2 9 o THE HUNTING FIELD 



One of the great faults of ladies' horses, and one 

 that prevents a great number of ladies from riding, is 

 having them too fresh — too much above themselves. 

 Grooms have what, when properly directed, is a very 

 laudable ambition, a desire to see their horses look 

 well, and this they are very apt to promote by over- 

 feeding and stimulants. High feeding, however, will 

 not do for ladies' horses. They should be rather 

 under than above themselves. Still you cannot get 

 one groom in a dozen to believe this — at all events 

 to act upon it. "Oh, mistress is going to ride 

 to-morrow," and down goes another feed of corn. 

 It would be much better to take one off and give 

 the horse a gentle canter in the morning. When 

 her Majesty rode, Miss Quentin always took the fiery 

 edge oft her steed in the riding school for her. 



All sportsmen know that half the pleasure of 

 hunting is in being pleasantly carried by a horse 

 that you have perfect confidence in, and surely 

 ladies must be equally sensible to the pleasures of 

 comfort. There can be no enjoyment if you are 

 constantly calculating when you are likely to be on 

 your back. We do not know a more frightful sight 

 than a woman run away with. 



If low condition is desirable for the road, how 

 much more so must it be if a lady enters the hunting 

 field — a scene that is enough to excite the most 

 sedate and orderly-minded horse. 



And here we may observe that there is a wide 

 difference between ladies hunting and ladies coming 

 to see hounds throw off. They are as much in their 

 place at the meet as they are out of it tearing across 

 country. We like to see them at the meet ; it shows 

 that they take an interest in the amusements of their 

 husbands, their brothers, or their sweethearts. The 

 meet then being open to them, it follows as a matter 

 of course that they should come on horseback. We 

 cannot imagine poorer amusement than hunting on 



