Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-05-18
Hints to Lady E4uestrians.

Hints to Lady Equestrians.
wrH the advent of the bright spring
days, the delightful and healthful exercise
of horseback riding again becomes posi-
BILE. As it is every year becoming more
fashionable, the following hints will help
many who are novices in the art of man.
aging horse, and some who think they
know all about it.
There are few prettier sights than fair
equcstrians, provided they know how to
ride; and, although it seems paradoxical
to say so, yet it is not every fair eques-
TRAN who can ride. No lady can use
than her horse. Extreme neatness Is the
desideratum in q riders makeup No
flying ribbons or feathers, but q plainly.
made, we'll fitting cloth habit, with white
linen collar and cuffs, fastened without rib.
bon or color, unless it be Of silk hand
kerchief round the throat. A top hat
with a lace veil, for use as well as orna.
ment, twisted round it and over the hair,
black gloves, and nothing can look better
than any lady when SO attired.
Your horse is at the door, and now
comes the tug of war. You have got to
teen hands, Puzzling as the performance
appears as you stand on the ground by his
side, and the monsters towers above you,
nothing but knack is wanted. Do not be
in hurry. Place the right hand firmly
on the left pommel and the left hand firm.
ly on the sources or servants shoulder.
Stand steadily on the right leg, and place
the left foot in his right hand. Wait one
hOt no n
is ready, and if you spring at the mo-
ment that he lifts the hand you are
mounted gracefully, without an appear
ance even of difficulty. 1t is quite un-
necessary to send mans hat flying into
the road, or put your knees into his eyes !;
nor need he grasp you fast, as If you were
a sack of flour fixed to a jointed crane,
while you clutch and scramble up your
saddle as if you were climbing the side of
a man -ofwar out of cuddy boat. Moth
ing can be more inelegant
People think they cannot help it, and
rather than look SO ridiculous they have a
chair or step brought, and "get on for
themselves" 1t is much better to "get
on p" properly; besides that, when you do,
your habit is properly placed and set
straight. Once mounted, take up your
reins, and have your stirrup long enough !;
that is, have it SO long that the leg is al
most straight before the toe can reach it,
Be sure all is right; then let your horse
slip off quietly. Nothing is sign of worse
riding than furry and flutter to get Oft
in grand connection, like froth, that sub
sides into fairness very soon. Sit square,
the right knee pointing in straight line
between the horses ears; ride on the
snaffle if you use double-rein brhdle, re-
serving the curb for emergencies, and
treat your horse sensibly; he will appreci-
ate it. If he is good one, his good
qualities will be drawn into notice, and
the worst animal, with rational treatment,
shows the best he is capable of. Trotting
is the pace at which horse and rider show
to the best advantage Any old screw can
canter, but not every horse can trot well,
nor rider "rise to it," if he can. Rise to
your trot straight forward, without stop
ping, keeping the action of your body with
that of your horse. Your position should
always be as if your eyes were fixed be-
tween the horses ears. Some people rise
quite independently of the horses action,
and having got their weight off the saddle
on to their left leg, they stand in their
stirrups, and only preserve their equilib-
rum, and get back into the saddle by a
sort of twist, which has the appearance of
the part of cork screw that is turning in
the cork. When this movement is appar-
ent, we may know that fast trot would be
impossible Should the pace increase, the
rider would find it hopeless to try and
screw back, therefore she would cease to
rise, and the sudden tightening of the
rein breaks the trOt into canter, and the
most beautiful action of the horse is lost.
The art of riding is in the hand. A horse
walks, trots or gallops, his worst or his
best, according to the handling he receives.
Keep the left knee slightly pressed to the
saddle, and rise from it by the muscular
action Of the limb from the knee to the
waist, rather than give pressure of the foot
in the stirrup The stirrup is intended
rather to rest the leg than for anything
else.
A spur is never needed. There is no
horse that a woman cannot ride without
one that she will be better able to get on
with by having spur Try and let a
horse understand what you want him to
do, and in nine cases out Of ten, if you
can do this, he will do what is required
much kbetter for himself than you can
teach him. Usually the rider is uncertain,
first, what she wants done then, often, If
leaping is intended, her courage fails her,
her nervousness is instantly communicated
TO the horse--the reins are more instan-
taneous conductors than any telegraph
wire ever could be; and then he is blamed,
when thus hurried and confused, for mis-
understanding and laundering through
what, II left to himself, he would have
done perfectly well. Always have both
hands ready fore the reins, SO that AT any
moment, by taking them two in each hand,
the most perfect control is obtained. A
horse cannot turn If you keep his head
straight, the hand low, and the whip held
upward across the riders kness It is
then ready, without difficulty, for instant.
ly striking the horse on either shoulder or
flank, as may be needed. A whip should
not be carried for ornament but use and
should never touch horse but in chastise-
ment. Unless it be carried upright in this
way, 1t is impossible to avoid its constantly
tickling the right flank. This distracts a
FESTIVE horse, and the most unimpressible
acquire q kind of motion which is very
ugly.-Lynclbuyg Republican.
Feeding Sheep