RIDING DRESS.
Habits and Safety Skirts--Breeches--Underclothing--Hats--Boots--Gloves--
Riding Under-Bodice, Hunting Ties, Collars, Cuffs, and Ties.
HABITS AND SAFETY SKIRTS.
The choice of the material for a riding habit is naturally limited to
the price which the purchaser intends to pay for the garment. I would,
however, strongly counsel the selection of the best possible cloth, as
only from it can a really successful habit be constructed. Tailors who
make a habit for five guineas, doubtless give the best value they can
for that sum; but when we consider that a good Melton cloth costs about
a guinea a yard, we can understand that it is impossible to get material
of that class in a cheap garment. All good habit makers will
admit--though in most cases very reluctantly--that Melton is by far the
best material for riding habits which are intended for hard wear, as in
hunting; but it possesses, in their eyes, the very grave fault of
longevity, for a good Melton habit lasts for several years. Rough-faced
cloths, such as cheviot, frieze, and serge, retain moisture like a
blanket, and shrink after exposure to much rain; but Melton, which is of
a hard and unyielding texture, and has a smooth surface, is almost
impervious to wet. The virtues of this material are much appreciated by
experienced hunting women for hard wear. There is "a something" about
the hang of a perfectly-fitting Melton habit which no other material
seems to possess; and whatever the elements may be doing, it never
appears out of place. On the other hand, if it is badly cut, it exposes
the shortcomings of its maker in the most ungenerous manner, and is so
obstinate that all the altering in the world will not make it forgive
the insult to its cloth. A Melton habit, therefore, requires to be cut
by one who is an artist at his trade. Another advantage possessed by
this cloth is that it is far easier to clean than any rough-faced
material. An experienced saddler has drawn my attention to the fact that
the dye from skirts made of cheap shoddy material, is apt to come off
and seriously injure the leather of the saddle.
The colour of a habit is a matter of taste on which I can offer no
advice, except that a lady who requires to wear her habit until it
exhibits signs of old age, would do well to select an inconspicuous
tint. I have always found dark blue the most serviceable shade, because
it does not fade, even in tropical climates, nor does it, like black,
turn green and rusty-looking before it is worn out. Besides, it admits
of a new skirt or new coat, as the case may be, without emphasising the
disparity in age of its companion so much as is the case with lighter
shades, such as grey for instance. Some years ago, various shades of
green, brown, and claret colour were worn, but they seem to have been
superseded by dark grey and dark blue, at least in the Shires, though
since the death of our lamented Queen Victoria, black has been greatly
used.
[Illustration: Fig. 52.--The Hayes' Safety Skirt open for mounting.]
In selecting a Melton habit, a heavy make called treble Melton should
be chosen for the skirt, and a lighter one of the same material, which
all good habit makers keep in stock, for the coat; because, in order to
hang well, a skirt must be of heavy cloth, which would, of course, be
too hard and unyielding for a riding coat. We require a "kind," pliable
cloth for our coats, to allow us absolute ease and freedom of movement,
but our skirts, even for wear in the tropics, should be of a thick,
heavy make. When I went out to India in 1885, safety skirts were
unknown, or, at least they were not constructed by Creed, of Conduit
Street, who made my habits, and who was in those days regarded as the
best habit maker in London. He told me that my thick Melton skirt would
be of no use to me in that hot country, and recommended a habit of
khaki-coloured drill, for which I paid sixteen guineas, as he would not
make any kind of riding habit for less than that sum. I soon found that
my investment was a failure, for the skirt flapped about like a sheet in
the wind, and the marks of perspiration on my coat looked most
unsightly, so I handed over my drill habit to my _ayah_, a gift which I
know she did not appreciate at anything approaching its cost. I found
myself more comfortably garbed in my Melton skirt, for heat in riding is
not felt to any appreciable extent below the waist, and I provided
myself with jackets of white drill, on which marks of perspiration are
not so unsightly as on a coloured material.
[Illustration: Fig. 53.--Off side of The Hayes' Safety Skirt.]
As safety in the saddle is the first consideration, and as no article of
riding dress has proved such a death-trap as the skirt, no lady should
ride in one of the old-fashioned, dangerous pattern. I am thankful to
say I was never dragged in any of those ancient garments, but I was
fully aware of this danger, and devised, as I explained in the first
edition of this book, a means of lessening it by buttoning "the under
and outer part" of the skirt just above the knee to the breeches, by
means of large flat cloth buttons, the same colour as the skirt, being
sewn on the breeches, and corresponding button-holes being made in the
skirt. The idea was a practical one, but I was by no means satisfied
with it, and I began to evolve a safety skirt of my own. While I was
experimenting with a pair of scissors on an old skirt in which a groom
was seated on a side-saddle, a habit maker sent me and asked me to wear
and recommend what he called a "perfectly-fitting skirt." This awful
thing had glove-like fingers, which were made to fit the upper crutch
and the leaping head! I hope no lady ever risked her neck in such a
death-trap as that. In puzzling out my safety skirt, I desired to attain
two objects, namely, absolute safety in the saddle, and a decent
covering for my limbs when out of it, so that I might be able to
dismount and walk exposed to the gaze of men at any time or place,
without my dress, or rather want of it, being made the subject of
remark. I had a nice quiet horse, who allowed me to thoroughly test my
invention by falling off his back in every conceivable direction, my
husband being present to prevent my voluntary fall from degenerating
into a "cropper." Mr. Tautz, the well-known breeches maker of Oxford
Street, witnessed these acrobatic feats, and after we had all been
perfectly convinced of the absolute safety of the garment, he took it on
a royalty. My skirt has now been on the market for several years, and I
am glad to have this opportunity of thanking the numerous ladies who
have shewn their appreciation of it. Fig. 52 gives the appearance of the
"Hayes' Safety Skirt," when its wearer is ready to mount, Fig. 53 shows
the off side when in the saddle, in Fig. 54 we see the side opening,
from which the cloth near the crutches is cut entirely away, closed for
walking, and Fig. 6 shows the hang of the skirt when the wearer is
mounted. Since this skirt was invented, I have had several opportunities
of further testing its merits, especially when riding young horses which
have fallen with me in Leicestershire, and I would not care to ride in
any other kind. There are several safety skirts, but it is obvious that
the best kind is one that is safe to ride in, presentable when
dismounted, and easily arranged, which conditions are thoroughly
fulfilled by my patent. There are riding women who object so much to the
indecency of apron skirts (Figs. 55 and 56) that they adopt the
dangerous closed pattern. My skirt would commend itself to those of my
sex who are sufficiently old-fashioned in their ideas to desire a safe
and, at the same time, decent and graceful covering. Some ladies
consider it "smart" to expose their limbs, if we may judge from the free
exhibitions to be seen in the hunting field, while others, who are aware
of the unbecoming effect, have their breeches made extra baggy behind!
[Illustration: Fig. 54.--The Hayes' Safety Skirt closed for walking.]
The apron skirt is an extremely cold, comfortless garment for winter
wear, because it is merely a left-side covering for the limbs, while the
right side being entirely unclothed, the lines and rotundity of the
figure are, when the wearer rises in trotting, displayed to the
wondering gaze of those who ride behind her. As, in the apron skirt,
there is no covering of Melton cloth to sit on and take off some of the
wear and tear of the breeches, these garments become quickly worn out at
the seat, and necessitate a double thickness of cloth at that part.
There is another kind of safety skirt which is a combination of breeches
and skirt in one; but I consider this a very unsanitary arrangement, for
it is obvious that the undergarment must be kept clean, and handed over
when necessary to the laundress to be carefully washed, before sending
it to a tailor to be pressed and repaired as may be required. It is part
of a groom's duty in small households to attend to the cleaning of his
mistress's hunting boots and skirt, but a combination garment should not
be cleaned by a male servant.
[Illustration: Fig. 55.--Apron skirt open for mounting.]
Any skirt which ensures safety in the saddle is preferable to the
old-fashioned shape, with its dangerous bundle of cloth over the
crutches, a fact which is so well understood by hunting women that none
who hunt in Leicestershire, or I hope in any other place, appear in
those early Victorian atrocities. Provision of this kind does not appear
to be insisted on for the safety of young ladies; for I saw a girl
dragged in Leicestershire, and Lord Lonsdale, who fortunately stopped
her horse, sent her home, and told her not to hunt with his hounds until
she had provided herself with a safety skirt. The young and
inexperienced, who, with the fearlessness of ignorance, are prone to
rush headlong into difficulties, ought surely to be safeguarded in every
possible manner. Fig. 57 shows a safe and comfortable riding dress for a
very young girl. For winter wear, the coat and leggings should be made
of Melton; and the breeches of elastic cloth or knitted wool to match.
It is well to have the coat buttoned over the right leg, so as to
protect that limb from cold and wet. For summer use, a linen coat is
worn. We may notice that the sweet little horsewoman has a good seat,
and is capable of taking sole charge of her nice pony.
The safest and most comfortable length for a riding skirt is when it
just covers the rider's left foot when she is seated in the saddle with
her stirrup at its usual length. It is best for a lady to use her own
saddle when having her habit fitted, as her stirrup will then be at the
length she rides in, and the crutches will also receive the necessary
consideration from the fitter.
Care should be taken that the skirt fits well over the right knee, when
the wearer is seated in her saddle. Creed and other good makers of the
past always padded this knee part, which gave not only a nice, rounded
appearance to the knee, especially in the case of a very thin lady, but
ensured the skirt being put on straight with a minimum of trouble.
Present day skirts have not this small round pad for the right knee to
fit into, but its omission is far from being an improvement on the old
fashion.
[Illustration: Fig. 56.--The apron skirt closed for walking.]
Whatever shape a lady may select for her riding coat, she should pay
particular attention to the fit of the sleeves, which must not in any
way hamper the movements of her arms. Before trying it on, its wearer
should procure a good pair of riding corsets, which must allow free play
to the movements of her hips, and, above all, she must not lace them
tightly. Wasp waists have luckily gone out, never, I hope, to return.
The size of a woman's waist, if she is not deformed, is in proportion to
that of the rest of her body. Therefore, a pinched waist, besides
rendering the tightly girthed-up lady uncomfortable, to say nothing of
its probable effect on the tint of her nose, deceives no one. It is
impossible to ride with ease and grace in tight stays, a fact which we
should remember when trying on a habit coat, for the fitter will follow
the shape, or mis-shape, of the corsets, and the coat will be built on
those lines. The back of the garment should be quite flat, and padding
may be needed in the case of hollow backs, as there should be no high
water line across the back defining where corset ends and back
commences. The collar should fit nicely into the neck at the back, and
not gape open from being cut too low. There should be no fulness at the
top of the sleeves, for nothing looks more unsightly than "bumpy
shoulders" on horseback. It would be well for the wearer when trying on,
to lean back and extend her arms, as she would do when giving her horse
his head over a fence, in order to find out if the sleeves are likely
to hamper the movements of the arms, as they sometimes do, from the coat
being cut too narrow across the chest. It is no use fitting on a coat
once or twice, and then leaving it to chance; for, to secure a perfect
fit, the garment will require to be tried on until there are no further
alterations to be made in it. Whatever shape may be chosen, the coat
should not be made too long, or it will flap and flop about in a most
ungraceful manner. Fig. 58 shows a loose-fitting coat which is not
smart, because it is too long, and as it rests on the horse's back, it
will wrinkle up when its wearer sits down in trotting and will look
ugly. If this coat was a good four inches shorter at the back, and
graduated off to just cover the right knee, it would be clear of the
horse's back and present a far neater and less sloppy appearance. Many
habit makers who run apron skirts of their own, insist on making riding
coats far too long, of course with the object of hiding the indecency of
the apron skirt when its wearer is on foot. Ladies who do not adopt that
kind of skirt, should not allow tailors who have had no practical
experience in side-saddle riding, to dictate what _they_ consider best,
to experienced horsewomen. I find that young habit makers who are new at
their business are far more trying in this respect, than their more
experienced elders.
[Illustration: _Photo. by_ THE REV. G. BROKE.
Fig. 57.--Riding dress for child.]
[Illustration: Fig. 58.--Loose riding coat, too long.]
We have only to look at fashion plates to see that no dress is suggested
for ladies who are inclined to be stout, for in them, only slim figures
appear to receive consideration. I would recommend the loose-fitting
coat as the most becoming for portly persons, because with a loose
garment there is no abrupt accentuation of bulk, a fact which many stout
ladies who adopt the Eton jacket style of dress, fail to recognise. On
the stage, a slim actress may look well in tights, but this skin-like
covering on a bulky figure would be ridiculously ugly. As the same lady
draped in loose flowing robes may present a graceful and dignified
appearance; those who are inclined to be portly would do well to wear
loose-fitting riding coats, being careful to see that they are made to
just reach the saddle and not flop on the back of the horse, or they
will not be smart or comfortable to ride in. In Fig. 58 I have shown how
unnecessarily bulky a woman with a 25-inch waist may be made to look in
a loose coat which is too long. Tailors do not like making these
articles of dress, especially when they are of Melton cloth, because
they are extremely difficult to manipulate, and the "hang" of such a
garment will be hideous if its cutter be not a true artist at his
business, for a loose coat is nothing if not graceful in outline. It is
impossible to tell, when seated on a wooden horse, how a loose coat will
hang when ridden in, so the finishing touches, such as pockets, &c.,
should never be made until the wearer has tried the coat on her own
horse, with a critical friend to ride with her and tell her if anything
is amiss with it. The little extra trouble this precaution may involve,
is nothing as compared with the disappointment of having to "put up"
with an ill-fitting garment. Some tailors have a Mayhew saddle on their
block horse for fitting skirts; because in that kind of saddle, the
crutches give them no trouble as regards "poking up"; but if a lady uses
a saddle with ordinary crutches, she should be wary and take her own
saddle for the fitting of her skirt. There are habit makers who
recommend tight-fitting coats for stout figures, because, they argue,
the bulk is there and must go somewhere; but a deaf ear should be turned
to such arguments, as an ample figure should be concealed; not
accentuated. Naturally these gentlemen are prejudiced against loose
coats, for apart from the difficulty in making them, they cut into a
much larger amount of valuable cloth than tight-fitting ones. Tailors
will readily admit that this shaped coat is the best for young girls,
because tight-fitting ones would give them too much of a "grown-up
appearance," but not for the stout girl, who has far more need to
conceal her "grown-up appearance"!
[Illustration: Fig. 59.--Front view of good riding coat.]
Twenty years ago tailors were much more particular over their work than
they appear to be at the present time. Creed always insisted on a lady
bringing her own saddle, before he would fit a habit, and, if the
garment did not please him, it would be discarded and another cut out
ready for her when she next came to be fitted. This generous method of
dealing was amply repaid; because it soon became known that the old man
would not allow an imperfect garment to leave his shop.
For hunting, it is best to have a coat which will afford us protection
from cold and wet, and therefore its fronts should be made to cover the
right knee, the buttons being concealed under the "skirt" of the coat.
This shape is in every way good, because there are no floppy fronts to
trouble us by blowing back on windy days, and when the rain drips from
the hat, the coat-covering helps to keep our right knee dry. In the
old-fashioned habits, great care was taken that nothing could become
displaced, to spoil the effect, as an old lady friend puts it, of "the
beautiful gliding motion of a ship in full sail." I fear now-a-days we
allow our sails to flop about far too much, and destroy that "beautiful
gliding motion." What could be more ugly than a coat with tails which
reach nearly to a horse's hocks, and no front covering whatever to
protect the knee in bad weather? Wind, which is no respecter of persons,
seizes these long tails and hurls them over the back of the rider's
head, as she stands in a wild blast at the covert side looking very
"tailly" and cold. Besides covering the right knee, the coat should have
a collar that will turn up and fasten at the throat with a button and
strap, to keep out wet, and cuffs that will turn down over the hands.
[Illustration: Fig. 60.--Back view of good riding coat.]
Clad in a sensible garment of this kind, which should be smart and
well-fitting, we can defy the elements without running any undue risks.
Fig. 59 shows a coat which is made to cover the right knee. Fig. 60
gives the back view, and is a useful length. Fashion, whoever he or she
may be, invents more or less fearful and wonderful coats, which appear
every season in the hunting field; but these curiosities "go out"
suddenly, and the end of the season generally sees us all garbed in the
old motley; for the newcomers have been tried and found wanting.
The best way to clean a mud-stained habit is to dry it thoroughly and
brush the mud off. Any white marks of perspiration from the horse which
may remain after a skirt has been thoroughly brushed and beaten, may be
removed by benzine collas, or cloudy ammonia diluted with water, or they
may be sponged with soft soap and water, care being taken to remove all
the soap from the cloth.
For riding during the hot weather in India and other tropical countries,
a very useful garment is a Norfolk jacket in cream stockinet, which can
be purchased ready-made. It fits the figure closely, and has three
pleats in front and behind, which are sewn to the garment, the buttons
being concealed under the front pleat (Fig. 61). The best kind of belt,
I think, for wearing with this jacket is one made like a girth, of
ordinary cream girth webbing, as it is easy to wash when soiled. Jackets
in white drill, which may be worn open with soft-fronted shirts (Fig.
62), are also to be commended, as they wash well and always look clean
and cool. Some ladies dispense with a jacket, and ride with a shirt and
belt; but that style is not generally becoming, and is suggestive of
forgetfulness in dressing. In Ceylon I obtained very smart checked
flannel for riding jackets. In China and Japan a fine crepe flannel,
which does not shrink in washing, may be had for this purpose, but I
have been unable to procure it in other countries.
[Illustration: Fig. 61.--Terai hat and Norfolk jacket.]
[Illustration: Fig. 62.--Pith hat and drill jacket.]
A lady who intends to hunt will find a driving coat necessary when
travelling by rail, or driving to and from a hunt. Fig. 63 shows a
comfortable coat in Melton cloth, with "storm" collar and cuffs of
astrakan. A good driving coat is a costly garment, but it can be
utilised as a winter or travelling coat. The collar of the subject of
this illustration was made specially high for use in Russia, where,
during winter, the cold is so intense that I often found my
pocket-handkerchief frozen hard in my pocket, although this thick Melton
coat was wadded throughout. The Hayes' Safety skirt worn under this coat
is looped up from the right knee button to a tab of elastic attached to
the waist of the skirt, which obviates the necessity of holding up the
skirt.
[Illustration: Fig. 63.--Good driving coat.]
BREECHES.
I shall not say anything about trousers, because I do not think they are
worn by riding women of the present time, and also for the very good
reason that I have never worn them. I think they would be uncomfortable
to use for hunting, for, unlike breeches, they do not fit the knees
closely. Trousers went out of fashion about thirty years ago, before
safety skirts came into general use. It used to be extremely difficult
for ladies to get a properly-fitting pair of riding breeches, as no
correct measurement for them was taken, and it was not pleasant to be
obliged to interview male fitters respecting the cut of these garments.
Messrs. Tautz and Sons, of Oxford Street, solved the difficulty by
providing us with a competent female fitter, who takes careful
measurements for breeches, and rectifies any faults there may be in
their fit. The best kind of material for breeches is elastic cloth,
which is specially made for that purpose. It is both strong and porous,
and can be obtained in any shade to match the riding-habit, which, of
course, is necessary. The breeches should be fitted while the wearer is
seated on a wooden horse, and special attention should be devoted to
their cut at the knees; for if the cloth at the right knee does not lie
flat and fit that part like a glove, the wearer will suffer discomfort
from being "rubbed" by the friction of the superfluous material.
Following the senseless custom adopted by men, many of whom hate it
themselves, we have our breeches to button on the shin bone. I would
recommend ladies who experience discomfort, from the combined pressure
of boot and breeches buttoned on the shin bone, either to revert to the
old style of buttoning the breeches a little to the outside of the leg,
or to have their riding boots made shorter, see page 117. Besides, there
is no necessity for us to ape men's fashions in either boots or
breeches, because these garments are not seen, and we require them to be
thoroughly comfortable. For hunting and winter use I like what are
called "continuations" fixed to breeches, as these gaiter-like pieces of
cloth cover the leg to a certain distance below the swell of the calf,
and keep it warm, besides preventing the knee of the breeches from
working round, which men obviate by using garter-straps. Leather
breeches for ladies' use are too unsanitary to merit consideration.
For use in the tropics, a lady would require breeches of a very thin
make of elastic cloth, and, if continuations were liked, it would be
best to have them made detachable, as they could not be worn with
comfort during the hot weather.
UNDERCLOTHING.
Ladies who hunt should always carefully protect themselves against chill
by the adoption of warm underclothing, for they are frequently exposed
for hours to bitter cold, wind, snow, sleet, hail and fog, and if one is
thinly clad, and, as often happens, there is a long wait at a covert
side, a dangerous chill may be contracted. An under-vest of "natural"
wool should be worn next the skin, and a pair of woollen
combinations--which button close to the throat, and are provided with
long sleeves, will be found very comfortable and warm. Combinations are
better for riding use at any time than ordinary underclothing, as there
is no superfluous material in them to become displaced and cause
discomfort. They can be had in very thin material for use in the tropics
and for summer wear. Warm woollen stockings are to be recommended for
hunting, and especially for ladies who suffer from cold feet. Those who
find woollen garments irritating to the skin may remove the difficulty
by wearing them over thin silk. Any trouble in keeping the stockings in
place can be best overcome by the use of plain sewn elastic garters,
which have no buckles or straps, being placed below the knees, and the
upper part of the stockings turned back over them and pulled down the
leg as far as they will go, so that each stocking may lie perfectly flat
on the leg. The elastic bands should be of the usual garter width, and
should be sufficiently roomy not to hurt the legs. As I found chamois
leather, with which breeches are usually lined, unsatisfactory, I
invented a comfortable substitute for it in the form of a removable pad,
which has met with the approval of several hunting women. I would be
happy to give privately any particulars concerning this invention to
ladies who may be interested in it.
HATS.
The tall silk hat has, during recent years, been largely superseded by
the more comfortable if less elegant-looking bowler. On hunt full-dress
occasions, such as a Quorn Friday, the ladies of the hunt generally
wear tall hats, but I notice that bowlers have as a rule been worn
during the rest of the week. The high hat is said to be the more
becoming of the two, but it takes a lot of trouble to keep in order, and
a bowler is more comfortable and useful for rough work. A lady who is
wearing a tall hat for the first time, should not forget to lower her
head well in passing under trees, as this kind of head-gear requires
more head room than a bowler. The best arrangement for keeping a riding
hat firmly fixed on the head is to have a small piece of velvet sewn
inside the front, so that it comes on the forehead, and to have for the
back, a piece of elastic an inch wide sewn to the hat, well to the
front. Care should be taken that the elastic is not too tight, in which
case it might cause a nasty headache, as well as a ridge on the forehead
from the pressure of the hat. In selecting a bowler, a lady should be
careful to choose a becoming shape, as these hats vary greatly in form.
To my mind, the kind most generally becoming has a low crown and rather
broad brim. High-crowned hats with closely turned-up brim are trying to
most faces.
Although it is not usual for hunting women in the Shires to wear
hat-guards, I would strongly recommend their adoption, because, however
well a hat may be secured by elastic, an overhanging branch at a fence
may knock it off, and it is as well to be able to recover it without
assistance. When hunting this season, I lost my hat at a fence, and my
long-suffering husband had to give up a good place in a run to go back
and fetch it, whereas, if I had had a hat-guard, this tiresome
occurrence would have been prevented. It is best to attach the cord of
the hat-guard to a button-hole of the habit-jacket, for then, if the hat
comes off, the cord can be more easily caught than if it is fastened
inside the back of the collar of the coat. On windy days the advantage
of a hat-cord is obvious. Ladies who object to its use may say that
overhanging branches should be avoided, but when hounds are running, and
one is mounted on a tall horse, it is impossible to always steer clear
of stray twigs, and therefore men find a hat-guard very useful.
For tropical climates the pith hat or _sola topee_ (Fig. 62) is best for
the hot weather. Helmets, besides being apt to give one a headache on
account of their weight, do not afford sufficient protection to the
rider's temples from the sun. The double Terai hat of grey felt (Fig.
61) is becoming, but it is very heavy. Pith is lightest and most
suitable for wear during intense heat. In the cool weather a bowler or
straw sailor may be worn; but even in the cold season ladies should
avoid wearing a small hat when the sun is above the horizon, for its
rays are treacherous. I have had many a splitting headache from
disregard of this precaution.
In trying on a riding hat, the hair should be dressed low down, as it
will be worn when riding, in order to obtain a comfortable fit; for the
hat must fit the head and not be perched on the top of it, or it will
not "remain" if the horse goes out of a walk. The old arrangement of
dressing the hair in a coil of plaits at the nape of the neck has quite
gone out, but it was a far neater one for riding than the "tea-pot
handle" and other curious knobs and buns of the present time. The
pulled-out style, in bad imitation of Japanese hair dressing, gives a
dirty and untidy appearance, and looks perfectly hideous on horseback,
and especially when the place where the back hair ought to be, is
adorned with a round brooch! If ladies who adopt this bad style could
only see how much it vulgarises an otherwise nice appearance, they would
at once abjure it. A neat way to arrange the hair for hunting is to coil
it firmly round the head, and fasten it with plenty of hairpins--those
bent in the centre and with ball points are, I think, the most
reliable--and to pin over the hair an "invisible" silken net the same
colour as the hair, which will keep it tidy.
BOOTS.
I wish to lay particular stress on the necessity of riding boots having
thin pliable soles, and being easy over the instep; because I once saw a
lady dragged by her stirrup and only saved from death by her boot coming
off and thus releasing her. I do not think that sufficient attention is
paid either by ladies or bootmakers to the fact that a loose riding boot
may be the means of saving its wearer's life: I never devoted much
thought to the subject before witnessing this accident. The use of tight
boots in winter has the great disadvantage of keeping the feet very
cold, even when warm stockings are worn. Saddlers have invented safety
bars and stirrups, habit makers have provided safety skirts, but
bootmakers have not yet thought out a hunting boot which would release
the foot in the event of a safety bar failing to act, or of a safety or
other stirrup being crushed in a fall. A thin pliable sole and plenty of
room over the instep to allow of the left foot being easily pulled
through the boot, would greatly minimise the danger in question. We
seldom hear of a jockey being dragged, although flat races are ridden in
saddles that have no releasing bars, and even steeplechases are often
ridden in these saddles, when a rider has a difficulty in getting down
to the weight; but all jockeys wear boots which have thin, and,
consequently, very pliable soles. Fashion dictates that ladies'
top-boots should be as high as those worn by men, which is very absurd;
because they are not seen, and the hard, unyielding leather of a high
top-boot pressing either on the breeches buttons, or on the under part
of the right leg is apt to cause great pain and discomfort. Then, again,
when a Champion and Wilton saddle with safety bar flap is used, the top
of the left boot is liable to catch in the flap when its wearer is
rising at the trot and is thus apt to release the stirrup leather. Fig.
64 shows the top of the boot in position to raise the safety bar flap in
the manner mentioned. I have obviated these inconveniences and have
ridden in comfort by wearing boots made two inches shorter than the
regulation height, and by wearing breeches with "continuations," no
stockings are exposed to view, even when one gets a fall. With boots of
this length there is no possibility of the left leg being hurt by
pressure of boot and breeches buttons on the shin bone. Fashionable
bootmakers who build boots for ladies on the pattern of those worn by
men, seem to be unaware of the fact that a woman's grip in a side-saddle
is entirely different from that of a man in a cross-saddle, and many
ladies suffer unnecessary discomfort by meekly accepting what they are
told is "the proper thing." Our friend Mr. James Fillis, in his
interesting work, _Breaking and Riding_, says that for ladies' wear he
prefers "ordinary boots to long boots, which are too hard, and are
consequently apt to cut the wearer under the knee, and to prevent her
feeling the horse with her leg;" but as ordinary boots would not be
considered sufficiently smart for hunting, or even hacking in the Row,
the compromise I advocate will be found to answer all requirements. In
ordering a pair of riding boots we should go to a good maker and have
them of patent leather, which is smarter and cleaner than blacking
leather. For wear in tropical countries, I found that boots which have
the foot part of patent leather and the leg of morocco, with a thin
leather lining to stiffen and keep the leg part in place, are cooler and
more comfortable than any other kind. A pair of boot-hooks will be
required for putting them on, and a boot-jack for taking them off. A
little Lucca oil used occasionally prevents patent leather from
cracking. The dry mud should be brushed off soiled boots with a soft
brush that will not scratch the leather, and they should then be sponged
over with a damp sponge and polished with a selvyt or chamois leather.
Patent leather, which has lost its brightness from wear, can be polished
with Harris's Harness Polish or any similar preparation which does not
cake on the leather or injure it in any way. We should remember that
boots will last much longer and retain their shape to the end if they
are always kept, when not in use, on trees. It is best to wear new
riding boots in the house before they are ridden in, so as to make them
pliable to the "tread" in walking, and to work off their stiff and
uncomfortable feeling.
[Illustration: Fig. 64.--Top of boot catching on safety bar flap.]
GLOVES.
Antelope-skin or dog-skin gloves are, I think, the best for hunting. I
prefer the former, as they are very soft and pliable. Whatever kind of
gloves are chosen, care should be taken to have them sufficiently large
to allow perfect freedom to the hands; for tight gloves make the hands
cold, and greatly impede their action in the management of the reins. In
selecting gloves, a careful measurement of the fingers should be taken,
so that they may not be too short. Although gloves of the best quality
are somewhat expensive, they are well cut, they wear better and are
altogether more satisfactory than cheap imitations. On very cold days, I
prefer white woollen gloves to any other kind. In wet weather they are
indispensable, for a better grip of slippery reins can be got with them
than with leather ones. I agree with Jorrocks that "Berlin gloves are
capital for 'unting in, they keep your 'ands warm, and do to rub your
nose upon in cold weather," though I have not tried their effect in this
respect! During a winter which I spent in Russia, I derived the
greatest comfort from the use of woollen gloves, which I found far
warmer than any other kind. For the tropics, kid or suede gloves may be
worn in the cold weather, but in the hot months I found white cotton the
most comfortable kind, as they are cool, thin and soft, and wash and
wear better than silk, which the reins quickly destroy. Perspiration
from the hands will show through leather gloves, which, on drying, will
become as stiff as a board. It should be remembered that rings worn when
riding, especially those containing stones, hamper the action of the
fingers, and are very destructive to gloves.
[Illustration: Fig. 65.--Front view of riding under-bodice.]
RIDING UNDER-BODICE, HUNTING-TIES, COLLARS, CUFFS AND TIES.
A garment which I have thought out, and which I believe will fill a
want, is a riding under-bodice with long sleeves and wristbands, to
which cuffs can be attached, and also a stud at the throat for the
attachment of a hunting-tie or collar. This bodice is in stockinet, and
fits closely, without, as in the case of ordinary shirts, any
superfluous material marring the outline of the figure (Figs. 65 and
66). Ladies generally have so much difficulty in fastening cuffs, that
they will doubtless welcome a close-fitting garment of this description,
and it will do away with the tiresome habit-shirts and dickeys which
have an irritating trick of following one's neck about, instead of
remaining in a fixed position. Besides, collars which cannot be kept
firmly in place generally necessitate the use of pins, which should
never be employed with any article of riding attire.
[Illustration: Fig. 66.--Back view of riding under-bodice.]
A hunting-tie or stock, which is a combination of collar and tie, the
collar part being either starched or soft, according to choice, is the
warmest and most becoming kind of neck arrangement for hunting. It is
not easy to put on neatly, and it would be well for a novice when
purchasing these ties to get the shopman to initiate her into their
mysteries, and to take one home correctly tied, to be kept as a copy
until its somewhat intricate manipulation has been mastered. My
husband's directions for the arrangement of a hunting-tie are as
follows:--"The centre of the stock is placed on the front of the neck,
the ends are passed in opposite directions round the back of the neck,
brought in front, tied in a reef knot, crossed in front of this knot,
and finally secured, as a rule, by means of a pin or brooch of the
safety or horse-shoe or fox pattern. A gold safety pin is often used. A
brooch pin is naturally safer than an ordinary pin. Nowadays, hunting
ties are nearly always made of white cotton material" (_Riding and
Hunting_).
If a collar is preferred to a hunting-tie, it should not be too high,
for nothing is more uncomfortable in riding than a collar which compels
its wearer to preserve a stiff neck and runs into her whenever she tries
to turn her head. The best kind of cuffs are those which have button
holes for links or solitaires in the centre, as they allow room for
thick gloves to be passed under them. The necktie to be worn is a matter
of choice, but white and black ties are always becoming, the former for
preference, as they brighten up a dark habit. It is always well to
abjure startling colours; for the dress, saddlery and gear of a
horsewoman should be characterised by simplicity and neatness. On this
point I can offer no sounder advice than that given to Laertes by his
father, who said:
"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express'd in fancy; rich not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man;"
and also the woman.