The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-10-19
Horseback Riding.


never looks so well as when on horseback.
That is precisely our opinion when she sits
on the horse with grace, and the horses APP
pearance does not from its ungainly awkward
ness or dilapidated exterior destroy all grace.
But we think some women had better never
touch horses back so far as seeking to win
admiration is concerned, and others should re-
feet that even very pretty woman may ex-
hibit an awkwardness on horseback that she
would be ashamed to see in a friend standing
or moving on her own pedestals. But we did
not mean to make any reference to ladies on
horseback, only SO far assto express oufdecided
approval Of the course of many parents in Ey-
ansville, in giving their little girls time and
opportunity for frequent horseback rides
Nothing can give better security for their be-
coming healthy and graceful women, than this
exercise.
But talking about grace, it is astonishing
how few young men sit a horse with ease and
grace and apparent security. Although they
may feel safe and doubtless are safe even on
vicious animals, yet they donot look SO to the
spectator. And how few of our country lads,
even though brought up among horses, and
really excellent riders SO far as sticking on a
horses back is concerned, ride with that grace
full ease which mutually sets off horse and RI
der. There isa kind of electrical sympathy
between a noble horse and good rider, that
makes them one for the time-with quick beat
ing pulses, erect carriage, Eigilant eye, and an
outward consciousness Of power. But how
rarely are we greeted with such a spectacle,
considering the number of men who are daily
seen on horseback tHaa
Here is one young man with his knees
cooked up by short stirrups, his heels below
his toes and more the picture of monkey
than a man. And here is another on the OPP
posite extreme his toes reaching far down to
touch the stirrups, and then the tips, of them
but resting on that which is intended to brace
and ease the body, though not meant to be the
dependence for security. This may do as a
cockney fashion, but it is neither right by rule,
nor for grace and security. Others again stick
body leaning forward as ifin eagerness, or back
ward as if controlling very hard mouth, or
swaying like round backed Transfers on a
wheel horse. Some again preserve perfectly
erect carriage, but their legs and strrup feathers
are flying with the horses movements, yet with
bracing stiffness, showing the rider is entirely
depending on the stirrup and rein for security.
We like the advice of a writer in an Indian
apolis paper, who INDUCES in little criticism
after seeing the exhibitions of riding at the
County Fair. He appears to have a correct
idea on the subject of sitting on horseback.
He suggests that the rider must sit erect but
fairly in the saddle; his stirups must be just
SO long as that the sole of his foot may be hor-
izontal; the inner, not the hind part, of the
thigh must touch the saddle, and to that end
his feet must rest in the stirrup parallel to the
horse and to each other; and finally the grand
principle that the muscles Of the inner thigh
and the knees of the horseman are his depen-
dence for the security Of his seat, not the
stirrup or the bride rein. To bear upon the
rein for support is to stifen the neck of your
horse and make his movement bad; to depend
upon the stirrup is a poor dependence, and
betokens an unsteady seat; but to grasp the
body of your horse with all the power of the
muscles of the thigh and the knees, is to make
yourself part of the animal, and impossible
to be dislodgeH with ordinary restiveness.
The rein and bit are merely to command atten-
ton, to give the direction, and check the mo-
ton which the pressure of the heel indicates
and originates. These few principles, simple
but all important, are collected from the habits
of all nations particularly those who live upon
horseback as the Arab and the Ranchero, and
commend themselves for their very simplicity,
which seems the teaching of nature ITSELF