COREESPONDENCE. 301 



Grande, between Mexico and Texas, and 

 naturally I have had much experience of hard 

 as well as long-distance riding. Having been 

 accustomed to hunting when I was a girl, I 

 came out here with an exaggerated idea of my 

 skill in horsemanship. My first ride in Mexico 

 "was one of three hundred miles, which we did 

 in seven days ; I rode on an Enghsh hunting- 

 saddle almost, if not quite, as '' straight as a 

 board." After the second day I found it as 

 uncomfortable a seat as could be desired, and 

 was glad to change it for the peon's ordinary 

 Mexican saddle, which I found perfectly easy 

 and comparatively comfortable to my English 

 one. This last I have found exceedingly 

 fatiguing and ill-adapted to a long journey, 

 although very good for a few hours' ride after 

 wild cattle, which is a certain approach to 

 hunting, although the jumping is not stiff. 

 Lately I had another saddle sent out fi'om 

 England, which was a little deeper, and I 

 find it much more useful for long distances. 

 As ladies are not in the habit of riding 

 steeplechases, I would venture to suggest that, 

 for hard riding, such as hunting, the saddle 



