The Horsewoman: A Practical Guide to Side-Saddle Riding, 2nd. Ed.
by Alice M. Hayes · English · Gutenberg #26318 · 564,494 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Horsewoman: A Practical Guide to Side-Saddle Riding, 2nd. Ed.
Author: Alice M. Hayes
Editor: M. Horace Hayes
Release date: August 15, 2008 [eBook #26318]
Most recently updated: January 3, 2021
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26318
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HORSEWOMAN: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SIDE-SADDLE RIDING, 2ND. ED. ***
Produced by Julia Miller and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Transcriber's Note
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. A list of corrections
is found at the end of the text along with a list of inconsistently
spelled words. Oe ligatures have been expanded.
THE
HORSEWOMAN
[Illustration: Alice M. Hayes]
THE HORSEWOMAN
A Practical Guide to Side-Saddle Riding
BY
ALICE M. HAYES
AUTHOR OF "MY LEPER FRIENDS."
EDITED BY
M. HORACE HAYES, F.R.C.V.S.
(_Late Captain "The Buffs"_)
AUTHOR OF
"POINTS OF THE HORSE," "VETERINARY NOTES FOR HORSE-OWNERS,"
"RIDING AND HUNTING," ETC.
_Second Edition, revised, enlarged and 133 photographic
illustrations added._
LONDON
HURST AND BLACKETT, LIMITED
13 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET
1903
_All rights reserved_
PRINTED BY KELLY'S DIRECTORIES LTD.,
LONDON AND KINGSTON.
PREFACE.
The first edition of this book was the result of seven years' experience
of riding hundreds of horses in India, Ceylon, Egypt, China and South
Africa; the most trying animals being those of which I was the
rough-rider at my husband's horse-breaking classes. Since that edition
came out, I have hunted a good deal, chiefly, in Leicestershire and
Cheshire, and have taught many pupils, both of which experiences were of
special advantage to me in preparing this new edition; because English
ladies regard riding, principally, from a hunting point of view, and the
best way to supplement one's education, is to try to teach.
The directions about side-saddles and seat are the outcome of practical
work and fortunate opportunities; and I hope they will be as useful to
my readers as they have been to my pupils. Although I have ridden, when
abroad, some of the worst buckjumpers that could be found in any
country, I have never "cut a voluntary," thanks to the adoption of a
seat and saddle which gave the necessary grip. Of course I have had
"purls," when horses have "come down" with me out hunting; and on one
occasion in China, when a horse which I mounted for the first time,
reared and came over.
I have taken Figs. 32 to 51, 71 to 78 and Fig. 90 from _Riding and
Hunting_, and Figs. 147 and 148 from _Points of the Horse_. My husband
has written Chapter XXII.
I have omitted the chapter on my _Riding Experiences_, as I thought it
out of place in a purely teaching book.
Knowing the immense value of photographs in explaining technical
subjects, I have gladly availed myself of the expert help of my husband
and son in that form of illustration.
I am greatly obliged to Miss Harding, Miss Burnaby, Miss Neil, the Rev.
G. Broke, the Rev. R. J. Gornall, Mr. Clarence Hailey of Newmarket, the
Editor of _Country Life_ and the Editor of _The Queen_, for the
admirable photographs and blocks they most kindly lent me. I regret that
I inadvertently omitted to place the names of Mr. Clarence Hailey and
the Gresham Studio, Adelaide, South Australia, under the excellent
photographs which are respectively reproduced in Figs. 2 and 3.
This edition is practically a new book.
_Yew Tree House,
Crick, Rugby,
25th March, 1903._
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
BEGINNING TO RIDE 1 to 7
CHAPTER II.
HORSES FOR LADIES 8 to 24
CHAPTER III.
SIDE-SADDLES 25 to 69
CHAPTER IV.
BRIDLES 70 to 88
CHAPTER V.
RIDING DRESS 89 to 124
CHAPTER VI.
MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING 125 to 135
CHAPTER VII.
HOW TO HOLD THE REINS 136 to 144
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SEAT 145 to 159
CHAPTER IX.
HANDS, VOICE, WHIP AND SPUR 160 to 184
CHAPTER X.
FIRST LESSONS IN RIDING 185 to 218
CHAPTER XI.
RIDING ACROSS COUNTRY 219 to 226
CHAPTER XII.
HACKING 227 to 232
CHAPTER XIII.
RIDING WITHOUT REINS 233 to 243
CHAPTER XIV.
NERVE 244 to 247
CHAPTER XV.
FENCES, COUNTRY AND GATES 248 to 303
CHAPTER XVI.
HUNTING 304 to 380
CHAPTER XVII.
RIDING AND HUNTING ABROAD 381 to 393
CHAPTER XVIII.
WALKING FOXHOUND PUPPIES 394 to 413
CHAPTER XIX.
KINDNESS TO HORSES 414 to 425
CHAPTER XX.
CROSS-SADDLE RIDING FOR LADIES 426 to 430
CHAPTER XXI.
RIDING DIFFICULT HORSES 431 to 464
CHAPTER XXII.
NAMES OF EXTERNAL PARTS OF THE HORSE 465 to 473
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Frontispiece--Alice M. Hayes.
FIG. PAGE
1. Man riding a horse over a fence in a side-saddle 3
2. Miss Burnaby's Butterfly 9
3. Miss Neil's Jackeroo 11
4. Mr. Vansittart's Romance 13
5. Irish mare, Salary 15
6. Polo pony, Pat 17
7. Arab pony, Freddie 19
8. Side view of saddle tree 26
9. Underneath view of saddle tree 27
10. Front view of saddle tree 29
11. Underneath view of saddle tree and its webs 31
12. Grip with improved leaping head 35
13. " ordinary " 37
14. Hook for stirrup leather 39
15. Leaping head too low down 40
16. Side view of a properly made saddle 41
17. Champion and Wilton's extra stirrup case 43
18. Capped stirrup-iron 44
19. Slipper stirrup 44
20. The Christie stirrup 44
21. Foot caught 45
22. Latchford stirrup 46
23. Scott's stirrup 46
24. " " open 47
25. Cope's stirrup 48
26. Foot released by Cope's stirrup 49
27. Scott's stirrup 50
28. Foot caught on off side 51
29. Child mounted 61
30. Child jumping without reins 63
31. Foot caught, on account of its having been put into the
stirrup from the wrong side 67
32. "Head" of a single bridle: _a_, crown-piece; _b_, _b_,
cheek-pieces; _c_, throat-latch; _d_, front or brow-band 71
33. Unjointed snaffle 72
34. Chain snaffle 72
35. Ordinary snaffle with cheeks 72
36. Nutcracker action of jointed snaffle on horse's mouth 73
37. Action of unjointed snaffle on horse's mouth 73
38. Action of a curb as a lever 73
39. Properly constructed curb for ordinary hunter. Side view 74
40. Ward Union curb bridle with half-moon snaffle 75
41. Curb chain covered with india-rubber tube 76
42. Chin-strap unbuckled 76
43. Chin-strap buckled 76
44. Curb reversed by horse throwing up his head, in the absence
of a chin-strap 77
45. Cavasson nose-band 79
46. Standing martingale attached to rings of the snaffle 80
47. Lord Lonsdale's registered running martingale 81
48. Maximum length of standing martingale 83
49. Side view of horse's lower jaw 85
50. Angle made by the cheeks of a curb, when the reins are
taken up 86
51. View of under-surface of lower jaw 87
52. The Hayes' Safety Skirt open for mounting 91
53. Off side of the Hayes' Safety Skirt 93
54. The Hayes' Safety Skirt closed for walking 95
55. Apron skirt open for mounting 97
56. The apron skirt closed for walking 99
57. Riding dress for child 101
58. Loose riding coat, too long 103
59. Front view of good riding coat 105
60. Back view of good riding coat 107
61. Terai hat and Norfolk jacket 109
62. Pith hat and drill jacket 109
63. Good driving coat 111
64. Top of boot catching on safety bar flap 119
65. Front view of riding under-bodice 121
66. Back view of riding under-bodice 123
67. Foot raised for mounting 127
68. Ready to mount 129
69. Dismounting without help 133
70. " with help 135
71. A rein in each hand 137
72. Single reins crossed in one hand 138
73. " " " " " 138
74. Double reins held separately in two hands 139
75. Holding double reins crossed in one hand 140
76. Double reins in left hand: one crossed, the other hooked up
on middle finger 141
77. Reins held in one hand in military fashion 142
78. Off rein taken up by right hand from position shown
in Fig. 77 143
79. Position of rider's legs at the walk 147
80. Hooked back leg, the direction of the pressure of which
is shown by the fore finger of the left hand 151
81. Seat at the walk 153
82. Length of stirrup 155
83. Correct position of legs 157
84. Leaning back 158
85. Hunting whip 171
86. Thong properly put on 173
87. " " " 173
88. " incorrectly put on 175
89. " not quite right 175
90. A practical bullfinch 177
91. Spur-carrying whip used for high school riding 181
92. Thorough-bred mare at a walk 187
93. Preparing to rise at the trot, with stirrup at correct length 191
94. Rising at the trot, with stirrup at correct length 193
95. Preparing to rise at the trot, with stirrup too long 195
96. Rising at the trot, with stirrup too long 197
97. Canter, with right leg hooked back, and stirrup too long 199
98. Good seat at canter or gallop 201
99. " " " " 203
100. " " " " 205
101. Bad seat; right leg hooked back, stirrup too long, and
foot "home" 207
102. Miss Emmie Harding jumping wire 211
103. Maximum amount of pressure on leaping head 213
104. Position of legs in jumping 215
105. Driving horse over jumps 235
106. A cut-and-laid fence 251
107. " " " during construction 253
108. A stake and bound fence 255
109. Post and rails to close gap in hedge 257
110. Posts and rails 259
111. " " " with ditch 261
112. Midland stile 263
113. An oxer 265
114. Wire in front of bullfinch 267
115. Galway bank 271
116. Side view of bank shown in Fig. 115 273
117. Galway bank 275
118. "Cope and dash" wall 277
119. Loose stone wall 279
120. Low bank with ditch on both sides 281
121. View of country between Yelvertoft and Crick 283
122. Grass on each side of the road 285
123. Ordinary five-barred gate 289
124. Bridle gate 291
125. Gate with wooden latch 293
126. " " spring " which has to be drawn back 295
127. " " " " " " " pushed forward 297
128. Double gate 299
129. A puzzle in gate-opening 301
130. Ridge and furrow 317
131. " " " in the distance 321
132. Haystack and gate 329
133. Brook 337
134. Pollard willows in the next field 339
135. The Cottesmore drawing a covert 355
136. Wire board 359
137. Red flag 363
138. "'Ware wire" 365
139. Iron hurdle 367
140. Wire on top of gate 369
141. Pytchley puppy, Mottley 401
142. Front view of kennel coat 403
143. Back view of kennel coat 405
144. Puppies with bicycle 407
145. Pytchley puppy, Monarch 409
146. Riding mountain zebra 457
147. External parts of horse 467
148. Measurements of horse 471
THE HORSEWOMAN.
CHAPTER I.
BEGINNING TO RIDE.
Instruction based on experience assists us in the attainment of all
arts, and hastens the process of learning. Although a specially gifted
individual who has not been taught, may be able to sing in a pleasing
style, no one has ever become an accomplished pianist without competent
instruction; the former being somewhat in the position of a man, the
latter in that of a lady, as regards riding. In all countries we find
good untaught horsemen who have got "shaken into their seats" by
constant practice, with or without a saddle, which in most cases is
chiefly a protection to the animal's back. A side-saddle, on the
contrary, is as artificial a production as a musical instrument, and a
full knowledge of its peculiarities often cannot be acquired during a
lifetime. Here the great difference between men and women is that the
former ride the horse; the latter, the saddle. The tyranny of the
side-saddle would not be so marked as it is, if this article of gear
were of a uniform pattern of the best possible kind. Unfortunately it is
generally built according to the fantastic ideas of fashionable makers
who have no practical experience of side-saddle riding. Unaided learners
have such difficulty in acquiring security and grace of seat and good
hands, that many ladies who have ridden all their lives, and have lots
of pluck, are poor performers, particularly in the hunting-field. A
beginner who is put on a properly made saddle and suitable horse, and is
taught the right principles of riding, will make more progress in a
month than she would otherwise do in, say, five years. The artificiality
of side-saddle riding extends even to the horse, which must be free from
certain faults, such as unsteadiness in mounting, that would not render
him unsuitable to carry a male rider.
Competency in the instructor is of the first importance. Nothing is more
absurd than for a man who cannot ride well in a side-saddle, to try to
unfold to a lady the mysteries of seat. Such men, instead of getting
into a side-saddle and showing their pupils "how to do it," generally
attempt to conceal their ignorance by the use of stock phrases. If asked
"Why?" they invariably reply, "Because it's the right thing to do," or
words to that effect. I have never heard of women venturing to teach men
how to ride.
Davis, a young groom we had, was a rare instance of a man who was
thoroughly competent to teach ladies how to ride, because he had lots
of practice in side saddles, and had ample opportunities of learning the
theory of the art, while I was teaching pupils in a riding school, where
I rode and jumped horses without a skirt. Fig. 1 shows Davis riding in a
side saddle over a gate, on my grey horse Gustave. The fact of his not
hanging on to the horse's head is a good proof that he had a strong
seat.
[Illustration: Fig. 1.--Man riding a horse over a fence in a
side-saddle.]
The first lessons in balance and grip should be given by a competent
horsewoman, and the riding-skirt should either be taken off or pinned
back (for instance, with a safety-pin), in order that the lady
instructor may be able to see and at once correct faults in the position
of the legs, which is hardly a task fit for a man, even were he
competent to perform it. After the pupil has acquired a good seat at
the various paces and over small fences, her further education in the
guidance and control of her mount might be entrusted to a competent
horseman, preferably to a good cross-country rider, and not, as is
frequently the case, to an ex-military riding-master, who, having been
taught that a cavalryman's right hand has to be occupied with a sword or
lance, considers that ladies should also adopt the one-handed system of
riding! As a rule, the services of a good horseman are desirable when
the pupil is fit to ride in the open, because he is more helpful than a
lady rider in rendering prompt assistance on an emergency. Besides,
riding men usually know more about the bitting and handling of horses
than women, and are therefore better able to impart instruction in this
branch of equitation.
It is as impossible to lay down a hard-and-fast rule as to the age at
which a girl may be allowed to mount a pony or donkey, as it is to
control the spirits and daring of a foxhound puppy. Those who possess
the sporting instinct and the desire to emulate the example of their
hunting parents or friends, should certainly be encouraged and taught to
ride as soon as they manifest their wish to do so. Many hunting women
allow their children to occasionally attend meets in a governess car or
other suitable conveyance, and the budding sportsmen and sportswomen in
the vehicle keenly follow the hounds, as far as they can do so, by the
roads. On non-hunting days during the season, it is no uncommon sight
in hunting districts to see ladies walking by the side of their tiny
daughters who are mounted on ponies, and giving them instruction in
riding. In cub-hunting time we may often see the good results of such
lessons, when parent and daughter appear together, and the little girl
on her pony follows the lead over small fences which "mother" knows can
be negotiated by both with safety.
Twenty years ago, infants were often carried in panniers or baskets, one
on each side of a led pony or donkey, with the supposed object of
initiating them to horse exercise. The pannier training was followed by
the little girls being placed on a pilch, and conducted about by a
mounted groom with a leading-rein. This leading-rein system is
absolutely worthless as a means for teaching horse-control to children,
and should be used only as a safeguard with an animal which the young
rider may be unable to hold.
At whatever age a child is taught to ride, we should bear in mind that
the exercise always entails a certain amount of fatigue, and should be
taken in moderation. The many lamentable accidents which have occurred
to young girls from being "dragged," show the vital necessity of
supplying the small horsewoman with the most reliable safety appliances
in saddlery and dress. The parent or guardian often overlooks this
all-important point, and devotes his or her entire attention to securing
a quiet animal.
Girls who do not possess any aptitude or desire to ride should not be
compelled to practise this art, for, apart from the cruelty of
subjecting a highly nervous girl to the torture of riding lessons, such
unwilling pupils never become accomplished horsewomen. In the same way,
a child who has no ear for music, and who is forced against her wish to
learn the piano, never develops into a good player.
The same remark applies to older ladies, who, with the usual angelic
resignation of my sex, try their best to obey the command of their lords
and masters by learning to ride. I fear that success in this art is
seldom attained by ladies over thirty years of age, for by that time
they have generally lost the dashing pluck of their youth; their figures
have become set and matronly; and, as a rule, they find great difficulty
in mastering the subtleties of balance and grip. Also, a state of
nervous anxiety is apt to add to the general stiffness of their
appearance, and to suggest discomfort and irritability.
We read from time to time alarming rumours of "spinal curvature" as a
result of side-saddle riding, but I have never known a case of this to
occur, either to old or young, although the near-side position of the
leaping-head has a tendency to develop the muscles of the left leg more
than those of the right leg, a fact which I discovered as soon as I
began to ride a bicycle, after having had many years' experience on
horses. Riding alternately on a saddle with the leaping-head on the near
side and on one with the leaping-head on the off side, would help to
save the back and legs of a lady's horse. In cantering or galloping, the
animal puts more weight on the leading fore leg, which is consequently
more liable to suffer from the injurious effects of work than the
non-leading leg; and, as we all know, to canter or gallop comfortably, a
lady's horse has to lead with his off fore when the leaping-head is on
the near side; and _vice versa_. Also, the vulnerable side of the back
and withers of an animal which carries a side-saddle, is the one which
is opposite to that on which the leaping-head is fixed. I am afraid that
these practical considerations would not outweigh the dictates of
fashion and the expense of having two saddles for one horse. The _Young
Lady's Equestrian Manual_, which was published in 1838, tells us that in
the early part of the last century, a plan which was similar to the one
in question was adopted of having movable crutches, "in order to afford
a lady, by merely changing their relative positions, the means of
riding, as she might please, on either side of her horse," and that this
change of crutches was found advantageous. I do not think that a
side-saddle built on this principle would look neat enough for modern
requirements.
CHAPTER II.
HORSES FOR LADIES.
A hunter suitable for a lady should be temperate, sound, strong, safe
and clever over fences, and fast enough for his country. As extra
fatigue is entailed on a lady's mount by the side position of his rider,
he should be quite 21 lbs. above the weight he has to carry. As a rule,
he should not be younger than seven, and should have had, at least, two
seasons' hunting in which to learn his business. Fig. 2 shows us a
typical high-class Leicestershire hunter; and Fig. 3, a good Australian
hunter.
Mr. Vansittart's Romance (Fig. 4) was one of the nicest of the many
Australian horses I rode, during my sojourns in India, between the years
1885 and 1891. He was thoroughbred and was the winner of several races
on the flat and across country. In those days, the idiotic custom of
docking horses had not found favour in Australia.
[Illustration: Fig. 2.--Miss Burnaby's Butterfly.]
The requirements of the various hunting countries differ greatly. For
the Shires, a lady would want a well-bred galloper which can "spread
himself out" over his fences, because there is almost always a ditch or
a rail on one side or the other of the Midland hedges. Temperate he must
be, because the fields in Leicestershire, for instance, are so large
that there is often a crowd of riders waiting their turn at the only
practicable place in a jump, filing through a gate, or waiting _en
masse_ in a cramped space at the covert side, and a horse who displays
temper on such occasions is naturally regarded as a nuisance and danger
by the rest of the field. Besides, it must be remembered that nothing
tends to spoil the nerves of any rider, man or woman, more than
attempting to hunt in a big country like Leicestershire on a
bad-tempered horse, and especially on a refuser which has a tendency to
rear. On no account should a lady ride a roarer, although the artful
dealer may assure her that the "whistle" which the animal makes, will be
a secret unknown to any one except herself and the horse. In the large
majority of cases, roaring is a disease which increases with time, and
the accompanying noise is distressing to all lovers of horses who hear
it. Kickers, even with red bows on their tails, should on no account be
ridden; for they are a danger to man, woman, horse, and hound, and are
the cause of many accidents every hunting season. It would appear that
ladies--not those of the present day, let us hope--were not sufficiently
careful in insisting on this last-mentioned requirement in their
hunters; for Captain Elmhirst, writing in 1883, says, "Horse dealers,
farmers, and--we are sorry to add--ladies must especially be avoided;
for who ever saw a vicious kicker that was not ridden by one of these
three?"
[Illustration: Fig. 3.--Miss Neil's Jackeroo.]
Apart from the danger to others, it is obvious that no sane woman would
ride a horse which would be likely to kick her in the event of a fall.
When I was in India, I had to get rid of a horse because of his vicious
tendency in this respect. He was a good-looking Australian, a clever
fencer, and had a nice mouth, but so vicious that when we first got him,
he used to rush open-mouthed at any one who went near him, except his
syce. My husband took him in hand, and he became sufficiently civilised
to take carrots from me. When I rode him, I found he was always looking
out for an excuse to "play up," or to lash out at other horses. In order
to test his jumping, a lightweight gentleman rider one day rode him over
a made course. The animal blundered badly at one of the fences, threw
his rider, and while the man was lying on his back on the ground the
horse deliberately put a fore foot on him, and would have doubtless
broken his back, if my husband, who was standing near the fence, had not
pulled the vicious brute off. We got rid of him, and I heard shortly
afterwards that he had killed his jockey, a native, in a hurdle race at
Calcutta, by the adoption of similar vicious tactics. It would have been
criminal to have taken such a horse as that into any hunting-field.
[Illustration: Fig. 4.--Mr. Vansittart's Romance.]
A hunter should have good shoulders (long, flat, and oblique) and a
comparatively high forehand; for horses which are lower in front than at
the croup are uncomfortable to ride, and there is generally some
difficulty in retaining the side saddle in its place on their backs. The
height of a hunter will depend greatly on that of his rider. For
instance, a tall woman with a "comfortable" figure would be suitably
mounted on a horse 16 hands or more high, whereas a light girl of medium
height would find an animal of say 15-2 as much as she could comfortably
manage; for we must remember that big horses, as a rule, take a good
deal of "collecting." A small horse generally stays better, can come out
oftener, is handier, and not so likely to hurt one if he falls. For the
Shires I do not think a lady's hunter should be much under 15-2, and he
must be a big jumper and well bred. Hunting women, as a rule, do not pay
much attention to the good looks of their horses, for hunting is not a
church parade, and the finest performer over a country is always admired
and coveted whatever his appearance may be. The same may be said about
colour; although, as a grey horse is conspicuous enough to be singled
out of a crowd of bays and browns, a lady who is at all "impartial" in
her seat would do well to select a horse wearing a less noticeable tint
of coat. As rearing is the worst vice a lady's mount can possess, no
horse who has a tendency to rear should be ridden by a woman, as from
her position in the side-saddle she is far more helpless than a man on
such an animal. A lady's hunter should not have too light a mouth, but
should go nicely up to his bridle, and not resent the use of the curb,
which is sometimes necessary in avoiding danger. He should on no account
be inclined to pull. A perfect hunter is like a thorough good sportsman,
who regards his share of bangs and blows as all in the day's work. As
the majority of hunters have their own likes and dislikes about jumping
certain kinds of fences, a lady should know precisely what to expect
from her mount and what his jumping capabilities are, before taking him
into the hunting-field, which is not the place for experiments. I had
many pleasant days out hunting with the Quorn, Belvoir, Cottesmore, and
North Cheshire on the Irish mare, Salary (Fig. 5).
In summing up the requirements of a hunter for either man or woman, I
cannot do better than to quote the following sound advice from Whyte
Melville: "People talk about size and shape, shoulders, quarters, blood,
bone and muscle, but for my part, give me a hunter with brains. He has
to take care of the biggest fool of the two, and think for both."
[Illustration: Fig. 5.--Irish mare, Salary.]
To be capable of safely crossing a stiff country, a horse requires at
least a few falls--which had best be shared by a man--and much
experience, which cannot be obtained without time. Hence, I would advise
no lady, however well she may ride, to hunt on a young horse, who will
always require a good deal of time in which to learn his business. It is
certainly no pleasure to be on the back of a horse who is inclined to
drop his hind legs in the ditch on the other side, or to "chance" a post
and rails. Many young horses are so reluctant in going at a fence, and
in "spreading themselves out," that they are no good except when ridden
by a man who can use his legs, which is a feat that a woman is unable to
accomplish.
A perfect _hack_, whether for man or woman, is far more difficult to
find at the present time than a good hunter, and when found will command
a fancy price. The ideal hack is a showy, well-bred animal of the
officer's charger type, which has been thoroughly well "made" in all his
paces. Such an animal appears at his best when executing a slow,
collected canter, with arched neck and looking full of fire and gaiety,
though ridden with an almost slack rein, and intent only on rendering
prompt obedience to the slightest indication of his rider. In Germany
and France the hacks ridden in the Tiergarten and Bois, for instance,
are thoroughly "made," and compare very favourably with the pulling,
half-broken brutes on which many ladies appear in the Row. In former
times, before the introduction of the leaping-head made hunting possible
for women, more attention was paid to the breaking and training of hacks
than at present, on account of the great demand for "complete ladies'
horses." The advent of the bicycle for ladies has almost abolished
hacking as a pastime and means of exercise, and hence the difficulty in
finding a well-broken animal for this work. The best substitute is, I
think, a good polo pony, because the requirements of that game demand
that the animal should be temperate, handy, and capable of being ridden
with a slack rein. The polo pony Pat (Fig. 6) is a perfect hack, with a
snaffle-bridle mouth, and so steady and clever that he can canter round
the proverbial sixpence. He has played well in several polo matches.
[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Polo pony, Pat.]
Although many ladies in this country have never enjoyed the luxury of
riding a high-caste Arab, we occasionally see these animals in the Row
and hunting-field. The sight of an "Arabi tattoo" to an old Indian like
myself, revives many pleasant memories of delightful equine friends in
the East. The Arab is _par excellence_ the most perfect hack for a lady,
and I think it would be ungrateful of me in this new edition to omit the
portrait of my Arab pony Freddie (Fig. 7), even though the cut of the
riding-habit is out of date.
Although a good horsewoman may be satisfied with any animal which is fit
for a man, provided he is steady to mount and does not require an
unusual amount of collecting; it is not safe to put an inexperienced or
nervous rider on a horse that has not been taught to carry a habit,
which a groom can do by riding the animal with a rug or dark overcoat on
the near side, and letting it flop about. Horses rarely object to the
presence of a skirt, though I have known cases in which the animal went
almost wild with terror when the right leg was put over the crutch. It
is, therefore, wise to accustom a horse to the skirt and leg by means of
a groom.
The fact of a lady having to ride in a side-saddle, puts her under the
following three disadvantages as compared to a man in a "cross-saddle":
she is, as a rule, unable to mount without assistance; she cannot apply
the pressure of the right leg to the side of the horse; and it is
difficult for her "to drop her hands" in order to pull him together. The
judicious application of a crop or ash-plant (my husband, though an
Irishman, swears by a Neilgherry cane) may partly make up for the
absence of a leg on the off side; but, however well a woman may ride,
she should not have a horse which "plays up" when he is being mounted,
or sprawls about and requires constant pulling together when she is in
the saddle.
[Illustration: Fig. 7.--Arab pony, Freddie.]
The style of hack should be in thorough keeping with that of the rider.
A slight lady has a greater range of choice in horseflesh than a portly
dame, who would be best suited with a weight-carrying hunter or compact
cob. The height might vary from 14-2 to 15-3. I hardly think that even a
small woman would look well on a pony which is less than 13-3.
A beginner should be put on a lazy animal, whether horse or pony, that
will condescend to trot or canter for only a short distance, which will
be quite far enough for its inexperienced rider. Many parents who are
supervising the riding instruction of their children, look too far ahead
when selecting a mount. Instead of purchasing a steady, plodding, though
not unwilling slave, they invest in a second- or third-stage animal,
which is absolutely useless to a beginner, because it wants more riding
than she can give it. Such a young lady needs a thoroughly steady
animal, no matter how old or ugly it may be, and she will probably learn
more about riding on it in a month, than she would in a year on a horse
which would have to be led by a groom, on account of its unsteadiness. A
good donkey is a most useful conveyance for young girls, as he can
generally be trusted to take things quietly, and will not unduly exert
himself without being called upon to do so.
For the benefit of inexperienced riders, I must not omit to mention that
the measurement of horses is taken from the highest point of the withers
to the ground. A horse is measured by hands and inches, not, as in
humans, by feet and inches. A hand is 4 in., therefore an animal of 15
hands is 5 ft. in height; 16 hands, 5 ft. 4 in.; 17 hands, 5 ft. 8 in.;
and one of 17-2--which would be a gigantic height in a saddle horse,
but not in a cart horse--would be 5 ft. 10 in. high. A woman of medium
height, like myself, who stands 5 ft. 3 in. in "stocking feet"--a
height, by-the-bye, which is accorded to the Venus de Medici (we might
make use of that fact on being termed "little")--would find a horse of
15-1 or 15-2 a very nice, useful height; though she need by no means
limit herself to height with any horse which is springy and active, does
not require a great amount of collecting, is easy in his paces, and has
a good mouth. The bigger a horse is, the more fatiguing do we find him
to ride, if his mouth, manners, and paces are not thoroughly "made." The
late Esa bin Curtis, a celebrated Arab horse dealer, in speaking of big
buck-jumping Walers, said, "God hath not made man equal unto them," and,
however well a woman may ride, it is no pleasure to find herself
breathless and exhausted in her efforts to control such animals. On the
other hand, many small horses which play up are most difficult to sit,
for, although they may not take their rider's breath away by their
display of physical power, they are like quicksilver on a frying-pan,
and highly test our agility in the matter of balance and grip.
I cannot conclude this chapter on ladies' horses without expressing my
strong condemnation of the senseless and cruel practice of docking
riding horses, which has nothing in its favour except its conformance to
fashion, and which in this case is disgusting cruelty. Thoroughbred
horses are never docked, whether they be used for racing,
steeplechasing or hunting, and it is a monstrous thing to mutilate
unfortunate half-breds, especially mares, and condemn them to be
tortured by flies, and to have the most sensitive parts of their bodies
turned into a safe camping ground for insects, simply because these poor
animals have a stain in their pedigree. In summer time, when flies are
troublesome, we may often see a long-tailed brood mare at grass
protecting both herself and her suckling foal from these irritating
pests by the free use of her tail; but docked mares are deprived of this
means of driving away insects, and have been known to unwittingly injure
their young by kicking and plunging violently in their efforts to rid
themselves of attacking flies. The unfortunate foal is unable to take
its natural nourishment in peace, and consequently does not thrive so
well as does the offspring of an unmutilated mother. One of the feeble
arguments set forth in favour of docking is, that it prevents a hunter
from soiling the coat of his rider by his tail; but, as my husband truly
says in his new edition of _Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners_, "This
idea is an absurdity, because an undocked horse cannot reach his rider
with his tail, if it is banged short, which is a fact known to all
military men. Besides, mud on a hunting coat is 'clean dirt.'" The
actual pain caused by the operation is trivial as compared with the
life-long misery to which tailless horses are subjected, for we deprive
them for ever of their caudal appendage, and the ridiculous stump
sticking up where the tail ought to be, is as ungraceful as it is
indecent, especially in the case of mares. Our friend, the late Dr.
George Fleming, says in _The Wanton Mutilation of Animals_, "nothing can
be more painful and disgusting to the real horseman and admirer of this
most symmetrically formed and graceful animal than the existence of this
most detestable and torturing fashion; and those who perform the
operation or sanction it are not humane, nor are they horsemen, but
rather are they horse-maimers and promoters of the worst form of cruelty
to animals. Let anyone go to Rotten Row during the season, and satisfy
himself as to the extent to which the fashion prevails, and the
repulsive appearance which otherwise beautiful horses present. The
astonishing and most saddening feature of the equestrian promenade is
the presence of ladies riding mares which are almost tailless. Surely a
plea might be entered here for the use of a fig-leaf to clothe the
nude." I feel sure that if my sex had a voice in the matter, this
wholesale mutilation of mares would soon cease. Dr. Fleming, writing in
the _Nineteenth Century_ over twenty years ago, said: "I hope and
believe that when the horse-loving public and the friends of animals
begin to realise how cruel and degrading some of these mutilations are,
they will not be long in having them suppressed"; but the horse-lovers
do not appear to have done much in this matter so far. This writer tells
us that "the ancient Welsh laws protected it" (the horse's tail) "from
harm at the hands of man," and that "an ecclesiastical canon was issued
in order to prevent it from being damaged in the eighth century." Cannot
our laws do something to protect mares, at any rate, from the cruelty of
docking in the twentieth century? Dr. Fleming, in reviewing the history
of docking from its earliest times, tells us that he saw an old print
"which represented a very emaciated horse, with a fashionable tail,
standing in a luxuriant meadow, his body covered with flies, which
prevented him from grazing, and from which he could not free himself; a
notice board in the field announced that horses were taken in to graze,
those with undocked tails at six shillings a week and docked ones at
eighteenpence."
When Voltaire visited this country in the first quarter of the
eighteenth century, he was so impressed with our barbarity, especially
in the cutting off the tails of our horses, that he could not refrain
from giving vent to one of his pungent sarcasms in the following
epigram:--
"Vous fiers Anglois
Barbares que vous etes
Coupez la tete aux rois
Et la queue a vos betes;
Mais les Francois,
Polis et droits,
Aiment les lois,
Laissent la queue aux betes
Et la tete a leurs rois."
CHAPTER III.
SIDE-SADDLES.
Description of a Side-Saddle--Saddle Tree--Covering of a
Side-Saddle--Panel--The Leaping Head--Stirrup Leather--Safety
Bars--Safety Stirrups--Girths--Balance Strap--Breast-plate--Weight
of a Side-Saddle--Shape of the Seat of a Side-Saddle--The Saddle
must Fit the Rider--Crupper--Numdahs and Saddle
Cloths--Side-Saddles for Children--Saddling a Horse--Prevention of
Sore Backs--Cleaning a Side-Saddle.
DESCRIPTION OF A SIDE-SADDLE.
A properly made side-saddle consists of the following parts:--
1. A _tree_, which is a wooden frame that is strengthened with steel and
iron, and is provided with an _upper crutch_ (_near head_) and _webs_.
2. A _leather covering_, which comprises the _seat_, _off flap_, and
_safe_, which is the trade term for the near flap.
3. A _panel_ (or cushion), which is placed underneath the tree, so as to
protect the animal's back from the hurtful pressure of the unprotected
tree.
4. A _leaping head_, which helps the lady to obtain security of seat.
5. A _stirrup leather_.
6. A _stirrup iron_.
7. A _stirrup bar_ for the stirrup leather.
8. _Girths._
9. _Balance strap._
To these ordinary components of a side-saddle, a _breast-plate_ and
_saddle cloth_ or _numdah_ are sometimes added. On rare occasions a
_crupper_ is used.
[Illustration: Fig. 8.--Side view of saddle tree.]
SADDLE TREE.
The tree (Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11) consists of two _bars_ (side boards),
which are connected together in front by the _pommel_, and behind by
the _cantle_. The pommel is made up of a _gullet plate_, which is a
steel arch that goes over the withers, and its coverings. The _points of
the tree_ are connected, one on each side, to the front ends of the bars
and to the gullet plate, and they point downwards. The _stirrup bar_,
which should be of a safety pattern, is attached to the near bar, a
little lower down than the leaping head.
[Illustration: Fig. 9.--Underneath view of saddle tree.]
The _webs_ (Fig. 11) of a tree are strong hempen bands which cover the
open space down the centre of the tree, and are nailed, at one end, to
the pommel, and at the other end to the cantle. They are tightly
stretched, in order to give the rider a comfortable seat, and to keep
her weight off the horse's backbone.
The _office of the bars of the tree_ is to evenly distribute the rider's
weight, by means of the panel, over the muscles which run along each
side of the horse's backbone, and which form the only suitable bearing
surfaces for the purpose in question. No weight should fall on the
animal's backbone, because it is very sensitive to pressure, even when
the pressure is well distributed. In order to obtain this indispensable
condition of evenly-distributed pressure, the bars of the tree of a
saddle which is to be made for a particular horse, should accurately fit
the bearing surfaces of the back upon which they rest, and should be
well away from the backbone; in fact, the distance between the bars
should not be less than four inches. When the rider is in the saddle, a
fair amount of space should exist between the gullet plate and the
withers, so that no injurious pressure may fall on the top or sides of
the withers, which are particularly susceptible to inflammation from
this cause.
In order to avoid giving an undue height to the pommel, with the object
of keeping it off the withers, it should be "cut back" (Fig. 11),
although this cutting back need not be carried to the excessive extent
that is sometimes practised. In a man's saddle, the pommel is generally
straight.
[Illustration: Fig. 10.--Front view of saddle tree.]
The _points of the tree_ should accurately fit the parts upon which they
rest, so as to prevent any "wobbling" of the saddle. The near point of
the tree (Fig. 10) is usually made long, with the idea of helping the
saddle to keep in its place; but if this is done, the off point should
be comparatively short, because, if both points be long, they will be
apt to become pulled further apart in the event of the horse turning
round sharply, as he would have to do in a narrow stall, or even when
refusing a jump.
The _upper crutch_, or, as it is called by saddlers, the _near head_,
is a more or less upright projection which is placed on the near side of
the pommel, in order to give support to the rider's right leg. The slope
and bearing surface of this near head should be regulated, so that (as
we shall see further on) the lower part of the rider's right leg may
extend downwards along the shoulder of the horse, and that the lady may
be able to exert full pressure against the near head, by the inward
rotation of her thigh (p. 157). The height of the near head depends on
the thickness of the rider's thigh, because a fat leg will require a
higher crutch than a thin one. If the upper crutch be unduly long, it
will push the skirt up and give it a bad appearance. We must, however,
bear in mind that if it is too short for its legitimate purpose, it will
afford an insecure grip to the right leg, which is a consideration that
must not be neglected.
Before the leaping head (p. 33) was invented, side-saddles were provided
with an _off crutch_, which was placed on the off side of the pommel. In
a very old saddle which I saw, it took the form of an upright handle,
which was placed parallel to the direction of the withers, and which
apparently was intended to be grasped by the right hand of the rider in
case of emergency. In a saddle of mine, which is about 100 years old,
the off crutch projects horizontally to the right. Fifty years ago, the
off crutch was almost always upright, and was often placed so close to
the near crutch that the rider was able to get a fairly firm support for
her right leg by jamming it between these two crutches. As the great
utility of the leaping head received increasingly wide recognition, the
off crutch underwent a gradual process of decadence, because it is of no
benefit to a rider who understands the use of a leaping head.
Indications of its previous existence may occasionally be seen,
especially abroad, in the form of an entirely useless thickening of the
off side of the pommel.
[Illustration: Fig. 11.--Underneath view of saddle tree and its webs.]
COVERING OF A SIDE-SADDLE.
The seats of good saddles are generally of pigskin, and the flaps of
cow-hide. The fact of the seat being of buckskin or other rough leather
will increase the lady's security in the saddle, but may somewhat
detract from the smartness of her appearance, especially if the leather
is white. I can see no objection to the seat of the saddle being of
rough brown leather. Formerly, all side-saddles had a "stuffed safe," in
which the front part of the near flap is padded, but nowadays it is
rarely, if ever, used by smart hunting people. It is evidently the
surviving remains of the voluminous pad, upon which ladies used to rest
the lower part of their right leg in the days before the leaping head
was invented. Ornamental stitching about the seat and safe of a saddle
is equally out of date.
PANEL.
It is all important that the panel should be so carefully stuffed, that
the rider's weight will be evenly distributed over the bearing surfaces
of her animal's back. Even if this is done to perfection, the desirable
arrangement will last for only a short time, if the stuffing is of the
wrong kind of material. Instead of using fine wool (best flock),
incompetent or unduly economical saddlers often employ flock which is
largely composed of cotton waste, and, consequently, when they stuff or
re-stuff a saddle, lumps, from the absorption of perspiration, are apt
to form in the panel, with the frequent result of a sore back. Although
the stuffing of side-saddles is too technical a subject to attack in
these pages, I would fail in my duty to my readers if I omitted to
advise them always to go to a first-class saddler for a new saddle, or
to get an old one re-stuffed, which should be done as may be required,
preferably, before the beginning of the hunting season, supposing that
the saddle has seen a good deal of service. It is often thought that
expert saddlers are to be found only in London; but if a saddler is
clever at his trade, the fact of his having a shop in a good hunting
district, must be a great advantage to him in studying the requirements
of riding people.
THE LEAPING HEAD
was invented about 1830 by M. Pellier, who was well known in Paris as a
riding master. Its object is to help the rider to obtain security of
seat by a fixed surface against which she can press the front and lower
part of her left thigh. Before the invention of the leaping head, ladies
had to rely entirely on the right leg for grip, and consequently few, if
any of them, were able to hunt. Mr. John Allen, who wrote _Modern
Riding_, in 1825, tells us that "the left leg is nearly, if not wholly
useless; for though a stirrup is placed on the foot, the only use of it
is to ease the leg a little, which, for want of practice, might ache by
dangling and suspension."
The following are the chief points to be considered about a leaping
head:--
* * * * *
1. Its curve should be so arranged that the harder a lady presses
against it, the more will her left leg be carried inwards, so that the
flat (inside) of her knee may be brought in contact with the flap of the
saddle (Fig. 12). An ordinary leaping head is curved, as a rule, in such
a manner that when a rider seeks to obtain support from it by the
pressure of her left leg, this limb is carried outwards, and she is able
to get a _point d'appui_ only at the extreme end of this projection
(Fig. 13). It is evident that the closer the left leg is to the saddle,
the firmer will be the seat. Besides, the more the left leg is brought
outwards, the more weight will be put on the near side, which, as we
shall see further on, is the very thing a rider ought to avoid.
2. The leaping head should be close to the upper crutch (Figs. 12 and
16). The usual plan of putting it much lower down (Fig. 15) tends to
bring the weight to the near side, a fact which can be easily tested,
especially in trotting, by trying the improvement in question, which was
suggested to me by Mr. Ford of Rugby, who is a very competent and
experienced saddler.
[Illustration: Fig. 12.--Grip with improved leaping head.]
3. Usually, the leaping head is attached to the tree by means of a
screw, which is an arrangement that has the disadvantage of not allowing
the leaping head to be placed close to the upper crutch. If the leaping
head is riveted on to the tree (as in Figs. 10 and 16), which is the
better plan, it can be placed as near as we like to the upper crutch,
and it will have no tendency to wobble about, as it would be apt to do,
if it was fixed by a screw. As the screws of the leaping heads of cheap
saddles are almost always made of annealed iron, which is a form of
cast-iron, it is not an uncommon occurrence for the screw of one of
these saddles to break, which is more apt to occur at a critical moment,
as for instance when the horse is jumping or "playing up," than when he
is going quietly. On the only occasion I ever rode over a fence in one
of these cheap Walsall saddles, the screw broke, but luckily I
"remained."
4. When the leaping head is a fixture, the bearing surface which it
presents to the rider's left leg should be in the same direction as the
upper part of that limb, so that the pressure on it may be evenly
distributed. By placing a straight stick under the leaping head, and
holding it in the direction which the left thigh would occupy, when the
rider is mounted, we can easily see if the bearing surface is in the
proper position.
5. As an aid to security of seat, it is well to have the under surface
of the leaping head and the off side of the upper crutch covered with
rough brown leather, which, we should bear in mind, is concealed from
view, when the lady is in the saddle, and consequently it will not
detract from the smartness of her appearance.
[Illustration: Fig. 13.--Grip with ordinary leaping head.]
STIRRUP-LEATHER.
The stirrup-leather, which is on the near side, should always be
attached to a bar, and not, as is sometimes done, to the balance strap
(p. 53); because, in this case, its length will be subject to frequent
variation, not only when the saddle is put on different animals, but
also when the horse gets slack in his girth from work. When it is fixed
to a bar, which should always be of the safety kind, no alteration in
the correct length of the leather will take place.
The arrangement for undoing the stirrup-leather is in the most
convenient position when it is close to the iron, and not in proximity
to the stirrup-bar, as is the case in a man's hunting saddle. If the
leather is used in the latter manner, the buckle will be apt to hurt the
inside of the lady's left leg, when she brings the knee close to the
flap of the saddle; and it will be more inconvenient to alter the length
of the leather, when the lady is mounted, than if the buckle or hook was
low down. The hook (Fig. 14) is better than a buckle, because it lies
flatter and is easier to arrange.
[Illustration: Fig. 14.--Hook for stirrup leather.]
SAFETY BARS.
A safety bar is a bar which will release the leather, in the event of
the rider falling from the saddle, and at the same time getting her foot
caught in the stirrup-iron. To be reliable, it should do this, whether
the lady falls on the near side, or on the off side. The best safety bar
which has up to the present been put before the public, is undoubtedly
Champion and Wilton's latest pattern. It releases with absolute
certainty on both sides, and can be fitted in such a manner that it will
allow the flat of the left leg to be brought close to the saddle. As
safety bars and safety stirrups are the only means for ensuring a lady
from being dragged by her stirrup, and as Champion and Wilton's safety
bar is more reliable in this respect than any safety stirrup, it stands
to reason that it should be used with every side-saddle. With this bar
on a saddle, there is of course no objection to the use of a safety
stirrup, in order to make "doubly sure." It is usually fitted with a
thick flap (Fig. 15), which prevents the left leg from being brought
close to the saddle; but this objection can be removed by the adoption
of Mr. Ford's plan of greatly reducing the size of the flap of the bar,
and making it fit into an opening cut out of the near flap of the saddle
(Fig. 16). I have found this arrangement a great improvement on the old
clumsy flap, the lower edge of which is unpleasantly apt to catch on the
rider's boot, especially when trotting. I shall discuss the failings of
safety stirrups further on.
[Illustration: Fig. 15.--Leaping head too low down.]
[Illustration: Fig. 16.--Side view of a properly made saddle.]
Owing to the position which a lady occupies in a side-saddle, she is
often inclined to draw her foot back to such an extent that she would
pull the leather out of the bar, if the action of the bar was similar to
that of a man's saddle; but a Champion and Wilton's bar is so devised
that it will free the leather, only when the pressure of the left leg is
removed from the flap of the bar, in which case the lady will have
quitted the saddle. Hence, as long as she keeps her seat, she cannot
pull the leather out of the bar by drawing back her left leg. The only
thing which prevents this safety arrangement from being absolutely
perfect, is the liability the leather has of falling out of the bar and
becoming lost, in the event of the rider severing her connection with
the saddle, in which case the retaining action of the flap on the bar
will cease.
For this emergency, Messrs. Champion and Wilton provide side saddles
with a small leather case which contains an extra stirrup, and which is
attached to the near side of the saddle, so that it is concealed from
view, when the lady is mounted (Fig. 17). The weight of the stirrup and
case is only half a pound.
[Illustration: Fig. 17.--Champion and Wilton's extra stirrup case.]
SAFETY STIRRUPS,
both for men and ladies, have been in existence for hundreds of years.
Apparently the first variety of this contrivance was the capped
stirrup-iron, either simple (Fig. 18) or in the form of a slipper (Fig.
19), which was provided with an arrangement on its sole that prevented
the toe of the slipper from yielding to downward pressure, but allowed
it to revolve upwards, and thus to facilitate the release of the foot,
in the event of a fall. The simple capped stirrup was used by ancient
Spanish Cavaliers, and is still employed by many of their descendants in
America. In apparent oblivion of these facts, the Christie stirrup (Fig.
20), made on the same principle, was patented about four years ago.
Besides its undue weight (1-1/4 lb. as compared to the 1/2 lb. of the
slipper stirrup), it has the further disadvantage of allowing the
possibility of the toe being caught between its bars (Fig. 21). Want of
neatness appears to have been the only cause of the abandonment of the
capped stirrup, which is certainly safer than any of its successors, the
first English one of which appears to have been the Latchford safety
stirrup (Fig. 22). It consists of two irons; the small one, which is
placed within the large one, being made to come out the moment the foot
gets dragged in it, in which case it parts company with its fellow, and
is then liable to get lost. The Scott safety stirrup (Figs. 23 and 24)
has not this fault, for its inner iron always retains its connection
with the outer one, and can be replaced without delay, if the lady after
her tumble desires to remount. The Latchford, Scott ordinary, and Cope
safety stirrup (Figs. 25 and 26) open only one way, so that the foot,
when correctly placed in any of them, may not be liable, as in the event
of a fall, to be forced through the outer iron, in which case the lady
would almost to a certainty get hung up if her saddle was not provided
with a safety bar. In these stirrups, the side of the "tread,"[46-*]
which ought to be to the rear, is generally indicated by the fact of its
being straight, while the other side is curved (Fig. 24). This is done
in Fig. 27, by the word "heel."
[Illustration: Fig. 18.--Capped stirrup-iron.]
[Illustration: Fig. 19.--Slipper stirrup.]
[Illustration: Fig. 20.--The Christie stirrup.]
[Illustration: Fig. 21.--Foot caught.]
[Illustration: Fig. 22.--Latchford stirrup.]
[Illustration: Fig. 23.--Scott's stirrup.]
[Illustration: Fig. 24.--Scott's stirrup open.]
* * * * *
The _chief faults of so-called safety stirrups_ are as follows:--
1. They may catch on the foot, on account of getting crushed by coming
in violent contact with a tree, wall or other hard object, or by the
horse falling on his near side. When I was living in India, I had a
Scott safety stirrup jammed on my foot in this manner, by a horse which
I was riding, making a sudden shy and dashing against a wall. The iron
was so firmly fixed to my foot by this accident, that it could not be
taken off until, after much pain and trouble, my foot was freed from
both boot and stirrup. Had I been unseated, I would probably have been
killed, because my saddle had not a safety bar.
[Illustration: Fig. 25.--Cope's stirrup.]
2. Those which open only when the foot is put into them in one way, are
apt to cause a fatal accident if put in the wrong way, which may easily
happen from carelessness or ignorance (p. 64). The methods (straight
edge of "tread," or word "heel") used with these stirrups, to indicate
the proper side on which to put the foot into the iron, may convey no
meaning to persons who are not well acquainted with the details of
side-saddle gear, and in moments of hurry and excitement may be easily
overlooked.
3. Any ordinary safety stirrup which is used without a safety bar may
cause a lady to get "hung up," if she is thrown to the off side and her
heel gets jammed against the saddle in the manner shown in Fig. 28.
[Illustration: Fig. 26.--Foot released by Cope's stirrup.]
4. If the outer iron is small in comparison to the size of the foot, the
rider may easily get dragged.
5. If the outer iron of a Scott's reversible safety stirrup is large in
comparison to the size of the foot (as in the case of a young girl),
the rider may get dragged in the event of a fall, by the foot going
through the stirrup. Accidents caused by a foot going through a stirrup
have often occurred to men from falls when hunting and steeplechasing.
[Illustration: Fig. 27.--Scott's stirrup.]
Some ladies think it "smart" to ride with a man's ordinary stirrup iron,
or (madder still) with a small racing stirrup, attached to a leather
which does not come out. I once saw a lady who adopted this senseless
plan fall and get dragged. By an extraordinary piece of good luck she
was saved from a horrible death by her boot coming off.
All that can be said in favour of safety stirrups, is that they are
less liable to cause accidents than ordinary stirrups. The fact remains,
that the danger of being dragged by the stirrup can be entirely obviated
only by the use of an efficient safety bar.
[Illustration: Fig. 28.--Foot caught on off side.]
GIRTHS.
In referring to this subject, I cannot do better than give the following
extract from _Riding and Hunting_:--
"Girths, while fulfilling their duty of efficiently keeping the saddle
on a horse's back, should be as little liable as possible to hurt the
surface on which they press. Hence they should be broad, soft, and
constructed so that their tendency to retain sweat between them and the
horse's skin may be reduced as far as practicable. They can best fulfil
the last-mentioned important condition when they are absorbent and open
in texture. It is evident that sweat retained between the girth and the
skin will have the effect of the moisture of a poultice in rendering the
part soft and unusually liable to injury from pressure or friction.
"As a material for girths, wool is superior to cotton or leather,
because it is softer, more absorbent, and does not become so hard on
drying after having become wet. The only drawback to ordinary woollen
girths is that they are not sufficiently ventilated, an objection which
has been overcome in specially constructed woollen girths that are sold
by many good saddlers.
"The plan of giving ventilation by slitting up a broad leather girth
into several narrow straps, or by using a number of cords of cotton or
of plaited or twisted raw hide often acts well; but its adoption may
give rise to girth-galls, if care is not taken to smooth out, when
girthing up, any wrinkles there may be in the skin underneath the girth.
It is evidently more difficult for the pressure to be evenly distributed
by these cords, than by a broad girth which consists of one piece.
"Great care should be taken to keep girths clean and soft, and to oil
them from time to time, if they be of leather.
"I prefer a broad girth attached at each side by two buckles to two
narrow girths. The Fitzwilliam girth, which consists of a broad girth
with a narrow one over it, is handy with a martingale or breast-plate,
through the loop of which the narrow girth can be passed."
In a Fitzwilliam girth, the pressure of the narrow one on the centre of
the broad one, makes the edges of the broad girth incline outwards, and
thus apparently helps to save the horse from becoming girth-galled.
Girths should always be buckled high up on the near side, in order to
prevent their buckles hurting the rider's left leg, by making an
uncomfortable bump in the flap of the saddle; and also to allow plenty
of space on the girth straps of the off side, for shortening the girths
as may be required.
BALANCE STRAP.
This is a leather strap which is attached to the off side of the rear
part of the saddle, at one end; and to a strap close to the girth straps
of the near side, at the other end. Before the days of safety bars, its
near side end was usually buckled on to the stirrup leather, which was a
faulty arrangement, not only as regards the leather (p. 36), but also
because its degree of tightness was a constantly varying quantity which
entirely depended on the amount of pressure that the rider put on her
stirrup. The presence of a properly tightened balance strap helps to
prevent lateral movement on the part of the saddle. Also it counteracts,
to some extent, the excess of weight which almost every rider puts on
the near side of her saddle; this good effect being due to the fact that
the off attachment of the balance strap is farther away from the centre
line (axis) of the animal's body than the near attachment; and
consequently the pull of the balance strap on the off side acts to
greater mechanical advantage than the pull on the near side.
BREAST-PLATE.
The breast-plate is attached at one end to the girth or girths, and at
the other end to the staples of the saddle. Its use is to prevent the
saddle shifting backwards, as it might do if the girths were slack,
especially if the animal was very narrow waisted. Even with a
well-shaped horse, a breast-plate is often useful on a long day and in a
hilly country. It is much in favour with hunting ladies. Staples are
small metal loops which are fixed to the front part of the saddle-tree.
WEIGHT OF A SIDE-SADDLE.
In order to avoid giving a horse a sore back and consequently disabling
him for the time being, it is essential to have the tree rigid, so that
the weight may remain evenly distributed over the bearing surfaces of
his back, which rigidity cannot be obtained without having the tree
fairly heavy. The necessary width and length of saddle and strength of
upper crutch and leaping head are also questions of weight. Hence if we
require a saddle for rough and dangerous work like hunting, we must not
entertain the ridiculous idea of having a light saddle, so that it may
look particularly smart. A fair weight for a side-saddle is one-seventh
of the weight of the rider, that is to say, two pounds for every stone
she weighs, with a minimum weight of 18 lbs.
SHAPE OF THE SEAT OF A SIDE-SADDLE.
The level-seated fad which some fashionable saddlers try to impress on
their inexperienced customers is an absurdity from a hunting point of
view, because no one out of an idiot asylum would care to sit for
several hours on a perfectly level surface, whether it was a saddle or a
chair. The discomfort which such an attempt would entail, is due to the
fact that the nature of our anatomy requires a certain amount of dip in
that portion of the seat upon which most of the weight falls. The
level-seated idea is purely theoretical, because no saddles are made in
conformance with it. For hunting we must have comfort, without, of
course, any undue violation of smartness. Besides, a certain amount of
dip in the seat, similar to that shown in Fig. 16, is an aid to
security. A cutback pommel (Fig. 11) improves the look of a side-saddle
without diminishing the rider's grip. The seat on the near side should
be eased off, so as to allow the rider's left leg to get close to the
horse; and the near side, close to the cantle, should be made a little
higher than the off side, in order to correct any tendency there may be
to sit too much over on the near side.
The saddles which I used on Romance (Fig. 4), and Freddie (Fig. 7),
about fifteen years ago, were not called "level seated," but we may see
that they are quite as neat and smart as those of the present time,
which fact shows that very little change has been made in the shape of
side-saddles since the eighties.
THE SADDLE MUST FIT THE RIDER.
The two great points in this requirement are that the upper crutch and
leaping head should be in a suitable position, and the saddle
sufficiently long, so as to be about a couple of inches clear of the
back of the rider's seat. The right position of the upper crutch and
leaping head can be determined only by experiment. If the tree is so
short as to allow any undue weight to fall on the cantle, the horse will
naturally run the risk of getting a sore back. The height of the upper
crutch and the length of the leaping head will vary according to the
thickness of limb. We shall see on pages 150 to 152, that the position
of the upper crutch which will suit a lady who hooks back her right leg,
will not be applicable to one who carries her right foot forward; and
_vice versa_. A saddle which suits a rider's style of equitation will
invariably fit her, if its tree and its crutches are long enough. Hence,
if more than one member of a family wants to ride and there is only one
horse, a saddle which will fit the biggest will suit all the rest.
CRUPPER.
The office of a crupper is to prevent the saddle working forward on the
horse's back, which it will not do if the animal is of a proper shape
and the girths sufficiently tight. In ancient days, when riding-horses
were more rotund than they are now, and saddles were not so well made,
cruppers were generally used, but within the last forty years they have
gone entirely out of fashion. A crupper is not to be despised in
out-of-the-way parts abroad, when we have to ride animals of all sorts
and sizes, and when we have only one saddle.
NUMDAHS AND SADDLE-CLOTHS.
As the principles which regulate the use of these appliances with cross
saddles are the same as those with side saddles, I cannot do better than
give the following extract from _Riding and Hunting_, with one or two
additions:
"Saddle-cloths are generally made of felt, and their primary object is
to prevent the panel from soaking up sweat and becoming thereby soiled
and more or less spoiled. The term numdah or numnah, which is applied to
felt saddle-cloths, is derived from a Hindustani word that signifies
'felt.' A saddle-cloth should be as thin as efficiency in serving its
purpose will allow it to be, so that it may give as little play as
possible to the saddle. Although the fitting of the saddle should as far
as practicable be limited to the adjustment of the shape of the tree and
to regulating the amount of stuffing in the panel; the use of a numdah
with a saddle which does not fit the horse or which is not sufficiently
stuffed, is often a valuable makeshift when necessity gives no other
choice. The employment of an ordinary saddle-cloth is accompanied by the
slight disadvantage, that the middle line of the back which is covered
by the saddle is deprived of the benefit of air circulating along it, by
the fact of the saddle-cloth resting on it. An attempt to remedy this
objection is sometimes made by cutting a longitudinal piece out of the
centre of the saddle-cloth. Here the cure is worse than the complaint,
because injurious pressure will be exerted by the edges of the aperture
thus made, especially if the edges are bound with tape, to preserve them
from fraying out.
"A saddle-cloth should extend about two inches beyond the bearing
surfaces of the saddle, so that its edges may not give rise to unequal
pressure on the back, which would occur if the saddle-cloth was shorter
than the tree.
"Saddle-cloths made of one thickness of leather admirably answer the
purpose of saving the panel from injury; but for hunting and other
long-continued work they have the objection of retaining perspiration,
instead of soaking it up, as felt ones do. It is a good plan before
using a new saddle-cloth, to rub a little neat's-foot oil into its rough
(upper) surface, which is much more absorbent than its smooth side. If
neat's-foot oil is not at hand, cod liver oil or castor oil may be used.
The oily application can be repeated, according as the leather gets
dry."
As a substitute for a panel, Messrs. Champion and Wilton have devised a
numdah lined with spongio-piline and covered with linen, to be used with
a saddle, the underneath part of the tree of which is covered with
leather. The chief advantage of this numdah is that a saddle which is
provided with two or more of them, can always present a dry bearing
surface to the horse's back. A stout numdah of this kind can be used
with a high withered animal, and a thin one with a horse which has thick
withers. Its inventors claim that it distributes the weight better and
keeps the saddle steadier than a panel.
SIDE-SADDLES FOR CHILDREN.
As children are unable to take the necessary precautions against
accident, no considerations of fashion or smartness should outweigh
those of safety for the little ones. Even the old handle at the off side
of the saddle (p. 30) might be a valuable help to a very young beginner.
The seat of the saddle and the bearing surfaces of the upper crutch and
leaping head had best be of rough leather, and particular attention
should be paid to the construction of the upper crutch and leaping head,
so that a maximum of grip may be obtained, which is a point that is
deplorably neglected by many of the makers of side-saddles for children.
Children can ride in any comfortable saddle, supposing that it is not
too small. I have taught very small girls to ride in my saddle and jump
without reins on a horse 15-3 high. A lady who attended one of these
lessons, which were held in Ward's riding-school in London, made two
sketches of her little friends which, by the kind permission of the
Editor of the _Queen_, in which paper they appeared, I am able to
reproduce. We may see that the small horsewoman is sitting well over her
hurdle and is riding with comfort in a saddle that is far too large for
her. The lady friend of the two little girls wrote about our work in the
_Queen_ of June 17, 1893, as follows: "I made the acquaintance of the
authoress of _The Horsewoman_ one morning in Ward's Manege, where I went
to see two little friends taking their riding lesson from her. It was a
novel and pretty sight. Mrs. Hayes has inaugurated a method of
instruction hitherto unpractised, and which must recommend itself to any
one who sees the extraordinary progress which accompanies it. The
children are dressed in gymnastic costume (Fig. 29) and it was the third
time only that they had been put on a horse--a large horse it was too,
and as patient and kindly as it is possible to be. The first thing Mrs.
Hayes teaches is how to sit. By the pupils wearing no skirt she can see
at a glance whether the position of the legs is right, and this is
all-important.
[Illustration: Fig. 29.--Child mounted.]
"By the time I saw the children they were galloping gaily round and
round, with radiant faces and flying hair, sitting better into the
saddle, even at this early stage, than many a woman who considers
herself a complete rider. They are not allowed to hold the reins; the
hands lie in the lap, holding the whip across the knees, which accustoms
them from the first to keep their hands low, besides teaching them to
keep their seat without 'riding the bridle,' as so many people do. The
horse is driven with long reins, like those used in breaking by Captain
Hayes, and managed by him with the dexterity of a circus master. After a
few turns at the canter, wicker hurdles are put up, and, to my
astonishment, the children, without the slightest fear or hesitation,
settled themselves down, leaned well back, and popped over without
raising their hands or altering the position of their legs (Fig. 30).
They had been over the same hurdles at the second lesson, and too much
can hardly be said in praise of a system that has such results to offer
in so short a space of time. Mrs. Hayes herself, as may be supposed,
looks every inch a 'workman' in the saddle. She has ridden in most
quarters of the globe; and, as if she sighed for other worlds to
conquer, and were _blasee_ about all sorts and conditions of horses, she
rode a zebra at Calcutta which was broken within an hour by her husband
sufficiently to be saddled and bridled. Her experiences on his back are
entertainingly set forth in her book _The Horsewoman_, which is well
worth the reading, not only for its hints on horsemanship, but for the
many amusing sporting anecdotes. Her other book is one which one would
hardly have expected from a woman whose life has been in so great a
measure devoted to horses and sport. It is called _My Leper Friends_. A
friend indeed they must have thought her, with her devoted sympathy and
repeated endeavour to alleviate the sufferings from the most distressing
and repulsive malady in the world. Another book is now on the stocks,
the preparation of which keeps Captain and Mrs. Hayes for the present in
England. That done, they will soon start again on their travels, England
being a place that never holds their roving spirits long. The
curiosities, and beautiful stuffs and feathers, which they have gleaned
in many lands will have to disappear into big boxes and be warehoused,
until some fresh store of adventures recalls the wanderers home.
"Meanwhile she teaches the art, of which she is indeed a past mistress,
in a way which it is a pleasure and profit to see; and I can most
conscientiously advise any mother to send her girls to her if she wishes
them to at once become perfect horsewomen while remaining perfect
ladies."
[Illustration: Fig. 30.--Child jumping without reins.]
We had so many charming pupils during our short stay in London, that I
shall always regard this teaching period as one of the pleasantest
events of my life. I often think about them all, and wonder how they are
getting on with their riding, and, as their various difficulties have
been present in my mind while writing this book, I have done my best to
solve them all as clearly as possible. We put up small hurdles and got
our tiny pupils to ride over them, because I saw that they had grasped
my explanation and demonstrations of balance and grip, and it made them
mightily proud of themselves, and keen on learning all they could about
riding, when they found that they could sit over fences with ease.
Although the school hurdles were small, our grey horse which they rode
was a big jumper, which could negotiate a five-foot posts and rails with
ease, so the children who rode him were unconsciously carried a far
greater height than they imagined, for we all know that a big jumper
makes a fine leap, even over small fences. In teaching children to ride
we should always provide them with saddles in which they can obtain the
grip that we ourselves require, and should see that the length of the
stirrup-leather is correct. We should remember that the young
horsewoman, however tiny she may be, requires to be provided with the
best and safest appliances in the matter of stirrup, safety bar, and
safety skirt, that we can give her; and I may say that if I had a
daughter I would never allow her to ride unless her saddle was provided
with Champion and Wilton's safety bar, which I use, and unless she wore
my skirt or the safe little coat shown in Fig. 57. If reliance has to be
placed on a safety stirrup in the absence of Champion and Wilton's
safety bar, only the capped stirrup-iron (Fig. 18) or the slipper
stirrup (Fig. 19) should be employed. I have no faith in one-sided
safety stirrups for young girls, for we cannot put old heads on young
shoulders in the matter of careful attention about placing the foot in
the safety stirrup from the proper side. A groom may put the stirrup
correctly on the foot of his young mistress before starting out with her
for a quiet ride, but these men naturally know nothing about the correct
length of the stirrup leather, and during the ride the stirrup may come
out of the foot and be caught haphazard by the rider, with the result
that, should she become unseated and thrown from her saddle by her horse
suddenly shying with her, she may be dragged and killed. I therefore
cannot too strongly recommend all mothers to see that their daughters'
saddles are provided with reliable safety bars, and of course that the
children are provided with safety skirts, for a safety bar is useless if
the rider's skirt catches on the upper crutch and holds her suspended.
In July 1897 a young daughter of a well-known nobleman was dragged by
her stirrup and killed while exercising her pony in a paddock. As the
stirrup was of a one-sided pattern, it must have been negligently placed
the wrong way (Fig. 31) on the foot of the poor girl, who was only
fifteen years old. I heard that rider, saddle, and pony were all buried
on the same day. I would not be inclined to blame the groom if he were
inexperienced, as many are, in the one-sidedness of so-called safety
stirrups. Another equally terrible accident occurred in September 1893,
when a young lady was dragged by her stirrup and killed while hacking
along a road at Kilhendre, near Ellesmere, with her groom in attendance.
As far as I could gather from the newspaper report of this sad accident,
a butcher's cart driven rapidly round a corner caused the lady's pony to
shy suddenly and unseat her, with the result that she was dragged by her
stirrup and killed. At the inquest which was held on the body of this
poor girl, the jurymen devoted their entire attention to the character
of the animal she was riding, and as the father of the young lady, who
had bred the pony himself, was able to show that it was a staunch and
reliable animal, the usual verdict of accidental death was given. These
twelve good men and true absolutely ignored the stirrup, which had been
the sole cause of this awful occurrence, and concentrated their entire
attention on the innocent pony she rode.
SADDLING A HORSE.
As a horse's loins are ill fitted to bear weight, the saddle should be
placed as far forward as it can go, without interfering with the action
of his shoulder-blades, the position of the rearmost portion of which is
indicated by the "saddle muscle," which is a lump of muscle below the
withers. The saddle can be placed about three inches behind it. Instead
of putting the saddle on the exact part of the back it is to occupy, it
is best to place it a few inches too far forward, and then to draw it
back, so as to smooth down the hair under it, and thus make it
comfortable for the animal. The front girth is first taken up, and then
the next one, which is passed through the loop of the martingale or
breast-plate, supposing that two girths of equal width are used. To
prevent any wrinkles being made in the skin under the girths, and to
make the pressure even, the groom should shorten the girths to about
half the required extent on one side, should finish the tightening on
the other side, and should run his fingers between the girths and skin
in order to smooth out any wrinkles, the presence of which would be
liable to cause a girth-gall. As girthing up, when the lady is mounted,
will have to be done on the off side, sufficient space for that purpose
will have to be left on the girth-straps of that side. After the rider
has been put up, the girths should be again tightened, and it is
generally advisable to repeat this operation after she has ridden her
horse for a short time, especially if the animal has the trick of
"blowing himself out." With a Fitzwilliam girth, the narrow girth which
goes over the broad one is passed through the loop of the martingale or
breast-strap, supposing that one or both of these appliances are used.
The balance strap should be tightened to a fair extent, though not quite
so much as the girths, because the portion of the ribs over which it
passes, expands and contracts far more than that encompassed by the
girths.
[Illustration: Fig. 31.--Foot caught, on account of its having been put
into the stirrup from the wrong side.]
If a saddle-cloth be used, the groom, before girthing up, should bring
the front part of the cloth well up into the pommel with his forefinger
or thumb, so as to prevent it from becoming pressed down on the withers
by the saddle.
PREVENTION OF SORE BACKS.
The chief causes of sore backs brought on by side-saddles are:--
1. Badly fitting saddles. The fitting of saddles has already been
discussed in this chapter.
2. Neglect in girthing up sufficiently tight. As the tightness of the
girths diminishes according to the duration and severity of the work,
the girths should be taken up after the lady has ridden for some time.
For ordinary hacking, tightening the girths after, say, five minutes'
riding will generally be sufficient; but this operation should be
repeated, for instance at the meet, when out hunting. Knowledge of the
necessity of having the girths tight enough, to prevent the saddle
wobbling, will enable the rider to take the necessary precautions
against putting her animal on the sick list from this cause.
3. Undue weight on the near side, which is generally caused by too long
a stirrup, by the leaping head being placed too low down, and by rising
at the trot for too long a time.
4. Mismanagement of the horse after his return to the stable, which is a
subject I will allude to further on.
CLEANING A SADDLE.
The leather work of a saddle should be kept clean and soft, with the
stitches clearly defined, and not clogged up by grease or dirt. No stain
should be left on a white pocket-handkerchief or kid glove, if it be
passed over any portion of the leather. Beeswax may be used to give the
saddle a polish; but it should be sparingly applied and should be well
rubbed in, for it is apt to make the leather very sticky. Nothing but
specially prepared or good white soap (made into a thick lather) should
be employed to clean the leather work, except a little lime-juice or
lemon-juice to remove stains. The use of soft soap permanently darkens
leather. A small amount of saddle dressing may be put on once a month,
in order to keep the leather soft and pliable. The steel work should, of
course, be kept bright.
FOOTNOTES:
[46-*] The "tread" is the part of the stirrup-iron on which the sole
of the rider's boot rests.
CHAPTER IV.
BRIDLES.
Description of a Bridle--Varieties of Bits--Snaffles--Curbs--Pelhams--
Nose-bands--Reins--Martingales--Adjustment of the Bridle.
As there is no difference between the bridles used by men and those
employed by ladies, I have compiled this chapter from my husband's
_Riding and Hunting_, to which I beg to refer my readers for any further
information they may require.
DESCRIPTION OF A BRIDLE.
A bridle consists of a bit, head-stall and reins. The _bit_ is the piece
of metal which goes into the animal's mouth; the _head-stall_ or
"_head_" is the leather straps which connect the bit to the horse's
head; and the _reins_ enable the rider to use the bit.
Some persons incorrectly restrict the term "bit" in all cases to a curb.
This particular application of the word is from custom allowable in the
expression "bit and bridoon," in which the bit signifies a curb, and the
bridoon a snaffle.
[Illustration: Fig. 32.--"Head" of a Single Bridle: _a_, Crown-piece;
_b_, _b_, Cheek-pieces; _c_, Throat-latch; _d_, Front or Brow-band.]
[Illustration: Fig. 33.--Unjointed Snaffle.]
[Illustration: Fig. 34.--Chain Snaffle.]
[Illustration: Fig. 35.--Ordinary Snaffle with Cheeks.]
[Illustration: Fig. 36.--Nutcracker action of Jointed Snaffle on Horse's
Mouth.]
[Illustration: Fig. 37.--Action of Unjointed Snaffle on Horse's Mouth.]
[Illustration: Fig. 38.--Action of the Curb as a Lever.]
The _names of the different leather parts of a bridle_ (Fig. 32) are as
follows:--
The _crown piece_ (_a_) passes over the horse's poll.
The _cheek pieces_ (_b_ _b_) connect the crown-piece with the bit.
The _throat-latch_ (_c_), which is usually pronounced "throat-lash,"
passes under the animal's throat, and serves to prevent the bridle from
slipping over his head.
[Illustration: Fig. 39.--Properly constructed Curb for ordinary Hunter.
Side View.]
The _front_, _forehead-band_ or _brow-band_ (_d_) goes across the
horse's forehead, and has a loop at each end, for the crown-piece to
pass through. "Front" is the trade name for this strap.
The _head-stall_ or _head_, which is the trade term, is the name given
to all this leather work.
VARIETIES OF BITS.
Bits may be divided into snaffles, curbs and Pelhams.
SNAFFLES.
A _snaffle_ is a bit which acts on a horse's mouth by direct pressure,
and not by leverage.
[Illustration: Fig. 40.--Ward Union Curb Bridle with Half-moon Snaffle.]
A _bridoon_ is the term applied to the snaffle of a _double bridle_,
which is a bridle that has a curb and a snaffle. A double bridle is
often called a "bit and bridoon."
[Illustration: Fig. 41.--Curb Chain covered with India-rubber Tube.]
[Illustration: Fig. 42.--Chin-strap unbuckled.]
[Illustration: Fig. 43.--Chin-strap buckled.]
The best kinds of snaffles are the half-moon snaffle which has an
unjointed and slightly curved mouth-piece (Fig. 33); and the chain
snaffle (Fig. 34). The objection to the jointed snaffle (Fig. 35), which
is the kind generally used, is that it has a nut-cracker action on the
animal's mouth, instead of exerting a direct pressure, as shown
respectively in Figs. 36 and 37. A chain snaffle should always have a
Hancock's "curl bit mouth cover," which is a roll of india-rubber that
curls round the mouth-piece, and prevents it hurting the mouth. In the
absence of this india-rubber arrangement, we may cover the mouth-piece
with two or three turns of wash-leather, which can be kept in its place
by sewing.
[Illustration: Fig. 44.--Curb reversed by horse throwing up his head, in
the absence of a chin strap.]
In all cases a snaffle should be thick and smooth, so that it may not
hurt the horse's mouth.
CURBS.
A curb is a bit which acts as a lever, by means of the curb-chain that
passes under the animal's lower jaw (Fig. 38). Fig. 39 shows a properly
constructed curb for a horse with an ordinary sized mouth. The best curb
which is in general use is the Ward Union (Fig. 40). The curb-chain
should have broad and thick links, so that it may not hurt the lower
jaw. This precaution can be supplemented by a leather guard or by
passing the curb-chain through a rubber tube (Fig. 41). A chin-strap
(Figs. 42 and 43) is necessary to keep the curb in its place (Fig. 44).
PELHAMS.
A Pelham is a bit which can act either as a curb or a snaffle, according
to the reins which are taken up. Unless a lady thoroughly understands
the handling of the reins, she should not use a Pelham, because her
tendency when riding will be to feel both reins, in which case the
snaffle reins will pull the mouth-piece high up in the mouth, which, as
we shall see further on, is the wrong position for the action of the
curb. Hence, only one pair of reins (either those of the snaffle or
those of the curb) should be brought into play when using a Pelham.
NOSE-BANDS.
The use of a nose-band is to keep the horse's mouth shut, in the event
of his holding his jaws wide apart, so as to resist the action of the
bit. To be effective, it should be fixed low down. The cavasson
nose-band (Fig. 45) is neat and serviceable.
[Illustration: Fig. 45.--Cavasson Nose-band.]
REINS.
Reins should be fairly broad (say, 7/8 inch) and moderately thin, so
that they may be handled with efficiency and ease. With a double bridle,
the curb reins are sometimes made a little narrower than the snaffle
reins, which is an arrangement I like, because it greatly helps the
rider to distinguish one pair of reins from the other. With the same
object, I like the snaffle reins to be connected by a buckle, and the
curb reins by sewing.
[Illustration: Fig 46.--Standing Martingale attached to rings of the
Snaffle.]
[Illustration: Fig. 47.--Lord Lonsdale's registered Running Martingale.]
MARTINGALES.
The only kinds of martingales which we need consider are the _standing
martingale_ which is buckled on to the rings of the snaffle (Fig. 46)
and the _running martingale_ (Fig. 47). Following in the footsteps of
that high priest of Irish horsemanship, Mr. John Hubert Moore, I pin my
faith to the standing martingale, as it has enabled me on many occasions
to ride, in peace and quietness, horses which without it would have been
most dangerous "handfuls." Its great virtue, when properly put on, is to
prevent the animal getting his head too high. If he be allowed to do
this and is unruly, whether from vice or impetuosity, our power over him
will more or less vanish, and besides he will not be able to accurately
see where he is going, in which case we will be lucky if we escape
without an accident. The famous steeplechase horse, Scots Grey, would
never win a race without one of these martingales to keep his head in
proper position. When lengthened out to its maximum effective length
(Fig. 48), it cannot possibly impede the horse in any of his paces or in
jumping. It is, of course, well to accustom a horse to its use before
riding him in it over a country. It at least doubles one's power over a
puller, and is invaluable for controlling and guiding a "green" animal.
[Illustration: Fig. 48.--Maximum length of Standing Martingale.]
It is a common idea that the chief use of a running martingale is to
prevent a horse raising his head too high. We find, however, that when
our best flat race and steeplechase jockeys and other good horsemen ride
with this martingale, they almost invariably have it so long, that it
has little or no effect in keeping the head down. When a horse is
prevented from raising his head too high by a standing martingale
attached to the rings of the snaffle, he is punished by the tension of
the martingale being transmitted to the mouth-piece of the snaffle, if
he tries to get his head in the air; but the moment he brings his head
down and bends his neck, cessation of the painful pressure will reward
him for his obedience. This automatic means of dispensing punishment and
reward is so accurate in its working, that a horse soon learns the
lesson set before him. But with a running martingale, the rider, in
order to reward the horse for bringing his head into proper position,
would have to slacken out the reins with a promptness that would be
seldom attainable, and with an entire disregard of control over the
animal. In fact, with a running martingale, adjusted so as to prevent
the horse from getting his head too high, the reins would have to
perform the dual office of keeping down the head, and of regulating the
speed, which duties could seldom be successfully combined. With a
standing martingale, however, the rider can safely relinquish the
adjustment of the height of the animal's head to the martingale, and
consequently he is not forced to check the horse's speed, when he wants
to get his head down. Some good horsemen, on finding that the running
martingale did not perform its supposed office efficiently, have
discarded it altogether, and thenceforth have trusted to their hands to
act as their martingale. In this they were right not to use a running
martingale to keep a horse's head down; but they were wrong in thinking
that keeping the head down was the only, or even the principal, use of
this article of gear. If we closely examine its action, we shall find
that the great value of this martingale is to aid the rider in turning a
horse by keeping his neck straight, when cantering or galloping, which
object is greatly facilitated by the opposite rein exerting a strong
pressure on the neck.
[Illustration: Fig. 49.--Side view of Horse's lower jaw.]
In regulating the length of the running martingale, we should carefully
guard against making it so short that it would interfere with the
horse's mouth, when he is not carrying his head unnaturally high; for
such interference could have no good result, and would probably impede
the animal's movements. Although it is impossible to determine with
mathematical accuracy the exact length of this martingale, we find in
practice that it should not be shorter than a length which will allow
it, when drawn up, to reach as high as the top of the withers.
Lengthening it out another three or four inches will generally be an
improvement. The use of a running martingale shorter than the minimum I
have just laid down, more or less irritates the horse; because, even
when he holds his head in correct position, he cannot escape from its
disagreeable pressure. The employment of a short running martingale for
'cross country work is a very dangerous proceeding; for if the rider
does not leave the reins loose when jumping, the horse will be almost
certain to hurt his mouth, and consequently he will be afraid to face
his bit, or will become unmanageable from pain, either eventuality being
highly dangerous to horse and rider.
[Illustration: Fig. 50.--Angle made by the Cheeks of a Curb, when the
Reins are taken up.]
ADJUSTMENT OF THE BRIDLE.
The bit is placed in the horse's mouth, because there is a vacant space
(of about four inches in length) on the gums of his lower jaw, between
his back teeth and tushes (canine teeth or eye teeth), as we may see in
Fig. 49. A mare has no tushes, or possesses them in only a rudimentary
form. The tushes of a horse begin to appear through his gums when he is
about 4 years old. If horses had not this convenient gap (interdental
space) in their rows of teeth, we would probably have to guide and
control them by means of reins attached to a nose-band, which is a
method practised by many American cow-boys when breaking in young
horses. Owing to the fact that their nose-band (hackamore) does not hurt
the animal's mouth, and that it gives all the necessary indications,
excellent results, I believe, are obtained with it.
[Illustration: Fig. 51.--View of under-surface of Lower Jaw.]
As the pressure of the bit should be an indication of the wishes of the
rider and not a means of inflicting pain, the bit should rest on the
least sensitive portion of the interdental space, namely, on the part
just above the tushes; because there the jaw-bone is broader than higher
up, and is consequently better able to bear pressure. Hence, with a
double bridle, the mouth-piece of the curb should be just clear of the
tushes of the horse or gelding (Fig. 49), and about one inch above the
corner front teeth of the mare; in fact, as low as possible without
making the curb-chain liable to slip over the animal's chin. The fact
of the mouth-piece of the curb being in this position has the further
advantage, that it prevents the curb-chain from working up on the sharp
edges of the lower surface of the jaw. The curb-chain in Fig. 50 rests
in what is called the "chin-groove," which is the depression that covers
the bone immediately below the point at which the lower jaw divides into
two branches (Fig. 51). The edges of these branches are sharp, but that
portion of the bone which is between their point of separation and the
front teeth, is smooth and rounded.
The snaffle, whether by itself or in conjunction with a curb, should be
placed sufficiently low, so as not to wrinkle the corners of the mouth.
The tightness of the curb-chain should in no case exceed that which will
allow the cheeks of the curb the amount of "play" shown in Fig. 50. With
a light mouthed horse, the curb-chain might be let out another hole or
two.
The throat-latch should be loose, so that it may not exert any pressure
on the animal's wind-pipe.
CHAPTER V.
RIDING DRESS.
Habits and Safety Skirts--Breeches--Underclothing--Hats--Boots--Gloves--
Riding Under-Bodice, Hunting Ties, Collars, Cuffs, and Ties.
HABITS AND SAFETY SKIRTS.
The choice of the material for a riding habit is naturally limited to
the price which the purchaser intends to pay for the garment. I would,
however, strongly counsel the selection of the best possible cloth, as
only from it can a really successful habit be constructed. Tailors who
make a habit for five guineas, doubtless give the best value they can
for that sum; but when we consider that a good Melton cloth costs about
a guinea a yard, we can understand that it is impossible to get material
of that class in a cheap garment. All good habit makers will
admit--though in most cases very reluctantly--that Melton is by far the
best material for riding habits which are intended for hard wear, as in
hunting; but it possesses, in their eyes, the very grave fault of
longevity, for a good Melton habit lasts for several years. Rough-faced
cloths, such as cheviot, frieze, and serge, retain moisture like a
blanket, and shrink after exposure to much rain; but Melton, which is of
a hard and unyielding texture, and has a smooth surface, is almost
impervious to wet. The virtues of this material are much appreciated by
experienced hunting women for hard wear. There is "a something" about
the hang of a perfectly-fitting Melton habit which no other material
seems to possess; and whatever the elements may be doing, it never
appears out of place. On the other hand, if it is badly cut, it exposes
the shortcomings of its maker in the most ungenerous manner, and is so
obstinate that all the altering in the world will not make it forgive
the insult to its cloth. A Melton habit, therefore, requires to be cut
by one who is an artist at his trade. Another advantage possessed by
this cloth is that it is far easier to clean than any rough-faced
material. An experienced saddler has drawn my attention to the fact that
the dye from skirts made of cheap shoddy material, is apt to come off
and seriously injure the leather of the saddle.
The colour of a habit is a matter of taste on which I can offer no
advice, except that a lady who requires to wear her habit until it
exhibits signs of old age, would do well to select an inconspicuous
tint. I have always found dark blue the most serviceable shade, because
it does not fade, even in tropical climates, nor does it, like black,
turn green and rusty-looking before it is worn out. Besides, it admits
of a new skirt or new coat, as the case may be, without emphasising the
disparity in age of its companion so much as is the case with lighter
shades, such as grey for instance. Some years ago, various shades of
green, brown, and claret colour were worn, but they seem to have been
superseded by dark grey and dark blue, at least in the Shires, though
since the death of our lamented Queen Victoria, black has been greatly
used.
[Illustration: Fig. 52.--The Hayes' Safety Skirt open for mounting.]
In selecting a Melton habit, a heavy make called treble Melton should
be chosen for the skirt, and a lighter one of the same material, which
all good habit makers keep in stock, for the coat; because, in order to
hang well, a skirt must be of heavy cloth, which would, of course, be
too hard and unyielding for a riding coat. We require a "kind," pliable
cloth for our coats, to allow us absolute ease and freedom of movement,
but our skirts, even for wear in the tropics, should be of a thick,
heavy make. When I went out to India in 1885, safety skirts were
unknown, or, at least they were not constructed by Creed, of Conduit
Street, who made my habits, and who was in those days regarded as the
best habit maker in London. He told me that my thick Melton skirt would
be of no use to me in that hot country, and recommended a habit of
khaki-coloured drill, for which I paid sixteen guineas, as he would not
make any kind of riding habit for less than that sum. I soon found that
my investment was a failure, for the skirt flapped about like a sheet in
the wind, and the marks of perspiration on my coat looked most
unsightly, so I handed over my drill habit to my _ayah_, a gift which I
know she did not appreciate at anything approaching its cost. I found
myself more comfortably garbed in my Melton skirt, for heat in riding is
not felt to any appreciable extent below the waist, and I provided
myself with jackets of white drill, on which marks of perspiration are
not so unsightly as on a coloured material.
[Illustration: Fig. 53.--Off side of The Hayes' Safety Skirt.]
As safety in the saddle is the first consideration, and as no article of
riding dress has proved such a death-trap as the skirt, no lady should
ride in one of the old-fashioned, dangerous pattern. I am thankful to
say I was never dragged in any of those ancient garments, but I was
fully aware of this danger, and devised, as I explained in the first
edition of this book, a means of lessening it by buttoning "the under
and outer part" of the skirt just above the knee to the breeches, by
means of large flat cloth buttons, the same colour as the skirt, being
sewn on the breeches, and corresponding button-holes being made in the
skirt. The idea was a practical one, but I was by no means satisfied
with it, and I began to evolve a safety skirt of my own. While I was
experimenting with a pair of scissors on an old skirt in which a groom
was seated on a side-saddle, a habit maker sent me and asked me to wear
and recommend what he called a "perfectly-fitting skirt." This awful
thing had glove-like fingers, which were made to fit the upper crutch
and the leaping head! I hope no lady ever risked her neck in such a
death-trap as that. In puzzling out my safety skirt, I desired to attain
two objects, namely, absolute safety in the saddle, and a decent
covering for my limbs when out of it, so that I might be able to
dismount and walk exposed to the gaze of men at any time or place,
without my dress, or rather want of it, being made the subject of
remark. I had a nice quiet horse, who allowed me to thoroughly test my
invention by falling off his back in every conceivable direction, my
husband being present to prevent my voluntary fall from degenerating
into a "cropper." Mr. Tautz, the well-known breeches maker of Oxford
Street, witnessed these acrobatic feats, and after we had all been
perfectly convinced of the absolute safety of the garment, he took it on
a royalty. My skirt has now been on the market for several years, and I
am glad to have this opportunity of thanking the numerous ladies who
have shewn their appreciation of it. Fig. 52 gives the appearance of the
"Hayes' Safety Skirt," when its wearer is ready to mount, Fig. 53 shows
the off side when in the saddle, in Fig. 54 we see the side opening,
from which the cloth near the crutches is cut entirely away, closed for
walking, and Fig. 6 shows the hang of the skirt when the wearer is
mounted. Since this skirt was invented, I have had several opportunities
of further testing its merits, especially when riding young horses which
have fallen with me in Leicestershire, and I would not care to ride in
any other kind. There are several safety skirts, but it is obvious that
the best kind is one that is safe to ride in, presentable when
dismounted, and easily arranged, which conditions are thoroughly
fulfilled by my patent. There are riding women who object so much to the
indecency of apron skirts (Figs. 55 and 56) that they adopt the
dangerous closed pattern. My skirt would commend itself to those of my
sex who are sufficiently old-fashioned in their ideas to desire a safe
and, at the same time, decent and graceful covering. Some ladies
consider it "smart" to expose their limbs, if we may judge from the free
exhibitions to be seen in the hunting field, while others, who are aware
of the unbecoming effect, have their breeches made extra baggy behind!
[Illustration: Fig. 54.--The Hayes' Safety Skirt closed for walking.]
The apron skirt is an extremely cold, comfortless garment for winter
wear, because it is merely a left-side covering for the limbs, while the
right side being entirely unclothed, the lines and rotundity of the
figure are, when the wearer rises in trotting, displayed to the
wondering gaze of those who ride behind her. As, in the apron skirt,
there is no covering of Melton cloth to sit on and take off some of the
wear and tear of the breeches, these garments become quickly worn out at
the seat, and necessitate a double thickness of cloth at that part.
There is another kind of safety skirt which is a combination of breeches
and skirt in one; but I consider this a very unsanitary arrangement, for
it is obvious that the undergarment must be kept clean, and handed over
when necessary to the laundress to be carefully washed, before sending
it to a tailor to be pressed and repaired as may be required. It is part
of a groom's duty in small households to attend to the cleaning of his
mistress's hunting boots and skirt, but a combination garment should not
be cleaned by a male servant.
[Illustration: Fig. 55.--Apron skirt open for mounting.]
Any skirt which ensures safety in the saddle is preferable to the
old-fashioned shape, with its dangerous bundle of cloth over the
crutches, a fact which is so well understood by hunting women that none
who hunt in Leicestershire, or I hope in any other place, appear in
those early Victorian atrocities. Provision of this kind does not appear
to be insisted on for the safety of young ladies; for I saw a girl
dragged in Leicestershire, and Lord Lonsdale, who fortunately stopped
her horse, sent her home, and told her not to hunt with his hounds until
she had provided herself with a safety skirt. The young and
inexperienced, who, with the fearlessness of ignorance, are prone to
rush headlong into difficulties, ought surely to be safeguarded in every
possible manner. Fig. 57 shows a safe and comfortable riding dress for a
very young girl. For winter wear, the coat and leggings should be made
of Melton; and the breeches of elastic cloth or knitted wool to match.
It is well to have the coat buttoned over the right leg, so as to
protect that limb from cold and wet. For summer use, a linen coat is
worn. We may notice that the sweet little horsewoman has a good seat,
and is capable of taking sole charge of her nice pony.
The safest and most comfortable length for a riding skirt is when it
just covers the rider's left foot when she is seated in the saddle with
her stirrup at its usual length. It is best for a lady to use her own
saddle when having her habit fitted, as her stirrup will then be at the
length she rides in, and the crutches will also receive the necessary
consideration from the fitter.
Care should be taken that the skirt fits well over the right knee, when
the wearer is seated in her saddle. Creed and other good makers of the
past always padded this knee part, which gave not only a nice, rounded
appearance to the knee, especially in the case of a very thin lady, but
ensured the skirt being put on straight with a minimum of trouble.
Present day skirts have not this small round pad for the right knee to
fit into, but its omission is far from being an improvement on the old
fashion.
[Illustration: Fig. 56.--The apron skirt closed for walking.]
Whatever shape a lady may select for her riding coat, she should pay
particular attention to the fit of the sleeves, which must not in any
way hamper the movements of her arms. Before trying it on, its wearer
should procure a good pair of riding corsets, which must allow free play
to the movements of her hips, and, above all, she must not lace them
tightly. Wasp waists have luckily gone out, never, I hope, to return.
The size of a woman's waist, if she is not deformed, is in proportion to
that of the rest of her body. Therefore, a pinched waist, besides
rendering the tightly girthed-up lady uncomfortable, to say nothing of
its probable effect on the tint of her nose, deceives no one. It is
impossible to ride with ease and grace in tight stays, a fact which we
should remember when trying on a habit coat, for the fitter will follow
the shape, or mis-shape, of the corsets, and the coat will be built on
those lines. The back of the garment should be quite flat, and padding
may be needed in the case of hollow backs, as there should be no high
water line across the back defining where corset ends and back
commences. The collar should fit nicely into the neck at the back, and
not gape open from being cut too low. There should be no fulness at the
top of the sleeves, for nothing looks more unsightly than "bumpy
shoulders" on horseback. It would be well for the wearer when trying on,
to lean back and extend her arms, as she would do when giving her horse
his head over a fence, in order to find out if the sleeves are likely
to hamper the movements of the arms, as they sometimes do, from the coat
being cut too narrow across the chest. It is no use fitting on a coat
once or twice, and then leaving it to chance; for, to secure a perfect
fit, the garment will require to be tried on until there are no further
alterations to be made in it. Whatever shape may be chosen, the coat
should not be made too long, or it will flap and flop about in a most
ungraceful manner. Fig. 58 shows a loose-fitting coat which is not
smart, because it is too long, and as it rests on the horse's back, it
will wrinkle up when its wearer sits down in trotting and will look
ugly. If this coat was a good four inches shorter at the back, and
graduated off to just cover the right knee, it would be clear of the
horse's back and present a far neater and less sloppy appearance. Many
habit makers who run apron skirts of their own, insist on making riding
coats far too long, of course with the object of hiding the indecency of
the apron skirt when its wearer is on foot. Ladies who do not adopt that
kind of skirt, should not allow tailors who have had no practical
experience in side-saddle riding, to dictate what _they_ consider best,
to experienced horsewomen. I find that young habit makers who are new at
their business are far more trying in this respect, than their more
experienced elders.
[Illustration: _Photo. by_ THE REV. G. BROKE.
Fig. 57.--Riding dress for child.]
[Illustration: Fig. 58.--Loose riding coat, too long.]
We have only to look at fashion plates to see that no dress is suggested
for ladies who are inclined to be stout, for in them, only slim figures
appear to receive consideration. I would recommend the loose-fitting
coat as the most becoming for portly persons, because with a loose
garment there is no abrupt accentuation of bulk, a fact which many stout
ladies who adopt the Eton jacket style of dress, fail to recognise. On
the stage, a slim actress may look well in tights, but this skin-like
covering on a bulky figure would be ridiculously ugly. As the same lady
draped in loose flowing robes may present a graceful and dignified
appearance; those who are inclined to be portly would do well to wear
loose-fitting riding coats, being careful to see that they are made to
just reach the saddle and not flop on the back of the horse, or they
will not be smart or comfortable to ride in. In Fig. 58 I have shown how
unnecessarily bulky a woman with a 25-inch waist may be made to look in
a loose coat which is too long. Tailors do not like making these
articles of dress, especially when they are of Melton cloth, because
they are extremely difficult to manipulate, and the "hang" of such a
garment will be hideous if its cutter be not a true artist at his
business, for a loose coat is nothing if not graceful in outline. It is
impossible to tell, when seated on a wooden horse, how a loose coat will
hang when ridden in, so the finishing touches, such as pockets, &c.,
should never be made until the wearer has tried the coat on her own
horse, with a critical friend to ride with her and tell her if anything
is amiss with it. The little extra trouble this precaution may involve,
is nothing as compared with the disappointment of having to "put up"
with an ill-fitting garment. Some tailors have a Mayhew saddle on their
block horse for fitting skirts; because in that kind of saddle, the
crutches give them no trouble as regards "poking up"; but if a lady uses
a saddle with ordinary crutches, she should be wary and take her own
saddle for the fitting of her skirt. There are habit makers who
recommend tight-fitting coats for stout figures, because, they argue,
the bulk is there and must go somewhere; but a deaf ear should be turned
to such arguments, as an ample figure should be concealed; not
accentuated. Naturally these gentlemen are prejudiced against loose
coats, for apart from the difficulty in making them, they cut into a
much larger amount of valuable cloth than tight-fitting ones. Tailors
will readily admit that this shaped coat is the best for young girls,
because tight-fitting ones would give them too much of a "grown-up
appearance," but not for the stout girl, who has far more need to
conceal her "grown-up appearance"!
[Illustration: Fig. 59.--Front view of good riding coat.]
Twenty years ago tailors were much more particular over their work than
they appear to be at the present time. Creed always insisted on a lady
bringing her own saddle, before he would fit a habit, and, if the
garment did not please him, it would be discarded and another cut out
ready for her when she next came to be fitted. This generous method of
dealing was amply repaid; because it soon became known that the old man
would not allow an imperfect garment to leave his shop.
For hunting, it is best to have a coat which will afford us protection
from cold and wet, and therefore its fronts should be made to cover the
right knee, the buttons being concealed under the "skirt" of the coat.
This shape is in every way good, because there are no floppy fronts to
trouble us by blowing back on windy days, and when the rain drips from
the hat, the coat-covering helps to keep our right knee dry. In the
old-fashioned habits, great care was taken that nothing could become
displaced, to spoil the effect, as an old lady friend puts it, of "the
beautiful gliding motion of a ship in full sail." I fear now-a-days we
allow our sails to flop about far too much, and destroy that "beautiful
gliding motion." What could be more ugly than a coat with tails which
reach nearly to a horse's hocks, and no front covering whatever to
protect the knee in bad weather? Wind, which is no respecter of persons,
seizes these long tails and hurls them over the back of the rider's
head, as she stands in a wild blast at the covert side looking very
"tailly" and cold. Besides covering the right knee, the coat should have
a collar that will turn up and fasten at the throat with a button and
strap, to keep out wet, and cuffs that will turn down over the hands.
[Illustration: Fig. 60.--Back view of good riding coat.]
Clad in a sensible garment of this kind, which should be smart and
well-fitting, we can defy the elements without running any undue risks.
Fig. 59 shows a coat which is made to cover the right knee. Fig. 60
gives the back view, and is a useful length. Fashion, whoever he or she
may be, invents more or less fearful and wonderful coats, which appear
every season in the hunting field; but these curiosities "go out"
suddenly, and the end of the season generally sees us all garbed in the
old motley; for the newcomers have been tried and found wanting.
The best way to clean a mud-stained habit is to dry it thoroughly and
brush the mud off. Any white marks of perspiration from the horse which
may remain after a skirt has been thoroughly brushed and beaten, may be
removed by benzine collas, or cloudy ammonia diluted with water, or they
may be sponged with soft soap and water, care being taken to remove all
the soap from the cloth.
For riding during the hot weather in India and other tropical countries,
a very useful garment is a Norfolk jacket in cream stockinet, which can
be purchased ready-made. It fits the figure closely, and has three
pleats in front and behind, which are sewn to the garment, the buttons
being concealed under the front pleat (Fig. 61). The best kind of belt,
I think, for wearing with this jacket is one made like a girth, of
ordinary cream girth webbing, as it is easy to wash when soiled. Jackets
in white drill, which may be worn open with soft-fronted shirts (Fig.
62), are also to be commended, as they wash well and always look clean
and cool. Some ladies dispense with a jacket, and ride with a shirt and
belt; but that style is not generally becoming, and is suggestive of
forgetfulness in dressing. In Ceylon I obtained very smart checked
flannel for riding jackets. In China and Japan a fine crepe flannel,
which does not shrink in washing, may be had for this purpose, but I
have been unable to procure it in other countries.
[Illustration: Fig. 61.--Terai hat and Norfolk jacket.]
[Illustration: Fig. 62.--Pith hat and drill jacket.]
A lady who intends to hunt will find a driving coat necessary when
travelling by rail, or driving to and from a hunt. Fig. 63 shows a
comfortable coat in Melton cloth, with "storm" collar and cuffs of
astrakan. A good driving coat is a costly garment, but it can be
utilised as a winter or travelling coat. The collar of the subject of
this illustration was made specially high for use in Russia, where,
during winter, the cold is so intense that I often found my
pocket-handkerchief frozen hard in my pocket, although this thick Melton
coat was wadded throughout. The Hayes' Safety skirt worn under this coat
is looped up from the right knee button to a tab of elastic attached to
the waist of the skirt, which obviates the necessity of holding up the
skirt.
[Illustration: Fig. 63.--Good driving coat.]
BREECHES.
I shall not say anything about trousers, because I do not think they are
worn by riding women of the present time, and also for the very good
reason that I have never worn them. I think they would be uncomfortable
to use for hunting, for, unlike breeches, they do not fit the knees
closely. Trousers went out of fashion about thirty years ago, before
safety skirts came into general use. It used to be extremely difficult
for ladies to get a properly-fitting pair of riding breeches, as no
correct measurement for them was taken, and it was not pleasant to be
obliged to interview male fitters respecting the cut of these garments.
Messrs. Tautz and Sons, of Oxford Street, solved the difficulty by
providing us with a competent female fitter, who takes careful
measurements for breeches, and rectifies any faults there may be in
their fit. The best kind of material for breeches is elastic cloth,
which is specially made for that purpose. It is both strong and porous,
and can be obtained in any shade to match the riding-habit, which, of
course, is necessary. The breeches should be fitted while the wearer is
seated on a wooden horse, and special attention should be devoted to
their cut at the knees; for if the cloth at the right knee does not lie
flat and fit that part like a glove, the wearer will suffer discomfort
from being "rubbed" by the friction of the superfluous material.
Following the senseless custom adopted by men, many of whom hate it
themselves, we have our breeches to button on the shin bone. I would
recommend ladies who experience discomfort, from the combined pressure
of boot and breeches buttoned on the shin bone, either to revert to the
old style of buttoning the breeches a little to the outside of the leg,
or to have their riding boots made shorter, see page 117. Besides, there
is no necessity for us to ape men's fashions in either boots or
breeches, because these garments are not seen, and we require them to be
thoroughly comfortable. For hunting and winter use I like what are
called "continuations" fixed to breeches, as these gaiter-like pieces of
cloth cover the leg to a certain distance below the swell of the calf,
and keep it warm, besides preventing the knee of the breeches from
working round, which men obviate by using garter-straps. Leather
breeches for ladies' use are too unsanitary to merit consideration.
For use in the tropics, a lady would require breeches of a very thin
make of elastic cloth, and, if continuations were liked, it would be
best to have them made detachable, as they could not be worn with
comfort during the hot weather.
UNDERCLOTHING.
Ladies who hunt should always carefully protect themselves against chill
by the adoption of warm underclothing, for they are frequently exposed
for hours to bitter cold, wind, snow, sleet, hail and fog, and if one is
thinly clad, and, as often happens, there is a long wait at a covert
side, a dangerous chill may be contracted. An under-vest of "natural"
wool should be worn next the skin, and a pair of woollen
combinations--which button close to the throat, and are provided with
long sleeves, will be found very comfortable and warm. Combinations are
better for riding use at any time than ordinary underclothing, as there
is no superfluous material in them to become displaced and cause
discomfort. They can be had in very thin material for use in the tropics
and for summer wear. Warm woollen stockings are to be recommended for
hunting, and especially for ladies who suffer from cold feet. Those who
find woollen garments irritating to the skin may remove the difficulty
by wearing them over thin silk. Any trouble in keeping the stockings in
place can be best overcome by the use of plain sewn elastic garters,
which have no buckles or straps, being placed below the knees, and the
upper part of the stockings turned back over them and pulled down the
leg as far as they will go, so that each stocking may lie perfectly flat
on the leg. The elastic bands should be of the usual garter width, and
should be sufficiently roomy not to hurt the legs. As I found chamois
leather, with which breeches are usually lined, unsatisfactory, I
invented a comfortable substitute for it in the form of a removable pad,
which has met with the approval of several hunting women. I would be
happy to give privately any particulars concerning this invention to
ladies who may be interested in it.
HATS.
The tall silk hat has, during recent years, been largely superseded by
the more comfortable if less elegant-looking bowler. On hunt full-dress
occasions, such as a Quorn Friday, the ladies of the hunt generally
wear tall hats, but I notice that bowlers have as a rule been worn
during the rest of the week. The high hat is said to be the more
becoming of the two, but it takes a lot of trouble to keep in order, and
a bowler is more comfortable and useful for rough work. A lady who is
wearing a tall hat for the first time, should not forget to lower her
head well in passing under trees, as this kind of head-gear requires
more head room than a bowler. The best arrangement for keeping a riding
hat firmly fixed on the head is to have a small piece of velvet sewn
inside the front, so that it comes on the forehead, and to have for the
back, a piece of elastic an inch wide sewn to the hat, well to the
front. Care should be taken that the elastic is not too tight, in which
case it might cause a nasty headache, as well as a ridge on the forehead
from the pressure of the hat. In selecting a bowler, a lady should be
careful to choose a becoming shape, as these hats vary greatly in form.
To my mind, the kind most generally becoming has a low crown and rather
broad brim. High-crowned hats with closely turned-up brim are trying to
most faces.
Although it is not usual for hunting women in the Shires to wear
hat-guards, I would strongly recommend their adoption, because, however
well a hat may be secured by elastic, an overhanging branch at a fence
may knock it off, and it is as well to be able to recover it without
assistance. When hunting this season, I lost my hat at a fence, and my
long-suffering husband had to give up a good place in a run to go back
and fetch it, whereas, if I had had a hat-guard, this tiresome
occurrence would have been prevented. It is best to attach the cord of
the hat-guard to a button-hole of the habit-jacket, for then, if the hat
comes off, the cord can be more easily caught than if it is fastened
inside the back of the collar of the coat. On windy days the advantage
of a hat-cord is obvious. Ladies who object to its use may say that
overhanging branches should be avoided, but when hounds are running, and
one is mounted on a tall horse, it is impossible to always steer clear
of stray twigs, and therefore men find a hat-guard very useful.
For tropical climates the pith hat or _sola topee_ (Fig. 62) is best for
the hot weather. Helmets, besides being apt to give one a headache on
account of their weight, do not afford sufficient protection to the
rider's temples from the sun. The double Terai hat of grey felt (Fig.
61) is becoming, but it is very heavy. Pith is lightest and most
suitable for wear during intense heat. In the cool weather a bowler or
straw sailor may be worn; but even in the cold season ladies should
avoid wearing a small hat when the sun is above the horizon, for its
rays are treacherous. I have had many a splitting headache from
disregard of this precaution.
In trying on a riding hat, the hair should be dressed low down, as it
will be worn when riding, in order to obtain a comfortable fit; for the
hat must fit the head and not be perched on the top of it, or it will
not "remain" if the horse goes out of a walk. The old arrangement of
dressing the hair in a coil of plaits at the nape of the neck has quite
gone out, but it was a far neater one for riding than the "tea-pot
handle" and other curious knobs and buns of the present time. The
pulled-out style, in bad imitation of Japanese hair dressing, gives a
dirty and untidy appearance, and looks perfectly hideous on horseback,
and especially when the place where the back hair ought to be, is
adorned with a round brooch! If ladies who adopt this bad style could
only see how much it vulgarises an otherwise nice appearance, they would
at once abjure it. A neat way to arrange the hair for hunting is to coil
it firmly round the head, and fasten it with plenty of hairpins--those
bent in the centre and with ball points are, I think, the most
reliable--and to pin over the hair an "invisible" silken net the same
colour as the hair, which will keep it tidy.
BOOTS.
I wish to lay particular stress on the necessity of riding boots having
thin pliable soles, and being easy over the instep; because I once saw a
lady dragged by her stirrup and only saved from death by her boot coming
off and thus releasing her. I do not think that sufficient attention is
paid either by ladies or bootmakers to the fact that a loose riding boot
may be the means of saving its wearer's life: I never devoted much
thought to the subject before witnessing this accident. The use of tight
boots in winter has the great disadvantage of keeping the feet very
cold, even when warm stockings are worn. Saddlers have invented safety
bars and stirrups, habit makers have provided safety skirts, but
bootmakers have not yet thought out a hunting boot which would release
the foot in the event of a safety bar failing to act, or of a safety or
other stirrup being crushed in a fall. A thin pliable sole and plenty of
room over the instep to allow of the left foot being easily pulled
through the boot, would greatly minimise the danger in question. We
seldom hear of a jockey being dragged, although flat races are ridden in
saddles that have no releasing bars, and even steeplechases are often
ridden in these saddles, when a rider has a difficulty in getting down
to the weight; but all jockeys wear boots which have thin, and,
consequently, very pliable soles. Fashion dictates that ladies'
top-boots should be as high as those worn by men, which is very absurd;
because they are not seen, and the hard, unyielding leather of a high
top-boot pressing either on the breeches buttons, or on the under part
of the right leg is apt to cause great pain and discomfort. Then, again,
when a Champion and Wilton saddle with safety bar flap is used, the top
of the left boot is liable to catch in the flap when its wearer is
rising at the trot and is thus apt to release the stirrup leather. Fig.
64 shows the top of the boot in position to raise the safety bar flap in
the manner mentioned. I have obviated these inconveniences and have
ridden in comfort by wearing boots made two inches shorter than the
regulation height, and by wearing breeches with "continuations," no
stockings are exposed to view, even when one gets a fall. With boots of
this length there is no possibility of the left leg being hurt by
pressure of boot and breeches buttons on the shin bone. Fashionable
bootmakers who build boots for ladies on the pattern of those worn by
men, seem to be unaware of the fact that a woman's grip in a side-saddle
is entirely different from that of a man in a cross-saddle, and many
ladies suffer unnecessary discomfort by meekly accepting what they are
told is "the proper thing." Our friend Mr. James Fillis, in his
interesting work, _Breaking and Riding_, says that for ladies' wear he
prefers "ordinary boots to long boots, which are too hard, and are
consequently apt to cut the wearer under the knee, and to prevent her
feeling the horse with her leg;" but as ordinary boots would not be
considered sufficiently smart for hunting, or even hacking in the Row,
the compromise I advocate will be found to answer all requirements. In
ordering a pair of riding boots we should go to a good maker and have
them of patent leather, which is smarter and cleaner than blacking
leather. For wear in tropical countries, I found that boots which have
the foot part of patent leather and the leg of morocco, with a thin
leather lining to stiffen and keep the leg part in place, are cooler and
more comfortable than any other kind. A pair of boot-hooks will be
required for putting them on, and a boot-jack for taking them off. A
little Lucca oil used occasionally prevents patent leather from
cracking. The dry mud should be brushed off soiled boots with a soft
brush that will not scratch the leather, and they should then be sponged
over with a damp sponge and polished with a selvyt or chamois leather.
Patent leather, which has lost its brightness from wear, can be polished
with Harris's Harness Polish or any similar preparation which does not
cake on the leather or injure it in any way. We should remember that
boots will last much longer and retain their shape to the end if they
are always kept, when not in use, on trees. It is best to wear new
riding boots in the house before they are ridden in, so as to make them
pliable to the "tread" in walking, and to work off their stiff and
uncomfortable feeling.
[Illustration: Fig. 64.--Top of boot catching on safety bar flap.]
GLOVES.
Antelope-skin or dog-skin gloves are, I think, the best for hunting. I
prefer the former, as they are very soft and pliable. Whatever kind of
gloves are chosen, care should be taken to have them sufficiently large
to allow perfect freedom to the hands; for tight gloves make the hands
cold, and greatly impede their action in the management of the reins. In
selecting gloves, a careful measurement of the fingers should be taken,
so that they may not be too short. Although gloves of the best quality
are somewhat expensive, they are well cut, they wear better and are
altogether more satisfactory than cheap imitations. On very cold days, I
prefer white woollen gloves to any other kind. In wet weather they are
indispensable, for a better grip of slippery reins can be got with them
than with leather ones. I agree with Jorrocks that "Berlin gloves are
capital for 'unting in, they keep your 'ands warm, and do to rub your
nose upon in cold weather," though I have not tried their effect in this
respect! During a winter which I spent in Russia, I derived the
greatest comfort from the use of woollen gloves, which I found far
warmer than any other kind. For the tropics, kid or suede gloves may be
worn in the cold weather, but in the hot months I found white cotton the
most comfortable kind, as they are cool, thin and soft, and wash and
wear better than silk, which the reins quickly destroy. Perspiration
from the hands will show through leather gloves, which, on drying, will
become as stiff as a board. It should be remembered that rings worn when
riding, especially those containing stones, hamper the action of the
fingers, and are very destructive to gloves.
[Illustration: Fig. 65.--Front view of riding under-bodice.]
RIDING UNDER-BODICE, HUNTING-TIES, COLLARS, CUFFS AND TIES.
A garment which I have thought out, and which I believe will fill a
want, is a riding under-bodice with long sleeves and wristbands, to
which cuffs can be attached, and also a stud at the throat for the
attachment of a hunting-tie or collar. This bodice is in stockinet, and
fits closely, without, as in the case of ordinary shirts, any
superfluous material marring the outline of the figure (Figs. 65 and
66). Ladies generally have so much difficulty in fastening cuffs, that
they will doubtless welcome a close-fitting garment of this description,
and it will do away with the tiresome habit-shirts and dickeys which
have an irritating trick of following one's neck about, instead of
remaining in a fixed position. Besides, collars which cannot be kept
firmly in place generally necessitate the use of pins, which should
never be employed with any article of riding attire.
[Illustration: Fig. 66.--Back view of riding under-bodice.]
A hunting-tie or stock, which is a combination of collar and tie, the
collar part being either starched or soft, according to choice, is the
warmest and most becoming kind of neck arrangement for hunting. It is
not easy to put on neatly, and it would be well for a novice when
purchasing these ties to get the shopman to initiate her into their
mysteries, and to take one home correctly tied, to be kept as a copy
until its somewhat intricate manipulation has been mastered. My
husband's directions for the arrangement of a hunting-tie are as
follows:--"The centre of the stock is placed on the front of the neck,
the ends are passed in opposite directions round the back of the neck,
brought in front, tied in a reef knot, crossed in front of this knot,
and finally secured, as a rule, by means of a pin or brooch of the
safety or horse-shoe or fox pattern. A gold safety pin is often used. A
brooch pin is naturally safer than an ordinary pin. Nowadays, hunting
ties are nearly always made of white cotton material" (_Riding and
Hunting_).
If a collar is preferred to a hunting-tie, it should not be too high,
for nothing is more uncomfortable in riding than a collar which compels
its wearer to preserve a stiff neck and runs into her whenever she tries
to turn her head. The best kind of cuffs are those which have button
holes for links or solitaires in the centre, as they allow room for
thick gloves to be passed under them. The necktie to be worn is a matter
of choice, but white and black ties are always becoming, the former for
preference, as they brighten up a dark habit. It is always well to
abjure startling colours; for the dress, saddlery and gear of a
horsewoman should be characterised by simplicity and neatness. On this
point I can offer no sounder advice than that given to Laertes by his
father, who said:
"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express'd in fancy; rich not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man;"
and also the woman.
CHAPTER VI.
MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING.
MOUNTING.
Supposing, as is usually the case, that there is a groom to hold the
horse, and a gentleman to put the lady up; the groom, after the reins
are placed on the animal's neck just in front of the withers, should
stand in front of the horse, and should keep the animal's head up by
holding the snaffle reins, one in each hand, close to the rings. If a
double bridle be employed, as is usually the case, he should on no
account hold the bit reins, lest an accident may happen from the curb
hurting the horse's mouth. If there be no snaffle, the cheek-pieces of
the headstall of the curb or Pelham should be held. With a strange or
uncertain tempered animal, it is best for the lady to approach him from
his "left front," and she will do well to speak kindly to him and pat
him on the neck, for these two forms of conciliation are greatly
appreciated by horses. Having arrived alongside her mount, she should
stand just behind his near foreleg, close to, but not touching him, and
facing to the front, with her shoulders at right angles to his side.
She now places her right hand, with the whip in it, on the upper crutch,
and raises her left foot about twelve inches from the ground, while
keeping the leg, from knee to ankle, in a more or less vertical position
(Fig. 67). The whip should be held as in this illustration, so as to
avoid alarming the horse. The gentleman who is to put her on her horse,
places himself close to, and in front of her, bends down, and places the
palm of one hand (generally the left one) under the ball of her left
foot, while he supports that hand by putting the palm of the other hand
under it. The lady then places her left hand--with the elbow turned out
a little, so as to be able to utilise that arm in raising herself--on
his right shoulder (Fig. 68).
[Illustration: Fig. 67.--Foot raised for mounting.]
Having finished the "prepare to mount" stage, she straightens her left
knee by lightly springing upwards off the ground by means of her right
foot, and at the same time pressing on her cavalier's shoulder so as to
straighten her left arm. The moment he feels her weight on his hands, he
should raise himself into an erect position, so as to bring her on a
level with the saddle, on which she places herself by turning to the
left while she is being raised, and bearing on the upper crutch with her
right hand. It will be difficult for the gentleman to do this lift
properly, unless the lady keeps her left knee and left elbow straight
during the ascent. The gentleman's task will be greatly facilitated if
he takes advantage of the lady's spring; but even if he lets that
helpful moment pass by, he can do the lift in a satisfactory manner with
the small drawback of an extra expenditure of muscular effort. The fact
of the lady exerting a strong downward pressure on the gentleman's left
shoulder, makes the lift much easier for him than if he had to do it
entirely by his arms. It is most important for the beginner to
understand this extremely simple method of mounting, so that, if failure
results, she may know who is in fault. Her only serious error is that of
neglecting to straighten her knee. His crimes in this respect are many.
_First_, he may catch hold of the heel of her boot in the preliminary
stage, and will thus prevent her utilising the play of her left ankle
joint in her spring. Experiment will show that this trick of catching
the heel hampers a lady's movements in mounting much more than might at
first be thought possible. _Second_, from knowing no better, or from a
desire to show off his strength, he may use only one hand to lift the
lady, and will then almost always have cause to regret his superfluity
of self confidence. _Third_, he may stand too far away from her, and
thus bring her left foot too much forward, in which case it will be
almost impossible for her to straighten her left knee. _Fourth_, he may
also prevent her from doing this indispensable part of the performance,
by trying to raise her before she has put her weight on his hands.
_Fifth_, he may stand too far away from the side of the horse, in which
case he is liable to throw her over to the off side of the horse (as
happened once to me), by giving her an oblique instead of a vertical
propulsion. A minor form of this mistake is attempting to put the lady
on the saddle, instead of raising her to the height at which she can
easily take her seat. After a lady has suffered from clumsy attempts to
put her up, it is not to be wondered at if she regards the feat of
mounting as one which requires some peculiar knack to accomplish; and,
as failure in mounting is particularly ungraceful, she naturally becomes
nervous about attempting it. If she has any doubts as to her
capability to mount easily, she might make some preliminary attempts to
stand and support herself for a few seconds on a gentleman's hands, with
her left hand on his shoulder and her right hand on the upper crutch.
When she finds that she can do this successfully, she may, when her leg
is again straight, give him a signal (or take one from him) to raise her
to the necessary height, so that she may sit in the saddle. If she be
very timid, she may practise mounting indoors, with her right hand on
the top of an upright piano, and her left on a gentleman's shoulder as
before. Although it is usual for the gentleman to give the words, "One,
two!" as a signal for her to make her spring and straighten her knee
before he raises her, no such caution is necessary; for he will know, by
feeling her weight on his hands, when she is in a proper position to be
raised.
[Illustration: Fig. 68.--Ready to mount.]
Having arrived on the saddle, the lady places her right leg over the
crutch, while her attendant puts her left foot in the stirrup, adjusts
any elastic loops that may be present, and straightens her skirt, as may
be required. She then takes up the reins. It is advisable for the lady
not to touch the reins until she is securely placed in the saddle and is
ready to use them, because the act of placing her right hand on the
crutch while holding the reins in it, is liable to render the horse
unsteady, and the reins are of no use to her until she is firmly seated.
If there is only one man to help the lady to mount, he should place his
left arm through the snaffle reins, so as to prevent the animal from
getting away while putting her up.
I think all hunting men should know how to put a lady up, because
accidents in the field are constantly occurring, and some poor Diana who
has had a tumble is always grateful to any good Samaritan who renders
her this small service. A well-meaning sportsman who kindly offered me
his help on such an occasion, knew so little about the mysteries of
side-saddle riding, that he attempted to give me a "leg up," as if I
were a man!
It would be well for every school where riding is taught to be supplied
with a wooden horse, on which pupils could learn the method of getting
into the saddle, and would thus avoid becoming flurried or nervous when
mounting, especially if the horse is a stranger. Also, a dummy horse
would be an admirable subject on which to do preliminary practice in
other details of riding, such as grip, length of stirrup, leaning back
(as when going over fences), position of the hands, holding and handling
the reins, etc. In this way, beginners would learn what they had to do,
before getting on a horse.
_Mounting from the ground unaided_ depends for its success chiefly on
the respective heights of horse and rider, although a lady can be helped
considerably in this attempt by letting out the stirrup leather, which
she will have to shorten after climbing into the saddle. Unless a lady
is tall and athletic, it will be almost impossible for her to perform
this feat on a full-sized horse. This method of mounting should, as a
rule, be avoided, because, apart from its not being very graceful, it
is apt to disarrange the position of the saddle, by pulling it to the
near side, and the animal would then be liable to get a sore back,
especially if he had to go through a long day with hounds.
[Illustration: Fig. 69.--Dismounting without help.]
_Mounting from a block_, low wall, or other suitable object, may be done
without help, if the animal is "confidential" and accustomed to the
work. If a man be present, he may stand in front of the horse and hold
him in the way already described for the groom to do (page 125). If the
animal shows unwillingness to approach the mounting-block, the man
should hold the off cheek-piece of the headstall of the bridle with his
right hand, and, with the flat of his left hand, prevent the horse from
swinging his hind quarters out. When the horse is sufficiently close,
the lady should take the whip and reins in her left hand, put her left
foot in the stirrup, take the upper crutch with her left hand and the
cantle with the right, and spring lightly between both hands into the
saddle. The right leg is then put over the upper crutch and the skirt
arranged.
DISMOUNTING,
in the days of voluminous skirts, was a far more serious business than
it is now; for the "knee recess" had to be carefully freed from the
crutches of the saddle, and the skirt gathered up in the hands of the
rider, so that she might not tread on it. Riding women of to-day
generally prefer to dismount without assistance, for they are no longer
hampered with an early Victorian skirt. While a man holds the horse, the
rider releases her foot from the stirrup and loop, removes her right leg
from the crutch, and placing her right hand on it and her left hand on
the leaping head to steady herself (Fig. 69), springs lightly to the
ground. If help is required from a male attendant, it is best for him to
offer his right arm, on which the rider places her left hand (Fig. 70),
as she leaves the saddle. If there is only one man present, he should
take the snaffle reins in his left hand, before offering his right arm
to the lady. Another plan is for the lady to give her hands to the man
who assists her to dismount, but that would not be pleasant in the case
of an ordinary groom. An old-fashioned way of helping a lady to
dismount, was to put an arm round her waist and lift her from the
saddle!
[Illustration: Fig. 70.--Dismounting with help.]
CHAPTER VII.
HOW TO HOLD THE REINS.
Principles--Holding Single Reins in Both Hands--Holding Single Reins in
One Hand--Holding Double Reins in Both Hands--Holding Double Reins
in One Hand--Shortening the Reins--Military Method of Holding the
Reins--Respective Merits of One-Handed and Two-Handed Riding.
As there is but little difference between the respective ways men and
women should use their reins, I have taken the most of this chapter from
_Riding and Hunting_.
PRINCIPLES.
The following are the usual principles to be observed in holding the
reins:--
1. A secure grip of the reins should be maintained, with as little
stiffness as possible, because stiffness implies continued muscular
contraction, and consequent defective manipulation from fatigue.
2. When both hands are used, we should hold the reins so that we can
freely use our hands, either separately or together, in any required
direction.
3. When both hands are used, the manner of holding the reins by one
hand should be the same as that by the other, so that the feeling of the
hands on the reins may be the same on both sides.
4. When a horse which has an "even" mouth is going in a straight
direction, the action of one rein should be the same as that of the
other rein.
[Illustration: Fig. 71.--A rein in each hand.]
HOLDING SINGLE REINS IN BOTH HANDS.
Pass the near rein between the little finger and the ring finger of the
left hand, bring it out between the forefinger and thumb, and take up
the off rein in the same manner in the right hand (Fig. 71). The reins
thus held will be in the best position for general use, especially as
the hands can then be readily separated, if we wish to turn the horse to
one side or the other.
[Illustration: Fig. 72.--Single reins crossed in one hand.]
[Illustration: Fig. 73.--Single reins crossed in one hand.]
HOLDING SINGLE REINS IN ONE HAND.
While holding the reins as in Fig. 71, pass the off rein into the left
hand between its forefinger and thumb, and across the portion of the
near rein that is in the palm of the left hand (Fig. 72). On letting go
the off rein with the right hand, we close the fingers of the left hand,
turn the left hand inwards, and let it fall from the wrist in an easy
manner (Fig. 73). When holding the reins in one hand, we should not keep
the knuckles in a vertical position, because, by doing so, one rein will
come up higher on the horse's neck than the other rein. On the contrary,
both in one-handed and two-handed riding, the knuckles should be held
more or less horizontally, as they would be when the hand is allowed to
fall without stiffness from the wrist.
[Illustration: Fig. 74.--Double reins held separately in two hands.]
Whether the reins are held in one hand or in two, we should avoid
"rounding the wrists," not only on account of the consequent stiffness
imparted to these joints, but also because that action tends to make us
carry the elbows outwards, and thus diminishes the force which the arms
are capable of exerting on the reins.
[Illustration: Fig. 75.--Holding double reins crossed in one hand.]
HOLDING DOUBLE REINS IN BOTH HANDS.
We may hold double reins in both hands in the same way as we hold single
reins, except that the little fingers separate the reins on each
respective side (Fig. 74). The question as to which rein should be on
the outside may be decided by the amount of control which is required
to be obtained over the horse; because, by the rotation of the hand, we
can work the outward rein more effectively than the inward rein. If the
snaffle is to be the predominant bit, its reins should be on the
outside, and the curb-reins slack.
HOLDING DOUBLE REINS IN ONE HAND.
The forefinger of the left hand separates the two off reins, the little
finger divides the two near ones, and the reins are crossed in the palm
of the hand (Fig. 75), as with single reins. It is convenient to have
the reins on which we want to have the stronger pull on the outside. If
the rider wishes to use only one rein, she may hold it crossed in her
hand, and may hook up the other on the middle finger, and let it loose
(Fig. 76), or draw it up to a greater or less extent.
[Illustration: Fig. 76.--Double reins in left hand: one crossed, the
other hooked up on middle finger.]
SHORTENING THE REINS.
In shortening the reins we should alter the feeling on them as little as
possible, and should carefully keep them at the same length, so as not
to interfere with the horse's mouth. If a rein is in each hand (Fig.
71), we had best pass the off rein into the left hand (Fig. 72); close
the left hand on both reins (Fig. 73); slip the right hand forward on
the off rein till the proper length is obtained; take up both reins in
the right hand; let go the slack of the reins with the left hand; take
up the near rein with the left hand; and separate the hands.
[Illustration: Fig. 77.--Reins held in one hand in military fashion.]
If the reins are held in one hand (the left, for instance), take them up
in the right hand; slip the left hand forward on the near rein; and,
when the desired length is obtained, take up both reins with the left
hand.
MILITARY METHOD OF HOLDING THE REINS.
In almost all riding schools, ladies are taught to hold the reins in
military fashion, which enacts that they should be held in the left
hand, with the little finger dividing them, and their ends brought up
between the finger and thumb (Fig. 77). Thus, the hold on the reins is
chiefly maintained by the lateral pressure of the fingers and by the
downward pressure of the thumb on them. As the muscles which draw the
fingers laterally together, are far weaker than the muscles which cause
the hand to become clenched, it follows that this method of holding the
reins is much less secure and a good deal more tiring than the crossed
plan (Fig. 73), which has the further advantage of utilising the
friction between the opposing surfaces of leather. This method is also
unsuitable for two-handed riding, because it violates the principle laid
down on pages 136 and 137, that the manner of holding the reins by one
hand should be the same as that by the other hand (compare Figs. 71 and
78).
[Illustration: Fig. 78.--Off rein taken up by right hand from position
shown in Fig. 77.]
RESPECTIVE MERITS OF ONE-HANDED AND TWO-HANDED RIDING.
All good horsewomen, especially when out hunting, ride with both hands
on the reins, because, even with the quietest animal, the two hands may
be needed for control or guidance. Besides, an even feeling on the reins
when they are held in one hand, can be maintained only by keeping the
hand in the centre-line of the horse's body, which is naturally a more
or less irksome task for the rider. With only one hand on the reins, the
rider's available strength is reduced by nearly one-half, and the reins
have to be held much shorter than if both hands were on them. One-handed
riding is all right for military men, who have to wield a sword or
lance, and polo players, who have to use a polo-stick, but it is
ridiculous for ladies.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SEAT.
Theory of the Seat--Practical Details.
THEORY OF THE SEAT.
The best seat for all practical purposes is evidently one which affords
security and comfort to the rider and freedom from injury to the horse.
The lady should sit (not lean) forward in the saddle, so as to get a
good grip of the crutches; and should bring her seat well under her
("sit well into the saddle"), in order to bring the centre of gravity of
her body well back, as regards her base of support, and thus to increase
her stability, which will depend almost entirely on her power to resist
forward propulsion, when the horse suddenly stops or swerves to the
left. Her hold of the reins will in any case prevent her from toppling
backwards over the animal's tail, in the event of his making an
unexpected movement forward from the halt, or suddenly increasing his
speed when in motion. The faulty practice of riding the crutches,
instead of sitting down in the saddle, brings the weight forward, and
places the lady in the best possible position to fall off.
The greater difficulty which a rider has in keeping her seat when her
mount abruptly swerves to the left, than when he goes to the right, is
due to the fact that in the former case, the upper crutch is drawn away
from the right thigh; but in the latter case, it forms a more or less
effective obstacle to the forward movement of the right thigh, and thus
helps the rider to retain her seat. To explain this subject more fully,
I may point out, that if a person is standing on the foot-board of the
right side of a rapidly moving train which suddenly turns to the left,
he or she would be far more inclined to fall off, than if a similar
change of direction had been made to the right, in both of which
instances the side of the train would play the part of the upper crutch.
The fact that the lower part of the rider's right leg rests against the
horse's near shoulder, as in Fig. 79, will materially help her in
keeping her seat, in the event of an abrupt swerve to the left.
The side position of the seat, combined with the fact that the head has
to be kept more or less in the direction the horse is proceeding, causes
more weight to be placed on the near side than on the off. Although the
rider cannot entirely remove this disadvantage, she may lessen this
unequal distribution of weight, (1) by avoiding the use of too long a
stirrup leather, for the longer it is, the more inclined will she be to
bring her weight to the near side, in order to obtain the assistance of
her stirrup; (2) by sitting a little over on the off side, so as to
place her weight as much as possible on the middle line of the seat of
the saddle, namely, over the backbone of the horse; and (3), as already
pointed out (p. 34), by having the leaping head close to the upper
crutch. In order to meet the second requirement, she should rest her
weight on her right leg, which in any case will have less fatigue to
bear than the left one. Putting the weight on the right leg has the
further advantage of lessening the tendency of the right shoulder to go
forward, and of diminishing the pressure of the left foot on the
stirrup.
[Illustration: Fig. 79.--Position of rider's legs at the walk.]
The preponderance of weight on the left side of the saddle is liable to
cause undue pressure on the off side of the withers, and also, though to
a lesser extent, on the off side of the backbone, under the cantle of
the saddle, with the result that ladies' horses frequently get sore
backs at these places. As this unequal distribution of weight on the
near side varies more or less at each stride of the horse; the saddle
has a strong inclination, during movement, to keep working from one side
to the other, and consequently, in order to check this hurtful tendency,
a lady's saddle has to be girthed up much tighter than a man's saddle,
and also to be provided with a balance strap (p. 53).
The only means by which the rider can maintain her position in the
saddle are balance and grip, both of which are accomplished by muscular
action, though in different ways. What is popularly known as "grip," is
effected by continued muscular contraction, which speedily gives rise to
fatigue, and consequently can be kept up for only a comparatively short
time. The balance required for holding the body more or less erect, as
in walking, standing and sitting, is, on the contrary, preserved by the
alternate contraction and relaxation of a large number of muscles, the
work of which, being intermittent and more or less evenly distributed,
can be maintained for a long period without fatigue. It is therefore
evident that a lady should ride as much as possible by balance, and that
she should use grip only when its aid is demanded for keeping her secure
in the saddle. It is obvious that grip is the riding function of the
legs; and balance, that of the body. As grip has generally to be put in
action at a moment's notice, the legs should be kept in such a position
as to enable them to apply the necessary grip with promptness and
precision. Hence the rider should not move about in the saddle, as some
are inclined to do, in the attempt to "sit back" when going over a
fence.
While keeping the legs in a uniform position, the rider will obtain all
the _balance_ she needs, by the play of her hip joints and by that of
the joints of the body above them, and will thus be enabled to sit
erect, lean back or forward, or bring her weight to one side or the
other, as may be required.
_Grip_ from the left leg is obtained by pressure against the leaping
head, which can be effected either by certain muscles of the thigh or by
those of the ankle joint. The amount of pressure which can be obtained
by the former method is far less than by the latter, for which a short
stirrup leather is necessary. The comparative feebleness of this action
of the thigh muscles can be readily seen by the small resistance which
they can make against downward pressure, when the knee is raised with
the foot off the ground. If, however, the foot is on the ground, the
muscles which straighten the ankle joint will enable the knee to be
raised, even against strong downward pressure. It might be objected to
this mode of obtaining grip, that the powerful pressure thus exerted on
the stirrup iron, would cause a downward pull on the (near) left side,
which is, however, counterbalanced by the upward pressure of the left
leg on the leaping head, and consequently it has no displacing effect on
the saddle. It is evident that this action of the ankle joint can be
performed effectively, only when the ball of the foot rests on the
stirrup. If the foot is put "home," the ankle joint will have little or
no play. When using the leaping head, we should bear in mind that the
action of the muscles which straighten the ankle joint, should be
independent of the body. If this condition is not observed, the tendency
will be to put undue weight on the stirrup, and to bring the body
forward.
It is evident that placing weight on the stirrup, without at the same
time exerting counterbalancing pressure against the leaping head, will
not only put undue weight on the near side, but will also bring the body
forward.
[Illustration: Fig. 80.--Hooked back leg, the direction of the pressure
of which is shown by the fore finger of the left hand.]
The right leg can help in obtaining grip, either by bending the knee and
bringing the calf of the leg round the upper crutch, or by lateral
pressure of the knee against that crutch. The former method is entirely
wrong, because it cannot be fully carried out, except by bringing the
body forward,[150-*] which action is incompatible with firmness of
seat, when going over fences, or when the horse makes any abrupt and
disconcerting movement. This "hooked-back" seat also predisposes a lady
to fall over the off shoulder of an animal which suddenly swerves to
the near side; the reason being that in such a case, the upper crutch
acts as the pivot of revolution. On account of causing the weight to be
brought forward, this hooked-back style also tends to make her bump up
and down in her saddle. The lateral method, which is effected by the
inward rotation of the right thigh, is free from the foregoing
objections; and by causing the lower part of the right leg to be placed
against the horse's shoulder, it affords the rider valuable indications
of the animal's movements. Also, as the lateral pressure is as nearly as
practicable in a direction opposite to that of the pressure of the left
leg against the leaping head; it will act to the best advantage, and it
will allow the body full freedom to be drawn back by the play of the hip
joints. The pressure of the hooked-back leg is, on the contrary, nearly
at right angles to that of the left leg (Fig. 80), and consequently it
affords very little help in the attainment of grip.
The hooked-back style of riding induces fatigue by continued muscular
contraction, and is a fertile cause of ladies becoming cut under the
right knee, which fact is fully proved by the numerous devices which
have been brought out by saddlers with the view of obviating this
injury.
[Illustration: Fig. 81.--Seat at the walk.]
It is easy to prove by experiment, that when we sit in an unconstrained
position on a chair or saddle for instance, the direction of our
shoulders will be at right angles to that of our legs, or, more
correctly speaking, at right angles to a line bisecting the angle
formed by our legs. Hence, when riding, we cannot continue to sit
absolutely "square" (having our shoulders at right angles to the
direction of our mount) without keeping our body in a stiff position,
which in a short time will be productive of discomfort and fatigue.
Although the maintenance of a twisted position of the body to the right
is incompatible with ease, no discomfort will arise from looking more or
less straight to the front, because the muscles which regulate the
direction of the neck and eyes are gifted with great mobility, and their
respective periods of contraction and relaxation are comparatively
short, when we are looking to the front. Even when walking at ease, the
direction of the shoulders, which alters at every step, in no way
affects that of our line of sight; and it certainly would not do so,
when we are riding. The continued maintenance of a perfectly square seat
entails so much muscular rigidity, that it is unsuitable for
'cross-country work, or for the riding of "difficult" horses. In any
case, it causes the body to assume a twisted and therefore an unnatural
position; because the fact of the right hip joint being more advanced
than the left one, will prevent the lower and posterior part of the
trunk (the pelvis) from being parallel, as it ought to be, with the line
connecting the shoulders. To facilitate the attainment of a "square
seat," some saddlers incline the upper crutch a good deal towards the
off side, and thus curtail the space between that crutch and the near
side of the horse's shoulder and neck so much, that the rider is unable
to get her right leg into proper position, and is consequently obliged
to "hook it back." I need hardly say that such saddles do not suit good
horsewomen.
An absurd fallacy of some of the "square seat" school is that the right
thigh (from hip joint to knee) should be kept parallel to the horse's
backbone, a position which would put a great deal more weight on the
near side of the saddle than on the off, and would consequently be
liable to give the horse a sore back. On the contrary, the even
distribution of the rider's weight is an essential condition of comfort
to the animal and of security of seat to the rider, and is of
infinitely greater importance than the attainment of a conventional and
unnatural attitude.
[Illustration: Fig. 82.--Length of stirrup.]
The majority of riding-masters are such admirers of the "square seat,"
that when giving a lady her first few lessons, they will as a rule keep
constantly telling her to keep her right shoulder back, which she
cannot do without twisting and stiffening her body.
For practical requirements, as out hunting or on a long journey, the
seat should be free from all constraint and rigidity, so that it can be
maintained without undue fatigue for several hours, during which time
the rider should be able at any moment to utilise the grip of her legs
with promptness, precision and strength. A lady, with a good seat and
properly made saddle, will ride quite square enough (Fig. 81) to avoid
any lack of elegance in her appearance without having to adopt a
conventional twist.
PRACTICAL DETAILS.
The first thing for a rider to do is to place herself in a thoroughly
comfortable position on the saddle. She should sit well down in it, in
the same manner as she would sit on a chair in which she wished to lean
back, and would thus get her seat well under her, and would be able to
obtain, when required, a strong grip of the crutches. In this position
she will be able to increase her stability by bringing her shoulders
back, which she could not do with the same facility, if, instead of
leaning back, she sat back. In order to see where she is going, she
should sit more or less erect. Her left foot should be placed in the
stirrup only as far as the ball of the foot, so as to allow the ankle
joint full play. The stirrup leather should be long enough to enable the
left thigh to clear the leaping head, when the lady rises at the trot;
and short enough for it to exert full pressure against the leaping
head, by the action of the ankle joint. A correct compromise between
these two opposing conditions is obtained when the length of the leather
will just allow the flat of the hand to be easily placed between the leg
and the leaping head (Fig. 82).
[Illustration: Fig. 83.--Correct position of legs.]
The rider should obtain her grip of the leaping head just above the
point of the left knee, as shown in Fig. 83; and by rotating the right
thigh inwards, she should press the flat of that knee against the upper
crutch, as if she were trying to bring her two knees together. While
gripping in the manner described, the portion of the right leg which is
below the knee, should rest in an easy position against the horse's
near shoulder, as in Fig. 79.
[Illustration: Fig. 84.--Leaning back.]
When the beginner has learned how to sit in the saddle, she should
practise leaning back, which she can best do by gripping the crutches,
while keeping her legs in proper position (Fig. 84), and leaning her
body back until she can almost touch the horse's croup. When doing this
for the first few times, her teacher should support her, in order to
give her confidence, and the groom, if necessary, should hold the horse,
which should of course be a quiet animal. The object of this practice is
to show her that the movements of her body are entirely independent of
her grip of the crutches, and that the forward and backward motion of
her body is regulated by the action of her hip joints, and not by
altering her seat, which should remain fixed, and, as it were, glued to
the saddle, at the walk, canter, gallop and jump; the trot being the
only movement at which she should rise. Having learned the meaning of
grip and leaning back, she can take a snaffle rein in each hand, as in
Fig. 71, while keeping her hands low and well apart; she can then "feel"
the horse's mouth by drawing her hands towards her through a distance of
a few inches, and then keeping them in a fixed position.
FOOTNOTES:
[150-*] The muscles of our limbs are attached at each end to bones,
between which there are one or more joints; and they act by their
power of contraction, which enables them to become shortened to about
two-thirds of their length. The full effect of this contraction can be
obtained by a muscle only when its points of attachment are separated
to their utmost extent, and it becomes diminished in proportion as the
distance between them is shortened by the bending of the intermediate
joint or joints, up to a length equal to that of the muscle in a fully
contracted state, at which limit the muscle is out of "play." The
muscles which bend the knee are attached, at one end, to the back of
the shin bone, close to the knee; and at the other extremity, to the
end of the ischium (lower part of the pelvis), which is below the hip
joints. Consequently, the more the knee is bent and the more the upper
part of the body is drawn back by the play of the hip joints, the
nearer are the opposite points of attachment of these respective
muscles brought together, and the less power will they have to hook
back the knee. Hence the more a lady leans back, when going over a
fence for instance, the less firmly will she be able to hook her leg
round the upper crutch. Therefore, ladies who adopt this hooked-back
seat, are invariably prompted by the requirements of this position, to
bend forward, and have more or less difficulty in bringing the upper
part of the body back.
CHAPTER IX.
HANDS, VOICE, WHIP AND SPUR.
HANDS.
Nearly every writer on the subject of riding is of opinion that "good
hands" are inborn and cannot be acquired. This may be so, but the worst
of hands may be greatly improved by good teaching and practice.
Continental horsemen do not, as a rule, learn how to ride across
country, but the majority of them devote much study to the various
methods of bitting and handling horses, and, as far as hacking is
concerned, their horses are better broken and better handled than they
are in this country. I am not alluding to the question of seat, as I
think Britons, and especially our Colonial cousins, can beat them on
that point; but it is evident, as can be seen any day and in any hunting
field, that more study should be devoted to the acquirement of good
hands. A course of school riding, especially on a made "school" horse,
which is a very light-mouthed animal, would greatly lessen the
clumsiness of heavy hands; or, if such instruction were unobtainable,
good practice might be had on a young horse which had been carefully
broken by a competent horseman. No young horse will pull until he is
taught to do so by bad handling, and a lady who wishes to improve her
hands might ride a young animal, in the company of an old steady horse,
and ascertain in this way what the natural condition of a horse's mouth
really is and how easily it may be controlled. I do not think that many
ladies have heavy hands with horses--their chief fault lies in their
want of control over their mounts. Many ride with the reins so loose
that their horses get out of hand and go in an uncollected manner, and
accidents not unfrequently occur from this cause. As horses which are
not well in hand in the hunting field will, sooner or later, bring their
riders either to grief or to disgrace, this slipshod method of handling
should be avoided. Although the grip which a lady obtains in a
side-saddle should render her entirely independent of the reins as a
means of support, she is handicapped by being unable to lower her hands
to the same extent as a man. I have found that with horses which carry
their heads too high, and throw them up if the rider tries to lower
them, a standing martingale attached to the rings of the snaffle affords
considerable help in obtaining perfect control, especially with young
horses. But I would not recommend a lady to use a standing martingale
with a horse which has not previously been accustomed to it, nor indeed
at all, unless she rides chiefly on the snaffle; for although it is
perfectly safe to use the curb with a standing martingale in steadying
and collecting a horse, it would be highly dangerous to touch it when
the animal is jumping. The majority of riding men regard the standing
martingale as dangerous--and rightly, for only men with good hands can
safely use it. If any sudden snatch or jerk were made at the curb, and
the horse in throwing up his head found himself caught by the standing
martingale, a very serious accident might happen. The standing
martingale in no way impedes a horse's jumping, for horses do not jump
with their heads in the air, unless they fear the curb. Fig. 48 shows
its maximum length. It may be said that ladies ought not to ride horses
which carry their heads too high, but many of us have to make the best
of what we can get in the matter of horseflesh, and employ the surest
methods at our command for keeping such animals under perfect control.
The standing martingale is dangerous in hunting only when going through
gates, as it is liable to catch in a gate post and cause trouble.
The faster a horse goes at any particular pace in a natural and
unconstrained manner, the more will he try to extend his head and neck,
so as to bring the centre of gravity of his body forward, and also to
aid the muscles of the neck in drawing the fore limbs to the front. The
pulling in of the head and neck by the reins will, therefore, be a
direct indication to the animal to slacken his speed. If he be well
broken he will not only go slower, but will also signify the fact of his
obedience by yielding to the bit by the play of the joints of his head
and neck. When he keeps these joints (namely, those which connect the
lower jaw to the head, and the head to the neck, and the joints of the
neck themselves) free from all rigidity and bears lightly on the bit, he
is what is called "well in hand," in which state every horsewoman should
endeavour to keep her mount, as it is the _beau ideal_ one that admits
of full control by the rider and of perfect freedom of movement on the
part of the horse. Having the horse well in hand, the rider should be
careful to keep the reins _at one unaltered length_ for the particular
rate of speed at which she is going. If she desires to increase it, she
should give her horse a signal which he understands, and should lengthen
the reins as may be required. If she wishes to go slower, she should
proportionately shorten them; but she should _always_ preserve
uniformity of speed at any pace by keeping a fixed length of reins.
Nothing is worse for a horse's mouth than the constant "give and take"
(in Ireland they call it "niggling" at a horse's mouth) which is
practised by almost every bad rider. This fact is so well recognised by
our jockeys that "Keep your hands steady" is the chief order which
competent trainers of racehorses give to their lads. When a rider keeps
shifting the position of her hands, her bewildered animal will be unable
to know at what speed she wants him to travel. All this reads very
simple, but sometimes we find that horses, especially when excited by
hounds, insist on going at their own pace. If the coast is clear in
front, and the horseman in advance has got safely over and away from the
fence to which a lady is approaching, it would not be wise for her to
interfere with her hunter, because, if he knows his business, he won't
fall if he can help it. But if, on the other hand, the only practicable
place in a fence is not free, the keenness of the animal must be checked
by a judicious use of the curb. If he is so headstrong as to refuse to
obey this command by slackening speed, he should be turned round either
to right or left, whichever may be the easier for his rider. When we
find ourselves in such a tight corner we must, for our own safety as
well as for that of our neighbours, exercise a certain amount of force
in controlling our horses. The "silken thread" method of handling, which
is, or should be, employed at any other time, stands us in poor stead in
the face of this difficulty. There are horses which will neither slacken
speed nor turn for their riders, and a runaway in the hunting field is
by no means rare. If any lady has a hunter who takes charge of her in
this manner, I would strongly advise her to ride him in a standing
martingale (p. 82), because with its aid she will generally be able to
turn him, even if she cannot stop him in any other way. A horse which
will neither slacken speed nor turn in any direction gallops on, as a
rule, with his head up, and, having succeeded in shifting the snaffle
from the bars to the corners of his mouth, he is impervious to the
action of the curb, because his head is too high for the curb to act
with advantage. On such an animal the standing martingale is valuable,
because it makes him keep his head in a proper position. A great deal
of sound sense has been written by different horsemen on the subject of
"hands." Sam Chifney tells us to use the reins as if they were silken
threads which any sharp pull would break, and Mr. John Hubert Moore
always gave the advice to take a pull at the reins as though you were
drawing a cork out of a bottle without wishing to spill one drop of its
contents. I have often, in my own mind, likened a horse's mouth to a
piece of narrow elastic which is capable of expansion up to a certain
point. When vigorously tugged at, it is no longer elastic, but as
unyielding as ordinary string. Good hands maintain its elasticity, bad
ones convert it into string. A sympathetic touch on a horse's mouth can
only be made by "good hands." A musician, if he is an artist, will
accompany a weak-voiced singer so sympathetically that the sweet though
not robust notes of the voice are heard to the best advantage: he is a
man with good hands. A heavy-fisted player, desiring to show his command
over the instrument, will try to turn the accompaniment into a
pianoforte solo, and the nice notes of the struggling singer will be
entirely drowned by noise. He is like the heavy-handed, unsympathetic
rider.
VOICE.
For pleasant riding, it is essential that the horse should understand
his rider's orders, which are usually given to him only by the reins and
whip. However efficiently a lady may use these "aids," the fact remains
that a good understanding between herself and her mount is better
established by the voice than by any other means. With a little vocal
training any ordinary horse, when going fast, will pull up more promptly
and with greater ease to his mouth and hocks, by a pleasantly uttered
"whoa," than by the action of hands and reins. Young horses, like
foxhound puppies which are taken out for the first time, show great
reluctance to pass moving objects; but if the rider speaks encouragingly
to her mount in a tone of voice that means he must go on, he will try
his best to obey her, although his attention may be divided betwixt fear
and duty. As a reward, his rider should give him a few pats on the neck
and speak encouragingly to him, and she will doubtless find that he will
make a bolder effort to obey her voice when he again finds himself
confronted with a similar difficulty; because he will associate his
first escape from apparent disaster with her voice, and will in time
have such confidence in her guidance that a word from her will be quite
sufficient to assure him that all is well. When riding bad horses at my
husband's breaking classes abroad, I found it best not to speak to them;
for a bond of friendship had not been established between us, and I
noticed that the sound of my voice often stirred up their angry passions
by reminding them, I suppose, of some former rider who had scolded them
while ill-treating them. It was unsafe even to pat and try to be
friendly with such spoiled horses. I remember a very violent animal in
Pretoria which showed resentment in this respect by rushing at me after
I had dismounted, simply because I endeavoured to pat and say a kind
word to him. I have no doubt that he would have accepted my well-meant
advances if we had had time to mutually understand each other. A show
jumper named Mons Meg was so terrified of the man who used to ride her
that, on hearing his voice, even from a distance, she would break out in
a perspiration and stand trembling with terror. The mare was really so
kind that we had her for a time at Ward's Riding School, and she was
ridden without reins over jumps by several of our pupils. I took her to
ride in a jumping competition at the Agricultural Hall; but,
unfortunately, the rider she disliked came to her stall and spoke to
her, with the usual result, and when I got on her back she was violently
agitated, and refused the second fence, which was a gate. At one moment
it seemed as though she would have brought us both to grief, for she
tried to jump out of the ring among the people--a feat, I was afterwards
told, she had performed on more than one occasion. She would always jump
kindly when away from the hated show ring, where she must at some time
or other have been badly treated. When animals get into a state of
nervous excitement, a few pats on the neck and a soothing word or two
often act like magic in calming them down. A mare which was lent me in
Calcutta by a horse importer, and on which I won a cup in an open
jumping competition, was in such a state of nervousness that she would
not let me take the trophy until I patted and spoke to her, and the
presentation was then effected without a scene. This animal, which was a
well-bred Australian, was a stranger to me, and had never carried a lady
before that day. Nevertheless, she passed successfully through a
terribly trying ordeal, and I am certain that she would not have made
the great efforts she did in jumping, if I had not soothed and
encouraged her with my voice. She was only 14-2 in height, and was
competing against big horses, some of which were ridden by steeplechase
jockeys. The competition took place at night in a circus which was
lighted by electricity, and which was open at each end. The object to be
jumped was a white gate placed midway across the arena, and raised each
time that it had been successfully cleared. From the glare of electric
light in this crowded place, we had to go into outer darkness and
carefully avoid the tent pegs and ropes in finding our way to the other
entrance. While we were waiting our turn to jump, we had to stand near a
cage of lions which growled savagely during the whole time, and also in
the vicinity of two camels. My mount disliked the camels far more than
the lions; in fact, she hated the sight of them, and would have done her
best to escape, if I had not turned her head away from them and patted
and soothed her. Mr. Frank Fillis, who was the proprietor of the circus,
told me that horses have such an antipathy to camels that they will not
drink, however thirsty they may be, from a bucket which has been used
by one of these long-necked animals. By-the-bye, my acquisition of this
cup caused me to be branded as a "circus rider" by the ladies in a
Little Pedlington village in this country; for when the local society
leader called on me, I was out, and my son, by way of entertaining her,
showed her "the cup that mother won in a circus!"
In order for the voice to be effective, the word of command must be
given at the moment when a horse is about to play up in any way, not
after he has committed a fault, and therefore a knowledge of horses and
their ways is necessary before we can use the voice properly. It is
always advisable to keep an eye on our mount, because if we do not do
so, we shall be unable to seize the generally brief moment which exists
between the thought of evil in the animal's mind and its execution.
Those who have lived much among horses must have frequently noticed this
preparatory period before a horse plays up, and no doubt have profited
by the warning their experienced eyes gave them; for if we see what is
about to come, and know how to avert it, we are often able to save
ourselves from disaster.
In order that the animal may thoroughly understand our words of command,
we should have as few of them as possible, employ them only when
necessary, and always in the same respective tone of voice, whether it
be a soothing word of encouragement accompanied by a few pats on the
neck, or the word "steady" given in a determined tone, and accompanied
by a restraining pull on the reins as may be necessary. The word "whoa"
is best uttered in rather a high key and in a drawling tone, when we
begin to pull up a horse during movement; but we should reserve
"steady," like the curb, for use in emergency, and should utter it in a
threatening tone of voice. The words of command which an inexperienced
rider will find most useful are a click of the tongue for a walk, trot,
and canter; "whoa" to pull up; "steady" when he is going too fast, or
indulging in unnecessary leaps and bounds; "go on," with a few pats on
the neck, if he is nervous about passing any object, or shying; and a
quiet word or two of encouragement, with more pats on the neck, when he
is in a state of nervous excitement, as, for instance, on his first day
with hounds.
[Illustration: Fig. 85.--Hunting whip.]
When visiting a horse in his stable to give him a carrot or other
tit-bit, his mistress should call him by his name, and he will soon
neigh on hearing her voice, if she always gives him something nice; for
horses, like poor relations, don't appreciate our visits unless they can
get something out of us. Lady Dilke had a horse which she had trained to
lick her hand. On going up to him in his box she would put out her hand
and say "Lick her, dear," and the animal would give her his mute caress
like a dog: it was very pretty to see how well the pair understood each
other. We may see the power of the voice exemplified in cart horses,
which will turn to right or left, go faster or slower, or pull up,
according as they receive the word of command from the wagoner who
walks beside them. The voice is also greatly used by polo players.
Horses are very catholic in their admiration for tit-bits. They like all
kinds of sweets and fruit, and will even crunch up the stones of plums
and peaches, which require good teeth to crack. An old favourite of mine
was particularly fond of chocolate and jam tarts!
WHIP.
The chief uses of a hunting whip are to help the rider to manipulate
gates, and to be cracked; the former being much more necessary to a
horsewoman than the latter. The crop should therefore be of a
serviceable length. It is the very silly fashion at present to have
hunting whips that are less than two feet long. Many are made of
whalebone, and are covered with catgut, their special advantage being
that their flexibility greatly facilitates the process of cracking. A
more serviceable crop for a lady is one of stiff cane, the thick end of
the handle of which is made rough, as in Fig. 85, or is provided with a
metal stud, so that the handle may not slip when it is pushed against a
gate. Formerly, two feet three inches was the usual length of a hunting
crop for both sexes. Three feet is a much better length for ladies, who
cannot "get down into their saddle" like men. Besides, a fairly long
crop is very useful for keeping a horse straight by the rider touching
him with it on the off flank when he wants to run out to the left, which
is his favourite side for refusing in the large majority of cases. A
short crop is useless for this purpose, as the right hand will be fully
occupied on such trying occasions in keeping the animal's head toward
the obstacle, and the crop should be able to perform its share of the
work by a turn of the wrist, care being taken that no jerk is
communicated to the rein.
[Illustration: Fig. 86.--Thong properly put on.]
[Illustration: Fig. 87.--Thong properly put on.]
The thong is about three feet ten inches long, is furnished with a lash,
which is about a foot long, and is attached to the keeper, which is a
leather loop at the end of the crop. Men generally like a thong of white
pipe-clayed leather, but as the colour is apt to come off and soil one's
habit, a brown leather thong is best for ladies.
The keeper of the modern hunting whip has a slit, near its end, through
both thicknesses of leather. In attaching the thong, the loop at its
upper end is placed over the end of the keeper, and it is then passed
through the slit and drawn tightly (Fig. 86). The old-fashioned keeper,
which is still greatly in use, is a simple loop of leather, over which
the loop of the thong is put, and the remainder of the thong is threaded
through the opening at the end of the keeper (Fig. 87). A wrong way to
put on the thong is, in the first instance, to pass the loop of the
thong through (instead of over) the keeper (Fig. 88). Some authorities
might take exception to the way the thong is put on in Fig. 89.
To facilitate the use of the thong, it is well to have a long keeper, as
in Fig. 86. The keeper of the whip which is shown in Fig. 85, and also
in Fig. 87, is too short.
[Illustration: Fig. 88.--Thong incorrectly put on.]
[Illustration: Fig. 89.--Thong not quite right.]
The chief use of the thong in hunting is to recover the crop if it
happens to be pulled out of the hand when opening a gate, before doing
which, one or more turns of the thong are consequently taken round the
hand. It also enables us to warn off hounds who approach too near our
horses' legs, on which occasions the whip should be held at arm's
length, with thong and lash vertical. A touch of the lash may aid in
encouraging a friend's horse to go through something to which he
objects, but a man would doubtless be handy to do the needful in such a
case. It would be well for a lady to know how to crack her whip, if her
help were required in turning hounds, or in hurrying up a laggard hound;
but this art should first be learnt on foot, under the tuition of a
competent man, in much the same way as Mr. Frank Ward teaches his pupils
to catch the thong with precision for four-in-hand driving; and the
lady's hunter must also be trained t
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