Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-28
ROOSE VEL rs REST
rsouousu ENJOYMENT OF RES
psrE FROM OFFICIAL Ex.cTroNs.
HIS HORSEBACK RIDING.
II Is of the Mo.s Strenuous Kind.
and i. Delighted in by the Execu-
ivc-Mrs. neo.~elt often Rides
Win the President.
lis HORSEBACK RIDING.


4al,-Presieent Roosevelt is enjoying
venuine res, through the holidays, and
a,irl continue 10 have some respite from
,sicfsi exact!ons untu Congress reas-
semAIes, on January sth. During the
session OF Congress thc-woTk OF Pres'-
Sent is most labo-ious and trying. be
sides a large number of constantly &C.
curing and recurring questions ailec'-
ne the governmental service. and the
equally important questions OF lnteFna,
ional moment. the President must Ceai
most wisely and carefully loo with the
s,ui;!;udinous demands Of senators. re-
s,sests OF representatives and the impof-
tu1isles OF hundreds Of others below TINS
,filcial grade. The consequence is that
The President is confined to his oi1ice
practically every hour Of the DAY. When
sot listening 10 the various matters iaid
before him By the cabinet officers. con-
sressmen and others, he must. In the
solitary moments OF his Office and house,
gtye consideration 10 the requests and
questions laid before him.
President Roosevelt is most ardent
over Of outdoor sport. and tie oonflne-
alent o. his Office is irksome to him, if
continued TOO long Consequently ne IS
experimenting great relief during the
holidays. when he is permitted, by the
absence Of senators and representatives.
10 escape the everyday grind OF his Of
See while Congress is here. Just before
The holidays official announcement was
made that President Roosevelt would see
lew callers. and that he would keep 80
regular Office hours. The announcement
Is being literally lived up TO. and the
President, with the exception OF CABINET
days is out Of his Office a great deal OF
his time He IS enjoying the exercise
most pleasant and agreeable to him
shat Of horseback riding. The Presi-
sent, as is well known. rides With grace
and case and has the tenacitv OF
cowboy IN remaining firmly in the sad.
tie. His bloodea hieh-spirited horse
sannot so too fast or have toe many
saits for him. The tostiing and joitinG,
ana the keen winter winds. cause the
blood TO pulsate through him, and every
rein to run fast with the animation Of
health and vigor. If the President had
been Able TO dispose Of the Venezuelan
question sooner he would not have had
70 remain in his Office nearly as much as
ne has With this out OF the gay he will
have a number Of hours each day.
RIDING COMPANIONS.
HIS riding companions are Senator
Lodge, his bosom friend: General Laon.
erd Wood, OF whom he thinks great
zeal, and for whom he has deep admira-
ton. Secretary Root, his closest cabinet
adviser, and others who are good horse
men. II takes q good horseman, too, to
Keep pace with the President. The
weathev makes no difference to him.
Whether the rain is pouring in torrents,
whether the thermometer registers zero.
or whether il goes TO the extreme and is
100 in the shade. he gets the same lively
satisfaction out OF d long ride. It is re-
called that when Prince Henry was here.
the President invited him to go on
horseback ride. They got 70 the out
skirts OF the city, when the hardest
thunderstorm and rain in years over
.ook them. The President did not change
his course .for an instant, and for two
hours he and Prince Henry gailoped up
hill and down over roads and through
@ods At Chipkamauga, in September,
when the President visited Chattanooga,
ne mounted the finest calvary horse at
The army post there, and rode the troop
els of the United States calvary the
swiftest race they ever had in their lives.
CHE pace was SO not and fast that a
dtzen Of the troopers were dismounted
hg the breaking Of saddle-Girths and
other nlis1aps; and many others lost
their hats and other portions Of their
wearing apparel. The day was intensely
hot and the cloud Of dust left behind by
The on-rushing calvacade, headed by the
President, obscured the vision Of the
thousands Of people trying to follow in
carriages and on foot.
For al Of his horseback rides the Pres
dent attires himself IN suitable costume,
and is perhaps three or four hours in the
saddle. Mrs. Roosevelt often joins him
Their custom is TO leave the White House
u a carriage and take their horses in the
suburbs OF the city.
WALKING TOO TIRESoME.
When the President first came to
Washington ne went walking frequently,
put it was tiresoiae to him TO be
,ollowed everywhere by secret service
men, who feared that some one
would attempt 10 do him harm.
80 by his horseback rides he is
able 10 leave the secret service men be-
hind. Very few of them would be able
70 keep up with him. if they wanted to.
3ae Of the Presidents escorts on these
rips. however, is a cavalrytnan who
caras fcr his horses in the White House
stables, and who always sees that the
pest horses are put out at the disposal Of
The President.
With the reassembling Of Congress. the
Presidents horse VIII get a long rest. and
he will set two months OF hard work in
his Office. months that Will make him
feel relieved when Congress has again
adjourned and the representatives Of the
people have gone home.
Henry 4. Wisemnn No More.