126 THE BARB AND THE BRIDLE. 



The kind of whip to be used is the crop (without the thong) of a 

 hunting whip ; a Malacca crop is the best for a lady, because the 

 lightest. It should have a good crook to it, well roughened on the 

 outside, and be furnished, moreover, with a roughened nail head, in 

 order to prevent the crop slipping when the rider attempts to open 

 a gate. Gauntlet gloves with strong leather tops are best, because 

 they prevent the possibihty of the rider's hands being scratched or 

 injured in jumping a ragged fence ; but if the lady dislikes gauntlets, 

 the sleeve of the jacket should be made to fasten with three buttons 

 dose to the wrist, because the sleeves now so much in fashion, being 

 very wide at the wrist, are apt in taking a fence to catch and get 

 torn, in addition to the risk of the rider being pulled off her horse. 

 These casualties, which of coiu-se cannot occur with the clean-made 

 jump taken in the riding school, are likely enough to happen in the 

 field, and should be carefully guarded against. 



As regards the shape and make of the jacket I have already said 

 so much, that I must leave it to the taste and figure of the rider, 

 always assmning that while she allows herseK plenty of freedom of 

 movement, she does not wear anything too loose, or any steel 

 supports about her, as for hunting these are highly dangerous. 



As regards headgear, the same style of thing that sufficed for the 

 riding school may not be considered sufficiently effective for the 

 hunting field ; and, without venturing upon ground so delicate as an 

 opinion or even knowledge of ladies' "coiffure," I may say that at 

 Melton and other fashionable hunting centres there has for some 

 time existed an artful combination between the ladies' hat makers 

 and the hair dressers, by means of which that very elegant affair 

 the "Melton hat" is deftly fitted with an arrangement of hair 

 behind which is immovable, no matter where the wearer jumps in 

 hunting. The hairdresser's services are first called into requisition ; 

 possibly he imparts the " arcana " of his craft to the lady's maid; 

 but one or other succeeds in making such an arrangement of the 

 hair as renders it at once secure in riding and becoming to the style 

 of the lady herself. The hat with the hair attached behind is then 

 placed on the head, and secured by an invisible elastic band. Should 

 any of my readers desire information on these matters, so important 



