The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-12
THE HORSEY PRESIDENT.
GOOD SADDLE HORSES IN DEMAND
AT THE CAPITAL.

Il
Is a Hard Rider and Many of His
Followers Have Sore Bones-secre-
| tnry Shaw's MetamOrphOsis From
HOOsicr HOrseman to "A Gentle
| man Rider.
Washington. June 11.-President
! Roosevelt's fondness for horseback
/ riding is responsible for a sensational
/ advance in the price of good saddle
| horses in this vicinity. Local horse
dealers declare that there never has
| been, during the past twenty years,
such a strong demand for gentlemen's
riding horses as now exists. For a
number OF years saddle horses were a
drag on the Washington horse market,
and dealers could hardly give them
away at any price.
| Since the Man of Horseback en-
tered the White House, it seems to be the
aim of almost every public official, de-
string friendly relations with the Pres
| ident to get a horse and join the Pres
| idential calvacade which rides out of
Washington every afternoon. Presi-
! dent Roosevelt ID in the city. The
President allows Enothing to interfere
with his afternoon ride, and he loves
| company in his explorations around
the country adjacent to the Capital.
Senators, representatives, army and
navy officers, bureau officials and pri-
vate citizens can always be assured of
| arousing the interest of the President
on the subject of a fine horse. The
chances are. nine out of ten. that the
person who happens to mention the
no
mount will be rewarded with an invi-
tation to join the President in a cam
ter at the first opportunity.
President Roosevelt is a daring horse
man, and he has but little patience
with a timid rider. Sometimes he goes
cut, accompanied by a party of from
four to six persons, not counting the
ever present sergeant of cavalry in
full uniform, who keeps a respectful
distance behind the President from the
moment he comes out of the White
House grounds until he dismounts at
the front door two or three hours
later.
Must Keep Pace with Him.
Those who would merit the approval
of the President on these expeditions,
must be able to keep up the pace he
invariably sets as soon as he gets be-
yond the confines of the city limits.
The rider who cannot endure a hard
gallop and vigorous shake down, sell
dom receives another invitation.
This fact has become generally
known, ITO those who aspire to the
honor of riding with the President,
consequently the local riding schools
are doing a land office" business
teaching ambitious public officials how
to sit a smart jumper at stiff pace,
before they venture to talk horse with
the President
Secretary Shaw DeveIOpes.
The new Secretary of the Treasury,
Mr.. Shaw, is perhaps the most apt
scholar in the presidential riding class,
When he first arrived here he was ad-
vlsed to take to horse back riding for
exercise. Out in Iowa, he should sit an
ordinary farm plug, at a dog trot. or
an easy canter, but he was not edu-
Gated up to the new-fangled styles of
the up-to-date cross country rider. His
first experience on horseback in Wash
| ington, was on a gentle family horse,
| sort of a Sun-burnt bay, equipped
| with cradle like saddle, we'll padded
fore and aft. Brown canvass leggings
over his every day office suit, and a
black SLOUGH hat was his outfit
Secretary Shaw is an aggressive as
we'll as progressive man, and he be-
heves in keeping up with the process
sion if he can.
Dad burn my picture, and by Gosh,
too" (This is regarded as a solemn
VOW out in Iowa., he was heard to re-
mark few days ago, these fellows
on their sporty horses can't lose your
Uncle Shaw in their scamper."
HIS Iowa friends would hardly recog-
nize him to-day as he comes from his
residence, attired in smart pair of
riding trousers bsggy at the hips and
| knees, short riding coat, a iaunty
cap, the same color as his coat, buff
cloth leggins, and a natty buck handle
crop, and vaults sprightly into the
| saddle, secured on a stylish banged
| tailed jumper, able to keep pace with
| the swiftest nags in the presidential
party.
Among the well known men often
seen out riding with the President are
Gen. Wood, Secretary Root, Senator
| Lodge, Senator Beveridge, Civil Service
Commissioner Jim Garfield, Senator
McLaurin. of South Carolina, Surgeon
| General Rixey, of the navy, and his son
Archibald Roosevelt.
His Rides with Royalty.
Washington horsemen have not
ceased talking about the memorab BILE
! rides President Roosevelt took with
visiting nobility. The ride with Prince
Henry of Prussia and the dash through
a driving rain storm with Count
Rochambeau and sever al of the French
party during their recent visit to
Washington continues to furnish an in
teresting topic for the "horsey" contin-
gent. Prince Henry will probably
never forget that famous ride through
snow and rain to keep up with the
| President of the United States on that
eventful occasion. He probably felt
! that sailor on horseback was at a
! disadvantage compared with a trained
| commander of a famous cavalry regi-
ment, but he never weakened, and
! stuck to his saddle until the ride was
| at an end. So it was with the French
count and his associates. They may
have had their misgivings about con-
tinuing a ride which was sure to re-
suit disastrously to their brilliant uni
forms but they took their medicine as
gamely as did Prince Henry, and his
tory will give place to those two Incl
dents in President Roosevelt's remark
! able career.