Many other qualities there are which are more or less desirable, but the above are absolutely indispensable to a woman's safety, as well as pleasure in the hunting field, and, from choice, no woman should buy a horse that does not possess them.
A good shoulder, as we all know, means so much to the comfort of every rider, whether man or woman, that too much stress cannot be laid on it. But if desirable for all, to a woman it is the one point, for which, if she have to choose, she will give up all else. Without a shoulder which gives the play necessary for him to recover himself, a horse with the dead weight of a woman on his back, has no chance in the case of a slip-up, or peck, or any of the thousand-and-one trifles that will scarcely receive passing notice, if he does put himself right and go on.
Strange as it may seem, some women who go fairly hard in the wake of hounds, do not realise how all-important a matter this is. They do not, in fact, seem to understand the enormous difference between the dead pressure of our weight on a horse—light in comparison though this be in reality—as we sit with our support entirely on one side, to that of the man, who though in nine cases out of ten heavier than we are, yet by the even distribution of pressure and the springiness afforded by the double support of the grip of his legs on both sides of the animal, may be described as living weight. The advantage given by a man's seat is, I believe, incalculable, as those of us who have done long distance rides in uncivilised parts of the world, can say from practical experience, yet I would not—even if it were of the smallest use, in the face of popular opinion—advise women to start a crusade against the existing state of things. We have crusades enough in these days, without taking up the war of the saddle, a victory in which might turn out to be a disastrous failure from other points of view.
That the head should be well put on, is again of special importance to a woman, because beside the fact that she has less physical power than a man as a rule, from the nature of her seat she has less control over her horse, one therefore that carries his head badly, may prove beyond her power altogether to control, and will certainly be unpleasant and fatiguing to ride.
From the full clear eye which will look at you with such winning intelligence, you may and indeed must, if the horse is a stranger to you, make up your mind as to his character. And this is a test that will never fail. I would, therefore, counsel an intending buyer to turn resolutely from any horse that does not satisfy her in this respect, however good his points may otherwise be.
This brings me to the subject of manners, and full as much may be said on this important topic when we discuss the equine species, as when our talk concerns the human race, for is it not true, and equally true, that "manners maketh" both horse and rider what they are. But to confine ourselves to the former for the present, and to see first what he should not be. A horse that is to give you pleasure in the hunting field should not pull, and above all things must not rear, for nothing is so likely to lead to a ghastly accident as this. He must not be a refuser, as here a woman's physical lack of power will be against her. If he fidgets, you will find a long day on his back most fatiguing, and should he be a kicker your enjoyment will be marred. If, indeed, you ride an animal with this fault, and one which at the same time has any turn of speed, you should try to get to the front and stay there, for so you will have more space and freedom than can otherwise be the case. Wherever you are, remember you cannot be too careful to keep the active heels out of reach of the hounds, and of your companions in the field. It is most desirable that a hunter should be quiet at gates, and here, perhaps, I may be allowed to remark that all women who ride to hounds should be able to open a gate quietly and quickly, so if you are not proficient in this, I should advise a little practice by yourself. In a flying country your horse should be more than ordinarily bold, and as clever as you can get him for a creeping country, for never forget that you cannot drive or squeeze him as a man can. If you are a thorough good horsewoman you may of course use spurs, and thus force him "where he would not," but to raise the whip as you near a fence is to teach your horse to swerve, for he very soon learns to expect and shrink from the blow. Beside all these negative and positive qualities, the perfect hunter must be a perfect hack if possible, and when you have these combined you may congratulate yourself on having the horse of a lifetime.
LA CIGALE.
(Property of Mrs. Gordon Canning.)
A horse with the manners I have described will not be young, and I should say, though each rider will have her own opinion about this, that a horse is best for a good woman with hounds, when he is seven off, or even over.