Figure 1.--While at first glance this child looks like a girl, probably it is a boy. Both the fact that that the child is wearing a kilt suit and is riding astride suggests a boy. This photograph was taken in Cheyene, Wyoming, probably in the 1880s. Click on an image for a closeup of the child. |
Horse back riding is an interesting topic which HBC has just begun to address. Horseback riding was not just a sport or passtime in the 19th century. Horse power was how people traveled. Horesbeck riding was in the 19th century, before the invention of the internal combustion inginr and automobile, very common. There were significant class factors involved here. In the city it was primarily wealthy people who could afford horses, especially for riding. This was somewhat less of a factor in rural areas. Both men and women rode horses. It was an especially popular source of exercise and recreation for the privlidged classes. Both men and women rode. Many would take lessons as children. Girls would be taught to ride side saddle and boys astride. Almost all girls and women from affluent families in the 19th century rode side saddle. The clothes boys wore while riding horses is thus an interesting question, especially before they were breeched. This was not as strange as it seems. Childre, especially boys, learned to ride horses at a much earlier age than is common today. Not only were horses widey used for transportation and for farm work, but equestrian skills were considered necessary of any gentleman. As they did not wear pants, side saddle was the only way that they could modestly ride. Riding side saddle was, however, a much more difficult way to ride. Girls from the gentry would be expected to ride side saddle. I'm not sure that the same was true for more humble families in the countryside. I am not sure about the extent the popularity of horseback riding differed for boys and girls in the 19th century. Considrble differences developed in the 20th century when horseback riding became more popular for girls than boys. This may seem surprising as boys were so interested in cowboys. We believe, however, that horseback riding was more popular with girls because so many boys developed an interest in team sports. Until the 1970s-80s, relatively few girls played sports.
Horseback riding was not just a sport or passtime in the 19th century. Horse power was how people traveled. Horesback riding was in the 19th century, before the invention of the internal combustion engine and automobile, very common. While commonly used for transportation, most people when traveling by horse or mule in the early 20th century rode vehicles that were pulled s such as buckboards, surries, stagecoaches, sleighs, trams, carriage, canal barges, and other conveyances. This declined in the mid-19th century when long-dustance travel became increasingly achieved by train. The automobile in the 20th century further decreased the use of the horse. The term automobilecwas adopted because the car was automatic--not requiring a horse. Another term was "horseless carriage".
There were significant class factors involved with horseback riding. In the city it was primarily wealthy people who could afford horses, especially for riding. This was somewhat less of a factor in rural areas. Both men and women rode horses.
Horseback riding was an especially popular source of exercise and recreation for the privlidged classes. Both men and women rode. Many would take lessons as children.
There are two principal riding styles, astride and side saddle. Girls would be taught to ride side saddle and boys astride. Almost all girls and women from affluent families in the 19th century rode side saddle. As they did not wear pants, side saddle was the only way that they could modestly ride. Riding side saddle was, however, a much more difficult way to ride. Several different types of side saddles exist. In general terms, most people would probably think of a side-saddle as an English saddle. However, there are also Western side-saddles. Some are "balanced ride" saddle, which means the stirrup leathers are
hung farther forward than normal and are bolted to the tree instead of looped over the bars. It is made on a Wade tree with in skirt rigging, a 3/4 padded seat and corner tooling with the Wild Rose pattern. Cantle and horn are rawhide bound. Girls from the gentry would be expected to ride side saddle. I'm not sure that the same was true for more humble families in the countryside.
I am not sure about the extent the popularity of horseback riding differed for boys and girls in the 19th century. Considrble differences developed in the 20th century when horseback riding became more popular for girls than boys. This may seem surprising as boys were so interested in cowboys. We believe, however, that horseback riding was more popular with girls because so many boys developed an interst in team sports. Until the 1970s-80s, relatively few girls played sports
Boys have been photographed on horses in a wide variety of outfits. Boys have appeared on horses clothes as diverse as dresses, kilts, Fauntleroy suits and overalls. This information is of interest as one of the questions HBC is trying to address is what the conventions were for wearing certain styles. HBC wants to determine for just what occasions or activities different styles were worn.
An interesting question about the boys
outfitted in dresses is whether this affected
the activities they pusued. Most of the boys
in dresses were younger boys. Most boys
were breeched by 5 years of age or earlier,
although some observers suggest stature
was more important than age. This was an
age when the boys were still at home and
closely supervised. As we have seen,
however, some boys were not breeched at
5 years of age, but might wear dresses and
kilts for another year or two or even longer.
The question arises as to the activities these
children might engage in. Did they go horse back riding and if so did they ride side saddle? One would assume that boys, even boys in dresses, would ride astride the horse. But the reason that girls rode side saddle was because they wore dresses and modesty required them not to ride astride. Thus boys in dresses may well have rode side saddle, although I am somewhat dubious about this and the subject requires further investigation. The same issues concern bicycle riding. These questions are difficult to answer from the photographic records alone because it is so hard to definitively identify the gender of children in dresses. HBC does not yet have any written material addressing this topic.
The same issues discussed aboce with dresses also apply to kilts. The difference is that it was mostly boys who wore kilts, either Highland kilts or kilt suits like American boys wore. The photograph here, although looking likr a girl, is probably a boy, not only because of the kilt suit, but because he is riding astride.
Boys did ride horses in Fauntleroy suits. When doing so, howecer, they would usually wear leather leggings.
I have not noted photographs of boys wearing tunic suits while riding. I am nt sure why this was.
HBC has noted photographs of Franklin Roosevelt riding with his father on their Hudson River estate, Hyde Park. He was often wearing a sailor suit.
I am not sure just when riding gear came into fashion. Certainly it was common by the 1920s.
Identifying children riding in dresses is very difficult. This is often difficult when there is a closeup of the child. The photographs of the children on horses usually are taken at a distance so the entire horse can be included in the photograph. Thus details are ofeten lost. The children in kilts, however, are quite likely to be boys.
One of the most popular feature of any nursery was the hobby horse. They came in many
different times. Not every boy had one, they were expensive. Every Victoria and Edwardian
boy, however, and some girls wanted one in their nursery. Many of the lucky boys who got a
hobby horse developed a very close personal, imaginary relationships with their hobby horses. Often a boy's hobby horse was the center piece of his nursery. They were popular with boys up to 9 or 10 years of age. The hobbey horse may be one of the most traditional 19th Century toy. The modern viewer might consider it so traditional and so wholesome that it is hard to invision it as a controversial toy. Yet, the hobbey horse, like the bicycle, was sharply criticised my eminent scholars of the day.
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