Where I live, most girls learn to ride horses from a young age. Any man who suggested that there is some way to determine if a girl is a virgin would be laughed at - by men and women.
Kaylla wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 7:15 pmWhere I live, most girls learn to ride horses from a young age. Any man who suggested that there is some way to determine if a girl is a virgin would be laughed at - by men and women.
For women, sitting aside on a horse dates back to antiquity. For the main part, men rode horses; women were merely passengers, sitting behind the men, either holding the man around the waist or sitting on a small padded seat or pillion. This was partly due to their long, heavy skirts; it was impractical to ride astride. Also riding side-saddle was seen to preserve the ladies’ modesty.
The idea of it being indecent for a lady to ride astride can be traced back to 1382, when Princess Anne of Bohemia rode side-saddle across Europe on her way to marry King Richard II. Riding side-saddle was seen as a way to protect her virginity. Soon it was considered vulgar for any woman to ride astride.
By the late Middle Ages, it had become obvious that for ladies to ride a horse, a saddle would have to be specially designed to allow the woman to control the horse but still maintain a proper level of decency.
The earliest functional side-saddle was a chair-like construction, where the woman sat sideways on the horse with her feet on a footrest, designed in the late 14th century. Catherine de Medici is said to have developed a more practical design in the 16th century. Rather than keeping both feet placed side by side on the footrest, she placed her right leg over the pommel of the saddle, so as to show off her shapely ankle and calf to their best advantage! Riding this way allowed the rider much more control of the horse and even allowed the rider to trot and canter safely.
All that trouble for nothing. Imagine the pain in the ass it was to rig up that special saddle all because an unruptured hymen had been mythologized to be some sacred thing.
Another thing that is horrible - now that we're on strange irrational human behaviors caused by religion - is how the Muslims have to pray FIVE times a day on a rug.
promethean75 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2025 3:05 pm
All that trouble for nothing. Imagine the pain in the ass it was to rig up that special saddle all because an unruptured hymen had been mythologized to be some sacred thing.
Another thing that is horrible - now that we're on strange irrational human behaviors caused by religion - is how the Muslims have to pray FIVE times a day on a rug.
Let me guess...you're a "Griffith did nothing wrong" kinda guy??
The only place I have seen women riding side-saddle is in movies or tv series set a long time ago.
I have certainly never seen a side-saddle in real life, not even in a museum. Any man suggesting that women should ride side-saddle would be laughed at pretty much anywhere in the world these days.
Kaylla wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 2:43 am
The only place I have seen women riding side-saddle is in movies or tv series set a long time ago.
I have certainly never seen a side-saddle in real life, not even in a museum. Any man suggesting that women should ride side-saddle would be laughed at pretty much anywhere in the world these days.
You've never seen trooping the colour? The Queen always rode side saddle at ceremonial occasions. I think it looks very elegant. Not that I'm a horse person.
I just googled 'sidesaddle' and apparently there associations of people who are into that. I had no idea.
Apparently for people with arthritis that can be the only way they can ride. I will look into that - I know people who can no longer ride because of arthritis - and really miss it - and if that can get them back into the saddle, that would be great.
But no mention of it preserving virginity anywhere except in the historical notes.
Heck, I know teen girls who wear purity rings (yea its a weird thing where I am) and they ride astride. I guess their future husbands will just have to take their word for it that they are pure - just as they will have to take their husband's word for it.