Women in the Field, 91 



weight placed upon the left. This, however, can 

 be accomplished only when riding by balance. 



The hands should be held hip high, wrists 

 bent so knuckles point forward with thumbs up, 

 with elbows close to the sides, wrists limber — 

 never stiff; arms and hands never hanging at 

 your side; reins to be held same as in instructions 

 to man; crop in right hand. 



Light hands are a blessing enjoyed by few 

 women, though as a rule they have better hands 

 than men. It is lack of hands that produces rest- 

 iveness and unruliness in horses. It is therefore 

 requisite, in fact indispensable, to a woman wish- 

 ing to ride with ease and safety, to have good 

 hands. 



No matter how nervous or uncertain a woman 

 may feel in the saddle, she should never allow her 

 horse to find it out. You may admit this to every 

 one in the field, but not to your horse. Horses 

 are quick to ''catch on" to this, and quicker to 

 take undue advantage of it, and should he even 

 suspect you of these emotions, immediately con- 

 vince him to the contrary, even if you have to 

 ''swallow your heart" to do so. 



The woman who clucks to her horse, the one 

 who goes to the field with loose girths, and the 

 one who asks questions of the master of hunts- 

 man, should be coupled together and sentenced 

 to pink teas on hunting days for the remainder of 

 their natural lives. 



