the leg muscles and bringing their legs back. This is chiefly the result of fear, of self-consciousness, and of “trying too hard.” It is one of the results of the worst fault of nearly every beginner, that of keeping the muscles rigid all the time and trying to hold on by legs, pommel, reins, and mane instead of merely sitting on in a comfortable position and relying on balance.
With regard to playing polo, many women have the idea that they can only play polo in a man’s saddle. My opinion, based on my own experience and the experience of many of my friends, is directly to the contrary. Many women play polo, and play it very well, in a side-saddle, and I do not know any reason why a woman cannot play at least as well riding in a side-saddle as riding astride. She certainly has a more secure seat in the side-saddle, and the first awkwardness of the back-hand stroke in this position being overcome, all the other strokes are quite as easy, and it is so much easier to ride another player off when one is in the side-saddle that all the women on both teams should ride either in the side-saddle or in the man’s saddle in order to make the game fair.
CHAPTER V
HUNTING
So many books have been written on “Hunting” and the subject so exhaustively treated, that I shall only attempt to discuss under this head a few points of particular interest to women.
When a woman hunts she enters a masculine field of sport, and in the hunting-field she is meeting men on their own ground and on even terms. In the hunting-field, therefore, a woman must expect to take her chances with the men, and she is not entitled to that courtesy and deference which she may expect on other occasions.
Over Post and Rail
For example, if a woman loses her hat or stirrup, she should not expect any man to pick it up for her or to pay her the slightest attention. Again, if a woman and a man are both going at the same fence, she should not expect him to pull up and allow her to go over first or to treat her otherwise than as he would another man. It is not field etiquette. So, if a woman has a tumble and is not disabled, she need not expect the men to give up the hunt to help her into the saddle. They are not supposed to do anything