ii8 RIDING DRESS. 



with '' continuations," no stockings are exposed 

 to view, even when one gets a fail. With 

 boots of this length there is no possibility of 

 the left leg being hurt by pressure of boot and 

 breeches buttons on the shin bone. Fashionable 

 bootmakers who build boots for ladies on the pattern 

 of those worn by men, seem to be unaware of the 

 fact that a woman's grip in a side-saddle is entirely 

 different from that of a man in a cross-saddle, and many 

 ladies suffer unnecessary discomfort by meekly accept- 

 ing what they are told is " the proper thing." Our 

 friend Mr. James Fillis, in his interesting work, Break- 

 ing and Riding, says that for ladies' wear he prefers 

 " ordinary boots to long boots, which are too hard, and 

 are consequently apt to cut the wearer under the knee, 

 and to prevent her feeling the horse with her leg ; " but 

 as ordinary boots would not be considered sufficiently 

 smart for hunting, or even hacking in the Row, the 

 compromise I advocate will be found to answer all 

 requirements. In ordering a pair of riding boots 

 we should go to a good maker and have them 

 of patent leather, which is smarter and cleaner 

 than blacking leather. For wear in tropical coun- 

 tries, I found that boots which have the foot part 

 of patent leather and the leg of morocco, with a 

 thin leather lining to stiffen and keep the leg part 

 in place, are cooler and more comfortable than any 

 other kind. A pair of boot-hooks will be required 

 for putting them on, and a boot-jack for taking them 

 off. A little Lucca oil used occasionally prevents 



