The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-10
WOMEN ARE TO
RIDE LIKE MEN
A Movement to Get Rid Of the Side
Saddle.
A PHYSICIAN GIVES HIS OPINION
He Thinks IL Much More Healthy
and Entirely prOpeT-rhe At
titude Is Graceful aud All
should Ride SO.

VIII the hOrsewoman OF the future rue
astride? is It destined that the side sad
die shall be banished to the garrett ana
that the women who ride horseback shall
adopt that safer saddle that has always
been regarded as The peculiar property
OF the genus masculine? While 10 is
difficult to predict what women Will de-
eide 10 do in regard 10 this question there
is certainly every indication that the reign
OF the side saddle is drawing TO a close
and that 81 will not be many years De-
fore every woman who sits upon a morse
will ride astrdc
ADOPTED IN DENVER.
Already this question has been asilaieo
in the many cities Of the west and ale
ready the fashion of using % masculine
saddle has been quite generally adopted.
In Denver this method of riding is iA-
yored by many of the best horsewomeh'
and I'm Cleveland the health protective as-
ISOLATION has organized crusade 90
abolish the side saddle. All OF TINS may
be taken as an indication of the chang
in public opinion aud III history is repeated
as it probably will be- the innovation that
has been so thoroughly approved in tne
West will soon extend from one END Of
the country 10 the other ln fact there
is scarcely city of any Importance
whore some women have NOT already
adopted this fashion of riding. and the
young woman who appeared before me
judges at the last horse show, DID, NE"
Y0fk. riding astride her horse. received
unstuted praise from those Who witness
ed her work. Ii Is such little grains or
the sand of common sense tna, often i-n4
90 turn the tides OF fashion
The only question that is raised U.s.
whether women are prepared i9r me
adoption of such custom. The world |
has certainly progressed TO a point "n.re
such posture would not Doe regarded as
immodest and it is the opinion of many
physicians and riding masters that 10 Us
the only proper way To- which 20 ride. Iney
saw that women are as well fitted Ton
riding astride as men. that il is SAFER and
more healthfnl ana that the adoption of
tb. di,.idoJ skirt would relieve the riders
from the possibility Of attracting unde-
eirabla attention.
TT IS HEALTHY.
r.. o..-ifl- rrorv.i.z tho PHILADELPHIA
..--t.t,-. g., o,, 10 tbs rhv-Icfans who
+t--,.,-,,,5,. 10, r,,q- Of thfs change
49, t,- 80, rfo .,id. "Thera can bs
..l l,,.+io, ~ The surerioritv of the
o..-i5o ,+,i,rde for Uomon in the sad-
ne n a., tbe natural poslti1n Tha body
~. hoI1 o-eot ~, s,inal column rs in lbs
,,,o,or ,i,o, and So are an OF the other
9rrans AS a consequence the haalthfuI
exercise of riding IS not only very much
mara beneficial TO women but it is al
so Ear less fltiguing The only objection
that can be urged i5 on inc ground 'l |
modostv. and that Is more of sentiment |
than ANYTHING else There is 3t least !
one woman I'm this city who rides as.ride !
I'm public. She is often to be seen in fair- /
mount Park and She attracts DO parucu- /
lar attention"
while the fashion OF riding astr.de has /
long been popular I'm COLORADO ana o'"''
far Western states. o. Is something '"-
tirely new 10 find advocates or lne cu'-
tom so far east as Ohio. 90 say nothing |
of Pennsylvania In Cleveland, however |
the work of the health protective as-oel'-
ton is becoming most effective. This soc
ciety Is composed of about one hundred
Of the most prominent women in the CITY
and their recent action i'm voting % ue
every effort 10 secure the Punishment OK
the side saddle occas.oned no htt'e- sure
prise. There can De no doubt. however
but that they are determined I'd carry
out their purpose. for they have I''
only adopted the divided skirt ana me
method Of cross saddIine for th-m- yves
but are making every effort io WIN nr"
converts 20 their ranks.
RIDE LIKE MEN
7, sneal,iue of the work of the associa-
tior Mr. \ A. Gilbert. one of the prom
inent members of the executive commit
tee said.
Women should wear divided skirts and
take the same position on a horse that a
man does. The present side saddle is
dangerous 10 the health OF a woman ana
a. H. for that reason particularly that The
assoeiatiou Will try 10 overcome the
avu Anotber reason for the crusade Is
tbat IN side saddle is injurious 90 the
bors. a'Td ar me same time a dangerous
ma ,rslobtlv method OF riding. There is
mo good reason why a woman should not
ride a horse astride just the same as she
now rides a bicycle"
while the Cleveland women will de-
vote AN their energies az pre- ent 10 the
reformation " their own city 10 is their
intention TO extend their work as soon
as the results OF their efforts az home
shall have become sufficiently encourage
inc To- warrant such action They are
firmly of the opinion that similar socl.-
tics can he o-ganized in other cities and
tbot B., This v,v women throughout the
co,,,tr,, man, bo persuaded 20 use the in-
ene,ee of their exampio I'm promoting
tbIs reform. Already the secretary
Mrs Sfenhen Buhrer. has received many
letters OF inquiry. especially from women
in the east and the society is now pre-
r,rino IN publish some pamphlets on the
Ian J. 80. o., an ,,..,,.-.