The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-04
WOMEN AND GIRLS.
Matters of Interest for the Wives
and Daughters.
GIRLS CAN Now RIDE ASTR!DE.
The New style Saddle and Costume
Make It Quite PFOpcr-Lassss FASH
ion Hints = Suggestions for tho
Housowlfe-A New Scheme for
Fairs-SIany Things for Feminine
Readers.

Give away your riding habit girls,
and tell the groom to sell your saddle,
You'll never need either Of them again.
sidesaddios are quite out OF date, and
the only way to ride nowadaysis to ride
astrlde. That is what MrS, Danes says,
and MIRA Danes Is a woman who knows
good deal about riding. There's II
mistake that's always being made by
people who write about the new fash.
ion in riding. They will persist in
talking about tho divided skirts, till
everyone imagiRes the modern Ana
zon flying through the park with a Hop
py, b~alloon-like switching on each side
OF the horse. Now that is all nonsense,
The divided skirt goes underneath,
where 1t was originally meant TO go,
and no one knows its there but tho
weaTer. The proper costume is just u
nice, neat, trim coat or ulster, with u
cape. 1t Ia made walking length and
open In the back,
Pieces oil elastic about eight inches
long are laid fiat and sewed TO the in
side OF the coat q little above and for,
ward Of the ankle when standing, to
slip the feet through before mounting.
This keeps the skirt Of the coat in place
and the feet covered. A narrow,
divided skirt, plain over the hips, the
~fullness being mostly in the back, only
two deep plaits made to meet in front,
IL worn under the coat to take the place
OF tho ordinary dress skirt. E9nes-
trienne tights, cloth leggins to tho
knee, and q soft hat complete this ele.
giant riding costume, which is also n
useful and stylish street dress. These
coats are made TO order at some OF our
leading cloak houses, but they differ
from the ready.made garment only in
one particular. Instead Of buttoning
down the front in the usual way they
have O close double row OF buttons
which terminate about eight inches DO.
low tho whist. From this down the
buttons are invisible, as they are also
in the back. The riding coat hangs
close to the horses side and Is not re.
markabls viewed from any quarter. The
ladies claim they have borrowed moth
ing from the masculine attire, and as
for riding astride, they consider IL Is,
and always has been, their privilege as
well as mans.
The nice, discreet little dress Just dc.
scribed has been no end Of help to the
votaries Of the new style Of riding.
There's only one objection left from all
the thunderstorms Of inveCtives that
were hurled at the idea at first. That
objection is that u woman does not
look 90 well riding astride as she does
riding sideways, Well, as the ancient
song hath it, that's simply q matter Of
taste"
The advocates OF the new idea think
that women look better riding in q safe,
natural position than in an unsafe, aFti.
fetal one; besides they declare that they
do not ride for tue sake Of looking well,
but for the sake Of having n good time.
So all the livery stable people can do
just now is TO buy some new saddles or
make over tho old ones. They can do
the making over by putting small wood
en- stirrups with leather guards on
them. No woman should venture out
with open stirrupS.
The saddle liked by most ofthe ladies
who ride astride is the Ralston, without
q horn they are made both with and
without), and the Whitman open sad.
die. Some prefer n Spanish saddle,
while Others cannot use them at all.
Tho fiat or English saddle is often used,
-. but 1t Is not rs safe as either Of the
others or as comfortable as tho two first
mentioned. In all cases tho small
wooden 'stirrups with guards should DO
used.
Tho first thing to do in learning to
ride is to get the proper costume. The
next thing is TO learn to mount from
the ground or as near the ground as
possible, The groom or esourt should
stand on the right side OF the horse.
Ride u short distance. and ride slowly
until you get accustomed to the new
position, then give your horse his head
and find out what fresh air and good
health really mean.