Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-05-28
WOMAN oN HORSEBACK.
A Few Directions for the Guidance OF
New RerInners

A Few Directions for the Guidance OF
New Beginners.
There are very few accidents in rid
ing for which the objectionable igno-
rance of the rider is not directly respon-
sible. Seventy-five per cent. of the
womenride abominably, and poor form
In their case shows much more plainly
than in the man. Their shoulders are
twisted, their hands unsteady, the toes
are seen continually kicking in the
skirt, and they rise to the side. Here
in New York we find much improve
ment in .the public form, due to better
instruction and the dread of scrutiniz-
ing spectators, but the actual knowl-
edge of the horse is quite as deficient
There are women. of course, who go in
for riding with precisely the same idea
as they do for bathing at Narragansett
because the rest do so, and the oppor-
tunity of exhibiting fetching costume
is not to be lost. These will ride about
as they swim; groom and the saving
rope will always be Mt hand, and it is
quite necessary that they should.
To the young women that have passed
the age when they are susceptible to in
struction we have nothing to say. When
they become mothers, however, we tell
them, with all the emphasis at our COM
mand, that If they allow their daughter
to grow up with a little practical
knowledge of the horse as they have,
| may the future result be upon their
heads. First of all, It is a mistake to
allow a girl to begin riding lessons too
young. In the last year or so children
eight, ten and twelve years of age have
been seen at the riding schools, MAX
ing very pretty ensemble in an even
ing entertainment, but much too tender
to go on the road. It is well enough to
allow them to become a bit familiar
| with the horse under private instruc-
ton, but fifteen is quite young enough
for them to begin riding. No child
has sufficient physical strength or judg-
ment for the management of pony
earlief.
When Your daughter begins her les
sons, see for yourself, or get some one
who does know, that her instructor is
competent. Not one so-called riding
master in a dozen knows little else than
to sit his animal, and make it pirouette
for the benefit of the spectators that
gaze in horried wonder at this off-shoot
of the circus ring-master, in his tights
and great boots. 1t is just as easy to
learn to ride properly as not, but diff
ficult to correct bad form in the sad
die when once acquired. See that
her shoulders are squrely to the
front; that her left knee is close to
the horn, so she may press hard against
it in case of necessity, and close to the
saddle flap as well (this will stop the
unsightly and incorrect pendulum mo-
ton of the stirrup foot and strengthen
the seat); that she rises from the right
knee, and not from the stirrup, as is the
case with ninety-nine women ont of a
hundred; that her hands remain steady;
and that in rising, her stomach and back
do not fall into the absolutely I'M
pardonable and uugraceful seesaw
movement. The correct seat is very
difficult to acquire, especially to the av-
erage young women, whose sides are
incased in tightly-laced corsets, and
whose muscles are entirely deficient.
1t would be we'll to use light dumb
bells and go through a series of body
movements to make those muscles
elastic. - G. w. Whitney, in Harper's
Bazaar.