The word vice, is used to signify those actions which arise from a
perverse, or mischievous disposition--those, in which the horse opposes
his own will, to that of his rider, or those in which he purposely
attempts to injure other horses, or the persons about him. A lady
certainly should not ride any horse, that is addicted to shying,
stumbling, rearing, or any other kind of vice; but she ought
nevertheless, to be prepared against their occurrence; for, however
careful, and judicious those persons, by whom her horse is selected,
may be, and however long a trial she may have had of his temper, and
merits, she cannot be sure, even with the best tempered horse, that she
may not have to exercise her skill, to save herself from danger; she
should therefore, be prepared against frailty, or accident.
When a horse resists, or suddenly becomes uneasy in his gait, instead of
punishing the animal; the bridle, saddle, girths, &c., should be
examined, to ascertain the cause, and remedy it. For want of this
necessary precaution, the poor animal is often used ill, without reason,
and being forced into despair, is in a manner obliged to act
accordingly, be his temper and inclination ever so good.
_Weakness_ frequently drives horses into being vicious, when any thing
beyond their strength is required of them: great care should therefore
be taken, to ascertain from what cause the opposition arises.
_Resistance_ in horses, is often a mark of strength and vigour, and
proceeds from high spirits, but punishment would turn it into vice; a
timorous rider, or a passionate person, would alike spoil the horse; the
former, by suffering him to have his own will, establishes bad habits,
and creates new ones; for horses find out many ways, and means of
opposing what is demanded to them; many will imperceptibly gain a
little every day on their riders; the lady must however always treat the
horse kindly, at the same time show him that she does not fear him. The
other, from want of reason, and temper, enrages the horse, and causes
him to become vicious. Horses of a bad disposition or temper, are
exceedingly subtle, and watch their opportunity; they first, as it were,
feel for their rider's firmness of seat, and her resolution, and are
sure to defend themselves upon that point, on which they expect she will
attack them; now, the object of the lady in this contest must be, to
frustrate the horse's intentions, and protect herself from injury in the
struggle.
Some horses have a vicious habit of _turning round suddenly_; instead of
endeavouring to prevent him, in which the lady would in all probability
be foiled, were she to try to do so by force; the better plan is, to
turn the horse smartly round to the side to which he is turning, until
his head has made a complete circle, and he finds to his astonishment,
that he is precisely in the place from which he started. Should he, on
the lady attempting to urge him forward, repeat the trick; she should
pull him round on the same side three or four times, and assist the hand
in doing so, by a smart aid of the whip, or the leg; while this is
doing, she must take care to preserve her balance, by an inclination of
the body, towards the centre of the circle which is described by the
horse's head in his revolution. The same plan may be pursued, when the
horse endeavors _to turn a corner contrary to the wish of his rider_;
and if he be successfully baffled three or four times, it is most
probable that he will not renew his attempts.
When a horse _refuses to advance_, and probably whipping would increase
his obstinacy, or make him rear, or bolt away in an opposite direction,
it is advisable, on the same principle, to make him walk backwards,
until he evinces a willingness to advance: should the rider not mind her
horse giving a kick or two, a couple of smart cuts over the croup, will
generally prove successful.
Should a horse _back into difficulties_; he must be turned with his head
towards the danger, and then backed off, until there be sufficient room
to handle him.
Restive horses, and even docile animals when put out of temper,
sometimes _rear up against a wall or a carriage_; an inexperienced
rider, in such a situation, would strive to pull his head _from_ the
wall, which would bring her knee in contact with it, consequently, all
further chastisement thereupon ceases; for were the rider to make her
horse plunge, her legs would be crushed against the wall, the horse
discovering the rider's weakness, and that punishment had ceased; would
turn it to her disadvantage, and on future occasions fly to the wall for
shelter. Instead of _from_ the wall. The horse's head should be pulled
_towards_ it, so as to place his eye, in place of his rider's knee,
against it. She should use her leg, and whip, to force the croup out,
when the horse can be easily backed off, and he will never go near a
wall again.
Some horses will _stand stock still_, if ladies have the patience to sit
on their backs, and keep them in the same spot for a time, it is the
most proper punishment for such an offence, and will surely cure that
mode of defence.
When a horse begins to _kick_, the rider must bear forcibly upon his
mouth, and keep his head up, at the same time, she should press her leg
to the horse's side, keeping her body well back, to save herself from
being thrown forwards. She should use as little coercion as possible,
and be careful to preserve her own temper, and her seat; should the
horse, in spite of her exertions, get his head down; she must endeavour
to give him a smart blow with her whip on his head, which will induce
him to throw it up, and thereby stop his kicking; should an opportunity
occur, she should also try to give the horse, two or three smart turns;
this may also be done with effect, as a preventative, should she detect
any incipient attempts in the animal to kick.
_Rearing_ is a bad vice, and in weak horses especially, a dangerous one.
When the horse rears, the rider must cease to bear upon the mouth, she
should lean her body well forward, towards his neck, and with her right
hand take hold of the mane, to save herself from falling off, or pulling
the horse backwards upon her; as the horse comes to the ground with his
fore-feet, not before, she should give him a few smart cuts with the
whip on his croup, to force him forward, and endeavor to pull him round
two or three times, and thus divert him from his object; the latter
course may also be adopted to prevent rearing, if the rider can foresee
the horse's intention.
If a lady have the misfortune to be mounted on a _runaway_ horse, she
may avoid evil consequences, if she can but contrive to retain her
self-possession. She must endeavor also to retain her seat at all
hazards, sitting well back and perfectly quiet, for the least symptom of
alarm on her part, will increase the terror, or determination of the
horse. She should not attempt to throw herself off the horse, except in
cases when the horse may be taking her into imminent danger; she should
separate her reins, holding the curb in her left hand, and the snaffle
in her right, and pull at each alternately; which renders the mouth
more sensitive, than a dead heavy pull upon any one bit, and the horse
consequently more obedient to the hand. Should an open space present
itself, turning a horse in a circle, will frequently bring him up in a
few seconds.
_Plunging_, is very common amongst restive horses. If the horse continue
to do so in one place, or backing; he must be urged forward; but if the
horse does it flying forward, he should be kept back, and ridden slowly
for some time.
_Starting_, often proceeds from a defect in sight, which therefore
should be carefully looked to. When a horse starts or shies, no notice
should be taken of the movement, further, than to meet him, with the
proper bearings and pressures, to compel him to move in the true
direction; should he however, be alarmed at an object, and instead of
going up to, or passing it, turn round; he should be soothed, and
brought up gently to it, caressed at every step, he advances. To attempt
to force the horse up to the object he dreads, would not only be
ridiculous and dangerous, but the punishment would add to the alarm, and
the horse would take an early opportunity to shy afresh, at the first
strange object that presented itself, and very probably he would add
another start, in anticipation of the chastisement that might be in
store for him. Thus, what was originally a failing from defect of
vision, or ebullition of spirit from over feeding, or want of proper
exercise, becomes a vice rooted, and confirmed, and of a dangerous
character. When passing an object that the horse may be alarmed at, his
head should be turned away from it, rather than towards it, a good rider
thus prevents her horse from shying, while the young and bad rider, by
the reverse treatment, of pulling a horse's head towards the object, and
whipping him up to it, makes her horse shy. The horse should never be
allowed to evade passing the object, but he should be got past in the
manner, that occasions the least alarm to, or contention with him.
When the horse starts, the rider should instantly direct her eyes to the
horse's ears, when her body will naturally take the same direction that
the horse shies to, but if her eyes be directed to what the horse shies
from, she may loose her balance, and fall.