Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-13

WHY THE AMERICAN SYSTEM IS THE BEST FOR MAN
AND NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ARMY OFFICERS WHO
WERE NOTED FOR THEIR EoUEsTRIANIsM-A
POLICEMAN WHO Is AN EXCELLENT HoRsEMAN.
An ex-officer OF the British cavalry. when in
terviewed recently on the subject of equestrian
ism, said: IF you ask me what / think of
craftsmanship at Washington, I'll tell You that.
taken altogether, it's very bad. indeed. I'm
not so bigoted to declare that no seat is per-
feet excepting the cavalry seat. but must say
like some uniformity in the style of eques-
trianism, and Washington riders lack it en-
tirely."
But the ex-oficer of the British cavalry SER
vice did not enlighten the public as to his own
! notions of the correct way to ride a horse.
Uniformity in bad form of riding is not de-
sirable by any means. It is uniformity in rid
ing well which we like to see. The failure to
be uniform III bad riding would certainly give
| us chance OF something good, or better than
bad at least.
But l thoroughly agree with the ex-officer as
! to the bad horsemanship i'll this city. The
worst male riding have ever known, and the
most of it may say the greatest uniformity
in bad riding-I have seen right here in WASH
lngton city. And claim that it is owing to our
citizens attempting to initiate the bad form of
craftsmanship practsed by English gentlemen.
who themselves initiate the race-course jockeys
style. The unnecessary. awkward and bad form
of that riding dwelt upon fully in an article in
this paper few weeks since, and it is not my
purpose to repeat that in detail herein. neither
do propose to attempt to change Engiishmen
from their bad form, and enlighten them in the
accomplishment of riding well. They never
change their preconceived notions of the pro-
per way of doing things. You know.
WHAT AMERICANS SHOULD DO.
But what l do want is to see our Americans,
! ladies and gentlemen, cultivate and take pride
| in our own style of equestrianism. particularly
since it is the best. and against which there is
no room for anything like convincing argu-
ment IF we cannot defend it against all
corners. both in theory and practice, then we
will adopt better way of riding if shown us.
| hold that the bad riding here is caused by
the craze for throwing aside our own. though
mach the best. and initiating the foreign
simply because it is foreign and fashionable
abroad-and the imitation being a failure you
get the ''incongruous set in saddles" charac-
terlzcd by the eX-otficer of the British cavalry.
Ii the cavalry seat Is best for cavalry service,
there should be some convincing reasons why
1t Is not adaptable and best for all male eques-
trlanism. or we hare a right to declare il the
most perfect for all purposes. / do not know
the style or popularity of the riding taught the
British cavalry. but take it from ex-oticer's
remarks it is quite different from that used by
race-course jockeys and initiated by English
gentlemen. should hope so, at any rate.
IN THE WEST AND SOUTH.
The craftsmanship taught at West Point to
our army cadets and in which our cavalrymen
! are drilled, is precisely the same, only, per-
haps, little more severe in details, as that all
| good riders in the western and southern states
have found to be the most practicable and have
used since the early settlement of those states
| mention the western and southern because
! IN those states travelling on horseback has been
| more universally practiced by both males and
| females than in the northern and EASTERN and
| wherever In this country the horse and saddle
| Is used as means Of transportation to great ex-
! tent, the manner of riding becomes the true
| American which L described fully in nv first
| article in this paper for the benefit of begin
| ners / remember when a small lad in the
west OF seeing recently-arrived settlers from
| the New England states ride with the Jockey
| shOrt-stirrups and rise to the trot. They were
| still tinctured with the old English notions
| But they soon exchanged their pig-skin saddles
| for the Texan or Mexican narrow saddle-trees,
covered with rawhide, and in using them dis
| carded all the nonsense mentioned They were
quick enough to see when horseback riding be-
came an everyday business that the American
way of doing it was infinitely better for both
man and horse. And for pleasure and accom-
pllshed exhibition riding, why not the best?
GEN. s. s. CARROLL,
During the war of the rebellion Gen. s. S.
Carroll, Z. S. A.. now retired, was one of the
most elegant and knghtly riders in the Army
OF the Potomac. He then had the superb
figure-none better; was little more than six
feet in height; sparely. yet roundly proper
toned; good shoulders and breast; rather small
waist broad hips, and shapely long legs which
tapered down to small, handsome feet He was
educated at West Point. thoroughly trained as
horseman. every inch brave soldier and
loved his profession. All his riding was high
art and natural grace combined. How would
he have looked with knees drawn up to nearly
the height Of the saddIe-bow, body curled
up like monkey, and both hands
at the rein! just imagine it. On active duty
he always wore close-fitting blue cloth jacket,
with no insignia of rank visible but narrow
stripe of gold braid adorned each shoulder
No epaulettes, coat kirts, or any other unneces-
sary .paraphernalia to hamper him when he
had business on hand. His one star in case
! his rank were questioned, was fastened under
meath the corner of the jacket collar. And he
required every member of his staff to dress
| III the same manner.
CARROLL'S LEXINGTON.
When first knew General Carroll he COM
manded brigade in the Second Army CORDS
Army of the Potomac. His friends in Wash
ington had but recently bought and presented
to him thoroughbred Kentucky saddle horse,
whose sire was old Lexington and whose dam
was by imported Denmark. the progenitor of
the whole family of best saddle horses in Ken
| lucky. This horse presented to General Car
roll was named for his sire Lexington" He
was about 1874 hands high, with high withers
thin neck, model head and was lust fiat
ribbed sufficiently to be the ideal saddle horse,
and had the limbs OF four-mile racer He was
what Is called in Kentucky gated" horse
l. e., was trained to take any and all the gaits
and to change at the riders signal with the
rein. One of those gaits was, of course, the
''single-foot," much detested in England where
they want to trot and bob up and down III the
saddle like jumping-idckS! Although a very
easy, rapid gait, am not partial to it. pre-
fer the run for speed, and for all-day work the
trot and gailop.
When CAROLS Lexington was put down to
| his speed in the single-foot it was declared
throughout the second army corps that his
rider could carry glass of water in his hand
and not spill drop, SO smooth and regular
were the strides. In forming brigade, and
passing from one end of the line of his 1000
men to the other, it was the great delight of
the dashing general to give Lexington the
signal for the single-foot and to make the speed
80 hot as to compel his staff to use the spur
/ vigorously and drive at the full run to keep in
| the prescribed positions. 1t was claimed that
Lexington could single-foot nearly as fast as he
/ could himself run.
Poor Observation-Disclosures old charger, When
Carrolls ''Gibralter brigade" left the cars at
| ''Bristow station" and forming line moved up
| out OF the railroad cut onto the bank (which
| had thus far protected the moyements) to
make the charge for which that brigade was
| specially ordered as soon as it arrived, before
| advancing in the charge a dozen yards the
| grand old steed received seven or eight bullets
/ In the neck and breast and without struggle
| sank to his final rest.
All the following winter in passing to and fro
between the winter quarters of the army of the