172 HANDS, VOICE, WHIP AND SPUR. 



of command from the wagoner who walks beside 

 them. The voice is also greatly used by polo players. 

 Horses are very catholic in their admiration for tit- 

 bits. They like all kinds of sweets and fruit, and will 

 even crunch up the stones of plums and peaches, which 

 require good teeth to crack. An old favourite of 

 mine was particularly fond of chocolate and jam 

 tarts ! 



WHIP. 



The chief uses of a hunting whip are to help the 

 rider to manipulate gates, and to be cracked ; the 

 former being much more necessary to a horsewoman 

 than the latter. The crop should therefore be 

 of a serviceable length. It is the very silly fashion 

 at present to have hunting whips that are less 

 than two feet long. Many are made of whalebone, 

 and are covered with catgut, their special advantage 

 being that their flexibility greatly facilitates the process 

 of cracking. A more serviceable crop for a lady is 

 one of stiff cane, the thick end of the handle of which 

 is made rough, as in Fig. S^, or is provided with a 

 metal stud, so that the handle may not slip when it 

 is pushed against a gate. Formerly, two feet three 

 inches was the usual length of a hunting crop for both 

 sexes. Three feet is a much better length for ladies, 

 who cannot "get down into their saddle" like men. 

 Besides, a fairly long crop is very useful for keeping a 

 horse straight by the rider touching him with it on the 

 off flank when he wants to run out to the left, which is 



