The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-12
FOR THE RIDERS.
Preside Horsemen Will
Have a Club.
TO SUPPLY A GREAT WANT.
FeatS on the Tanbark Will Be
Given Gratis.
WHY WATER Is RUNNING LOW.
Enthusiastic Soldiers Who VIII
Give Monthly Tourna-
mentS.
WHY WATER is RUNNING Low

The soldiers at the Presidio have had all
their patriotic ardor stirred up by the
assault-at-arms, and some of them do not
mean to repose on the laurels they won
there. Exhibitions of horsemans ship they
say might be given quite frequently for
the edification of the general public. if they
possessed a riding hall or even cOnve-
nlentiy situated piece of ground covered
with tanbark. The Presidio, however.
has nothing of the kind, but it is the in
tention of the soldiers to form a club and
make riding school of their own.
The promoters of the idea are First
Sergeant Moffett of B troop and Corpo-
raj Farrell Of Troop K. Only crack riders
are to be admitted, and the exhibitions
and entertain ments will be free.
II expect that we shall get the club or
ganiZed this.month," said Sergeant Moffett
yesterday. Lots of the people who come
here would like to see the cavalry drill,
but they do not care to walk away down
to the sands. Some of them do, and when
they get there they often find the exercises
are over. Drilling on sand wears out the
horses anyway.
"Our idea is to get about ten men from
each troop. We only want the good
riders and the ones who know how to
break in horse. There are number of
men ready to organize for the sake of the
sociabllity and the practice. Each of US
will pay few dollars entrance lee AMI a
regular monthly subscription. and that
will be enough 10 buy tanbark. Ii the
club gets on we may be able to buy foils
and lances and fancy sAddle-cloths."
The sergeant admitted frankly that the
soaring am bition of the soldiers did not
extend to the erection of covered riding
hall. ut would be splendid thing to
have one, though he added regretfully.
THE riding school at Fort Leavenworth
is splendid building, with galleries all
round; so is the one at Fort Meyer, where
all Washington turns out to see the tour
naments. People 90 there just as they
would 60 to the theater, and when the
soldiers have, nothing else to do they pass
their time in the galleries watching the
riding"
AS there seems no immediate prospect
of ridiDg-hal at the Preside to equal
the one at Fort Meyer, it is the intention
of the crack riders to make the most of the
means at their disposal. The large space
by the eight-inch battery. near the en-
trance to the Preside. will be covered
with tanbark. and here it is proposed to
practice and give free tournaments and
exhi bitions at least once month.
Eve can go Ia for fancy riding OF all
kinds, tent-pegging and lemon-cutting,"
said Sergeant Moffett. I'VE need not keep
strictly to the exhibitions that were given
at the Pavilion; there are plenty of new
features that could be introduced.
The sergeant is quite an enthusiast on
fancy riding. He has seen and judged
from professional standpoint numerous
tournaments, among othels the ones given
at the Worlds Fair, and he thinks the
more styles introduced the merrier the
show. 1.-THE way the Mexican cavalry
ride is fine as an exhibition OF cowboy
horsemanshiD. The English are good in
their saddles; they can cut lemon in two
every time with the saber as they ride
past We mean to do some lime-cutting
ourselves at the next tournament. For
riding. though. the Cossacks take the
cake. They are disorderly sort of a
crowd. but they can trot along just as well
standing on their heads in the saddle as
they can sitting. Those fellows can ride
any way"
When asked whether Cossack feats of
horsemanship formed part of the pro-
gramme of the new club, Sergeant Moi
felt replied that for the present, at least,
something less startling but more useful
would occupy the soldiers attention.
"We want the new school to break the
new horses that come to the post" be
said. "As it is. we get them broken, some
very badly. Two months in the riding
school would make an unbroken horse
really useful to the Government, for it
would be well trained. We also want the
riding school. that the public may have
an opportunity of seeing what the United
States cavalry is doing"
1t Is understood that tie cavalry officers
are very favorably impressed with he idea
OF riding club for the troopers General
Forsyth, who was in command of the
magnificent riding school at Fort Riley
before coming to this post, is believed to
have private leanings toward establishing
a regular Government riding school at
the Presidio. though he has taken no Off
cial steps as yes.