The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-06-15
DIVIDED SKIRTS.
They Are the Only Sensible Dress for
Ladies Who Ride

LdultS WIN NluGs
Tourists who visit the Hawaiian
Islands generally open their eyes pretty
wide upon seeing the ease and freedom
with which Hawaiian ladies ride That
tourists are unaccustomed to seeing
ladies ride astrde is no reason against
the ladies doing so. The following,
written by Miss Russell for a coast
newspaper, goes to show that the sub
Jet of riding astride is receiving more
attention than ever, and that the time
is not far distant in which that style Of
riding will be adopted almost univer
sally by ladies who wish to enjoy that
exercise with comfort, ease and safety
There have accumulated upon my
desk in the past few weeks number of
inquiries relative to women riding
astrde, for answering which no oppar
tunity has heretofore presented itself
| am delighted to see them for they
prove conclusively that women are tax
in an increasing interest in this i'm
pOrtant subject
One lady says
81 have tried riding astride and find
it much more comfortable in some re
spects than the side saddle seat, but
not so secure. Unless have my stir
rups very short the cross seat brings a
great strain on back and thighs, and if
the stirrups are short enough to relieve
that they are too short for comfort or
security. l pitch forward when the
horse gallops fast What can l do ?
do not wish to return to the old style
of riding"
| wonder what sort of saddle you
use. | suspect that it is of the Mexican
variety and is too wide in the seat
Try saddle with a low cantcl and a
narrow seat There is as great differ
ence in saddles as there is in people.
For security and comfort in riding the
stirrups should be just long enough to
allow the rider to clear the saddle
when standing in them If too short
the tendency of the horses spring is to
throw the rider upward and forward
and to render her seat both awkward
and insecure. Probably a narrow sad
die with low cante and rather high
pummel and the stirrups hung well
forward would make you both com
Portable and secure while riding
a>tride.
'How do you make a divided skirt
hang right ?" another lady writes. "My
dressmaker and l have experimental in
vain. They will hitch up, on the inside
seam"
| sympathize with you, my friend. l
have lain awake O nights wrestling with
that problem until gray hairs adorn my
temples in consequence Of my musings.
AT last | did what a dresSmaker pro-
nounced ridiculous and impossible, "
and fitted the bifurcated garment with
a perfectly square gusset. 1t hangs
gracefully and naturally when in the
saddle, and shows not at all when dis
mounted. Don't make the skirts toe
full. Let them be very sCant on the
hips and pleated smoothly in back anc
front. If they have a tendency t.
'creep up" in fast riding, the little stee
clasps worn by bicycIe-riders to keel
their trowsers in position will hold them
snugly inside the ankle without show
ing, You can get them of any dealer
IN wheeImen's supplies and they are
very handy.
| am particularly fond of riding at a
trot and thought | should enjoy this
gait to perfection in the cross saddle, as
it would be so much easier for my
horse, but | find it nearly kills me, NY
feet slip through the stirrups, and |
cannot hold the irons under my toes.
| cannot sit erect, and it is impossible
for me to keep up with the horse.
| would be willing to wager that this
lady, too, is using a Mexican saddle.
Every woman who first sets out to ride
aStride chooses this lumber wagon OF
leather, under the impression that it is
more secure 1t is, but it is not built
for women. The Mexican women
themselves DO not use 1t, although they
llLC aollIuC, dlIllOuSh lhC lldNdlidl
women, who also ride man fashion
like it. Generations of civilized wo
men living sedentary lives and dressing
foolshly have given US a race with large
hips, short feeble thighs and weak
knees. These structural defects are
not to be overcome in a day The
Hawaiian women, with their freer out
ofdoor life, emancipation from corset
and the other abomn BILE and injurious
contrivances of feminine attr,
among older civilizations, are taller
stronger and more agile than we
The best saddle for a woman Il
use in riding at trot is thu
Australian. The stirrups hans
on a line about with the leg. The
prominent kneepad is excellent fol
bracing the knee against, and the sad
die is well thrown up forward, an ex
cellent thing for maintaining an uprigh
seat. If you are not riding a Mexican
saddle perhaps you have one that il
too low in front, or with the stirrups too
far forward 1t is not easy to learn t.
ride a trot well, Your right knee il
probably Of little use to you yet if yot
have always been accustomed to havin,