Hints for Ladies, 455 



The hunter for a lady who really means "to ride to hounds" must have a combination 

 of blood and power ; and he must also have courageous placidity of temper and a finished 

 education. Be well up to the fair rider's weight. To make sure of this she must, however 

 unwilling, go into the scales, and a full allowance be made for the saddle, which will be 

 nearer eighteen pounds than fourteen. A light saddle for hunting is a mistake. The lady 

 about to hunt must be referred back to Chapter XV. for information as to habit and saddle. 



The pocket of a hunting side-saddle should be large, and arranged so as not to catch 

 against anything. Although it is assumed that some one will always be in attendance on a 

 lady hunting, gentlemen get overpowered by the enthusiasm of the chase, grooms get thrown 

 out, and the flask of wine and water and sandwich-case, which ought to be attached to the 

 saddle, may be urgently needed and not at hand. 



The best form of hunting-bridle for a lady is that formerly made by Messrs. Whippy for 

 Captain Percy Williams, the curb-rein of which can be shortened or lengthened as required, 

 and either lie on the neck of tlie horse or be taken up in the full grasp of a small hand. 



The hunting habit should be as short as possible, it is generally kept down by a loop 

 over one foot, an expedient all hunting-tailors understand ; but some experienced ladies object 

 to the loop as dangerous. It should never on any consideration be lined with leather, or any 

 material that will not tear and give liberty, in case of its catching in a fence. 



A lady, unless she has a perfectly competent and devoted male friend, should always 

 be accompanied by a real hunting-groom, mounted on at least as fast and clever a horse as 

 her own. Without going so far as Anthony Trollope's Miss Carbuncle,* and saying that 

 " gentlemen cannot open gates," it is far better to have a professional gate-opener than see 

 the admirer, who was all pleasant attentions in the morning, getting bored and wearied towards 

 the close of a chequered day — a change that is very likely to take place if politeness has lost 

 him a good start in a good run. 



Ladies should never attempt to go first — to " cut out the work " as the phrase is — in a 

 strange country, because, while falls now and then are a matter of course with a forward horseman, 

 a fall with a lady is a very serious thing, not to be contemplated. She cannot get away from 

 her horse so easily as a man ; she may be disfigured, if she is not seriously injured ; or she 

 may cut a very ridiculous figure in her trousers without a skirt — an incident which really 

 happened to the daughter of a distinguished master of hounds, and was immortalised by John 

 Leech. 



Therefore, if ladies are competent and determined to really ride, they should always 

 have a pilot. Young admirers and young farmers may generally be found ready to accept 

 an office which requires quite as much discretion as courage, and a minute knowledge of the 

 country. The task becomes more difficult when there are two or more ladies anxious to be 

 in the first flight, and, like Lady Eustace, to outride some female friend. 



Great ladies have been known to pay pilots — certainly an admirable plan if expense is 

 not an objection. Professionals always excel amateurs where orders have to be obeyed, and 

 dry work has to be done. 



So far I have been treating of the select few — hard as pin-wire, fierce as goshawks, jealous 

 as soprani — but so few that they might generally be conveyed to cover-side in one family 

 brougham; and I have been leaving out of consideration the professional ladies who pursue 

 and improve their business as horsebreakers in the hunting-field with extraordinary skill and 



* "The Eustace Diamonds." 



