Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1910-03-18
Or. Thorekmorson's Saddle Horse.


When we contemplate purchasing
saddle horse we must first make up
our minds that the horse we purchase
must be beautiful; of fine form and
conformation; with fine arched neck;
we'll pointed ears; full eyes and fine
name; and slender at the throat. Tall
and slin with neat limbs and feet.
Unless we select beautiful one our
nigh hopes will be blasted. A saddle
horse should be so handsome ana beau
tlful, while passing down the avenue
as 10 attrace men, women and children
both by the outlines Of his beauty and
the graceful style of his motion. In
fact q nlmble saddle horse should he
the poetry of motion.
With grace and ease to the horse
and rideris what we call equestrianism.
The rider must also have the proper
peise giving easy motion with the
horse, with an easy swing of the body
In keeping to them otton of the horse.
The pig-skin lady's cross saddle
seems to fill the bill, as the cross saddle
is much easier for the hor-e to carry
the rider than the out of date side
saddle. For lady to mount on side
saddle is ofttimes humiliating and
ungraceful, and sometimes dangerous,
if on spirited horse.
Bur how to obtain this is another
thing A lady rider must not think
that she can make good appearance,
simply being mounted on a horse.
She may be ever SO we'll attired and
a graceful rider, but the horse must
furnish the graceful movements and
motion to make the equestriene com
plete.
horse should go seven gaits. First,
walk; second, trot; thru, rack; fourth
canter; fifth fox trot or ambling pace;
sixth, high school or park gait; seventh
spanish trot or Cake-walk, for fancy
or circus use. Kentucky, Virginia and
Tennessee were first to develop the
saddle horse to perfection.
In the South land we find more en-
vironments to attract the attention of
the rider. The great groves of oak,
from whose branches, glrded with
Spanish Moss and Mystic Mistletoe,
surrounded with belt of luxuriant
blossoms Killing the air with sweet
fragrance. And the rose wreathed vines
encireled broad and spacious veranda
inviting the humming bird, and the
grove skirting the hill side making a
repose for the turtle-dove and the chirpy
wren. While in the North and Eastern
states we have the crisp morning air
to invigorate the bound of the steed ia
his delight of the free and untrameled
deliberations. TO enjoy morning ride
you must first love your horse, then
he will love you and he a companion.
The saddle horse is an AmericaEpro-
duct, well KNOWN for over a hundred
years. People in those days had
neither good roads nor vehicles and
largely depended on horse back riding
for long and short journeys. Many ca
pers were cut then by young lovers.
their horses, they would ride
many miles, sometimes by day and
by night to an adjoining
county or town to have the nuptial
ceremony performed, and tais, at that
time, constituted the wedding trip, of
which III later years they related with
great jests and thought there never
was anything like it. Such were the
joys of American life III the former
p TT of the eighteenth century.
Breeders have found that the best
running horse and a
bred trottlng or pacing horse
produces gaits Of easy motion. The
little colts, while by their mothers !
side will gain the easy amblng gait,
while running in the pasture field.
Then the breeder can well approx
mate the maturity of the colt a5 10
saddle gaits. Not so with trolter or
PAGER in harness. They have to be work
ed out TO finish their eed
The saddle horse being in close prox-
unity with his rider more fully oepe
upon him for his instruction and i
almost ALWAYS more ducile. We OF the
Goth century have advanced in IL,
education of the saddle horse We nov
talk to our horse, aud he understands
If we want him to trot, we,say "trot"
and he trots, or any OF the seven
gaits, we call that Pait, and he
continues it until we say "studdy,"
then he returns to walk and SO on I'M
til all the gaits have ibeen performed.
Much attraction is given to sadd lie
horses by their kneelng for the rider