THE GENESEE FARMER. 



167 



a deliirhtful art, hut it is of all others the most in- 

 vigonitinn; and healthful. All iut(.'lli!;Tnt pbysiciuiis 

 agrey in the fact tluit horse-back riding is strongly 

 coudtu-ive to health, and especially so to the health 

 of ladies, whose occupations, for the most part, de- 

 prive them, by far too much, of the health-giving in- 

 fluence of [mre, fresh air. 



Why, then, should not every honorable induce- 

 ment be presented to ladies to perfect themselves in 

 the equestrian art ? Why is it not only proper, but 

 l*est, that our Agricultural Societies should encour- 

 age the " art ? " 



I know there are some whose ideas of " the eter- 

 nal Gtness of things" are somewhat shocked by the 

 appearance upon our "Fair Urounds" of lady eques- 

 trians. But let me ask all readers, what rule of pro- 

 priety is thereby violated ? and what dictate of 

 modesty is disregarded ? Tou whose tiue ( ? ) sense 

 of female delicacy is so much disturbed by a public 

 exhibition of lady equestrianism, would be highly 

 pleased with a private exhibition of the same ; but 

 where is the line of demarkation which makes the 

 one censurable and the other praiseworthy ? 



I know that public exhibitions of lady equestrian- 

 ism, like all other good things, are liable to abuse; 

 but I most earnestly contend that, of themselves, 

 they are " right and proper," and should be encour- 

 aged by Agricultural Societies. Ann H. 



Madison, Ohio. 



KSASOlSrS WHY DUE AGSICULTUEAL SOCIETIES 



SEOULD KOT OFFES PEEMIUMS FOS A rDBLIC 



EXrllBITION OF LADY EQUESTEIARISSI. 



1. The place and occasion of these Annual Fairs 

 are not suitable for an exhibition of lady eques- 

 trianism. 



The crowded state of the Fair Grounds with 

 horses and carriages, and the throng of spectators 

 surroundin? a course of short cui-ves, and many times 

 actually blocking up the way, renders the place too 

 much confined for a successful and safe exhibition of 

 this kind. Under such circumstances, there cannot 

 be, with either horse or rider, unaccustomed to such 

 scenes, that unrestrained freedom which is essential 

 to a fair and satisfactory trial. 



Timid and shrinking, the rider is compelled to the 

 most public display — to meet the gaze and hear the 

 vulgar jest, often at her expense, of the lowest of 

 the other sex. No young lady appears as a com- 

 petitor under these circumstances, but does violence 

 to those tender sensibilities which are a part of her 

 nature, and to that delicate sense of propriety which 

 she is so wisely taught to cultivate and foster. 



2. It proves inadequate to secure, tn any tolerable 

 degree, the object ostensibly sovght. 



Few prizes are oftcred, and few therefore can be 

 awarded. Few compete for the premiums, because 

 few have lieen induced to prepare for the exhibition. 

 These prizes, therefore, act as inducements to only a 

 few to improve their equestrian skill. Those who are 

 possessed of a well-trained pony are occasionally in- 

 duced to try the experiment and compete for the 

 prize. With much eSbrt, from six to twelve have 

 been found willing to brave the unpleasant circum- 

 stances of the exhibition at a State or County Fair ; 

 and these constitute the majority of all those who 

 have been induced to pay any extra attention to the 

 matter. Say from ten to twenty, in counties num- 



bering twenty, flfty or one hundred thousand inhabi- 

 tants, have spent a few afternoons to improve their 

 skill, preparatory to the exhibition. At this rate, 

 how very soon all the young ladies of the country 

 will become expert equestrians! Let it not be said 

 that all this is equally true of prizes offered for other 

 objects. Otlier ex"hil)itors have stronger induce- 

 ments than the prizes, which rarely cover the una- 

 voidable expense of the exhibition. The owner of a 

 farm finds his inducements in the enhanced value of a 

 " Premium Farm ; " the owner of stock in the in- 

 creased value of " Premium Cattle ; " while the suc- 

 cessful lady equestrian, in addition to a little silver, 

 has the honor of a degree only of skill above her 

 sisters, which will not greatly add to her market 

 value. 



3. It is not necessary to secure the object. 



It may be desirable and important that this health- 

 ful and invigorating exercise should be more gener- 

 ally practiced, but no encouragement of this kind is 

 needed to make it a popular recreation. If this is 

 made to appear, no good reason can be adduced for 

 offering premiums. And that this ia true, will, I 

 trust, require little argument to pro^e to the satisfac- 

 tion of those who have observed (and who has not?) 

 with what delight young ladies and girls seize every 

 opportunity for a ride on horseback. Indeed, they 

 may be said to have a passion for this exhilarating 

 exercise, so congenial to buoyant youth. Now, will 

 such wait to have some Agricultural Society offer 

 prizes before they wiU venture upon the experiment 

 of a horse-back ride ? They will wait so long as 

 they are obliged to wait for a chance to ride, and no 

 longer. How many fathers can testify to the impov- 

 tunity with which they have been beset by their 

 daughters to let them have " Old Dick " to go riding. 

 We may, therefore, safely affirm that for fathers to 

 furnish their daughters with pony, bridle, side-saddle, 

 riding dress and whip, with an approving smile, are 

 all the premiums needed to secure ihe practice to any 

 desirable extent. If there are any young ladies so 

 stupid, who, with these at hand, will not readily use 

 them, no premiums need be offered. They will fail 

 to bring them out. 



If you wish your daughters to become skillful 

 equestrians, furnish them with means of gratifying 

 their love for this active sport. We ask not for 

 prizes, nor for the honors of successful public con- 

 test. We are content with the privilege to gallop 

 with our friends through the pleasant and quiet 

 streets of our own dear village or neighborhood. 

 With this, our success shall more than gratify the 

 vanity of doting fathers, who may too much value 

 this masculine amusement. 



4. There can be no object gained which will jus- 

 tify £0 questionable an innovation. 



We have seen that it is not necessary to secure 

 the practice. What objects, then, are to be pro- 

 moted by it ? W^e see none, except it be to bring 

 out the crowd, and to add a few dollars to the funds 

 of the Society, by seeking to make its Annual Ex- 

 hibitions more attractive by a display of lady eques- 

 trianism. This, we have reason to believe, is the real 

 object sought in offering prizes. We cannot believe 

 that intelligent men regard this m-easure at all neces- 

 sary, even to make the practice universal; and we 

 think they will not seriously pretend this to be their 

 object. But, acting upon a well known principle^ 

 they hope to increase the interest, and fill the tresb 



