The Horsewoman Part 12

Posts and rails are often used in the s.h.i.+res to strengthen decrepit fences (Fig. 109), and to take their place when no hawthorn bushes are present (Fig. 110). Their difficulty of negotiation is naturally increased by the presence of a ditch on the taking off or landing side, as in Fig. 111. As a rule, they are about 3 feet 6 inches high. A not uncommon form of posts and rails is a Midland stile (Fig. 112). A familiar combination of a hedge and posts and rails is an oxer (Fig.

113). The gap in this ill.u.s.tration has been repaired by wire, and I am much indebted to the ox who kindly allowed us to take his portrait, as well as the fence which owes its name to his family.

Although the Whissendine is a prominent feature of the Cottesmore country near Stapleford Park, I need not dwell upon brooks as a form of hunting obstacle in the s.h.i.+res, for they are seldom jumped; not from faintheartedness on the part of riders, but because the ground on the taking-off or landing side is often treacherous, and the presence of posts and rails or wire on one or both of the banks is a frequent occurrence. Also, the width of these brooks and bottoms varies greatly according to the amount of rainfall. People whose experience of leaping is limited to that of fences on firm and level ground, like those in a jumping compet.i.tion, are naturally apt to overlook the severe manner in which a hunter is handicapped when coming up to an unknown fence, after a long and fast run through heavy, rough and hilly ground.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 106.--A cut-and-laid fence.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 107.--A cut-and-laid fence during construction.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 108.--A stake and bound fence.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 109.--Post and rails to close gap in hedge.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 110.--Posts and rails.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 111.--Posts and rails with ditch.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 112.--Midland stile.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 113.--An oxer.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 114.--Wire in front of bullfinch.]

Wire (Fig. 114) is terribly common in some parts of the s.h.i.+res, and often makes any attempt to ride straight impossible. In countries where it is prevalent, speed is a much more valuable attribute of a hunter than cleverness in jumping, because the main object of the rider will then be, as a rule, to get over fields and through gates with a minimum of "lepping." Some of our Colonial sisters might taunt us for not trying to leap wire in the brave manner done by Miss Harding (Fig. 102) and other New Zealand and Australian horsewomen, but their conditions of country are entirely different from ours. In the s.h.i.+res, for instance, wire, as a great rule, is visible only from one side of the fence which it contaminates, and often takes the form of a concealed trap. Hence it is carefully avoided both by horses at gra.s.s and by riders.

My husband tells me that banks, stone walls and "stone gaps" are the chief fences in Ireland; that hedges are seldom encountered, except in the form of furze on the top of banks; and that he has rarely seen posts and rails in his native land. While enjoying a very pleasant visit last winter with Mr. Arthur Pollok, the Master of the East Galway Hounds, he took the photographs of Figs. 115 to 120. Fig. 115 shows a broad bank about 4 feet high, with a deep ditch on each side, and a tall man standing on the top of it, so as to give an idea of its dimensions. Fig.

116 is a side view of Fig. 115. In Fig. 117, Mr. Pollok, who is also tall, is standing beside a higher and more upright bank which has the usual accompaniment of broad ditches. In Fig. 118, the very popular Master of the East Galway is close to a typical Galway stone wall of the "cope and dash" order and close on 5 feet in height. This formidable obstacle derives its name from the fact that the stones on its top are firmly cemented together by a dash of mortar. The Masters, hunting men, hunting ladies, and horses of the East Galway and Blazers think nothing of "throwing a lep" over a cope and dash of this kind. Ordinary second flighters in the s.h.i.+res would probably prefer the Galway "loose stone wall" depicted in Fig. 119 or the small bank shown in Fig. 120. He also tells me that although there is wire in East Galway, it is used only for fencing-in large s.p.a.ces of ground, and as it stands out alone by itself, it is no source of danger to horse or rider. My husband returned to Crick delighted with the people in County Galway, especially because, when he went out hunting, almost everyone of the small field, both ladies and men, seeing that he was a stranger, were glad to meet him, and went up and spoke to him in a very friendly manner. Over there, hunting is evidently a sport, and not a social function.

Fig. 121, which was very kindly taken from the top of Yelvertoft Church for this book by the Rector of that nice parish, gives a good idea of the country over which we hunt in Northamptons.h.i.+re. In that county, the gra.s.s fields are smaller and the country more wooded than in Leicesters.h.i.+re, which has the inestimable advantage of possessing so many bridle paths, that people who hunt in it have very little road tramping to do. Even that trying infliction is mitigated to some extent in most parts of the s.h.i.+res, by the presence of gra.s.s on the sides of country roads, as in Fig. 122.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 115.--Galway bank.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 116.--Side view of bank shown in Fig. 115.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 117.--Galway bank.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 118.--"Cope and dash" wall.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 119.--Loose stone wall.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 120.--Low bank with ditch on both sides.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo. by_ REV. R. J. GORNALL.

Fig. 121.--View of country between Yelvertoft and Crick.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 122.--Gra.s.s on each side of the road.]

When hunting in England, gates are hardly ever jumped, for two very good reasons. First, because it would take a Manifesto or a Cloister to negotiate a series of them safely during a long run; and second, because the habit of leaping gates would be almost certain to unfit a horse for the task of steadily going through the various phases of opening and shutting these means of ingress and egress. Besides, gates are often in such positions, as regards taking off and landing, that it would be impossible to fly them safely, even if the way were clear of hunting companions, which is seldom the case in large fields. Every horsewoman should remember that nothing is more apt to spoil a horse than allowing a brace of alternative ideas to occupy his mind at the same time. Hence, when a hunter sees a gate during a run, his thoughts should be solely occupied in doing his best to aid his rider to open, get through and shut it, or hold it open, if necessary.

Gates, as a rule, may be divided into five-barred gates (Fig. 123) and bridle gates (Fig. 124). Variety in gates is chiefly limited to their form of fastening, which is generally on the left-hand side of the rider when the gate opens towards her (Figs. 125, 126 and 127); and on her right-hand side, when it opens away from her (Fig. 129). In Fig. 125, we see the old-fas.h.i.+oned wooden latch. In Fig. 126, the spring latch has to be pulled towards the hinges of the gate; and in Fig. 127, away from them. In the double gate shown in Fig. 128, the upper fastening consists of a moveable D; the lower one being a very common supplementary latch, which in Fig. 129, is cunningly secured by a curved piece of iron that renders the gate impossible to be opened, except by a person on foot.

Another form of craft that we sometimes encounter, is an arrangement by which the gate hangs so heavily on its latch, that the would-be pa.s.ser-through has to lift up the gate before he or she can open it, and often at an expenditure of strength of which many women are incapable.

To perform this feat, a rider would of course have to dismount, which would be very awkward, if a lady was by herself. I have met gates of this annoying description on bridle paths on which the public have a right-of-way.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 123.--Ordinary five-barred gate.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 124.--Bridle gate.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 125.--Gate with wooden latch.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 126.--Gate with spring latch which has to be drawn back.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 127.--Gate with spring latch which has to be pushed forward.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 128.--Double gate.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 129.--A puzzle in gate-opening.]

A gate is opened either with the hand or hunting crop, the former being more efficient than the latter, if the latch is within reach, which would seldom be the case if the rider was on a tall horse. When the fence at the side of the fastening of a gate is low enough to allow the rider to place her horse's head over it, she usually can, by doing so, open the fastening by whip or hand, draw the gate back or push it forward, as the case may be, and pa.s.s through. If the hedge at the side of the fastening is too high for this to be done, she will have to place herself alongside the gate, with the horse's tail towards the hinges, and then open the latch, by means of the hand (with or without a whip) which is next to the latch. If the gate opens away from her, she may have to push it forward by hand or crop, unless she is on a well instructed animal, who will be always ready to save her this trouble, by pus.h.i.+ng the gate open with his breast. If the gate opens towards her, the horse should be so trained, that when she has undone the latch, and has begun to draw the gate towards her, he will turn his hind quarters round (make a _pirouette renversee_, as the French call it), move his fore quarters a little to one side, so as to get them clear of the gate, and pa.s.s through, the moment he sees that his rider has opened the gate sufficiently for him to perform that final manoeuvre. For instance, if a mounted lady wants to get through the gate shown in Fig. 126, she should pull back the latch with her right hand (with or without a whip), and on drawing the gate towards her, the horse should bring his hind quarters round to the left; move his fore legs a little to the left; and, if need be, rein back a step or two, so as to be in the proper position to move forward, as soon as he has plenty of room to do so. As a lady has not a leg on each side of her mount, to enable her to turn his hind quarters to whichever side she likes, she will have far more difficulty than a man in teaching a horse these very useful movements. At the same time, when a horse is anxious to get through a closed gateway, as he will generally be when his head is turned towards his stable, he will very quickly learn how to ably a.s.sist his rider in this process.

CHAPTER XVI.

HUNTING.

When ladies began to hunt--Hunt subscriptions--In the field-- Cub-hunting--Blood--Coming home--Rider's Physical Condition--Tips and thanks--The Horn--Hirelings--Farmers and Wire--Pilots-- Propriety--Falls.

WHEN LADIES BEGAN TO HUNT.

Although the hunting field is nowadays graced by the presence of many good horsewomen who ride well to hounds and are capable of taking care of themselves and their mounts, it is only within about the last seventy years that ladies have ridden across country. Mr. Elliott in his book _Fifty years of Fox-hunting_ tells us that in 1838 "Mrs. Lorraine Smith and her two daughters, with Miss Stone from Blisworth, were the only ladies who hunted then. The Misses Lorraine Smith rode in scarlet bodices and grey skirts. The improved side-saddle was not then invented to enable a lady to ride over fences." We learn from the same writer that in 1841 "a lady named Miss Nellie Holmes was out, topping the fences like a bird to the admiration of all; and when she came to the brook, over she went.... That was the first lady whom I saw go over a country. There is one certainty about ladies, what one does another will do, if it be worth the doing. Very soon others were at the game, and many have played it well since." In a pleasant little book ent.i.tled _The Young Ladies' Equestrian Manual_, written by a lady and published in 1838, we read, "No lady of taste ever gallops on the road. Into this pace the lady's horse is never urged, or permitted to break, except in the field; and not above one among a thousand of our fair readers, it may be surmised, is likely to be endowed with sufficient ambition and boldness, to attempt the following of hounds." The saddle given in a drawing in this book has no leaping head, but the writer mentions, as I have previously noted, that movable crutches were being introduced to enable a lady to ride on either side of her horse. The leaping head (p.

33), third crutch, or third pommel, as it was first called in England, came into use in this country in the forties, and with its aid ladies felt themselves endowed with sufficient ambition and boldness to follow hounds. Captain Elmhirst, writing in 1877, says: "It will, I think, be admitted by everyone that the number of ladies who hunt now is at least tenfold as compared with a dozen years ago," and every year since that was written, has seen a steady increase in the ranks of hunting women.

HUNT SUBSCRIPTIONS.

Perhaps it may not be out of place to say something about what a lady should do if she desires to join a hunt and has no menkind to arrange such business matters for her. Every woman who hunts should (and usually does, I believe,) contribute her share of payment towards the sport in which she partic.i.p.ates. If a lady is well off, and intends to hunt regularly, she would probably not give less than 25; but the Quorn and some other fas.h.i.+onable hunts lay down no hard and fast rule concerning the amount to be subscribed, which varies according to individual circ.u.mstances. The minimum subscription to the Pytchley is 25 for a man and 10 for a lady. Lord North, who is Chairman of the Committee of the Warwicks.h.i.+re Hunt, states (_The Field_, 20th December, 1902), in a very generous manner, that "fox-hunting must never be allowed to become the sport of the rich alone. It is a national sport, and must be open to all--to rich and poor alike." There is, however, a recognised sum which qualifies the donor for hunt members.h.i.+p; for instance: the Craven minimum subscription, with members.h.i.+p, is 10; the Crawley and Horsham, 15 guineas; while subscribers of 25 to the Meynell hunt are privileged to wear the hunt b.u.t.ton. In several hunts--Lord Fitzwilliam's, Mr.

Bathurst's, the Belvoir, when hunted by the Duke of Rutland, and others--the Master hunts the country at his own expense, subscriptions being accepted only for Covert, Wire, Poultry, or Damage Funds, as the case may be. The Vale of White Horse (Cirencester) requires a subscription from ladies of "5 per day, per week." Strangers who hunt occasionally with a subscription pack where capping is not practised, are expected to contribute towards the Poultry or Damage Fund. In some hunts a cap is taken from non-subscribers, from whom a certain fixed sum is expected; the Ess.e.x and Suffolk requires five s.h.i.+llings a day, the Burstow a sovereign, and the Pytchley and Warwicks.h.i.+re two pounds. The usual "field money" in Ireland is half-a-crown. The Blackmore Vale, although a subscription pack, does not fix any sum, but sensibly expects people to subscribe according to the number of horses they keep, and the amount of hunting they do. An old and sound rule is 5 for each horse.

As subscriptions vary in different hunts, the best plan for a lady who has to arrange her own business matters, is to write to the secretary of the hunt which she desires to join, and obtain from him the required information. She will find _Bailey's Hunting Directory_ a most useful book of reference.

IN THE FIELD.

Under this heading, I shall try to give practical advice to those who are commencing their hunting career, and explain several things that I would have liked to have known myself when I first rode to hounds. As we may learn something from the failings of others before entering the expensive school of experience, it would be wise, before we hunt, to study certain complaints which experienced hunting men have published anent our sisters in the field. Mr. Otho Paget says: "I am not one of those who think that women are in the way out hunting, and in my experience I have always considered they do much less harm than the men, but the time when they do sin is at a check. They not only talk themselves, but they encourage men to talk as well, and I have repeatedly seen a woman lead a whole field over ground where the pack intended to cast themselves. The woman, instead of attending to what hounds are doing, enters into a conversation with a man and together they talk on without paying heed to the damage they may do. My dear sisters, forgive me for calling you to order, but if you would only keep silent when hounds are at fault, and stand quite still, you perhaps might shame your admirers into better behaviour, and thereby be the means of furthering the interests of sport." This rebuke means that when a gallop is suddenly stopped by hounds losing the scent of their fox and being obliged to puzzle out the line, the ladies of the hunt should remain silent, should pull up and not impede the huntsman who will do his best to aid his hounds in recovering the lost scent. Mr. Paget's remark about the lady who led the field over ground where the pack intended to cast themselves, means that the hounds were trying to recover the lost scent without the a.s.sistance of the huntsman, but their efforts had been spoiled by the people who rode over the ground and thus foiled the line. It is obvious that to spoil the sport of others in this negligent manner is to cover ourselves with humiliation, and other unbecoming wraps.

It must be remembered that hunting, unlike other forms of sport, has no written rules of its own for the guidance of the uninitiated. Every indulgence should therefore be shown to the hunting tyro who innocently commits errors; for in nine cases out of ten it is probable she does so, from ignorance of the unwritten laws which govern the conduct of the experienced hunting man and woman. On this subject Mr. Otho Paget writes: "The lady novice comes in for her share of blame, and though she may not get sworn at, black looks will soon explain the situation. For her I would also crave indulgence, and if she becomes a regular offender, you can ask her male friends to tell her in what way she is doing wrong. In whatever way we may treat them, there is no excuse for the novice, male or female, embarking on a hunting career, without having ascertained the customs and observances which are considered necessary by those who have had considerable experience.... Anyone who comes out hunting without knowing the rules of the game, is a constant source of danger to those who are near." This is all very true of course; but the aspiring Diana may well ask "what are these said rules, and where can I obtain them?" I feel sure that all hunting novices would greatly appreciate and study an orthodox code of hunting laws, as it would be far pleasanter for a lady to avoid mistakes by their guidance, than to have "her male friends to tell her in what way she is doing wrong," possibly _after_ she has received "black looks" from the whole of the field. Hunting is a science which has to be learnt, and every game of science should have its published code of regulations, or it cannot be played without grave blunders by those who have to pick it up at haphazard.

In justice to my s.e.x it must be allowed that they do not holloa on viewing a fox, a fault that is often committed by men, especially in the Provinces. Colonel Alderson quoting from an old pamphlet on hunting which was reprinted in 1880 by Messrs. William Pollard and Co., Exeter, says: "Gentlemen, keep your mouths shut and your ears open. The fox has broken cover, you see him--gentlemen, gentlemen, do not roar out 'Tally-ho'! do not screech horribly. If you do, he will turn back, even under your horses' feet, in spite of the sad and disappointed look on your handsome or ugly faces. Do not crack your infernal whips, be silent."