The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-09-04
JOCKEY POWERS,
THE MUSCLE RIDER
Has Style All His Own to Aid
firing Horse to the
Wire.
RIDING STYLES CHANGE
Tod Sloan First to Use Short Stirrup,
Which Was the Cause of
Much Criticism.
RIDING STYLES CHANGE
BY BERT E. COLLYER.

isn't Il? Nevertheless il is the cor
rect characterization of this first
class riders aptness OF capabiiity OF
successful riding.
Probably no other vocation has
produced quite so many evolutions as
to the direct method Of encOmpassing
the desired results as that of riding
Years ago we were wont to believe
that Cannon and his English seat
was absolutely correct. Some even
went so far as TO claim him to be per-
lection in the saddle. WINFIELD. the
colored lad, probably was the first to
shorten the feathers as against the
full length stirrup used across the wa
ter. Then Fred Taral. the Flying
Dutchman." affected a type distinctly
new. inasfnuch as he appeared to
combine both Cannon and WINFIELD
poses.
But it remained for Tod Sloan, the
dean OF all riders. without doubt the
most accomplished horseman that
ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred.
to completely revolutionize the seat"
or sitting position I'm the saddle. The
short stirrup first ELECTED much
criticism, even merriment, but subse-
quently. as turf history shows. threw
the entire riding brigade of three con-
tinents into a more or less chaotic
condition.
Sloan claimed. and in this he was
borne out by some OF the cleverest
horsemen in the country, that to ride
short with the knees tightly pressed
AGAINST the mounts withers. had the
effect OF throwing the weight forward
and materially aiding the animal.
when in full stride. With Sloan's sue
cess. both here and abroad. came emu
IatiOn even by the effete Of England.
4 Ill - 10
the lad the butting stone OF much i'll
timed English wit co. However, OF
the vast army OF youngsters who eff
fected the Sloan seat few entered the
hallowed circle OF success-in fact,
of jockeys using this seat who have
made a name for themselves can be
counted on the fingers OF one hand.
Danny Maher. the most successful,
financially and otherwise, adopted it.
Another Short Rider.
wooten, the little Australian. who
for two years has pressed Maher hard
for first hOnors in England, rides
is Guy Garner, the Present-day cham
pion rider on this continent.
Harking back to Jockey Powers.
Here is a lad who has a style all his
own and characterized as sloppy or
Numerically opposite to any other
style either here or abroad. In the
first place. Powers affects the long
strirrup; then. too, he does not allow
the stirrup iron to enter the hollow
or arch Of the foot Gas almost every
other rider dOes). but retains the iron
Immediately under the ball. Thus
posed or poised. and with the animal
under him in full stride, he gives the
appearance Of being i'm a swing.
Aside from this. the most distinctive
feature Of Powers hoTsemanship is
his wrist riding.
Unlike Sloan. Maher. WINFIELD,
wooten. Garner and nearly every other
rider rated as topnotchers. he does
not shoot ducks" as the turf par
lance has it--a movement of the arms
and the upper part OF the body to-
ward the mounts head, and supposed
to be helpful to a firing horse. on
the contrary. Powers at all times is
almost flat upon the mounts neck.
and when a little extra exertion or
help" is required. then the only dis
cernible movement on the part Of
Powers. aside from HIS swinging feet,
is an upward inclination Of the wrists.
which accompanies every stride Of the
horse.
Questioned as to how he came to
ride in this manner. Powers frankly
told me he didn't know. and that II
just came natural Regarding the
wrist riding. however. the lad was
extremely intelligent.
You See" he said. when horse
begins 10 tire. that Is the time to hold
his head steady. I never try to life
horse home, just keep his head up.
allowing it enough leeway with the
reins to enable II 10 stretch its neck
(Which IL does every time IL strides)
and encourage II by word of mouth.
In this respect have a little advan-
/ tage over some of the other boys be-
cause 1 am strongly muscled I'm both
arms and shoulders
Herein probably lies the lads pro-
pensity for making CUTTERS stick.
| and the sobriquet of muscle rider"