A LA CAVA LIE RE. 75 



time our fair dames jogged behind their lords, or behind 

 somebody else's lords, in the conventional pillion : then 



" This riding double was no crime 

 In the first good Edward*s time ; 

 No brave man thought himself disgraced 

 By two fair arms around his waist ; 

 Nor did the lady blush vermillion 

 Dancing on the lady's pillion." 



The attitude of the " Pisana " fashion, though in some cases 

 vastly agreeable, is not highly picturesque, so there must 

 have been some valid reason why the side-saddle, then in 

 general use in Spain, fell out of favour. In long rides, it, 

 as at that time constructed, tired the rider, and caused 

 severe pain in the spine. Nowadays in Mexico and on 

 the Plate River there are magnificent horsewomen who can 

 ride almost anything short of an Australian buckjumper, 

 and who never tire in the saddle, but then they one and all 

 patronize the cross-saddle, riding a la cavaliere or a la 

 Duchesse de Berri. Their riding garb, and a very be- 

 coming one it is, consists of a loose kind of Norfolk jacket 

 or tunic secured at the waist by a belt, loose Turkish 

 pyjamas thrust into riding boots of soft yellow leather, a 

 huge pair of Mexican spurs, and the ladies' "sombrero." 

 Their favourite and, in fact, only pace is a continuous hand- 

 gallop. 



Some thirty years ago I remember seeing the ex-Queen of 

 Naples superbly mounted, riding a la cavaliere. Her Majesty 

 was then even more beautiful than her Imperial sister the 

 Empress of Austria, and quite as finished a horsewoman. 

 She wore a high and pointed-crowned felt hat, a long white 

 cloak, something like the Algerian bournouse, patent-leather 

 jack-boots, and gilt spurs. Her seat was perfect, as was 

 her management of her fiery Arab or Barb, the effect 



