The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-03
Saddle Horses.

10 the man who travels over the face of
the earth, migrating from country to coun-
| try, nothing will appear rs more extreme
Ill the manners OF the different people he
comes In contact with than their various
methods OF riding horses. While the Arab
Ii the ancient ideal Of perfect hoIscmatl,
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 Il hasty glance at the different
patterns our country affords In Mexico,
Texas, and the extreme Southern States
tue style OF riding Is quite unique On the
other side OF the Mississippi river a suitable
costume is quite Indispensable. The bride
is armed with curb bit of terrible leverage.
| The saddle bears an immense pommel to
case the strain Of the lariat or the elbows
of the sleepy rider. A common buckled
girth would never do in such scientific rid
Ing. The broad hair band is frightened
with cunning twist from q long, loose
strap that has been ''sprung" upon until
| the band is as tight as wax. We arc ull,
at leust III pictures, familiar with the broad
sombrcro, slashcd breeches, and large silver
spurs with their attached '.jingles." This
rider in his appointments and horscman-
ship is certainly worthy uf much admira-
ton, Tor he always looks at home and grace
1ul when he tries to be, even Oh the most
verllable plug Of mustang. Ii is seldom,
however, that his charger calls forth any
thing but feeling of pity from the edu-
Gated horseman. The native breed 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 horscmanshlp, both
IN lts relations to horse and rider, carried
TO higher standard than in any other part
OF The world. Here we find the horse bred
Tor generations under the most enlightened
rules for breeding, and with the sole DUR
pose In view of making him the perfection
Of Il sadd horse. In physical features he
ls model of the artist. In gaits his vari
ETY. is inflnite-a rapid walk, fox trot, rack,
trot, lope, and run, changing from one to an
other at a practical signal from the rider
In temper perfect, quick and comprehcn-
sive. This is point which no one but
the practical rider can appreciate. The
bride lines are actually useless with him.
a slight bending of the body forward in
forms him you wish the gait q,lickened;
settling firmly back in the saddle intimates
to him to slacken the gait, slight bending
OF the body in the saddle, O little pressure
OF the opposite knee, and perhaps all un-
CONSCIOUS motion Of the bride hand in the
direction you wish to turn is all the nlan-
agemcnt he needs. The lines are never
pulled to turn him right or left, but pressed
against the side Of tho neck opposite the
direction you wish 10 turn. Leaning for
ward In the saddle puts him in a fast or
fox trot. 10 pull him in rack the bride
rcins are pulled taut, while the heels bring
the spur pressure to his sides. 10 make
him trot, the rcins and heels are lot loose,
tho hands pressed upon the wlthors, and
the body slieatlY Gsjsga.t:" 'ttesAakt mil
canter or lope settle in The saddle aud 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 this perfected
saddle horse. lie sits in his scat with an
easy, comfortable grace that shows him
familiar with it from earliest boyhood.
The stirrups are 80 long that his toes barely
rest with eusa i'll them, while his heels turn
slightly outward, relieving his appearance
Of extremS awkwardness that is often seen
in rider's' whose toes point at right angles
with the horses sides. These horses are
thoroughly bltted when young and thus
taught TO carry a high and sty lish head, so
that when in full motion, with tho favorilo
gait, rack. and beslrode by his superb
rider, the whole makes picture that chal-
lcnges our highest admiration.