The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-15

son which side of a lady equestrian
should her escort ride, and why ~ is the
question that came to me from pleasant
"Neighborhood Club" in one of our SUI
burban towns, which is but little less, in
fact, thanan extension of Fifth avenue into
the hills of Westminster.
The cavalier, to be in the right, should be
on the left. If on the right, he is in the
wrong. In other words, the gentleman
should always be at the lady's left hand,
having her on his right. | use the word al
ways in its full force, applying it to all
countries, whatever the local law of the
road excepting only momentary exigencies),
and to both styles of riding, whether the
barbarous, awkward and dangerous side
way style for which we are said to be in
debted to Ann of Bohemia, or the easy and
natural mode practiced by the wife and
daughters of the Turkish pacha, the Tartar
chief, the South American Garcho, or the
North American Comanche, and, within
few years, by the wife of President of
Peru and other ladies of Lima.
And now for the why.
10 meet this branch of the question, let
us start from first principles.
Until the fashion changes-and it is
likely to last some years longer--Inan's
right hand is the handiest hand. 1t may be
called his working-hand, and the left his
holding-hand, on saddle-duty. On horse
back, then the left becomes the bridle-arm.
while the right is free for "detached SER
vice" with lasso, lance, sabre, or riding
whip.
The theory of craftsmanship holds that
in riding, and especially in riding with
lady, the man is master of his steed, and,
under all ordinary circumstances, can guide
and control him with his bridle-hand alone.
leaving his right arm free for any service
that may require it. 1t also assumes that
he rides, not merely to accompany the lady,
but to protect and assist her in an INNER
gency. And this assumption is an admis-
sion not only of his superior mastership of
his horse and greater strength, but of his
more natural, and, therefore, safer seat in
the saddle.
His duty, then, being to guard and to aid
the lady with his best arm, where should
the horseman be placed to render the most
efficient service ? Unquestionably at the
lady's left hand, where she is within the
readiest and most effective reach of his
right. Riding in that position, he can read
lily place his hand on her bridle-rein, and
aid in controlling her horse without inter-
fering with the management of his own.
lie can converse with her most comfortably
for herself, as she can, from her position in
the saddle, easily turn her head to her left,
while turning it to her right would be awll-
ward and irksome.
On her left he protects her riding-skirt
from the contact of passing vehicles, to
which, under our law of the road, she is
exposed if he rides on her right; and he also
prevents her skirt from flying to the wind.
AT her left he is in the best position to pre-
vent her falling from her horse, whether
from the horses or from the turning of her
saddle through "bolting" or sshying," one
against the other, slackened or breaking
girths, as, with her sideway seat and the
pressure of her feet on the stirrup, her sad
die is very much more likely to turn to the
left-toward him-than to the right. This
turning of the saddle, through carelessness
of grooms, or the slackening of girths after
horse has been ridden awhile, is by no
means infrequent, but, in my own expe-
rience. | have never known an instance of
its turning to the right.
Again, riding at the lady's left, her es-
cort is in the only proper place to render
effective aid in case of fractions or rllna-
way horse, either by powerful hold on
her bridle~rein, or, in tho last emergency,
by throwing his strong arm around her and
lifting her from her saddle.
This last feat is almost, if not absolute
" impossible while riding at the lady's
right. To say nothing of having to use, in
such an attempt, the comparatively weak
and awkward left arm, the lady's person
and long skirt would have to be drawn,over
and across the side-saddle and the back of
her horse. On the other hand, from her
left, with the strong right arm to support
her, she has only to clear her right leg
from the saddle horn, drop her reins, and
lifted easily from her seat--her horse
passes on from under her.
| have not only practiced this in teach
ing young lady to ride, but have seen it
handsomely done i'll actual runaway expe-
riencc on the road. The lady's horse ran,
her saddle turned-to the left, of course
and the pursuing cavalier galloped up on
that side, threw his right arm around her,
cleared her from the horse, and landed her
unframed on the ground. -Applaon's
Journal.