Transcriber’s Note

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. A [list] of corrections is found at the end of the text. Inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been maintained. A [list] of inconsistently spelled and hyphenated words is found at the end of the text.

THE
HORSEWOMAN

THE HORSEWOMAN
A Practical Guide to Side-Saddle Riding

BY
ALICE M. HAYES
Author of “My Leper Friends.”

EDITED BY
M. HORACE HAYES, F.R.C.V.S.
(Late Captain “The Buffs”)

Author of
“Points of the Horse,” “Veterinary Notes for Horse-Owners,”
“Riding and Hunting,” etc.

Second Edition, revised, enlarged and 133 photographic
illustrations added.

LONDON
HURST AND BLACKETT, LIMITED
13 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET
1903

All rights reserved

PRINTED BY KELLY’S DIRECTORIES LTD.,
LONDON AND KINGSTON.

PREFACE.

The first edition of this book was the result of seven years’ experience of riding hundreds of horses in India, Ceylon, Egypt, China and South Africa; the most trying animals being those of which I was the rough-rider at my husband’s horse-breaking classes. Since that edition came out, I have hunted a good deal, chiefly, in Leicestershire and Cheshire, and have taught many pupils, both of which experiences were of special advantage to me in preparing this new edition; because English ladies regard riding, principally, from a hunting point of view, and the best way to supplement one’s education, is to try to teach.

The directions about side-saddles and seat are the outcome of practical work and fortunate opportunities; and I hope they will be as useful to my readers as they have been to my pupils. Although I have ridden, when abroad, some of the worst buckjumpers that could be found in any country, I have never “cut a voluntary,” thanks to the adoption of a seat and saddle which gave the necessary grip. Of course I have had “purls,” when horses have “come down” with me out hunting; and on one occasion in China, when a horse which I mounted for the first time, reared and came over.

I have taken Figs. [32] to [51], [71] to [78] and [Fig. 90] from Riding and Hunting, and Figs. [147] and [148] from Points of the Horse. My husband has written Chapter XXII.

I have omitted the chapter on my Riding Experiences, as I thought it out of place in a purely teaching book.

Knowing the immense value of photographs in explaining technical subjects, I have gladly availed myself of the expert help of my husband and son in that form of illustration.

I am greatly obliged to Miss Harding, Miss Burnaby, Miss Neil, the Rev. G. Broke, the Rev. R. J. Gornall, Mr. Clarence Hailey of Newmarket, the Editor of Country Life and the Editor of The Queen, for the admirable photographs and blocks they most kindly lent me. I regret that I inadvertently omitted to place the names of Mr. Clarence Hailey and the Gresham Studio, Adelaide, South Australia, under the excellent photographs which are respectively reproduced in Figs. [2] and [3].

This edition is practically a new book.

Yew Tree House,
Crick, Rugby,
25th March, 1903.

CONTENTS.

[CHAPTER I.]
Beginning to Ride1 to 7
[CHAPTER II.]
Horses for Ladies8 to 24
[CHAPTER III.]
Side-saddles25 to 69
[CHAPTER IV.]
Bridles70 to 88
[CHAPTER V.]
Riding Dress89 to 124
[CHAPTER VI.]
Mounting and Dismounting125 to 135
[CHAPTER VII.]
How to Hold the Reins136 to 144
[CHAPTER VIII.]
The Seat145 to 159
[CHAPTER IX.]
Hands, Voice, Whip and Spur160 to 184
[CHAPTER X.]
First Lessons in Riding185 to 218
[CHAPTER XI.]
Riding Across Country219 to 226
[CHAPTER XII.]
Hacking227 to 232
[CHAPTER XIII.]
Riding without Reins233 to 243
[CHAPTER XIV.]
Nerve244 to 247
[CHAPTER XV.]
Fences, Country and Gates248 to 303
[CHAPTER XVI.]
Hunting304 to 380
[CHAPTER XVII.]
Riding and Hunting Abroad381 to 393
[CHAPTER XVIII.]
Walking Foxhound Puppies394 to 413
[CHAPTER XIX.]
Kindness to Horses414 to 425
[CHAPTER XX.]
Cross-saddle Riding for Ladies426 to 430
[CHAPTER XXI.]
Riding Difficult Horses431 to 464
[CHAPTER XXII.]
Names of External Parts of the Horse465 to 473

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

[Frontispiece]—Alice M. Hayes.
FIG.PAGE
[1.]Man riding a horse over a fence in a side-saddle[3]
[2.]Miss Burnaby’s Butterfly[9]
[3.]Miss Neil’s Jackeroo[11]
[4.]Mr. Vansittart’s Romance[13]
[5.]Irish mare, Salary[15]
[6.]Polo pony, Pat[17]
[7.]Arab pony, Freddie[19]
[8.]Side view of saddle tree[26]
[9.]Underneath view of saddle tree[27]
[10.]Front view of saddle tree[29]
[11.]Underneath view of saddle tree and its webs[31]
[12.]Grip with improved leaping head[35]
[13.]” ordinary ”[37]
[14.]Hook for stirrup leather[39]
[15.]Leaping head too low down[40]
[16.]Side view of a properly made saddle[41]
[17.]Champion and Wilton’s extra stirrup case[43]
[18.]Capped stirrup-iron[44]
[19.]Slipper stirrup[44]
[20.]The Christie stirrup[44]
[21.]Foot caught[45]
[22.]Latchford stirrup[46]
[23.]Scott’s stirrup[46]
[24.]” ” open[47]
[25.]Cope’s stirrup[48]
[26.]Foot released by Cope’s stirrup[49]
[27.]Scott’s stirrup[50]
[28.]Foot caught on off side[51]
[29.]Child mounted[61]
[30.]Child jumping without reins[63]
[31.]Foot caught, on account of its having been put into the stirrup from the wrong side[67]
[32.]“Head” of a single bridle: a, crown-piece; b, b, cheek-pieces; c, throat-latch; d, front or brow-band[71]
[33.]Unjointed snaffle[72]
[34.]Chain snaffle[72]
[35.]Ordinary snaffle with cheeks[72]
[36.]Nutcracker action of jointed snaffle on horse’s mouth[73]
[37.]Action of unjointed snaffle on horse’s mouth[73]
[38.]Action of a curb as a lever[73]
[39.]Properly constructed curb for ordinary hunter. Side view[74]
[40.]Ward Union curb bridle with half-moon snaffle[75]
[41.]Curb chain covered with india-rubber tube[76]
[42.]Chin-strap unbuckled[76]
[43.]Chin-strap buckled[76]
[44.]Curb reversed by horse throwing up his head, in the absence of a chin-strap[77]
[45.]Cavasson nose-band[79]
[46.]Standing martingale attached to rings of the snaffle[80]
[47.]Lord Lonsdale’s registered running martingale[81]
[48.]Maximum length of standing martingale[83]
[49.]Side view of horse’s lower jaw[85]
[50.]Angle made by the cheeks of a curb, when the reins are taken up[86]
[51.]View of under-surface of lower jaw[87]
[52.]The Hayes’ Safety Skirt open for mounting[91]
[53.]Off side of the Hayes’ Safety Skirt[93]
[54.]The Hayes’ Safety Skirt closed for walking[95]
[55.]Apron skirt open for mounting[97]
[56.]The apron skirt closed for walking[99]
[57.]Riding dress for child[101]
[58.]Loose riding coat, too long[103]
[59.]Front view of good riding coat[105]
[60.]Back view of good riding coat[107]
[61.]Terai hat and Norfolk jacket[109]
[62.]Pith hat and drill jacket[109]
[63.]Good driving coat[111]
[64.]Top of boot catching on safety bar flap[119]
[65.]Front view of riding under-bodice[121]
[66.]Back view of riding under-bodice[123]
[67.]Foot raised for mounting[127]
[68.]Ready to mount[129]
[69.]Dismounting without help[133]
[70.]” with help[135]
[71.]A rein in each hand[137]
[72.]Single reins crossed in one hand[138]
[73.]” ” ” ” ”[138]
[74.]Double reins held separately in two hands[139]
[75.]Holding double reins crossed in one hand[140]
[76.]Double reins in left hand: one crossed, the other hooked up on middle finger[141]
[77.]Reins held in one hand in military fashion[142]
[78.]Off rein taken up by right hand from position shown in Fig. 77[143]
[79.]Position of rider’s legs at the walk[147]
[80.]Hooked back leg, the direction of the pressure of which is shown by the fore finger of the left hand[151]
[81.]Seat at the walk[153]
[82.]Length of stirrup[155]
[83.]Correct position of legs[157]
[84.]Leaning back[158]
[85.]Hunting whip[171]
[86.]Thong properly put on[173]
[87.]” ” ”[173]
[88.]” incorrectly put on[175]
[89.]” not quite right[175]
[90.]A practical bullfinch[177]
[91.]Spur-carrying whip used for high school riding[181]
[92.]Thorough-bred mare at a walk[187]
[93.]Preparing to rise at the trot, with stirrup at correct length[191]
[94.]Rising at the trot, with stirrup at correct length[193]
[95.]Preparing to rise at the trot, with stirrup too long[195]
[96.]Rising at the trot, with stirrup too long[197]
[97.]Canter, with right leg hooked back, and stirrup too long[199]
[98.]Good seat at canter or gallop[201]
[99.]” ” ” ”[203]
[100.]” ” ” ”[205]
[101.]Bad seat; right leg hooked back, stirrup too long, and foot “home”[207]
[102.]Miss Emmie Harding jumping wire[211]
[103.]Maximum amount of pressure on leaping head[213]
[104.]Position of legs in jumping[215]
[105.]Driving horse over jumps[235]
[106.]A cut-and-laid fence[251]
[107.]” ” ” during construction[253]
[108.]A stake and bound fence[255]
[109.]Post and rails to close gap in hedge[257]
[110.]Posts and rails[259]
[111.]” ” ” with ditch[261]
[112.]Midland stile[263]
[113.]An oxer[265]
[114.]Wire in front of bullfinch[267]
[115.]Galway bank[271]
[116.]Side view of bank shown in Fig. 115[273]
[117.]Galway bank[275]
[118.]“Cope and dash” wall[277]
[119.]Loose stone wall[279]
[120.]Low bank with ditch on both sides[281]
[121.]View of country between Yelvertoft and Crick[283]
[122.]Grass on each side of the road[285]
[123.]Ordinary five-barred gate[289]
[124.]Bridle gate[291]
[125.]Gate with wooden latch[293]
[126.]” ” spring ” which has to be drawn back[295]
[127.]” ” ” ” ” ” ” pushed forward[297]
[128.]Double gate[299]
[129.]A puzzle in gate-opening[301]
[130.]Ridge and furrow[317]
[131.]” ” ” in the distance[321]
[132.]Haystack and gate[329]
[133.]Brook[337]
[134.]Pollard willows in the next field[339]
[135.]The Cottesmore drawing a covert[355]
[136.]Wire board[359]
[137.]Red flag[363]
[138.]“’Ware wire”[365]
[139.]Iron hurdle[367]
[140.]Wire on top of gate[369]
[141.]Pytchley puppy, Mottley[401]
[142.]Front view of kennel coat[403]
[143.]Back view of kennel coat[405]
[144.]Puppies with bicycle[407]
[145.]Pytchley puppy, Monarch[409]
[146.]Riding mountain zebra[457]
[147.]External parts of horse[467]
[148.]Measurements of horse[471]