Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-27

bic. This was long after the era Of the side
saddle, but the country districts of Silesia
were so far away from the capitals that the
fads of the dav did not really overturn an
cient customs.
There is no question that woman would
ride in q well made Somerset saddle to bet
ter advantage than on sidesaddle- There
is also no question that she will continue to
ride on the sidesaddle for yet long period.
1t is difficult to get so settled habit as the
sidesaddle changed. There is a certain
limit to the ambitious strides. of women
toward the manly in their sports and exer-
else, which even this age of innovation will
not overstep.
A Woman Depends on Girths.
So far as woman's seat on a sidesaddle
with third pommel is concerned, it is as
safe as a mans, as long as her girths hold
her saddle in place and her horse does not
come down. When her saddle turns or'her
horse falls, it is much more awkward than
for a man. A woman always rides the
saddle and not the horse. Her dependence
is exclusively on girths. A man can ride q
clean, easy Jumper over respectable OBJ
stacle with girths broken. 1t is much more
important to have q perfect horse for a
woman than for a man. A man may risk q
dangerous brute if he will; not so a woman.
A lady's horse should not exceed 15H
hands. The tall horses ridden by many
women are not appropriate; nor are the
gaits of taller horse as good. The hunter
Is not referred to. If lady wishes to ride
to hounds, or to look like ridinR to cover
every time she goes into the park, she may
mount as rangy a steed as she likes. But if
she desires to do her road riding on a horse
fit to be called park hack, and for comfort,
not show, she will find safety, ease and
pleasure nine times out of ten in a horse
under Is two rather than over. Very few
taller horses have the quick. springy gait
essential to the perfect hack, though they
may gallop and Jump to perfection The
lady's horse must have irreproachable man.
ners Some women like to look as if they
we're riding . horse difficult to manage, so
that all may wonder at their skill, but this
is the worst of bad form. However spirited
q lady's horse may be, he must be tractable
and must appear as well as be absolutely
under control under all conditions. If an
accident to saddle or bride happens, he
must stand IN his tracks at the word.
Good Walker Il Desirable.
There must not only be ease but variety
of gait A never varying trot may look
Y,
saddle horse. A good walk, trot and
canter may suffice, but they alone are not
perfection. The walk is the most important
Of all gaits, because it is the gait one rides
the most Only people who rarely ride 60
''galloperavering" over the road. The walk
ing gait should be quick, springy and at
least four miles an hour A horse that
walks two may do for buggy, but he Is no
saddle horse. This fact is well understood
by the Southerners, whose walkers are
astonishing in their rapldity, both in the
square and the running walk.
Next to the walk comes the trot On our
hard city roads it is the gait which best
saves the horses legs and feet. A lady's
nag must trot so easily as barely to raise her
from the saddle. To see man putting six
inches between himself and the saddle at
each rise is bad enough; in an equestrienne
it Is objectionable A woman should never
mount so rough-gaited a beast. The fet-
locks should Be slanting so as to give well
at each hoof beat, and the step must not be
too long.
The 1ady's hack must take the canter
readily on the slightest intimation, and
with either shoulder leading; must be able
to vary his speed between ten-mile gait
and one no faster than walk; must not look
like rocking horse, though be must bs -
easy; and must canter ell-gathered and