HUNTING FIELD HINTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22564, 7 May 1935, Page 18

HUNTING FIELD HINTS

For safety’s sake no heavily-built woman should be allowed to ride astride. Every woman who rides should be compelled to wear a bowler hat as protection against fails. These rules were given by Air W. Smith, the Mayfair riding master, iu discussing the large number of recent accidents to women riders in England. “ Length of leg and lightness of body are essential to a woman who wants to ride astride,” ho said. “No woman can grip the saddle properly from knee to thigh if siie is short and rounded. And unless she can grip the saddle she is always unbalanced and likely to fall off. Then, so many women go riding improperly equipped. The most foolish are those who wear soft hats. The bowler was adopted both by men and women for riding, not for the sake of appearance but because it gives definite protection to the head in case of a fall.” Large numbers of middle-aged people are now taking up riding as an enjoyable exercise. Mr Smith is not afraid to speak his mind about them —especially those who are exercising in order to slim. “ Big, top-heavy men and women should never ride at all. They are always liable to break their necks. Then people get the impression that riding is dangerous.”