GOOD HORSES AND FRAUDS 169 



stone which I used to jump some banks on in fear 

 and trembling. 



One word of advice to womenkind beginning 

 to hunt. Don't let the saddlers persuade them 

 into a small saddle, it looks smart and weighs 

 light, but a few pounds is nothing to a horse's 

 comfort. Have big saddles and leather girths, I 

 myself always use a leather saddle-cloth, and sore 

 backs are unknown ; also don't girth tightly. 

 Grooms love to pull up the girths of a side-saddle 

 until a poor horse is squeezed in two. 



My saddles are very big and fit any horse ; they 

 are Owens. A very long girl on a little saddle, even 

 if she rides five pounds lighter, never looks well and 

 her horse can never be comfortable. A woman has 

 such light hands that I believe in double bridles, 

 but I never use a curb chain ; there is nothing more 

 annoying than crashing into people at a gap or 

 being dragged at all through a hunt. 



And another word of advice. Beat a kicker. 

 Hold him and thrash him. Horses are quite 

 clever enough to know what they are being 

 punished for. I think I can almost say I have 

 never had one, but then I've rated them as young- 

 sters if they did lash out. Only this season with 

 horses all fresh on the road I got badly kicked and 

 the owner merely remarked, " Oh, she'll kick if you 

 gallop into her," without even scolding the mare. 



I was so far away that it meant a fortnight's 

 rest before my horse came out again. 



