The morning call., 1892-11-06
Uses to Which Women Might
Put the Noble Animal.
WOMEN
n AS TRAINERS.
Miss Russell Answers Reader Of "Ths
Call" Who Wants to Know How Women
Can Use II crses for Profit
Written for THE MoRNING CALL


husband. used often to drive the team
hltehed to gangplow OF reaper when work
pressed and help was hard to get. and
when the horses were brought in at
night used often to unharness and feed,
clean and bed down the animals, because
she liked to move about them. while her
husband, though obliged TO use horses in his
work, and therefore to care for them. still
did not care at all for them, and would have
preferred not to handle them. Now, forced
by circumstances to live in the city, she
misses, most of all, her old pleasures, her
equine companions, aud wants to know
why 1t Is that women. as well as men, may
not drive horses for profit
The question Is one that has often sug-
gested Itself TO me, and | am glad other
women as well are thinking abOutit. There
| Is really no reason why women should not
make great deal more use than they do OF
the noble animals that most women, even
without knowing much about them, love.
do net know whether she is still living
but few years ago. In the city of Concord,
dwelt an old lady of education and refine
ment who made substantial living by
driving parties of tourists aud visitors
about the city. She knew every point of
interest for miles around, and was such a
charming companion on drive, by reason
OF her intelligent and vivid interest in en-
abling her charges to see every historic and
LIE
that she was constantly in request among
parties of ladies and gentlemen who were
glad 10 have the services of so admirable a
ciceroDe. She had once been welI-to-do,
and her pleasant carriage and fine team
were relics of the DAYS when she kept them
for her own pleasure. Disliking to part
with the much-lOved horses, she hit upon
this scheme TOR making them earn their
own living, which scheme finally resulted
in their earning hers as we'll.
I rpmomhnr L 6,,
train at the railway station of a small
Eastern town. bright, happy, wholesome.
looking young girl driving team of horses
hltched 10 covered surrey, and waiting, as
l thought, for some friends who were eX-
pected by that train. After L had myself
engaged carriage, however, saw her secure
two passengers and the town mailbag and
drive briskly of. Upon inquiry, l learned
that she was regularly licensed as a driver
and had, moreover. the contract for carry
ing the mail-bags back and forth between the
station and the postoffice. as station hack
drive in large city hardly think woman
would be pronounced success, but there is
no reason why a lady should not be al
capable and certainly far pleasanter
guide about Golden Gate Park, the Cliff and
Sutro Heights as are any of the men who
make living driving parties of sightseeTs
about those places. There is many an in
valid too weak and nervous to use the cable
cars, and not caring for hiring hacks and
or three times week If she had a CHEEKY,
companionable. skIllful woman driver, with
reliable horse, to accompany her. /
should think an efficient woman who had
the means TO invest IN an outfit might have
very little difficulty in securing a clientele
of that sort sufficient TO keep her employed
nearly every day the year round.
Then, woman with carriage and team
night earn comfortable sum every week
by getting up little excursion parties into
f1e,a kNtt In afSxy
business part of the city are horses aud car
riages on some OF the street corners to let
by the hour to people who want to be car
ried about the city. They are less fashion,
able rigs than the average hack or cab. but
they have the advantage OF drivers who are
| guides as well, and are cheaper than the
| other turnOuts. There is no reason why
women should not be as successful in run
ming such conyeyanceS as men have been,
and there are plenty of parties of ladies'
who would be glad to have a woman driver
and gentle team for such outings. A capa-
bic woman who Is a good driver might
make arrangements with one or two livery
stable keepers for her services when, as
often happens, parties of ladies are going
out aud wish 70 secure driver.
Women who are willing to acquire the
necessary information To judge correctly
about the animals could often become sue
cessful h0Fse-dealers. / have more than
once been asked TO pick out a good horse
saying to the contrary notwithstanding.
women are more often than not inclined to
take the judgment of a woman before that
OF man If they think the woman under
stands her business. A reliable woman who
went regularly into business as horse
dealer would soon find herself intrusted
with wei-paylng commissions from women
seeking to purchase horses.
see no reason why woman with a
horse and wagon could not be as success
N Infn dfcfr
as men are. / knew girl of 10 who for
several years drove mikcart. l have lost
sight of her now. but | we'll remember the
bright, healthy, CHEEKY face she used to
present at the Kitchen door every morning
month In and month out. 1 used often to
chat with her and save all my old papers
and magazines for her to carry home to her
invalid father in the hills. and found her
bright, wideawake, clever girl, who was
not only aiding materially in maintaining
the family, but was saving money to COM
plete her own musical education. Another
young girl whom | knew well in an East
ern STATE, finding herself suddenly left With
the care of forty-acre fruit ranch on her
shoulders, used to superintend the picking
and packing OF the fruit, and, starting at
night. so as to arrive early in the morning,
drive, three times a week, thirty miles, to
the nearest market. where she would sell
the fruit to tha retail dealers and return
home
Women who are fond OF horses fire.
quently have great power in controlling
them. / remember once visiting a large
stock ranch and. going through the stables,
saw in a boxstall q three-year-od colt who
covered in a corner as we approached and
turned threatening heels upon u.s. "He
has just been caught up," the proprietor
explained HE hasn't had a halter on
since he was yearling and is very wild.
None of US can get near him." He drew
little nearer as he spoke, and the colt made
a mad plunge for the other side OF the big
stall. As he stood faciug me | walked
quietly up to him and. though he trembled
little, laid my hand Oil his neck and In
minute or two he was rubbing an inQuisitiye
nose aloDgmy cheek W hile i softly scratched
his tumbled name.
Upon my word, now," said his owner,
you ought TO be a horse-trainer."
Horses like women. ana are almost ALWAYS
more gentle with them than with men. For
this reason courageous woman might often
succeed as a trainer of saddle horses for
w0men's use. In fact. know girl of 90
living in one OF our interior towns, who has
already broken anumber of colts TO harness.
1t Is not so much strength as patience.
genteness and good judgment that one
needs for such work. and these women
possess TO great degree.
met lady some weeks ago, who was
considering an unusual enterprise Tor q
woman to undertake. and practically new
one for this State. She had purchased land
in the hills, aud was contemplating going
into the business OF raising small ponies for
the city market The idea is a good one
There ought 10 be good market for such
stock n OF merely tor the use of children,
but for ladies' driving. The pony-phaetoD,
such common sight in the East
and abroad. is almost never seen
here. where the ambition of every driver
seems to be TO own large horse 1t Is