[Illustration: _Insultare solopet gressus glomerare superbos._]
A
NEW SYSTEM
OF
HORSEMANSHIP:
From the French of
Monsieur Bourgelat.
BY
RICHARD BERENGER, Esq;
_Content, if hence th' Unlearn'd their Wants may view,
The Learn'd reflect on what before they knew._
Pope's Essay on Crit.
_LONDON_:
Printed by Henry Woodfall,
For Paul Vaillant in the _Strand_, facing _Southampton-Street_.
M.DCC.LIV.
THE TRANSLATOR's PREFACE.
_IT is not my Design, in the Task I undertake of giving some
Account of this Work, as well as of the Art which is the Subject of
it, to trace its Origin back into past Times, or to wander in search
of it in the Darkness and Confusion of remote Antiquity. Let it
suffice to say, that though its Beginning, as well as that of other
Arts, was imperfect, yet its Use, and the Entertainment it affords,
have been known and tasted in all Ages. But however distinguish'd it
may be by the Notice of the Great, who have at all Times deign'd to
profess and practise it; it is yet less entitled to our Regard for
these Distinctions, than for the real Advantages we derive from it.
Riding consists of two Parts, the_ useful _and the_ ornamental. _That
the latter of these may be dispensed with, is most readily granted;
but that it behoves every one who puts himself upon a Horse to have
some Knowledge of the first, is most evident.--For who would trust to
the Mercy of an Animal that may prove wild and ungovernable, who knows
himself to be incapable of controuling him, and of acting for his own
Safety? Who would venture alone into a Vessel, that can neither row,
nor manage a Sail, but must trust entirely to the Winds and Tide?
Yet is this the Case with the Generality of Mankind, who are carried
upon the Back of a Horse, and think they_ ride. _The_ Utility _of
this Art consists then in knowing how to guide and direct your Horse
as you please, and in reducing him to Obedience, so as to make him
execute readily what you require of him. Thus far it is to be wish'd
every Person who is conversant with Horses, would endeavour to attain.
The_ ornamental _Part, I have already said, is not so requisite
to be known: It can only be called an Accomplishment, and placed
among the superfluous but refin'd Pleasures of Life. In what Esteem
and Honour however it has constantly been held, abundantly appears
from the Schools and Academies every where erected for teaching its
Elements, as well as from the Number of Books, ancient and modern,
given to the World by eminent and accomplished Persons who have
studied and practis'd it. Among these our illustrious Countryman_,
William Cavendish, _Duke of_ Newcastle, _has the highest Claim to
our Praise and Acknowledgments. It would be needless to describe his
Excellencies; his Character, as a Horseman, is universally known, and
universally admir'd. The Truth and Soundness of his Principles, and
the Extensiveness of his Knowledge, have opened to us an easier, a
shorter, and more certain Way to Perfection in the Art, than was known
before. His Precepts have accordingly been adopted by all succeeding
Professors, and his Writings consider'd as the Oracle of Horsemanship,
notwithstanding a Want of Method and Exactness, which has been objected
to them. To remedy these Imperfections, is the Design of the present
Undertaking, and the Labours of a judicious and experienced Foreigner,
must consummate in the Knowledge of the Art he professes. He has
presented us with a new System of Horsemanship, extracted from the
Rules of that great Master. The Method and Conciseness with which he
has digested the Whole, have made the Copy much less than the Original,
but it is a small well-polished Gem. To speak truth, he has made
the Subject so much his own by the Refinement of his Remarks, the
Justness of his Reasoning, and the Light he has diffused through it,
that it must have the Merit of an Original; at least the Reader will
be divided to whom he shall render most Thanks, whether to him who has
given the Food, or to him who has prepar'd and set it before us with so
much Elegance and Order. This at least is our Author's Praise.----The
Translator has endeavoured to do him as much Justice, in the following
Sheets, as he has done his great Original; sensible of the Danger of
so difficult an Enterprize, but prompted to it in hopes of making
his Merit more known. He translated the Work, that the Treasures it
contains may be gathered by those who are so unfortunate as to want
this Assistance to obtain them. He has been as faithful to his Author,
as the Languages will allow, judging that to be the surest way of doing
him Justice. In some Places however he has used (as all Translators
must) a discretionary Power. Every Art has technical terms, or Words
of its own; these he has preserved in the Translation, the_ English
_affording none adequate to them. He has given no Notes or Comments,
imagining the Original can, and hoping the Translation will, want
none. Of this however his Readers will be the best Judges; he will say
no more of himself, but that he has endeavoured to make the Work as
perfect as he could; and for this Reason will be very ready to own any
Faults that may be pointed out; for, though desirous of Approbation, he
is not vain enough to think, there may not be room for Censure._
TABLE of CHAPTERS.
I. _Of the Horseman's Seat_ page 1
II. _Of the Hand, and its Effects_ 10
III. _Of Disobedience in Horses, and the Means to correct it_ 19
IV. _Of the Trot_ 33
V. _Of the Stop_ 43
VI. _Of teaching a Horse to go backward_ 50
VII. _Of the uniting or putting a Horse together_ 54
VIII. _Of the Pillars_ 60
IX. _Of Aids and Corrections_ 64
X. _Of the Passage_ 75
XI. _Of working with the Head and Croupe to the Wall_ 79
XII. _Of Changes of the Hand, large and narrow, and of Voltes
and Demi-voltes_ 82
XIII. _Of the Aids of the Body_ 92
XIV. _Of the Gallop_ 98
XV. _Of Passades_ 107
XVI. _Of Pesades_ 111
XVII. _Of the Mezair_ 115
XVIII. _Of Curvets_ 117
XIX. _Of Croupades and Balotades_ 129
XX. _Of Caprioles_ 132
XXI. _Of the Step and Leap_ 142
TO
SIDNEY MEDOWS, Esq;
The Following SHEETS,
Eminently due to Him from their Subject,
And not Less so
From the AUTHOR's sincere Regard
TO
His Person and Character,
Are Inscrib'd,
By his Faithful and Obedient Servant,
RICHARD BERENGER.
ERRATA.
Page 36. _for_ Remingue _read_ Ramingue. p. 38. _dele_ and. p. 66.
_for_ in _read_ it. p. 79. _for_ Care _read_ Ease. p. 80. _for_ acting
_read_ aiding. p. 85. _dele_ so. p. 116. _for_ Lines _read_ Times.
A
NEW SYSTEM
OF
HORSEMANSHIP.
CHAP. I.
_Of the Horseman's Seat._
THE Principles and Rules which have hitherto been given for the
Horseman's Seat, are various, and even opposite, according as they have
been adopted by different Masters, and taught in different Countries;
almost each Master, in particular, and every Nation, having certain
Rules and Notions of their own. Let us see, however, if Art can
discover nothing to us that is certain and invariably true.
THE _Italians_, the _Spaniards_, the _French_, and, in a word, every
Country, where Riding is in repute, adopt each a Posture which is
peculiar to themselves; the Foundation of their general Notions, is, if
I may so say, the same, but yet each Country has prescribed Rules for
the Placing of the Man in the Saddle.
THIS Contrariety of Opinions, which have their Origin more in
Prejudice, than in Truth and Reality, has given rise to many vain
Reasonings and Speculations, each System having its Followers; and,
as if Truth was not always the same and unchangeable, but at liberty
to assume various, and even opposite Appearances; sometimes one
Opinion prevailed, sometimes another dazzled; insomuch, that those who
understand nothing of the Subject, but yet are desirous of informing
themselves, by searching it to the Bottom, have hitherto been lost in
Doubt and Perplexity.
THERE is nevertheless a sure and infallible Method, by the Assistance
of which it would be very easy to overturn all these Systems: But not
to enter into a needless Detail, of the extravagant Notions which the
Seat alone has given rise to, let us trace it from Principles by so
much the more solid, as their Authority will be supported by the most
convincing and self-evident Reasons.
IN order to succeed in an Art where the Mechanism of the Body is
absolutely necessary, and where each Part of the Body has proper
Functions, which are peculiar to it, it is most certain, that all and
every Part of the Body should be in a natural Posture; were they in
an imperfect Situation, they would want that Ease and Freedom which
is inseparable from Grace; and as every Motion which is constrained,
being false in itself, is incapable of Justness; it is clear that the
Part so constrained and forced would throw the whole into Disorder,
because each Part belonging to, and depending upon the whole Body, and
the Body partaking of the Constraint of its Parts, can never feel that
fix'd Point, that just Counterpoise and Equilibre in which alone a fine
and just Execution consists.
IT is not therefore sufficient in giving Directions for the Seat, to
keep altogether to trivial and common Rules which may be followed or
left at pleasure; we ought to weigh and examine them with Skill and
Judgment, in order to know how to apply them properly and suitably
as the Shape and Figure of the Person to whom we undertake to give a
Seat will allow; for many Motions and Attitudes that appear easy and
natural in one Man, in another are awkward and ungraceful; whence all
those Faults and Difficulties which in many Persons have been thought
insuperable; whereas a little more Knowledge, a closer Attention, and a
more serious Examination into the Principles of the Art, would convert
in the same Subject an awkward and displeasing Appearance, into an
easy, natural, and graceful Figure, capable of drawing the Eyes even of
Judges themselves.
INDEED the Objects, to which a Master, anxious for the Advancement
of his Pupil, should attend, are infinite. To little Purpose will
it be to keep the strictest Eye upon all the Parts and Limbs of his
Pupil's Body; in vain will he endeavour to remedy all the Defects and
Faults which are found in the Posture of almost every Scholar in the
Beginning; unless he is intimately acquainted with, and apprized of,
the close Dependance and Connection that there is between the Motions
of each Part of the Body, and all the Rest; a Correspondence caused
by the reciprocal Action of the Muscles which govern and direct them;
unless therefore he is Master of this Secret, and has this Clue to the
Labyrinth, he will never attain the End he proposes, particularly in
his first Lessons, upon which the Success of the rest always depends.
THESE Principles being established, let us reason in consequence of
them; we shall display them with great Force and Clearness.
THE Body of a Man is divided into three Parts, two of which are
moveable, the other immoveable.
THE First of the two moveable Parts is the Trunk or Body, down to the
Waist; the Second is from the Knees to the Feet; so that the remaining
immoveable Part is that between the Waist and the Knees.
THE Parts then which ought to be without Motion, are the Fork or Twist
of the Horseman, and his Thighs: Now, that these Parts may be kept
without Motion, they ought to have a certain Hold and Center, if I may
so say, to rest upon, which no Motion that the Horse can make, can
disturb or loosen; this Point or Center is the Basis of the Hold which
the Horseman has upon his Horse, and is what is called the _Seat_.
Now, if the Seat is nothing else but this Point or Center, it must
follow, that not only the Grace, but the Symmetry and true Proportion
of the whole Attitude depends upon those Parts of the Body that are
immoveable.
LET the Horseman then place himself at once upon his Twist, sitting
exactly in the Middle of the Saddle, let him support this Posture, in
which the Twist alone seems to sustain the Weight of the whole Body, by
moderately leaning upon the Buttocks; let his Thighs be turned inward,
and rest flat upon the Sides of the Saddle, and in order to this, let
the Turn of the Thighs proceed directly from the Hips, and let him
employ no Force or Strength to keep himself in the Saddle, but trust to
the Weight of his Body and Thighs; this is the exact Equilibre; in this
consists the Firmness of the whole Building; a Firmness which young
Beginners are never sensible of at first, but which is to be acquired,
and will always be attained by Exercise and Practice.
I demand but a moderate Stress upon the Buttocks, because a Man that
sits full upon them, can never turn his Thighs flat upon the Saddle;
and the Thighs should always lay flat, because the fleshy Part of the
Thigh being insensible, the Horseman would not otherwise be able to
feel the Motions of his Horse. I insist that the Turn of the Thigh
should be from the Hip, because this Turn can never be natural, but as
it proceeds from the Hollow of the Hip-bone. I insist further, that the
Horseman never avail himself of the Strength or Help of his Thighs;
because, besides that he would then be not only less steady, but the
closer he prest them to the Saddle, the more would he be lifted above
it; and with respect to his Buttocks and Thighs, he ought always to be
in the Middle of the Saddle, and sit down full and close upon it.
HAVING thus firmly placed the immoveable Parts, let us pass on to the
first of the Moveable; which is, as I have already observed, the Body
or Trunk, as far as to the Waist: I comprehend in the Body or Trunk,
the Head, the Shoulders, the Breast, the Arms, the Hands, the Loins,
and the Waist, of the Horseman.
THE Head should be free, firm, and easy, in order to be ready for all
the natural Motions that the Horseman may make, in turning it to one
Side or the other: It should be firm, that is to say strait, without
leaning to the Right or Left, neither advanced, nor thrown back; it
should be easy, because if otherwise, it would occasion a Stiffness,
and that Stiffness affecting the different Parts of the Body,
especially the Back-bone, they would be without Ease, and constrained.
THE Shoulders alone influence by their Motion the Breast, the Reins,
and the Waist.
THE Horseman should present or advance his Breast; by this his whole
Figure opens and displays itself: He should have a small Hollow in his
Loins, and should push his Waist forward to the Pommel of the Saddle,
because this Position corresponds and unites him to all the Motions
of the Horse. Now, only throwing the Shoulders back produces all these
Effects, and gives them exactly in the Degree that is requisite;
whereas, if we were to look for the particular Position of each Part
separately, and by itself, without examining the Connection that there
is between the Motions of one Part with those of another, there would
be such a Bending in the Loins, that the Horseman would be, if I may
so say, _hollow-back'd_; and as from that he would force his Breast
forward, and his Waist towards the Pommel of the Saddle, he would be
flung back, and must sit upon the Rump of the Horse.
THE Arms should be bent at the Elbows, and the Elbows should rest
equally upon the Hips; if the Arms were strait, the Consequence would
be, that the Hands would be infinitely too low, or at much too great a
Distance from the Body; and if the Elbows were not kept steady, they
would of consequence give an Uncertainty and Fickleness to the Hand,
sufficient to ruin it for ever.
IT is true, that the Bridle-hand is that which absolutely ought to be
steady and immoveable, and one might conclude from hence, that the
Left-elbow only ought to rest upon the Hip, but Grace consists in the
exact Proportion and Symmetry of all the Parts of the Body, and to
have the Arm on one Side raised and advanced, and that of the other
kept down and close to the Body, would present but an awkward and
disagreeable Appearance.
IT is this which determines the Situation of the Hand, which holds
the Switch. The Left-hand being of an equal Height with the Elbow, so
that the Knuckle of the Little-finger, and the Tip of the Elbow, be
both in a Line; this Hand then being rounded neither too much nor too
little, but just so that the Wrist may direct all its Motions; place
your Right-hand, or the Switch-hand, lower and more forward than the
Bridle-hand; it should be lower than the other Hand, because if it
was upon a Level with it, it would restrain or obstruct its Motions;
and were it to be higher, as it cannot take so great a Compass as the
Bridle-hand, which must always be kept over against the Horseman's
Body, it is absolutely necessary to keep the Proportion of the Elbows,
that it should be lower than the other.
THE Legs and Feet make up the second Division, of what I call the
moveable Parts of the Body.
THE Legs serve for two Purposes; they may be used as Aids, or
Corrections, to the Animal. They should then be kept near the Sides of
the Horse, and in a Line with the Man's Body; for being near the Part
of the Horse's Body where his Feeling is most delicate, they are ready
to do their Office in the Instant they are wanted. Moreover, as they
are an Appendix of the Thighs, if the Thigh is upon its Flat in the
Saddle, they will, by a necessary Consequence, be turned just as they
ought, and will infallibly give the same Turn to the Feet; because the
Feet depend upon them, as they depend upon the Thighs.
THE Toe should be held a little higher than the Heel, for the lower
the Toe is, the nearer the Heel will be to the Sides of the Horse, and
must be in danger of touching his Flank. Many Persons, notwithstanding,
when they raise their Toe, bend and twist their Ankle, as if they were
lame in that Part. The Reason of this is very plain; it is because they
make use of the Muscles in their Legs and Thighs; whereas, they should
employ only the Joint of the Foot for this Purpose; a Joint, given by
Nature to facilitate all the Motions of the Foot, and to enable it to
turn to the Right or Left, upwards or downwards.
SUCH is, in short, the mechanical Disposition of all the Parts of the
Horseman's Body. I will enlarge no further upon a Subject treated on
already so amply by every Writer; as it is needless to write what has
been already handled. I have had no other Design in this Chapter,
than to give an Idea of the Correspondence that there is between all
the Parts of the Body, because it is only by a just Knowledge of this
mutual Relation of all the different Parts, that we can be enabled to
prescribe Rules for giving that true and natural Seat, which is not
only the Principle of Justness, but likewise the Foundation of all
Grace in the Horseman.
CHAP. II.
_Of the Hand, and its Effects._
THE Knowledge of the different Characters, and the different Nature
of Horses, together with the Vices, and Imperfections, as well as the
exact and just Proportions of the Parts of a Horse's Body, is the
Foundation upon which is built the Theory of our Art; but this Theory
will be unnecessary and even useless, it we are not able likewise to
carry it into Execution.
THIS depends chiefly upon the Goodness and Quickness of Feeling in the
Hand, a Delicacy which Nature alone can give, and which she does not
always bestow. The first Sensation of the Hand consists in a greater or
less Degree of Fineness in the Touch or Feeling; all of us are equally
furnished with Nerves, from which we have the Sense of Feeling, but
as this Sense is much more subtle and quick in some Persons than in
others, it is impossible to give a precise Definition of the exact
Degree of Feeling in the Hand, which ought to communicate and answer to
the same Degree of Feeling in the Horse's Mouth; because there is as
much difference in the Degrees of Feeling in Men, as there is in the
Mouths of Horses.
I SUPPOSE then a Man, who is not only capable to judge of the Qualities
of a Horse's Mouth from a Knowledge of the Theory, but who has likewise
by Nature that Fineness of Touch, which helps to form a good Hand; let
us see then what the Rules are that we must follow, in order to make it
perfect, and by which we must direct all its Operations.
A HORSE can move four different Ways, he can advance, go back, turn
to the Right, and to the Left; but he can never make these different
Motions, unless the Hand of the Rider permits him by making four
other Motions which answer to them: So that there are five different
Positions for the Hand.
THE first is that general Position, from which proceed, and indeed
ought to proceed, the other four.
HOLD your Hand three Fingers breadth from your Body, as high as your
Elbow, in such a Manner that the Joint of your Little-finger be upon a
right Line with the Tip of the Elbow; let your Wrist be sufficiently
rounded, so that your Knuckles may be kept directly above the Neck
of your Horse; let your Nails be exactly opposite your Body, the
Little-finger nearer to it than the others, your Thumb quite flat upon
the Reins, which you must separate, by putting your Little-finger
between them, the right Rein lying upon it; this is the first and
general Position.
DOES your Horse go forward, or rather would you have him go forward?
Yield to him your Hand, and for that Purpose turn your Nails downwards,
in such a Manner as to bring your Thumb near your Body, remove your
Little-finger from it, and bring it into the Place where your Knuckles
were in the first Position, keeping your Nails directly above your
Horse's Neck; this is the second.
WOULD you make your Horse go backwards? quit the first Position, let
your Wrist be quite round, let your Thumb be in the Place of the
Little-finger in the second Position, and the Little-finger in that of
the Thumb, turn your Nails quite upwards, and towards your Face, and
your Knuckles will be towards your Horse's Neck; this is the third.
WOULD you turn your Horse to the Right, leave the first Position,
carry your Nails to the Right, turning your Hand upside down, in
such a manner, that your Thumb be carried out to the Left, and the
Little-finger brought in to the Right; this is the fourth Position.
LASTLY, Would you turn to the Left, quit again the first Position,
carry the Back of your Hand a little to the Left, so that the Knuckles
come under a little, but that your Thumb incline to the Right, and the
Little-finger to the Left; this makes the fifth.
THESE different Positions however alone are not sufficient; we must be
able to pass from one to another with Readiness and Order.----Three
Qualities are especially necessary to the Hand. It ought to be _firm_,
_gentle_, and _light_; I call that a _firm_ or _steady Hand_, whose
Feeling corresponds exactly with the Feeling in the Horse's Mouth, and
which consists in a certain Degree of Steadiness, which constitutes the
just Correspondence between the Hand and the Horse's Mouth, which every
Horseman wishes to find.
AN _easy_ and _gentle Hand_ is that which by relaxing a little of
its Strength and Firmness, eases and mitigates the Degree of Feeling
between the Hand and Horse's Mouth, which I have already described.
LASTLY, a _light_ Hand is that which lessens still more the Feeling
between the Rider's Hand and the Horse's Mouth, which was before
moderated by the _gentle_ Hand.
THE Hand therefore, with respect to these Properties, must operate in
part, and within certain Degrees; and depends upon being more or less
felt, or yielded to the Horse, or with-held.
IT should be a Rule with every Horseman, not to pass at once from one
Extreme to another, from a firm Hand to a slack one; so that in the
Motions of the Hand, you must upon no account jump over that Degree of
Sensation which constitutes the _easy_ or _gentle_ Hand. Were you at
once to go from a firm Hand or a slack one, you would then entirely
abandon your Horse; you would surprize him, deprive him of the Support
he trusted to, and precipitate him on his Shoulders, supposing you do
this at an improper time; on the contrary, were you to pass from a
slack to a tight Rein all at once, you must jerk your Hand, and give a
violent Shock to the Horse's Mouth, which rough and irregular Motion
would be sufficient to falsify the finest Apuy, and ruin a good Mouth.
IT is indispensibly necessary therefore, that all its Operations should
be gentle and light; and in order to this, it is necessary that the
Wrist alone should direct and govern all its Motions, by turning and
steering it, if I may so say, through every Motion that it is to make.
IN consequence then of these Principles, I insist that the Wrist be
kept so round, that your Knuckles may be always directly above the
Horse's Neck, and that your Thumb be always kept flat upon the Reins.
In reality, were your Wrist to be more or less rounded, than in the
Degree I have fixed, you could never work with your Hand, but by the
means of your Arm; and besides, it would appear as if it were lame:
Again, were your Thumb not to be upon the Flat of the Reins, they would
continually slip through the Hand, and, by being lengthen'd, would
spoil the Apuy; and in order to recover them, you would be obliged
every Moment to raise your Hand and Arm, which would throw you into
Confusion, and make you lose that Justness and Order, without which no
Horse will be obedient, and work with Readiness and Pleasure.
IT is nevertheless true, that with Horses that are well drest, one may
take Liberties; these are nothing else but those Motions which are
called _Descents_ of the Hand, and they are to be made three different
ways; either by dropping the Knuckles directly and at once upon the
Horse's Neck, or by taking the Reins in the Right-hand, about four
Fingers breadth above the Left, and letting them slide through the
Left, dropping your Right-hand at the same time upon the Horse's Neck;
or else by putting the Horse under the _Button_, as it is call'd; that
is, by taking the End of the Reins in your Right-hand, quitting them
entirely with your Left, and letting the End of them fall upon your
Horse's Neck: these Motions however, which give a prodigious Grace to
the Horseman, never should be made but with great Caution, and exactly
in the time when the Horse is quite _together_, and in the Hand; and
you must take care to counter-balance, by throwing back your Body, the
Weight of the Horse upon his Haunches.
THE Apuy being always in the same Degree, would heat the Mouth, would
dull the Sense of Feeling, would deaden the Horse's Bars, and render
them insensible and callous; this shews the Necessity of continually
yielding and drawing back the Hand to keep the Horse's Mouth fresh and
awake.
BESIDES these Rules and Principles, there are others not less just
and certain, but whose Niceness and Refinement it is not the Lot of
every Man to be able to taste and understand. My Hand being in the
first Position, I open the two Middle-fingers, I consequently ease and
slacken my Right Rein; I shut my Hand, the Right Rein operates again,
and resumes the Apuy. I open my Little-finger, and putting the End
of it upon the Right Rein, I thereby slacken the Left, and shorten
the Right. I shut my Hand entirely, and open it immediately again; I
thereby lessen the Degree of Tension and Force of the two Reins at the
same time; again I close my Hand not quite so much, but still I close
it. It is by these Methods, and by the Vibration of the Reins, that I
unite the Feeling in my Hand with that in the Horse's Mouth; and it is
thus that I play with a fine and _made_ Mouth, and freshen and relieve
the Bars in which the Feeling or Apuy resides.
IT is the same with respect to the second _Descent_ of the Hand: My
Right-hand holding the Reins, I pass and slide my Left-hand upon the
Reins up and down, and in the Degree of Apuy of the _easy_ and _slack_
Hand; by the means of which the Horse endeavours of himself to preserve
the Correspondence and Harmony of that mutual Sensation, between his
Mouth and the Rider's Hand, which alone can make him submit with
Pleasure to the Constraint of the Bit.
I HAVE thus explained the different Positions and Motions of the Hand;
let me shew now in a few Words the Effects which they produce.
THE Horseman's Hand directs the Reins; the Reins operate upon the
Branches of the Bit; the Branches upon the Mouth-piece and the Curb;
the Mouth-piece operates upon the Bars, and the Curb upon the Beard of
the Horse.
THE Right Rein guides the Horse to the Left; the Left Rein to the
Right. Would you go to the Right, you pass to the fourth Position of
the Hand, that is, you carry and turn your Nails to the Right; now in
carrying thus your Nails to the Right, and reversing your Hand in such
a manner, that your Thumb point to the Left, and your Little-finger
being raised turns to the Right, you by this means shorten your Left
Rein; it is this Left therefore that turns and guides the Horse to
the Right: Would you go to the Left, pass to the fifth Position, you
will carry the Back of your Hand to the Left, so that your Nails will
be turned down a little, your Thumb will be to the Right, and the
Little-finger to the Left; this will shorten the right Rein, and the
right Rein determines your Horse to the Left.
I HAVE already said, that the Effect which the Mouth-piece has upon the
Bars, and the Curb upon the Beard, depends upon the Branches of the
Bitt; when the Branches rise or are turned upwards, the Mouth-piece
sinks, and when the Branches sink, the Mouth-piece rises; so that when
your Horse is going strait forward, if you keep your Hand low and
close to your Body, the Mouth-piece then presses strong upon the Bars,
and the Chain or Curb having, in consequence more Liberty, acts less
upon the Beard; on the contrary, if you keep your Hand high, a little
forward, and consequently a little out of the Line of the End of the
Branches, the Mouth-piece then sinks, and the Branches of necessity
operate upon the Curb, which presses then very strongly upon the Beard;
now, in order to place, and to bring in your Horse's Head, you must
hold your Hand low, and in order to raise and lighten a Horse that
weighs upon the Hand, and carries his Head too low, you must advance
your Hand a little, and keep it high.
WOULD you have your Horse go backward? Come to the third Position, but
take care to round your Wrist exactly, in order to work equally with
both Reins, and by this means to aid your Horse more effectually to go
backward strait and ballanced between your Legs, which he could never
do, if one Rein was to operate stronger than the other.
THERE are particular Cases, where the Reins are separated, and one held
in each Hand; it is usual to separate them when you trot a young Horse,
or when you are to work one who is disobedient, and resists his Rider;
upon these occasions, keep both your Hands upon a Level, low and near
your Body: To turn to the right, use your right Rein; to go to the
left, use your left Rein; but in order to make them have their Effect,
move your Arm gently, turning it a little from your Body, keeping your
Hand always low and even near your Boot.
SUCH are the Principles upon which the Perfection and Justness of the
Aids of the Hand depend, all others are false, and not to be regarded;
Experience has so much the more evinced the Truth of this, as the new
Discoveries which some People imagine they have lately made, have
produced nothing but Hands, cold and unactive, without Firmness, whose
irregular and capricious Motions serve only to render a Horse's Mouth
uncertain and fickle, and who, by their manner of holding them high,
have ruined absolutely the Hocks of all the Horses, that they have
worked according to these absurd Notions.
CHAP. III.
_Of Disobedience in Horses, and the Means to correct it._
DISOBEDIENCE in Horses is more frequently owing to the want of Skill
in the Horseman, than proceeding from any natural Imperfections in the
Horse; in effect, three things may give rise to it, Ignorance, a bad
Temper, and an Incapacity in the Animal to do what is required of him.
IF a Horse is ignorant of what you expect him to do, and you press him,
he will rebel, nothing is more common; teach him then, and he will
know; a frequent Repetition of the Lessons will convert this Knowledge
into a Habit, and you will reduce him to the most exact Obedience.
HE refuses perhaps to obey, this Fault may arise either from
Ill-humour, Dullness, or from too much Mettle; it often is the Effect
of the two first Vices, sometimes the Result of all the three. In
either, or all these Instances, recourse must be had to Rigour, but it
must be used with Caution; for we must not forget, that the Hopes of
Recompence have as great an Influence over the Understanding of the
Animal, as the Fear of Punishment. Perhaps he is not able to execute
what you ask of him; examine him, something may be amiss in some Part
of his Body, or perhaps in the whole Body; he may be deficient, he may
want Strength, or not be light enough; perhaps he is deficient in
both, in that he resists and rebels. Consider whether he knows what he
should do or not; if he is ignorant, teach him; if he knows, but can't
execute through Inability, endeavour to assist Nature as far as you
can, by the Help of Art. But does he already know, and is he able too,
and yet does he refuse to obey? After having first tried every Method
that Patience and Lenity can suggest, compel him by Force and Severity.
It behoves then every Horseman, who would be perfect in his Art, to
distinguish from whence the different Sorts of Defences and Rebellion
in Horses proceed: And this Knowledge is by so much the more difficult
to attain, as he must have Penetration enough to distinguish if the
Cause of their Rebellion is in their Character and Nature, or owing to
any Fault in their Make and Structure.
THE different Natures of Horses are infinite, though there are certain
general Principles, of which all, more or less, always partake.
A HORSE may be imperfect from four Causes, Weakness, Heaviness in his
Make, Want of Courage, and Sloth.
FOUR Qualities must conspire to make a perfect Horse, Strength,
Activity, Courage, and Judgment.
THE Mixture of these different Qualities occasions the different
Natures and Dispositions of the Creature, according as he is form'd
better or worse; for it is from his Temper, or rather from the Harmony
or Unfitness of the Parts and Elements, of which he is composed,
that we are enabled to fix his Character; it is therefore the Part of
every Horseman never to work but with Discretion and Caution, and to
adapt his Rules and Lessons to the Nature and Ability of the Horse he
undertakes, and which he ought to know.
A HORSE may be difficult to be mounted, examine the Source of this
Vice; it may be owing either to the Ignorance or the Brutality of those
who have first had to do with him, or perhaps that the Saddle may have
hurt him, or else to a Temper naturally bad. To whatever Cause it may
be owing, remember never to beat him, for instead of curing him, you
would certainly confirm him in his Vice; clap him gently when you
approach him, stroke his Head and Mane, talk to him, and as you talk,
clap the Seat of the Saddle; keep yourself still all the while, put
your Foot only in the Stirrup to encourage your Horse, without doing
any more, in order to make him familiar, and lose all Apprehension
and Fear when he is going to be mounted; by degrees at last he will
let you mount him, you will immediately get down and remount, and so
successively for several Times together, without attempting to do any
thing else, but send him back to the Stable. If it happens that then
when you are upon him, he runs from the Place where you got upon him,
bring him to it immediately, keep him there some Time, coax him, and
send him away.----The first Lessons ought to be well weigh'd; when you
undertake to bring a young Horse to Obedience, and to reclaim him from
Liberty to the Subjection of the Bridle, Saddle, and the Weight of his
Rider, so restrain'd, it is not surprizing if he should employ all his
Strength against you in his own Defence.
THE Generality of Colts are difficult to be turn'd and guided as you
would have them go; we ought not however to be surprized at this their
first Disobedience, it must be imputed to the Habit they acquire from
their Birth, of constantly following their Dams. Indulged in this
Liberty, and subjected all at once by the Bit, it is but natural they
should rebel; there is no way of eradicating these first Impressions,
but by Gentleness and Patience: A Horseman, who should make use of
Force and Correction, and employ it all at once upon a young Horse,
would discourage and make him vicious ever after. If therefore your
Horse refuses to go forward, you must lead another Horse before
him, the Person who rides the Colt will try from Time to Time, and
insensibly, to make the Colt go a-breast with him, and afterwards get
before him; if being surprized at seeing the Horse no longer, he stops
or runs back, the Rider must endeavour to drive him forward, either
by his Voice, or some Kind of slight Punishment, or he that rides the
other Horse may give him a Stroke with the Chambriere, in order to make
him go forward; if these Methods should not succeed, he will go before
him again with the other Horse, by degrees (for one Lesson wont be
sufficient) the Colt will grow accustom'd to it, and at last will go on
of himself.
MOST Horses who start, have some Defect in their Sight, which makes
them fear to approach the Object. The Horseman, upon those Occasions,
instead of having Recourse to Punishment, which serves only to
alarm the Horse, and extinguish his Courage and Vigour, should first
endeavour to lead him gently towards the Object that terrifies him,
either by encouraging him with his Voice, or by closing his Legs upon
him, to make him go up to it. If he wont go towards it, you may give
him the Spurs, but with Discretion, and by Coaxing and Caresses push
him towards it insensibly; severe Correction will never cure him of
this fearful Temper, which is a Fault inherent in his Nature, nor of
any Imperfections in his Sight, which is a Disorder belonging to him,
but the Habit of viewing the Objects which alarm him, may in time
remedy the Defects of Nature.
IF notwithstanding you perceive that Sloth and Malice are added to
these Faults, you must use as you find necessary both Mildness and
severe Correction, and you will bestow them in proportion to the Effect
they produce. For the rest, be careful never to surprize a young
Horse who is shy, and apt to start, never terrify him with what he
most fears, never beat him to make him come up to an Object which he
dreads; accustom him by degrees to it, and have Patience; the Fear of
Punishment does oftentimes more harm, and is more dreaded by him, than
the very Object which first alarmed him.
THERE are some Horses, who are struck with such Terror at the Sight
of a Stone or Wooden Bridge, and at the Sound and Echo of the hollow
Part of it, that they will fling themselves headlong into the Water,
without the Riders being able to restrain them: They are to be cur'd
of this Apprehension by covering the Pavement of their Stall with
Wooden Planks, between two or three Feet high; and the Horse standing
constantly upon them, his Feet will make the same Noise as they do
when he goes over a Bridge, and he will of course grow familiar to the
Sound, and lose all Apprehension of it.
TO accustom them likewise to the Noise of the Water running under the
Bridge, lead him to a Mill, fix two Pillars directly over against the
Wheels, and tie your Horse constantly for two Hours together, several
Times in the Day; having done this, bring him back to the Bridge, let
an old Horse, that is not afraid, go before him upon the Bridge, by
degrees you will find him go over the Bridge as readily and quietly as
if he had never had the least Apprehension.
FOR Horses that are addicted to lay down in the Water, you must
provide yourself with two little Leaden Balls, tie them to a Piece of
Packthread, and in the Moment that he is lying down, you must drop
these into his Ears, and if he rises instantly, or forbears to lay
down, draw them back; but this Method is not less sure than that of
breaking a Flask fill'd with Water upon his Head, and letting the Water
run into his Ears.
FIRE, Smoke, the Smell of Gunpowder, and the Noise of Guns, or other
Arms, naturally surprize and frighten a Horse.--There are few that will
come near Fire, or pass by it without Difficulty.
THERE are many Occasions however, wherein it is necessary; it is
therefore proper to accustom your Horse to it. In the first place,
begin with your Horse by letting him see it; and for that purpose tie
him between two Pillars, and hold before him, at about thirty Paces
distant, a burning Wisp of Straw; this should be continued for some
Days together, repeating it several times each Day. Let the Person who
holds the Brand, advance towards the Horse step by step, and let him
take care to advance or stop often, as he perceives the Horse is more
or less frighten'd, who in a short time will be imbolden'd, and no
longer afraid of the Fire: After this get up on him, carry him slowly,
and, as it were, insensibly towards the Brand, the Person who holds it
taking care not to stir: If your Horse comes up to it, without being
frighten'd, let the Man on Foot walk on, and let the Horse follow the
Fire. Lay upon the Ground some Straw about half burnt out, and he will
pass over it.
WITH respect to the Noise of Arms and Drums, let your Horse hear them
before you give him his Oats: Do this regularly every Day, for some
time, and he will be so used to them as not to mind them.
A HORSE is said to be _entier_ to that Hand, to which he refuses to
turn; a Hurt in his Foot, Leg, or Shoulder, may often be the Cause of
his refusing to turn to that Side, where he feels any Pain; a Hurt in
his Loins or Haunch, a Curb or Spavin, by hindering him to bend and
rest upon his Hocks, may make him guilty of this Disobedience. Art can
do little towards curing these Evils, consequently a Horse so affected
will never dress well, because he never can be made supple and ready;
besides, every Horse is naturally inclin'd to go to one Hand more than
the other, and then he will go to that Hand on which he finds himself
the weakest, because with the strongest he can turn more easily.
THEY may likewise refuse to turn, from some Defect in their Sight,
natural or accidental. I have tried a Method to remedy this Vice, which
has answer'd very well; I have put a Lunette upon the ailing Eye, and
as his Fault was owing to his Eye, the Horse began by degrees to go to
that Hand to which before he had refused to turn: After this I made two
little Holes in the Lunette; I enlarged them afterwards, and the Eye of
the Horse being thus insensibly accustom'd to receive the Light, and he
to turn to that Hand, he no longer disobeyed; I exercised him in this
Manner from time to time, in order to confirm him in his Obedience.--I
have said, that there is no Horse who is not by Nature inclin'd to go
better to one Hand than the other; their inclination generally carries
them to the Left rather than to the Right. Some People impute this
Preference to the Manner in which the Foal lies in its Dam's Belly,
and pretend that even then it is entirely bent and turn'd to the Left:
Others insist that Horses lay down generally upon their Right-side,
and from thence contract a Habit to turn their Heads and Necks to the
Left: But not to regard these groundless Notions, it is easier and more
natural to believe, that this Habit is owing to Use, and the Manner in
which they are treated by those who first have had the Care of them.
THE Halter, the Bridle, the Saddle, and the Girths are all put on and
tied on the Left-side; when they are rubb'd or curried, the Man stands
on the Left-side; the same when they are fed, and when they are led
out, the Man holds them in his Right-hand, consequently their Head is
pull'd to the Left. Here are a Chain of Reasons, sufficient to induce
us to believe that if they are readier to turn to one Hand than the
other, it is owing to a Habit and Custom which we ourselves have given.
We seldom meet with Horses that are readier to turn to the Right-hand
than the Left; and when it so happens, it oftentimes denotes an ill
Temper; it demands much Time and Pains to cure them of this Fault.
IT is not proper to use severe Correction to make a Horse obey, who
refuses to turn to one Hand; if he is cold and dull, he will lose all
his Vigour and Courage; if he is of an angry Temper, hot and brisk, you
would make him desperate and mad; work him then upon the Principles of
Art, and pursue the Methods you think most likely to reform his ill
Habit, and reduce him to Obedience; if he obstinately refuses to turn
to one Hand, begin the next Lesson, by letting him go to his favourite
Hand a turn or two; finish him on the same Hand, by degrees you'll
gain him; whereas were you to do otherwise, you might make him ever
afterwards rebellious. A Horse that strenuously resists his Rider, if
he has Vigour and Courage, after he is reduced and conquer'd, will
nevertheless succeed in what you want of him, provided he is under the
Direction of an able and knowing Person, who understands the Aids of
the Hand and Legs, and their mutual Harmony and Correspondence.
SUCH a Horse is even preferable to one who never rebels; because in
this last, Nature may be deficient, if I may so express myself, from
his Want of Strength and Resolution.
IN order to teach your Horses to turn to both Hands, you must separate
your Reins, as I have already mention'd; don't confine him too much,
support him moderately so that you may easily draw his Head to one side
or the other, as you would have him go, and to give him the greater
Liberty to turn.
IF he refuses to obey, examine him; if he is by Nature impatient,
hot and vicious, by no means beat him, provided he will go forwards;
because being held in Hand, and kept back a little, is Punishment
enough; if he stops, and strives to resist by running back, drive him
forward with the Chambriere.
THE Resistance of a Horse, whose Mouth is faulty, discovers itself more
in going forward than backward, and in forcing the Hand; a Horse of
this sort ought never to be beat; he ought to be kept back, as I have
just now said. You must endeavour to give him a good and just Apuy, and
put him upon his Haunches, in order to cure him of the Trick of leaning
upon his Bit, and forcing the Hand. If your Horse is heavy, never
press or put him together, till you have lighten'd his Fore-part, and
put him upon his Haunches, for fear of throwing him so much upon his
Shoulders, that it may be very difficult afterwards to raise him. Take
particular care to lighten every Horse that is heavy before, and has
Malice in his Temper at the same time; for if you were to press him, he
would resist you through Vice; in which Case by his Want of Strength
on one hand, and being heavy and unwieldy on the other, you would be
exposed to evident Danger.
A _restive_ Horse is one that refuses to go forward, who standing still
in the same Place, defends himself, and resists his Rider in several
different Manners; it is much to be fear'd that one should lose all
Temper with such a Horse, since it requires a great deal of Patience
to cure so Capital a Fault, and which perhaps by Habit and Time is so
rooted in him as to be almost natural to him; treat a Horse of this
sort, who has been too much constrain'd and tyrannized over, with the
same Lenity that you would shew to a young Colt.
THE Spurs are as improper to be used to one as the other; make use of
your Switch in order to drive him forward, you will alarm him the less;
the Spurs surprize a Horse, abate his Courage, and are more likely
to make him restive, than oblige him to go forward, if he refuses to
do so. There is likewise another Method to punish a restive Horse;
it is to make him go backwards the Moment he begins to resist; this
Correction often succeeds; but the general Rule is to push and carry
your Horse forward, whenever he refuses to advance, but continues in
the same Place, and defends himself, either by turning or flinging his
Croupe on one side or the other; and for this Purpose nothing is so
efficacious as to push him forward vigorously.
THE most dangerous of all Defences a Horse can make is to rise directly
upon his Hind-legs, and stand almost quite strait, because he runs a
risque of falling backwards; and in that Case the Rider would be in
Danger of his Life. People have endeavour'd to correct this Vice, by
a Method of Punishment, which might prove dangerous, unless given in
_time_ and with the greatest Exactness.