The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-13

TO the Editors Of the Dispa'ch'

To the EditorS q the DaSpatc"s
The following article from the bait, ,..U
Herald for Seukember embodies very auaiu
.hle views AZ to the one great OMISSION ~
the aaily routine Of Americans. IL was ~ ="
xyays SO about the large norshe,h e.u:
where men persuaded themselves toey coun
moi snare time from business 70 iooh al'I :.
health. but In the South before inc Wal !.
xTas not so. Then our young men tnoasus
il wen to deny themselves various ln.aon
ind,,lgencies to be able TO keep nls s,.:.
riding-horse, and believed that WINE ~. "a n;S
money was a very good thlns, ~. ~ w =,
not constitute ail that was many ,,., ~
l,eb;t - Then. too, we yielded to the north
nrnars their due prominence as drivers
If horses that, with the lightest weight
,d oyer the smoothcst road, could trot
.;n1le mile In wonderful time. We con-
STORED that their natural hard roads, dense
nopulation, and hurried mode OF doing bust
ness. all suggested and partly excused TINS.
Now. however, without the same advantages
or excuses, many Of our men are chdcafor-
inp 70 initiate the northerners in the posses
sion of fast harness-trottcrs and, az m'an.
bc expected. fail. On the other hand. north-
.crn men. who have the leisure to take their
outdoor exercise with judiciouS dellbera-
ton, and who have been in comparatively
close contact with Englishmcn, have taken
TO horseback exercise us a habit. during
. the war We used to claim the SUPERB
oritv of our cavalry over that OF the
North of the score Of better horsemanshlp.
The boast would be vain one now. we
fear. Whether it is the effect OF natural
reaction in taste, or whether 1t Is an lnclina-
,ion merely TO initiate the English, II does
not matter certain it is, that to-day any
number of more accomplished riders may
be seen in Central Park, or certainly within
q radius of hundred miles Of the city OF
New York, than can be found in the whole
South.
1t was, we believe. to revive taste tol
this manly and healthy old habit at the
South that the Virginia Riding Club was or
ganized.
The following is the article alluded to by
cur correspondent:
In whatever light we view the SUBJECT OF
MISUNDERSTANDING whether as promoter OF
health and an insurer of long life, or us 4
noble. inyigoratipg, delightful amusement
il deserves great deal more attention than
II receives. A recent &riterin Once week
saws that England may be divided into two
classes-yiZ., those who ride OH horseback,
and those who would dos if they had the
means. BY those who are acquainted with
the passionate fondpess of John Bull for all
sports in which the horse takes part-and in
England the horse is never used for sport
except under the saddle-the language Of
the above writer may be considered as n.y.
periodical, but it is substantially true.
The general neglect of MISUNDERSTANDING
In this country may be regarded as one Of
the direct causes of that lack Of physica
gigor and stamina which is thought to char
.acterize the people Of the United States, anC
we know of no form of exercise the genera
adoption of which would be so likely TO cor
rect the admitted physical exhaustion result
ing from our driving mode; of doing bust