Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-11-27
SADDLE HORSES.

The american Stockman has some In
teresting chat about saddle horses, from
which we quote as follows: "To the man
VINO travels over the face Of the earth,
migrating from country to country, nothing
will appear as more extreme IN the man.
ners of the different people he comes ID
contact withal than their various methods
of riding horses. While the Arab is the
ancient ideal of perfect horseman, yet
| our own country probably furnishes as
great variety and styles of horsemanship
as all the nations OF the world put together.
Let us take hasty glance at the different
patterns our country Affords In Mexico,
| Texas and the extreme Southern States
the style of riding is quite unique. On the
other side OF the Mississippi river suitable
costume is quite indispensable. The bride
! is armed with curb. bit of terrific leverage.
The saddle bears an immense pommel 20
ease the strain of the lariat or the elbows
of the sleepy rider. A common buckled
girth would never do in such scientific
riding. The broad hair band is frightened
with cunning twist from a long loose
strap that has been sprung upon until
the band is as tight as wax. We are all,
at least in pictures, familiar with the broad
sombrero, slashed breeches, and large sill
yer spurs with their attached 'jlngles.
This rider in his appointments and horse
manship is certainly worthy of much adj
miration, for he always looks at home, and
graceful when he tries to be even on the
most veritable plug of mustang. 1t Is
seldom, however. that his charger calls
forth anything but feeling of pity
from the educated horseman. The ma
tive breeds of those sections is
long way off from the ideal
saddle horse of the Middle States.
In Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia We
probably see the art of Workmanship, both
! in its relations to horse and rider, carried
to higher standard than in any other part
of the world. Here we find the horse bred
for generations under the most enlightened
rules for breding and with the sole pur-
pose in view OF making him the perfection
of a saddle horse. In physical features he
is a model of the artist. In gaits his
variety is infinite rapid walk, fox trot,
rack, trot lope, and run, changing from one
motion to the other az practlced signal
from the rider. In temper perfect, quick
and comprehensive. This is point which
no one but the practiced rider can appre-
ciate. The bride lines are actually
useless with him. A slight bend
ing of the body forward informs
him you wish the gait quickened
setting firmer back in the saddle intimates
to him to slacken the gait a slight bend
ing of the body in the saddle, with little
pressure of the opposite knee, and perhaps
an unconscious motion of the bride hand
in the direction you wish to turn, is all the
management he needs. The lines are never
pulled to turn him right or left, but pressed
against the side of the neck opposite the
direction you wish to turn. Leaning for
ward in the saddle puts him in fast walk
or fox trot. To put him in a rack the
bride reins are pulled taut, while the heels
bring the spur pressure to the sides. To
make him trot, the reins and heels are let
loose, the hands pressed upon the withers,
and the body slightly raised in the saddle
until he gets settled in his gait. To make
him canter or lope settle in The saddle and
wave one hand in the air. These
are not the inventions of single individual,
but the universal custom among those who
train saddle horses in the States named.
We now come to the rider of the perfected
saddle horse. He sits in his seat with an
easy, comfortable grace that shows his
familiarity with it from earliest boyhood.
The stirrups are SO long that his toes barely
rest with ease in them, while his heels turn
slightly outward, relieving his appearance
of extreme awkwardnsss that is so often
seen in riders whose toes point at right an
giles with the horses sides. These horses
are thoroughly bitted when young and thus
taught to carry high and stylish head, so
that when in full motion, with the fayorite
gait, rack, and bestrode by this superb
rider, the whole makes picture that chal-
lenges our highest admiration. !"