COKKESPONDENCE. 241 



is as readily applied as any other, though, 

 more force is required, which is objectionable, 

 and especially so in park riding, when the 

 spring of the horse to an unintentionally 

 sharp appHcation betrays the action of the 

 rider. I claim to be as good a friend of 

 horses as ^'Fairplay," but I have some regard 

 for the rider as well as for the horse, and I 

 consider that, whilst we are justified in riding 

 horses, we are justified in using such reason- 

 able aids as we find most satisfactory to our- 

 selves ; and I have no sympathy with anyone 

 who objects to a lady avaihng herself of the 

 convenience and assistance so readily sup- 

 pHed by a judiciously-used spur, which every 

 horseman knows cannot, in very many cases, 

 be obtained by any other means, and which 

 he never hesitates to avail himself of. In 

 these days of locomotion a lady loses a great 

 deal of the pleasures of traveUing, and of the 

 opportunities of seeing the countries she may 

 visit, unless she can and will ride such horses. 

 as she may meet with in those countries ; 

 and even in the rural districts of England 

 there is many an old nag of the " Proputty 



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