The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-30

| definite objections to 1t that have been made
public, although writer in last Sunday
CALL scouts the idea that it will ever be a
generally accepted one.
But while objections to the cross-saddle
for women who ride have not been made so
prominent as have been the arguments
therefor, yet conversation with the advo-
Gates of physical culture for women, with
riding instructors, and with women physi-
clans who ride. reveals the fact that such
! objections exist, defuite and well thought
| out.
AT first thought the new idea has, ap-
| parently, much to commend it. We note
the firm, easy seat of the male rider, his
| poetic motion as the gallant steed bears
| him swiftly along, and recognize the fac.
that he really looks better on his cross
saddle than woman does on her side seat,
| and the announcement that few athletic
women have tried his method and pronounce
| it the superior for comfort and ease, sounds
| Ike new sentence in the emancipation
| proclamation OF woman.
1t must be borne in mind, however. that
| we have heard from but two or three of
| these. To be sure, these few are strong in
their advocacy of their pet idea. They tell
us that the woman who uses the Side-saddle
| runs the risk Of destruction of health and
| form and limb; she viii grow One-sided she
| VIII develop spinal curvature, she will work
| serious injury to her limbs by violent eXer-
else in cramped and unnatural position.
| Moreover, she occupies perilous and in
secure position, while engaged in pas
time during which she is peculiarly liable to
unexpected and dangerous accidents.
ARGUMENTS.
These and other arguments are advanced
as reasons why women who essay eQueS-
I trianIsm should eschew the Side-saddle of
venerable use and ride en- cavalier. Let us
see how much Of this is true
Acquaintance among large number of
women who ride leads to the observation
that all, or nearly all, so far from being
warped, Ore-sided, defOrmed specimens of
wOnianhoOd, are more tuan usually healthy,
well-formed members OF the sex. In addI-
tion to this, even were the tendency of the
sidt-saddle to produce deformitieS, this ten
dency may easily be Obviated by the use Of
the reversible saddle, very correct sketch
of which appears in last Sundays CALL.
On the other hand, there is slight differ
ence in the male and female anatomy in the
setting ard direction of the thghS-vrry
slight, to be sure, but sufficient neverihe-
less, 10 bring a woman's knees naturally
closer together than those OF a man are and
by modifying the drectness of muscular
action to weaken the wOman'S knee-grip,
upon which SO much depends when astride
a horse.
In order to compensate for this, and to
secure the necessary safety Miss Mabel
Jenness, an ardent advocate Of the new de-
parture, recommends a "kull horn" similar
to the present leaping horn OF the side
saddle, on either side of the straight saddle
This might work effectively, but in case of
accident the flowing drapery in which she
proposes to drrSS the eXtremitieS would have
one more point TO catch upon. The stirrup
is always an element Of danger in a wOman'S
riding, and there are two Stirrups on a
straight saddle.
II is or was n few Years apo comnara-
lively common thing for Mexican ladies
to ride aStrde They use a well-padded
saddle, somewhat narrower than a mans
saddle, ana longer from pomme TO tel,
as they sit further back than a man does in
riding. They have no high horn on the
saddle. and the stirrupS are suspended from
the seat by thongs of soft leather. They ride
with short stirrGp-lrathers. by the way,
which puts them Mt disadvantage. and |
the cxigenoIes of the feminine anatomy pre- |
Guide tile comfortable use Of long stirrups. |
IN MEXICO.
Even in Mexico, however. the majority of |
ladies do not ride astride, as many prefer |
the sde-saddle, ana some magnificent riders |
Of this nationality could not be persuaded |
that the crOSS-Sadde Is preferable.
The women OF Honolulu ami the squaws |
among our native Indians ride astride and |
some Of the former are fine riders, but their |
steeds are for the most part small ponies and |
donkeys, circumstance not without its |
bearing upon the question, and the fact that |
they follow this custom begun far back in |
savage days IS no particular argument in |
favor of Its adoption by the women of |
more civilized land. There are equally !
good riders among the most conventional Of |
English and American equestrlenneS.
In riding among the hills, and particularly |
IN descending mountains on horseback, |
woman Will ind the cross seat more secure |
for herself aud easier for her horse, as the |
taujAupN pf motion . -ppnliup J.. n fbrnVV
her forward. and the SidewlSe motion Of |
horse is greater in walking than in trOtting |
or cantcTiug.
Under other circumstances, however, the |
woman vino rides on a welj-m1de fiat sad |
die, provided with rightly placed knee and |
hunting horns, with stirIup rightly adjusted |
and foot resting lightly therein, has far |
Securer seat than has the average male rider. |
Nor, II She rides properly, and sits her sad |
die evenly, should there be any necessity |
for her CALLING or hurting the horses back. |
In rough riding, across country. where |
there are fences and bitches TO be |
taken, the two horns clasped firmly |
between her knees keep her imm9yable in |
the saddle under circumstances when, de- |
pending upon such grip as she could get |
on cross-s addlr, she would be apt to take a
header more dangerous than graceful, |
while in this city, and upon the-park roads. |
where the elements OF danger are greatly |
reduced, there IS little to be gained by de- |
parting from CSluDllSutu custom. IN Taplu |
riding if her horse falls, as sometimes hap
pens to the be>ttTained steeds on a city |
pave, he is more apt TO 60 upon the side OPP |
poste to the one on which she is riding, as,
If properly trained for a lady's riding, the |
forward foot OF that side is first thrust out, |
and thus one aspect Of an always serious |
accident is reduced in peril.
AN EASY SEAT.
An easy, even seat is. perhaps, more diff |
fcut to acquire in the side-saddle, though IL |
is Il question whether the additional secur-
ity does not tend to a graceful CARR &c even |
more surely than DOES the naturally more |
equal distribution of weight on a cross-sad- |
die. This, however, is matter which rests |
not so much with the saddle as in the iDdi- |
vidual. Some women and some men never |
make good riders.
Following the English style of riding an |
easy seat is more difficult of requirement |
than under the Spanish method still in vogue |
in California, where our horses guide |
"bridlewise" with the reins held in the left |
hand. bringing the left shoulder naturally |
forward IN line with The right. but even the |
more rigid style Is readily enough acquired, |
as the number Of fine riders among English |
women testify.
An enthusiast upon the subject of cross |
saddles Tor women recently made the public |
statement that the woman who tries this !
method may come home from her first ride, |
or the first after long rest, free from |
fatigue or soreness" Possibly she may |
Personal experience, after several expert |
ments, has been to the contrary. The tes-
timnny OF men who ride is also to the con-
tray. They say they cannot do this.
There is probably not a single recreation
or exercise open to women more healthful,
beautiful, gratifying and entirely worth ali |
the time and money devoted to it than
misunderstanding, yet it mas been so hedged
In and surrounded by conventionalities,
often useless, many times even serseless, as
to put it entirely beyond the reach of more
than few favored daughters of fortune.
In the nature of things it can never be a
recreation for the poor, but it ought to be
and can be within the grasp of many who
now only regard it with hopeless longing.
TO begin with. n well-trained saddle horse
is difficult to find and commands high
price, but in California. at least, horses are
oDtalnabe at a moderate figure that, if gen.
tie, any woman who knows how to ride and
possessing an average amount OF patience
and good sense can train for the sad
die herself. If the animal be not
gentle woman has no business
on his back. even though he
be well-trained steed and she an accom-
plished rider. The matter of n riding habit