Remember back when Catherine the Great said in her memoirs that Countess Bentinck was the first woman she saw ride a horse? And I questioned that, because the 18th century is full of women who ride horses, just mostly sidesaddle? And selenak guessed that it was different from country to country, and that Germany was not big on horseback riding? E.g. MT having to learn for her Hungarian coronation.
Well, I just got to the part in Wilhelmine's memoirs where she says that she learned horseback riding at Bayreuth, partly for her health and for fun. And because ladies riding was a thing in England and France, but not in Germany, everyone freaked out and tried to get her to stop.
Random courtier: I have it on very good authority, from a GHOST, that if Wilhelmine rides out in the next six weeks, something very bad will happen to her. She must stay inside and not set foot outdoors for six weeks!
Wilhelmine: Omg, this is the stupidest thing ever. Husband, make yourself useful.
Bayreuth Fritz: Attention everyone, a reward is offered for any information pertaining to the identity of this alleged "ghost".
Random poor woman: *comes forth with evidence that this ghost was basically a person wearing a sheet*
Aaand, this tells you how controversial horseback riding was for women in Germany.
Wilhelmine stars in an episode of Scooby Doo
Well, I just got to the part in Wilhelmine's memoirs where she says that she learned horseback riding at Bayreuth, partly for her health and for fun. And because ladies riding was a thing in England and France, but not in Germany, everyone freaked out and tried to get her to stop.
Random courtier: I have it on very good authority, from a GHOST, that if Wilhelmine rides out in the next six weeks, something very bad will happen to her. She must stay inside and not set foot outdoors for six weeks!
Wilhelmine: Omg, this is the stupidest thing ever. Husband, make yourself useful.
Bayreuth Fritz: Attention everyone, a reward is offered for any information pertaining to the identity of this alleged "ghost".
Random poor woman: *comes forth with evidence that this ghost was basically a person wearing a sheet*
Aaand, this tells you how controversial horseback riding was for women in Germany.