HUNTING, AND 'RIDING TO HOUNDS. 49 



no earthly reason why a perfect horse-woman should 

 not ride to hounds on a perfect horse gracefully 

 and well, without diminishing the esteem of all who 

 have the hajDpinoss of her acquaintance, and without 

 dimming the lustre that should ever attend her 

 presence, but in going to hounds some one must 

 lead to the best and safest line. 



Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well, 

 and it is not enough for a lady to sit her horse 

 with steadiness and ease; but as the tempers of 

 horses vary as much as the tempers of men, and 

 the horse, perhaps, is more prone to panic or 

 sudden terror than the human race, why, if a 

 lady rides a handsome, showy steed, she should 

 be able to meet all emergencies that miglit occur 

 through the dangerous phases of the animal com- 

 position. On the Downs at Ashdown Park, at a 

 coursing meeting, I saw a lady's horse bolt with 

 her at speed, and run away with, for the time, 

 ungovernable fury. It alarmed me not for the 

 result, although it annoyed me much to see her 

 forced to do anything against her own immediate 

 pleasure, for there were no obstacles in iho way 

 of the horse in the shape of gate, wall, or fence 

 of any kind to cause a fall by contact ; at the 



VOL. I. E 



