In writing my description of the lady’s saddle horse I find that, of all the horses I have ever seen, I have not yet found one that eclipses, or even equals, “Lady Bonnie.” I have described her before, and all the change that is needed is in the tense, which, alas! must now be in the past. When asked for a perfect type of lady’s saddle horse, I close my eyes and think of her. She may have had her faults, but who has not? To my mind she came as near perfection as any horse in the world. Her beautiful walk, perfectly balanced trot, and straight and delightful canter, made her a joy to ride. Her well-crested, lengthy neck, giving room for plenty of rein; her sloping shoulders and beautifully defined withers meant for keeping the saddle in place; her back of just the right length to make the saddle look in proportion; her smoothly turned quarters, with tail set high, carrying out the perfection of her top line; her small head, wide between the eyes; her tiny well-set and well-carried ears, combined with the fineness and beauty of her coat, like black
panne velvet, completed her magnificent effect of breeding. Her intelligence, her eagerness to do her part, her great though perfectly tractable spirit, and her wonderful manners made it a pleasure to know her and a privilege to be her friend.
Champion Saddle Mare (Lady Bonnie)
Combination Type (Lady Macdonald)
A lady’s saddle horse should be of solid color, black, chestnut, bay, or brown. White pasterns,
or a star or snip of white on the face, make a very attractive “trimming up.” Personally, I do not consider white-legged or bald-faced horses so suitable for women, because they look “flashy.” While of course color has nothing to do with conformation or the other qualities most to be considered in a lady’s saddle horse, it has everything to do with the points
of a horse for the show ring, where no piebald or flashily marked horse would stand a chance in a ladies’ class.
