All such motions of the body, the hands, the legs, and the whip, as
either indicate the rider's wishes, or, in some degree, assist the horse
to fulfil them, are, in the art of riding, denominated _aids_; and those
movements of the rider which tend to save the animal from disuniting
himself, or running into danger, may, properly enough, be classed under
the same title: while such as act for the preservation of the rider,
against the attempts of the horse, when headstrong or vicious, are
termed _defences_.
The aids of the hand are considered the most important: all the other
actions of the rider tending, principally, to assist the bridle-hand and
carry its operations into complete effect. There should be a perfect
harmony in the aids; and all of them ought to be governed by those of
the rein. In many instances, the power of a movement performed by the
hand may be destroyed by the omission of a correct accompanying aid or
defence, with the body, or the leg. Thus:--if a horse rear, it is
useless for the rider to afford him a slack rein, if she do not also
lean forward, in order, by throwing her weight on his fore-parts, to
bring him down, and also to save herself from falling backward over his
haunches. Should the rider, when her horse rises, slacken the reins,
but retain her usual position on the saddle, if he rear high, she must
necessarily be thrown off her balance; and then, if she hang on the bit,
in order to save herself from falling, there is great danger of her
pulling the horse backward.
The aids and defences of the body are numerous: we shall attempt to
describe a few of them; the residue must be acquired by practice, and
the lady's own observation. When the rider indicates by her hand that
she wishes the horse to advance, the body should be inclined forward in
a slight degree; and the left leg (with the whip, also, if the animal be
sluggish, or not well trained) pressed to his side. Should she, by
pulling the rein towards her, or turning the wrist in the manner we have
before directed, communicate her desire to stop, her body ought, at the
same time, to be thrown back, with gentleness, or otherwise, in
proportion to the severity of the action of the hand against the horse's
inclination to increase his speed contrary to the will of his rider, or
when he leaps, kicks, or plunges. If a horse rear, the rider should lean
forward more than in the aid for the advance: but care must be taken, in
this case, to perform the defence with discretion, especially with a
pony, or galloway; for, should the animal rise suddenly, and the rider
throw herself abruptly forward, it is not improbable that he might give
her a violent blow on the face with the top of his head.
We have already mentioned, in a previous part of our treatise, the
direction which the body should take when riding in a circle, turning a
corner, or acting as a defence against the danger attendant upon a
horse's shying. In the first case, the aid of the body, if properly
performed, will carry with it the aid of the hand, the leg, and even the
whip, if it be held near the horse's side. We will explain this by an
example:--Suppose the rider wishes to turn a corner on her left; she
inclines a little towards it, drawing her left shoulder in, and
thrusting her right shoulder rather forward: the bridle-hand will thus
be drawn back on the near side, the off rein will consequently act on
the horse's neck, and the left leg be pressed close against the near
side; so that all the necessary aids for effecting her object, are
performed by one natural and easy movement.
The aids of the whip, on one side, correspond with those of the leg, on
the other: they are not only used in the manner we have already
mentioned, when the rider wishes her horse to advance, or increase his
pace, but also in clearing a corner, &c. If the lady be desirous of
turning to the left, she may materially aid the operation of the hand,
which directs the fore-parts of the horse to the near side, by pressing
him with her stirrup leg, so as to throw his croup in some degree to the
right, and thereby place it in a more proper position to follow the
direction of his shoulders. In turning to the right, the whip may be
made equally useful by driving out his croup to the left. The power of
these aids, especially that of the whip, should be increased as
circumstances require. The aid which is sufficient for some horses, may
not be powerful enough by half for others: and even with, the same
animal, while the slightest pressure will produce the desired effect in
some cases, a moderate, or, even, a rather severe, lash with the whip is
necessary in others.
[Illustration]
SOOTHINGS, ANIMATIONS, &c.
The voice and the hand, the leg, and the whole body, may be employed to
soothe and encourage. High-mettled or fretful horses, it is often
necessary to soothe, and timid ones to encourage. A spirited animal is
frequently impatient when first mounted, or, if a horse or a carriage
pass him at a quick rate; and some horses are even so ardent and
animated, as to be unpleasant to ride when with others. In either of
these cases, the rider should endeavour to soothe her horse, by speaking
to him in a calm, gentle tone. She should suffer the whip to be as
motionless as possible, and take even more than usual care that its lash
do not touch the flank. Her seat should be easy, her leg still, and her
bridle-hand steady. The bit should not be made to press on the horse's
mouth with greater severity than is necessary to maintain the rider's
command; and, as the horse gradually subsides from his animation, its
bearing should be proportionately relaxed. The perfection of soothing
consists in the rider's sitting so entirely still and easy, as not to
add in the least to the horse's animation;--at the same time being on
her guard, so as to be able to effect any of her defences in an instant,
should occasion render them needful.
There is scarcely any difference between soothings and encouragements;
except that, in the latter, it is advisable to _pat_, and, as it were,
caress the horse with the right hand, holding the whip in the left. A
shy or timid horse may often be encouraged to pass an object that alarms
him, to cross a bridge, enter a gateway, or take a leap, when force and
correction would only add to his fear, and, perhaps, render him
incorrigibly obstinate.
Animations are intended to produce greater speed, or, to render the
horse more lively and on the alert, without increasing his pace. Some
animals scarcely ever require animations; while others are so dull and
deficient in mettle as to call them frequently into use. The slightest
movement of the body, the hand, or the leg, is enough to rouse the
well-bred and thoroughly-trained animal; but it is necessary for the
animations to be so spirited and united, with sluggish horses, as almost
to become corrections: in fact, what is a mere animation to one horse,
would be a positive correction to another.
The aids of the hand, the whip, the leg, and the body, which we have
before described, are animations; so, also, are _pattings_ with the
hand, the tones of the voice, &c. Animations should be used in all
cases, when the horse, contrary to the rider's inclination, either
decreases his speed, droops his head, bears heavily and languidly on the
bit, or, begins to be lazy or slovenly in the performance of his paces.
A good rider foresees the necessity of an animation before the horse
actually abates his speed, or loses the _ensemble_ of his action, and
the grace and spirit of his deportment. It is much easier to keep up,
than to restore, a horse's animation: therefore, the whip, the leg, the
hand, or the tongue, should do its office a few moments before, rather
than at, the moment when its movements are indispensable.
A slight motion of the fingers of the bridle-hand serves as an excellent
animation: it reminds the horse of his duty, awakens the sensibility of
his mouth, and preserves a proper correspondence between that and the
hand.
[Illustration]