The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-12-29
HOW TO SIT A HORSE.
An Old Cavalryman's Pointers to an
inexperienced Rider.

inexperienced Rider.
"The best riders in the world ,
said an old cayalryman, who was
giving a greenhorn some points or
equestrianism, "are the Mexicans
Buffalo Bills COW boys are splendid
riders, but the Mexicans are better
STILL And their superiority is in
part due to the kind of saddle they
use. That low English saddle you've
got there" he continued, II couldn't
ride in. It isn't fit for man tc
ride in. Now the great beauty o1
the Mexican saddle is that man
sitting in it has his legs almost
straight down beside the horse like
a clothespin. A Mexican on horse
back keeps his heels and shoulders
nearly in line, his feet planted firm
ly in the stirrups underneath him
and pointed straight ahead. parallel
with the horse. Our Mcclellan sad
die would be as good as the Mexi-
lean saddle if it only had the STIR
rups placed a couple Of inches fur
ther back. AS it is, a man riding
in a Mcclellan saddle has to bend
his leg at the knee in the English
style. Now, with the knee bent it is
almost impossible to keep your feet
pointed straight ahead.
"This position of fthe feet, the i'm
promptu riding master continued,
after pausing a moment to allow
his casual pupil to absorb what he
had already said, sis very impor-
tant thing in learning to ride prop
erly. In fact it is the thing. And
yet nine-tenths of the riders you
see about the streets and country
roads every day have their toes
turned at an angle of forty-fve de-
grees from the sides of the horse.
As consequence these riders can
not have a firm seat, and don't en-
Joy the exercises half as much as
they would if they rode properly"
How is it the way the toes point
has so much to do with good rid
ing?" Star reporter, who happened
to be on hand, inquired.
"To sit firmly on a horse and at
the same time to have the body
erect and free to give with the mo-
ton of the horse" the cavalryman
said, "you must grip the animals
sides with the knees, not with the
calves of the legs, mind, nor with
the thighs, but with the knees alone.
Now, if you don't keep your toes
pointed straight ahead, or nearly
so, it is impossible to get this grip
with the knees. Turn your toes out
and you will find at once that you
grip the horse with the calves of
your legs, and that your body is
thrown forward from the hips, in
stead of being erect. Experiment
a little when you get on your horse,
and you'll see it works just as l
say. But if you keep your feet
straight, hold tight with your knees
and sit erect, you will find you can
accommodate yourself to the mo-
tions of the horse more readily and
gracefully, your seat will be firmer
and riding will not tire you half SO
"If you will notice old cavalry
men when they walk" the gentle
man continued, "you will see that
instead of spreading their feet apart
they keep them parallel. This is
the result of their habit of riding,
and it often makes them very un-
graceful on their feet. The best
and most graceful rider I ever knew
was Gen. Ashby, who was killed
during the war. | never saw any
man who looked so handsome on
horseback. OFF of horse, however,
he walked like a duck, and was SO
clumsy that he could not get into
a parlor without falling over all the
furniture in sight.
A Mexican astride his high-curved |
saddle with his legs hanging straight
down rides as easily as if he were
sitting in a rocking chair, and at
he same time it is almost impossi- |
Die to unseat him. He is clothes
oinned on to the horse and the lat
;er can't get from under him. But
. man riding on fat English sad
lie, with short stirrups, his legs
oent at the knee and his toes turned
)ut, has no chance when horse |
jumps suddenly. He is in cramped
,osition, and is almost sure to be
thrown forward on the hors's neck
~ ovor his head Star. |