234 ENGLISH SPORTSWOMEN 



too, the chest of this colourless young lady would 

 sink into her back, which, in consequence, would 

 be unbecomingly rounded, whereas her face would 

 be downcast and droop like a withered fuchsia. 

 Added to these sad defects in the rider's per- 

 sonal appearance — easily remedied please to note 

 — her hands would nervously clutch the reins either 

 too tightly or too loosely. Her horse, therefore, 

 might fall when stumbling, or it might rear and 

 fall back upon her. We consider that this modern 

 Amelia would give her hunter a bad sore back, 

 because she would sway in her saddle. She 

 would obstinately refuse to correct her faults, 

 and would prefer to ride in an ungainly fashion. 

 Yes, the idiosyncrasies of horsewomen are fre- 

 quently observed, though perhaps not commented 

 upon, by observant passers-by. As we have seen, 

 demureness is noticeable in the hands and in the 

 seat ; moreover, the love of admiration comes out 

 too. Every day you may notice some fair eques- 

 trian, with chin haughtily posed in the air, yet 

 despite this seeming indifference to the sterner 

 sex, the lady uses her eyes in a fascinating 

 manner, and attracts attention by sitting on her 

 side-saddle in a provokingly jaunty attitude. 

 Alas, this exaggerated self-assurance turns, what 

 otherwise might have been good style, into 

 abominably bad form. 



Had such giants of literature, as Shakespeare 

 or Lord Byron, been horsemen at heart, we 

 should have had the fact artistically recorded 

 that the individuality of riders may be sought 

 for in their "hands and seats." There is really 



