THE CANTERING LESSON (_continued_).
Having satisfied himself as to the proficiency of his pupil in cantering
"going large"--that is, round the school or _manege_,--the attention of
the instructor should next be directed to teaching her to make the turns
and circles, and execute the "half passage" with precision.
The use of these exercises is to confirm (while riding upon both snaffle
and curb reins) the steadiness of hand and seat and true balance of the
rider, because, although these may appear good enough while a lady is
riding her horse on a straight line, or only with the turns at the
corners of the school, many shortcomings will be detected when she
attempts to turn him square from the boards, or asks him to make a true
circle, in which the hind legs follow exactly over the same track as the
fore legs.
To commence this lesson in proper form, the pupil should collect her
horse, by reining him quietly back, then move him forward well up to the
hand, at a walk and at a smart active pace. When she arrives at the
centre marker at the end of the school, the master should give the word
"down the centre," when the rider should turn her horse square to the
right (assuming, as is usually the case, that she commences her lesson
to that hand). The aids for turning at a walk having been already given,
it is only necessary to say that the turn down the centre requires only
a trifle stronger application of the left leg, to counteract any
tendency of the horse to throw his haunches outwards, and that, looking
steadily to the centre marker at the other end of the school, the pupil
should sight that marker well between her horse's ears, and ride true
and straight to it, taking care, by closing the leg in time, that the
horse does not cut off any of the ground, but plants his near fore foot
close to the boards and makes the corner equally square, because
whenever a horse is allowed to "cut the corners off" he endeavours to
get behind the bridle, and generally succeeds. The pupil, therefore,
should be cautioned in time by the instructor, and if she fails to make
good every inch of ground, the word "halt" should be given and the horse
reined back. Arrived about midway down the school, the turns to the
right should be made square from the boards, the horse's haunches kept
under him so that he does not hit the side of the school with his hind
feet. His doing which is at once a proof that he is out of hand. Arrived
at the centre of the school, the words "right turn" should be given
again, instead of allowing the pupil to ride right across the school to
the boards on the opposite side. She should then ride a couple of
lengths down the centre, and again turn her horse, by word from the
master, square to the right, and once more to the left, when arrived at
the boards. This, repeated two or three times, is a good preparation for
executing the circle; in order to facilitate the correct riding of
which, the master should cause his pupil to halt her horse at the side,
and himself walk over the ground he desires her to ride over. If he does
this correctly, the pupil will find little difficulty in riding the
circle with precision.
Starting from a point close to the boards, a couple of horses' lengths
in front of the pupil, the master should make an incline to the right,
at an angle of about forty-five, until he is half-way between the boards
and the centre of the school; he should then bring up his left shoulder,
and make another incline at the same angle to the centre of the school.
Down the centre he should walk straight, the distance of a horse's
length; again bring up his left shoulder, and make two inclines to the
side. The figure he will thus describe does not quite represent a circle
as he walks; but when the horse is called upon to move his fore and hind
legs on the same track, it will be a circle in his case as nearly as
possible. Having caused the pupil to move her horse forward, the
instructor should give her the aids for circling, which are a double
feeling of the inward rein, the horse well supported with the outward,
and well kept up to the hand by the leg.
In circling to the right, the horse to be well bent to the right, so
that the rider can see his inward eye; fore and hind legs moving exactly
on the same track, the horse not throwing his haunches out. The great
use of this circling is, that as the horse changes his direction no less
than six times in a small space, to keep him up to his work the lady
must bring up her left shoulder as many times as the horse alters his
direction. To do this, she must be quite supple in the waist, and
circling is therefore a capital practice to insure this freedom of
action at that portion of the figure. To render the lesson still more
easy to the pupil, I have found it answer well, after walking over the
ground, to mark it out on the tan with a stick. In military schools the
circle to the right or left is followed by the "circle and change," in
which, when arrived at the boards, the pupil, instead of turning the
horse's head to the hand he is working to, changes the bend, and turns
to the reverse hand. This, however, cannot be executed at a canter with
due precision without the use of the right leg, and is therefore (in my
opinion) better omitted in a lady's course of equitation, an additional
reason being that, when she is taught to make the change at a canter,
she can do it much more effectually and elegantly by the "half passage."
The circles having been neatly done, the pupil should rein her horse
back, put him well upon his haunches, and strike him off at a collected
canter, about five miles an hour, the cadence true, the position of the
rider correct.
It is at this point that the instructor should begin carefully to get
his pupil to supple herself in the saddle, while she still rides her
horse well up to his work. It should be borne in mind that a horse
cannot make turns or circles at the "pace of manoeuvre" without
considerable danger to himself and his rider, because at such a pace it
is next to impossible to keep him fairly balanced, and he is liable,
even on well-kept tan, to slip up, whereas at a very collected pace,
with his haunches well under him, there is no danger whatever, although
at first it will call very much upon the energy and close attention of
the rider. Having her horse well into his bridle, the give-and-take
action of the hand should now come gradually from the shoulder joint,
and the pupil should be frequently reminded to avoid resisting the
action of the horse in his canter, but to endeavour, on the other hand,
to accompany him in his short stride. This is to be done by simply
keeping both heels well down, the hands back, the waist bent slightly
forward and perfectly supple, and avoiding too strong a grasp with the
right leg upon the upper crutches of the saddle. The figure from the
waist upwards, however, should be perfectly erect, leaning neither
backwards nor forwards, either position being both unsafe and ungainly.
Nothing is more common than to see a lady sitting with the upper part of
her figure bent forward in a canter, and, if not overdone, the effect is
by no means ungraceful to the eye of a looker-on. But it is a habit
likely to increase in degree, and unsafe in any case, because it is
opposed to the principle of true balance.
With the shoulders well back, the body, neck, and head upright, the
waist slightly bent forward, the hands well back, and acting by an easy
play of the upper arm at the shoulder joint--sitting, in fact, with
freedom in the saddle--the action of the horse at a collected pace will
give the rider a slightly _gliding_ motion from the cantle towards the
pummels, and gradually she will thus acquire the habit of suppling
herself on her horse; ready, however, at any moment "to seize her seat"
(to use the expression of old Sam Chifney) by muscular grip if the horse
flirts or plunges, which, however, it is difficult for him to do when
going well within himself and up to his bridle.
The left leg at a canter should not be drawn back, as in trotting, but
kept close to the horse's side, with the heel down, and the foot as
nearly as possible under the knee. Of course, the above-described easy
deportment in the saddle is not to be acquired in a single lesson; it
requires considerable practice and close watching by both master and
pupil. Once learnt, however, the lady has gained another important step
in her equitation.
The length of time requisite to insure complete _souplesse_ at this
point is dependent upon several circumstances, over which the master has
only a moderate amount of control.
The figure of the pupil is an important point in the matter. If
she is naturally lithe and has been well suppled on foot, the task
will be considerably easier. If, on the contrary, she is of
a square figure--short in the neck and waist, and stiff in the
shoulders--considerably more time is requisite. But with care,
attention, and perseverance it can be acquired by all in early youth.
I know a lady who rides with both dash and judgment with hounds who is
anything but a good figure; but she began under proper tuition when she
was very young, and, although no longer so, she has preserved the
_souplesse_ and true balance acquired in her early days. Natural
aptitude, too, is of great assistance to both master and pupil, and
should be energetically developed by the former; at the same time, care
should be taken that the pupil does not overrun her lessons.
As an instance of what can be accomplished even at a first essay by a
lady gifted with natural talent for riding, I cannot refrain from
relating the following:--Some years ago I chanced to be at the school of
a fashionable riding master in London, when a class of young ladies was
going through a ride. In the gallery from which I was observing them was
also the mother of one of the young ladies who was riding, and of
another much younger, who was standing by her side watching with the
most intense interest the riding below. The younger lady was not more
than ten or eleven years old, but of a form and figure exactly fitted
for performing well in the saddle, being tall of her age, and lithe and
supple in her movements. She did not speak, but I could see from the
excitement of her manner, the glitter of her large dark eyes, and her
changing colour, that she was heart and soul with the fair equestrians.
The ride finished with a leaping lesson, and there was some capital
jumping over a gorsed bar, hurdles double and single, and an artificial
brook. The last performance completely overcame the little spectator in
the gallery. Bursting into a violent fit of sobbing and weeping, she
clutched her mother's dress, and cried convulsively, "Dear mamma, let me
ride, let me ride." The lady, quite surprised and very much affected by
the emotion and excited state of the child, nevertheless, refused,
declaring she was too young. But the young supplicant for equestrian
honours was not to be denied; she continued to implore and weep, and,
the riding master coming to her aid, the mother gave way. Her little
daughter was put on a quiet horse, and the master himself led him round
the school at a walk, but this by no means satisfied our ambitious
little tyro. "Let me trot," she said; "I am sure I can trot." The
professor was quite sure she could not, and told her so; and, to
convince her, he started the horse trotting, and ran by his side. He was
never more mistaken. The lessons the pupil had been witnessing from the
gallery must have made a strong impression on her mind; for, to the
surprise of all of us, she caught the action of the horse at the first
step, and made the best attempt at trotting I ever saw for a beginner.
Feeling that trotting fatigued her, she asked to be allowed to canter,
and this she did in very good form. But the crowning part of the thing
was, that when we were about to take her off her horse, she begged to be
allowed to have a jump. I confess, I thought the riding master wrong in
consenting to this. But again our little friend electrified us all. A
hurdle was put up, well sloped, so as to make the jump a very moderate
one, the little pupil's hands placed, and her position rectified. No
sooner had the horse turned the corner of the school, and before the
riding master had time to check her, than the girl's eye lit up just as
I had seen it in the gallery. She caught the horse fast by the head, hit
him with her heel, put down her hands, and sat as though she had been
hunting for years. It was too late to stop her, and any interference at
the moment would have done more harm than good. With my heart in my
mouth, I saw the horse go at the hurdle. He was one that had "an eye in
every toe," and did not know how to make a mistake. But his daring
little rider had roused him thoroughly, and he jumped high enough to
clear a big fence, and far enough to take him over a small brook. Just
as the horse took off, I shouted involuntarily, "Sit back;" and the
little enthusiast answered as though my voice had been inspiration. Her
lithe little figure was bent from the waist, precisely at the right
moment; and she landed safe, except that the concussion threw her
slightly up in the saddle. Her marvellous aptitude (talent the
professionals would have called it) induced the riding master to let her
make another attempt, and this time, putting her horse at the hurdle at
the same dashing pace (which, by the way, with her wonderful nerve and
confidence, made it easier for her), she sat in the saddle, as the old
groom who tended the hurdles said, "as if she had grown there," and
landed fair and true without jolt or concussion.
This young lady is now one of the most brilliant horsewomen in England.
Her genius (if I may be permitted the expression), joined to close
application and the best of opportunities of riding good horses, enabled
her in a brief space to far outstrip all her youthful competitors, and
in less than twelve months after the time I speak of she could execute
most of the "bending lesson," at a canter as well as a professional
rider, while over the country with hounds she was always close to her
pilot, than whom there was no better man. This when she was barely
thirteen years old.
Such instances of extraordinary aptitude, nerve and courage, combined
with the necessary elasticity and physical power to ride, are very rare
indeed; in fact, in a long experience of such matters, I do not know of
a parallel case. Nevertheless, if the natural dash and fitness for
riding possessed by this young lady had not been carefully watched,
moulded into proper form, and restrained within due bounds, they would
inevitably have run riot with her, and brought her to grief. It is in
such cases as the above, or rather such as tend in that direction, that
the tact and judgment of a riding master is required. If the young lady
I speak of had been allowed, and the opportunity had offered, she would
have mounted without hesitation any brute that would carry a saddle, and
mischief, of course, would have resulted.
To return to the cantering lesson proper. When the instructor has
succeeded in completely regulating the cadence of the horse in his pace
and the position of his pupil, he should give her due caution to wait
for the _last sound_ of his word, to keep her body back and her leg
close, supporting the horse well with the outward rein, and he should
then give the word, well drawn out, gently and without hurry, "right
turn," when the pupil should turn her horse from the boards with the
same aids as at a walk, but more firmly applied, and if the horse leans
upon her hand she should keep him up with her spur.
"Many a horse" (says the "Aid Book") "keeps a tolerable canter on a
straight line, but when turned he feels too much constraint laid upon
him, and leans upon the rider's hand. If at such a moment the rider
yields the reins instead of closing the hand firmly on them, turning the
little fingers up towards the waist, and closing the leg firmly, the
horse comes upon his forehand."
Concise as the above passage is, it describes exactly what occurs on
first making a turn at a canter, and it calls upon all the energy and
attention of the pupil to keep the horse up to his work. But as in other
exercises in the course of equitation, her reward will be in her
thorough command over her horse under all circumstances, because by
learning to ride him with such minute precision she is always able to
anticipate his every movement.
The first three or four turns at a canter should be made square across
the school, from side to side, and no second word should be given on
arriving at the boards; the pupil turning her horse again to the right
without any caution, and continuing to "go large" round the school until
she again gets the word to turn. This practice will teach her to be
constantly on the alert, and to maintain such a balance as will enable
her in turning to move exactly on the same line as her horse, bringing
her left shoulder up precisely at the right moment.
Three or four turns are quite sufficient for the first lesson, because
the horse before completing these must go several times round the
school, and the pupil should ride him well up to his bit. After a few
turns, smoothly and correctly made, the pupil should bring her horse to
the walk, halt, make much of him, and sit at ease.
Making much of a horse when he has performed well is always a judicious
mode of letting him know that he has been doing right; at the same it
affords him an interval of rest, which is quite necessary. This may
appear absurd to those who are accustomed to see horses continue
galloping for hours. But it must be remembered that the sort of work I
have been endeavouring to describe is altogether artificial; that the
animal thrown upon his haunches only goes through the lesson with
considerable exertion, and that if he is kept too long at it, this can
only be done by an amount of fatigue on the part of the rider which
would be far from beneficial to a lady. The object of the lesson is to
induct the pupil into a mode in which she can obtain complete mastery
over her horse. It is, as it were, a gymnastic exercise for both steed
and rider, and must not be persevered with too long at one time. After
about ten minutes' rest the pupil should again collect her horse, rein
him back, and prepare him again for cantering. She should then strike
him quietly off, and ride him very collectedly, so as to be ready to
make the circles. These should be made from about midway down the
boards; and on the last sound of the words "circle right," the pupil
should turn her horse's head from the boards, and, supporting him well
with the left leg and rein, ride in a figure exactly similar to that she
described at a walk. She will find, however, that the horse requires
considerably more support in making the circles than he did in the
simple turns. Being on the bend from the time he leaves the boards until
he arrives at them again, the nicest riding is necessary to keep his
fore and hind feet on the same track, and prevent him from throwing his
haunches out. The pace, too, should be more collected than when the
turns were made. Four miles to four miles and a half an hour is quite
fast enough, and, if necessary, the horse must be halted and reined back
several times in order to get him thoroughly collected. Two circles well
done are quite sufficient. The pupil should then again halt, "sit at
ease," and make much of her horse. By this time both he and the pupil
will have gone through a tolerably severe lesson, because the collected
pace necessary to execute it, and especially the circles, necessitates a
great deal of cantering before a beginner can ascertain the true
cadence--without which, and a considerable amount of support from her
hand and leg, it is unsafe and useless for her to attempt her turns and
circles; frequently, too, a horse will have to go several times round
the school before the instructor can see the opportunity to give the
word. Reining back again, and collecting him, call very much upon the
horse's powers, while, on the other hand, over-fatigue is specially to
be avoided as regards the pupil. After resting ten minutes or so, the
lady should conclude this lesson by walking him quietly about till he is
quite cool.