TWO SCHOOLS OF EQUESTRIANISM

Temuka Leader, Issue 1668, 3 December 1887, Page 3

TWO SCHOOLS OF EQUESTRIANISM

The London papers for some time back hare been full of letters with regard to two schools of buck]umpers—one the American at the Wild West Show, the other the Australian, One correspondent, who mot t be very ignorant of Australian nomenclature, was stupid enough to designate " stockmen ” as " cowboys ” a nickname which would certainly be repudiated by the graceful horsemen of the great Southern Continent. With regard to Buffalo Bill's buokjumperSi the assertion that the horses are trained to buck is denied by that accomplished showman. He declares that the the mustangs buck out of “ pure oussedness.” One thing is certain that those who hare essayed to ride the steeds at the Wild West Show have had to bite the dnst, and the majority of hunting men in this country would assuredly be kicked off if they tried the same experiment. The American cowboy is, however, in his element on the back of one of these bnokjnmpers, and so it would be in the case of most of the Australian stockmen. Only those who have seen the feats of equitation performed by the latter cau have any conception of their skill, coolness, and iron nerve, Moreover, a well-bred Australian horse of eixteen hands, or even a wild one out of the bush, is a more formidable antagonist in a bucking match than the lighter-made horses ridden by the American cowboys. Both, however, show complete mastery over the vicious and half-trained animals they are called upon to ride, and, without doubt, each in (heir own sphere cannot be equalled by any horsemen in the world.—English paper.