The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-02-23
How to Sit a Horse.

The best riders in the world, said an
old cayalryman, who was giving green
horn some points on equestrianism, ARE
the Mexicans Buffalo Bills COW boys
are splendid riders, but the Mexieans are
better still. aud their superiority Is in part
due t. the kind Of saddle they use That
low English saddle you've got there Is not
the thing for a man TO ride IN. Now, the
great beauty Of the Mexican saddle Is that
a man sitting in il has his legs almost
straight down beside the horse, like clothes
pin \ Mexican on horseback keeps his
heels and shoulders nearly ia line, his feet
planted firmly in his stIrrups underneath
him and pointing straight ahead, parallel
with the horse. Our Mcclellan saddle
would be as good as the Mexican saddle if
it only had the s;irrups placed a couple Of
inches further back As il Is, man rid
ing in a Mcclellan saddle has % 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 the feet, theimpromptu
riding master continued, after pausing a
moment to allow his casual pupil TO absorb
what be bad already said rs a very impor-
tan, thing in learning to ride properly Ia
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 forty-ive degrees
from the side OF the horse. As eonse-
queuee these riders can't have firm seat,
and don't enjoy the exercise 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 riding" Star
reporter who happened to be on hand in
quired.
To sit firmly on horse aud at the
same time to have the body erect and free
to give with the horses motion, the cav
alTymau 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, it you don't
keep your toes pointing straight ahead, or
nearly 50, it Is impossible TO get this grip
with the knees Turn your toes out, and
YOU will at once find that you grip the
horse with the calves of yoar legs, and that
your body is thrown forward from the hips
instead OF being erect Experiment lit
tie when you get on your horse, and you'll
see it works just as | say. But ii you
keep your feet straight, hold tight with
your knees and sit erect you will find you
can accommodate yourself to the motions
of the horse more readily and gracefully,
your seat viii be frmer and riding will not
tire you near so quickly.
If you will notice old cavalrymen when
they walk the gentleman 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 ungraceful on their feet.
The best and most graceful rider | knew |
was General Ashby, who was killed during I
the war never saw any man who looked |
SO handsome on horseback. OFF of horse, 1
however, he walked like duck, and was
so clumsy that he couldn get into par
lor without falling over all the furniture in
sight
"A Mexican astride his high-curved sad
die, rides as easily as if he were sitting in
rocking chair, and at the same time 1t Is
almost impossible to unseat him. He Is I
clothes-pinned on to the horse and the lat
ter cant get from under him. But man
riding on fiat english saddle with short
stirrups, his legs bent at the knees and his
toes turned out, has no chance when his
horse jumps suddenly. He is in cramp-
ed position, and is almost sure to be thrown
forward on the horses neck or over his
head /