New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-26

Gross Saddle Not Popular 7o'th
Majority Of Smart Women.

Mrs. Belle Beach. the well known riding in
structress. whose summer classes at Newport al
ford prettest possible spectacle on their morn
ing canters these days, has come out boldly against
the cross saddle for women. A womans breadth
OF hip and dis sal OF weight. together with the
shcrtness her lower limbs all place the rider ct
q disadvantage cross saddle, Mrs. Beach says
AT present the fashionable women who ride
astriGe are lew and far between. The best horse
women have matured in the sdesadde. and are
ioat.i to change although in many Instances their
small daughters are being brought up TO use the
saddle which promises for this reason TO
revolutionze equestrianism in the course OF few
years
The smart set at Aiken, S. c.. who have taken up
polo Fl Pastime. have also taken to the cross
saddle, and in this instance Ii is wise thing 10
do for the sudden stop Of the pony and the short,
quick turns that every few moments would
surely unseat woman using a side saddle OF
course, there be much practice before the
proper knee grip is acquired That Is an ele-
nentary necessity for crOss-saddle riding. as this
is the only real method by which either woman or
man can stick on" after the horses gait changes
from the walk
The skilful huntswomen of society, Mrs
Adolf Ladenburg Mrs. Medil Mccormick VINO
has just been exhibiting her horses in the Lake
Forest Horse Show a Onwentsia. Ill: Mrs. George
Schienelin who was Miss Louise Scribuer: Mrs.
Ellsworth Elliot. who Miss Lucy Byrd; Miss
May Byrd, Miss Salhe Menice, Miss Beatrice Pratt,
Miss Katharine Grant. Miss Vera Bloodgood, Miss
Mollie Maxwell Miss Colgate, Mrs Lawrence Wa
terbury and & host OF others. are all ardent sup
porters OF the side saddle and they all prove that
when the rider sits property the side saddle never
distorts the figure. Young Mrs August Belmont
also approves of the side saddle, and. in fact.
taking the foremost riders at Morristown.
Hampstead, Geneseo RadnOr. Ekridge Hunt Club
or any of the famous country club colonies.
It will be found that cross-seddle riding has been
tried by them only an experiment for few
weeks.
Mrs. Thonas Hitchcock and her intimate friend
Miss Anne Thompson are, on the other hand en-
thusiastic and proficient cross-saddle riders, and
are polo experts q matter OF course. as Aiken
clsirns them both n the season. No matter what
kind Of a habit IS devised for riding astride the
effect when any breeze is astir is disastrous TO
grace for wind blown skirts. tapping at both sides
of the horse with a small body to balance them,
make the rider grotesque, 10 say the least and no
amount Of skilful padding can make woman's
shoulders look IN proportion when astride horse
There are OF course, habits made just like q
mans with q long skirted coat that reaches 10
boot tops, but this again only looks well off the
horse. for when mounted the coattails part and
wildly with any motion as there Is no knofn
way OF fastening them down that would be safe in
case of accident. When women bring them
selves trousers and top coats. exactly as
the men. and brave the scanning and comment
that naturally viii ensue then. and then only Will
any degree Of comeliness be found in those who
choose the cross saddle and still they Will not
look as smart as the well proportioned woman does
the side saddle.