The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-08-27
THE HORSE STILL POPULAR.
Riding Academies Are Doins
Good Business-Helped ny
the Bicycle.

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 90 |
Int stand in the stalls and kick their
heels in idleness. For year or TWO
that was pretty much all that most Oh
them did do. But at present there Is
decided reaction, and the horse is pranc-
ing more gayly and more numeronsiy
than he ever did.
Managers of the riding academies
say that they have never had so prosper
nus a winter as the one just past. The
proprietor of well-known riding
school near Central Park says that MS
hooks show business of $4,000 in ex-
cess of the previous year. He states
with pleasure that collections are SO
easy that he feels as If he 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 fortune.
1.-THE bicycle was a blessing liz dis
ouise. as far as we are concerned" he
said. "Ill admit that it was disguised
at first. But never joined the chorus
of calamity howlers. I predicted from
the start that the horse would stand the
test, and so he has"
"How has the wheel helped you?
"This way: People went crazy over
It. Thousands and hundreds OF thou
sands of people who had never taken
out-of-door exercise learned to ride
wheel, and spent hours every day in the
open air. When a man or woman
finds out what great thing it is to
have exercise in the open air, 1T settles
the thing. The habit once formed, you
aren't going to coop that man or that
woman up for the rest of his days.
"The wheel, as say, taught this hab'
It to many thousands of people, ever sc
many wealthy people. Then everybody
took to the bicycle. The world
wheeled. Some men and women didn''
want to be in the crowd, so they decided
to give up wheeling except once IL
awhile. But what they couldn't do wa
to make up their minds to give up out
of-door exercise, and, consequently
people who would never otherwise hav'
learned to ride horse have taken it VI
now.
"Of course, so late in the season, thing
are quiet here at the-academy. Peopl
have gone to the country and takel
their horses with them. But durini
the winter and the early spring we wer
simply rushed. As for next fall,
have so many engagements that
. everybody came back at the same tim
wouldn't have enough stalls for tn
horses. 1t is astonishing how man
children are learning to ride. Tn
creates increase is in that direction
Children's ponies were never in sue
. demand.
!. an past seasons I have often had
take horses in pay for board bills. TIL
year only one horse was turned IN O
{ me In that way. had to engage mir
9 riding masters, more than I have eve
= had before. People of all ages ha'
e been learning; even old ladies ha'
q been taking lessons. Another rease
q for the return to the horse is that sto'
e people, who ride to reduce flesh. fouI
u that the wheel is not so effectual as
u horse. Then, too, good many phys
n clans prescribe wheel and prescril
horse"
er ssThe trotting horse is still the mo
"a popularP"
II ooh, yes. The Kentucky gaited.hor
er isn't in demand here in New York e
TT cent for semi-invalids who need som
lie thing easy. Down in Kentucky it's d
ferent. They ride for hours there,
ne they need an easy gait. Here in M
rs York people wsnt the horse which Civ
ID them the best exercise in a short time
BIS 'sDo any New York women ri
~ astride?"
II. st don't think so. It won't ever
Ne fashionable in New York. won't ALI
e- any woman to ride astride in my scho
he That is, not at present. If it ever
ID, comes customary that will be diff
"a ent; but am not pioneering.
q lieve they ride so little in Chicago a
&C. other places"
M "How about cross-country ridi
ng among women"
,ss "Of course there is nothing of Il
nv sort in the academy now, but we h;
GO had more pupils in that line during
De- winter than ever before. You see
Use am justified in saying that the VIII
Tut has proved blessing to us. III
,ly couldn't very well ride to hounds o
IDS wheel, anyway. But the love of be
mt outdoors, which the wheel instilled i
ain many people, has reacted amazingly
ich the greater popularity OF the horse.
ar. n Y. Sun.
his ..xv,t.t, u.x.