Gilpin observer., 1902-04-17
RIDING ASTRIDE
OPPOSED BY ENGLISH WOMEN.
They Do Not Readily Adopt the Gus
tom Fast Growing in America
More and More English Girls Fol-
low the Hounds-Reasons for and
Against the Use of the Side Saddle.

More and More English Girls Fol-
low the Hounds-Reasons for and
Against the Use of the Side Saddle.
The equestriennes of England-and
they outnumber those of any other
country in the world-do not take kind
ly to the practice of riding astride
which has of late years been growing
in favor on this side of the Atlantic.
Half century ago few English wo-
men rode to hounds and up to recent
date the woman who did not follow
the hunt was regarded askance by con-
ventional society. To-day at many n
meet the women equal the men in num-
ber. and it is almost as much a matter
of course that a woman should ride
to hounds as that she should dance.
More and more. too. English girls
are being trained to cross-country rid
ing at an early age. Girls Of fourteen
and fifteen are no uncommon sight on
the hunting field. and many of them
ride as straight and as pluckily as any
of their older sisters.
Miss Bette Benton, though only
fourteen. has followed the Tiverton
hounds and the Devon hounds regular
ly for three years. and will take many
a fence or ditch that will give hard
riding man pause. She has several
fine hunters of her own and under
stands horsefiesh almost as well as her
father. She is only one of host Of
young girls from Engiands best fami-
lies who are making records on the
hunting field.
The theory is that If, as was former
ly the custom. girl does not ride to
hounds until after she comes out she
is hampered during her first few sea-
sons by her poor riding and misses in
Vulnerable good times in addition to
lacking one of the accomplishments
most admired by Englishmen. On the
other hand. some doctors deplore hard
riding by children and insist that it is
injurious to the growing school girls
health
1t is in connection with these youth
full riders that the arguments for and
against the cross saddle are raging
The older English women do not take
to the cross saddle. as have done so
many American women. Occasionally
with the Devon and Somerset stag
hounds several women may be seen
riding astride. but that is almost tho
only instance of the custom in ell Eng
land.
The opposition comes. not from any
conventional prejudice or fear of Of
Tending proprieties. but from a preva-
lent conviction that a cross saddle will
be a drawback rather than aid to wo-
mans success in the hunting field
Experts point out the fact that the
percentage of women thrown is far less
than that of men-that stumble on
landing which would throw nine out
of ten men from the saddle will sell
dom upset Il woman; that even when a
horse falls. unless he rolls over, n wo-
man who is cool and does not lose her
nerve can often keep her seat. while
the horse scrambles to his feet
All these things are accounted for by
the splendid grip upon the saddle given
a woman by her side pommel. 1t is ad-
mitted that in case of a really bad fall
woman stands less chance than
man. because she is hampered by skirts
| and the pommel. but such accidents
are. fortunately. rare.
In the case of the young and grow
| ing girl matters are rather different.
Many doctors contend that much rid
| Ing on the side saddle induces a ten
dency TO spine curvature and hinders
symmetrical development of the body.