CORRESPONDENCE. 239 



Sir, — The spur with a five-pointed rowel 

 was strongly recommended for ladies' use 

 many years ago in the Queen, and is worn by 

 many : it does not tear the habit, and is not 

 more severe than the spring-sheath spur with 

 a point of the same length, as only one point 

 of the rowel can prick the horse at a time ; 

 indeed, it is not so severe, as it can be apphed 

 with a very shght touch, which generally is 

 all that is required, whilst the spring-sheath 

 spur must be appHed with sufficient force to 

 overcome the resistance of the spring, with 

 the result that the horse is often more sharply 

 pricked than the rider intends. The points 

 of a lady's spur should be long enough to be 

 effective if the skirt of the habit intervenes, 

 as, with any arrangement, it sometimes 

 will do, when, if the points are too short, 

 the horse does not feel it. I dissent from the 

 statement of "Fairplay'* that, "from the 

 nature of a lady's seat, her armed heel would 

 often unintentionally irritate^ and annoy her 

 horse.'' If apphed to a clumsy rider the 

 statement is accurate, but a lady who is a 

 moderately good rider has no difficulty in 



