The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-10-13

prospective brides, who need net be
caught unless they want to be.
lately rode with lady who rode as
] did. She was good horsewoman in
the old way, and tried the new way for
the first time on this occasion. She said
she never knew what riding was before,
for comfort and security, and she GER
tainly looked well.
If the horse could have his say in this
matter, l fancy his enthusiasm on the
subject would be great. A horse hates q
sidesaddle because it hurts him, and is
naturally afraid of long skirts because
he does not understand them. Women
are said to be harder ON horses than
men. 1t is true; ask any liveryman
But that is mainly because they ride
askew and aslant, with their legs twist
ed awkwardly to one side, and nothing
in their position that fits horses back
and ribs. The saddle pulls and drags
and gals the horse. 1t is likely to turn
If it be not cinched so tight that the
poor animal cannot breathe comfortably.
1t is as bad for the horse as corsets for the
woman. A sidesaddle is an abomination.
Its proper place is neither under wom
an nor over horse, but in museum of
medieval machines like the thumb
screw, the boot, the wheel, the rack and
the scavenger's daughter. The sidesad
die must go, with other bad riding habits.
Some fair reader may think: "This is
all we'll enough when am ON the horse,
but how about getting on, and especially
getting off again? Wouldn't it be aw-
ful?' No, certainly not half so awful as
the performance in which you are now
star actress with full stock company
for the benefit of the whole neighbor-
hood. You appear in your stovepipe hat
and tight waist, holding up your black
baby slip with both hands. Somebody
is holding your horse by the head and
punching him in the stomach to make
him stand up close to chair, which,
very likely, he refuses to do by about a
yard. Then somebody else comes to your
assistance and gets you in his arms more
awkwardly than on some other occa-
sions, not knowing exactly what to do
next, and you give gasp, and gulp,
and jump, and he gives a heave, and
if these things are simultaneous enough
you are dumped half way on the side of
the horse, with your skirts hitched SO
tight you can get no farther. Then you
wriggle and bunch yourself about till
you manage to get your right knee over
the pommel, but cannot find the stirrup
for your left foot. Then he fumbles fool
ishly about the mysterious folds of your
drapery till he finds the stirrup and the
foot and sticks them together. Then
somebody hands you your whip, and
somebody else puts the bride in your
hands. You are really on horseback, and
hind end foremost.
All because you have been taught the
wrong way to get Oh horse, the wrong
way to stay on horse and the wrong
way to get off horse. You are at the
mercy of some man to begin with and
to end with, and at the mercy of the
horse from beginning to end.
Notice that girl coming out of the
store in Hot Springs. She hitched her
horse to a post when she went in by
simply throwing the bride over the
post. The saddle is just like the ones
the men ride, stirrup feathers trifie
shorter. She throws the bride over the
horses neck and holds it in the same
left hand that grips the pommel. The
other hand is free, for there are nc
skirts to hold up. She just lays it OH
the cantle moment, puts her left foot
in the stirrup and vaults into her seat,
the right foot coming down into the of
stirrup with perfect ease and accuracy
after no ungraceful swing of one limb
over the horses quarterA She is away
in an instant, and when she is ready tc
dismount she reverses the way Of get
ting on just as a man does.
And why not do so yourself?