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 passing 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.
[Illustration: 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.
[Illustration: 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 illustration, 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 illustration, 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.
[Illustration: 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.
[Illustration: MOUNTING ENGLISH FASHION
First position, right hand on cantle. Note that the left hand is
grasping the mane instead of the pommel]
[Illustration: 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, assisted
by the right hand, if needed. The cantle is then grasped in the right
hand and the rider springs from the right foot assisted 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.
[Illustration: MOUNTING MILITARY FASHION
First position, right hand on pommel, left hand grasping mane. This is
practically the same as shown on page 47]
[Illustration: 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 passing 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 assisted 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 assisted 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 passed 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.”
[Illustration: 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 passing over the horse’s quarters.
[Illustration: 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 principal 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.
With regard to playing polo, many women have the idea that they can only
play polo in a man’s saddle. My opinion, based on my own experience and
the experience of many of my friends, is directly to the contrary. Many
women play polo, and play it very well, in a side-saddle, and I do not
know any reason why a woman cannot play at least as well riding in a
side-saddle as riding astride. She certainly has a more secure seat in
the side-saddle, and the first awkwardness of the back-hand stroke in
this position being overcome, all the other strokes are quite as easy,
and it is so much easier to ride another player off when one is in the
side-saddle that all the women on both teams should ride either in the
side-saddle or in the man’s saddle in order to make the game fair.