9 8 RIDING DRESS. 



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 ignor- 

 ance, 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 



