Alice M. Hayes

Alice Marie Hayes - Born Alice Mary Pyett (1861–9th Jan 1913) was a British horse trainer. She cohabited with the veterinarian and horse expert Matthew Horace Hayes. Although she took his surname, they never married, as he was already married to Caroline Cardew. The marriage took place on 13th Jan 1866 in Cannanore, Madras, India. Caroline divorced him for adultery in 1887. Alice was well-traveled and an expert at breaking-in. Hayes demonstrated her riding skills on the most difficult of horses and once, in India, rode a zebra sidesaddle. She wrote The Horsewoman in 1893, a guide to riding for ladies, in which she strongly opposed the adoption of the cross saddle position used traditionally by men. Hayes was a supporter of women lepers in India. She secured additional help for them from the government and donated the proceeds from her book to leper hospitals.