The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-13
What to Wear, Take With You
and Do On Mounted
Country Trip.
Care Should be Taken of the
Horse Or He Will Not
Last.
Hints About the Selection of the Sad
dle--Where IA Horse Gives Out
The Rider.

the horses back from getting sore. That is
one point of worriment on a horseback trip.
horses back in warm weather is the place
where he gives out. Only rough and reck-
less riding knocks out horses legs, while
the rubbing of even the best fitting saddle
on a horses back on a hot day will tend to
make it sore, says the New York Sun. A
good saddle to get is an army saddle with a
felt saddle cloth, or, if an English saddle
is preferred, with a leather cover under
meath. This reduces the friction on a
horses back. The horses back should be
hardened before he is taken out on trip.
This can be done by frequent wash
ings with salt and water and rub
bings, or with washin 8 of carbolic
acid and a solution of water and sui
phate Of zinc or any other astringent. The
stableman can look after this, though he
will not do 1t with much care unless the
owner pays attention to it. A horse should
not be taken out of the stable where he has
not been used much and taken on a trip.
His legs may stand it, but his back will not.
During the trip the horses back should be
washed morning, noon, and night with cold
water and salt or some astringent, and rub
bed down. There is nothing SO unpleasant
ms getting Off in the country several days
from New York and finding the beginning
of small raw spot on the horse's back. It
is sure to become big one in a day or two,
and disable the horse for several weeks if
not taken care of at once. inexperienced
riders. who have never gone on trip are
too likely to pay no attention to this most
important thing.
faster than a trot. A horse can travel twen-
ty-fve to thirty-tive miles Il day, and keep
it up with ease if he is handled properly.
But though he may be pushed rs high rs
sixty miles for one day, he will not last half
the trip at this rate. horseback trip il
not to get to certain point in the shortest
time. but to sit on the horse and go around
in the open air while the clouds are floating
around in the sky and the sun is shining on
you. If man wants to make time he should
ride on a railway; a horseback trip is for no
such purpose. Or if his object is to get
somewhere to spend the summer, he may
ride the horse there to save freight but that
is hardly real horseback trip. horse
back trip is when man starts out to live
with his horse for ten days or n fortnight,
not caring much where they go or when they
get there.
The horse should have the saddle to
which he is accustomed. The greater bear
ing surface the saddle has on the horses
back the less likely it is to chafe him. He
should be reshod a few days before starting
out; he should have rs light a bride and
rein as possible. 1t is hardly worth while
with two brides. A Stout plain snaffie bit
with one bride is enough. Then horse
can be tied by unbuckling the bride and
buckling it around fence post or tree.
The horse will not try to rub off his bit and
make his mouth sore, as he is likely to do
with a snafile and curb. The horse should
be fed regularly on the trip, and the rider
should look after that himself. He should
also look after the watering of the horse
himself. 1t is good to water the horse
taken in at time. 1t is a saving on the
horse and better exercise for the man if the
rider gets off every three or four miles and
walks half mile. 1t eases both the horse
and the rider.
The most necessary things to a riders
comfort are his clothes. Most riders find it
more comfortable to ride in boots than in
shoes, for the dust of the roads gets up I'M
der trousers legs and makes them sticky.
Then boots are easier to climb around in
and much easier to put i'll and out of tho
stirrup; the hooks or buttons on walking
shoes may catch in the stirrup, while the
smooth surface of the boot slides in, and
out. Linen undertaking should always
be worn. pair of ordinary riding breech.
es or knit wool brooches that will dry off
readily are best. flannel shirt should be
worn always; sweater even is preferable to
silk or linen shirt. A closely woven rough
coat that will keep off light rain is best,
though any kind of q coat will do. waist
coat is in the way; so are high collar and
cuffs. A soft hat or an old pot hat
along a pair of gloves, as the rain
falling on a hand which is used to riding
glove may make the fingers sore and stiff.
A pipe and tobacco and matches can be
carried in QUE pocket. A cheap watch may
be taken, though in a horseback ride time
al, n% ko
take valuable watch or any jewelry, ne
the watch will have to stand rough usage
and may be broken, and the jewelry may be
lost.
If the rider does not take saddle bags OF
any outside luggage, he may put comb
and toothbrush into his pocket ana be fully
equipped for the trip. If the trip ia to run
over few days he may wish to take some
underclothing and an extra shirt with him.
He CAM put these either in a roll or in sad
dte-bags. A roll can be made by taking a
poncho waterproof coat or extra coat of
any kind and strapping up in it a suit of
underclothing and extra flannel shirt and
any other things that may be wanted. Two
straps should be buckled tightly around
the ends of the bundle SO that the
things inside will not fall out. With an
other strap the whole bundle may be put
on the pommel of the saddle or strapped
behind. 1t the saddle is an army saddle it
has all the hooks and rings necessary. If
more things are wanted pair of saddle
bags may be had large enough to contain
an extra pair of trousers. a white shirt, a
pair of low shoes, and enough things to
enable the rider to make presentable APP
pearance at any kind of hotel. He may
even go so far as to express dress suit
ahead of him, but that is putting on too
much style for a horseback trip.
The cost of the trip need not run over s.
or 81 day. The country hotels usually
charge 81 a day for a man, and rs cents OF
81 for horse. mans meal costs SO cents;
meal for the horse %. When taking a trip
for pleasure it is better to keep away from
the big hotels unless man has a decided
inclination for them, or friends are STOP
ping there with whom he wishes to be. He
can get better care for his horse at a
small country tavern and he will get fully
as wholesome food and better adapted tc
his needs. The meals will be at hours that
will suit him better, dinner at 1890 and
breakfast at seven. Then the cost will bt
only half as much.
The times to ride are in the morning anG
the latter part of the afternoon. In tn.
early part of the afternoon. between II anC
three O'clock the rider and the horse shoult