212 LADIES ON HORSEBACK. 



to take sharp pressure off the foot, is the most 

 suitable for ladies' use, and I always condemn 

 the sinall padded stirrup, which is, indeed, a 

 fruitful source of danger to lady riders. 



With the rest of Mrs. O'Donoghue's 

 dissertation I cordially agree, and believe it 

 would be beneficial if both men and ladies 

 practised riding without the aid of the stirrup ; 

 and the same rule appHes to and is generally 

 practised by men, as I saw a few days ago on 

 a German barrack-ground, where an awkward 

 squad was being trained in that manner. 

 The art of putting a lady up is one that should 

 be practised more than it is by horsemen ; 

 my first attempt resulted in the lady sHpping 

 down again, and on my hat, which suffered 

 ^ven more than my self-esteem. On one 

 occasion in the Crimea, years ago, I was 

 riding with a lady and her husband, the 

 former dismounted at Mrs. Seacole's for re- 

 freshment, and on being put up again by her 

 husband with more vigour than skill, the poor 

 lady was sent over her horse's back to the 

 ground on the other side, and being somewhat 

 portly, was shaken severely. I fear many 



