San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-20


TOO long or TOO short, and she fdgets and
fuses and nestles and giggles and gets
pink in her cheeks and a lot of imprecation
and profanity in the heart of the groom be-
fore she is finally satisfied and rides into the
ring, only to come back again in nine cases
1t of ten for another horse or saddle or
-omething.
Mounting from the ground is yet more
difficult feat, and usually the first few trials
end in disaster. One hand on the saddle, the
other on the shoulder of the master, his arm
about her waist, her foot in his hand, and
then count one, two, three, and she springs
only to land where she least expects, while
the horse quivers and shivers in patient sub
mission and bears it. The favorite mode of
riding is after the English style, and the
master rides round and round with the pupil
correcting, criticising her position, and sug-
costing such ideas as she may find beneficial
Suddenly, without warning, he chirrups to
her horse, and away they go, his hand under
meath her elbow to teach how and when to
rise from the saddle as the horse bounds
Faster and faster they fly, and whittier and
whittier grows the girls face through the
nameleSs fear that will come and must be
dispelled by heroic treatment
A naturally graceful woman who is not
afraid of horse and understands how to
manage one, can learn to ride well in a very
few lessons, but a timid, nervous woman re-
quire considerable practice to accustom her.
self to the to her terrifying motion of the
powerful animal she rides.
81 practiced months and MONTHS" said
pretty young girl in gray striped habit, ito
learn to rise in the saddle according to the
masters teaching, but just couldn't do it at
all, and was lame all over until one day
papa said: why, just sit still and let the
horse throw you,' and in ten minutes | had
it and have never had any trouble since"
All this time that the young riders had
been Topping and tossing and jerking around
in the rink, tall, vigorous young woman
had been drawing on her gloves, and a pink
checked girl in the corner was reading love
letter, waiting for their horses and scoldng
because some one whom they called Bert
couldn't come and ride with them, SO they
could so out in the park, and when the
horses finally came, two handsome, white
faced, slender necked beauties, they few
down the steps, one foot in the hand of the
groom, spring, and they were in the sad
dies, every fold of their habits falling into
exactly the correct and proper place with no
tidgetinG, and into the rink they dashed on
the prancilg, dancing horses, flying round
and round and across the circle, striking ter
rOr to the hearts of their timid sisters while
the fresh, soft color sprang TO the riders
checks and the pretty brightness to their
eyes with the swift exercise.
"dOw is it that you seem to have so much
less trouble with your dress in mounting
than the othersr asked an inquisitive matron
as the girls came painting up the stairs.
"Oh, don't know, unless it is because they
were fitted on real live horse up here at the
stable. A great many of the ladies insist on
their tailors coming to the stables TO fit the
dresses now. A wooden charger isn't like
live horse to mount, you know"
When the beginners lessons are ended for
the day comes the glorious dashing music
ride by all the school together. Suddenly a
crash of music, a trampling of hoofs, a toss
ing OF silky names and glossy Curving necks,
and sixty horses, all saddled and bridled,
dash out into the rink, and half as many
women are trying to mount the eager paw
ing, quivering steeds, and twice as many
men are helping them to the best of their
poor skill The ladies fuss and twist and
wrestle, stirrupS are shortened or heightened,
glrthS are frightened, the music crashes on,
the pretty horses stand impatlently, with
quivering ears and dilated nostrils. The
Queenly beauty goes out to mount, but pouts
in the prettieSt Imaginable way as she is led
along the block, but smiles with lips and
eyes as a fair haired AdOnis, anticipating
her wish to mount from the ground, springs
down from the block and holds up his arms
invitinGly to her. Twenty horses are
crowded together in a little space cavortIng
and paving in impatience and excitement,
but down among their trampling boots she
flies tearlesSly, and with quick. light spring
she is beaming down into his face as he fits
her foot into the stirrup and tightens her
saddle girth, then filings himself on a horse,
and round and round the big rink they ali
revolve in steady measured pace to the quick,
throbbing music.
Sweet girls ride into the rim alone all fear
lessly, but hardly are they inside the gate
before some mounted knight with uphfted
hat joins them, and two and two they dlzzily
wheel, now 70 the right, now to the LETT,
divide into TWO circles, meet and come up
the center four abreast, wheel again into the
circles of four, meet and march up eight
abreast, separate once more, wheel, meet,
and sixteen horses heads come tossing up III
line, as unlike i'll expression as the sixteen
bright faces above them, and round they
wheel again in pairs.
Then they all form in one straight line
while the music beats the time, dash for
ward, the whole seventy of them, in a salute
to the leader, and the lesson is over, only a
few of the bravest of the ladies remaining to
ride for The rings, and only two Drawing the
hurdles.-New y DIRK Sun.
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