ENGLISH HORSEMANSHIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 965, 3 September 1908, Page 6

ENGLISH HORSEMANSHIP.

A London paper says: The horsemanship of the English Life Guards, so long pointed out as a model for some of the armies of the world, seems in danger of proving the same sort of myth as the real bath tub, which, as every American tourist who has discovered England knows, had no ex-, istence so far as the traveller was concerned, until a French hotel manager here, yielding to the threats of an American, decided to install a few in his hosiery. In other words, it has been discovered that the English cavalry officers cannot manage their horses with a skill that compares with that of officers of foreign armies. This has been demonstrated at the international Horse Show, where officers of the French. Italian, Belgian and Austrian armies have given exhibitions of equestrian skill that simply have dazzled beholders. When his Majesty saw what an exhibition his officers made he was shocked, and it is said on good authority that he sent for Mr Winans and suggested to the latter that he let the British officers ride some of Mr Winans’ best horses in the contests, and Mr Winans’ mounts have been popular with these officers ever since. Comments have been freely heard as to the inferiority of native horsemanship as compared with the foreign. “ Good Heavens! Look at them!” one disgusted Britisher was heard to exclaim. “ They cannot fight and they can’t even ride.” In justice to the English officers it should be said that fancy riding and jumping are not regarded in England as essential requirements of military horsemanship. Elevation’s half-brother Gravitation is being spelled owing to an injury to his knee.