The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-24
REFLECTIONS ON RIDING.


The Bicycle and the Horse and the Differ
ence Between Them.
The writing of this paper has been in
spired by debate recently held at the lit
erary society Of my native town ON the
question, Resolved, That the bicycle is
nobler animal than tie horse" In order
to speak for the negative with proper au-
thority, I have spent some weeks in COM
pletely addicsing myself to the use of the
horse. find that the difference between
the horse and the bicycle is greater than I
had supposed.
The horse is entirely covered with hair.
The bicycle is not entirely covered with
hair. except the 1889 model they are using
in Jayville
In riding horse the performer finds
that the pedals in which hqbnts his feet
will not allow of good circular stroke
He will observe, however, that there is a
saddle in whioh-especially while the
horse Is trotting-he Is expected to seat
himself from time to time. But 1t is SIM
pier to ride standing up with the feet in
the pedals
There are no handles TO horse, but the
1895 model has string to each side Of its
face for turning It's head when there Is
anything you want II to see.
Coasting on good horse is superb, but
should be under control have known a
horse to suddenly begin to coast with me
about two miles from home, coast down
the main street of my native town at a
terrific rate, and finally coast through a
platoon of the Salvation Army into its liy-
cry stable
cannot honestly deny that it takes a
good deal Of physical courage to ride a
horse. This. however, have. get it at
about 40 cents flask, and take it as re-
quired
I find that in riding a horse up the long
street of q country town it is not we'll to
proceed at trot 1t excites unkindly
comment 1t IL better to let the horse
walk the whole distance. This may be
made TO seem natural by turning half
| round In the saddle, with the hand on the
horses back, and gazing intently about
two miles up the road. It then appears
that you are the first In Of about IA men.
Since learning to ride have taken tc
noticing the things that people do on horse.
back In books. Some of these can man.
age, but most Of them are entirely beyond
me. Here, for instance, is form of eques
trian performance that every reader will
recognize and for which have only de
spairing admiration:
i with hasty gesture Of farewell the
rider set spurs to his horse and disappeared
in cloud of dust. -
With Ettle practice in the matter O,
adjustment, I think could set spurs tt
any size of horse, but could never disap
pear In cloud Of dust-at least not will
any guarantee of remaining disappeared
when the dust cleared away.
Here, however, Is one that I certainl.
can do:
"The bride rein dropped from Lore
Everard's listless hand, and with his heat
bowed upon his bosom he suffered hi
horse TO move at foot's pace up the som
Der avenue. Deep in thought he needed
not the movement Of the steed which Dor
him.
That is, he looked as If he didn't, but II
my case Lord Everard has his eye on tn
steed pretty closely just the same.
This next am doubtful about:
"'To horse, to horse!' cried the knight
and leaped into the saddle
think could manage 1t if it read:
"'To horsep cried the knight, ant
snatching stepladder from the hands @
his trusty attendant, he climbed into tn
saddle
AS concluding remark may mention
that my experience Of riding has thrown
very interesting side light upon a rattle
puzzling point in history. 1t is recdrde
of the famous Henry II that he was "al
most constantly In the saddle, and of
restless a disposition that he never SO
down, even at meals. I had hitherf
been unable to understand Henry's ide
about his meals, but 1 think can appre
oiate it now-Stephen Leacock in Truth