The morning call., 1892-05-22

know how to ride and that fewer still can
ride without making a horses back sore
The CALLED back and tough. irrespOnsive
mouth of the average livery sadde-horse
would seem to bear out these serious charges,
and from what | have observed on our park
roads from time to time the first of them is
entirely true. Few of our ladies ride we'll
Many Of them ride abOminably.
To begin with, few women who ride take
pains to inform themselves regarding a
horse To them he is a sort Of machine, not
quite so eedy as a locomotive engine, but
possessed OF equal powers Of endurance,
and less likely to get out of repair. | have
seen n horse come into a stable after a
wOmans riding and throw itself down with
out even waiting to have the saddle un-
girthed, utterly used up and exhausted.
Yet the same woman who would ride in
such fashion would not dream of driving a
horse so hard. She would note its distress,
as she cannot while riding, because she
does not usually know enough.
The woman who rides should understand
thoroughly how to mount, how TO start
her horse without startling him, how to
guide and control without irritating him or
rendering him nervous, aud how to get his
motion and establish that mental and
physical harmony between him and hersY If
that will help them both over the miles and
bring them both back helped and refreshed
instead OF sore and weary.
n
since, waiting for her mount, Just as a lady
and gentleman we're starting out for a ride.
The ladYS horse was brought forward and
she stood looking helplessly at the eroo m
and her escort. The latter offered his hand
to aid her to mount, but she shook her head
the former brought stool, but the horse was
tall and she was short and evidently not an
expert climber. Finally, after some deliber-
alton, her escort settled the difficulty lty
picking her up bodily and seating her on
the horse as he might have seated a child
Scarcely was she firm in the saddle. when
she gave her horse a sharp cut with the
whip, and, Of all places, on the flank. that
set him Drancing and doubtless rendered
him nervous for an hour afterward. She
was fearless rider and hande ed her reins
well, but noting her seat, said to the stable
man: Your horse will come home with a
sore back" and the animal did.
NO ART IN MOUNTING.
There is really no particular art in mount
Ing with the aid OF a strong hand-if Won
know how. Take your stand on the left
side Of the horse, facing the same way as he
is doing. Gather the reins in your right
hand, in which you also have Vour win
Have the reins just taut enough to enable
you TO feel the horses mouth, and do not
draw upon them the least bnt rest vour
hand on the second pOmmel of the saddle
(what is generally in this part of the countrv
called the third horn'). The attendant. or
your escort Will now bend over and hold
forward his clasped hands. Place your left
foot within these and rest your left hand
upon his shoulder. Then bend your right
knee slightly and, first telling him Won are
ready, spring upward, Strengthening the left
knee. As you make this spring he will
further aid you by raising his hands. II
you have acted promptly and been seconded
by your assistant you will fall easily into
your saddle. Place your right knee over
the horn while he s;raightens your skirt
and place your left foot in the stirrup. If
your attendant IS inexperienced caution
him against lifting too violently or too high.
as you wish 10 be seated on your saddle, not
tossed over 1t. a very little practice will
perfect you both. II your skirt is twisted
or uncOmfortably drawn under you rise in
your stirrup and shake it down. II ia of
the greatest importance that Won should
fully understand the correct seat on the
saddle. Remember that The side-saddle Is
always an unmerciful thing on n horse's
back, and that much Of your steed's comfort
depends upon your sitting sQuarely and true
thereon. Face Squarely to the front untll
you can look directly between the horse's
ears. Your left leg should hang perpendic-
ularly from the knee, the heel lower than
the toe, and the foot parallel with the
horses side. The left knee should be nm
der but not against the second pommeI. bnt
the stirrup strap should not be so long that
an almost imperceptible raising of the knee
will not cause the pommel to be felt. Tic
right knee should grasp the first horn
firmly and the right toe should not be
allowed to project so as to look badly be-
Deaih the skirt. / saw a lady riding on q
city thoroughfare recently whose left knee
swung clear Of the second horn al
every forward motion of the horse.
while her right foot stuck out at an acute
angle There was good-sized patch OF
daylight visible within the triangles formed
by her arms and sides. and the right shoul-
der was carried considerably in advance OF
| the left, What ] thought | need not ex.
! press here, but 1t was probably OF no con