TRYING TO STICK ON. 427 



can be averted. Besides, sore backs are not con- 

 fined to side saddles, for every hunting man, at some 

 period or other, has had a sore-backed horse in his 

 stable. My argument against the adoption of men's 

 saddles is, in the first place, that such saddles afford us 

 far less security of seat than we obtain in our own ; 

 for I do not think that men could ride, as we can, over 

 fences without the aid of the reins. This statement 

 is borne out, not only by the attempts which many 

 good horsemen have made to do so, while my husband 

 drove animals over obstacles with the long reins, but 

 also by the fact that all men like a horse that goes well 

 up to the bridle for cross-country work. Then, again, 

 a woman's limbs are unsuited to cross-saddle riding, 

 which requires length from hip to knee, flat muscles, 

 and a slight inclination to " bow legs." I practised 

 my cross - saddle riding in a school well supplied 

 with large mirrors in which I could see my figure 

 as I passed. It was anything but graceful, for the 

 rotundity, which even in some men is very ugly on 

 horseback, was far too much en evidence, and caused 

 an outburst of laughter from the ladies who were 

 watching my performance. I at first found it rather 

 difficult to preserve my balance well in cantering on a 

 circle, but that came to me far more quickly than 

 ability to ride properly over a fence in a plain flapped 

 saddle, such as I presume ladies would want to use if 

 they adopted that style of riding. The directions 

 given me were to lean back and grip with my knees ; 

 but, as in side-saddle riding, I left the reins quite 



