The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-22
MORE RIDING THAN EVER.
The Horses Favor Increased by the
Bicycle.
New York SUM-

The horse is not dead yet. When the
wheel spun into such favor few years
ago, people prophesied that riding horses
would soon have nothing to do but stand
in stall and kick their heels in tdIeness.
For year or two that was pretty much
all that most of them did do. But at
present there is decided reaction, and
the horse is pranoing more gayly and
more numerously than he ever did.
Managers Of the riding academies say
that they have never had so prosperous a
winter as the one just past. The pro-
prietor Of a well known riding school
near Central Park says that his books
the previous year. He states with
pleasure that collections are so easy that
he feels as il be were In rose-colored
dream and might wake up to find that
his money had turned to fairy gold. As
for the wheel, he blesses it devoutly and
says 1t is at the root of all his good for
tune.
"The bicycle was a blessing in dis
guise as far as we were concerned" he
said "I'll admit that it was disguised
at first But never joined the chorus
of the calamity hoylsrs. predicted from
| the start that the horse would stand the
| st, and so ne has"
How has the wheel helped your
''This way: People went crazy over it.
Thousands and hundreds of thousands
Of people who had never taken out-of-door
exercise learned to ride wheel, and
spent hours every day in the open air
When man or woman finds out that q
great thing 1t Is to have exercise in the
open air, that settles the thing. The hab-
1t once formed, You aron't going to coop
that man or that woman up for the rest
OF his days.
"The wheel, as gay, taught this habit
to thousands of people, ever SO many
wealthy people: Then everybody took 10
| tbe bicycle. The world wheeled. Some
men AID women didn't want to be in the
| crowd, 80 they decided to give up wheel
Ing except once Ia a while. But what
they couldn't do was to make up their
| minds TO give up out-of. doors exercise
and and Consequently afh sss people who would
| horse have taken 1t up now.
'Of course so late in the season things
are quiet here at the academy. People
have gone to the country and taken their
horses With them. But during the win
tr ana the early spring we were simply
rushed. AS for next fall, 1 have so many
engagements that if every body came back
at the same time l wouldn't have enough
stalls for the horses. 1t is astonishing
how many children are learning to ride.
The greatest increase is in that direction.
Ch1idren's ponies were never in such de-
mand.
In past seasons have often had to
taken horses in pay for board bills. This
year only one horse was turned in on ME
In that way. had to engage nine riding
| Inaste rs, more than I have ever had be-
fore. People of all ages have been learn
ing even old ladies have been taking les
sons Another reason for the return to
the horse is that stout people, who ride to
reduce flesh found that the wheel is not
so etfectual as horse. Then, too, good
many physicians, prescribe a wheel and
prescribe horse
The trotting horse is still the most
popularP"
"Oh, yes. The kentucky gated horse
ism t in demand here in New York except
for semi-invalids who need something
easy. Down in Kentucky it's different.
They ride for hours there, so they need
an easy gait. Herein New York people
want the horse which gives them the best
exercise in a short time