The Charlotte Democrat., 1888-12-14
Good Riding.
What an Old Cavalryndn Says A6ostt
Correctness in the Saddle.

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Correctness an the Saddle.
"The best riders in the world" said an
old cavalryman, who was giving green
horn some points Oh equestrianism, "are
the Mexicans. Buffalo Bills cowboys are
splendid riders, but the Mexicans are bet
ter still. And their superiority is in part
due to the kind of saddle they use. Phat
low English saddle you've got there" he
continued, 81 couldn't ride in. 1t isn't fit
for a man to ride in. Now, the great
beauty of the Mexican saddle is that a
man sitting in it has his legs almost
straight down beside the horse like q
clothespin. A Mexican on horseback keeps
his heels and shoulders nearly in line, his
feet planted firmly in his stirrups under
meath him and pointing straight ahead,
parallel with the horse. Our McClellen
saddle would be as good as the Mexican
saddle if it only had the stirrups placed a
couple of inches further back. As it is, a
man riding in Mcclellan saddle has to
bend his leg at the knee in the English
STYLE Now, with the knee bent it is al
most impossible to keep your feet pointed
straight ahead.
"This position of the feet" the i'm
promptu riding master continued, after
pausing a moment to allow his causual pu-
pill to absorb what he had already said,"i a
very important thing in learning to ride
properly. In fact, it is the thing. Aud
yet nine-tenths of the riders you see about
the streets and country roads every day
have their toes turned at an angle of As
degrees from the sides of the horse AS a
consequence, these riders can't have firm
seat, and don't enjoy the exercise half as
much as they would if they rode pro.
perly."
GLOW is it the way the toes point has SO
much to do with good ridingp" Star
reporter who happened to be on hand in
quired.
"To sit firmly on horse, and at the
same time have the body erect and free
to give with the horses notion" the cav
alrYman said, "you must grip the animals
sides with your knees Not with the
calves of the legs, mind, nor with the
thighs. but with the knees alone. Now il
you don't keep your toes pointing straight
ahead, or nearly so, it is impossible to gel
this grip with the knees. Turn your toes
out, and you find at once that you grip the
horse with the calves of your legs, and
that your body is thrown forward from
the hips, instead of being erect. Expert
ment alittle when you get on your horse
and you'll see it works just as l say. Blu,
if you keep your feet straight, hold tigh
with your knees and sit erect you will fine
you can accommodate yourself to the mo
tions of the horse more readily and grace
fully your seat will be frmer, and riding
will not tire you near so quickly.
elf you will notice old cavalrymen whel
they walk" the gentleman continued
you will see instead of spreading their fee
apart they keep them parallel. This is tn
result of their habit of riding, and it Otter
makes them very ungraceful on their feet
The best and most graceful rider knew
was Gen. Ashoy, who was killed during
the war, l never saw any man who looke'
so handsome on horseback. Off a horse
however, he walked like a duck, and wa
so clumsy that he couldn't get into a par
lor without falling over all the furnitur
in sight. ss lid ..r. -.4 ..s
ga Mexican astride his high curved sad
die, with his legs hanging straight dow
rides as easily as if he were sitting in
rocking chair, and, at the same time, it j
almost impossible to unseat him. He
clothes-pinned on to the horse, and tn
latter can't get from under him. But
man riding on fat English saddle, wit
short stirrups, his legs bent at the kne
and his toes turned out, has no chanc
when his horse jumps suddenly. He is i
cramped position, and is almost sur
to be thrown forward on the horses nee
or over his head."- Washington Star.