Riding and Driving for Women Part 2

CHAPTER IV

RIDING ASTRIDE

In these days of "advanced" ideas the advisability of women aping men in yet another way, by riding astride, is the subject of general discussion. Many "authorities" upon riding--"mere men," it is needless to say--speak with enthusiasm of the day when all women will ride in this, for most of them, ungainly and unbecoming fashion. Personally, I deplore this tendency and believe that it is a mere pa.s.sing fad and that, except under peculiar conditions which I shall mention, most women ride best and look best in the side-saddle.

The average woman is not built for cross-saddle riding; her legs from the knee up are too short; her thighs too thick; her hips too big, and she is cushioned too high to enable her to keep close down with the required firmness on the saddle. The side-saddle certainly insures a stronger seat, especially in all cases of pitching forward, as, for instance, with a stumbling horse or a kicking one, or on landing after a jump. With safety skirts and safety stirrups the danger from dragging is obviated and this, the only serious danger in the use of the side-saddle, is more than offset in my judgment by the great danger of a woman being thrown because of her insecure seat in a man's saddle.

Many claim that the cross-saddle is safer than the side-saddle in case of a rearing horse falling over backward. I do not agree with this, for, in the first place, many good men riders have suffered shocking accidents in this way and, when riding in the cross-saddle, unless the rider succeeds in throwing himself clear from the horse, he is almost sure to have one leg broken. On the other hand, with a side-saddle, if the horse comes down on his off side, there is no danger of a broken leg, and when the horse starts to rear a woman can usually make him fall on the off side by pulling his head to that side with all her strength, so that on this point the ease of clearing oneself from a cross-saddle is more than offset by the ability to throw the horse with safety and make him fall on the off side.

Up to the age of eleven or twelve it is a good plan for a young girl to learn to ride astride and so acquire balance and confidence, but if she is to use the side-saddle eventually she should certainly begin to use it at the age of twelve, and I would advise beginning as early as eleven. If she begins on the cross-saddle and acquires the knack at this early age, it will be easier for her to take it up again on occasion later in life, and, of course, the advantages which come from learning to ride without a saddle can best be acquired astride, though they may be acquired with a pommel and leaping horn on a surcingle.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CORRECT COSTUME FOR YOUNG GIRLS RIDING ASTRIDE]

In riding, women are very generally accompanied by men, and there are few occasions when a woman has it in her power to look better--or worse--than when in the saddle. It is only those women who are built like men and very young girls who look at all well astride. A woman with merely a normally developed figure looks both ridiculous and immodest in this position, and in an English saddle thoroughly ill at ease.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CORRECT POSITION FOR RIDING ASTRIDE]

Much as I disapprove of most women using the cross-saddle, yet, as this book is intended to be a somewhat complete treatise on riding for women, and as many women insist on using the cross-saddle, and as in some parts of the West, and in roughing it, riding must be astride if at all, I shall make a few suggestions about the way in which a woman can best attempt to do this, though it is something in which she can rarely, if ever, attain perfection.

The saddle for cross riding generally used by women in the East is the same as a man's, although some makers are offering a cross-saddle especially adapted for women (see ill.u.s.tration, page 155). These saddles are built more on the lines of an army saddle, having more dip and a straighter flap than those for men.

Many men, and nearly all hunting men and polo players, use plain flap saddles; that is, without rolls and cut well forward so as to give plenty of room for the knees (see ill.u.s.tration, page 155). This type of saddle enables the rider to have his knees well up and forward and gives him a very firm seat for jumping. Few women, however, are long enough in the legs from the knee up to take this seat, so most women will find a roll flap saddle more comfortable.

In the West the Mexican type of saddle is generally used. This saddle has a high pommel, or even a high horn in front and a very high cantle serving as a back rest, making what is practically a "dished out" seat, far better suited to a woman's conformation than the English saddle. The Mexican type of saddle, however, is not adapted to a horse with a square trot, but only to the loping or fox trotting horses of the West. The reason for this is that in posting or rising to the trot, the knees should be quite well up and forward, and the Mexican saddle is so built that in it one cannot take this position.

There are two distinct types of seats recognized in this country which may be called, for distinction, the military and park seats; the former is the correct seat for the saddle of the Mexican type. In this seat the rider sits upright with the legs almost straight, the knees scarcely bent, and the ball of the foot resting on the iron, with the leather very long. In fact, many military riders have their legs perfectly straight and their toes down. This seat is comfortable only on the "five-gaited" horses; that is, horses whose gaits are the single foot, the lope, the canter, the pace, but whose trot, instead of being the smart square trot of the Eastern park hack, is more of a running walk and is known as the "fox trot." With a horse that has a true, square trot, it will be found, as I have said, that posting is both difficult and tiring with this military seat and it is ill adapted for jumping anything over two feet in height. In the military seat the trot is taken up from the ankles, so that the knees are slipping up and down, while in the park seat posting or rising is done from the knees, which should remain in the same position at all times.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE "COWBOY" WESTERN COSTUME AND SADDLE]

The park seat looks much smarter than the other, and suits the gaits of the types of horses used in the East far better and is the proper seat for the English or hunting saddle. In this seat the stirrups are considerably shorter and the knees are well bent and carried in front of the leathers. The feet may be carried "home" in the irons or resting on the ball of the foot, as preferred. For hunting, the former is the position used by almost all men and equally advisable for women. Many of the best riders ride with their feet "home" at all times because, with most saddles, particularly if the rider has long legs, with the feet "home" the lower leg is advanced about six inches and, as it should be, carried vertically. This brings the knee well in front of the leathers.

This position gives the correct hunting seat and that seat is entirely correct for park riding. Personally, I prefer riding with the feet "home" at all times.

To acquire a firm and balanced seat in riding astride, by far the best method for a child is to take the first lessons on a blanket and surcingle without stirrups, or on a felt pad with detachable wooden stirrups. The seat must be close and the rider should rely on balance and not on the grip of the knees, except in jumping or in emergencies, such as shying or bucking. The principle, whether with or without a saddle, is to balance at all times, with an intuition when to grip.

While women cannot be expected to go through this preliminary course without saddle or stirrups, it is unquestionably the best way to teach boys, and I see no reason why girls should not go through it as well.

The great advantage of beginning without stirrups is that it teaches a close seat at the start. Many riders who have not learned by riding at first without saddle and stirrups acquire the habit of relying altogether too much on the stirrups to keep their seats. In doing this their muscles are kept rigid, they become stiff and awkward, and they rely upon grip and strength, when they should rely on ease and balance.

This fault is especially common with women, probably because they have been used to the support of the pommel and leaping horn of the side-saddle.

In riding bareback, or on a blanket, the rider, if she is to retain her seat at all, must do so by acquiring a close seat, while in the saddle she can rely more on the stirrups.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MOUNTING ENGLISH FASHION

First position, right hand on cantle. Note that the left hand is grasping the mane instead of the pommel]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MOUNTING ENGLISH FASHION (ANOTHER WAY)

First position, left hand grasps mane instead of resting on pommel, and right hand on pommel instead of cantle. This position is good with a restive horse]

There are two recognized methods of mounting--the "army" and the "English." The latter is generally adopted in the East, but there is much to be said in favor of the former, even with the English saddle, while it is far the better method with the Mexican or army saddle. The English method is this: The rider stands on the near side, facing the saddle. The reins are gathered in the left hand in their proper position, as described in the chapter on "Seats and Hands," and are drawn tight enough to feel the horse's mouth lightly. The pommel is then grasped in the left hand. The left foot is placed in the iron, a.s.sisted by the right hand, if needed. The cantle is then grasped in the right hand and the rider springs from the right foot a.s.sisted by the pull of the arms. The right leg is swung over the cantle and into position on the off side of the saddle, while at the same time the right hand is swung forward and out of the way of the leg.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MOUNTING MILITARY FASHION

First position, right hand on pommel, left hand grasping mane. This is practically the same as shown on page 47]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MOUNTING EITHER FASHION

Second position, body balanced by throwing weight on both arms]

The army method is this: The rider stands at the horse's near shoulder, facing toward the pommel. The snaffle reins only are gathered in the right hand so as to feel the horse's mouth lightly. The off rein outside the little finger, the near rein between the first and the second fingers, and the bight of the reins pa.s.sing between the thumb and the forefinger and falling on the near side of the horse so as not to be caught in the right leg. The pommel is then grasped with the right hand.

The left foot is placed in the iron a.s.sisted by the left hand, if needed. A lock of the mane from six to twelve inches above the withers is then grasped in the left hand and the rider springs from the right foot a.s.sisted by the pull of both arms. The right leg is swung over the cantle and into position on the off side, the foot placed in the stirrup, and then the snaffle reins are pa.s.sed into the left hand in their proper position and the curb reins are taken up in the right hand and placed in their proper position in the left.

This army method of mounting is claimed to be, and I am inclined to think it is, safer than the other, especially with a restive or kicking horse. It appears to give the rider a firmer hold while in the act of mounting. The rider's weight is so far forward that it is very difficult for the horse to rear, and the rider, before placing his foot in the stirrup, stands so far to the front that he is out of the reach of the horse's kick. When mounting in the English fashion, if the horse rears before the rider has swung his leg over, there is quite serious danger of an accident, and a minor point is that, unless the saddle is tightly girthed, it is very much less liable to slip when mounting in the army fashion, as a large part of the weight of the rider is supported by the horse's mane.

This army method of mounting is in general use in the West, and of course in the American army, and many men with army training habitually use it with the English saddle.

In order to adjust the leathers to the proper length before mounting, most women will find, as most men do, that the stirrup from the tread of the iron to the extremity of the leather should be the length of the whole arm extended, and this may readily be measured by placing the tips of the fingers on the stirrup bar, so that the base of the iron rests against the armpit.

After mounting, to adjust the length of the stirrups, clear the feet from the irons and straighten the legs so that they fall naturally. The tread of the iron should then be made to come just at the ankle joint, and the stirrups will then be the right length when the feet are carried "home."

[Ill.u.s.tration: DISMOUNTING

Right leg over pommel, left foot clear

Few, however, can dismount in this fashion without shifting the reins]

In dismounting, whichever method you adopt, be sure to clear the left foot from the stirrup as well as the right foot before you start. There are two methods in vogue: the first is to clear both feet from the stirrups and then throw the right leg over the horse's head, turning the body on the saddle to the left and dropping the reins for a moment as the right leg goes over, and gathering them again in the right hand as soon as it has cleared the horse's neck; then spring off the horse to the ground, steadying the body with the right hand on the horse's shoulder and throwing the body well clear of the horse. This is a very good way, unless your horse is nervous or apt to rear. The other way is to throw both feet clear of the stirrups, then gather the reins in the right hand and place it on the pommel. Place the left hand on the horse's neck and throw the body entirely clear of the horse, the right leg pa.s.sing over the horse's quarters.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DISMOUNTING

Right leg over cantle, left foot clear

This method is safer than the last]

Many riders step off the horse; that is, they keep the left foot in the stirrup, disengage the right foot, throw the right leg around the horse's quarters, then step down in the reverse of the way in which they mount. This, however, is rather dangerous, for, if the horse should start when you are in the act of dismounting, you are in a position where there is almost no control and you are likely to have an accident through being dragged with the left foot in the stirrup.

It goes without saying that no reliance whatever must be placed on the reins for keeping the seat. Many beginners, and even some experienced riders who should know better, whenever they feel themselves losing their balance, hang on by their reins. This invariably results in giving the horse a hard mouth, and is very dangerous with a spirited horse or one whose mouth has not been spoiled by this practice, as it is almost sure to make him rear, which causes the inexperienced rider to lose her seat completely. It is the princ.i.p.al cause of the hard mouth of the typical "riding-school horse." No rider with good hands will ever hang on by the reins, and in nearly every case in my experience it has been the pulling rider and not the pulling horse.

The secret of the close seat in the position astride is to turn the legs inward _from the thigh joints so as to open the legs to their utmost capacity_. This brings the rider's body in the closest possible contact with the horse's back and brings the feet parallel, or nearly so, to the horse's body, and puts the knees and thighs in the best position for gripping when necessary. There is a great deal of knack about this. It is not difficult to put one's legs in this position at a walk, but it is difficult to keep them so while the horse is trotting or cantering, without having the muscles rigid, whereas the leg should be kept in this position with all the thigh muscles completely relaxed, especially those underneath the seat. While in gripping it is necessary to contract the muscles on the upper inner sides of the thighs, these are the only thigh muscles which should be contracted. The contracting of the other thigh muscles tends to throw the rider out of her seat. This seat can certainly be acquired by practice and, once acquired, it becomes second nature. The majority of riders and nearly all women, instead of turning the legs inward from the thigh joints, turn their knees out and grip with the calves of their legs, with all their thigh muscles rigid.

Obviously, as the only joint in the leg on which the leg can rotate is the thigh joint, turning the knee out twists the whole leg the wrong way. This results in the large muscles of the thigh being contracted and in the rider sitting on them, instead of sitting down close to the saddle. The difficulty is that, with a beginner, it seems natural to turn the knees out and grip the horse with the calves, but it is impossible to acquire a firm seat in this way, and the position is not only awkward and insecure but very tiring.

I cannot say too often that the seat must be acquired by balance and all the muscles of the legs and of the body and arms must be relaxed. If the leg muscles are rigid and the legs are not turned inward from the thigh joints, the rider will be lifted off the saddle by the contraction of the muscles of the thigh and will not be in balance. Dependence will then be placed on gripping, and this gripping will be done with the calves instead of the knees. A sure indication that the legs are thus held is when the feet are turned outward, for they cannot be unless the whole leg from the thigh joints is so turned.

The legs should be kept well forward, with the knees in front of the leathers, and the legs from the knees down vertical and hanging naturally. At the canter the legs from the knees down should be carried forward rather than back. The body should be well back in the saddle about two inches in front of the cantle and resting comfortably.

Most beginners, although they may take this seat while the horse is standing or at a walk, lose it the moment he takes up a trot. They then begin to lose their seats by leaning too far forward, contracting the leg muscles and bringing their legs back. This is chiefly the result of fear, of self-consciousness, and of "trying too hard." It is one of the results of the worst fault of nearly every beginner, that of keeping the muscles rigid all the time and trying to hold on by legs, pommel, reins, and mane instead of merely sitting on in a comfortable position and relying on balance.