Il6 HOW WOMEN SHOULD RIDE 



of startling other horses, as a whip will 

 do. In leaping, a spur on one side of 

 the horse and the whip on the other 

 form a combination which will often 

 compel him to jump when, from sulki- 

 ness or indolence, he has been refus- 

 ing. 



It requires some practice, however, 

 to use it in the right place and at the 

 right moment ; a woman's skirt has an 

 unhappy faculty of intercepting the spur 

 when it should strike him, and her heel 

 of hitting the horse when it should 

 leave him alone. For these reasons I 

 am in favor of women riding without a 

 spur when it is possible, for, although it 

 looks well as a finish to a boot, its adop- 

 tion by inexpert riders may lead to sad 

 results. 



If a spur is to be worn, there are sev- 

 eral kinds from which to choose. I pre- 

 fer a box-spur with a rowel, such as men 



