and  that  the  chief  sustenance  of 
the  horse  which  he  himself  was  riding — a 
remarkably  fine  three-year-old — was  boiled  bar- 
ley. I  have  never,  myself,  tried  this  feeding, 
but  if  looks  and  condition  may  be  regarded 
as  recommendation,  it  must  be  most  excellent. 
I  am.  Sir, 

Yours  obediently, 

Nannie  Powee  O'Donoghue 


300 


LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 


Sir, — I  have  been  very  greatly  interested  by 
the  remarks  on  saddles,  spurs,  &c.,  made  by 


your  lady  correspondents.     My  husband  is  a 
large  ranchero,  or  cattle-farmer,  on  the  Rio 


COREESPONDENCE.  301 

Grande,  between  Mexico  and  Texas,  and 
naturally  I  have  had  much  experience  of  hard 
as  well  as  long-distance  riding.  Having  been 
accustomed  to  hunting  when  I  was  a  girl,  I 
came  out  here  with  an  exaggerated  idea  of  my 
skill  in  horsemanship.  My  first  ride  in  Mexico 
"was  one  of  three  hundred  miles,  which  we  did 
in  seven  days  ;  I  rode  on  an  Enghsh  hunting- 
saddle  almost,  if  not  quite,  as  ''  straight  as  a 
board."  After  the  second  day  I  found  it  as 
uncomfortable  a  seat  as  could  be  desired,  and 
was  glad  to  change  it  for  the  peon's  ordinary 
Mexican  saddle,  which  I  found  perfectly  easy 
and  comparatively  comfortable  to  my  English 
one.  This  last  I  have  found  exceedingly 
fatiguing  and  ill-adapted  to  a  long  journey, 
although  very  good  for  a  few  hours'  ride  after 
wild  cattle,  which  is  a  certain  approach  to 
hunting,  although  the  jumping  is  not  stiff. 
Lately  I  had  another  saddle  sent  out  fi'om 
England,  which  was  a  little  deeper,  and  I 
find  it  much  more  useful  for  long  distances. 
As  ladies  are  not  in  the  habit  of  riding 
steeplechases,  I  would  venture  to  suggest  that, 
for  hard  riding,  such  as  hunting,  the  saddle 


302  LAMES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

might  rather  be  heavier  than  lighter,  as  I  am 
sure  that  this  must  give  more  relief  to  the 
horse's  back.  In  fact,  I  believe  that  the  sore 
backs  so  often  produced  by  ladies'  saddles  are 
more  frequently  caused  by  the  saddle  being  too 
light  than  too  heavy.  I  quite  agree  with 
some  of  your  correspondents  that  the  padded 
stirrup  is  most  dangerous,  as  it  is  not  easy  to 
get  the  foot  out  quickly  if  anything  should 
happen. 

The  principle,  as  stated  by  the  Mexicans, 
of  striking  a  horse  between  the  ears  is  not  to 
bring  him  down  by  fright,  but  to  bring  him 
down  by  force,  so  as  to  ^^stun"  him.  Now, 
do  you  think  that  any  of  your  fair  correspon- 
dents could  accomplish  this  with  a  light  park 
or  hunting-whip  ?  I  may  be  very  bold  to 
offer  any  suggestions,  but  the  lady's  side- 
saddle of  the  nineteenth  century  is  very  far 
from  being  pleasant.  Why  should  not  ladies 
in  this  age  of  progression  begin  to  ride  on 
saddles  shaped  hke  a  man's,  with  the  same  seat 
a  man  uses  ?  It  would  be  much  more  comfort- 
able, as  even  a  stout  lady  could  not  look 
much  more  ungraceful  than  she    does  now, 


COEEESPONDENCE.  303 

besides   materially  lessening   the   danger.      1 
send  you  a  sketch  of  a  Mexican  saddle. 

I  am,  &c. 
Campesina. 
San  Antonio  de  Bexar,  Texas,  U.S.A. 

P.S. — I  would  not  like  you  to  imagine  that 

I  intend  to  slight  such  an  admirable  authority 

as  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue,  but  I  should  be 

much  obHged  to  any  of  your  correspondents 

for  the  design  of  an  improved  saddle,  suitable 

alike  for  riding  a  young  nervous  horse  and  for 

journey  purposes.     I  have  a  design  for  such  a 

saddle,  but  I  do  not  know  how  far  it  may  be 

practicable.     I  think  if  ladies  would  give  their 

ideas  upon  this  subject  through  the  medium 

of   your    columns,    some    real  improvement 

might  be  arrived  at. 

C. 


Sir, — ^In  your  issue  of  the  27th  November 
my  letter  appeared,  recommending  that  the 
use  of  side-saddles  should  be  discontinued. 
Your  correspondent,  *^  Jack  Spur,"  mentions, 


304  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

in  a  letter  published  on  the  13th  November^ 
that  in  some  works  concerning  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  in  the  Northern  Pacific  Ocean,  and 
the  Eocky  Mountains,  North  America,  the 
authoress,  Miss  Isabella  L.  Bird,  states  that 
she  was  acc.^jtomed,  while  there,  to  ride  on 
horseback  astride. 

A  few  extracts  from  her  above-mentioned 
writings  will  probably  interest  your  readers. 
When  in  Hawaii,  or  Owyhee,  one  of  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  the  authoress  referred  to  accom- 
panied some  friends  on  horseback  to  the 
Anuenue  FaUs  on  the  Wailuku  river  (a 
river  which  forms  a  boundary  between  two 
great  volcanoes),  and  on  that  occasion  used 
a  side-saddle,  but  was  afterwards  advised  by 
one  of  the  party  to  follow  the  native  fashion 
of  riding  astride.  Having  acted  upon  this 
advice,  she  was  well  satisfied  with  the  result 
of  the  trial,  and  continued  to  adopt  that 
style  while  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and 
also  in  the  Eocky  Mountains,  where  she 
remained  nearly  four  months.  The  following 
extract  from  a  letter  written  by  her  about 
the  28th  of  January,  from  Hilo,  Hawaii,  and 


CORRESPONDENCE.  305 

pablished  in  The  Hawaiian  Archipelago :  Six 
Months  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  1875,  page  66, 
gives  further  particulars  of  her  visit  to  the 
Anuenue  Falls,  above  referred  to  : — 

*' Everything  was  new  and  interesting,  but 
the  ride  was  spoiled  by  my  insecure  seat  in 
my  saddle,  and  the  increased  pain  in  my  spine 
which  riding  produced.  Once,  in  crossing  a 
stream,  the  horses  had  to  make  a  sort  of 
downward  jump  from  a  rock,  and  I  shpped 
round  my  horse's  neck ;  indeed,  on  the  way 
back  I  felt  that  on  the  ground  of  health  I 
must  give  up  the  volcano,  as  I  would  never 
consent  to  be  carried  to  it,  like  Lady  Franklin, 
in  a  htter.  When  we  returned,  Mr.  Severance 
suggested  that  it  would  be  much  better  for 
me  to  follow  the  Hawaiian  fashion,  and  ride 
astride,  and  put  his  saddle  on  the  horse.  It 
was  only  my  strong  desire  to  see  the  volcano 
which  made  me  consent  to  a  mode  of  riding 
against  which  I  have  so  strong  a  prejudice ; 
but  the  result  of  the  experiment  is  that  I  shall 
visit  Kilanea  thus  or  not  at  aU.  The  native 
women  all  ride  astride  on  ordinary  occasions 
in  the  full  sacks,  or  holukus,  and  on  gala  days 

20 


306  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

in  the  pan,  the  gay  winged  dress  which  I 
described  in  writing  from  Honolulu.  A  great 
many  of  the  foreign  ladies  in  Hawaii  have 
adopted  the  Mexican  saddle  also  "  (this  means 
that  they  ride  astride)  ^*  for  greater  security 
to  themselves  and  ease  to  their  horses  on 
the  steep  and  perilous  bridle-tracks,  but  they 
wear  full  Turkish  trousers,  and  jauntily-made 
dresses  reaching  to  the  ankles." 

After  leaving  the  Sandwich  Islands  she 
went  to  the  Eocky  Mountains,  and  in  a  letter 
dated  the  23rd  of  October,  and  published  in 
A  Lady's  Life  in  the  Rochy  Mountains,  1879,  she 
writes  from  the  Colorado  District,  North 
America : — 

**  I  rode  sidewise  till  I  was  well  through 
the  town,  long  enough  to  produce  a  severe 
pain  in  my  spine,  which  was  not  relieved  for 
some  time  even  after  I  had  changed  my 
position.  It  was  a  lovely  Indian  summer  day, 
so  warm  that  the  snow  on  the  ground  looked 
an  incongruity." 

From  the  fact  that  many  ladies,  when  in 
tne  Sandwich  Islands,  ride  astride,  and  that 
Miss   Bird  found  this  position   preferable  in 


COKRESPONDENCE.  307 

many  respects  to  that  which  a  side-saddle 
obliges  the  rider  to  take,  I  infer  that  ladies  in 
England  would  be  pleased  if  a  change  in  the 
mode  of  riding  were  introduced. 

Proprietors  of  circuses  will  perhaps  permit 
me  to  offer  for  their  consideration  that  by 
allowing  this  mode  of  riding  to  form  a  part  of 
some  of  the  circus  performances,  they  might 
do  a  great  deal  towards  causing  it  to  be 
recognised  by  the  public  as  the  correct  style, 
and  that  one  great  obstacle  in  the  way  of  its 
being  generally  adopted  by  horsewomen  would 
then  be  removed. 

I  wish  also   to   suggest  that  it  should  be 

taught  at  several    riding-schools,    so    that   a 

large  number  of  pupils  may  commence  at  the 

same  time. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

X.  Y.  Z 


20 


808  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

Sir, — The  letters  of  your  correspondent,  Mrs. 
Power  O'Donoghue,  are  very  instructive  and 
trustworthy,  because  founded  upon  practical 
experience.  In  her  letter  of  last  week  she 
recommends  the  feeding  of  hunters  upon 
cooked  food.  This  to  many  sportsmen  will  be 
a  new  theory ;  not  so  to  me,  and  I  wish  to 
confirm  her  views,  but  I  carry  them  out  in  a 
more  economical  way.  My  establishment  is 
but  a  small  one.  I  cannot  afford  space  or 
attendance  for  a  cooking-house,  but  I  beheve 
I  arrive  at  the  same  results  as  she  does,  by 
steeping  my  oats  in  cold  water  for  a  given 
number  of  hours,  and  adding  a  pound  of 
Indian  meal,  with  a  handful  of  chopped  hay 
and  oaten  straw  to  each  feed  three  times  a 
day.  My  horses  have  a  constant  supply  of 
water  in  a  manger  in  a  convenient  corner  of 
their  stables.  I  believe  horses  fed  upon  dry 
oats  and  hay  suffer  much  from  thirst.  I 
observe  my  horses  take  many  sups  of  water 
through  the  day,  but  take  much  less  on  the 
whole  than  when  watered  upon  the  old  practice 
twice  daily.  Practically,  I  find  my  horses 
very  healthy,    strong,    and  endming,    and  I 


CORRESPONDENCE.  809 

would  freely  recommend  the  adoption  of  this 
mode  of  feeding  hunters  to  my  sporting 
friends. 

Farmer. 


Sir, — I  am  still  so  inundated  with  corres- 
pondence— many  writers  asking  me  precisely 
the  same  questions — that  I  shall  regard  it  as  a 
favour  if  you  will  again  allow  me  to  answer  a 
few  of  them  through  the  medium  of  your  paper. 

Conn.  Dashpur. — You  and  your  horse  were 
immersed  in  the  river,  simply  because  you  did 
not  give  him  sufficient  head-room  to  enable 
him  to  take  the  jump  with  safety.  In  coming 
up  to  a  wide  stretch  of  water  you  should 
always  leave  your  mount  abundant  oppor- 
tunity to  extend  his  head  and  neck,  nor  should 
you  wait  to  do  this  until  you  are  just  on  the 
brink, — it  will  then,  most  likely,  be  too  late 
to  save  you  and  him  a  wetting.  A  horse 
stretches  his  neck  coming  up  to  a  water-jump, 
partly  that  he  may  see  well  what  is  before 
him,  and  partly  because  his  iutelhgence  tells 
him  that  he  cannot  compass  it  if  tightly 
Teined  in.     Leave  him  his  head,  and  if  he  ic  a 


310  LADIES   ON   HORSEBACK. 

hunter  worth  riding  he  will  calculate  his  dis^ 
tance  and  bear  you  safely  over.  At  the  same 
time  you  must  remember  to  give  him  suffi- 
cient support  when  he  lands,  or  he  may  peck,, 
or  roll,  and  give  you  an  ugly  fall.  A  horse  is 
much  more  liable  to  come  down  over  a  water- 
jump  than  at  a  fence,  for  the  swinging  pace  at 
which  you  must  necessarily  send  him  at  it 
— combined  with  the  absolute  necessity  for 
leaving  him  complete  freedom  of  his  head — 
forbids  that  **  steadying "  process,  which,  at 
the  hands  of  an  accomplished  rider,  usually 
ensures  safety  over  wall  or  ditch.  Questions 
similar  to  yours  have  been  asked  me  by  H. 
Cadlicott,  Maukice  Hone,  and  Guy.  In 
answering  one,  therefore,  I  reply  to  each. 

Ellice  Geeenway. — Your  MS.  never  reached 
me ;  you  must  have  misdirected  it, — but  in 
any  case  I  could  not  have  been  of  service  to 
you,  as  I  have  no  time  for  revising  other 
people's  work,  nor  would  my  recommenda- 
tion carry  any  weight.  Pubhshers  judge  for 
themselves.  Your  papers  must  go  in  on  their 
merits,  and  be  accepted  or  rejected  accordingly. 
I  quite  agree  with  you  that  declined  MSS^ 


CORRESPONDENCE.  311 

should — when  accompanied  by  a  stamped 
and  addressed  envelope — be  returned  to  the 
sender  with  the  least  possible  delay.  No 
matter  how  great  or  hurried  may  be  the 
business  of  an  office,  there  is  in  reality  no 
excuse  for  inattention  to  this  rule.  The  very 
best  and  busiest  of  the  weekly  journals  comply 
with  it,  and  persons  who  do  not  want  to  be 
treated  with  snobbish  indifference  had  better 
not  write  for  any  other.  Perhaps  if  you  call^ 
or  send  a  line  privately  to  the  Editor,  you 
may  succeed  in  getting  back  your  work ;  but 
do  not  be  expectant. 

King  Lear. — The  horse  you  name  attained 
his  victory  in  1878.     He  carried  12  st.  7  lbs. 

G.  Hunt. — Beauparc  ;  but  he  did  not  win. 

P.  Eyall.— At  Thirsk.  He  feU  at  the 
second  obstacle,  and  although  speedily  re- 
mounted, his  chance  was  extinguished.  Pin- 
nace ran  well,  and  was  in  great  form.  His 
defeat  was  a  surprise,  but  your  informant  has 
not  given  you  rehable  details. 

James. — Read  Silk  and  Scarlet,  one  of  the 
"  Druid  '*  series.  Thanks  for  too  flattering 
opinion. 


312  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

FoEDHAM. — The  course  is  a  most  trying  one, 
and  the  feat  was  one  never  before  atteiTiptedj 
by  a  lady.  I  did  it  to  show  that  my  horse  was! 
capable  of  accomplishing  the  task,  and  the 
risk  was  not  what  you  describe  it,  for  he  was 
too  clever  to  put  a  foot  astray.  Major  Stone 
of  the  80th  accompanied  me,  and  gave  me  a 
good  lead.  The  only  time  I  passed  him  was 
when  his  horse  refused  at  an  ugly  post  and 
rail.  It  is  not  true  that  he  was  thrown.  He 
rode  splendidly,  managing  a  difficult  horse. 
There  was  no  **  crowd,"  and  in  short  it  is 
evident  that  you  have  received  an  exaggerated 
account  of  the  affair. 

J.  Dunne. — He  won  at  Newcastle  in  1879. 

Collins  W. — She  was,  in  my  opinion, 
unfairly  handicapped,  and  the  verdict  was 
general  respecting  the  matter. 

Douglas.  —  The  horse  was  not  shot  for 
five  hours  after,  and  lay  quivering  all  that 
time.  The  owner  was  absent,  and  four  of 
us  galloped  in  search  of  him.  Nobody  was 
to  blame.  Mr.  W.  B.  Morris,  7th  Hussars, 
was  the  rider,  and  no  better  ever  wore 
silk. 


COREESPONDENCE.  313 

MoNTAUBAN. — I  havG  already  detailed  at 
some  length  my  objections  to  children  riding 
before  they  have  strength  and  judgment  suffi- 
ficient  to  enable  them  to  manage  a  horse. 
Moreover,  if  a  child — say  a  little  girl — gets  a 
severe  fall,  the  shock  to  her  nervous  system 
is  most  likely  to  be  a  lasting  one,  and  in  some 
cases  is  never  got  over ;  whereas  grown  girls 
are  less  hable  to  fall,  if  they  have  any  sort  of 
fair  teaching,  and  certainly  have  stronger 
nerves  and  firmer  resolution  to  enable  them 
to  bear  the  casualties  attendant  upon  the 
practice  of  the  art. 

Curious. — Griffin  and  Hawkes,  of  Birming- 
ham, by  the  burning  of  whose  premises  some 
of  my  most  valued  MSS.  were  lost. 

Jessica. — It  is  quite  untrue.  Her  Imperial 
Majesty  dresses  and  mounts  in  ordinary 
fashion.  There  is  not  one  word  of  truth  in 
the  widely-circulated  statement  that  her  habit 
is  buttoned  on  after  she  has  mounted,  nor  is 
her  jacket  ever  made  ''  tight."  It  is  close- 
fitting  and  beautifully  adapted  to  her  figure, 
but  sufficiently  large  to  leave  her  abundant 
room  to    move  in.      The    Empress    despises 


314  LADIES    ON    HOESEBACK. 

tight  stays,  gloves,  and  boots.  Her  waist  is^ 
small,  but  not  wasp-like.  The  absurd  an- 
nouncement that  it  measured  but  twelve 
inches  (recently  pubhshed  in  one  of  the 
weekly  journals)  is  as  false  as  it  is  foolish. 
Nobody  could  exist  with  such  a  deformity. 
The  Empress  takes  morning  exercise  upon  a 
trapeze.  Her  hair  is  dark,  shaded  to  gold- 
colour,  like  a  wood  in  autumn.  The  report 
that  she  dyes  it  is  one  of  the  many  calumnies 
of  which  she  is  the  subject,  but  which  happily 
cannot  harm  her.  She  is  not  affable;  her 
manner  is  stately  in  the  extreme,  to  all  except 
thobe  with  whom  she  desires  to  converse. 
She  speaks  fair  but  not  fluent  English.  This 
reply  to  Jessica  is  also  for  Feank  Kuetz,  Amy 
EoBSAET,  and  Alicia  Bond. 

Julius. — It  was  not  I  who  wrote  it.  I  got 
the  credit  of  it,  but  did  not  covet  the  dis- 
tinction. 

Geoege  K. — Nobody  assists  me.  Of  course 
you  mean  as  an  amanuensis :  otherwise  your 
question  would  be  an  offence.  I  write  my 
thoughts  in  short-hand,  and  copy  at  leisure 
for  the  press.     My  time  for  writing  is  when. 


CORRESPONDENCE.  315- 

the  honse  is  quiet,— generaUy  from  10  p.m.  to 
2  or  3  in  the  morning.  I  have  answered 
you— but  against  my  will,  as  I  much  dishke 
personal  questions.  Were  I  to  reply  to  such 
in  general,  my  entire  life  would  be  laid  bare 
to  the  eyes  of  a  disinterested  pubhc,  in  order 
to  gratify  a  few  persons,  who  have  no  motive 
save  one  of  idle  curiosity. 

T.  Ckmo^.— Grandfathers  Hunter  is  sold  out. 
Horses  and  Horsemen  is  to  be  had,  but  its  price 
puts  it  beyond  the  pale  of  ordinary  purchasers. 
Try  Bumpus,  or  Mudie. 

Oxonian.— Yon    are     wrong,— nor  have    I 
asked  your  opinion.     It  is  easier  to  criticise 
than  to  write.     Having  done  the  former,  pray 
do  the  latter,  and  submit  to  others'  criticism. 
Marcia  Flood.— Two  yards  round  the  hem 
is  amply   sufficient  width.      I    consider  the 
price  you  name   quite  exorbitant.     Try  one 
of  those  mentioned   by    me  in  my  chapter 
upon  riding-gear. 

Thanking  you,    Sir,   for  your  kindness  m 
granting  me  so  much  of  your  valuable  space. 
I  am,  yours  obediently, 

Nannie  Power  O'Donoghue. 


316  LADIES    ON    HORSEBACK. 

Sir, — In  a  recent  edition  "Jack  Spur" 
Rsks  if  it  is  usual  in  any  country  for  ladies  to 
ride  a  la  Duchess  de  Berri,  ix.  as  a  gentleman, 
astride.  In  Mexico  and  the  States  of  the 
River  Plate  this  is  the  usual  mount  of  the 
fair  ones  of  the  district,  and,  clad  in  loose 
Turkish  pantalettes  tucked  into  the  riding- 
boots  of  soft  yellow  leather,  a  loose  sort  of 
'tunic  secured  by  a  belt,  and  wearing  the  ladies^ 
**  sombrero,"  very  charming  these  fair  eques- 
triennes look,  and  splendid  horsewomen  they 
are.  Talk  of  ladies,  your  **  Fair  Play  "  should 
see  the  long,  sharp,  Mexican  spurs  attached  to 
the  heels  of  these  fair  prairie -rangers,  and 
witness  how  unsparingly  they  are  used. 
Sometimes  I,  who  am  no  namby-pamby  rider, 
and  have  seen  my  share  of  rough  work,  have 
ventured  to  remonstrate  in  a  half-jocular 
manner  (as  became  a  stranger  and  foreigner) 
when  riding  along  with  a  Mexican  lady,  who 
generally  keeps  her  steed  at  a  full  gallop  by 
the  remorseless  application  of  these  instru- 
ments of  punishment.  But  the  reply  was 
merely  a  silvery  laugh,  and  **  Ah,  senor,  here 
horses  are  cheap,  and  when  one  is  finished  we 


CORRESPONDENCE.  317 

have  plenty  more  for  the  catching.  Come 
along!"  My  experience  of  ladies  on  horse- 
back as  a  rule  is  that  they  are  more  severe 
than  men ;  perhaps  it  is  thoughtlessness,  but 
certainly  for  hard  riding  and  severe  spurring  I 
have  never  seen  any  to  surpass  a  Mexican 
senora,  whose  favourite  pace  is  a  stretching 
gallop  without  cessation,  until  her  steed  is 
perfectly  pumped  out,  and  as  horsellesh  is  of  no 
value  whatever,  and  no  Society  for  the  Preven- 
tion of  Cruelty  to  Animals  exists,  I  am  afraid 
I  must  record  a  verdict  of  cruelty  against  some 
of  the  most  charming  women  I  ever  met. 
To  their  fellow  mortals  all  kindness  and  good- 
ness, but  when  mounted  on  their  mustang 
they  seem  to  forget  that  he  can  feel  either 
fatigue  or  pain.  Certainly  the  temptation  is 
great.  A  horse  is  of  no  value ;  you  seldom 
mount  the  same  twice  on  a  journey,  and  across 
the  beautiful  prairies  a  wild  gallop  is  the  pace. 
But  I  should  be  sorry  to  see  an  English  lady 
dismount  from  her  steed,  leaving  him  utterly 
exhausted  and  pumped  out,  and  his  flanks 
streaming  with  blood  from  deep  spur-strokes. 
This  I  have  too  often  seen  in  South  America. 


318  LADIES   ON   HOBSEBACK. 

Everyone  does  it,  and  it  is  little  thonght  of ; 
but  by  all  means  let  us  cherish  a  better  feeling, 
and  not  give  any  needless  pain  to  that  noble 
animal,  the  horse.  Let  the  ladies  avoid  the 
use  of  sharp  spurs;  most  horses  ridden  by 
ladies  here  are  perfectly  amenable  to  the  whip 
and  rein,  and  the  use  of  the  spur  is  somewhat 
inharmonious  with  the  gentle  character  of  our 
Enghsh  women. 

GUACHO. 

St.  Leonards,  1880. 


"  The  correspondence  upon  this  subject,  called  forth  by 
Mrs.  Power  O'Donogliue's  admirable  papers  'Ladies  on 
Horseback,'  has  been  so  voluminous,  and  appears  likely  to 
go  on  for  such  a  lengthened  period,  that  I  am  reluctantly 
obliged  to  bring  it  to  a  close,  in  order  to  make  space  for 
other  matter." — Ed.  lUustrated  ^Sporting  and  Dramatic  Xews. 


London :  Printed  by  W.  H.  AUen  &  Co.,  13,  Waterloo  Place,  S.W 


WOKKS    PUBLISHED 


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HOW  TO  EIDE  AND  SCHOOL  A  HORSE, 

With  a  System  of  Horse  Gymnastics.     By  Edwabd  L. 
Andesson.     Crown  8vo.     2s.  6d. 


MAYHEW    (EDWAED)    ILLUSTEATED 

HORSE  DOCTOR.  Being  an  Accurate  and  Detailed 
Account,  accompanied  by  more  than  400  Pictorial 
Representations,  characteristic  of  the  various  Diseases 
to  which  the  Equine  Race  are  subjected ;  together  with 
the  latest  Mode  of  Treatment,  and  all  the  requisite 
Prescriptions  written  in  Plain  English.  By  Edward 
Mayhew,  M.R.C.V.S.     8vo.     18s.  6d. 

Contents. — The  Brain  and  Nervous  System. — The 
Eyes.— The  Mouth.— The  Nostrils.— The  Throat.— The 
Chest  and  its  contents. — The  Stomach,  Liver,  &c. — 
The  Abdomen. — The  Urinary  Organs. — The  Skin. — 
Specific  Diseases. — Limbs.  —  The  Feet. — Injuries. — 
Operations. 

"  The  book  contains  nearly  600  pages  of  valuable  matter, 
which  reflects  great  credit  on  its  author,  and,  owing  to  its  practical 
details,  the  result  of  deep  scientific  research,  deserves  a  place  in 
the  library  of  medical,  veterinary,  and  non-professional  readers." — 
Field. 

"  The  book  furnishes  at  once  the  bane  and  the  antidote,  as 
the  drawings  show  the  horse  not  only  suffering  from  every  kind  of 
diseasu,  but  in  the  different  stages  of  it,  while  the  alphabetical 
summary  at  the  end  gives  the  cause,  symptoms,  and  treatment 
of  each." — Illustrated  London  News. 


MAYHEW    (EDWAKD)    ILLUSTRATED- 

HOESE  MANAGEMENT.  —  Containing  descriptive 
remarks  upon  Anatomy,  Medicine,  Shoeing,  Teeth, 
Food,  Vices,  Stables;  likewise  a  plain  account  of  the 
situation,  nature,  and  value  of  the  various  points ; 
together  with  comments  on  grooms,  dealers,  breeders, 
breakers,  and  trainers  ;  Embellished  with  more  than  406 
engravings  from  original  designs  made  expressly  for  this 
work.  By  E.  Mayhew.  A  new  Edition,  revised  and 
improved  by  J.  I.  Lupton,  M.E.C.V.S.     8vo.     12s. 

Contents. — The  body  of  the  horse  anatomically 
considered.  Physic. — The  mode  of  administering  it, 
and  minor  operations.  Shoeing. — Its  origin,  its  uses, 
and  its  varieties.  The  Teeth. — Their  natural  growth, 
and  the  abuses  to  which  they  are  liable.  Food. — The 
fittest  time  for  feeding,  and  the  kind  of  food  which  the 
horse  naturally  consumes.  The  evils  which  are 
occasioned  by  modern  stables.  The  faults  inseparable 
from  stables.  The  so-called  "  incapacitating  vices," 
which  are  the  results  of  injury  or  of  disease.  Stables 
as  they  should  be.  Grooms. — Their  prejudices,  their 
injuries,  and  their  duties.  Points. — Their  relative  im- 
portance, and  where  to  look  for  their  development. 
Breeding. — Its  inconsistencies  and  its  disappointments. 
Breaking  and  Training. — Their  errors  and  their  results. 


DAUMAS      (E.)      HORSES      OF      THE 

SAHARA,  AND  THE  MANNERS  OF  THE  DESERT. 
By  E.  Daumas,  General  of  the  Division  Commanding 
at  Bordeaux,  Senator,  &c.  &c.  With  Commentsjies  by 
the  Emir  Abd-el-Kadir  (Authorized  Edition).     8vo.     6s. 

"  We  have  rarely  read  a  work  giving  a  more  picturesque 
and,  at  the  same  time,  practical  account  of  the  manners  and 
customs  of  a  people,  than  this  bookonthe  Arabs  and  their  horses." 
— Edinburgh  C  our  ant. 


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