COSTUME AND EQUIPMENT. 37 



it is, broadly speaking, inadvisable for any woman to 

 wear a spur, while the novice should never dream of 

 such a thing. A neat, light crop, with a short thong, 

 can, on the other hand, be used by everyone — even by 

 children. Children and girls should exercise as much 

 care in the choice of a crop as they should in the matter 

 of hats. The crop should be light and of cane, and not too 

 thick, while it should have a good long horn handle or 

 crook, with a stump at the bottom, or, if the handle 

 is flat, with a big screw turned outwards. Girls generally 

 have gates opened for them, but this does not always 

 happen, and, anyhow, they have to put^out their whip, 

 and, if they can manage it, hold the gate for the next 

 comer. This is what the horn protuberance or the 

 screw is for, and the long handle is, of course, necessary 

 for insertion below the latch of the gate. The thong 

 is a matter of smartness and not of necessity for girls. 

 It gives, however, a finish to the general get-up, but 

 it should not be too heavy, and it should be short, 

 otherwise the end often becomes dirty and wet. And 

 the crop should not be clutched by the handle (in a 

 fashion which seems to be very general v\dth the novice), 

 but carried ^Yith the head down and the thong once 

 looped. 



