12 UNASKED ADVICE. 



differ but little from tlie proceedings requisite to provide 

 her with a hack. A very few words will describe the 

 course of action necessary, but the business itself is more 

 intricate, by reason that a still more perfect animal is 

 required in this instance than in the last. The lady's 

 hunter should be just as perfect a hack as the less ambi- 

 tious animal who only aspires to fame in the park or on 

 the road. A little less knee action, and an inch or two 

 of height in addition, with size and power in proportion, 

 are the only external differences. Power is indispensable, 

 as a lady's hunter, of all others, must be well up to his 

 rider's weight. Well up to a given weight I have heard 

 defined as two stone over it. Allowing this to be an ex- 

 aggerated definition by a stone in fact, supposing that 

 we require what is usually considered a thirteen stone 

 horse to carry twelve stone the following facts may be 

 (to some) instructive. Ladies are not of necessity feather 

 weights ; the most mignonne damsel who ever engaged 

 herself for a cotillon probably would have scaled in her 

 ball dress something between 8st. and 8st. 71b. The 

 majority even of light ladies are perhaps a stone heavier 

 than this, from 9st. to lOst. : say 9st. A habit skirt is a 

 heavy thing, and a side-saddle will weigh 151b., or there- 

 abouts. While to a man's walking weight one stone is 

 always added to arrive at his riding weight, it is not too 

 much to add three stone extra to a lady's weight, in a 

 common dress (in a Court dress I am not sure that two 

 would not suffice) ; and then the horse should be well 

 equal to at least a stone over the load by these means 

 arrived at, and as much more as is convenient ; for ladies 

 seldom have a second horse out, and cannot jump off to 

 ease their horses and rest their backs, in the impromptu 

 manner occasionally (though only too seldom) adopted by 



