How women should ride

The skirt should reach only far enough to cover the left foot, and be too narrow to admit of any flowing folds. Fashion and safety both demand this. A skittish horse is often frightened by a loose skirt flapping at his side.

I should be very glad to see the safety skirt, which is worn in the hunting-field, adopted in general riding. Its advantages are manifold. Although it appears the same, less cloth is used, therefore it is cooler; there is nothing between the pommel and the breeches, thus improving the hold, and in case of accident it is impossible to be dragged. There are several kinds in use, but the less complicated the more desirable it is. The simplest is made like any other skirt, except that where the pommels come there is a large piece of the cloth cut out, extending in a circle at the top, and then straight down, at both sides, so that there is no cloth near the pommels or where it could catch in case of a fall. This leaves enough to extend under both legs when in the saddle, and looks like an ordinary one. Under the right knee, where the skirt is rounded out, a small strip of cloth buttons from this point on to the piece which is under the leg; this and an elastic strap on the foot keep it in place; but neither is strong enough to stand any strain, therefore would not be dangerous in a fall.

Another pattern has eyelet holes made on each side from where the cloth has been taken, and round silk elastic laced through them, thus preventing the possibility of disarrangement. Both of these skirts loop at the back, and can be kept from appearing unlike others if the wearer will immediately fasten them on dismounting. An ordinary skirt may be made safer by having no hem.

We hear a great deal now of the divided skirt, and the advisability of women riding astride. The theory is good, as having a leg each side of the animal gives much greater control over his movements.

For most women, however, it is impracticable, since they cannot sit down in the saddle and grip with their knees as they should, owing to the fact that their thighs are rounded, instead of flat like a man's. It might be possible for a lean and muscular woman to acquire a secure seat, but not for the average one. Being short is another drawback to a strong seat against which most of them would have to contend. This is particularly trying, as so much of her weight is above the waist, making it difficult to ride from balance, which might otherwise replace the deficient leverage of the short thigh. Again, if on a large or broad horse, the constant strain on the muscles necessary when astride him must be injurious.

Aside from any physical reasons, the position for a woman is, in my opinion, most ungraceful and undignified, while few of them possess the strength to profit by the changed seat in forcing the horse up to his bridle or keeping him collected; and I cannot blame those who think it open to the charge of impropriety.

The bodice should be single-breasted, long over the hips, reaching almost to the saddle in the back, and cut away in front to show a waistcoat, the upper edge of which makes a finish between the collar and lapels of the waist and the white collar and Ascot or four-in-hand. WaistcoatThe waistcoat gives more of an opportunity for the exercise of individual taste. The most desirable, I think, has a white background, on which is a black, brown, blue, or red check. It may be all tan or a hunting pink, plain, figured, or striped, so long as too many colors are not combined; but, as a rule, something quiet and simple will be the most desirable. In summer a piqué waistcoat is worn, or something similar, that is light, cool, and will wash. A black or white cravat always looks well, or one which, without being glaring, harmonizes with the waistcoat.

Sense, health, and comfort all demand that the waist shall not be laced to the painful extent endured by many foolish and vain women. They would let out an inch or two if they could realize that the blood is forced from their waists to their faces, making them scarlet at any exertion, while they have difficulty in conversing except in gasps, and are compelled to walk their horses at frequent intervals to catch their breath.

It is so invigorating to feel the lungs expanded by a long, deep breath, and the blood, quickened by the motion of the horse, coursing unrestrained through all the veins, while the muscles of the back and abdomen are allowed full play, that those who go along panting and aching lose half the beneficial effects of riding, and more pleasure than they can possibly derive from trying to make people believe that they have small waists. The corsets are of great importance and must be of good quality and not very stiff, small bones being used instead of large ones or steels. They must be short in front and over the hips, that the movements may not be unnecessarily restricted, or the skin become raw from rubbing against the ends of the bones. A plain corset-cover should be worn over them, as the lining of the habit-waist sometimes discolors the corsets if this precaution is not taken.

Considerable latitude is permitted a woman in the choice of what she shall wear under her skirt. Boots and breeches are considered better form than shoes and trousers; but there is no reason why the latter should not be used, especially if the shoes lace. Boots and tights, however, are the most comfortable of all. Breeches are made of stockinette, re-enforced with chamois skin, and reach half-way down the calf, where they should button close to the leg—the buttons being on the left side of each leg, that the right may not be bruised by the buttons pressing against the saddle. Chamois skin is sometimes used to make breeches, but it is not very satisfactory. At first they are soft and pliable, but after being worn a few times they become stiff and unyielding, and rain will render them hard as boards.

Tan box-cloth gaiters, extending from the instep almost to the knee, are sometimes worn with breeches and shoes. They are made exactly like those for men, and take the place of boots. Boots may be of calf-skin or patent leather, with wrinkled or stiff legs, the tops reaching a few inches above the bottom of the breeches. In warm weather tan boots are often worn; but, of whatever variety they may be, they should always be large, with broad, thick soles and low, square heels.

Trousers are of the same material as the skirt, and are also re-enforced. Elastic bands passing under the shoes keep the trousers down. Tights should be of the color of the habit, and fit smoothly without being stretched. They come in different weights, and either silk, cotton, or wool may be worn. They should have feet woven on them, thus doing away with the necessity for all underclothing below the waist.

When breeches or trousers are worn, tights may advantageously be substituted for the other usual garments worn under such conditions. If tights are not worn, whatever replaces them should fit snugly and be without starch or frills. The stockings should be kept up from the waist, as garters chafe the knee when it presses the pommel, and often interfere with the circulation. Some women wear union garments, which are practically tights extending from the neck to the feet, taking the place of shirts. However, when a shirt is worn it will be most comfortable if of a light-weight wool. This absorbs the perspiration, and is therefore pleasanter to wear than silk, and more likely to protect from a cold. Outside of this should be the corset.

When it is cold a chamois-skin waist with long sleeves should be worn under the bodice, as this is much better than a fur cape, which is often used, and which confines the arms. A covert coat is the most convenient, but the former is more readily obtained. A wool shirt, short corsets, plain corset-cover, and tights are all the underclothing needed for riding. Some women wear a linen shirt, with collar and cuffs attached, like a man's, except that it is narrowed at the waist. With this the corset-cover is not needed.

Separate collars and cuffs are more generally used, and the scarf should be pinned to the collar at the back, as these have a way of parting company that is most untidy. To make it more certain, a clasp or pin such as men use to hold a four-in-hand tie in place should fasten the ends of the scarf to the shirt-front or corset-cover, thus securing it against slipping.

The cuffs should not be pinned to the sleeve, as the lining of the coat will be torn, and the pin will catch on the habit and stretch and roughen it in places. A small elastic band put over a button at the wrist of the sleeve, and attached to the cuff-button, will answer every purpose.

Gauntlets should be discarded, and gloves worn large enough to admit of the muscles of the hand being used freely. Dogskin of a reddish shade of tan is the best material for gloves. The stitching is such as to form slight ridges of the glove itself on the back of the hand, the red stitches being scarcely perceptible at a little distance. It is difficult to find women's gloves broad enough for comfort in riding, and it is a good plan to buy boys' gloves, which give the desired freedom. They have only one button, an advantage over women's, which have two or three that are in the way under the cuff.

Should the wrists need more protection from the cold, wristlets may be worn, as they take up but little room. For cold weather, gloves come in a softer kid, like chevrette, and have a fleecy lining, very warm, but too soft and light to make the gloves clumsy. Flowers and jewelry are decidedly out of place on horseback, and a handkerchief should never be thrust into the front of the bodice. It should be put in the slit on the off saddle-flap, or in the pocket at the left side of the skirt where it opens.

The hair should be firmly coiled or braided on the neck, and not worn on top of the head. A top hat is correct, especially on formal occasions, but it should not be allowed to slip to the back of the head. However, I prefer usually a derby, as being more comfortable and looking more business-like. It should be kept on by an elastic which fastens under the hair. Pins through the crown are an uncalled-for disfigurement, and a hat may be made just as secure without them. In fact, they will be of but little use if the hair is not done high. A large hair-pin on each side should pin the hair over the elastic; and if the wind or anything else causes the hat to become displaced, it will not come off entirely, forcing some one to dismount and restore it to the woman, who cannot get it alone. Hair-pins should be long and bent half-way up each prong, so that they will not easily slip out.

When a veil is worn, it should be of black net or gauze, never white or figured, and the ends should be neatly pinned out of sight, instead of being allowed to float out behind, like smoke from a steam-engine. Whip or CropIf a whip is carried for use, it should be a substantial stiff one, held point down, not a flimsy thing that a sound blow will break, nor should it be made absurd by a bow or tassel being tied to it. If for style, then a crop is the correct thing, with the lash-end held up. The handle should be of horn, rather than silver or gold, and the stick quite heavy and somewhat flexible. Short bamboo sticks are in favor just now, and are often tipped with gold, and have a gold band a few inches from the end where it is held.

I do not approve of a spur for women, as it is difficult to use it just right, and its unintentional application often has disastrous results, while should she be dragged by the foot, it will keep hitting the horse, urging him faster and faster. In mounting, the spur sometimes strikes the horse, making him shy just as the rider expects to reach the saddle, and a nasty fall is the consequence. Where a man would use it advantageously, a woman cannot produce the same effect, having it only on one side. Moreover, a horse suitable for her to ride should not require more than her heel and her whip.

Some horses are very cunning, and will shirk their work if they discover that there is no spur to urge them, but such may be taught that a whip in skilful hands is quite as effective. In a crowd a spur is of value, as it may be applied noiselessly, and without danger of startling other horses, as a whip will do. In leaping, a spur on one side of the horse and the whip on the other form a combination which will often compel him to jump when, from sulkiness or indolence, he has been refusing.

It requires some practice, however, to use it in the right place and at the right moment; a woman's skirt has an unhappy faculty of intercepting the spur when it should strike him, and her heel of hitting the horse when it should leave him alone. For these reasons I am in favor of women riding without a spur when it is possible, for, although it looks well as a finish to a boot, its adoption by inexpert riders may lead to sad results.

If a spur is to be worn, there are several kinds from which to choose. I prefer a box-spur with a rowel, such as men use, but having a guard, which prevents it from catching in the habit, and lessens the probabilities of its unintentionally punishing a horse. When it is applied with force, the rowel comes through the guard, which works on a spring, and upon releasing the pressure the guard again protects the sharp rowel. They may be of the kind that fit in a box which has been put in the heel of the boot, or they may have straps and buckle over the instep.

VIII

When a woman has attained some degree of proficiency in the saddle, she will probably desire to perfect herself in riding by learning to leap. Her equestrian education cannot be considered complete without this, but she should not attempt it until she has learned thoroughly how to ride correctly on the road. A secure seat, light hands, a cool head, quick perception, judgment, and courage form a combination which will enable her in a short time to acquire skill in jumping. Few women possess all these qualities, but an effort should be made to obtain as many of them as possible before trying to jump.

The first lessons should be on a horse which has been well trained to this work and requires no assistance from his rider. He should inspire confidence, and jump easily and surely rather than brilliantly. I think it is well to begin in a school over bars, as there the rider is not under the necessity of choosing a good take-off or landing, and is thus free to give undivided attention to herself.

Three feet is high enough to put the bars at the start; or they may be even lower should the rider feel timid. As she approaches the jump she must sit firmly in the middle of the saddle (not hanging either to the right or to the left, thereby upsetting the horse's balance), and she must look straight at the obstacle, with her head up and her body thrown a trifle back. The reins should at first be held in both hands, for several reasons. It lessens the chances of sitting crooked, and it prevents throwing up the right arm as the horse jumps—a common and unsightly practice, calculated to frighten him and distract his attention from his work, and to jerk his mouth, while it has no redeeming features. In addition to this, when the horse lands, the reins are not so liable to slip through two hands as through one.

Approaching the jump, the horse should break into a moderate canter, and the only rule his rider will be likely to remember at the first trial will be to "lean back as he jumps and give him his head." As she becomes accustomed to the action, her attention must be called to details. While nearing the jump, she must keep her hands low, and just feel her horse's mouth with the snaffle without interfering with it or shifting her hold on the reins. Quiet, steady hands are indispensable to success.

By watching his stride one can tell when he will take off. At that moment he will stretch out his neck; then she must, by instantly pushing them forward, let her hands yield to his mouth. This must be accurately calculated, for should the pressure on his mouth be varied too suddenly and at the wrong time, it would throw him out of his stride by letting go of his mouth when he needed steadying. Some advocate leaning forward before leaning back as the horse takes off, but the slight involuntary motion communicated to the body by thrusting the hands forward will be sufficient to precede the backward movement. Before he has finished his effort, she must lean back just enough (but no farther) to avoid being thrown forward by the action of his quarters or by the angle at which he comes down. Her left heel should not come in contact with him after he has taken off, although she may strike him with it to urge him on if he goes at the jump too slowly. Below the waist she must be firm and immovable; above, yielding and flexible. LandingAs the horse lands, she regains her upright position, and should be careful that he does not pull the reins through her fingers. Under all circumstances she must have too firm a hold on the reins to admit of such an occurrence. If the horse stumbles at the moment of landing, he needs the support of her hands; or should he bolt, it must not be necessary to pull in the slack rein before being able to check him.

One of the most erroneous theories extant is that it is desirable to "lift" a horse at his fences. Doing so only necessitates carrying the weight of his rider's hands on his mouth, and risks pulling the horse into the jump, while he is hindered from stretching his neck, as he must to land safely and correctly. Hanging on to his mouth is often the cause of a horse's landing on all four feet at once, or dropping too close to the jump. The pull on the reins holds him back, thus inducing these bad habits, and will often make him refuse or dread to jump, knowing that it entails a sharp jerk on his sensitive mouth. To a casual or ignorant observer it sometimes looks as though a good rider were "lifting" his horse; but it only appears so because, knowing intuitively at just what instant his hands must yield, he so accurately gives to the animal's mouth that the action of the horse's mouth and the rider's hands is simultaneous.

After some practice in the ring, a woman may try jumping out-of-doors, for inside there is not a sufficient variety of obstacles; and she should then have a breast-plate attached to her saddle. By this time she should, in jumping, hold her reins in one hand, the snaffle inside, curb outside, and quite loose. As she goes towards a jump, her right hand should be placed in front of the left on the snaffle to steady the horse. In this way she can remove it without leaving an uneven pressure on the horse's mouth, as would be the case if, as is customary, her hand had rested on the two right reins, then been suddenly withdrawn in order to urge the horse with the whip, or to protect the face from overhanging branches.

The most favorable conditions under which a woman may begin jumping in the country are when she can go across fields with a capable pilot to give her a lead over some easy timber or walls. She must never forget to see that the horse in front of her is well away from the fence before she jumps, or she will risk landing on top of him if he makes a mistake; or if he refuses, her horse, if too near, would be forced to do likewise. She should not allow herself to become dependent on the services of a pilot, or let her horse become accustomed to jumping only when he has a lead; therefore she must learn to choose a panel of the fence for herself.

Supposing the fences to be moderate, she must decide, as she canters towards the first, where she will jump, and there are a number of considerations by which she must be governed. First, to find a panel which is low, for in riding across country it is wise to save one's mount, as all his strength may be needed at a big place later on. Then the take-off must be looked to, sound level turf being chosen if possible; and if the landing is plainly visible, so much the better. A moderately thick top rail is often safer to put a horse at than a very thin round one, which is liable to be a sapling, that will not break if a horse tries to crash through it, as he is sometimes tempted to do by its fragile appearance.

It is well to send a horse at the middle of a panel; for, should he hit it, this, being the weakest spot, may break, while should he hit nearer the end, where it is strong, he may be thrown. Such details as these she will observe instinctively with a little practice. Having decided where she will jump, her horse's head must be pointed straight at the place, and her mind must not waver. If the rider is determined to go, and has no misgivings, the horse is sure to be inspired with the same confidence.

Having once put him at a panel, she should avoid changing her mind without good reason, as her uncertainty will be imparted to him. A fence such as described is jumped just as are the bars in the ring; safely over it, the next obstacle must be examined.

If it be a stone wall, it may often be taken in one of two places—either where it is high and even, or where it is lower and wide, because of the stones which have fallen from the top. In the first instance it should be jumped in a collected manner, but at a slower pace than the second requires. At the latter some speed is necessary, as the horse must jump wide enough to avoid the rolling stones on both sides.

Few riders remember that it is as important to keep a horse collected when going fast as at any other time. When he is hurried along, no chance is given him to measure his stride or get his legs well under him, but he is nevertheless expected to take off correctly and clear the obstacle.

A good rider will always have her horse well in hand, and never hustle him at his fences, even if she goes at them with considerable speed.

If the take-off looks treacherous, or is ploughed or muddy, the horse should be brought to it at a trot, well collected, and allowed to take his time at it.

When the ground approaching the jump is uphill, or descending, the same tactics should be pursued, and unlimited rein given the horse. On encountering a drop on the far side of a fence or wall, a woman must lean back as far as possible, leaving the reins long, but ready to support the horse's head as he lands. At a trappy place, where, for instance, there might be a broken-down fence among some trees, overgrown with vines and bushes, the horse must be taken quietly and slowly and made to crawl through the gap. His rider will even then have enough trouble in keeping her feet clear of the vines, and in preventing the branches from hitting her face, which she could not do if a jump were made with a rush. If her horse carries his head high, she can probably pass where it has been without injury by leaning forward over his withers, to the right, and raising her right arm to ward off the branches with her whip or crop.

Sometimes she will not notice a limb or other obstruction until almost under it, when it will be necessary for her to lean back, resting her shoulders on the horse's quarters. Under these circumstances it is most important that her right arm should guard her eyes from pieces of bark or other falling particles. In-and-outWhere two fences are within a few feet of each other, forming an "in-and-out," the pace needs to be carefully regulated. If the horse goes very fast, he will jump so wide that he will land too close to the second fence to take off as he should. Therefore if he is rushing, his stride must be shortened and his hind-legs brought well under him.

On the other hand, he must not go so slowly that all impetus for the second effort is lost, as he would then be likely to refuse. It is difficult to turn him in so short a space and get him into his stride before he is called upon to jump.

At a ditch or stream considerable speed is needed to gain the momentum necessary to cover the distance, and the horse must have plenty of rein given him.

A picket fence is usually regarded as a very formidable obstacle, but if negotiated properly it is no worse than others. It should be taken at a good rate of speed, for the danger is that the horse will get hung up on it and be cut with the points by not having enough impetus. It is not so dangerous to hit this fence in front, for it is frail and the top of the pickets will snap off at the binder if hit with force. A slat fence is more to be dreaded, on account of the ledge on the top of it formed by the binder. This should be taken with deliberation, as the thing to be guarded against is having the horse hit his knees on the ledge which protrudes a couple of inches beyond the fence. The lower slats give way easily if they are approached from the side where the posts are; if from the opposite direction, they are braced against the posts and offer great resistance.

Any fence that has wire on it should be avoided if possible, unless the horse has been trained to jump it. When it extends along the top of a fence, the horse should be made to jump a post, as it is not safe to count on his seeing the wire. If the fence is made of strands of wire, with only a binder of timber, it should be taken slowly, so that the horse will not attempt to crash through it, under the impression that it is a single bar.

A stone wall having a rail on top must be taken in the horse's stride, for considerable swing is required, as there is width as well as height to clear. When a ditch is on the near side of a wall or fence, the horse should be allowed time to see it. When it is on the landing side, he should be sent at it fast enough to carry him safely over.

Thus far I have been supposing that the horse has gone without a mistake. Under these circumstances he should not be struck—just to encourage him, as some maintain—or he will grow to dislike jumping if associated with a blow.

No woman who rides much can expect to be always so perfectly mounted; therefore, a few suggestions as to what she should do in emergencies may be of practical value.

The most common fault of the jumper is refusing, and it must be dealt with according to its cause. If it arises from weakness in the hocks, the horse hesitating to propel himself by them, or from weak knees, or corns that cause him to dread the concussion of landing, he should not be forced to jump—it is both cruel and unsafe. If he be sound and well, and the fence not beyond his capabilities, the rider must know whether the disinclination to jump comes from timidity or from temper. TimidityShe will soon learn to distinguish between the two, but it is difficult to lay down any rule for recognizing the difference. If she thinks it is for the former reason, the cause may be that he was not in his stride when he should have taken off, and was allowed to sprawl as he cantered. She should take him back and keep him well collected, making him take short, quick strides in the canter, measuring the distance, and giving him his head when he should take off. If he seems inclined to swerve or hesitate, the whip, applied just when he should rise, will often prevent his stopping. When over, a caress and a word of praise will greatly encourage him.

Temper is a very different and a very difficult thing to manage. Coaxing and ingenuity may accomplish something; turning him short at another place will often surprise him into jumping before he realizes it. The human voice has great power over animals, and a few loud, sharp exclamations, with a quick use of the whip, may make him take off when otherwise he would have refused. A really obstinate horse, having made up his mind not to jump, needs such a thrashing as a woman is seldom able to give him. If she begins it, she must keep it up until she has conquered him, or he will try the same trick constantly.

As a horse almost invariably turns to the left when he refuses, a sharp crack on the near shoulder, being unusual and unexpected, sometimes prevents his turning. When, in one way or another, he finally has been forced to yield, he should be rewarded by a few words of approval. At the next fence a firm hold, keeping his head straight and his legs well under him, will be of more service than a whip, unless he refuses again, when the lesson must be repeated.

At least half of the refusals are the fault of the rider, and it is most unjust to punish a horse at such times. Unfortunately, conceit is such a common failing that few of us are willing to acknowledge ourselves in the wrong, therefore the poor horse suffers for our error. The timid rider sends the horse at an obstacle in such a half-hearted way that he does not know whether he is expected to jump or not; or, feeling his rider waver, he imagines there must be unknown dangers connected with the place, and so hesitates to encounter them. One of a woman's frequent failings is shifting the reins as she nears a jump. This form of nervousness is very disconcerting to a horse, and takes his mind from the work in front of him.

Lack of skill makes one lug at a horse's mouth just as he is getting ready to jump, thus throwing him out of his stride and frustrating his effort. After one or two refusals, a woman often puts her horse at the place in a mechanical way, fully expecting the animal to stop, and doing nothing to guard against such an occurrence. If she would instead then summon all her courage, and determine to go either over or through the fence, and ride at it with resolution, the horse would be infected with her spirit and probably clear the obstacle, as he would have done at first had his rider's heart then been in the right place. In such cases it does not seem fair to punish a horse for our own want of nerve.

IX

On a horse which rushes when put at a jump, the use of the whip will only make matters worse. This habit of rushing comes most frequently from the horse having been frightened while being taught to jump, either by extreme harshness and punishment or from having hurt himself severely. Even if it comes from viciousness, quiet, kind treatment will do more to eradicate the tendency than coercive measures.

Such a horse should be walked towards a fence until within half a dozen strides of it. This can best be achieved by not indicating that he will be expected to jump, but by approaching it as though by chance. Otherwise the restraint will make him the more unmanageable when he does start. He should be induced to stand a few moments, while his rider strokes him and talks to him in a soothing way. The snaffle should then be gradually and quietly shortened until there is a light but firm feeling on the reins, when a pressure of the leg (not of the heel, which might suggest a spur) will put him to a trot. If the hands be held low and steady and the voice be soft and pacifying, they will probably prevail upon him to trot all the way, although he may break into a canter a stride before the jump. When over it he should be gently, not sharply, pulled up, and coaxed to walk again, or, better still, to trot slowly. When he has learned to jump from the trot he will soon do so from a slow canter, which will be more trying for him, as it has a closer resemblance to the gait at which he has been in the habit of rushing, and he will therefore be inclined to return to his old failing.

Sometimes a horse will not go near a fence, and on being urged will back or rear. If he persists in backing, his head should be turned away from the jump, and when he finds his movements only bring him nearer the fence, he will stop. If then he is made to wheel suddenly, and can be kept going by whip or spur, he will be likely to jump. Should he, instead, face the direction in which he should go, and rear whenever an attempt is made to urge him forward, the whip only inciting him to rear higher, the woman who hopes to triumph over him must resort to strategy; she must not whip him, at the risk of his falling back on her.

A ruse which may prove successful is to occupy his attention by playing with his mouth while he is allowed to go diagonally towards the fence. He will be apt to concede this point, in the hope of bolting alongside of it; but when he has been inveigled into a closer proximity to the jump, even if he be parallel to it, and before he has time to divine his rider's intention, he should be turned sharply to the fence. He must be ridden at it resolutely and with a firm hand, while a determined swing of the body, corresponding to his stride, conveys to his mind the impression that he will be forced to jump. If he can be kept moving forward, he cannot rear; therefore, should he attempt to swerve or bolt, a blow from the whip will keep him straight, and when he should take off, another will guard against a refusal.

A sluggish animal calls for constant watching, as he cannot be trusted at small places any more than at large ones. He is always liable to rap, or even fall, at his fences, because of the careless, slovenly manner in which he moves. He should be forced up to the bit, and kept active by the whip, the noise of which is desirable in his case, as it will assist in rousing him. If his laziness or sulkiness is such that he will endeavor to crash through fences, he is not suitable for any woman to ride. He may miscalculate his power and come in contact with a rail which withstands his weight, when a fall will ensue.

In this case the lunging-rein should be resorted to, and, either in a ring or out-of-doors, the horse should be put over some stiff bars, that he may learn he will be hurt if he touches them. I do not approve of intentionally throwing him by pulling him in the jump; there are too many chances of his being injured, even though he has no weight to carry. The bars should be strong enough to sustain his weight, without breaking, so that if he hits them hard he will have a tumble and a lesson. The top bar should, if possible, be covered with straw, to protect the knees from sharp edges. Some forcible raps and a few tumbles will teach the horse the necessity of exerting himself, and how to bend his knees and lift his hind-legs over a jump.

A fall is, at the best, a dangerous and often a disastrous affair for a woman, whose very position on a horse lessens the chance of escape from such a predicament without injury. A safety skirt will prevent her being dragged; but much harm may result from the fall, even though she be clear of the horse when he gets up. If she is not hurt, there is still danger that the shock to her nerves will weaken her pluck. Should such symptoms appear, she should remount at once; for the longer she waits the greater will be her apprehension, and it might end in her never regaining her nerve. She should make as light of the casualty as possible, and not regard it seriously if she has been only somewhat bruised or shaken up.

It is marvellous how many and what ugly falls one can encounter without being any the worse for them; nevertheless, no precaution should be neglected to prevent exposure to them. When a woman has experienced several, she will know instinctively what to do; but at first she should try to bear in mind some points which may help her on such occasions.

A rider not accustomed to jumping will probably lose her seat if the horse hits a fence with much force; as she feels herself going she should try to grasp the animal's neck, and not attempt to keep on by the aid of the reins, for by so doing she might throw him. Even if she has gone farther than the saddle, if she can fling her weight, above the waist, to the off side of the horse's neck, she will balance there for a moment, and that will give her time to grasp the saddle and pull herself back. Should she find herself beyond that, then as she slips off she can keep her head from the ground by seizing hold of the breast-plate with one hand, but without letting go of the reins.

These must always be retained, as their possession renders it impossible for the horse to reach her with his heels, and precludes the chance of his getting away.

If the horse bungles the jump, or comes down on his knees without disturbing his rider's equilibrium, and seems likely to fall, a woman cannot disentangle herself from him in time to get away. If he should go down, therefore, she must sit evenly, leaning back, that her weight may be taken from his fore-legs, while he is allowed plenty of rein. He may thus regain his balance or his footing after a scramble; but it will be impossible, in a slow fall like this, for a woman to be thrown clear of him. As he will not roll immediately, the closer she sits the better; so that if he tumbles on his near side, the force of the blow will be broken by the pommels, which, if she be sitting close, will hit the ground first, thus protecting her legs from the concussion. Moreover, if she were half out of the saddle, the pommels might strike her chest or crush a rib, and she would be more likely to be kicked.

As the horse makes an effort to get up, she must be ready to extricate herself from him and scramble as far away as possible, as the danger then is that he will not regain his feet, but will sink down a second time and thus roll over his prostrate rider.

If he should fall on his off side, a woman must strive to get clear on that side as he lands, and not where the horse's feet are.

Where a ditch has caused a fall, it is usually from unsound banks; therefore, in attempting to climb out, firmer ground should be chosen. If the woman has been thrown and the horse has landed on top of her, the ditch being deep or narrow, she must try to keep his head down until help arrives, so that he cannot strike her, as he might do, because of the limited space, in his struggles to get up.

In a stream, if she has preserved her seat, she must keep the horse moving, or he will be inclined to lie down.

If she has been thrown into the water, she must obtain a hold on the saddle and the reins, but use only the former to support herself until the horse reaches the shore.

In all of these events a cool head and presence of mind will be of the greatest assistance; but when a horse turns completely over at a fence, or falls heavily and without warning, to drop her stirrup, relax her muscles, and get clear of him as best she may is all a woman can do.

Occasionally, after a number of jumps, the girths become loosened and the saddle begins to turn. In such an emergency the horse's mane should be firmly grasped and the foot taken out of the stirrup. The horse should be quieted and stopped, if he is not too much startled by the turning saddle. With a breast-plate it will probably not turn all the way, and her hold of the mane will enable a woman to keep her head up until some one comes to the rescue.

It will probably be a long time before such a variety of contingencies as I have mentioned will happen to any one rider. A well-mounted woman may jump a great deal and escape with only a few tumbles. If she perseveres, there will be so many delightful experiences to counterbalance each mishap that she will gladly risk the consequences of indulging in a sport which, to so great an extent as leaping, develops her nerve, skill, and self-possession.

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Whether hounds are running on the scent of a fox or a drag, a woman who is following them should always remember certain points to guide her in her conduct and in the management of her horse while in the field.