saved my horse's life, probably, as well as my own. For the sudden weight
I put on the upper side as I swung off enabled him to recover his balance
just in time. I do not pretend to say that I can dismount from the off
side as easily as from the near, because I am not accustomed to it. But I
have frequently done it in emergencies, while a side-saddle leaves one
helpless in this case as in many others.

Besides being unable to mount and dismount without assistance it is very
difficult to get side-saddle broken horses, and it usually means a horse
so broken in health and spirits that he does not care what is being
strapped on his back and dangling on one side of him only. And to be on
such an animal means that you are on the worst mount of the outfit, and I
am sure that it requires little imagination on any one's part to know
therein lies misery. Oh! the weariness of being the weakest of the party
and the worst mounted--to be always at the tail end of the line, never to
be able to keep up with the saddle horses when they start off for a
canter, to expend your stock of vitality, which you should husband for
larger matters, in urging your beast by voice and quirt to further
exertion! Never place yourself in such a position. The former you cannot
help, but you can lessen it by making use of such aids to greater
independence as wearing short skirts and riding astride, and having at
least as good a horse as there is in the outfit. Then you will get the
pleasure from your outing that you have the right to expect--that is, if
you adhere to one other bit of advice, or rather two.

The first is: See that for your camping trip is provided a man cook.

I wish that I could put a charm over the next few words so that only the
woman reader could understand, but as I cannot I must repeat boldly: Dear
woman who goes hunting with her husband, be sure that you have it