New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-08

every turn in the jolting to cas-, an appealing
glance for mercy at the pitiless head master This
official, however, if weltrained, is callous, and
the suffering procession goes round and round
until the newest victims head swims with ex-
haustion. Yet half an hour later she will be-
telling her fond guardian that nothing ever was
jollier, only she had such a miserable horse a
perfect beast compared to that she had the other
time, one that the girls last year never rode under
any circumstances
All, IL I'd only had Mays pretty little pony,
she continues petulantly
Yes, that's what you all say murmurs mamma
and they re all trained to ride on When was a
girl we rode all kinds of horses in the country
and never thought il made much difference
And mamma probably wasn't very fastidioEs in
those days and rode the old farm mare or tho
grocers cart horse, after store hours were over,
with perfect equanimity.
Sundays are jolly days at the schools in winter.
Then the patrons who follow fashion strictly arc
away at church, or keeping quietly at home. Tbs
ring is given over TO the downtown clerk, who
works all week, the tailor the petty merchant,
the salesman, and other followers from distance
OF high-clsss English sport. Few riding masters
are on hand, procession is formed everything
is charming go-as you please All styles of riding
coats and trousers and all varieties Of horseman-
ship come to the surface. The vaulting poles are
brought out, and the more daring try leaping at
q foot or foot and half. There
are few spectators however. and no
on week days Or on Saturday afternoon. Popu-
lar airs are great stimulus TO the sport, and tho
rings are always crowded while the band Is
blowing out, old favorites like White Wings }.
and the Boulanger March At most OF the
academies where there are a great many regular
during the winter. The more expert pupils show
their skill, and then there y lcaping aud racing,
with display often Of trick horsemanship by
4 ha 1nacfn utciH mas
querades draw wonderfully well, and invitations
to them the chief means of advertising the
establishments where they are given.
The average ridng-master, one finds out is
by means that paragon of manly skill and
cavalier-like fascination that his evil-wishers
often paint him. As rule he works hard on
small salary, and has no time TO cultivate the
graces. Naturally, few Of the men who do tho
actual work in the ring Americans. Al one
school you may find all Germans, at another oil
Englishmen these two nationahties covering neary
the whole field. Each has an ill-concealed con-
tempt for the horsemanship of the other, and the
comments of one stable on a rival near by are
sometimes absurdly comical. The Germans arc
brusquer perhaps in their manner and less SYM
pathetic with backward pupils. Many of them
! talk little English. which may be an important
point in their favor. Taken altogether, they are
politely businesslike. and young women are safe
/ enough from unpleasant attentions ANY gFt
/ with sense can snub too ofticous master, and
anything that looks like an impairment advance
is rare. The marriage of young German master sr
/ TO a good-lOOldng and wealthy New-l ork girl hst
fall gave rise TO a good deal OF whitening COM
ment. But the man called himself count or
baron, and got member Of the Russian Legation
ut Washington TO stand for him In the matter
and even act as best man at the wedding.
The English masters are more graceful riders
than the German ones. They insist on straight
carriage with head and shoulders back, while
the Germans as a rule, bend forward slightly
Again the Englishmen ore more nstty-looklng.
/ They come, too ofrom the very heart and centre
Of fashionable horsemanship, the London schools.
Some of the more clever and enter srlSing London
masters who come here have begun to set up for
themselves, giving lessons at their own stable
and using their own horses with pupils In tho
Park These private schools offer an easier,
more dignifed and more thorough course OF tram
inr free from the publicity though lacking tho
gayety and sparkle Of the larger academies.
small, we-trained stable, too, has ITS advantages
/ over a bigger less carefully selected one. These
| clever instructors come high OF course, lessons
costing from 81 to s6, as they are given indoors
| or ont Getting lessons by retail Is dlscoun-
tenanced however The usual plan Is to buy a
series of tickets, twenty-five, fifty or hundred,
small reductions being made on the larger pack
ages
There are. perhaps, dozen Of these smaller
stables in the region near the Park, west OF
Sixth-ave., now given up 50 exclusively to horse
men, Three of the large academies are here
also. within block or two Of Fifty -nlnth-st.
Another is farther up along the east side OF tho
Park. The New-York Riding Clubs building
in East Fifty-eighth-st can scarcely be claSsed In
with the public academies. Its membership IL
large and fashionable, and its winter indoor en-
tertainments and summer excursions into Con-
uecticut and Massachusetts, easily put 1t at TIE
head of the movement to pOpulariZe horseback
exercise here Every year it turns out more
profcient and enthusiastic hOrscmen, who set up
riding stables of their own and stimulate other
weakened and luxury-ovlng admirers OF the
snort 10 embark on it with some degree OF genuine
American spirit 1t Is hard :" guess !ust how
many people 20 in for' riding, as the Engllsh
saw in a single season. Probably 2,OOO Womb
be a careful estimate for the beginners each year,
md the tide that flows in and out oil the olS
academies from one season to an0thef - cer-
tainlv FIVE or six times as large rev Oh these
enthusiasts, too, would be likely TO take Up any
other regular exercise. The stamp OF DrIlish
fashion alone tempts them TO begin and prose-
cnte This hardy and exharatng form OF sport.
Ron, This poiHt of view. at least, Engllsh morse
manship, as New Workers practise H. Is 10 DC
credited in spite of all its snObbi>h anectatonsI
with a vast amount of genuine healthlulness anu
physical good