The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-28
On RnraehnnE

1t is generally understood a'tong !
good riders that, owing to difference |
IN build, all men cannot ride in exact
~ the same form: that each man has
a seat peculiar to himself, and that
that seat is the best for any purpose,
whether he be croSS-country or ROAD
rider. The riders aim should be TO
make himself q part of the animal he
bestrides by conforming to his move
mentS, and thereby assist in maintain
ing the natural equilibrium OF his
body. Anything approaching. exag-
geration should he avoided. For eX-
ample rising to trot is good thing,
if properly done, in fact, one cannot |
ride very far or very fast without 1t; }
but why it is carried to the ridiculous I
extreme that it sometimes Is, IS dlth- |
cult to understand, unless those who |
adopt it act upon the principle that II
little is IA good hing a good deal Is
better. This lofty style, supposed 10
be English, is much carlcdturea IN
this country 10y the doubtful class OF
young nlei supposed to be dudes,
who, not icing properly ballasted, are
ready to rise to anStSing thaV VIII
make them conspicuous. N Tlulhg
alter this method the would-be horse
man, seated on the cantle OF his saddle
with knees nearly on level WIN
the pommel, springs into the ar WAN
each second impulse OF the galt WIFI
spasmudic effort, to return again N
| due season with a bump that Wouiu
cause rafting in his brain boX, II
there we're anything there to rattle.
| This style of rider has been aptly de-
scribej a. a"walking~beam on morse
| back, etween whom aud the Saddle
peeps Of the distant landscape come
| tranSiently at tantailzlng Intervals.
The saddle has much 70 do with de-
| termining what position one shail as
sumo on horseback, hence the lmpor-
lance of having it properly con
stru. ted and adjusted. Supposlng tne
saddle to be one that will allow you 10
sit in natural, EASY position, tntn
shake Yourself down into II, place
your tn CHS in the position which gives
you the firmest hold ON your horses
sides, and adjust your Stirrups 70 thaI
length. Bear in mind that the seat
on horseback is maintained by pal
ance and friction, and you must com.
bine the two in such manner is net
make the effort fatiguing II you would
sit securely and well. While as much
of the thigh IS to be brought I'D con-
tact with the saddle as possible, the leg
below the knee should be atogetht
out of contact and free to move dis the
rider finds necessary. Learn 10 pal-
ance the upper part OF the body o 4
the hips, in the varying movements
of the horse, without disturbing tie
position OF the thighs or depending III
the slightest degree on the relns. IL
is well to practice on some ola morse rs
that can't be spcilt, using q Snaffie
until Won feel quite at home iii the
saddle and can handle the reli1S WIN
delicacy. Ii your stirrups are to9
short or too far forward YOU Will flnd
yourself Juggling at the relnS whsh.
aver YOUR horse makes an unexpected
!; movement. These defects should be
corrected. for rough handling OF the
). hit soon spoils the horses mouth, and
once he becomes a pttller there is an
end of all pleasure in riding hi1fE
J VERY few horses can be hidden satlS'
factorily without a curb bit, AID tins
| requires more delicate handling still
: than the snaffie. A very good way tC
? hold the reins in riding the trained
horse is to pass the little finger OF the
| left han1 between the curb relns
: and the middle finger between
! the snafl1e reins, the ends pass
: mo M over the thumb wlel the
hand is closed. While training the
! horse carry the curb reins in the left
hand and the snaffje rcins in the right
: divided by the width of the hand
Teach your horse to turn IRON tht
= pressure of the curb rein against tht
neck: accompanying it ut first Will
: the customary pull of the shatie OF
, the side toward which you wish t
/. tnrn. Collect your horse before reach
/ ing the point where you wish TO. turn
: and apply the left leg in turning u
the right and the right leg in turning
8 to the left. Teach your horS" to wall
rapidly; it is a gait that always tells
: and can be continued long time
without great fatigue "The walk Is
the gallop OF always" say the Arabs
= and there is much truth in the saying
) A good way to teach horse TO take
quick, long step at his gait is to toucf
him with the left spur, after he hdf
become accustomed to it, just after ht
: lifts his right fore foot, and the right
| spur when he lifts the left fore foot
This will make him pick up bis hInC
| feet quickly and reach well 1orWarC
: before he plants them.
Finally, give the boys a chance t
5 become fearless riders. Youth IS The
3 time when physical habits are form
ed, and when one has been accustom
2 ed to use the saddle from boyhood
equestrianism is a part Of his nature
and he never feels more at home thar
2 when on horseback. The hope Of the
saddle horse is in the rising genera
ton. Ii the practice is delayed unit
we are forced into it as cure for dys
, pepsia or consumption, and the saddle
horse comes to be regarded as a sort
of hospital-the last resort of de
caying race-it will certainly not fill
, it's proper place in our social economy
If the boys would ride more there
would be less consumption and dys.
pepsia to cure This is a pleasant
prophylactic, for the boy takes to the
horse instinctively. The taste has
been handed down to him from q
, horse-loving ancestry. He will have
some hobby, and why not leJ HIM
learn to ride honestly2 Give hin
every chance to acquire the manly
art of equitation. He will be a hard.