200 LADIES ON HORSEBACK. 



Fourthly, if in taking an up-jump the horse 

 misses his footing and struggles in an unsuc- 

 cessful effort to recover himself, the lady may 

 — if riding upon a straight saddle — succeed in 

 slipping from it to a situation of comparative 

 safety ; but, if she has a high projection of 

 iron and stiff leather just behind her, it bars her 

 movement, and as a consequence the horse 

 falls back upon her, and catching her between 

 his weight and the edge of the ditch or furrow, 

 as the case may be, injures her spine, some- 

 times fatally, and frequently in a serious 

 manner. 



The question, *^ Do I also advocate straight 

 saddles for men's use ? '* is answered by my 

 reminding " H. de V. E.'' that there is no 

 analogy between a gentleman's position upon 

 horseback and that of a lady. What would 

 be a necessity, or at least a luxury, for the one 

 would be eminently unsuited for the other. 

 A man's superior activity and greater liberty 

 of motion place him ever at an advantage. 

 And whilst upon this subject I would strongly 

 urge upon all humane riders, especially the 

 male portion of them, to have their saddles 



