316 LADIES ON HORSEBACK. 



Sir, — In a recent edition "Jack Spur" 

 Rsks if it is usual in any country for ladies to 

 ride a la Duchess de Berri, ix. as a gentleman, 

 astride. In Mexico and the States of the 

 River Plate this is the usual mount of the 

 fair ones of the district, and, clad in loose 

 Turkish pantalettes tucked into the riding- 

 boots of soft yellow leather, a loose sort of 

 'tunic secured by a belt, and wearing the ladies^ 

 ** sombrero," very charming these fair eques- 

 triennes look, and splendid horsewomen they 

 are. Talk of ladies, your ** Fair Play " should 

 see the long, sharp, Mexican spurs attached to 

 the heels of these fair prairie -rangers, and 

 witness how unsparingly they are used. 

 Sometimes I, who am no namby-pamby rider, 

 and have seen my share of rough work, have 

 ventured to remonstrate in a half-jocular 

 manner (as became a stranger and foreigner) 

 when riding along with a Mexican lady, who 

 generally keeps her steed at a full gallop by 

 the remorseless application of these instru- 

 ments of punishment. But the reply was 

 merely a silvery laugh, and ** Ah, senor, here 

 horses are cheap, and when one is finished we 



