76 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



most necessary change, women had to retain their 

 seat solely by the pressure of the right leg, and con- 

 sequently they did little but amble along the road on 

 their "milk-white palfreys." Mr. John Allen wrote, 

 in 1825, that "the left leg is nearly, if not wholly, 

 useless, for though a stirrup is placed on the foot, 

 the only use of it is to ease the leg a little, which for 

 want of practice might ache by dangling and suspen- 

 sion. 



That the modern side-saddle has been evolved from 

 this cumbersome and uncomfortable apparatus is no 

 more to its discredit than that the modern locomotive 

 has been developed from the funny-looking objects 

 one sees portrayed in prints of 1814. 



Let us now carefully discuss the various merits and 

 demerits of the side-saddle versus the cross-saddle. 



The side-saddle usually has brought against it the 

 following charges: 



(1) That it is more apt to rub a horse's back than 

 the cross-saddle. 



(2) That it is apt to make a woman one-sided and 

 enlarge one hip. 



(3) That a horse has to be specially broken to a 

 side-saddle. 



(4) That in case of an accident a woman is more 

 apt to be dragged from a side-saddle. 



(5) That a woman cannot mount or dismount as 

 easily from a side-saddle. 



(6) That she cannot get her hands down as low as 

 in a cross-saddle, and that having a leg only on one 

 side she cannot get her mount into his jumps as well, 

 or handle a mean horse as skilfully as in a cross-saddle. 



(7) That the pommels of the side-saddle are ex- 

 tremely dangerous in case of a horse falling on his rider. 



