The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-27

1 it is the exception to note any really
| glaring departure from accepted surround
| ings in any given tpye OF harness. Years
| ago it was the rule, unless. indeed, the
universal, '.mongrel." hapyy-go-lucky
| style is permitted to stand as national
| type.
| This line Of education has had ton
| ing-down effect. We no longer have the
| fiamboyant harness of the ignorant and
\ untrayeled wealthy, nor the "advertis-
| ingly" designed turnout of the newly rich.
| but in place of these a general modesty
| in harness in which evidences of I'M
| doubtedly high quality and fine work
manship tell the same story Of disburse-
| ments in equally unnistable tones. but
without offense. Thus, in harness as in
| other details ali roads lead TO Rome!
| In the old days there were a dozen
styles Today there is only one. All
leather and brass, very little silver or
nickel, and absolutely no gold. These
| passed away when the brougham and pair
ceased to call at the florists for bou-
quets for the horses heads before enter
| ing the park, as was the case twenty
years ago in more than one of our princi-
pal cities All the leather is finished"
l..
leather variety, except in the dull, wet
weather type, introduced by the late
Cornelius Vanderbilt, to lie dormant I'M
til fashion revived it a couple of years
ago His set was the first to come into
this country. In the modern correct har-
ness there is nothing fer show; buckles
are placed only where absolutely neces-
sary, and are plain; inf act, refinement
t.
day none of the hair-splitting which was
in force for years, and no matter how
pronounced and outre individual personal
opinions may have be insome few cases,
the majority rules, and although with
very bad grace at times, the laborious
effort at display is crowded TO one side.
unnoticed This has been the result of
centuries of experience in the old world,
and although for few years our limited
horse show experience very nearly made
US the laughing stock of the older coun-
tries by the excess to which some few ar
rogantly minded individuals carried their
ideas and conceptions of what was cor
rect" the minimum of leaven has event
ually leavened the whole, and the ortho-
doX simplicity rules the civilized har-
ness world.
There being considerable dispute at
times on the point, it may here be made
clear that chains are correct on fours,
but on ladies' victorias and ladies' broug
hams pull straps should be used. the
chains being used on the ladies' phaeton.
AS regards harness, the width varies
according to the weight to be drawn, and
that is about the sole distinction. the
English style now ruling absolute in every
case, except those covering the roadster
and trotting harness types proper, in
which there is no likelihood, no desira-
bility, of change.
Owing to the great increase in riding.
and especially in hunting. the English
saddle is much in evidence, and is almost
universally adopted, the old American
saddle being calculated to attract undue
notice these days. 1t was claimed to have
superior comfort, but this is probobly only
for long distances-even then it Is largely
a matter of use and custom-but it GER
tainly never had the style, appearance.
or grace of the English type. A pertinent
point both in the hunting and ordinary
riding saddle for men is the practical dis
appearance of the rolled flap The demand
is for plain flaps, and not one saddle IN
a hundred with knee roll is sold these
days, the few saddles with rolls going TO
beginners or to elderly men. This shows
better individual riding capacity, more
confidence, and less reliance on extrane-
Gus aids. ur
The greatest change is in the increased
demand for the astride saddle for women.
At first this was taken up as fad by
few who desired to attract attention TO
themselves, and it was decried by medi-
cal and other scientists, in this country
mainly, and legislated against in more
or less humorous way by the press. This
passed however, as such fads do pass.
but the retention of the astride saddle and
the steady increase in its use have in due
season demonstrated that, in the vernacu-
lar lit has come to stay"
AS a matter of fact, there are many
claims 10 be made for it. The old side
saddle was brought into being in the dark
ages as a partial emancipation from the
old pillon, on which a woman sat in an
undignided attitude, hugging her lord and
master or whoever was in front of her.
Her position was notably insecure. and |
while fairly comfortable at a moderate
pace. could scarcely have been sa in rapid
motion The side saddle, with its mon
strou Hooks or rests, has always been
matter for wonder on the part of mere
man whenever he has tried it, and many
a good rider breaking a horse TO habit
has broken into cold sweats when trying
to control a nervous horse. and instinc-
lively thrown his right leg up and over in
anything but dignified order to have it
out from the astride point of action, con-
dernning all such feminene contraptions
h. no "
still enslaved to her attendant groom or
cavalier. and while Mrs. Grumpy wisely
put her oar in also, it was not considered /
safe for a woman to ride alone. This was
in a great measure due to the insecurity
OF the side saddle. and the lack Of COM
mand the woman had over the animal;
but this was never admitted. Here and I
there an individual woman could be found /
who was a born horsewoman, and who. /
notwithstanding her side-saddle handicap. /
could fight a horse to a finish as well as
a man. but they were few ard far be-
tween There was one some years ago I
in Philadelphia who went through such 4
a fight near the Pennsylvania railroad 4
crossing Just outside the freight yard. 4
with the result OF having her horse sold 4
from her as absolutely unmanageabIe-- +
lust when she had established her ever
lasting supremacy over him And there
was more recent case near New York
where the husband OF weii-knowu eques- +
trienne had trouble with a horse and was 4
glad to dismount His wife seeing this. 4
said he was running the animal. had her 4
side saddle thrown on the horse. mounted 4
and fought him 10 finish before he was
permitted 20 cool OF and enter the stable: I