The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-29
The Introduction of fhe
 Cross Saddle in Birmingham.

Miss Ethel Armes, the well-known young writer formerly of Washington and Chi cago, but now of Birmingham, writes as follows upon a most interesting subject: "Cross-saddle riding for women is an innovation in Birmingham. In other parts of the country, out in California, in fact | throughout the entire west from Dakota to Texas, in the mountainous districts of North Carolina and Virginia, and the big hunting clubs of Massachusetts and New York, this mode of riding horseback has been for several years past quite the conventional thing, and recognized as, by all odds, the safest and most beneficial way woman can ride.
 Just exactly why It's reception in this city has not been an enthusiastic one excepting by the three or four young women who have adopted it-is because so few Birmingham girls ride, have any particular interest in horses or even the slightest knowledge of things equestrian. Then, another point-a serious matter ! The dragon of provincialism has opened his jaws:
 She rides cross-saddle
 What Astride? Like a man?" "Yes-did you ever hear of such a thing? Imaglne!'
 To which the young ladies so gravely involved respond with a humorous twin kle. Why not? Some regard that as subtitle, others as obtruse.
 Who shall arbitrate?
 It has become of more local importance more widely and heartily discussed than our affairs of city ordinances. The same thing has happened before. The first chapters of the bicycle for women, the rainy day skirt, the corsetless gown, nals rti all were written under drowning clouds and hailstorm of objections. But these customs being neither lame nor halt nor blind were at length incorporated in the book of laws for sensible dressing, liv- ing and being for women. Cross saddle riding is now added to the list, and cross saddle riding looks pretty much as though 1t were going to stay It seems to be from all appearances quite able to take care of itself in Birmingham and survive whatever is.
 The majority of people here look upon it as a fad, vulgar and new-fangled mo- ton whose blaze will fire the town for nine days only to go down in smoke on the tenth. Yet strange to say. the real fact of the matter is that Peeping Tom, the gentleman to whom Mrs. Grundy especially refers, has nothing whatever for his winking not even so much as when the lady rides sidewise in good old sixteenth century fashion. For the di- vided skirt is an intricate structure, founded on much cloth, folds laid over and over, and is as devoid of the spirit of exhibition as the Mexican apparejos In this respect it is diametrically op- posed to the other habit which, as ev- eryone knows, is the tailor made extreme. To many eyes the divided skirt loses in grace what 1t gained in comfort, thus an artistic objection is entered. Aside from its appearances, however, the sound and sensible reasons advanced for it's adop- tions are that it Is the least fatlguing mode of riding if one goes long dis tances or rides daily; that the exercise is more beneficial than when the legs are artifcally cramped; that the ele- ment of danger, saddle turning, the skirt dragging, and the rest, is done away with, and that the horse can be more efYectually controlled.
 Why" remarked one of the Birming ham pioneers of the cross saddle, you feel like you have your horse so well in hand that absolutely nothing could hap pen! You have a sense of freedom, se- curity and comfort the side saddle never gives You feel so perfectly at ease, your movements are more in accord with the motions of the horse, and you can