THE HUNTING FIELD.
We enter now upon a new and important phase of our pupil's education in
the saddle. Before doing so, however, I feel bound to observe that from
time to time a vast amount of "twaddle" is ventilated on the question of
the propriety of ladies riding with hounds. All sorts of absurd
objections have been brought forward against the practice; as, for
instance, that hunting as regards ladies is a mere excuse for display
and flirtation, and that it is both unfeminine and dangerous. I believe
that these objections, made by people who never knew the glorious
exhilaration of hunting, may be very briefly disposed of. I reside where
the very cream of the midland hunting is carried on, and I perceive that
year after year the number of ladies of high rank and social position
who grace the field with their presence is on the increase; while to the
best of my belief no female equestrians _who are not ladies_ have been
seen with hounds in Leicestershire or its vicinity for some years. So
much for the stamp of woman that hunts nowadays.
As regards flirtation and display, I am at a loss to understand why
anti-foxhunting cynics should have selected the covert side, or the road
to it, for their diatribes; for there _can_ be no time for flirting when
hounds are once away. It must be manifest to every man who has the most
remote notion of what manner of people our aristocracy and gentry are,
that they will only know at the covert side precisely the same stamp of
person they meet elsewhere in society. In that society there are dinner
parties, flower shows, balls, the opera, all affording equal or better
opportunities for flirtation than the hunting field. As to hunting being
unfeminine, it is difficult, I submit, to pronounce it any more so than
riding in Rotten-row. And finally, as regards danger, I propose to show
how it can be rendered all but impossible if due care and forethought
are exercised by the male friends or relatives of the hunting lady. Let
us now, therefore, having traced out the course of instruction in the
riding school, on the road, and in the park, consider how safety is best
ensured to the beginner.
As regards the stamp of horse the fair _debutante_ of the chase should
ride, I have already endeavoured to give my idea. I have only to add
that he should be very fit for his work, the pink of condition, without
being above himself; and, finally, that no temptation as to fine action
or clever fencing should ever induce a lady to ride a hunter that has a
particle of vice about him. With the best of piloting it is impossible
always to keep her out of a crowd, where she is in a woeful dilemma if
mounted on a horse that kicks at others. I have seen this more than
once, and have heard expressions from the suffering riders that must
have been far from pleasing to refined feminine ears. I must, however,
record a special instance of politeness under difficulties which I
witnessed during the past season. Hounds were running with a breast-high
scent, the pace very fast, when the leading division had their extended
front diminished to single file by a big bullfincher, practicable only
in one place. Among those waiting their turn to jump was a lady who
always rides very forward. She was mounted on a rare-shaped, blood-like
animal, that looked all over like seeing the end of a long day, but
exhibited considerable impatience at the check. In some cases, as all
hunting people know, the difficulty is always increased to those who are
compelled to wait by a ruck of riders crowding up from the rear. The
case I allude to was no exception to this rule, and among others came a
welter middle-aged gentleman, riding a horse quite up to his weight--a
grand hunting looking animal, that appeared intent upon clearing every
obstacle in his path, not excepting the impatient ones who were doing
the gap in Indian file. The veteran, however, who was a capital
horseman, managed to pull up his too-eager steed just in rear of the
lady's horse, and was forthwith accommodated with a most vicious kick
with his near hind leg. Fortunately, the distance was too great to
admit of the stout gentleman receiving the full benefit of the intended
favour, which nevertheless made his boot-top rattle, and materially
altered the genial expression of his rubicund visage. Turning gracefully
in her saddle, the fair votary of the chase expressed her deep regret at
the bad behaviour of her horse. "I am very sorry--awfully sorry; I hope
you are not hurt," she said, in a tone which ought to have consoled any
middle-aged sportsman for a broken shin. "I never knew him to do it
before," continued the lady. "Pray don't say a word, Miss," replied the
old gentleman, taking off his hat with a genuine thoroughbred air;
"don't say a word; they are only dangerous when they do it behind."
Whether they do it "behind" or "before," kick in a crowd at other
horses, or hit at hounds with their fore feet (as some thoroughbreds
will do when excited), they are equally disqualified for ladies'
hunters, however gaily they may sail over the turf or clear the
obstacles in their way.
To proceed with our lessons. Before venturing to take our aspirant for
the honours of the chase to a regular meet of foxhounds--where she is
apt to become excited, and possibly unnerved by the imposing array of
"pink," gallant horsemen, and aristocratic ladies riding steeds of
fabulous price, dashing equipages, and thrusting foot people, always
ready to embarrass a beginner--it is best to seek out a quiet line
nearly all arable land, where the fences will be small, where there are
few ditches to be met with, and where the going on the stubble or fallow
will be good enough when the crops are off the ground. The pupil should
wear a "hunting skirt" properly so called--that is, one not too
redundant, made of strong cloth, and booted with leather about eight or
ten inches wide round the bottom. This is a very necessary precaution,
because it prevents the skirt from hanging up in the fences and getting
torn. Hunting boots also should be worn, back-strapped, tongued in at
the foot, and reaching nearly to the knee, the upper part made of thick
but very flexible leather--buckskin is the best. It is soft, and at the
same time thick enough to save the leg from a blow from a strong binder,
which occasionally hits very hard in its rebound, having been previously
bent forward by somebody who has just jumped the fence.
A "Latchford" spur of the sort before described is also requisite, and
the question of the arrangement of skirt necessary to enable the rider
to use the spur effectively has caused considerable diversity of opinion
among _cognoscenti_ on hunting matters. Some ladies have an opening made
in the skirt, through which the shank of the spur passes; and in order
to keep the latter in its place, it is usual to have a couple of strings
strongly stitched on to the inside of the skirt. These are tied round
the ankle, and prevent the skirt to a great extent from getting foul of
the spur. But this method decidedly involves a certain amount of risk,
because, in case of the horse making a blunder and falling, the lady has
not the free use of her leg. Again, there is a method of letting the
spur shank through a small opening similar to a large eyelet hole, made
of strong elastic, and let into the skirt, the point of insertion having
been previously measured when the rider is in the saddle and her left
leg and foot are properly placed as regards the third crutch and
stirrup. But a still better way is that which I have seen adopted lately
by several ladies who go very straight with hounds. It is as follows.
After the skirt has been carefully measured and _marked_ (the lady up),
an opening is made perpendicularly, large enough to admit of the lady's
foot passing through it. This opening should be made about six or eight
inches above the place where the ankle will touch the skirt, when the
left leg is fairly stretched down, the knee bent, and the heel sunk.
When the instructor has assisted his pupil into the saddle, he should
put her foot in the stirrup, and wait until she has carefully arranged
her habit; he should then take her foot out again, and the lady should
lift it high enough to enable her attendant to pass it _through the
opening_. The foot can then be replaced in the stirrup, and the spur
buckled on. The upper leather (by the way) should be broad and slightly
padded. By these means the left foot and the leg from six to eight
inches above the ankle will be entirely clear of the skirt, which will
give the rider perfect freedom of action, while the opening is not
sufficiently wide to admit of the skirt being blown clear of the leg.
This, moreover, is prevented by the leather booting; in fact, in a
well-made hunting skirt there should be no slack cloth for the winds to
play with at all.
The kind of whip to be used is the crop (without the thong) of a hunting
whip; a Malacca crop is the best for a lady, because the lightest. It
should have a good crook to it, well roughened on the outside, and be
furnished, moreover, with a roughened nail head, in order to prevent the
crop slipping when the rider attempts to open a gate. Gauntlet gloves
with strong leather tops are best, because they prevent the possibility
of the rider's hands being scratched or injured in jumping a ragged
fence; but if the lady dislikes gauntlets, the sleeve of the jacket
should be made to fasten with three buttons close to the wrist, because
the sleeves now so much in fashion, being very wide at the wrist, are
apt in taking a fence to catch and get torn, in addition to the risk of
the rider being pulled off her horse. These casualties, which of course
cannot occur with the clean-made jump taken in the riding school, are
likely enough to happen in the field, and should be carefully guarded
against.
As regards the shape and make of the jacket I have already said so much,
that I must leave it to the taste and figure of the rider, always
assuming that while she allows herself plenty of freedom of movement,
she does not wear anything too loose, or any _steel_ supports about her,
as for hunting these are highly dangerous.
As regards headgear, the same style of thing that sufficed for the
riding school may not be considered sufficiently effective for the
hunting field; and, without venturing upon ground so delicate as an
opinion or even knowledge of ladies' "coiffure," I may say that at
Melton and other fashionable hunting centres there has for some time
existed an artful combination between the ladies' hat makers and the
hairdressers, by means of which that very elegant affair the "Melton
hat" is deftly fitted with an arrangement of hair behind which is
immovable, no matter where the wearer jumps in hunting. The
hairdresser's services are first called into requisition; possibly he
imparts the "arcana" of his craft to the lady's maid; but one or other
succeeds in making such an arrangement of the hair as renders it at once
secure in riding and becoming to the style of the lady herself. The hat
with the hair attached behind is then placed on the head, and secured by
an invisible elastic band. Should any of my readers desire information
on these matters, so important to a lady's comfort in the hunting
field, I can furnish them with the names of the people in Melton and
elsewhere who can give them every detail.
Having our pupil accoutred as before described, and taken her to a quiet
farm, the instructor should pick out a line, start at a walk in front of
his charge, pop his horse quietly over the fences, and see that his
pupil does them with equal coolness and without rush or hurry. When she
can do this well, the pace should be increased to a steady canter; and
the master riding beside her should be careful that she _steadies_ her
horse three or four lengths before he takes off, always riding him well
into the bridle.
This kind of practice should be continued for some days, until the pupil
is quite at home at her work, and the master should then proceed to
instruct her as to the mode in which to make her horse "crawl" through
gaps and crooked, cramped places, and do "on and off" jumps and doubles.
The animal best adapted for this sort of practice is one that is
_clever_ rather than _fast_. An Irish horse, out of a ditch and bank
country, is preferable. But the instructor should take special care, by
first doing these "on and off" jumps himself, to ascertain that the
banks are sound; otherwise there is danger of just the worst kind of
fall a woman can have. We have lately had a lamentable instance of this
in the case of a noble lady, one of the most brilliant horsewomen in
England.
For my own part, I am entirely against a lady jumping her horse in the
field at any place where there can be the slightest doubt as to good
foothold, unless she is preceded by a man to pilot her. If the latter
gets down, he can always (assuming him to be a good workman) get clear
of his steed, whereas at these rotten places a lady and her horse are
likely to fall "all of a heap," and injury greater or less is a
certainty to the rider.
Not long since I saw a little girl, about ten years old, riding with
hounds on a mite of a pony which was as clever as a monkey. The little
heroine took a line of her own (no doubt she knew the country well), and
kept her place among the foremost for some time; presently she
disappeared, and we found her impounded, pony and all, up to the back of
the latter in a piece of rotten ground which had let them in like a
"jack in the box." Neither the pony nor his plucky little rider were
hurt, but (as they say in Ireland) that was more by good luck than good
guiding.
I maintain that children at that age should never be left in the hunting
field to their own devices, however well they may ride, and that, either
in their case or that of young ladies of riper age, they should never be
allowed to go with hounds, unless accompanied by a man who is not only a
thorough horseman and judge of hunting, but is also well acquainted with
the country he is riding over, and accustomed to pilot ladies.
After the pupil has learned to make her horse "creep" in the manner
above described--to insure success in which, however, the closest
watching is necessary on the part of the instructor, and directions
requisite in each individual case, utterly impossible in written general
instructions--she should be carefully taught to open gates for herself,
because it is nearly sure hereafter to occur that she may have to ride
at a pinch in a country place where her route lies through a line of
bridle gates, and the attendance of a man to open them for her may not
be available. Nothing is easier than for a lady to open a well-hung and
well-latched gate, the hinges of which are on the off side. Bridle gates
occur most frequently in great grazing countries, such as
Leicestershire, Warwickshire, or Northamptonshire, by reason of the
necessity of confining cattle within certain limits. The gates are
generally heavy, well poised on their hinges, and opening either with
wooden latching or iron spring ones, easily reached at the top.
If the gate is hung on the off side, all the lady has to do is to ride
her horse with his head in an oblique direction between the gatepost and
the gate, so that when she has the latter open she can continue moving
on in the same slanting direction. She should first press the end of her
crop down upon the latch, if it is a wooden one, keeping herself
perfectly upright in the saddle, and steadily seated in it. Directly the
latch lifts she should press firmly against it with the rough crook,
push the gate open, and press her horse onwards in the same oblique
direction, by which the animal's croup clears the gate sooner, and all
risk of its closing on him is avoided. If there is a long iron spring
latch to the gate, it must first be pulled open with the crop, so that
the latch rests against the hasp, and a steady purchase must then be
taken against the upper bar with the crop, and the gate thus quietly
pushed forward: this if it opens _from_ the rider. If the reverse, the
horse's head should be kept perfectly square close to the gate post,
until the latch is lifted and rested on the hasp. The gate should then
be _pulled_ open, and the horse's head inclined just the reverse way to
that adopted when the gate opens _from_ the rider. But in no case should
she _lean_ forward, or put herself out of her balance, in order to get
hold of the latch or the gate itself, and she should be particularly
careful that the reins do not catch against the long iron hasps so
common to the gates I speak of.
Only last year, I met a lady who rides a good deal unattended, and,
seeing her about to open a gate I knew to be rather an awkward one, I
trotted on to assist her; but (possibly desiring to show me that she
could do it unassisted) she leant forward to give the gate _a lift_, and
in doing so she dropped the reins upon her horse's neck, when the animal
immediately hooked the headstall of a single curb bridle upon a long
iron hasp, and, finding himself fast to it, drew back suddenly and broke
the headstall, the bit fell out of his mouth, and the lady (utterly
helpless) had no alternative but to slip off as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, the animal was a very quiet one, or the consequences might
have been serious; as it was, we managed to change bridles, and, having
spliced the broken one, went on our separate ways. But, I repeat, one
cannot be too careful or methodical in opening gates. When one opens
from the _near_ side, the reins must be passed into the right hand, the
crop into the left, and the greatest care taken, if the gate opens _to_
the rider, to _push it_ well back behind the horse's quarters before she
moves on, riding with her horse's head _towards the hinges_. When a
near-side hung gate opens _from_ the rider, there is less difficulty, it
being only necessary after lifting the latch to push against the gate
with the crop, sitting quite upright, and giving swing enough to the
gate to enable the rider to get clear of it. But in either case, to or
from, with a gate hung on the near side the latch should first be
lifted, by using the crop in the _right hand_, resting the latch if
possible against the hasp, and then changing hands with the crop and
reins as before mentioned. If this is not done, and the rider attempts
to lift the latch with her left hand, she must change the direction of
her horse's head when the gate is open, at the great risk of bringing it
on his quarters.
These directions, like others I have ventured upon, may appear too
minute; but it should be remembered that, whereas, carefully followed
out, a lady on a steady horse accustomed to gates can open them with
safety, any carelessness may result in a bad accident, because the
steadiest horse, if "hung up" in a gate, will become furious if he
cannot instantly get clear of it. When, therefore, the pupil is well
practiced at this sort of work, and has learned to feel her way in
cramped places as well as to do her fences at a steady canter, a fair
half-speed gallop may be ventured on, the pupil setting her horse going,
and pressing him if necessary with the spur, to take his fences in his
stride, the spur being used, however, some distance from the fence. The
master should ride beside his pupil in this lesson, carefully watching
the pace of the horse and the action of the rider. A nice easy line of
about a couple of miles should be taken, and the pace maintained
throughout. A month of this kind of practice will form a capital
introductory step to hunting: and when, in the mild misty mornings of
russet-brown October, foxhounds begin to beat up the quarters of the
vulpine juveniles, abjuring her "beauty sleep," the lady may with
advantage, before the "early village cock proclaims the dawn," don her
hunting habiliments, and, under the careful tutelage of her "pilot,"
trot off to covert and see the "beauties" knock the cubs about.
This is by far the best way to begin hunting in reality. There are very
few people about at that early hour, and those only who are thorough
enthusiasts about the sport; consequently there is more time for the new
votary of Diana to get accustomed to the alteration in her horse's form
of demeaning himself. For be it known to the uninitiated that even an
old horse, that requires kicking and hammering along a road when ridden
alone, is quite a different animal and mover the instant he sees the
hounds, and will show an amount of vivacity perhaps very little expected
by his rider; while a well-bred young one requires a great deal of
riding on such occasions.
The short bursts sometimes obtained in "cub hunting" are capital
practice for a lady; while occasionally a veteran fox, some wily old
purloiner of poultry, affords a good twenty or five-and-twenty minutes,
even when the fences are blind. I recommend our pilot, however, to keep
his charge out of these latter matters, for blind jumping is always bad
for a lady.
As regards taking a beginner out with harriers, I am against it. It is
very well for invalids or corpulent gentlemen who are "doing a
constitutional;" but it teaches a young lady nothing of what is really
meant by hunting--which, however, she is in a first-rate position to
learn with the cubs.
Staghunting with a deer turned out from a cart and caught with a
whipthong, is equally inefficacious, because the hunting as a rule only
commences when the run is over. Moreover, there is always a crowd of
people who come out for riding only, and care nothing about hunting, and
these are the most likely to get into a lady's way, and bring her to
grief.
The same may be said of drag hunting, which I hold to be no place for a
lady, any more than steeplechasing.
Let us then, legitimately to inaugurate our pupil into the usages and
forms of hunting proper, stick to cub hunting until November opens the
fences and gives her a chance to prove the value of her previous
instruction.
Before closing this article, I cannot refrain from citing an instance of
the great value of a lady learning to cross the country well,
irrespective of the sport of foxhunting and its health-giving and
exhilarating effects. Within ten miles of where I write this resides a
lady, young, wealthy, and beautiful, who, although not a religious
_recluse_, is as thorough and sincere a devotee of religion as any
cloistered nun. Her whole time is spent in acts of charity, and
ministering to the spiritual and bodily welfare of the poor for miles
round her residence. No weather is too inclement, no night too dark, to
stop her on her errands of mercy and charity. If summoned even at the
dead of night to attend the bedside of a sick or dying person, as
frequently happens, she will dress herself quickly in rough habiliments
suitable to it--maybe in tempestuous weather--saddle and bridle a horse
herself if her people are not quick enough for her, and, provided with
cordials, a prayer book, and a long hunting crop, she will gallop off
the nearest way to her destination, taking the fences, if they lie in
the road, as they come; and one bright moonlight night I saw her do two
or three places that would stop half the men that ride to hounds
hereabouts. This lady, who may fairly and without exaggeration be called
the "ministering angel" of the district, does not, it is true, hunt now;
but it was in riding to hounds that she acquired her wonderful facility
of getting over the country.
The above is no sensational story. The lady, her brilliant riding, her
true religion, and her charities, are well known, and can be vouched for
by hundreds of people in this part of the world. Who shall say after
this that hunting is unfeminine?
I have a word more to add, according to promise, as regards the fitting
of the circular bit.
This bit, which can always be procured at Messrs. Davis's, saddler, 14,
Strand, is fitted in the horse's mouth above the mouthpiece of a snaffle
or Pelham bridle. It has a separate headstall, and is put on before the
ordinary bridle. It requires no reins, is secured by a standing
martingale to a breastplate, and is a certain remedy for horses flirting
or rearing when too _fresh_ (which, however, I repeat, for a lady's
riding should never be allowed).
The strap between the breastplate and the ring bit should be just long
enough to enable the horse to move freely forward, without liberty
enough to admit of his rearing.
In the next chapter I will endeavour to describe what regular hunting
for a lady means; point out the readiest way of getting to our most
fashionable packs of hounds; and how ladies residing even in the
metropolis may enjoy a day or two of good sport on this fine grass
country at the least necessary expense, may witness and enjoy hunting in
its perfection, and, if requisite, may breakfast in Mayfair or
Belgravia, have a glorious gallop over the Midland pastures, and return
to a late dinner. Of course I am aware that neither of the above-named
localities is likely to hold many hunting ladies in November. But the
fashionable quarters of London are not deserted in February, and spring
hunting is perhaps after all the most enjoyable.