#sidesaddle

Grace Kelly wears dark glasses and a babushka as she rides sidesaddle through Central Park on March 25, 1956. Her mount is Daisy, a six-year-old bay mare used on leading television programs.

Ei kvinne på en hest, mens en annen holder den.

Fotografering: 1890 - 1910

Fotograf: Skraastad, Mina (1875 - 1915)

Institution: Anno Domkirkeodden

People have very much thought of "feminine" sports like ballet, volleyball, riding sidesaddle, dancing, etc. as more "delicate" and "weak" than "manlier" sports like football, basketball, hockey, etc. But this is absolute bullshit.

Empress Sisi of Austria participating in her famously vigorous activities on horseback, sidesaddle!

Maria Tallchief, an Osage ballerina and the first American (let alone Native American) major prima ballerina (and another top historical fave of mine)

Do people not realize just how much core/leg/foot strength and endurance as well as balance, coordination, and flexibility are required for ballet??? So much that they could make professional football and basketball players cry and wince if they even tried a pirouette or vertical leap or standing en pointe. Ballerina toes are the ultimate proof of the sheer amount of work and struggle that goes into this sport + art form (look up at your own discretion).

As for riding sidesaddle being seen as more "submissive," what if I told you that historically, the position has required an intense amount of balance and leg/core strength? Safety features like additional pommels and the split skirt were introduced throughout the 19th century, but riding aside requires a highly specialized skill set compared to sitting astride. They literally ride with their upper bodies twisted and their right leg over the horse's left shoulder, yet still managing to sit perfectly straight. It is not a gallop through the park.

And anyone who's played volleyball before knows just how much the wrists and forearms can suffer for it. Don't even get me started with dancing in heels (Old Hollywood actresses had to do more than twice the work as their male counterparts, yet received less pay and recognition for their extraordinary talents).

The reason these sports (if they are even called that by some) appear so graceful and effortless by professionals is because the ladies doing them have mastered that quiet, insurmountable strength. With a combination of natural talent and countless hours of practice and learning, they are able to endure those long periods of strain and struggle without stumbling, giving up, or complaining :)

I'm not a sportswoman in the absolute loosest sense of the word, but even I felt the need to speak out against these sexist, blatantly untrue stereotypes and recognize the true strength of ballerinas, equestriennes, dancers, etc. who regularly perform these vigorous activities.

Actress Yvonne Mitchell riding sidesaddle