New-York tribune., 1918-08-04
Youth Becomes
Expert Rider
By Experience
Several Young Riders in East
Highly Accomplished
Rules for Them
By J. S. Mitchell

seasons outdoor horse showa is the
superb work of the children and young
girls In the show ring and over the
sticks, and it is always the most pleas
ing item on the programme when the
event for hunters and jumpers makes
its appearance. Then young girls are
seen in the pigskin.
At such fixtures as Tuxedo and
White Plains a number of expert juve
niles have won long strings of ribbons,
foremost among the lot being Miss
Becky Lanier, the wonder girl; Miss
Ivy Madison and Miss Mary A. Steers,
who Is a granddaughter of John A.
Steers, who built the yacht America.
the litter Of the Americas Cup.
Little Miss Lanier has seen but thir-
teen summers, and it is nothing short
of marvellous to see how she drives
q sixteen-hand hunter over a fve-foot
fight Of bars. and should ne exhibit
signs Of unwillingness or indisposition
she will rouse him with some vigorous
slaps of the whalebone.
Along with these qualities of the real
expert, Miss Lanier possesses all the
pluck and stamina of a veteran, az
fully demonstrated at the recent White
Plains show. In one event alone for
jumpers she showed no fewer than four
contestants belonging to her father,
Charles ID. Lanier, and won with the
brown mare Becky, named after her
self.
Hurt at the Garden
AS Miss Lenier Is such a consistent
performer in the show ring, it might
be asked how it is that she has escaped
Madison Square Garden, she got q bad
smash, but luckily came out Of the
debris without any vital injuries.
Miss Madison is q couple of years
older than Miss Lanier, is much taller
and has won long string of prizes.
A real stylish exhibitor over the
timbers, she saws her mount clean at
the obstacle in a style that leaves no
doubt in the mind of the horse as to
what is expected of him.
Miss Steers has not as yet attempted
the jumping classes, but has confined
her efforts chiefly to the pony class.
The girl Oh the pony is Miss Catherine
Colford, on Hllda, conformation
which shows a first rate seat for
youngster.
Mhlle 1T is admitted that there is no
more beneficial exercise for girl or
boy the practice of commencing too
young has been condemned by few of
those hypercritically inclined. They
have it that while the muscles and
joints are yet too weak and soft there
is bound to be bad after effects, such
as bow legs and other minor deformi-
ties. Against these points the major
ity have it that the younger the better,
as an early beginning at horse, riding,
the same as many other thingAin life,
necessitates less tuition as the young
ster progresses. In fact, by beginning
very young the girl learns the rudi-
ments of the game naturally, as in the
case Of the lassies named here, and
there are numerous other instances
which could be cited.
Foot Position Important
Those who usually pay attention to
saddle have found that the proper
management of the feet in the stir
rups is one of the most vital points of
riding. The beginner, whether boy or
girl, should never allow the feet to
slip home" in the irons, as this fault
has the tendency to pull the knees too
far down, and the body will come too
far forward, so that the spine will
rest at an uncomfortable angle and
the entire carriage will be partly out
of gear.
An old world plan which prevented
the foot from slipping "home" was
what was known as a cage stirrup.
There was cage in front of the toe,
which did not allow the foot to go
further on the bar than little behind
the toes. Sometimes a safety bar was
seen in front, but for youngsters the
cage was found to be the most eff
fective, as it precluded all possibility
of the foot slipping through the stir
rup in case of a runaway or other ac-
cident.
At all times the knees of the young
rider must be held close to the saddle,
and he or she must be encouraged to
tread as little as possible in the stir
rup, and the thighs must be kept up
TO their proper position without much
aid from the pressure Of the foot.
When able to do this the rider should
be made to take the feet out every
now and then for few minutes only
at time, these periods and the fire.
quency of them increasing according
to the capacity as time goes on. Care
should be taken that the toes are not
turned out, as this is one of the faults
seen most often in the show ring.
There are a few golden rules OBJ
served by the youngsters and they may
be seen in use at all the shows BY the
leaders of the young experts. When
walking the horse or pony in the
show ring the proper thing is to hold
the knees we'll up with the feet resting
on the ball Of the foot, and when trot-
ting, cantering or taking the fences the
foot should slip firmly "home."
Saddles Should Fit Rider
One mistake very often witnessed
at the outdoor shows, and at the indoor
for that matter, is to see very small
riders mounted on large saddles. Above
all the saddle should fit the young
rider. II a child is put on too large
saddle it will be Impossible for her
or him TO sit correctly. Neither will a
proper grip with the legs be within
reach In using a big saddle, If the
boy or girl sits right the knees will be
wrong, and vice versa, if the knees are
pushed down TO their right places the
rider is bound to slip out Of the seat.
This constant endeaver to acquire a
balance superinduces constant sliding
about on the surface and is very harm
full TO the tyro.
To master the right style of the side
saddle is much more difficult for the
girls than the cross saddle, because a
greater variety Of actions present
themselves 10 the student, and in addi-
aion they are of more complicated d
nature. To obtain good seat on tho
AIDE saddle the girl must be prepared
TO undergo a good deal Of hardship.
First of all the saddle should fit for