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THE 
 
 ART OF HORSEMANSHIP 
 
 ALTERED AND ABBREVIATED, 
 
 ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE LATE 
 
 SIR SIDNEY MEDOWS; 
 
 BY 
 
 STRICKLAND FREEMAN, ESQ. 
 
 DISCE DOCENDUS ADHUC. Hor. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR. THE AUTHOR BY W. BULMER AND CO. 
 
 cleveland-row,. st. James's; 
 
 and sold by james carpenter, bookseller to their royal highnesses 
 
 the prince of wales and duke of york, old bond-street; 
 
 AND G. AND W. NICOL, PALL-MALL. 
 
 1806. 
 
TO 
 
 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS 
 
 THE PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 1 he encouragement which your Royal High- 
 ness was pleased to give to the Science of 
 Horsemanship — by having sometimes done 
 Sir Sidney Medows and myself the honour of 
 coming into the riding house, while we were 
 partners there — made me presume to request 
 your permission to dedicate to you, Sir, all 
 that / know, (and, perhaps, all that he knew) 
 of that science. 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 I hope your Royal Highness will pardon 
 me for saying, that our admiration was fre- 
 quently excited by the just observations which 
 you made at the time ; and by the precision 
 with which you gave those aids, when riding 
 there, which is seldom attained without great 
 practice. 
 
 The gracious manner in which, after Sir 
 Sidney's death, you were pleased to give me a 
 horse so completely dressed by him, demands 
 my warmest acknowledgements. Indeed it 
 was to me a valuable present, equally unex- 
 pected and unsolicited. The proud passage on 
 which the offspring of that horse passed his 
 Majesty at the review of the corps of volunteer 
 infantry, in which I serve as Major, particu- 
 larly attracted his attention. An opportunity 
 was thus afforded me, of shewing, that a horse, 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 which has been regularly and quietly dressed, 
 can execute at command the graces of a passage, 
 (the very meaning of which term is at present 
 almost unknown) and be perfectly quiet again 
 the moment it is no longer required to be in 
 action. As an enthusiast in the business, I 
 must confess the satisfaction I felt, when, on 
 passing his Majesty the second time, he con- 
 descended to quit his place, and was pleased 
 to say, he was glad I had kept up the Old 
 School. Upon this distinguished notice, I 
 presumed to request the honour of laying 
 this Essay at his Majesty's feet, which he was 
 graciously pleased to permit. 
 
 Your Royal Highness will, I trust, forgive 
 me for again mentioning the name of Sir Sidney 
 Medows, as the person to whom I owe what- 
 ever knowledge I may have upon the subject ; 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 nor do I think, that, while presenting my 
 labours to the public, I can pay a more suitable 
 tribute of gratitude to my departed friend, 
 than by prefixing his shade as a frontispiece 
 to my Treatise. 
 
 I am, 
 SIR, 
 With the greatest respect, 
 
 YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS'S 
 
 Most devoted Servant, 
 STRICKLAND FREEMAN. 
 
 Fawley Court, 
 June 11, 1806. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 As manage and military riding are so much connected, 
 I hope to be excused for the remarks which are here made 
 on military matters ; and that where I have ventured 
 to express myself without reserve, it may be attributed 
 to no other motive, than to a zeal for the service in 
 those parts, which have been the peculiar objects of 
 my study. 
 
 The late Earl of Pembroke, in his Address to the 
 King, in his Treatise on military Equitation, says, in 
 speaking of horsemanship, "Troops in their own 
 " nature most excellent and brave have been fre- 
 y quently rendered inferior to less powerful ones, 
 " both in men and horses, for want of proper instruc- 
 " tions on this art." It was said to be a remark of 
 the Duke of Newcastle's, (who also published on horse- 
 manship) and ought to be that of all good horsemen, 
 quiljaid rendre le cheval ami de Vhomme; his treatise 
 
 a 
 
• • 
 
 11 PREFACE. 
 
 being originally written in French. The more horse- 
 manship is studied, the more a horse will be found 
 willing, good-naturedly to obey every order that it can 
 possibly understand ; provided the rider has studied 
 the art sufficiently to be able to make the horse com- 
 prehend his meaning, and to require nothing but what 
 by degrees it is supple enough to perform — et alors il 
 est ami de Vhomme. 
 
 The more the art of horsemanship is understood, the 
 less the very name of a rough rider should be made use of; 
 — nor should it ever be said of a good horseman — qu'il 
 est fort acheval : — instead of this, it appears to me — qu'il 
 doit plutot etre foible a cheval. The Earl of Pembroke 
 very properly observes in one of the mottos to his 
 book, " Vis consili expers mole ruit sua." — When the 
 rider knows the proper mode of communicating his 
 meaning — a horse may be won by degrees to do that 
 quietly, which it never would do by all the strength 
 which the rider can exert. When strength is used, the 
 finest horses are frequently lost to our service, from its 
 not being possible to break them in ; and many others 
 are stiffened and strained, instead of being suppled. The 
 great use of the art of horsemanship is to prevent this. 
 
 The difference in the art, from the Duke of Newcastle's 
 
PREFACE. 1H 
 
 time to the present, I shall now make some observations 
 upon. The instruments made use of in his Grace's time 
 were so severe, that, without the great patience and 
 perseverance which he recommends, the horse must 
 have been continually vexed. By decreasing the seve- 
 rity of those instruments — a more expeditious mode of 
 working has since been adopted ; so as to avoid the 
 constraint at that time in use, and consequently to be 
 easier both to the man and to the horse. No better idea 
 can be given of the length of time required in sup- 
 pling a horse at that time, than by quoting the Duke's 
 expressions at the end of his third book — " Our only 
 " aim in this long, laborious, and painful work, is to 
 -j put a horse well upon his haunches." 
 
 The bridle is the instrument, by which the intelli- 
 gence is to be communicated to the horse from the hands 
 of the rider — for the genius of the colt is to be brought 
 forth by its rider, as the genius of a boy is by his school- 
 master. If I may be allowed the comparison between 
 the bits in use as described by the Duke of Newcastle, 
 and by the late Earl of Pembroke, and the snaffle since 
 introduced by my much lamented master in horseman- 
 ship, Sir Sidney Medows — I should say that the former, 
 when put into its mouth, were like putting a Latin 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 grammar into the hands of a boy. The use of the 
 latter may be compared to another mode of education, 
 which I have formerly seen in Germany, where the 
 boys had pictures set before them, in which the scenes 
 were explained in the language they were meant to be 
 taught: — by this, they insensibly learnt their lesson, 
 instead of being obliged to pore over a book. 
 
 It is well known with what aversion a boy takes the 
 first rudiments of a language, when constrained to begin 
 with the most difficult part of it, which is that of re- 
 peating the grammar. If he be not expert at it, he is 
 often severely corrected by his schoolmaster ; who 
 perhaps in his time was taught his lesson with the 
 same severity. But as this laborious method of begin- 
 ning our education still continues in practice, I can 
 only lament the hard fate of the young scholar, in 
 the terms of our facetious author of the Bath Guide, by 
 saying, 
 
 " What pity a boy of a spirit so meek, 
 
 " Should be flogg'd by his tyrant for Latin and Greek." 
 
 In all the books of horsemanship which I have 
 read, a like constraint was put upon the colt. Its 
 mind was therefore equally prevented from being so 
 soon, and so easily opened to the meaning of the rider. 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 For the former method of communication, even if it 
 did succeed at last, was too harsh and too complicated. 
 As an illustration of this, I need only refer my readers 
 to the Duke of Newcastle's book on horsemanship. 
 He will there see the severe bit which used to be put 
 into its mouth, and the spurs by which it was to be 
 corrected." 
 
 In mechanics — where lightness happens to be requi- 
 site, as well as convenience — the great art consists in 
 judging properly where to cut out the superfluous 
 parts. In the progress of making a musical instrument, 
 the same judgment is required; in order that the com- 
 plexity may be less detrimental to the sounds intended 
 to be produced. In both cases, the genius of the artist 
 has materials to work upon, which he can command 
 at pleasure, in order to produce the desired effect. 
 To adapt the comparison to the subject upon which 
 I am now writing — the instrument to be played upon 
 is the horse's mouth. The horseman is to convey the 
 meaning, and the horse is to comprehend it. The mode 
 of conveying it is by the bridle, which he holds in his 
 hand. The materials, by which it is to be conveyed, 
 are therefore equally to be commanded ; and require to 
 
 * See the folio edition, Plate XIII. 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 be equally simplified, so as to produce a more immediate 
 effect. For the mouth of a horse in the manage must be 
 kept just as delicate, as the keys of a musical instru- 
 ment. If the horseman be not in union with his horse 
 all cadence is destroyed. For, in the one instance as in 
 the other, all is art. The Earl of Pembroke very justly 
 observes, that " whatever pace or degree of quickness 
 " you work in, (be it ever so fast, or ever so slow) it 
 •' must be cadenced ; time is as necessary for an horse- 
 " man, as for a musician."* The mode of simplifying 
 the machinery was, therefore, requisite to be known, 
 where the improvement of the science was sought for. 
 In the Duke of Newcastle's method — when the reins 
 were fixed to the long branches of the bit — the com- 
 munication to the horse's mouth was at two times. One, 
 from the reins in the hands of the rider to the ends of 
 the branches of the bit ; and one from thence to the 
 mouth-piece. They were also at two times when fixed 
 to the branches of the caveson. By these different aids, 
 according as the horse seemed to require either the one 
 or the other, the head was meant to be raised, and the 
 horse was to be set upon its haunches. Whoever 
 pleases to look at the prints in the Duke of Newcastle's 
 
 * See the Earl of Pembroke's Treatise on Military Equitation, page 59. 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 folio edition will be able to judge whether either the 
 one or the other was accomplished. The heads of the 
 horses there represented are generally low, and their 
 bodies are poised upon their hocks, instead of upon 
 their haunches. Nor indeed could that method of 
 working them produce any other effect, unless where 
 nature had nearly done it to their hands. For all the 
 art of man cannot shew a horse off in such fine attitudes, 
 as when galloping loose about a field. The head is 
 then constantly raised, and the stops are made upon the 
 haunches. 
 
 The art of riding, like that of dancing, is to make 
 the scholar hold up his head ; and, with an upright 
 poise of the body, practise those attitudes, which are 
 the most graceful, with the least constraint. Where 
 the graces of nature are meant to be brought forth by the 
 rider, the instrument employed for it cannot be too 
 simple — the method of working cannot be too easy. 
 Too much constraint cramps the mind, as well as the 
 body. The horse, in this case, takes a longer time in 
 comprehending the meaning of the rider: — when com- 
 prehended — the attitudes brought forth are stiff and 
 ungraceful ; whereas the utmost suppleness is required, in 
 order to produce the greatest grace. 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 The late Earl of Pembroke began by following the 
 steps of the Duke of Newcastle ; but probably seeing 
 how little the means employed by his Grace were 
 capable of attaining the end proposed, he was the first 
 who ventured to make the bit rather less heavy and 
 severe, and to use the bridoon instead of the caveson. 
 The laborious work of raising the head by the two 
 operations of the curb bridle was lessened in great 
 measure by the single communication of the bridoon. 
 This last was put into the horse's mouth together with 
 the bit bridle, and was used for that purpose instead 
 of it. The acting of it was upon the cheeks; by which 
 the bars of the mouth were equally eased, as when the 
 caveson was used: — the communication also, being at 
 one time, and in the mouth, was more immediate, and 
 more sensible, than when at two times and on the nose by 
 the lever from the caveson. Still two instruments were 
 used in riding: — one — the communication of which 
 was immediate and at one time ; — the other, though not 
 so severe as formerly, was yet by its construction ne- 
 cessarily communicated at two times. The art was thus 
 far progressive in improvement, by the means begin- 
 ning to be simplified in the method adopted by the late 
 Earl of Pembroke. 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 Sir Sidney Medows also began by following the 
 Duke of Newcastle. At the period when my ac- 
 quaintance with him first commenced, he was using 
 the Duke's bit almost for the last time. Daily practice, 
 during upwards of 50 years of his long life,* suggested 
 to him, in his progress, that the methods hitherto prac- 
 tised of communicating the intelligence from the horse- 
 man to his horse were complex and tedious. Greater 
 patience was therefore requisite both to the rider and 
 to the horse, than was either pleasant or necessary. 
 
 The curb bridle, though simplified by the Earl of 
 Pembroke, was yet too thick in the mouth-piece, and 
 much too heavy. When made on a lighter construc- 
 tion, since the period of the late Earl's publication, it 
 was only used by Sir Sidney occasionally, for some 
 particular horses, the make of whose necks, as I shall 
 hereafter mention, more particularly required it. All, 
 in short, in his progress, was left off except the bridoon 
 or snaffle, the simplest of all — for it was that, which 
 carried with it the most immediate communication. — 
 But the construction of it required to be altered; in 
 
 * He was in his riding-house (Sundays and Thursdays excepted) between 
 two and three hours every day ; during which time, he either rode or worked 
 in hand 1 2 horses till within a few days, of his death. He died in the 
 month of November, in the year 1792, in the 92d year of his age. 
 
 b 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 order for this one simple instrument to produce a more 
 powerful effect, than all the complicated instruments 
 hitherto in use. This alteration produced the different 
 mode of working, which he afterwards so successfully 
 adopted. 
 
 The Duke of Newcastle, finding that the pulley was 
 requisite as well as the lever, first thought of using it 
 to the caveson. A combination of these pullies was 
 left for the genius of Sir Sidney. He first began by 
 applying it to the bridoon ; and the snaffle thus altered 
 was used by itself. No aid therefore remained now in 
 use, which was not communicated in onetime. There was 
 still something wanting to complete the work. For 
 when the reins were placed through the eyes of the 
 snaffle to the pommel of the saddle, the horse's head 
 was liable to be kept too low. This was apt to produce 
 the same fault, which the Duke of Newcastle's horses 
 had ; namely, that of being set upon their hocks instead 
 of upon their haunches. When the reins were placed 
 through the eyes of the snaffle, and from thence to the 
 headstall — the heads of some horses were kept too for- 
 wards. It was therefore requisite to find out another 
 intermediate pulley to obviate this defect. — With a 
 genius peculiar to himself, Sir Sidney Medows invented 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 a buckle and strap with a ring to it for this purpose, 
 the construction and use of which I shall hereafter 
 particularly describe. This, he said, was the most for- 
 tunate discovery he ever made ; as it at once united 
 the two greatest requisites to the completion of his 
 work. For one additional lever was gained, by which 
 the head could be kept upwards and inwards at the 
 same time ; so as to set the horse more directly upon its 
 haunches. 
 
 But the reins, from being of one length in the hands 
 of the rider, when attached immediately to the bridoon 
 or snaffle became of various lengths, when running- 
 through a greater or less number of pullies. The 
 manner of riding with them was therefore totally 
 changed. The same rules of art were consequently not 
 applicable in this, as in the former method. The 
 amusement was likewise considerably varied, by the 
 facility which the use of these pullies gave to that 
 mode of working the horses in hand ; which proved so 
 great a source of entertainment to Sir Sidney, and after- 
 wards to his scholar. But this required another help, 
 which had hitherto never been used for the various 
 purposes to which he applied it. A stick with a 
 buckle and strap at the end of it, such as will hereafter 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 be described, was the most powerful aid possible, when 
 made use of for these purposes — but it was also the 
 most dangerous, when improperly used. Nothing but 
 constant daily practice could bring these new methods 
 to succeed. Nothing but the ardour, with which Sir 
 Sidney Medows turned his mind to it, could have made 
 him accomplish these difficult points with so much ease 
 to himself, and to the horses which he had to teach. 
 Often while he was at work, would he exclaim to me, 
 You must be an enthusiast! Sir, an enthusiast! 
 
 : ' .. 
 
 , 
 
 " Methinks I hear him now ; his plausive words 
 " He scatter'd not in ears, but grafted them 
 " To grow there, and to bear." 
 
 Sir Sidney being a near neighbour of my father's in 
 the country — my intimacy with him commenced when 
 I was a child, " and rose as childhood ripened into man." 
 — From admiration of his art at first, he permitted me 
 to be his scholar ; and progressively his partner in the 
 riding-house to the day of his death. Little was I aware 
 of what a difficult task I was undertaking, when his 
 friendship first permitted me to ride his horses under his 
 instruction, and to take the place of his grooms when he 
 was working them in hand. In this way I learned all 
 the subordinate offices, which enabled me to teach the 
 
PREFACE. Xlll 
 
 men, who were afterwards to learn under me, those parts, 
 which continued practice began to make familiar to me. 
 The pains that were taken in it I afterwards found were 
 by no means lost — for my difficulty was infinitely greater 
 with those under me; who, although their ardour was 
 perhaps equal to mine, were not able to comprehend 
 easily what was then perfectly easy to me. On this 
 account, when grooms were to be instructed, I was 
 frequently obliged to change places with them, before 
 many impossibilities could be executed, which I was deter- 
 mined should be done first ; and which could only be 
 done by a good example. At this period I had also to 
 teach myself, (being then only a scholar) upon my own' 
 horses, untaught; and, what was the most difficult of all, 
 with only the help of grooms, untaught also. 
 
 All appeared easy with Sir Sidney — whether in 
 working his horses in hand with the help of his grooms, 
 or in his manner of riding them. As Cicero expresses 
 it, " in illo miratus sum quod adhuc non attingere 
 potui:" — for at that time all was unsteady with me, 
 all was laborious. It was difficult enough to teach the 
 horse; but much more so to teach the grooms. However 
 the same zeal carried me on, that carried on my master. 
 I was only learning the grammar regularly, under a 
 
XIV PREFACE, 
 
 master who had long understood the whole language — - 
 and who for ever told me, that I must think of it night 
 and day before I could succeed. Experience soon shewed 
 this to be the case. For — (to continue the expressions 
 of the same author) " idem studium, quod oblectavit 
 " senectutem ejus, delectavit me domi, non impedivit 
 " foris, fternoctavit , peregrinatum, rusticatum est." 
 
 Horsemanship has experienced its various periods of 
 rise and fall, as other arts have done ; and at times, 
 when equally unknown, like them has been equally 
 superficially treated — nay even despised. This may 
 perhaps still be the case, unless a school is established 
 at the public expense as formerly. — The rising genera- 
 tion, who might afterwards be destined to command our 
 armies, might then be taught, in their early days, that 
 most useful part of their future profession. 
 
 Led by the instructions of so great a master, in an 
 art, which I have followed with the same enthusiastic 
 zeal that he did before me, I shall hope for the indul- 
 gence of the public in any errors that may be com- 
 mitted, in this treatise. For whether I have succeeded 
 or not in the information that is meant to be conveyed, 
 I trust it will at least be seen, that no pains have been 
 spared in the mode of conveying it — Quod potui feci. 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 I cannot conclude my Preface, without acknowledg- 
 ing my obligations to Sir Thomas Frankland, whose 
 peculiar talent in cutting out at sight has enabled me 
 (with his permission) to place as a frontispiece, so 
 striking a likeness of Sir Sidney Medows. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PACE 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Description of the riding-house best adapted to the ease of the 
 horse, and to the convenience of the rider, - - 1 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 The best construction of the implements necessary for the horse- 
 man in riding, as well as those which are requisite for working 
 the horse in hand, - - - - - 10 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE MANNER OF WORKING THE HORSE IN HAND, AND THE ACTION 
 OF THE LEGS IN ALL ITS PACES. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Description of the different methods of using the reins in propor- 
 tion to its progress on the lines of art, - - - 31 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Action of the legs in the trot and gallop in circles on the lines of 
 art, and the mode which the horse has of coming from the one 
 to the other. The power of altering the motion of its limbs in 
 the walk according to its will, so as to produce either the pace, 
 the trot, or the gallop. Mode of working in circles on the lines 
 of art in a walk, so as to avoid the pace. True action of the 
 legs in the trot and gallop naturally. The false gallop, - 49 
 
xviil CONTENTS. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Mode of working, with the head in and croup out along the walls. 
 The croup to the wall. The head to the wall. The mode of 
 working down the middle of the house by two men holding the 
 horse, one on each side, - - - - 102 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Mode of working at the pillar, in the corner, and at the door; 
 and also by the man's standing before the horse down the line 
 of the wall, and with long reins down the middle, - 130 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The art of mounting on horseback, and dismounting, with the 
 greatest ease to the rider, and with the least disturbance to 
 the horse. Aids required by the rider for so doing. Observa- 
 tions on the different length of stirrups suited to different pur- 
 poses. Description of the seat of the rider while his horse is 
 standing still, ______ 153 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 The bad effects of martingales, - - - - 182 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Helps required by the rider, in first getting on the back of a colt. 
 Method of riding it slowly, and a little at a time, for the first 
 few lessons — and then on the trot and gallop, in one piste, large, 
 and also in circles. Method of crossing the house on one piste 
 from right to left, and vice versa, - - - 188 
 
CONTENTS. xix 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Position of the rider, so as to accompany that of the horse, when 
 going on the lines of art, with its head in and croup out, - 207 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Method of making a long demi-volte, so as to bring the horse's 
 croup to the wall. Mode of working in that action, as also 
 with the head in and croup out, without the help of the walls. 
 Head to the wall. — Quart de volte. Square — Going en cheva- 
 lant from right to left, and vice versa — Pesade — Passades — 
 Voltes, ------- 224 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 Two lessons that can be practised out of doors ; one for a dressed 
 horse, and the other for one or more horses together, that are 
 not quite so well dressed, _ . - 245 
 

 
 
 Plate IT. 
 
 'i| ' 
 
 Scale of the Soust 
 
 loruLoih.TMUhal JimfjjSoS iy SJVearum 
 
 In. In- 
 
 3. 6\ 
 
 . Sralr of ike Pillar 
 
 W. Shlta'i 
 

 1 
 
 THE 
 
 ART OF HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE RIDING-HOUSE BEST ADAPTED TO THE 
 EASE OF THE HORSE, AND TO THE CONVENIENCE OF THE 
 RIDER. 
 
 1 shall first give some description of the riding-house, 
 an attention to the make and proportion of which is 
 materially requisite. The construction of the imple- 
 ments to be made use of, although it may seem super- 
 fluous to dwell minutely upon some articles in common 
 use, is also extremely necessary to be attended to. Many 
 circumstances, which may appear trifling in themselves, 
 are of great importance, where the touchstone of art is 
 required, and where the man and the horse are meant 
 to be of one piece, and of one mind. 
 
 b 
 
2 DESCRIPTION OF THE 
 
 After having fixed the scene of action and described 
 the implements, I shall next proceed to shew what is 
 required of the actors. 
 
 The best proportion for the riding-house is as three 
 to one. If for private use, the length of one hundred 
 and twenty feet, by forty feet broad, is large enough.* 
 It should never be made broader than forty feet, but 
 there is no objection to adding to the length of it. 
 When broader, it is apt to be too fatiguing to a manage 
 horse, when required to hold haunches while crossing. 
 It is also liable to another inconvenience, which is, that 
 only one corner can be taken advantage of in longing 
 a colt ; whereas the end wall, and part of each side 
 wall, can be brought into use, when of the size above- 
 mentioned. It should properly be made circular at one 
 end. By this, there is less constraint to a colt, when 
 beginning to be longed, than what is occasioned by the 
 corners. The other end should be square, with double 
 doors within one foot of the right hand corner on 
 coming in. This space may be left to put the switches, 
 and sticks in. The doors may be made large enough to 
 drive a carriage in, if required, and should open outwards 
 into a porch. The right hand door on entrance should 
 be bolted at top and bottom, and have a pane of glass 
 in it of a proper height for a man to look through before 
 he opens the other door. The right hand corner is 
 
 * See Plate II. 
 
RIDING-HOUSE* 
 
 preferable to the left hand for these doors to be placed 
 in ; as the horse, when led in by the rider with his right 
 hand, may have its croup immediately put to the wall, 
 if requisite. It is then most out of the way of those 
 who may either be riding at the time, or standing by, 
 if it happens to be unsteady. The pane of glass, being 
 fixed where I have mentioned, enables the person, who 
 is bringing the horse in, to see three parts of the house 
 through it. By this, he is prevented from being in the 
 way, if he waits till the rider has past the door. The 
 right hand door should be opened only when required 
 for a carriage. They should be made to range on the 
 inside, evenly with the boards, with which the walls 
 ought to be lined. These boards should be placed 
 perpendicularly along the walls, to the height of five or 
 six feet. When placed slanting, they do not look well, 
 and only teach horses to lean against them. The slope 
 is said to be useful to defend the leg of the rider, but 
 I never found the want of it for that purpose. For 
 the beauty of the proportion, the walls should be as 
 high as half the breadth of the house, and the roof 
 should be as flat as it can be made. There is only 
 one objection to these high walls, which is, that the 
 higher the wall is against which the horse stands, the 
 smaller the horse appears. The windows should be se- 
 micircular, and of that description which are commonly 
 
4 DESCRIPTION OF THE 
 
 called Dioclesian windows ; but deviating in some 
 measure in their form from those in Dioclesian's baths. 
 The centre division should be the largest. The frame 
 of the casement, which is put in it, should be made of 
 iron, suspended by a pivot on each side, so as to form 
 a slope to keep the rain out, when opened. — In order 
 to carry the water off the better, the panes should be 
 small squares set in lead, and tied to the iron frame. 
 The lower part should be the heaviest, so as for them 
 to shut by themselves. The upper part should have a 
 cord fixed to it, the lower end of which may be looped 
 to a pin put into the wall for that purpose, just high 
 enough to be out of the way of the rider. This keeps 
 the window firm when it is open. The alternate 
 windows should be blank. A few hooks maybe driven 
 into the sill of the first blank window next to the door, 
 to hang the whips upon ; for all coach whips, that are 
 meant to be good for any thing, should be constantly 
 hung up, when not in use. I may be said perhaps to 
 enter too much into detail about particulars which may 
 at first sight appear immaterial, but it is necessary to 
 have every thing done with the least disturbance pos- 
 sible. It is therefore requisite, that every thing should 
 be so placed, as to be most out of the way when not in 
 use ; and so as to be come at the quickest, the moment 
 it is wanted. 
 
RIDING-HOUSE. 5 
 
 At about thirty feet from the square end, and in the 
 middle of the house, a single pillar, eight inches 
 diameter, and six feet eight inches high, may be 
 placed, so as to be least in the way. By being in 
 this part of the house, it is no obstruction to the rider 
 in crossing it, and gives room enough to longe a horse 
 in the corner, when he thinks it necessary to take 
 that advantage, as a change from the circular end. 
 A single pillar is useful as an aid to the horseman 
 to mark his centre by, when riding upon the volts. 
 By being placed where I have mentioned, it also 
 serves as a mark to him when working his horse 
 down the middle ; besides being the safest place 
 in the house, at which any person can stand, who 
 happens to be looking on. For it is full far enough 
 for a horse to be worked on its haunches down the 
 middle of the house, if stopped within about ten 
 or twelve feet of it. The pillar should be rounded 
 off at the top, and an iron bar should be driven into 
 it vertically, so as to leave seven inches of it from 
 the top of the pillar. Round the upper part of this 
 bar, another iron bar, with a swivel at the end of it, 
 should be made to play horizontally. The length of 
 it should be six inches. It may have a support to it,, 
 which should play also. This bar should end by a 
 fixed ring vertically, to which about three feet of a rope 
 
6 DESCRIPTION OF THE 
 
 rein with a buckle and billet leather to it should be tied 
 for use. The ring also serves for another rein to slide 
 through, when buckled to the horses bridle and pulled 
 at by the mans hand. This is sometimes useful in order 
 to prevent the too great severity of the fixed rein. The 
 horizontal bar, being at this distance from the circular 
 top of the pillar, allows the rein to play round (when 
 required to do so) without risk of its catching to the 
 top of it. Rings may also be fixed by staples to other 
 parts of the pillar, for purposes which will be hereafter 
 explained. The pillar, when not in use, serves as one 
 place to hang either the whips or the reins upon for the 
 moment. The spare straps (which will be hereafter 
 described) may also be buckled to the rings, ready for use 
 when called for. 
 
 Two rings, one on each wall, should be fixed by 
 staples on the boards, about four feet from that corner 
 of the house, which is upon the left hand on entering, 
 and which is the most disengaged. For one spare 
 corner in a riding-house is all that is required. — Those 
 rings should be placed as high as the boards will 
 permit. A ring may also be fixed by a staple into 
 the right hand wall on entrance, under the first blank 
 window, seven feet high. The use of these rings will 
 be hereafter explained. If the effect of double pillars 
 should be wished for, two rings at this height may be 
 
RIDING-HOUSE. 
 
 fixed, one on the door-post, and one on the bolted door 
 at the right hand entrance. A porch is useful to protect 
 the doors when opened. If paved with stone or other 
 hard materials, it enables the horse to hear the sound of 
 its fore feet, when piaffing upon them, and to strike a 
 harder blow, by which its feet are raised the higher. 
 The hardness of the stone also prevents it from wearing 
 into holes, which would otherwise happen by continual 
 use. If the porch be made large enough to admit a 
 bench on the left hand, it may be of service to stand 
 upon occasionally when getting on and off horseback. 
 When the house is much above the length I have 
 mentioned, a bench may be admitted across it, about 
 20 feet long, and at the distance of 120 feet from the 
 circular end. This may be placed across the house, so 
 as for a leaping bar to be put at one end of it, if an iron 
 plate with holes in it, be let into the boards along the 
 wall to receive the other end of the bar. The bench, 
 which should be made with a back to it about the 
 height of a chair back, is of service for a horseman to 
 stand upon to work his horse in hand. Rings may be 
 placed on the top of the back, either for sliding the 
 reins through, when it is piaffing in the same place ; or 
 for the horse to work there, when supple enough to 
 bear being tied to them in piaffing de ferme a ferme. 
 When the whole length is 120 feet, the leaping bar 
 
8 DESCRIPTION OF THE 
 
 should be placed at about 50 feet from the square end of 
 it. For this purpose, a hole should be made in the floor 
 opposite to the iron plate in the boards, and about nine 
 or ten feet from it. Into this hole a wooden frame 
 should be placed, having a plug in it when not in use. 
 This plug should have a ring at the top to pull it out by, 
 and be placed so much below the surface, as to allow it 
 to be covered by the mould. For this purpose a groove 
 should be made in the plug, so as for the ring to lie even 
 with the top of it. When this is taken out, for the bar 
 to be used, an upright post should be put into the hole. 
 It should have a groove in it, to receive the other end 
 of the leaping bar in the common way. 
 
 The floor of the riding-house should be of that sort 
 of clay, which has the least mixture of sand in it. It 
 should be laid two feet deep, and well rammed. When 
 the clay is kept dry, the surface of it is tenacious to the 
 foot ; and the dung from the horses generally forms a 
 mould upon it, sufficient to soften the upper surface, and 
 to prevent its being slippery. If become so by frequent 
 use, or that it happen to be worn into holes, it should 
 be lightly picked over with a pick axe. A little short 
 litter may be thrown upon it after it is picked, if 
 requisite, so as to encrease the mould upon it with the 
 help of the bits of clay which the pick axe takes up, 
 and which should be strewed upon it. When the 
 
RIDINC-HOUSE. 
 
 house is required to be watered, the man should begin 
 at the top and walk backwards, swinging the water- 
 ing pot after him ; this is the best method of watering 
 it evenly. 
 
[10] 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS NECESSARY FOR 
 THE HORSEMAN IN RIDING, AS WELL AS THOSE WHICH ARE 
 REQUISITE FOR WORKING THE HORSE IN HAND. 
 
 1 h e description of the scene of action having been 
 given, the implements necessary for the actors are next 
 to be considered. A chambriere was formerly used ; but a 
 coach whip answers the purpose better, and is more 
 convenient for working in hand. As it is seldom made 
 with a proper fall, I shall describe the one I like best. 
 The crop should be of that length which is gene- 
 rally used for a four-horse whip. It should taper 
 from the handle to the point, the strength of the crop 
 keeping pace with it, as it tapers. The handle of 
 it should have no paper between that part, and the 
 leather that binds it. By this, it will be smaller in the 
 hand. The keeper, to which the thong is to be fixed, 
 should be made of buff leather, as being most pliable. 
 It should project about an inch beyond the part where 
 it is tied to the end of the crop, in order to give a full 
 and easy play to the thong. This last should be made 
 gradually larger from the end adjoining to the keeper, to 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. II 
 
 a certain distance, so as to constitute what is called the 
 belly of the thong, upon the nicety of which the whole 
 fall depends. It should taper from thence to the ex- 
 tremity, which should be about as long as will nearly 
 reach to the commencement of the leathern handle. It 
 should have about six inches of whip-cord tied to it. 
 When the thong is of this construction, the whip falls 
 easier for being smaller in the hand. 
 
 When a bit is used, the best, that I know of, is what 
 is at present in general use by the name of a Pembroke 
 bit. It is upon a construction much improved from 
 that of which the late Earl of Pembroke has given a 
 plate in his publication on horsemanship. The pro- 
 portions of it are different, and the whole on a lighter 
 construction. 
 
 The dimension of the parts, and the method of making 
 a bit, are so various, according to the pleasure of those 
 who make use of it, that I have thought it necessary to 
 have an exact drawing taken, having such particular 
 proportions as are best calculated for the use of the 
 rider. I shall now give my reasons for approving the 
 shape and construction given in the plate.* The rings 
 at the ends of the branches, instead of being edgeways 
 towards the rider's hand, when on horseback, as repre- 
 sented in the Earl of Pembroke's book, should lie facing 
 
 * See Plate III. 
 
12 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 it. The reins, which come from his hand, will then 
 have the under side of them uppermost, where they join 
 the rings. This prevents them from twisting, and keeps 
 their under side towards the neck of the horse, which 
 position they should preserve. The branches coming 
 from these rings should be full half as long again as the 
 cheeks, which are the continuation of those branches 
 upwards. Exclusive of the power gained by the length 
 of them, it prevents their flying up when in use, which 
 the short branches are apt to do. The mouth-piece, 
 which is between them, may have a play attached to 
 the port, if required, as it assists in keeping the horse's 
 mouth fresh. It should be about three eighths of an 
 inch thick. If rollers are added to it, either fixed or 
 moveable, it should be about three eighths of an inch 
 more ; so as for the mouth-piece, when the rollers are 
 added, to be about three quarters of an inch diameter. 
 The rings of the curb should be all twisted one way. 
 When put on for use, the hook should receive the ring, 
 which is to be put into it, on the outside of that ring, 
 in order to keep the rest even." 
 
 There are two sorts of bridoons applicable to a 
 curb bridle. The one has a half cheek to it on each 
 side, with an eye at the upper end of it, to wdiich 
 
 * The names of some parts of the bit are frequently confounded, the 
 branches bein<r. called the curb, the curb the curb-chain, 8cc. 
 
Tlatc ffl . 
 
 JEJB - CJiaLon del . 
 
 Zoneton ,JtihUsh&L Jan: '1,1.806. by SJFreanazz . 
 
 W. Shebeen sculp. 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 13 
 
 the cheek of the headstall is sewed. It should be about 
 three-eighths of an inch in diameter, and taper a little as 
 it comes towards the joint in the centre.* The other, 
 which is much more severe, is called a running bridoon.-f 
 It should be made with two eyes to the half cheek on each 
 side, placed horizontally, in order for the cheeks of the 
 headstall to slide through them, when the edges are 
 sewed together for that purpose. When put on for use, 
 the rein of the off side cheek is continued through each 
 end of the front of the bridle, instead of having a 
 front of its own. The rein on the near side comes 
 about two thirds of the way up the cheek of the horse. 
 It has a buckle at the end of it to receive the off side 
 rein. The upper part of the near side rein is plain, 
 with two loops sewed to it, which receive the end of 
 the other rein, after it is buckled. The edges of the 
 lower half are brought in contact, and sewed together, 
 so as to be circular. The end of the hand-rein on each 
 side is doubled back for about an inch and a half. A 
 hole is made in the return of each hand-rein to receive 
 the circular end of the headstall, after it has been put 
 through the rings of the bridoon. The return is then 
 firmly sewed together, and forms a stop for the eye of 
 the bridoon to rest upon. 
 The mouth-piece of the bridoon should be made either 
 
 * See Plate IV, No. 5. '+ See Plate IV, No. 4- 
 
14? THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 twisted or plain, according as the horse may require it ; 
 but it should be made quite straight. It should never be 
 used in the riding-house, as it is by no means effectual 
 in bending a horse ; but may be a pleasant addition to 
 the bit for riding out of doors. It gives the rider a 
 power of easing the mouth of his horse, by using it 
 occasionally by itself, when the bars are tired by the 
 use of the bit, and vice versa. He has also a power of 
 raising the head by sawing it with both his hands, in 
 the manner I shall hereafter describe, when the horse is 
 inclined to bear upon it, or to hold its head too low. The 
 mouth-piece of a snaffle for the riding-house should be 
 made upon the same construction as that of a bridoon to 
 a curb bridle ; viz. quite straight on each side from the 
 cheeks to the joint in the centre ; plain or twisted, ac- 
 cording as it is required to be more or less severe.* It 
 should not exceed half an inch in diameter, tapering as 
 it comes towards the joint in the centre. The eyes 
 should be full large in proportion to the reins, so that 
 they may run easily through them. This gives it the 
 name of a running snaffle. The cheeks must of course 
 be in proportion to the eyes. On the top of the head- 
 stall which is to be put to it, a strap should be sewed, 
 about seven inches long. To each end of this strap a 
 half ring must be put. These rings will then be, one 
 
 * See Plate IV, No. 6. 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 15 
 
 on each side, about three inches and a half from the 
 centre.* The buckles to lengthen or shorten the cheeks 
 of the headstall must be placed, one on each side, instead 
 of having only one at the top, as is usual. The reins 
 must be made apart from the rest, with a billet leather and 
 buckle on one end of each. The length of the rein should 
 be about nine feet, with a billet leather of ten inches. 
 The half ring on each side of the headstall is meant 
 either to admit this rein to be buckled to it, or the strap 
 with a ring to it, which will hereafter be described. 
 When the rein is put on so as to be buckled to the half 
 ring, it should be put first through the outside part 
 of the eye of the snaffle. In order to pass the buckle 
 of the rein more easily through the eye of the snaffle, 
 so as to prevent its catching when the billet leather is 
 loose, the latter ought first to be laid on the top of the 
 buckle. Having passed it through the eye, it should 
 be brought forwards before the cheek of the headstall, 
 and then buckled over it to the half ring .+ This method 
 prevents the cheeks from coming too near the eyes of 
 the horse, which they are otherwise apt to do in work- 
 ing. If the buckle and strap with a ring to it be put on 
 to the half ring at the headstall on either side, so as for 
 the rein to pass through it, the billet leather end of it 
 should be put first through the eye of the snaffle on the 
 
 * See Plate IV, No. 7- t See Plate IV, No. 8. 
 
16 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 outside, then immediately through this ring, and be 
 buckled from thence to the staple in front of the saddle. 
 The ends of the reins should then be tied in a knot, of 
 the length which the rider may require ; namely, not so 
 short as for his hands to catch the tie, when his arms 
 are required to be opened, nor so long as for his saddle 
 flaps to catch them in working. 
 
 A rope rein for working in hand should be made of 
 cord slack twisted. It should be about three-eighths of 
 an inch in diameter, and about seventeen feet long, with 
 a billet leather at one end of it, the same as to the 
 leathern rein.* 
 
 I shall now describe the construction of the buckle 
 and strap, which has been mentioned in the preface as 
 being so useful a discovery, in facilitating the progress 
 of the science. The strap should be about one foot long, 
 with a buckle at one end of it. Close to this buckle a 
 loop should be placed to receive the strap. A running 
 loop should then be slipped on close to this loop. A 
 ring about the size of the eye of the snaffle should be 
 slipped on next, close to this running loop. The strap 
 should then be pulled quite home over the ring and 
 through this loop on the under side. Being then lit 
 for use, it may be buckled to the half-ring at the head- 
 stall, or to any other part, where the genius of the rider, 
 
 * See Plate IV, No. 9. 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C 17 
 
 in the progress of his study, may suggest an additional 
 lever to be requisite. The reins should be put on, 
 either the same or different on each side, as the horse 
 may require it. General rules should be given and 
 followed implicitly, till the grammar is learnt. Long 
 continued practice may after this suggest a few dif- 
 ferent aids, for which no absolute directions can be 
 given ; especially where they concern the art of work- 
 ing in hand. 
 
 A buckle and strap of the same construction, though 
 somewhat stronger, is made use of to be applied to 
 the end of a stick about six feet long, and about an inch 
 in diameter. This stick should properly be an ashen 
 stick. It should have the rind on, so as to make it more 
 tough, by which it is less liable to snap when in use. 
 A strong keeper should be bound to the smaller end of 
 it. The strap should then be passed through it, and be 
 drawn quite home through the under loop. It is then 
 fit for service. 
 
 Having now described every thing relating to bridles, 
 as far as it is requisite, I shall observe that there are 
 only two descriptions of horses for which a bit bridle 
 is calculated in the riding-house. The first are those, 
 which naturally carry their heads very high, with their 
 necks well set on to their shoulders. The second are 
 those, which also carry their heads high • but in 
 
 D 
 
18 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OP THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 consequence of their make, cannot bring them in. 
 The necks of the last mentioned horses are similar to 
 the make of a cock's neck ; they have from thence the 
 appellation of being cock-necked.* 
 
 I have just stated that the strap with the ring to it 
 (which is usually termed a buckle and strap) might be 
 applied to whatever part the genius of the rider finds 
 it to be requisite. When a bit is used, it should be 
 buckled to the off side branch of it, having previously 
 twisted the strap twice round the branch, namely, once 
 above, and once below the mouth-piece ; this keeps it in 
 its place. Having passed the billet leather end of a rein 
 through the outside of this ring, it should either be 
 fixed to the headstall, or another buckle and strap being 
 fastened to the half ring at the headstall, it should pass 
 through this ring also, and be buckled to the staple in 
 front of the saddle. Either the one or the other of those 
 methods should be adopted, according as the horse brings 
 its head down more or less by the effect of the curb 
 bridle, or according as it is required to be bent. For 
 
 * Horses with necks of this shape should if possible be excluded from 
 the riding-house. Mares with thin necks of this shape, always should. 
 Both should be rejected, if made lower before than behind ; for there is 
 no possibility of dressing them, especially if they do not bend their knees. 
 Horses of this make and action are equally unfit for our cavalry, as they 
 are for the riding-house, although I believe it is not much attended to in 
 the choice of them. 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 19 
 
 this has the effect of bending the neck, as much as a 
 cock-neck can be bent, without the head being brought 
 down, which last would set the horse upon its hocks, 
 in the same manner as those of the Duke of Newcastle's 
 school. 
 
 A roller is generally put on for working in hand, 
 instead of a saddle, as being more out of the way. 
 Before the saddle comes under consideration, I shall 
 therefore observe, that a roller should have three loops 
 to it ; one for the crupper loop, and one on each side of 
 the front part, just below the horse's withies. The most 
 material part, which is the saddle, comes next. 
 
 A horseman depends entirely upon his equilibre. If 
 he be sitting on a naked horse — his seat naturally falls 
 upon that part of its back, which is the lowest. This 
 part — when in action — is, as it were, the pivot of the 
 horse. For the centre of gravity of the horse's body is 
 continually varying from that point. The horseman's 
 seat is also the pivot of the man. For his centre of 
 gravity is there. The place of his weight continually 
 varies from that centre, according to the motion of the 
 horse. For instance — when the horse rises — the legs 
 of the rider, when easily dropped as they ought to be — 
 instead of being near the centre of the horse, as when 
 at rest — will by that motion be nearer the hind parts. 
 The weight therefore both of the horse, and of the rider, 
 
20 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 are then transferred to the hind parts of the horse. 
 Again — if the horse, without raising its fore parts from 
 the ground, launches out its hind parts — the legs of the 
 rider — although his position be not the least altered — - 
 will be nearer the fore parts than they were when the 
 horse was at rest. A saddle should therefore be made, 
 so as to accommodate the poize of the rider in this, and 
 in every other instance." As the withies of the horse 
 are higher than the loins, so should the saddle be made 
 higher at the lore parts than at the hind parts. The 
 upright leathern burs in front should be so made, as 
 for their extremities to project beyond the lower part 
 of the bur of the tree on each side. This projection 
 should be about two inches, and should be unattached 
 to the saddle, where it quits the bur of the tree. The 
 bolsters of the cantel should also project about three 
 inches beyond the cantel of the tree. For this purpose, 
 a return should be made in the leather, with a rim to 
 it. This return when stuffed is called the bolster. It 
 should be firmly sewed clown to the skirt of the saddle 
 on each side. The extremities will then yield by their 
 elasticity to the pressure of the horseman's thigh. They 
 are therefore an aid to his seat, without confining him, 
 when the horse is either rising or launching out. As 
 the hollowest part of the horse's back is nearer to the 
 
 * See Plate IV, No. 1. 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 21 
 
 croup than to the shoulders, so also should the hollowest 
 part of the saddle be nearer to the cantel than to the 
 pommel,* The make of some horses is such, as for it 
 to be very difficult to get the saddle to stay so exactly 
 on their backs, as for the horseman to be immediately 
 over those parts, where, by the shape of his saddle, he 
 ought to be placed. I mean by this, so as for the 
 hollowest part of the saddle to be over the hollowest 
 part of the back. As the horseman ought to be seated 
 there when riding without a saddle, the latter is an 
 encumbrance to him, instead of an aid, if by not being 
 
 * How different is the shape of the saddle here described from those 
 now in use in our cavalry. The hollowest part of their saddles is thrown 
 so forwards, that it is utterly impossible for a man to be well placed on 
 horseback. The rider is of course thrown forwards on his stirrups, and 
 consequently his weight upon the horse's shoulders. But this is not near 
 so bad as the Hungarian saddle lately adopted. In the last mentioned 
 saddle, the horseman is in a continual state of confinement in a false posi- 
 tion, without a possibility of accommodating the poise of his body to the 
 motions of the horse. Upon this confinement depends his seat, as also 
 upon the tightness of his girths, and of the circingle with which it is 
 generally bound, the bad consequences of which I shall hereafter mention. 
 If this saddle were at all to play when the horse happens suddenly to 
 rear, the horseman must infallibly be thrown. For the make of it is 
 such, as to prevent him from getting his legs sufficiently back at that time, 
 nor is he at liberty to bend his back inwards ; two circumstances without 
 which it is impossible for a horseman to sit a horse, when it rears, but by 
 clinging. He must equally be thrown too forward when the horse launches 
 out. Therefore on a sudden — in the heat of action perhaps — when a 
 horseman ought to be the steadiest, and to have the most command over 
 his horse, he is most subject to the will of it. But of this more hereafter. 
 
22 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 exactly right placed, it prevents his sitting upon that 
 part. The most precise way of placing it, in this case, 
 is by the use of both crupper and breast plate at the 
 same time, by the buckles of each of which it can be 
 adjusted. I am only speaking of this, when it is abso- 
 lutely required, for to the generality of horses it is hardly 
 wanted. 
 
 For manage riding it is best to have only one girth, 
 about four or five inches broad, with four buckles 
 to it. The reason for this is, that it should always be 
 evenly slack, by which it will permit the saddle to play 
 upon the horse's back with less chance of interruption 
 than might be occasioned by two girths. For the rider 
 should be of a piece with his saddle, and both should play 
 together on the horse's back, exactly as if the horseman 
 were riding without a saddle. By a saddle of this descrip- 
 tion moving with him, he has every assistance to his seat, 
 without any impediment to the poise of his body. The 
 objections to tight girths are innumerable, a few instances 
 of which I shall proceed to mention. If the horse be 
 so made as for the saddle to be liable to slip forwards, 
 the crupper must in this case inevitably gall the tail, if 
 the saddle be placed where it ought to be. The manage 
 rider is sometimes required to press his weight upon 
 one stirrup only. If the saddle happens to roll from its 
 place by this pressure, when the girths are tight, it 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 23 
 
 requires an effort of his own to create a pressure on the 
 other stirrup, in order to bring it right again. In this, if 
 the girth be very tight, he cannot always succeed ; but, 
 at all events, it is the greatest interruption to himself 
 and to his horse. If this pressure be not given as a 
 counterpoise, the saddle is liable to remain awry on the 
 horse's back. This is, of course, equally to the discom- 
 forture of both parties. How often will a horse plunge 
 while a rider is mounting, or as soon as it sets off, 
 merely from the girths being tight ! The distress which 
 it occasions to a manage horse, when required to bend 
 its body, is inconceivable. Sir Sidney Medows, who 
 used to ride with his girths even more slack than I 
 do, very properly cried out against it in the severest 
 terms. 
 
 In order for the poise of the horse's body to be kept, 
 it is absolutely necessary for the man to keep the poise 
 of his own body. I have frequently seen a horse fall 
 by the man's losing the poise of his body, which would 
 by no means have happened otherwise. 
 
 When a horse suddenly rises, if the horseman's 
 legs are easily dropped, so as for the ball of the 
 foot just to be supported by his stirrup, and his seat 
 easily placed in the hollowest part of a well made 
 saddle, he is perfectly at liberty for any aid that 
 may be required. If he chooses at this time to give 
 
24 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 the horse both his spurs, so as to make it launch 
 out immediately from thence, the saddle permits him 
 to let his body fall easily back, when the action of 
 the hind legs gives it a tendency to do so. In this 
 case, although the horse is completely in the air, 
 the horseman — far from being disturbed by it — only 
 finds himself placed, even lower if possible, in the 
 hollow part of his saddle, than he was when the 
 horse was at rest. I mean by this, that he will be so 
 much lower, in proportion as the hollow part of the 
 back of the horse is bent in the exertion. For as the 
 horse's back sinks by this action, so should the seat of 
 the rider sink upon it. He is then, if possible, more 
 what the French call aufond de la selie, than when the 
 horse was at rest. When a ball is thrown with great 
 force from one cricket player to another, if the hands of 
 the man who is to catch it are not held loose, and do 
 not yield to it at the time they receive it, they will 
 suffer a considerable jar, and will probably let the ball 
 drop. The same thing would happen to the horseman, 
 if his saddle be not so made as to permit his body to 
 fall easily back, without disturbing his seat, when the 
 horse launches out its hind parts. This he could not 
 do without being disturbed by it, if the lowest part of 
 the saddle were not placed upon the hollowest part of 
 the horse's back, in order for his seat to sink into 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 25 
 
 For this part ought to receive his seat at the time, 
 just as easily as the hollow part of his hand would 
 receive a cricket ball, when it is properly held out for 
 the purpose. The harder the ball is thrown, the deeper 
 it is received into the hollow of the hand without 
 hurting it, when the hand yields to it, while receiving 
 it. The more violent the action of the horse is in 
 rising, and in launching out afterwards, the looser the 
 horseman is required to be in his seat, in order that he 
 may drop the lower into his saddle, if it be so made as 
 to give him the power of yielding properly to the given 
 force. When the hollo west part of the saddle is placed 
 forwarder than where I have mentioned, the seat of 
 the horseman is upon an inclined plane. When the 
 horse rises, he is seated upon the upper part of this 
 plane : when it launches out immediately afterwards, 
 his seat must slip forwards along the plane towards the 
 horse's shoulders. He has then no chance of keeping it 
 but by the aid of his stirrups. His attention therefore at 
 that period must be totally directed to the care of him- 
 self on a saddle of this make. On the contrary, if made 
 as I have described, a good horseman has his attention 
 no more directed to his seat at these times, than if he 
 were standing on the ground.* 
 
 * I have heard Sir Sidney Medows say, that a saddle should be ship 
 shape. The comparison bears exactly enough to some coasting vessels^ 
 
 E 
 
26 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 A flat iron plate should be screwed on to the bur 
 of the tree of the saddle. From this a solid piece of iron 
 not quite so thick as a man's thumb should project at a 
 right angle, in order to receive the stirrup leathers. 
 Two brass staples on each side should also be fixed on 
 the front part of the flap. These are meant to receive the 
 billet leathers of the reins when required to be buckled 
 there. The stirrup leathers should be two feet long, 
 when doubled, and fit for use. In the middle of this 
 double the stirrup iron should be placed. The ends 
 should receive the buckle and be sewed together for 
 about three inches down them. At this place a loop 
 should be set on, to receive the cross strap. By the 
 leathers being of this length, the buckle is most out of 
 the way, as it is received along some part of the bolster 
 of the saddle, where it is hollow from the convexity of 
 
 which I have seen, whose decks are even all the way, instead of having a 
 gallery to them. On this account they are made rounding from side to 
 side, in order to throw the water ofF, that might occasionally flow upon 
 them, and they are made lowest in the waist, in order that the water 
 may run off" the soonest from that part, and keep those persons the driest, 
 who stand either on the stem or on the stern. When the vessel is sailing, 
 the deck resembles exactly the shape of a saddle when seen in its best 
 point of view, namely, on the back of a horse while in action on its 
 haunches. That part of the vessel which is called the waist is precisely 
 the same part in proportion, as the place of the loins of the horse. The 
 stem of the vessel and the shoulders of the horse are the highest. The 
 stern of the vessel and the haunches of the horse are lower when in motion, 
 which makes the waist of the vessel and the loins of the horse to be the 
 hollowest part. 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 27 
 
 the stuffing. Each strap should be a foot long, with 
 holes made in it. This must be reckoned from the 
 part where it is sewed across, having previously been 
 doubled, so as to leave space enough to be easily slipt 
 on to the iron in front.* The stirrups thus buckled admit 
 of being taken off and put on again to the front part as one 
 piece. This prevents the horse from being disturbed by 
 them, while working in hand. If different persons are 
 required successively to ride the same horse, each man 
 also can put on his own stirrups, already adjusted to his 
 length. This saves time as well as disturbance, which 
 last is a material circumstance, especially to a colt. When 
 the stirrups are attached to the saddle in the common 
 way, care should be taken to prevent the horse from 
 being disturbed by them, when leading in and out of the 
 house, or when working in hand. This is best done by 
 one of them being put across through the other in front of 
 the pommel of the saddle, with that part uppermost which 
 touches the sides of the horse when hanging down. As 
 the saddle should be concave to receive the seat of the 
 rider, so should the bottom part of the stirrup iron have 
 an oval hole cut through it, in order that the ball of the 
 foot may stand firmer upon it.* The saddle should, as be- 
 fore observed, be suited to the hollow part of the horse's 
 back, which is the pivot, upon which the horseman's 
 balance depends, when seated. The stirrup is the pivot 
 
 * See Plate III, No. iii. * See Plate III, No. xiv. 
 
28 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 upon which he is to turn when mounting. The hollow 
 part of this stirrup should therefore be equally adapted 
 to receive the ball of his foot upon it at that time, as the 
 hollow part of the saddle should be — to receive his seat. 
 This part should also be made rough, like a file, in order 
 to prevent his foot from slipping, either at that time, or 
 when seated. 
 
 The rider should have a cocked hat, properly put on, 
 without which there can be no parade. His boots should 
 come up above the knee, in order to make him appear 
 to have a short thigh and a long leg. For in the length 
 of his legs below the horse, and in the shortness of his 
 body above it, consist not only the grace, but the poize 
 of the rider. The neck of the spurs should be of a 
 moderate length, and made quite straight, till it comes 
 towards that end, on which the rowel turns." This part 
 should be only a little bent downwards for safety. So 
 small a variation from the straight line does not prevent 
 the horseman from giving his aim right. The shank or 
 axis of the rowel should be placed horizontally in the 
 opening. The rowel, which will then turn perpendi- 
 cularly, should be made of a small steel plate, from 
 whence the spikes should proceed, about half way 
 between the centre and the circumference of the rowel. 
 In this way, the spikes being shorter than the usual 
 length are not so liable to be bent ; and the rowel, when 
 
 * See Plate III, No. xiii. 
 
THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 29 
 
 thus made, has more substance in it. It will also turn 
 the easier ; and by being placed perpendicularly, is no( 
 so liable to catch against any thing in case of a fall. 
 Chains may be added to the spurs, if preferred for orna- 
 ment. But the length of them, or of the sides of the 
 spur, should not be such, as to prevent the under leathers 
 from sloping towards that end of the heels of the boot, 
 which is nearest to the hollow of the foot.* The under 
 leathers should be short, in order for the neck of the 
 spur to incline rather upwards when it is placed on the 
 upper part of the ball of the heel. I am the more minute 
 in these particulars, knowing of what consequence it is 
 for the rider to be able to give his spurs properly. If it be 
 required to ascertain the truth of what I have said, as to 
 the exact part on which the spur is to be placed, let the 
 horseman get upon a quiet horse, and dropping his legs 
 easily, let him sling them loosely from that position till he 
 hits his horse's sides firmly with his heels. On whatever 
 part of his heels he feels the blow, which he has hit, let 
 him place his spurs ; with their necks in such a position 
 as that the horse may receive the whole force of the 
 length of them. If he chooses to make this experiment, 
 he will find, that there is but one part of the heels 
 on which the spurs should be fixed, in order for him to 
 have the greatest power of letting his horse feel them 
 
 * See Plate III, No. xii. 
 
30 THE BEST CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS, &C. 
 
 with exactness on the part where they are meant to be 
 given. " The horse must be spurred to an inch," as my 
 late master in horsemanship, and the person to whom I 
 owe every thing I know of it, used to say. This cannot be 
 done without the spurs being put on exactly in their 
 places, that is to say, about an inch above the heels of the 
 soles of the boots, sloping from thence downwards to the 
 under leathers. If the spurs be placed higher than this, 
 by the under leathers being too long, the rider will lose 
 all his force, and will probably hurt himself as much as 
 his horse. If the neck of the spurs hang lower than the 
 knobs on which the leathers are placed, all the force of 
 spur (when given) is equally lost, by the neck being out 
 of its line. Or if force can be given, the legs of the 
 rider must be lifted up to give it ; and consequently the 
 seat of the horseman interrupted, at the time when it is 
 of the utmost consequence to keep it the stillest. For 
 there is as much art in giving the spurs quietly, and 
 properly, so as to make the horse go forwards for them, 
 as in any part of the science of riding. 
 
 The proper implements for the use of the horseman, 
 and those parts of his dress which are most necessary 
 for him to attend to, have now been described as far as 
 it is requisite. As working in hand is a preparation 
 to riding, my next chapter will be upon that subject, 
 previous to the rider's being put on horseback. 
 
FUtc IF 
 
 W.B. 
 
 N".i. 
 
 HSB . Qwbm del. 
 
 Scale to the Saddles. 
 
 W.Skehtcn sculp. 
 
[31] 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE MANNER OF WORKING THE HORSE IN HAND, AND THE 
 ACTION OF THE LEGS IN ALL ITS PACES. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS 
 IN PROPORTION TO ITS PROGRESS ON THE LINES OF ART. 
 
 One great use of working a horse in hand is, that it 
 avoids the constraint which would be caused by the 
 weight upon its back. It is therefore particularly ser- 
 viceable to those horses which are at times required 
 to be exercised with ease to themselves, either from 
 previously having had hard exercise, or after sickness. 
 It is of very great service to colts, as it enables them to 
 perform these lessons so much easier to themselves, that 
 they may be put more forward than when mounted, when 
 proper helps can be had for that purpose. But in order to 
 do this, two — and sometimes three men — are required to 
 act together, so as for their different aids to correspond. 
 It is very useful for the horse to be worked in hand 
 at all times previous to being mounted ; as it settles it, 
 
32 OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING REINS. 
 
 when above its work, which horses kept for entertain- 
 ment always should be. The rider, after this, mounts 
 with greater safety, and should never practise on the 
 back of the horse any lessons that are not perfectly easy 
 to it when done in hand. The followers are also taught 
 by it those helps, which the rider may occasionally 
 require when mounted ; at which time, it is even more 
 material, that they should be given correctly. At that 
 time, the art is not only greater in doing it — but if ill 
 done, it is more difficult for the rider to correct. 
 
 As I mentioned in my preface, the first lessons of 
 the colt should be as much unconstrained as the first 
 lessons of the boy. The latter would be but little 
 constrained by looking at a picture, and by being 
 told, in a foreign language, the vocabulary of what 
 he is looking at. The former should, in the first 
 lessons, suffer comparatively an equally small con- 
 straint ; and (although it may seem particular) the older 
 the colt is before it is broken, the less should be the 
 severity of the first lessons ; for the greater will be the 
 power of resistance. The moment resistance is offered, 
 the master, by unwearied diligence, should vary, in 
 some degree, the method of communicating his ideas. 
 For it is more probable, that his scholar does not com- 
 prehend him, than that he means to resist him, if he 
 did. Having premised this, I hope to be excused for 
 
OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 33 
 
 giving a very minute detail of the first lessons. These 
 should be well understood ; as the future entertainment 
 of the master depends upon the method which he takes 
 in training up his scholar. 
 
 A colt, at a year and a half old, may have a halter put 
 on, when caught in autumn to be housed for the winter. 
 In order to prevent its head from being galled at this age, 
 the headstall should be made on purpose, of girth web. 
 The halter may at first be worn for a longer, or a shorter 
 space of time, according as the wearer is more or less im- 
 patient with it. Over constraint must always be avoided, 
 as every endeavour should be used to prevent its being 
 tormented. When left, the end of the halter should be 
 twisted, for fear of its being trod upon. If you venture to 
 tie the colt to a manger, it should be but for a short time at 
 first, while it is feeding. Frequent repetitions of the same 
 thing gently, while the master is caressing them, lead 
 their minds insensibly to do what is required of them ; but 
 if they are persevered in roughly, and until the colt is 
 fatigued by it, they are only the beginning of opposition. 
 
 By handling them cautiously at this age, so as to 
 avoid straining them, the first lessons are made infinitely 
 easier, when they are taken up for service. This should 
 never be till they are five years old at least. But if a 
 high couraged colt has ranged at ease till it is six years 
 old, at which period the horse has acquired its full 
 
34 OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 
 
 strength, the very reverse of what is usually done should 
 then be put in practice ; for the avoiding of constraint 
 avoids opposition/" Let the first lesson, therefore, be 
 that of galloping loose about the riding-house under 
 the control of the master and his assistants, instead of 
 galloping about the fields for its own pleasure. For 
 this purpose, having previously put on a halter, let the 
 end of it be twisted, so that a man can just lay hold of 
 it. Either by that, or by a separate cord, so tied to it 
 that he can easily slip it from the halter, let the colt be 
 led into the riding-house. This should be done by one 
 man, with another man following carefully, with a whip 
 in his hand, ready to strike the ground behind the horse, 
 if required. The cord should then be taken from the 
 halter ; and the (colt with the halter on, thus tied up) 
 should be set perfectly at liberty. At this period, the two 
 men, each with a whip in his hand, should immediately 
 take their stations in the following manner. One in the 
 centre of the circle at the circular end of the house, and 
 the other at the square end of the house, on that spot, 
 where, if two diagonals of the square were drawn, they 
 would meet. In whatever part of the house the colt 
 
 * Before experience taught me this, in the infancy of my practice, I was 
 apt to constrain my horse to do what the limbs were not supple enough 
 to bear with ease. I well remember Sir Sidney's words to me on these 
 occasions. " Sir, you are giving your horse arms against yourself." 
 
OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 35 
 
 happens to run first, the man who is nearest to it should 
 run after it, and drive it along the walls, by striking his 
 whip on the ground, till he brings it to that part of the wall 
 opposite to the man placed in the middle of the house at 
 the other end ; having done this, he should run back again 
 down the middle to his own place. The other man should 
 then immediately drive the horse along that wall, and 
 through the two corners, or circular end, which ever it 
 may happen to be, till he comes to the first man. After 
 this, he should directly run back again along the middle 
 of the house, to resume his original place in the centre, 
 and wait there till the man who began first does the 
 same thing in his turn. Each should endeavour as much 
 as possible to keep the colt on, and to prevent it from 
 crossing the house. This should be done to the right 
 in preference, for a short time together, letting the 
 colt stop at intervals to breathe ; and thus should end 
 the first lesson. 
 
 The next day the same lesson should be repeated, 
 except that, in addition to the halter, the snaffle bridle, 
 which has already been described, should, if possible, be 
 previously put on. The bridle should have no reins to it, 
 nor be made any use of. When the colt has learnt to trot 
 and gallop large* round the house without stopping, 
 (except when called to for that purpose,) two long reins, 
 
 * By the term large, is meant the whole length of the house. 
 
36 OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 
 
 which I have before described, should be fastened, one 
 to each eye of the snaffle. The range of the horse must 
 then be contracted to the length of ground which the rope 
 rein permits it to run, at the circular end of the house. 
 At this period another man should be called in ; they 
 should be placed as follows : in going to the right, one 
 man should be in the centre of the circle, and hold the 
 near-side rein ; this man should nearly turn round his 
 own centre, or at least he should make the smallest 
 circle of all. The rein should be held tighter or slacker 
 as may be required. Whenever the horse is likely to 
 come upon him, he should throw his arms up sud- 
 denly, and shake the rein, to prevent it. The horse 
 may be frightened by this, and may in consequence run 
 suddenly towards the wall. The man having neither 
 altered his position, nor the length of his rein, the horse 
 will in this case be caught by it, and be prevented from 
 hurting itself. Whenever this happens, it is also of 
 service in helping the horse to look inwards.* The 
 next man should have a whip in his right hand, and the 
 off-side rope rein in his left. By shaking this rein, 
 and by striking the whip on the ground, back-handed, 
 under the rein, he should drive the horse round the 
 
 * I should wish to have it understood, that whenever the words inwards 
 or outwards are made use of, they are always meant as relative to the centre 
 of the circle. 
 
OP THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. S^ 
 
 largest circle, as fast as possible, and should follow it on 
 a smaller circle, pulling and giving the rein, as occasion 
 may require. If the house be of a width not exceeding 
 forty feet, the horse will have no more constraint from 
 three out of four of the walls, than it had been used to 
 when galloping large. One end being circular is of pecu- 
 liar advantage to a colt just at first, as it avoids the con- 
 straint of the corners ; for at this period, it has not 
 sufficiently got the poise of its body, to be able to run 
 round in a circle with ease to itself. As only one half 
 of the circle is described by the walls, the horse should 
 be helped by the third man in describing the remainder 
 of it. For this purpose, he should walk up to the out- 
 side of the circle, rather nearer to the wall on his right 
 side, than to the other wall, if the horse be going to the 
 right. Having a whip in his right hand, he should trail 
 it behind him on the ground, as he walks to his place, 
 and should keep it thus trailed, when he stops at the 
 outside of the circle. By doing this, he is ready to lift 
 it up and strike it on the ground again at one time. This 
 is very material, as it prevents the colt from being 
 alarmed, by the act of first lifting the whip up in 
 front, before he can strike the ground. This makes 
 two motions, the first of which is apt to frighten 
 the horse, before the whip comes down again on that 
 part of the ground, where it is most requisite as an 
 
38 OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 
 
 aid. It also frequently prevents it from being given 
 at the right time, by the alarm which is previously 
 taken on its being lifted up. This blow should be 
 given fore-handed, as soon as the colt has quitted the 
 wall. After this, having drawn the whip back on 
 his left side, it should be immediately given back- 
 handed towards the other wall, by the man's run- 
 ning a few steps after the horse, on the outside of the 
 circle, while he does it. The period of striking this 
 second blow will then generally be, when the colt has 
 nearly reached the other wall. When the horse is on the 
 trot or gallop, as it ought to be, these two aids succeed 
 each other immediately. If two men can be spared on 
 the outside of the circle, one should stand ready to give 
 a fore-handed blow near the right-hand wall, with just 
 room enough for him to strike the ground without the 
 intervention of the wall ; or, according to circumstances, 
 the blow may at times be given on the wall itself 
 back-handed. The other should stand as near the left- 
 hand wall, as will permit him to strike a back-handed 
 blow ; this blow may also at times be given fore- 
 handed on the wall itself. This last man should come 
 up to his place with his whip trailing on his left side. 
 Both of them should extend their arms at the time of 
 giving the blow as much as possible, and hold the points 
 of their whips, after the blow, as low as possible, while 
 
OP THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 39 
 
 bringing them back for a second blow. The great dif- 
 ficulty consists in these various operations being pro- 
 perly timed : Hoc opus, hie labor est. Whatever I have 
 mentioned here as to be done for the right hand, must 
 of course be vice versa for the left. 
 
 When the colt is to be stopped, the man nearest the 
 centre, holding the near-side rein, should run forwards 
 before the horse, from the centre to the circumference, 
 keeping his rein nearly of the same length as before, 
 and checking it towards himself. For it should be ob- 
 served, that a rein when checked has exactly the con- 
 trary effect to what a rein has, when a horse is gently 
 led by it ; notwithstanding that the man may equally 
 hold the rein towards himself in the one case, as in the 
 other. He should prefer doing this in a part where he 
 can take advantage of the wall ; as he should get as near 
 to it as he can with safety. By keeping the rein of the 
 same length, or nearly so, and running forwards while 
 checking the horse towards himself, till it stops, he will 
 be at such a distance from the horse as to be in perfect 
 safety. By running from the centre to the circum- 
 ference, he will also be most likely to stop his horse in 
 a proper position, namely with the croup in. For in 
 longing a colt, the greatest endeavour should be made 
 to put the croup out in the progress, and to put the croup 
 in, in the stop — for reasons which I shall hereafter 
 
40 OP THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 
 
 explain, when speaking of the lines of art. The man 
 holding the off-side rein should also run forwards at the 
 same time with the man in the centre, and only shake his 
 rein outwardly ; unless the horse's croup comes too 
 much upon him, so as to oblige him to check his rein a 
 little towards himself- If the man, holding the near- 
 side rein finds himself in danger by running towards 
 the wall on the circumference of the circle, by the colt's 
 refusing to stop, let him neither persist in that method, 
 nor use violence in checking. In this case only, let the 
 man holding the off-side rein, and shaking it as above 
 mentioned, advance also towards the wall, and lifting 
 up both his hands, while he shakes the rein, present a 
 fresh object to the horse. This may induce it to stop, 
 by the alarm which will be occasioned by it. The man 
 should look the horse full in the face while he is lifting 
 up his arms and running forwards. Both should be care- 
 ful to continue running before the horse, in order to 
 prevent being run over in case of resistance. This is in- 
 finitely better than using greater severity in checking.* 
 
 * I must here remark that nothing is so material to be attended to, at 
 all times when a horse has been stopped, as the place of the man who 
 has stopped it. For this purpose, if the man be behind the horse, and has 
 called to it to stop in any of its lessons, or has pulled the long rein for 
 it to stop, it is frequently very material that he should come forwards, 
 immediately afterwards, in order that the horse may stand still, if not 
 inclined to do so. 
 
OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 41 
 
 But if all this be ineffectual, and the colt will not stop, 
 let the man holding the near-side rein take that rein off, 
 and put the stick on. It this case, his circle must be 
 altered ; and instead of keeping near the centre, he must 
 describe that circle, which the length of the stick per- 
 mits him, so as for the horse to describe as large a circle 
 as before. Armed with that powerful engine, the stick, 
 he may then safely venture to the outside of the circle 
 to stop the colt ; but let him beware how he uses his 
 power ; as much mischief may be done by an over 
 exertion. 
 
 Hitherto I have only described the method of longing 
 a colt by fixing the billet-leather end of the rope rein 
 to the eyes of the snaffle. In this state, the tracks which 
 the horse makes will be irregular. Nor should they be 
 much attended to at this period ; the principal endea- 
 vours being to keep the horse regularly going, till made 
 to stop by the method above mentioned. It should be 
 allowed to go from the trot to the gallop and from the 
 gallop to the trot, as may be most easy to itself. Its 
 rate of going should be as fast as the horse is inclined 
 to go. The horseman should endeavour to keep it to 
 that rate, and to prevent it from making any stop of 
 its own accord. No check should be given to it upon 
 any occasion, unless it gallops false, of which more will 
 be said hereafter. The check should be given by the 
 
 G 
 
42 OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 
 
 man in the centre holding the near-side rein, if going 
 to the right, &c. vice versa to the left; that is to say, 
 in either case with the outside rein. When the horse 
 is thus far advanced, the man should be endeavour- 
 ing at intervals to put on a roller as quietly as pos- 
 sible. With some horses this requires the greatest care 
 in the beginning ; for I have known them suddenly 
 plunge to so violent a degree by the feel of a roller 
 at first, as to be quite ungovernable. If this be put 
 on in the stable, it should be buckled as loose as it 
 well can be, so as just to prevent its getting out of its 
 place ; for a horse will sometimes plunge after it is put 
 on, the moment it has left the stable door. When a colt 
 is led to the circular end of the riding-house, while one 
 man is holding it, the other man taking advantage of 
 the help of the wall, should endeavour to tighten the 
 roller a little more, if requisite, than should be ven- 
 tured in the stable. When put in action after this, I 
 have known an instance in which it began to plunge to 
 such a degree that nothing could prevent it. All that 
 should be done at this time, is the same as should be 
 done in every case when a horse begins to plunge, and 
 what is exactly contrary to the usual practice. For on 
 this occasion, if the horseman be on its back, he is apt 
 to be alarmed by the sudden motion of it, and frequently, 
 in consequence of his alarm, sits stiff; and almost always 
 
OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 43 
 
 lets his horse stop. Whenever this happens — the horse- 
 man is not only in the utmost danger of being thrown 
 off the next minute, but the horse is apt to get the trick 
 of stopping, of which it is afterwards very difficult to 
 break it, if not proceeded upon in the right way. By 
 this it is meant, that when a colt begins plunging, 
 whether the rider be upon its back or not, it should be 
 driven forwards as fast as possible. 
 
 I have before mentioned, that every roller should 
 have three loops to it, one on each side of the front part 
 of it, and one behind, to receive the crupper. As soon 
 as the horse will bear the roller quietly, a crupper should 
 be put on, to keep it in its place, when pulled at by the 
 rein which is meant to be buckled to it in the manner 
 I shall proceed to describe. When a regular progres- 
 sive motion is obtained, the croup will thus be gradually 
 thrown out rather more than it naturally would be. By 
 this, the horse will begin to go in the longe upon the 
 lines of art, with rather more constraint to itself. When 
 the longe is meant to be to the right — the man holding 
 the off-side rein buckled to the snaffle, as before des- 
 cribed, should for this purpose unbuckle it, and pass it 
 through the outside part of the eye of the snaffle. It 
 should then be buckled to the loop on the off-side of 
 the roller ; or if the horse is by this time quiet enough 
 to bear the saddle to be put en, it should be buckled 
 
44 OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 
 
 round the girth near the buckle of it. The near-side 
 rein should be passed through the outside part of the 
 eye of the snaffle ; and from thence being brought for- 
 wards before the cheeks of the headstall, it should be 
 buckled over it to the half ring at the top.* The colt, 
 by this alteration, will still be nearly as much at liberty 
 as it was ; but its neck will now bend a little, every 
 time the off-side rein is pulled ; — the shoulders will of 
 course be rather more brought in, and consequently the 
 croup more thrown out at these times. By the alteration 
 of the near-side rein, the horseman will have a greater 
 power of stopping the horse on its haunches. For when 
 the rein is thus buckled to the headstall — every time 
 the man checks it towards himself, as before described, 
 in endeavouring to stop the horse — it acts as a lever by 
 which to pull its head upwards ; and consequently sets 
 the colt more upon its haunches. Soon after this, if the 
 horse goes easily from the trot to the gallop, and vice 
 versa, in a regular progressive motion ; the man in the 
 centre holding the near-side rein may pull it off, and quit 
 his place. The only difference, that will occur by this 
 alteration, will be in the method of stopping the horse ; 
 so that this change should not be made till the colt stops 
 easily when required to do so. There is seldom much 
 difficulty in accomplishing this, as at this period it will 
 
 * See Plate IV. No. 8. 
 
OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 45 
 
 frequently stop by the voice only, if the man's position 
 be right, when he requires it. 
 
 When this near-side rein is pulled off, and the stop is 
 intended to be made, the man holding the off-side rein 
 must be careful to run forwards to the outside of the 
 circle, shaking his rein and holding up his whip at the 
 same time before the horse. For this purpose, he should 
 always take the advantage of the wall, and he will soon 
 perceive whether he can stop it without the aid of the 
 other person. If so — the other man, having pulled off 
 the near-side rein, and quitted his place, should go to 
 the man on the outside of the circle, if there be only 
 one man there already, as two men will be more par- 
 ticularly wanted on the outside by this alteration. Their 
 business at this place I have before described. If the 
 horse happens only now and then to gallop false, it is in 
 general better to drive it on till it comes true again, than 
 to be continually checking it for that purpose ; for a 
 false gallop, continued for any length of time, is so very 
 uneasy to itself, that it will come to the true gallop very 
 soon again for its own ease. On the contrary, if con- 
 tinually checked at these times, it will be apt to get the 
 trick of going false, which will be more difficult for the 
 horseman afterwards to break it of, than if suffered now 
 and then to do so without being checked for it, espe- 
 cially at first, when it should not be much attended to. 
 
46 OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 
 
 When this lesson is perfectly easy — that is to say, 
 when the poise of the body is sufficiently perfect thus 
 far — a little more constraint may be ventured. For 
 this purpose, the buckle and strap with the ring to 
 it, which has been before described, should be fastened 
 to the ring at the headstall on the off-side. The billet- 
 leather end of a bridle rein (which for the sake of dis- 
 tinction I shall in future call a black rein) should be 
 buckled to the loop of the roller on the off-side, or to 
 the staple in front of the saddle ; from thence it should 
 be brought through the ring of the strap at the headstall, 
 and through the inside of the eye of the snaffle. Pulling 
 it from thence towards the man's left hand, under the 
 girth or roller, it should be tied round the girth, of such 
 a length at first, as hardly to be felt by the horse. In 
 order to tie this knot properly — after having pulled it 
 under the roller, the end of it should be brought back 
 and put downwards under that part of the rein which 
 is close to the billet leather. The end of the rein should 
 then be held up again loosely, and be pulled forwards, 
 double, through the noose which will be formed by so 
 doing, in front of the roller : this pull must be made 
 downwards from left to right. In order to tie this knot 
 quite tight, let the man take hold of the noose loosely with 
 his left hand in front of it while pulling the rein in his 
 right hand ; he must then pull firmly contrary ways with 
 
OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 47 
 
 both his hands, and the knot will be closed. I have 
 endeavoured to describe this minutely, as it is difficult to 
 tie the knot so as to prevent it from slipping, by any other 
 method than the one here attempted to be given. Every 
 day the rein may be tied a little tighter, in proportion as 
 the colt seems to be able to bear it without much constraint 
 to itself. For a horse should never be put to any lesson 
 that is not easy in its progress. Constraint does not 
 supple — on the contrary, it stiffens ; may occasion lame- 
 ness, and frequently does occasion an opposition, that 
 is sooner acquired than got rid of. If the horse now 
 begins to stop with ease to itself at the end of every 
 lesson, the master, taking the rope rein rather shorter, 
 and twisting it round his hand, should check the horse 
 towards himself, while tied, so as to make it back a step 
 or two, after the stop has been completely made. This 
 is enough just at first; more must be gained insensibly 
 every day. If there be any difficulty in doing it, 
 another person may be called to his aid, who should 
 stand behind the man, with a long whip. He should 
 look the horse full in the face, lift his whip up sud- 
 denly, and strike the ground behind the man and before 
 the horse forcibly. If difficulty still occurs, the stick 
 may be used by the man's pushing it from himself, in 
 the same manner as described in the stop. But this 
 powerful instrument should not be used with violence ; 
 
48 OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF USING THE REINS. 
 
 the point should rather be given up, till the horse in 
 its progress becomes rather more supple. As at this 
 period, the croup will begin to be a little more thrown 
 out, and consequently the shoulders rather more brought 
 in, the horse may at times come so much within the 
 circle, as to be liable to run over the man. In this case, 
 both his hands should be suddenly lifted up. The rein, 
 which will then be loose, should also be shaken imme- 
 diately, and the horse will go back to its place round the 
 circle. For nothing makes it run back so soon as what 
 I have recommended to be practised for that purpose. 
 
[49] 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT AND GALLOP IN CIRCLES ON 
 THE LINES OF ART, AND THE MODE WHICH THE HORSE HAS OF 
 COMING FROM THE ONE TO THE OTHER. THE POWER OF ALTER- 
 ING THE MOTION OF ITS LIMBS IN THE WALK ACCORDING TO 
 ITS WILL, SO AS TO PRODUCE EITHER THE PACE, THE TROT, 
 OR THE GALLOP. MODE OF WORKING IN CIRCLES ON THE 
 LINES OF ART IN A WALK, SO AS TO AVOID THE PACE. TRUE 
 ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT AND GALLOP NATURALLY. 
 THE FALSE GALLOP. 
 
 In proportion as the colt can bear to be tied tighter 
 without constraint, so will the four legs begin more 
 distinctly to describe the four circles, which are called 
 the lines of art ; these I shall now proceed to describe. In 
 speaking of the four circles, it must be understood, that 
 the first circle is that which is nearest the centre, and so 
 on of the rest. It must also be understood, that when the 
 centre is mentioned in going large round the house, it is 
 always meant as referring to the centre of a circle. 
 
 In trotting to the right, the near fore-leg and the 
 off hind-leg come down together on the second and 
 
 H 
 
50 
 
 ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT. 
 
 third circles. These are instantaneously ready to spring 
 off again, as here represented. 
 
 W. SJcelton sculp. 
 
 At this period the horse, by its will, is throwing 
 forwards the off fore-leg and near hind-leg at the same 
 instant. When the legs on the second and third circles 
 are lifted up again — which happens before the other 
 two legs come to the ground on the first and fourth 
 circles — it is one of the periods in which the horse is 
 all in air. They will come down on the two last men- 
 tioned circles where they are marked. The action of these 
 two legs is thus : the off fore-leg doubles over the near 
 fore-leg in gaining ground in the first circle ; and the 
 near hind-leg, passing behind the off hind-leg at the 
 
ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT. 
 
 51 
 
 same instant, gains ground on the fourth circle. For, as 
 the Duke of Newcastle very justly observes, " It is not 
 sufficient to keep the head and neck of a horse within 
 the volte, but give an entire ply or bent to his whole 
 body from the nose to the tail."*— These two legs are 
 now represented as being set^dpwn on the first and fourth 
 circles. ^m 
 
 The next period in which the horse is all in air is, 
 when these two are taken up again from the first and 
 fourth circles, and before the other two are set down 
 on the second and third circles. The action of the legs 
 is thus, the near fore-leg passing behind the off fore-leg 
 gains ground on the second circle, while the off hind- 
 
 * See the folio Edition, page 36, for this remark, and what follows. 
 
52 ' ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT. 
 
 leg, doubling over the near hind-leg, gains ground at the 
 same instant on the third circle. When these are set 
 down again where they are marked, their position will 
 be the same as where my description was begun. This 
 is of course vice versa to the left. As this may, perhaps, 
 seem complicated, I shall take a more simple method of 
 explaining it. For this purpose, let the action of a two- 
 legged animal in running be considered, instead of one 
 with four legs in trotting. The question will then be 
 asked — what is the difference in the action of the legs 
 between running and walking, so as to enable the man 
 to go faster in the former than in the latter? it will 
 naturally occur, that in walking, one leg is in the air at 
 a time, and in running two legs, at two periods. For in 
 the progress of running, when the left leg makes its 
 spring, the right leg — being previously taken from the 
 ground — is thrown forwards by the will of the man ; 
 this constitutes one period in which the man is all in 
 air. The right leg having sprung from the ground 
 again, the left leg, which was coming up to it, is thrown 
 forwards next ; this constitutes the other period in 
 which the man is all in air. Imagine the bound to 
 be made upon two legs instead of upon one, and the 
 other two legs to be thrown forwards in the air, at the 
 same instant ; and the same thing happens to the horse 
 in trotting that happens to the man in running. 
 
ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT. 
 
 53 
 
 Mr. Garrard (an ingenious artist), in drawing the late 
 Duke of Hamilton on a horse in full trot on a straight 
 line, happened to seize the moment when the two legs 
 across had just sprung from the ground, and when the 
 other two had been thrown forwards to take their ad- 
 vanced position upon it ; so that the horse was at that 
 instant all in air ; for the same thing in that respect hap- 
 pens to the horse, whether in a straight line or in circles. 
 
 W. SkeUoiv sculp . 
 
 Mr. Garrard informed me, that this action happened 
 to present itself to his view at the instant of time when 
 the horse was reflected in a looking-glass placed before 
 him, while passing in a trot with the Duke on its back 
 behind him. By this gentleman's permission, I have 
 
54 ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT. 
 
 had the attitude of his horse engraved, as the idea 
 of it is not always readily conceived. I have so fre- 
 quently perceived this in discoursing familiarly about 
 it, that this gentleman gave me leave, also, to publish 
 an extract of a letter, which he happened to write to 
 me, on my saying that his picture had infinite merit in 
 the eyes of a horseman, and that the attitude was exactly 
 what I wanted to describe. It is as follows : — 
 
 " I consider myself highly obliged by the handsome 
 11 manner in which you propose to mention my picture 
 " of the Duke of Hamilton on the trotting-horse. I 
 11 believe it was the first attempt of the true action of 
 " trotting, and at the time it was exhibited, so little 
 " observation had been made upon the action of horses, 
 11 that it did not meet with the approbation which 
 11 I had a right to claim from the great attention I had 
 " paid to the subject ; but my noble patron, who was 
 " a liberal and a discerning man, was not in the least 
 11 prejudiced by the jokes that were passed upon the 
 " flying horse, as they too generally termed it." 
 
 In order further to illustrate this, having a high- 
 couraged colt, that was just forward enough to have 
 been backed ; I put it to the first lesson here described, 
 by driving it loose round the riding-house in the trot 
 and gallop. Mr. Ghalon, who has drawn the rest of my 
 engravings, stood by me, and drew this horse, when 
 
ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT 
 
 55 
 
 the action of the full trot presented itself to his view, so 
 as for the horse to be at that moment all in air, as here 
 represented. 
 
 KB.Chalon dd. 
 
 W. SlceZtorb ■sculp. 
 
 The description of the horse in the trot on the lines 
 of art has been given not only on account of the pecu- 
 liarity of the action, but on account of the manner in 
 which it should be tied for that purpose, which has been 
 also described. It is very material that all this should be 
 exactly attended to ; for when done properly, which I 
 have seldom seen, it contributes more towards sup- 
 pling the shoulders of a horse, than any lesson that is 
 afterwards given. In this mode of longing, the centre 
 of gravity falls most upon those parts which are most 
 
56 ACTION OP THE LEGS IN THE TROT. 
 
 constrained, namely on the shoulders ; for, whether in 
 going large round the house, or in circles, the parts 
 nearest the centre are always the most constrained. In 
 the present instance, the neck is bent by the tie, and 
 nearest of all to the centre ; no lesson is therefore so 
 good as this for bringing one jaw in, so as to constrain 
 and supple the muscles of the neck on that side. The 
 shoulders are on the first and second circles, and con- 
 sequently more constrained than the quarters, which are 
 on the third and fourth circles. The centre of gravity 
 is also thrown forwards on the parts most constrained, 
 namely the shoulders, which describe the two smallest 
 circles. The weight being upon these sets the haunches 
 entirely at liberty to describe the two largest circles, 
 namely, the third and fourth. In this lesson the weight 
 is required to be most upon the shoulders, in order 
 that they may be worked the most. The head may 
 therefore be permitted to be as low, as the horse, for 
 its own ease, chooses to place it — in order that the 
 haunches may be quite at liberty. This is just contrary 
 to what is generally done by those, who think they 
 can advance their scholar by attempting to work the 
 shoulders and haunches at the same time ; which is 
 like wishing to blow hot and cold with the same 
 breath. 
 
 I have before observed that the rate of going should 
 
ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE TROT. 57 
 
 be as fast as the horse is inclined to go, or it may be 
 driven on if it does not go fast enough. This should be 
 the same whether the horse is tied or not ; for the faster 
 it goes, the more the horse opens its arms, so as to embrace 
 a larger portion of ground in the circle. The shoulders, 
 being consequently more worked, become more supple. 
 The more ground a horse can embrace with its fore parts, 
 either in the trot or in the gallop, the more forward 
 the haunches can be thrown, after the fore parts have 
 quitted the ground. The horse, by going as fast as I 
 have recommended, will be sometimes on the trot, 
 and sometimes on the gallop ; but as the former works 
 the shoulders the most, and is the foundation of the 
 latter, the trot should always be most encouraged.* 
 
 * The advantage gained by this method of longing, in point of giving 
 speed to a horse afterwards, might perhaps be worth the attention of gen- 
 tlemen of the turf. I shall refer those who may wish to consider it in that 
 view, to a remark on the subject at the bottom of page 63, in my pub- 
 lication on the mechanism of the horse's foot. 
 
58 
 
 TRUE ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE GALLOP. 
 
 K.B . Chalon del 
 
 W. SkcZton sadp. 
 
 The same legs describe the four circles in the gallop ; 
 although they do not come to the ground at the same times 
 as in the trot. For the off fore-leg doubles over the 
 
TRUE ACTION OF THE LEGS IN THE GALLOP. 59 
 
 near fore leg, and is set down in the first circle imme- 
 diately after the near fore leg is taken up from the 
 second circle. 
 
 In the gallop, as well as in the trot, there are two 
 periods in which the horse is all in air. One of them 
 is constituted by the haunches being thrown in after the 
 fore parts have performed their grasp, and are in air 
 again. The hind legs then come to the ground as here 
 represented. The near hind leg touches the ground 
 first on the fourth circle. In the instant of time which 
 this leg takes in being set down and taken up again, 
 the off hind leg doubles over it, and is set down on the 
 third circle. This is what is here represented as taking 
 place. The spring from these, when they are launched 
 out, enables the fore parts to be thrown forwards, which 
 are already in air. This is therefore the next period in 
 which the horse is all in air. When the leap is made, 
 the fore parts come down again on the second and third 
 circles, where they are marked : for a gallop is a con- 
 tinued leap. The near fore leg will come down first 
 upon the second circle, and the off fore leg doubling 
 over the near fore leg in that instant of time will be 
 set down on the first circle, the moment the former 
 is taken up from the second circle. After the haunches 
 are thrown in, the fore parts will next be thrown 
 forwards again, in the same position, in which my des- 
 cription was begun. 
 
 i 
 
60 METHOD OF CHANGING FROM THE TROT TO THE GALLOP. 
 
 It has been before observed, that in the trot, the off 
 fore leg doubles over the near fore leg, and is set down 
 on the first circle, at the same instant that the near hind 
 leg, passing by the off hind leg, gains ground on the 
 fourth circle. When these are set down again, the near 
 fore leg passes by the off fore leg, and gains ground on 
 the second circle, at the same instant that the off hind 
 leg doubles over the near hind leg on the third circle. 
 When either of these near legs are passing the off legs, 
 •and gaining ground — that is to say, when either of the 
 outside legs are leading — the change can be made from 
 the trot to the gallop. If it be begun by the near fore 
 leg while in air,* — by the will of the horse, the centre 
 of gravity is thrown on it for that purpose, as it comes 
 down ; the weight therefore, instead of being equally 
 divided, as in the trot, on the near fore leg and off hind 
 leg, is now chiefly thrown on the near fore leg. The 
 impulse also, instead of being on both, is chiefly given 
 by the near fore leg, so that the bound is made on that 
 leg. The off hind leg is set down as it otherwise would 
 have been. The two other legs across would have been 
 next thrown forwards at the same period, had the trot 
 continued. + But the centre of gravity being thrown 
 forwards, causes the off fore leg to double on the first 
 circle (by the additional impulse of the near fore leg) 
 one time sooner than the near hind leg gains ground on 
 
 * See Vignette, page 51, + See Vignette, page 50. 
 
TRUE GALLOP BEGUN EITHER BEFORE OR BEHIND. 6l 
 
 the fourth circle, instead of being set down at the same 
 instant. By the grasp of the fore legs, the haunches are 
 thrown in, upon which, by this act, the centre of 
 gravity is immediately transferred. The near hind leg 
 then bounds in coming down immediately after the 
 off fore leg, by the same will which dictated to the near 
 fore leg to bound. By this impulse the off hind leg 
 when thrown forwards in doubling on the third circle, 
 is brought to the ground one time sooner than the near 
 fore leg gains ground on the second circle; as the centre 
 of gravity is then on the hind parts. Instead of this, had 
 the trot continued, the centre of gravity being then 
 equally divided across would have brought these legs 
 across to the ground at the same period, as was before 
 observed. This repeated action of the two fore legs, 
 followed immediately by the two hind legs, in the 
 manner I have described, constitutes the true gallop to 
 the right, begun by an impulse on the near fore leg, 
 when in passing the off fore leg, it has gained ground 
 on the second circle. If it be begun on the near hind 
 leg, when in passing the off hind leg it has gained ground 
 on the fourth circle,* — the near hind and off fore leg; are 
 equally set down at the same time ; but an additional 
 impulse is given to the near hind leg. The off hind leg 
 when thrown forwards after this, is set down one time 
 sooner than the near fore leg, which would otherwise 
 
 * See Vignette, page 50. 
 
62 
 
 THE GALLOP WRONG BEHIND AND RIGHT BEFORE. 
 
 have accompanied it. The fore legs next take their 
 grasp as I have mentioned. This equally constitutes 
 the true gallop, as the horse throws its centre of gravity 
 properly in both cases. 
 
 But as the near fore leg and the off hind leg are set 
 down in the trot at the same time, the horse, by its will, 
 may throw the centre of gravity on either of these two 
 legs at that period. If therefore the horse chooses to 
 throw its centre of gravity on the off hind leg while 
 doubling, instead of waiting one time more, by which 
 it could throw it on the near hind leg when it has gained 
 ground in passing the off hind leg — an additional impulse 
 having also been communicated to the off hind leg, the 
 near hind leg is immediately thrown forwards, and con- 
 sequently leads." The haunches being thrown in, in this 
 manner, are succeeded by the impulse being given to the 
 near fore leg next, by which the off fore leg leads. This 
 action is so uneasy to the horse, that it cannot continue 
 long. If therefore the horse be not stopped, it will 
 soon make a bound on the near hind leg, which sets it 
 right again. The horse, when in this position, is said 
 to be wrong behind and right before ; for its centre of 
 gravity continues in this case across and across, as in 
 the trot ; for it is thrown on the off hind leg and near 
 fore leg. 
 
 * See the Plate. 
 
TLue V 
 
 -B.J irh„i.,n del. 
 
 Zon/jj>7L .FtiblLrlied Jan.'.i.i3o6,by SSFrccmtm.' 
 
 Wronq belwyl k rujlii "before 
 
 W..Skebtow sculp. 
 
TUtc VI. 
 
 
 Z,,ut,n JUWrf Ja>& **">" *' ^'■"™ m 
 
 ifo/Ar 3ftW A' if WW 
 
 bciofi. 
 
 tan. sculp. 
 
THE GALLOP RIGHT BEHIND AND WRONG BEFORE. 6*3 
 
 When the gallop is wrong before, it is occasioned 
 in the same manner by its having been begun by an 
 impulse communicated to the off fore-leg while doubling 
 on the first circle." The near fore-leg is next thrown 
 forwards so as to lead.-f This is succeeded by an im- 
 pulse on the near hind-leg, after which the off hind- 
 leg is thrown forwards when the haunches are thrown 
 in, as before mentioned. Had the horse waited one 
 time more, the impulse, as before observed, would then 
 have been given to the near fore-leg when gaining 
 ground by passing the off fore-leg in the circle ; instead 
 of being given to the off fore-leg, while doubling. The 
 gallop would then have been true. Whereas, from 
 impatience, or from other causes, the impulse having 
 been given one time too soon, the centre of gravity is 
 across and across, as well in this case, as when the 
 gallop was begun by the bound on the off hind-leg; 
 for it is thrown on the off fore-leg and near hind-leg. 
 This gallop is therefore said to be wrong before and 
 right behind. 
 
 * See Vignette page 50. + See the plate. 
 
64 
 
 THE FALSE GALLOP BOTH BETORE AND BEHIND. 
 
 E.ft . Ctlalon dd 
 
 W.Skebon sculp. 
 
 The impulse can also be given totally false, when 
 the gallop is begun either by the hind-legs or by the 
 fore-legs ; for the impulse may be given by the off 
 hind-leg while doubling, succeeded by the near hind- 
 leg, and these succeeded again by an impulse on the 
 off fore-leg, by which the near fore-leg leads; and vice 
 versa, if begun with the off fore-leg. The gallop is 
 then said to be wrong both before and behind, when 
 the horse is going in circles to the right ; for each 
 near-leg would lead when each off leg received the 
 impulse. But this would be the exact true gallop, if 
 the horse were going in circles to the left. 
 
METHOD OF CHANGING FROM THE GALLOP TO THE TROT. 65 
 
 When either by the will of the horse, or by the 
 direction of the rider, the change is again required 
 from the true gallop to the trot, it can be made at 
 either of the two periods that it could in the other 
 case. It has been just mentioned, that when the gallop 
 was begun by the near fore leg while gaining ground 
 on the second circle, a bound is made upon it, and the off 
 fore leg is impelled forwards one instant before the near 
 hind leg. When the haunches are afterwards thrown 
 in, I have also observed that the off hind leg is impelled 
 forwards after a bound has been made on the near hind 
 leg, one instant of time before the near fore leg, which 
 comes next. The continuation of this bound, as before 
 described, constitutes the gallop ; the cessation of it, 
 therefore, constitutes the trot again. This, as well as the 
 gallop, can be begun at two different periods. The 
 alteration of the centre of gravity is all that is required. 
 
 If the change be begun while the off hind leg is lead- 
 ing, one instant is required to throw the centre of gra- 
 vity, and the impulse, on the near shoulder. By the 
 centre of gravity being thus thrown forwards, the spring 
 on the off hind leg is decreased, and it touches the 
 ground at the same time as the near fore leg, instead of 
 being one time sooner. The weight being thus divided, 
 the impulse required to throw the other two legs for- 
 wards is also equally divided ; that is to say, it is 
 
6*6 ALTERATION OF THE GRAVITY WHEN THE TROT IS RESUMED. 
 
 given by both these legs across at the same time ; suc- 
 ceeded immediately by both the other legs across at the 
 next period. If it be begun while the off fore leg is 
 leading, one instant of time is required to transfer the 
 centre of gravity to the off fore leg, which was thrown 
 forwards after an impulse had been given to the near 
 fore leg. The action, being thus retarded, brings the 
 off fore leg to the ground at the same time with the 
 near hind leg, instead of being one time before it, as 
 it would have been had the gallop continued. The cen- 
 tre of gravity being transferred at the instant upon the 
 off fore leg, the impulse also accompanies it, — so that 
 the impulse is also given at the same instant by the off 
 fore leg and near hind leg. The other two legs across 
 are then thrown forwards in their turn. This change can 
 generally be distinctly heard in a riding-house, if it 
 happens to be too quick to be perceived by the eye. It 
 can, and ought also always to be distinctly felt by the 
 rider the instant it happens ; as his hands should be 
 immediately accommodated to it by slackening the reins 
 instantaneously, after having gently pulled them, when 
 he wishes it to take place. 
 
 It has been observed before, that the making of the 
 change takes the difference of one instant of time from 
 what would have been required, had the gallop con- 
 tinued. In that instant, if the rider sits loose enough, 
 
POSITIONS IN THE STOP THE REVERSE OF THE PROGRESS. 67 
 
 he will find himself drop on his saddle very differently 
 to what happened in the gallop: for the centre of 
 gravity is thrown more on the haunches in the gal- 
 lop, than in the trot, in the last of which, the weight 
 is more equally divided. In the longe the trot should 
 always be preferred, as being the greatest exertion to 
 the shoulders. But it is such a relief to a horse, to go 
 easily from the one to the other, that it is by far the best 
 way to permit it to be done so. 
 
 After a little time, the horse's croup gets more and 
 more thrown out by its bearing to be tied rather 
 tighter than at first. The shoulders consequently be- 
 come more supple by being constrained to describe 
 the smallest circles. When it can bear to do this with 
 ease to itself, the trot or the gallop may be more exactly 
 required. The haunches should be left as much as 
 possible at liberty for nearly the first year of a horse's 
 work. They should never be exerted except in the 
 stop. At that period, the whole body of the horse 
 should be reversed ; and the hind legs should come 
 upon the same circles, which the fore legs worked upon 
 in the progress, and vice versa. The haunches, being 
 then the nearest to the centre, will at that instant be 
 most worked. By their being bent in the stop, the 
 centre of gravity will also be altered, so as to be entirely 
 upon them, instead of upon the shoulders, which at that 
 time occupying the outward circles will be the least 
 
68 WHY THE STOP SHOULD BE THE REVERSE OF THE PROGRESS. 
 
 constrained. The reason, why the position should be 
 altered in the stop, is this. If the horse be stopped with 
 its croup out, namely in the same position as when in 
 progress, the stop must be made upon the shoulders ; 
 as being the parts occupying the smallest circles, and 
 consequently the most constrained. Not only this, but 
 when the horse sets off again, it must go false for a few 
 steps, before its position can be recovered. What I 
 mean by false is, that the near leg must lead outwards, 
 namely to the left, for two or three steps, before the 
 horse can regain its position in the longe. For till then, 
 the off fore leg is not at liberty to occupy the 1st circle, 
 that is the circle nearest the centre. Whereas, if the 
 stop be made outwards, that is, with the shoulders on 
 the 3d and 4th circles, the haunches are then most con- 
 strained ; and consequently bend to receive the weight as 
 they ought to do. The foreparts, being stopped on the 
 3d and 4th circles, are also immediately ready to advance 
 to their position on the 1st and 2d circles, when the 
 horse is required to set off again. It may seem a diffi- 
 cult matter, when a horse is working in hand, for this 
 stop to be performed with tolerable exactness, but it is 
 not so.* For there is more difficulty in getting a horse 
 
 * The horse's position at that instant should be the same as would 
 happen when stopped in going with its head to the wall, which will be 
 hereafter explained. For in the stop, its head should be to the wall; ad- 
 vantage of which should sometimes be taken for that purpose. 
 
POSITION OF THE MAN IN STOPPING THE HORSE. 69 
 
 to put its croup out, than to put its croup in. At this 
 period, the man in the centre is making a very narrow 
 circle, holding the rein in his left hand, which is put 
 through the eye of the bridle up to the head on the near 
 side. That man also holds a whip in his right hand, trail- 
 ing it across before him on the ground. When the stop is 
 to be made, advantage being taken of the wall, the man, 
 as before mentioned," should run before the horse towards 
 the circumference of the circle ; and, while he speaks to 
 it for that purpose, he should look it full in the face. 
 His whip should be brought forwards and lifted up 
 suddenly in one hand. His rein should be shaken as 
 suddenly with the other hand, which should be lifted 
 up at the same time for the same purpose. When the 
 horse, for a few days, has stopped quietly by this 
 method ; the master may check it, so as to endeavour to 
 make it go back two or three steps, after the stop is 
 completely finished. This should be done without un- 
 tying it. For this purpose, the whip, which was trailed 
 before him in his right hand, should be put into his 
 left hand in the same position. The long rein should 
 be taken hold of verv short, and be twisted round his 
 
 4 
 
 right hand ; the remainder of it being held with the 
 whip in his left hand. 
 
 At this period, or before if it can be done, a plain 
 
 * See page 39. 
 K 
 
70 BEARING ON THE BACK PREPARES FOR THE WEIGHT. 
 
 saddle should be put on as quietly as possible ; and the 
 stirrups be thrown over the pommel, when the horse is 
 brought in. They may occasionally be put down during 
 the time it is longing, in order to try whether the horse 
 would be disturbed by it, in case of the rider's acciden- 
 tally letting his foot slip out of either of them. At the 
 end of the lesson at this period, if the horse be quiet, 
 while the stirrups are let down, the horseman may 
 venture a little more. Having untied the horse, and 
 taken off the black rein — let that end of the rope rein, 
 which has a loop to it, be put through the eye of the 
 snaffle, and slipped on to the upper cheek of it on the 
 off side. Let the other end be unbuckled from the 
 headstall on the near side, and be buckled to the front 
 part of the eye of the snaffle on that side. If there are 
 two men at this period on the outside of the circle, one 
 of them should stand about the length of a man's arm 
 before the horse, and hold this rein about that length, 
 in each hand, in the manner I shall hereafter describe. 
 This may either be done by one rein, and one man ; or 
 by two reins and two men, if requisite. The other two 
 men, advancing quietly to each side of the horse, should 
 take hold of the stirrup leathers high up, and bear the 
 whole weight of their bodies by leaning on them. The 
 manner of doing this I shall also describe, when speaking 
 of it as a counterpoise to the weight of the rider, while 
 
TWO METHODS OF WALKING. 71 
 
 mounting. But it should always be practised at this 
 period, as a preparatory step ; in order that every thing 
 maybe done as quietly as possible at the time of mount- 
 ing : for at that time, a great many things are required 
 to be done at once with the greatest exactness. 
 
 The method of working the horse on the trot and 
 gallop has thus far been given. It has been said to be 
 that, by which the lessons of the colt should be begun. 
 I come now to the more difficult task of describing the 
 foot pace. This will lead me next to describe the 
 manner of working the horse in circles on a walk, 
 which lesson may be begun at this period. 
 
 To the best of my knowledge, the action of the legs 
 in the walk has never been accurately described by any 
 former writer on the subject. The Duke of Newcastle 
 says,* " a horse, in walking, has two of his feet in the 
 " air, and two upon the ground, which move otherways 
 " at the same time, one fore and one hind foot, which 
 " is the movement of a gentle trot." Dr. Johnson, in 
 his Dictionary of the English language, says, "Inzwalk, 
 " a horse lifts two legs of a side, one after the other, 
 " beginning with the hind leg first." As Dr. Johnson 
 has specified this walk to be made by two legs of a side, 
 beginning with the hind leg, in which he is right, I shall 
 shew that the Duke of Newcastle's account is also right; 
 
 * See the folio Edition, p. 30. 
 
72 MODE BY WHICH THE HORSE'S WALK WAS DISCOVERED. 
 
 and that the walk which he describes is begun by the 
 fore-leg. For a horse has the power of walking either 
 way, according to its will. But before so difficult a task 
 is entered upon, perhaps it maybe allowable for me to 
 make a short digression, in order to shew my reader 
 by what chance, the opportunity presented itself of 
 studying it for a length of time, so as to enable me to 
 describe it in that detail, which the intricacy of the 
 subject requires. 
 
 When my work was thus far in the press, I happened 
 to take a journey over the Welsh mountains, in an open 
 carriage, with my own horses and two out-riders. The 
 horse, on which one of my servants rode, was impa- 
 tient with him, while following the carriage, when 
 going gently. The men were therefore permitted to 
 pass me up and down the hills with their horses on a 
 foot pace. My first motive was the ease of each party, 
 by preventing their horses from being disturbed. But 
 it struck me, that a double purpose might be answered, 
 by the frequent opportunity it afforded me, of observ- 
 ing the motion of their legs in the walk, as they passed. 
 This enabled me to form a more accurate idea of the 
 separate motion of each leg, than had ever before pre- 
 sented itself.* I shall now, by the use of letters and 
 
 *As it has been mentioned that the journey was made with my own 
 horses — it may also be observed, that when I had gone a considerable 
 
ACTION OF THE HORSE IN THE WALK. 73 
 
 figures, endeavour to convey to my reader the two 
 different actions of the horse in the walk, which nature 
 
 distance, it occurred to me to keep an account of the greatest number of 
 miles in which some of my horses' shoes were worn. This I shall now 
 point out, and shall also make other observations, tending to shew the 
 advantage of their fore-shoes being made in the manner recommended in 
 my publication on the mechanism of the horse's foot, in preference to the 
 heels of them being drawn in, so as to cover the extremities of the heels 
 of the foot — a mode too much recommended, and too much practised.* 
 For in proportion to the encrease of the length of the fore shoes, both 
 the spring and the tenacity of the fore foot is diminished. 
 
 My off side wheel-horse was a large strong footed horse, and was 
 shod before with the thin shoe recommended in page 59 of my pub- 
 lication on that subject. It was steeled at the toe, and the steel extended 
 to the off side quarter, as that horse happened to wear the shoes 
 most on that side. My off side leader was shod in my usual way, and 
 well steeled at the toe. The shoes were kept so wide at the heels, as to 
 permit the frog to touch the ground at first, and to bear entirely upon 
 it at last. When they were about half worn out, they were as slippery as 
 glass ; yet these horses hardly ever made a slip with their fore feet the 
 whole way. For when their shoes became thin by wear, their frogs took 
 almost the same hold of the ground down the hills, as the bare feet of many 
 of the passengers whom we met. 
 
 The heels of the hind shoes were turned up on the outside quarter, and 
 made i-ather thicker on the inside quarter ; in order that the tread might 
 be more even. The fore shoes of the strong footed horse were moved 
 twice, and repaired on the second moving. Those of the leader were 
 moved once, and wanted no repair. As the part which touched the foot 
 was worn quite flat, they were put into the fire, when moved, so as to 
 give them a gentle heat; and were then hollowed out, in the same manner 
 as they were made at first ; by which they bore only on the outward crust. 
 Both pair were worn out at the same time, and both pair lasted six 
 hundred miles. As I paid particular attention to the shoes myself, as well 
 as to the number of miles, they have been kept by me ever since. 
 
 Although the distance may seem very great, let it be considered, that the 
 
 * See Boardraan's Veterinary Dictionary, Plate XXVI. and XXVII. 
 
74 ACTION OF THE HORSE IN THE WALK. 
 
 has probably dictated for the ease of the limbs. For 
 the centre of gravity is easily and almost imperceptibly 
 
 wear of shoes kept wide at the heels, so as to let the frog take its share in 
 hitting the blow upon the ground, must be much less, than when the blow is 
 hit every time almost only by the shoe ; which must happen, when it is drawn 
 in at the heels. Let it also be considered, how much less jar is given to the 
 horse, when the foot is permitted to strike upon the cushion given to it by 
 nature for that purpose, with full sufficient guards for its protection. Let 
 the benefit also of the friction of the frog upon the ground be considered, 
 in promoting the circulation of the innumerable blood vessels surrounding 
 the foot bone. It also prevents thrushes, as well as other complaints, 
 which Mr. Boardman (in the article Foot) very properly observes to be 
 brought on by the very means used to defend that part from being injured. 
 In regard to the horses slipping less with these shoes, another instance 
 of it occurred during this journey. A second pair of fore shoes were taken 
 with me for each horse. When the saddle horse, on which I occasion- 
 ally rode myself, had worn out the first shoes, the other pair hap- 
 pened to be too long at the heels, so as to hinder the frog from touching 
 the ground. Thinking that they might not hurt the horse till they wanted 
 moving, they were allowed to be worn ; but it was soon perceived, that 
 the horse slipped continually on the hard road, on which I then hap- 
 pened to ride, as well as on the turf by the side of it, on which it occa- 
 sionally went. Finding the horse go very uneasy to itself, and unsafe with 
 me, it occurred to me to try what difference it would make, were they cut 
 a little shorter. An order was sjven for this to be done, without thinking; 
 it necessary to attend to it myself. The smith did as he was bid ; but, not 
 having been used to see them kept so wide at the heels, he also drew them 
 in, when he shortened them. The length, gained by that, made them as 
 much too long when drawn in, as they were at first, when kept out. The 
 horse consequently could not bear its frog upon the ground, and slipt as 
 much as ever. I then attended to it myself, and saw the shoes taken 
 off once more, and made as wide at the heels, as those that were pulled 
 off. In riding the next day in the same manner over the same ground 
 — no slip was made ; and the horse, which had appeared to go crip- 
 pling, and stumbled, when the shoes were drawn in at the heels; went 
 now as well as ever. 
 
THE WALK WITH THE ACTION OF THE PACE. 75 
 
 changed, by the will of the horse, so as to produce 
 either the one or the other. 
 
 One method of walking is by the motion of two legs 
 succeeding on another in the air on one side, instead of 
 being lifted up together, as they are in the quicker 
 motion of the pace. These are in the same manner 
 followed by two legs succeeding one another on the 
 other side, The other method is by the action of the 
 two legs succeeding one another across and across, in- 
 stead of being lifted up at the same instant, as they are in 
 the trot. 
 
 Let a. b. c. d. be supposed to be the horse's four legs 
 
 standing evenly upon the ground thus When 
 
 the foot pace begins naturally, any one of these legs may 
 be lifted up first ; and the walk is continued accordingly. 
 Let that walk be first supposed to take place, which is 
 the action of the pace. Let the rate of going be sup- 
 posed to be very slow ; and let the near hind leg d for 
 instance, be taken up first. This is set down again, short 
 of the place, where c the near fore leg stands — c is 
 lifted up and set down next. These are succeeded in the 
 same manner by b and a on the off side, and the body 
 then gains an almost imperceptible progress. In this 
 very slow walk, there is only one leg in the air at a 
 
 DC. 
 
 time. If the walk be begun quickly, J being on the 
 
76 THE WALK WITH THE ACTION OF THE PACE. 
 
 ground, supposing d the near hind-leg to be lifted up 
 first, as before — c the near fore-leg is taken up instantly 
 after, to make room for it — b is taken up next, the moment 
 after d is set down beyond the place from whence c was 
 taken up. The near fore-leg c is set down next, so as 
 for the two legs on the near side to be on the ground 
 together. The moment after c touches the ground, a 
 the off fore-leg is taken up, to make room for b ; for 
 the latter was before mentioned as being already in air. 
 b is then set down beyond the place which a has quitted, in 
 the same manner as took place on the other side. The 
 instant that b the off hind-leg is set down — which is the 
 moment after a is taken up — d the near hind-leg is 
 also taken up. The off fore-leg a is then set down, so 
 as for the two legs on the off side to be on the ground 
 together, d having been previously taken up, as before 
 mentioned, the same process begins again, by c being 
 lifted up next, to make room for d to be set down, 
 beyond the place which c had quitted. 
 
 By a little attention to the sound of each foot, as it 
 comes to the ground, they can easily be counted as they 
 come down. Namely, d 1, followed by c 2, ; and these 
 again fol lowed instantaneously by b 3 , and a 4 . In this 
 encreased rate — that is, when two legs are ofT the 
 ground at a time — the motion of the body is rather more 
 visible ; but by no means so easy to be seen, as in many 
 
GALLOP FROM THE WALK OF THE PACE. 77 
 
 animals, not so compactly made, although possessing 
 greater springs ; the cat for instance, or any of the tiger 
 tribe. This is one way of walking. 
 
 If the rate of going is to be altered immediately, 
 so as to produce the gallop ; it can be begun either 
 before or behind, as it can from the trot, according 
 to the position of the legs at the moment. For in- 
 
 D C 
 
 stance being the four legs as before supposed, 
 
 let us imagine d the near hind-leg to be set down 
 where c the near fore-leg is taken up from, and b, the 
 off hind-leg, to be in air, followed by a, the off fore-leg 
 being taken up the moment c is set down ; and the 
 gallop to be required when c is coming to the 
 ground.* The latter is then sprung upon as it is set 
 down — and d is sprung upon on the ground ; — so that 
 the horse is all in air in a moment. For an active horse 
 can spring from the ground, as suddenly as a cat can, 
 whence comes the familiar expression, for a horse that 
 happens to possess great powers for springing — it is 
 said to spring like a cat. In order to shew what has 
 been just observed, that at the^ period in which my 
 description was left off, the horse is all in air ; it must 
 be recollected that a the off fore-leg is taken up as it 
 
 * See page 60, where the gallop is supposed to be begun from the trot 
 by the near fore-leg while in air. 
 
 L 
 
78 GALLOP BEGUN BY THE FORE PARTS. 
 
 otherwise would have been, to make room for b, the 
 moment that c the near fore-leg is set down (which is 
 the period at which the gallop is supposed to begin), 
 and that b the off hind-leg is already in air. The two 
 off side-legs b and a, therefore pass the other two as 
 would have happend in the walk, but with this differ- 
 ence — in the walk, the two former pass successively, 
 while the two latter are on the ground : — in the gallop, 
 the two former pass successively, while the two latter 
 are successively in the air. Had the walk continued when 
 c was set down, b would have been set down next, as 
 being the most advanced ; but the centre of gravity having 
 been thrown on the fore parts, and c being sprung upon 
 — a springs as it is taken up, and passing in air, on c 
 coming to the ground ; c leads by the impulse given to c ; 
 and is set down before b.* The grasp being made by the 
 fore legs — d which is already sprung upon from the 
 ground and in air ; and b which is advanced in air, and 
 passing it, are thrown in next, and sprung upon in 
 their turn — d the near hind-leg is set down first 
 
 * This change in the setting; down of the le<rs is in some measure the 
 same as happens when the gallop commences from the trot, For (as was 
 mentioned in p. 60, when speaking of the trot), if the gallop commences 
 by a spring upon c and b, when the centre of gravity is thrown forwards, 
 so as for the impulse to be the greatest upon c — the near fore-leg c comes 
 down one time sooner than the off hind leg b, which last would have 
 been set down at the same instant had the trot continued. 
 
GALLOP BEGUN BY TUB HIND PARTS. 79 
 
 with a given impulse, and b the off hind-leg leads. 
 The fore parts spring next, as mentioned before ; and 
 the gallop is continued with the off legs leading. As I 
 think in the French language, the sound of the gallop 
 is expressed by a continuation of the syllables ta ra pa 
 ta — ta ra pa ta. — so this gallop may be sounded by 
 a continuation of the letters cad b — c a n b. 
 
 Next — suppose the gallop to be begun when c is 
 set down, and when b the off hind-leg is going to be 
 set down ; that is to say one time later than before sup- 
 posed. In this case, the gallop will be begun by the 
 hind parts with the near legs leading. For the centre 
 of gravity being then thrown on the haunches — a spring 
 is immediately made on b, as it comes to the ground, 
 and on c while on the ground. The other two have 
 been mentioned before as being; at that instant in air. 
 For d is lifted up the moment b touches the ground, and 
 a is already brought forwards in air to make room for b. 
 If the walk had continued — a would have been set 
 down after b, and the near hind-leg d would have been 
 set down next : — but the centre of gravity being thrown 
 on the haunches,' the same alteration vice versa takes 
 place, as happens with the fore parts. For in this 
 instance, d the near hind-leg — which is just taken up, 
 on b being set down — passes it in air, leads, and is set 
 down one time sooner than a, the off fore-leg. When 
 
80 GALLOP BEGUN BY THE HIND PARTS. 
 
 the haunches have made their spring, the near fore-leg 
 c is in the same manner thrown forwards in air, and 
 leads, on a bound being made upon a as it comes down 
 next, on the fore parts being thrown forwards. The 
 gallop therefore is in this case begun by the hind parts, 
 by a given impulse on the off hind leg, when it comes 
 down — the near hind-leg passing it in air and leading 
 — and these succeeded in the same manner by the fore 
 parts, with the near fore-leg leading by a given impulse 
 on the off fore-leg. This also follows the rule of the 
 trot. The gallop may in the same manner be supposed 
 to begin by a bound on the near hind-leg, or on the off 
 fore-leg, as it has been hitherto supposed to begin by 
 the near fore-leg, or the off hind-leg — for the same 
 consequences vice versa will follow. 
 
 This may seem too long a detail ; but it is so abso- 
 lutely necessary for a good horseman to feel his horse 
 accurately under him — that it is difficult for any man to 
 set his horse off properly from a walk to a gallop, who 
 does not sit easily and loosely in his seat, for that pur- 
 pose. By this, he is able to feel more exactly, whether 
 those parts are in such a position at the moment, as for 
 the spring to be immediately made upon them in the 
 manner he may require it. There is very great art in 
 setting a horse off properly in a gallop from a foot-pace, 
 and much more art, when the horse is required to be 
 
PACE PROCEEDING FROM THE WALK. 81 
 
 set off in a gallop from a standstill. The immediate 
 action of the legs in this case I shall proceed to point 
 out, after having shewn how the pace itself is performed 
 from that walk, which has already been described as 
 producing it ; and after having given the reason, why 
 the trot cannot be immediately produced from the pace. 
 
 D C 
 
 In order to do this, the first position must be 
 
 resorted to. It has been observed, that in the walk, the 
 two legs on the off-side b a move in succession, and are 
 followed in succession by the other two legs d c. When 
 the rate is intended to be encreased, let it be supposed 
 to take place when a the off fore-leg is coming to the 
 ground. The centre of gravity is then immediately 
 thrown forwards, and an impulse given to a, by which 
 it springs from the ground directly, with b the off hind- 
 leg, which has just before touched the ground. It has 
 been mentioned, that in the walk, the moment b the off 
 hind-leg touches the ground — d is lifted up, and when 
 a touches the ground, c is lifted up. Had the walk 
 continued — when a was set down, d would have been 
 set down next, followed by c. But the centre of gravity 
 is in this instance supposed to be thrown forwards, 
 and an impulse given to a, by which a and b are taken 
 up at the same instant. While these are in air, by a given 
 impulse, the near fore-leg c is thrown forward-, with 
 d ; and set down again one time sooner than it other- 
 
82 ACTION OF THE PACE. 
 
 wise would have been, namely at the same instant 
 with d. 
 
 For in every action of the horse beyond the walk, all 
 four legs are in the air at the same instant ; so that while 
 the two advanced legs on the off side are sprung upon, 
 as here supposed, and the two on the near side are 
 lifted up — they pass those on the off side, and are set 
 down again, while the latter are in air. The time of 
 their being in the air is in proportion to the rate of 
 going. If the pace be very slow, the two legs on one 
 side seem almost to trail upon the ground as they pass ; 
 and those on the other side, not to be lifted up ; till the 
 former are going to be set down again. But by some 
 horses (especially by that breed of American horses, 
 which are called the American pacers), the pace can be 
 accelerated, so as to be equal in speed to the full trot. 
 In that case, the period in which the horse is all in air, 
 and the height to which the two legs on one side are 
 lifted up, are encreased, in proportion to the bound 
 which is made by the two legs on the other side. 
 
 When the pace ceases, and the walk commences 
 again, the horse sets down one leg followed by the other, 
 instead of two legs at once. For this purpose, either 
 the fore leg or the hind leg is set down first, according 
 to the will of the horse. Thus supposing a b to be 
 coming to the ground, and the centre of gravity to be 
 
TROT CANNOT COME DIRECTLY FROM THE PACE. 83 
 
 then thrown on the haunches, on the rate being de- 
 creased — instead of these two legs being sprung upon 
 again the moment they touch it, they remain on the 
 ground for a time, when they come to it. When c d 
 pass the two former at the next period — by the centre 
 of gravity being thrown on the haunches d is set down 
 first followed by c. The instant that d is set down, and 
 while c is in air, b is taken up as before mentioned, c is 
 set down next where it otherwise would have been, and 
 the walk is continued as before observed by a being 
 lifted up next to make room for b. If, by the will of 
 the horse, the centre of gravity be thrown on the fore 
 parts, when the change is intended to be made from 
 the pace to the walk, when a b are coming to the 
 ground — they remain there, when they touch it. When 
 c d pass them at the next instant, the near fore-leg 
 c comes to the ground next, a is then immediately 
 taken up, and d is set down where it otherwise would 
 have been. For as the centre of gravity is thrown 
 forward, when a and b are on the ground ; a is taken up 
 next instead of b, and the walk is continued across — with 
 the action of the trot — for d (as before mentioned) is set 
 down, succeeded across by a, in the manner which will 
 be hereafter explained. 
 
 For the same reason, a horse cannot come imme- 
 diately from the pace to the trot. For whether the 
 
84 HOW THE TROT COMMENCES FROM THE PACE. 
 
 change be made, so as for the walk to take place, or for 
 the trot to take place — two legs on one side must remain 
 on the ground for one instant, before the other two 
 are taken up again, instead of all four legs being in 
 air together. If the trot is to take place — a and b being 
 on the ground, and c and d being advanced — c is set 
 down and a is immediately taken up. On the rate 
 being encreased across, in the same manner as when 
 the walk took place — -b and c are sprung upon across 
 on the ground at the same instant, and a and d, the 
 other two legs across are thrown forwards in air, so that 
 the horse is in an instant all in air. The continuation 
 of this, by b and c being thrown forwards together 
 in their turn, constitutes the trot. 
 
 The method has just been described, in which the 
 pace is continued from the walk, and the trot from the 
 pace. It has also been shewn, how the walk is resumed 
 from the pace, and how the gallop commences from 
 the walk. Before the more difficult task is entered 
 upon, of explaining the changes made from one method 
 of walking, to the other, I shall point out how the 
 gallop can be begun from a standstill. This is still 
 more difficult to be done properly, when required 
 by the rider, than when begun from the walk ; and 
 demands his feeling the horse still more accurately under 
 him. Either the fore parts or the hind parts may begin 
 
gallop from a Standstill. 85 
 
 it, according to the will of the horse, the same as has 
 
 been observed, when begun from the walk. In this 
 
 case, all four legs must be supposed to be on the ground 
 
 — but the horse ought properly to have one haunch a 
 
 c 
 little in, thus a. If the off legs are to lead, b the 
 
 off hind-leg must be put in. If the walk had begun 
 instead of the gallop, the oft hind-leg might have been 
 lifted up first, succeeded immediately by the off fore-leg. 
 When the gallop is to commence by the hind parts ; 
 as soon as the weight is thrown upon the haunches, 
 the off hind-leg is lifted up— the pasterns of the other 
 three legs being bent for the purpose, and the centre of 
 gravity and impulse being thrown on the near side-legs, 
 a spring is immediately made by those three legs on 
 the ground. The spring on the two fore legs raises 
 the fore parts, and the off hind-leg comes to the ground 
 in an advanced position, the instant after the near hind- 
 leg has been sprung upon. The fore parts being then 
 in air are immediately thrown forwards, the off fore- 
 leg being advanced in the same manner as the off hind- 
 leg was — by which the off legs lead. If the gallop be 
 begun by the fore parts — the centre of gravity and 
 impulse being thrown on the near side legs as before, 
 and the off fore leg being lifted up — when the spring is 
 made upon the other three legs upon the ground, the 
 
 M 
 
86 CHANGE OF THE POISE OF THE BODY IN THE WALK. 
 
 fore parts are thrown forwards — and the off fore-leg 
 comes to the ground first, and leads. — The haunches 
 are next thrown in with an impulse on the near hind- 
 leg, and the off hind-leg leading. This is nearly the 
 same thing, as when begun from a walk, only in the 
 one case two legs are in an advanced position, and in 
 the other case all four legs are on the ground, with one 
 leg ready to advance, so as to lead. 
 
 I now come to the most difficult task, which is that of 
 explaining the change in the poise of the body, so 
 as to produce either the one walk, or the other. When 
 observing the two horses, which were mentioned on 
 my journey, as they passed ; the first walk, that struck 
 me, was that performed by two legs on the same side, 
 as described by Dr. Johnson. In this walk — the hind 
 leg appeared to be set down first, on or beyond the place, 
 which the fore leg had left, on being taken up to make 
 room for it. — The fore leg on the same side was set 
 down next. When I thought myself thus far perfect in 
 my lesson, I perceived that at another time the fore leg ap- 
 peared to be set down first, followed by the hind leg. 1 his 
 circumstance being equally clear to me, I had nearly 
 given up the point of ever being able to ascertain the 
 walk. However on further observation, I thought that 
 when the fore leg appeared to begin, the legs did not 
 succeed one another in the same intervals of time as 
 
CHANGE FROM ONE WALK TO THE OTHER. 87 
 
 before, so that the walk appeared to be performed in a 
 different method, and for a long time I imagined that 
 they moved differently. This was at last found to be 
 no more than the alteration of the poise of the body; 
 and that when that took place, my eye was attracted to 
 the fore parts, instead of to the hind parts ; — for it was 
 struck either with one walk, or with the other, accord- 
 ing to the alteration of the poise of the horse's body, 
 by which either the pace or the trot took place from 
 it, when the motion was encreased. The poise of the 
 body is very visible in the trot, when two legs move 
 together with such exertion as for that gallop to be im- 
 mediately produced in which the off legs or the near 
 legs are required to lead.* But as in the walk four legs 
 succeed one another, it is done so quickly, that much 
 length of time and observation is necessary to find out 
 which walk is taking place at the time, although I can 
 now see it almost immediately. 
 
 The motion of that walk, which produces the pace, 
 has already been described — however I shall briefly 
 recapitulate some parts, in order to shew that no altera- 
 tion is made but in the poise of the horse's body, so 
 as for that walk to take place, the encreased rate of 
 
 * Of this more will be said hereafter, when the lesson of riding the 
 horse with its head in and croup out in the trot and gallop comes under 
 consideration, at which time either the one or the other is required with ex- 
 actness, according to whether the horse is going to the right or to the left. 
 
88 THE WALK WITH THE ACTION OF THE TROT. 
 
 which produces the pace, or that which produces 
 the trot. In the former being evenly on the 
 
 B A & / 
 
 ground, b seems to be lifted up first, succeeded by a 
 — for the poise of the body is then on the same side 
 — and this rate, when quickened, of course produces 
 the pace in the manner before described. But as a 
 walk could take place which immediately produced a 
 trot ; and as it has been already shewn that a trot can 
 not immediately commence from a pace, so no more 
 can a trot immediately follow, when the body in the 
 walk is so poised as to produce a pace. 
 
 When upon further observation it appeared that another 
 walk took place, which seemed to be begun by the fore 
 parts — I found, that, supposing a the off fore-leg to 
 begin, it was immediately succeeded by d the near hind- 
 leg — and b the off hind-leg seemed not to follow the 
 fore leg at the same time as before ; but this was in 
 fact nothing more than the alteration of the poise of 
 the body, when either the one walk or the other 
 took place. For when b the off hind-leg began, it 
 was succeeded by a being lifted up — and when b 
 was set down, d was lifted up. But a and b seemed in 
 that walk so connected together by the poise being on 
 the same side, that b appeared to begin. The poise 
 being altered by the will of the horse, a seemed to 
 begin, and not to be succeeded by b being set down at 
 
WHY A MAN CAN WALK FASTER THAN A HORSE. 8.9 
 
 the same time after it, as in the walk of the pace, d is 
 in both cases taken up after b is set down, and when 
 a is set down, c is taken up, to make room for d to 
 be set down. In this walk a and d appear to move 
 nearly together ; and so in fact they do, when the 
 motion becomes too quick for a walk, — although they 
 succeed one another immediately in the walk — for by 
 the poise of the body being across, the trot is imme- 
 diately produced when required. In most horses the 
 change of the poise of the body, so as to produce either 
 the walk of the trot, or the walk of the pace, can be 
 easily felt after a few steps, although it is too difficult 
 to be caught by the eye at the time of the change. 
 
 A man can walk faster than a horse for two reasons. 
 In the horse's walk — four legs are lifted up successively, 
 and succeed each other in being set down again. Anato- 
 mically speaking, a horse goes only on its toes — for the 
 pasterns, which are the heels, are not meant by nature to 
 touch the ground, the. flexor tendonhe'mg carried onto the 
 foot bone." The more legs an animal has, that succeed each 
 other in being set down, and taken up again, the slower 
 must be its progress. The two legs of the man, in 
 walking, succeed each other by one leg being set down 
 before the other leg is taken up again ; and with the 
 advantage of the heel's coming to the ground, by which 
 
 * See my publication on that subject, p. 4. PL I- 
 
90 ACTION OF THE TENDONS IN THE TROT. 
 
 the length of the foot acts as a lever. On this account, 
 the man has a double advantage in walking to what the 
 horse has. The horse, in trotting, has in one respect, 
 the same advantage as the man in running ; by two legs 
 across being lifted up at the same instant — and in every 
 other respect a much greater advantage. For the toes 
 only of the man touch the ground in running, and with 
 this comparative disadvantage — namely, the same thing, 
 which gives advantage in walking, is in some measure 
 taken away in running. For the lever of the length of the 
 foot acts but little by the heel's not touching the ground ; 
 nor has the man the same advantage of the tendon in 
 running as the horse has. For the tendo Achillis of the man 
 ends at the heel, instead of being carried on to the toe. 
 But thejlexor tendon of the horse is carried on to the foot 
 bone ; and acts upon the pastern bones, so as to enable 
 it by the easy play upon those parts 
 
 " Molles glomerare gradus." 
 
 A man in a walk, or in dancing a minuet, can hold his 
 head up, with his knees easily bent; but when he begins 
 to run, his position must be exactly contrary. For when- 
 ever one leg is taken from the ground before the other is 
 set down again, so as for his rate to be encreased — his 
 body must be thrown forwards. This is exactly the re- 
 verse of what happens to the horse. For the instant the 
 trot commences, the head is immediately raised, and the 
 
NATURAL ACTION OF THE TKOT. 91 
 
 body thrown back, so as for the flexor tendon to act 
 with greater force upon the pastern bones by their 
 being in a more horizontal position. In the walk, the 
 pastern is not so much bent ; as less exertion is required. 
 Therefore few horses walk with their heads high. 
 But as few horsemen study this detail, it is not at all 
 to be wondered at, if a man — when in haste to set his 
 horse off — throws his body forwards, in order to make 
 his horse advance ; in the same manner as he pro- 
 perly would do, if he were going to run with eager- 
 ness. Now the very position, in which he naturally 
 puts himself in this case, when on horseback, is the 
 position, in which he ought to be, when requiring his 
 horse to go back ; and the horse sometimes backs ac- 
 cordingly; especially when the rein is pulled at the 
 time, which not unfrequently happens. 
 
 Having described the two natural actions of the walk, 
 and the pace which proceeds from one of them, I shall 
 now point out the natural action of the trot, which 
 proceeds from the other. 
 
 The gallop was supposed to be performed by a con- 
 tinuation of the sounds of the letters cad b — c a d b,* 
 that is, by the two fore legs in succession leaping for- 
 wards at one period, and being distinctly taken up in air 
 again, so as for the hind legs to leap next in succession, 
 
 * See page 79. 
 
92 SOUND OF THE LEGS COMING DOWN IN THE TROT. 
 
 on — or beyond — the place, which the fore legs had 
 quitted, according to the rate of going. The trot, in 
 like manner, is made by two legs across, passing the other 
 two while in air at one period, succeeded by the other 
 two across passing the former, after they are set down 
 and taken up in air again, at the next period. — In a 
 gentle trot, they are but little thrown forwards — but 
 when in full action, as represented, in the next Vig- 
 nette, they are thrown forwards so forcibly, and to such 
 a distance, that the two legs across may almost be said 
 to take a leap, by the impulse of the other two. 
 
 It has just been mentioned, that the sound of the 
 gallop, when the fore legs come down, is as c a ; 
 succeeded by the hind legs as d b ; so that the fore legs 
 alternately are succeeded by the hind legs alternately. 
 
 In the trot, a d move together at the same instant, which 
 may be sounded as 1 , succeeded by b c together at the 
 next instant, which may be sounded as 2. The same 
 sound may therefore be supposed to be continued as 
 1 2 — 1 2 — slower than the gallop. 
 
 In the one case, as well as in the other, the horse is 
 all in air, at two different periods ; taking what may 
 be nearly called a leap, when trotting full out ; as the 
 hind legs are set down beyond the place which the 
 fore legs have quitted. 
 
[93] 
 
 £|- In order to enable the Reader to have the Vignette immediately 
 before him as long as the description of the Trot lasts, I have 
 preferred having it printed on the next page.. 
 
94 
 
 WHY A HORSE IS ALL IN AIR IN THE TROT, 
 
 KB. Cluilor. 
 
 With this idea let us suppose the horse trotting at liberty 
 in the manner the drawing happened to be taken ; 
 namely in a straight line. Let a 1 be supposed to be 
 the place, at which the off fore-leg was first set down, 
 and from whence it was taken up again ; and let d 2 be 
 supposed to be the place from whence d the near hind- 
 leg was taken up. As the action is here supposed to 
 be that of a full trot, d the near hind-leg has been set 
 down, and sprung upon again beyond c 3, the place 
 on which c the near fore-leg was set down and taken 
 up again. This could not have happened, without c 
 the near fore-leg having made room for it, by being 
 taken up in air from c 3, before d the near hind-leg 
 
WHY A HORSE IS ALL IN AIR IN THE TROT. 05 
 
 was set down at d 2. But in the trot, the near fore-leg 
 and off hind-leg are taken up at the same instant ; which 
 proves, that, at that moment, the horse is all in air. 
 c and b the near fore-leg and off hind-leg being thrown 
 forwards next, as here represented, while the other 
 two are in air. are seen coming down at c 4 and b 5. 
 The off fore-leg a, having been taken up to make room 
 for the off hind-leg b, is advanced from a 1, as here 
 represented also, before the off-hind leg is set down at 
 b 5, and the near hind-leg d is at the same instant seen 
 advancing from d 2, before the near fore-leg is set down 
 at c 4. They are therefore ready to pass c b, the other 
 two, after the latter come to the ground, and are taken 
 up again. — As the line upon which the horse is going 
 is straight, the off fore-leg a is the same distance from 
 a 1 as the near hind leg d is from d 2. When c b touch 
 the ground and spring up again — a d will be thrown 
 forwards, or leap (as it were) at the same instant, as far 
 as a z, d 3 — where they will be set down again in their 
 turn.- — For d 2 (the place from whence the near hind- 
 leg was taken up) is the same distance from d 3 as a 1, 
 (the place from whence the off fore-leg was taken up 
 which accompanied it) is from a 2. d 3 is also the 
 same distance before c 4, as d 2 is before c 3 ; and the 
 off hind-leg b, when taken up from b 5, will be set down 
 as much beyond a 2, as b 5 was beyond a 1. 
 
 N 
 
96 horse worked in" circles on a walk. 
 
 A horse can only pace while it is going straight. There- 
 fore when the pace is meant to be avoided, the horse 
 must be put upon the lines of art, by which it will be 
 kept sideways. For if the head be kept inwards, and the 
 croup outwards, either in circles, or along the walls, 
 the legs must instantaneously cross, and the body be 
 so poised, as for that walk to take place which is the 
 foundation of the trot. I shall now therefore describe the 
 method of working the horse in circles on a walk. 
 
 For this purpose, advantage should be taken of a 
 corner of the house, the horse being tied rather shorter 
 than when in circles on the trot, if it be quiet enough 
 to bear it ; this should be practised after the lesson is 
 over, and ought to be only for a short time at first. It 
 should never be attempted till the horse works stea- 
 dily in the trot and gallop. The manner has been 
 mentioned before, in which the long rein was put on, 
 which the man holds while the horse is trotting and 
 galloping in circles when tied. Without untying the 
 horse, and without altering this rein, that end of it 
 which has the loop to it, should be put through the off- 
 side eye of the snaffle, and either be hung upon the 
 upper cheek of that eye, (the loop being slipped off 
 from it for that purpose), or be passed through the eye 
 of the snaffle, and be tied to the girth. The man 
 should then face the horse, and take hold of this rein 
 
gallop from the trot naturally. 97 
 
 on each side, close to the eyes of the snaffle. The 
 right hand which holds the rein on the near side should 
 be pulled towards, and beyond the circle, in which he 
 is to walk by a sidling step nearly backwards. His 
 left hand, which holds the rein on the off side, should 
 be pulled the contrary way, that is to say, from himself. 
 The circle which is made should be very small, so that 
 the man should turn round almost on his own centre. 
 The horse will then describe the same circles, narrower 
 in the walk, which it made larger in the trot and gallop. 
 The man may either have the help of a switch in his left 
 hand ; or if more help be required, another man may 
 stand on his left, with a switch in his right hand, and 
 give an aid, by hitting the girths on the off side, more 
 or less, as the horse may appear to require it. 
 
 The two different methods have now been described, 
 inu which the horse has a power of walking by its own 
 will, in a natural state, one of which produces the pace, 
 and the other the trot. The action of the legs, in the 
 walk and in the trot on the lines of art, has also been 
 described ; as well as the manner in which the gallop is 
 produced from the trot on the lines of art. In a natural 
 state, the gallop to the right may also be produced from 
 the trot at two different periods on the straight line ; that 
 is to say, either by the impulse being communicated 
 by the will of the horse to the near hind-leg, when 
 
98 NATURAL GALLOP BEGUN EITHER BEFORE OR BEHIND. 
 
 that leg and the off fore-leg are touching the ground, or 
 by the impulse being communicated to the near fore-leg 
 when touching the ground, at the same time with the off 
 hind-leg. The near fore-leg is succeeded by the off fore- 
 leg in the gallop on the straight line naturally, as it is in 
 circles, the off fore-leg being set down one time before 
 the near hind-leg, instead of being set down at the same 
 time with it. The gallop is in this case begun by the 
 fore-legs. The impulse being, in this instance, given by 
 the near fore-leg, the off fore-leg leads. When the gallop 
 is begun by the hind legs, if the off hind-leg be to lead, 
 the impulse is given on the near hind-leg, while that 
 and the off fore-leg are on the ground together. In this 
 case, the off hind-leg is advanced and set down next, one 
 time sooner than the near fore-leg, instead of being set 
 down at the same instant ; as it would have been had the 
 trot continued. If an easy gallop is meant to be pro- 
 duced, they come up gently to the places whence the 
 fore-feet have sprung. If the rate of going is meant to 
 be faster, the increased impulse given to them drives 
 them proportionably beyond those places : the weight is 
 still partly divided by every stroke. But if a sudden 
 rise be required, as here represented; when the hind 
 legs are coming down the off leg is set down next, 
 without being thrown forwards by the impulse of the 
 near-leg so far as to pass it. For its progress is stopped 
 
CENTRE OF GRAVITY ON THE pesade. 99 
 
 by the same impulse being communicated to it on 
 coming down, as was communicated to the near leg. 
 By this the whole weight is evenly thrown on the 
 haunches. 
 
 Indeed the haunches almost always receive so much 
 greater a proportion of the horse's weight, that the hind 
 feet are differently constructed from the fore-feet for 
 that purpose.* 
 
 Having now described the true gallop artificially and 
 naturally, I shall next come to the false gallop, natu- 
 rally. When the horse is turning to the right, if the 
 near fore-leg leads by the impulse of the off fore-leg, 
 and the off hind-leg leads afterwards by the impulse of 
 
 * See my publication on the Horse's Foot, page 70. 
 
100 FALSE GALLOP NATURALLY. 
 
 the near hind-leg, the horse is said to be wrong before. 
 If the near hind-leg leads by the impulse of the off-hind 
 leg, and the off fore-leg leads by the impulse of the 
 near fore-leg, the horse is said to be wrong behind. In 
 turning to the right also, if the near fore-leg leads by 
 the impulse of the off fore-leg, and that these are suc- 
 ceeded by the near hind-leg leading, by the impulse of 
 the off hind-leg, the horse is wrong both before and 
 behind. For the true gallop to the right is made by the 
 off fore-leg leading by the impulse of the near fore-leg, 
 succeeded by the off hind-leg leading by the impulse of 
 the near hind-leg. What has been said of the action to 
 the right, is of course, vice versa, to the left. 
 
 A horse in the natural, as well as in the artificial gallop, 
 is frequently apt to go false, especially when most ex- 
 erted. When longing in circles on the lines of art, this 
 fault is at first occasioned by the difficulty the horse 
 feels in finding out the poise of its body, till by degrees 
 the true way is perceived to be easiest to itself. It 
 is curious to observe the pains a horse will some- 
 times take to endeavour to catch the step again, and to 
 rectify its errors. All animals appear to have more 
 reflection than we generally allow to fall to their share. 
 A bird, for instance, that is learning an artificial tune, 
 when it catches itself in a false note, will take the utmost 
 pains to correct itself. 
 
BAD EFFECTS OF THE FALSE GALLOP. 101 
 
 In the natural gallop, the false action of a horse is, in 
 many cases, very prejudicial. It should therefore be 
 aprticularly attended to, while a colt is breaking in for 
 common riding. Nothing is so dangerous to a sports- 
 man, as his horse going cross-legged. Few people 
 are aware of the loss of ground sustained by a race- 
 horse, that is apt to gallop false from impatience. During 
 that time, the slowest horse will beat the fastest. I heard 
 Sir Sidney Medows, (whose eye was of course very ac- 
 curate as to the going of a horse) affirm, that he once 
 saw a race lost that was nearly disputed, by nothing 
 that he could perceive, but by the horse, from impa- 
 tience, going false for a time or two while it was 
 running. 
 
[102] 
 
 H.£. OwLon, del. 
 
 W . Skclto7is jartp. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 MODE OF WORKING, WITH THE HEAD ill AND CROUP Ollt ALONG THE 
 WALLS. THE CROUP TO THE WALL. THE HEAD TO THE WALL. 
 THE MODE OF WORKING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE 
 BY TWO MEN HOLDING THE HORSE, ONE ON EACH SIDE. 
 
 1 he natural action of the horse in all its paces has 
 now been described, as well as the artificial movements 
 in circles. When the horse can bear to be tied in 
 
HEAD in AND CROUP out IN HAND. 103 
 
 circles, so as to bend with ease to itself, the next step 
 is that of working it with the head in and croup out 
 along the walls. This is another method of preventing 
 it from pacing, as well as being the most useful lesson 
 that is taught. 
 
 For this purpose, having slackened the tie a little just 
 at first, at the end of the lesson in circles, the rope rein 
 on the near side should be thrown over its shoulders, 
 without being unbuckled ; and a black rein should be 
 buckled to the mouth piece on the near side for another 
 man to lead it by. This should be buckled to the cheek, 
 and not to the eye. For if it is buckled to the eye, it 
 not only interferes with the rope rein by pulling con- 
 trary to it at times, but also prevents the rope rein from 
 slipping. Another rope rein should be passed through 
 the eye of the snaffle on the off side, and be brought 
 through the ring of the buckle and strap at the cheek, 
 after which it should be buckled to the roller. Some- 
 times, instead of this, it is sufficient to pass it through 
 the eye of the snaffle, and buckle it to the half-ring at 
 the headstall. These rope reins are then ready for the 
 master to take hold of, as represented in the opposite 
 page. ^ 
 
 This lesson should be done on the trot. The rea- 
 son, why it should follow the lesson of the longe, is, 
 that no alteration takes place, except in the ground 
 over which the horse goes. The head must be kept 
 
104 HEAD in AND CROUP Old IN HAND. 
 
 hi, and the croup out, full as much as in the circles ; 
 so as for the horse to describe four pistes, or tracks, 
 as it does in the circles. The whole body ought to 
 be put sideways in this lesson, as it is in the circles. 
 The master should separate the rope reins in his two 
 hands, as when driving a carriage, having a whip in 
 his right hand. The man who put on the black rein 
 should partly turn his back to the master, and twisting 
 that rein round his left hand should keep it shaking in 
 his hand, as he goes on, in order to be ready to prevent 
 the horse from turning. For the horse, having now its 
 head in and its croup out, is ready, when driven for- 
 wards, to turn in circles, if not prevented. The tracks 
 which each makes will be thus. The horses hind feet 
 will be nearest to the wall, and the fore feet next. 
 The feet of the man, who is leading the horse, form 
 the next track.* He should walk rather before the head 
 of the horse — and beyond it, as much as the rein will 
 allow of when held of a proper length. This should be 
 held so easily as for the horse hardly to perceive that it 
 is led at all. 
 
 The touch to its mouth should be as delicate, as the 
 touch of a man's foil, who is fencing, is to that of his 
 adversary. He should just feel it, without bearing upon 
 it. If the horse advances too fast, or gets too much 
 sideways, the man should advance also, and check the 
 
 * See the Vignette, page 102. 
 
MANAGEMENT OF THE REINS IN WORKING. 105 
 
 rein towards himself. For if he does not check it towards 
 himself, he is in danger of being run upon — nor is it 
 effectual ; as was before observed, when speaking of the 
 longe. By keeping the rein shaking in his hand, he is 
 readyto check the horse instantaneously, when required. 
 The horseman's near side-rein can also prevent the 
 horse from advancing too far, but cannot prevent it 
 from turning. The arm of the man leading the horse 
 should be kept rather extended, the remainder of the 
 rein being loosely held in the other hand. By this, if 
 the horse is required to be checked, it can be done at 
 one time. If the horse is inclined to run back, the 
 man must run back also, stepping bachwards on the same 
 ground he stepped forwards ; in order that he may be 
 ready to run forwards again, the moment the master has 
 driven the horse on to its place. This prevents any 
 alteration in the length of his rein. The legs of the 
 man, who leads the horse, are required to work accord- 
 ing to circumstances, as well as his arms. It is very 
 necessary for him to attend to the track on which he 
 walks, and to the length of his rein, which should 
 always be the same. An attention to both these things 
 is his greatest security, in preventing the horse, by any 
 sudden exertion, from running upon him. By keeping 
 the rein of an uniform length, he is always able, 
 either by pulling it very gently, to help the horse on, 
 
106 MODE OF PREVENTING THE HORSE FROM BACKING. 
 
 if inclined to run back ; or to check it if inclined 
 to run violently forwards. 
 
 If the horse be very much inclined to retain itself, so 
 as to be liable to run back upon the driver ; it should be 
 put so much sideways, as to be allowed to turn ; and be 
 led, and driven, in a portion of a circle, to the opposite 
 wall immediately. If this be done properly, it will effec- 
 tually prevent it. For, if requisite, the horse should be 
 put so much sideways, by the man who leads it, as to 
 be incapable of running back upon the driver. By this 
 I mean, that, for the moment, its croup should be as 
 much advanced as its shoulders, and consequently the 
 former be absolutely against the wall ; so that, if it 
 were to endeavour to move along the walls, the croup 
 would go, for the instant, before the shoulders. In 
 this position, it is an impossibility either of running back, 
 or of advancing along the walls. But it is in a possibility 
 of turning to the other wall, by making a portion of a 
 circle, the breadth of the house ; which should imme- 
 diately be clone. In order to do this, when the horse is 
 in this position, the man who leads it must first check 
 the rein outwards to prevent being run upon, the driver 
 at the same time giving all the long reins, and striking 
 the ground with his whip at the horse's off shoulder. 
 This will throw its foreparts into the place where they 
 ought to be in order to begin turning this portion of the 
 
When and how the horse should be held together. 107 
 
 circle. For the shoulders must be thrown a little from 
 the driver, that is outwards, immediately after the horse 
 has quitted the wall, before it is in a possibility of 
 making the turn. 
 
 When the horse begins to go quietly, and exactly, in 
 this manner, along the walls in the trot, it may be put 
 a little upon its haunches. This should be done for a 
 short time only just at first, at the end of the lesson ; 
 and should be encreased by degrees, till the horse 
 is able to piaffe down the line a few steps, being held 
 a little tighter, and kept rather straighter, for that pur- 
 pose, than in the rest of the lesson. I mean by this, that 
 the fore legs should, at this time, be brought nearly into 
 the track of the hind legs ; so as for the croup to be 
 only a very little out. In order to make the horse hold 
 itself together, the driver should force it with his whip. 
 
 It is always best at this period to begin the lesson 
 by working upon circles. This should be frequently 
 repeated, even after the horse is completely dressed. 
 I mentioned before, that, in the longe, the haunches 
 should never be exerted except in the stop.* For the 
 same reason, which was given in regard to the stop 
 in the circles, the position of the horse should also be 
 reversed in its stop along the walls. This should be 
 done by the man holding the black rein and describ- 
 
 * See page 67. 
 O 
 
108 POSITION OF THE HORSE IN THE STOP. 
 
 ing the innermost track, who should immediately run 
 forward from that position, till he gets close to the 
 wall. He must check the horse towards himself, while 
 running forwards, more or less, as occasion may re- 
 quire, so as not to impede the horseman's near side- 
 rein. This should also be pulled at the same time, 
 rather more than the off side-rein, in order to stop the 
 horse on its haunches, with its shoulders to the wall. If 
 the horse does not stand still after the driver has pulled 
 his rein, he should, upon that occasion, advance a 
 little upon the off side of it — for the same horse 
 will often stand quite still, when the driver is on one 
 side of it, that would not do so while the driver is 
 behind it. The stop being made in this manner, the 
 horse is immediately ready to take the same ground 
 again as before, in the manner that was described when 
 working on circles. If the black rein be not power- 
 ful enough, which sometimes happens, while colts are 
 headstrong, the stick may be used instead of it for a 
 little time, and with caution ; for it is a powerful in- 
 strument in strong hands, as I before observed ; and 
 when unskilfully used, may do much mischief. The 
 position of the man, in holding it, must be exactly the 
 same, as that in which the black rein was held. When 
 going along the walls, his arms should be extended, and 
 the right hand held almost close to the end of it. This 
 
CROUP TO THE WALL. 109 
 
 gives him room to walk exactly in the same track, as 
 when holding the rein. — It is seldom requisite to work 
 the horse in hand, head in and croup out, to the left ; 
 for in working to the right, in this lesson, the legs 
 double over to the left ; so that this is easily done after- 
 wards with the rider on its back. 
 
 In order still to continue keeping the croup out, the next 
 lesson should be that of putting the croup to the wall. 
 This also prevents the horse from retaining itself. For 
 the shoulders are still the most constrained, as they 
 continue to describe the smallest circles. The transi- 
 tion from the last lesson to this is very easy, as it re- 
 quires no alteration as to the tie, except that, perhaps 
 just at first, it should be slackened a little. A black 
 rein should be placed on the near side, instead of the 
 rope rein. It should be put through the eye of the 
 bridoon up to the head, as the rope rein was. The 
 track of the man who holds this rein should be nearly 
 in a line with the horse's shoulders. He should hold it 
 nearly as he did when leading the horse with its head 
 in and croup out, only rather shorter: pulling or giving 
 according as the horse is required to be held more or 
 less sideways, and corresponding in this respect with 
 the long rein of the driver. In order to keep the horse's 
 mouth fresh, the rein should now and then be shaken 
 in his hand, and sometimes entirely given. 
 
110 
 
 CROUP TO THE WALL. 
 
 E.B.audan id. 
 
 TV. Skdtcn, sadp. 
 
 If the horse be heavy in hand, the stick maybe used with 
 good effect instead of the black rein. It should be buckled 
 to the mouth-piece on the near side, and be held very far 
 apart in the man's hands, his left hand being held pretty 
 close to the end of it. He should hold it in his hands as 
 loose as a cricketer holds his bat ; so as for him to be able 
 to slip his left hand along it either way, more or less, as 
 the horse may require it. He should play with it in his 
 left hand in the same manner as he would shake the rein ; 
 this keeps the horse's mouth fresh. If another man be 
 wanted to lead the horse (which is sometimes the case just 
 at first), his position towards the horse should be exactly 
 the same, as when leading it with the head in and croup 
 
Croupe renversee down the line. HI 
 
 out ; only, as the track is to the left, instead of to the 
 right, he should lead it with his right hand, instead of 
 his left ; and the black rein, with which he is to lead 
 it, must be buckled to the off side, instead of the near 
 side. When the croup is put to the wall — although the 
 track be to the left along the house, the horse is tied to 
 the right. This makes it work the reverse way ; from 
 whence this lesson has got the name of croupe renversee. 
 As the horse is by nature so much more bent to the left 
 than to the right, it is seldom required to do this lesson 
 on the track to the right, by being tied to the left. 
 
 When it begins to go with ease to itself in this way 
 along the walls — occasionally during the lesson, a circle 
 may be made in this position ; that is, with its shoulders 
 making the two inward and smallest circles, and its 
 haunches the two outward and largest. The head, of 
 Course, must be nearest to the centre, and a little beyond 
 it, in order for the fore parts to lead. This is, in fact, 
 only a continuation of the half circle it made in turning 
 at the circular end. When tolerably perfect, this lesson 
 may be finished by holding it a little tighter in hand, 
 and by forcing it a little either by the whip, or by 
 the voice. For this purpose, it should be kept rather 
 straighter down the line of the wall, after it is clear of 
 the circular end. It should be carried on, so as to finish 
 by degrees at about two-thirds of the length of the 
 
112 SUCCESSION OF LESSONS BY GRADATION OF SUPPLENESS. 
 
 wall. These lessons gradually prepare the horse for the 
 haunches being still more worked, by the head being 
 put to the wall, when its shoulders are perfectly suppled. 
 
 A horse should never be put upon any fresh lesson till 
 the former lesson is perfectly easy. This gradation re-* 
 quires the utmost judgment of the horseman. The exact 
 method of coming gradually to these lessons in succession 
 I have never known practised, nor ever seen described 
 in any book of horsemanship, that I have read. By 
 long practice, it strikes me as being the best suited for 
 the purpose ; as I have seldom met with opposition from 
 the horse, when it was supple enough to come easily 
 from one lesson to the other. When length of time, and 
 practice have taught the master the observations of these 
 times, and the mode of communication, he will seldom 
 meet with much difficulty from the scholar. If he find 
 a difficulty, let him look to himself for the cause of it ; 
 and put his horse back to a former lesson, as before 
 recommended, till after some time he thinks he can 
 venture to try it again. For when the master and man 
 can properly communicate their meaning, and the horses 
 are supple enough to be able to do what is required of 
 them ; (according to an old observation of Sir Sidney's) 
 " they only desire to do well." 
 
 When the horse is able to go with the head in and 
 croup out, and also with the croupe renversee along the 
 
FROM CVOUp TO THE WALL TO head TO THE WALL. 113 
 
 walls, and in circles ; the next lesson, which is that of 
 putting its head to the wall, follows very easily without 
 any alteration in the tie of the rein. For at the period 
 when the horse is meant to leave the wall, in order to 
 turn that part of the circle which is independent of the 
 walls — if the man, who holds either the black rein, or 
 the stick, puts it a little from him, he will easily guide 
 the horse aslant, from that wall to the wall at the other 
 end. By the black rein, or the stick, being held in 
 this way, and by the long rein being gently pulled 
 by the other man, while the horse is crossing the house, 
 its hind parts will be constrained, and its fore parts 
 will advance the quickest ; whereas the hind parts 
 described the largest circle, when its croup was put to 
 the wall, and consequently were required to move the 
 quickest when turning, and in the circles. But from 
 the moment the horse quits the circle, to cross the house 
 in this way, by the reins being thus managed, its head 
 will reach the opposite wall before its croup, and the 
 horse will continue along the wall to the right, instead 
 of to the left. The best idea that I can give of the track, 
 that should be made across the house, is by saying, that 
 the moment the horse, with the croupe renversee has 
 quitted the wall from the large circle it described at one 
 end of the house ; it should cross in such a manner, as 
 to arrive at that part of the next wall, where, if a circle 
 
114 MUCH ART REQUIRED IN THE CHANGE. 
 
 were made at the other end, it would begin to touch it. 
 The house should be crossed at first from the square 
 end of it ; in order that when the horse arrives at the 
 other end, it may have less constraint in putting its 
 head to the wall at the circular part, than would be 
 occasioned by the corners. For the stress at first is very 
 great ; and if practised for more than a few steps, quite 
 at the end of the lesson, it will teach a horse to retain 
 itself, from the difficulty of executing, for too long a 
 time, what its limbs are not yet supple enough to bear. 
 But all this is too delicate a business to be expected to 
 go on right at first, especially with men untaught. For 
 while the man is teaching, the horse is apt to be spoiled. 
 The difficulty of teaching the horse is none, compared 
 with that of teaching the man. With men untaught, there 
 are too many things required to be in union at once. I 
 know the difficulty from experience. When three men 
 are already taught, there is a very great nicety in pull- 
 ing and giving, so as not to counteract one another. 
 When they are untaught, it is scarcely possible, unless 
 the horse be very quiet. I only describe the method, 
 and recommend the young practitioners never to put 
 their scholars to any fresh lessons, till they are tho- 
 roughly masters of those preceding. For if they attempt 
 to go on too fast, the horse may begin to play tricks ; 
 and as before mentioned, they must in that case go back 
 
DOING TOO MUCH IS WORSE THAN TOO LITTLE. 115 
 
 again, for a time, to the former lesson. I cannot also re- 
 peat too often, that more harm is done by doing too 
 much, than by any thing that may appear to be lost by 
 doing too little. Even after the lessons are perfectly easy 
 to them, a horse should seldom be required to do the same 
 thing for above twice round the riding-house. — If the 
 tie of the rein be slackened a little just at first (which 
 ought generally to be done when the head is first at- 
 tempted to be put to the wall), the alteration should be 
 made before the lesson is changed ; in order for the 
 horse to come immediately from the one to the other 
 without stopping. This is better than making a stop in 
 order for the rein to be slackened, and then beginning 
 the new lesson. 
 
 After crossing the house, the man must still hold the 
 stick in the same way, unless he finds that the horse is 
 too much constrained by it ; in which case he may slip 
 his left hand a little lower down it. This will allow 
 the horse rather more room, in consequence of the man's 
 being able to put the stick as much further from him, 
 as his own position will admit of. It will also allow the 
 long rein to act on the off side, with less chance of the 
 horse's being too much retained by it ; when it is re- 
 quired to be put rather straighter. If the stick be not 
 made use of, the rein may be given rather more, in 
 order to encourage the horse to advance at that time, 
 
116 EFFECT OF THE SWITCH WHEN THE REIN IS GIVEN. 
 
 and it will produce the same effect. The man, thus 
 giving the black rein in his left hand, should, at the 
 same time, if requisite, hit the horse under its arm with 
 the small whip, or switch, which he should hold in his 
 right hand. For nothing makes a horse advance so 
 soon as this aid, provided the rein be given at the same 
 time. In beginning this lesson, the horse's rate should 
 by no means be impeded. It should be that of a trot for 
 a few steps just at first, and the lesson should be ended 
 there. More should be done progressively, when it 
 can be done with ease. 
 
 The horse may possibly at this period be inclined to 
 hurry the lesson, so as to pull too much at the man's 
 hand who holds the stick — it may also be apt to carry 
 its head too low. In this case the man's position should 
 be altered, in order to enable him to have the greatest 
 power of using the stick with the least effort of his own. 
 The next Vignette therefore represents him standing 
 before the horse at the off shoulder, instead of being in 
 the position in which he has been hitherto described, 
 namely, at the near shoulder. Nothing should be re- 
 versed by this alteration, but the position of his body, 
 for his track should be the same. His position at the 
 horse's shoulder should be the same as that in which 
 he ought to stand, when stopping the horse in circles, or 
 along the walls, in going with its head in and croup out. 
 
HEAD TO THE WALL. 
 
 117 
 
 H.B - CluLm dtl . 
 
 If the head requires to be elevated still more, I have 
 ventured to alter a little the mode of tying the black rein. 
 For this purpose, having first buckled it to the mouth- 
 piece on the off side, it should be brought through the 
 ring at the cheek, and from thence across the neck to the 
 staple on the near side of the saddle, where it should be 
 fastened of a proper length. Either this may be done, or 
 the end of the rein, when put on as before, may be brought 
 across the neck to the near side, instead of being fastened 
 to the girth on the offside as here represented. Thedriver 
 should so regulate his rein as for the horse in its pro- 
 gress to be put a good deal sideways, so as to work upon 
 four pistes ; always taking care that the fore parts shall 
 
118 HEAD TO THE WALL. 
 
 lead. If the horse advances the hind parts too much by 
 the restraint of the stick, the driver should immediately 
 pull the long rein, and the other man should at the same 
 time pull the stick towards himself, advancing from the 
 horse in a sidling position a little faster, when he does 
 it — for his back should be nearly turned to the horse. 
 The legs of the man should move slower or faster, ac- 
 cording to the occasion, as well as his arms. Unless 
 the two men are completely in union, the work will 
 be presently spoiled. For of all the times in which the 
 stick is made use of, this is the most severe, and re- 
 quires the nicest management. As the Earl of Pem- 
 broke observes in the motto to his book, " Vis consili 
 expers mole ruit sua." — Hor. It is very effectual, when 
 well done, for the horse cannot advance in a hurry 
 against it. If it is not nicely done, the horse may get 
 the trick of retaining itself, or may rear, in a manner 
 that is afterwards very difficult to be overcome. 
 
 The best way of obviating this, when it happens, is 
 for the man holding the stick to pull it towards himself, 
 as if going to turn, till he puts the horse with its head 
 in and croup out. This brings it back to a former 
 lesson, and may be finished, as I mentioned for that 
 lesson. For it cannot be too often repeated, that in 
 every case where difficulty occurs, the only thing to be 
 done is to go back to a former lesson. 
 
USE OF RETURNING TO A FORMER LESSON. 119 
 
 The late Earl of Pembroke has also put another motto 
 to his book, which should be very much attended to by 
 all horsemen, viz. " Scientia et Patientia" There is no 
 doing without both. More or less patience is required, 
 in proportion as there is more or less knowledge. But 
 all the patience will not do without the science, nor all 
 the science without the patience. In the present in- 
 stance, if the man will bring his horse to a former lesson, 
 he will find that more suppleness will be gained before 
 the new one is again put in practice, and consequently 
 less opposition attempted. This last, if not brought 
 on by the want of skill in the man, is frequently occa- 
 sioned by the constraint which the horse feels in first 
 attempting to exert those parts, the powers of which 
 have not yet been sufficiently brought forth to be 
 enabled to bear it. For all the preceding lessons 
 have tended chiefly to the work of the shoulders. The 
 jaws have been worked by the horse's having been 
 very much bent each way, and the mouth has had little 
 or no constraint. The horse is therefore thus far 
 suppled, before the lesson commences, at which most 
 men begin. In that mode of practice, the consequence 
 is, that the horse's shoulders are always stiff, and the 
 haunches generally so. The mouth is also deadened by 
 bearing upon the bridle to ease the pain of the jaws, 
 which are obliged to be constrained, frequently more 
 
 p 
 
120 USE OF GRADATION OF LESSONS. 
 
 than the horse can endure, when required to be set upon 
 its haunches before the fore parts are suppled. For the 
 poize of the body being in this case meant to be put upon 
 the hind parts, the head must be raised very much, or 
 the horse will be placed upon its hocks, instead of on 
 its haunches, as was always the case while the long 
 curb bridle was in use." The jaws having been pre- 
 viously worked without constraint to the mouth, as 
 well as the shoulders suppled in such a manner as to 
 enable it to throw the fore parts easily forwards, 
 the horse is able, with less fatigue to itself, to set its 
 weight properly on the haunches. For it has then only 
 half the difficulty which generally happens, when the 
 head is required to be held very high before the fore 
 parts are suppled, in order for the weight to be placed 
 so much further back. — When at first, in the ardour of 
 my study, I wanted to try every thing that could be 
 done, without knowing sufficiently how far the horse 
 was able to bear the lesson it was put to, I can remem- 
 ber my old master's frequently saying to me, "Your horse 
 must not do that this half year." — Most horses are natu- 
 rally so much more supple to the left than to the 
 right, that in the lesson of putting the head to the 
 wall, as in most other lessons, the work to the right 
 
 * See the prints in the folio edition of the Duke of Newcastle's Horse- 
 manship. 
 
MODE OF THE MAN'S CHANGING PLACE IN doubling. 121 
 
 only should be practised for a considerable time just at 
 first. 
 
 When the horse can go with ease to itself, with the 
 man standing before it, with its head to the wall ; as 
 soon as it has quitted the circular end, (or indeed at any 
 period in coming down the line in that position,) the man, 
 by pulling the stick a little towards himself and stepping 
 back a few paces into the middle of the house, may 
 go on with the horse so as to begin making a turn holding 
 haunches. By thus stepping back, he will get room to 
 place himself at the near shoulder without stopping, 
 as soon as the horse has quitted the wall. In this, he 
 must be assisted by the man who drives, who should 
 give his rein very much at first, and then pull it again 
 just so much as not to lose haunches ; so that the horse 
 may go in the same manner as when going along the wall ; 
 the stick will then be held in the same way as when 
 crossing the house. Having turned, (or what is more 
 technically called made a double,) in this way, and come to 
 the other wall, the horse may be brought along that wall, 
 till it arrives at that part where I mentioned, it should 
 touch, when going to cross the house from the croupe ren- 
 versee* A sort of long demivolte maybe made there within 
 the breadth of half the house, so as to come back again 
 to the same wall. For this purpose, the man holding the 
 
 * See page 113. 
 
122 USE OF THE MAN'S CHANGING PLACE IN doubling. 
 
 stick and standing at the horse's shoulders, should shorten 
 it, and carry his hands very high, quite close to the 
 horse's jaws, thrusting the stick from himself. The 
 same thing should be done if holding the black rein. 
 The driver should at the same time assist him by pull- 
 ing the off side long rein, and by striking the ground 
 with the whip back-handed behind the other man, if 
 necessary, in order to prevent the horse from retaining 
 itself too much. When this half circle is finished — if 
 the croup be carried to the wall, instead of the shoulders, 
 the lesson may either be finished immediately by hold- 
 ing the horse a little more together, and a little straighter, 
 or it may be carried once round the house so, and then 
 finished in the same position that was described in that 
 lesson. 
 
 As more than one person can work at the same 
 time in a riding-house, and at different rates of going, 
 this mode of doubling without interrupting the horse 
 is particularly useful, at times when it may be im- 
 mediately required, by another horse coming faster 
 behind the person whose horse is going with its 
 shoulders to the wall, while he is standing before it 
 with the stick. I mention it particularly now, as there 
 is no great difficulty in turning a horse immediately in 
 any other lesson, but some little art is necessary in turn- 
 ing it properly when the man is in this position, without 
 
WHY MOST WORK TO THE RIGHT. 123 
 
 interrupting the horse. When this lesson begins to be 
 tolerably familiar to it, and not before, the same thing 
 may be practised to the left. This work prepares it for 
 what may be attempted next. 
 
 Having been already set a little upon its haunches 
 with its croup to the wall at the conclusion of that 
 lesson, as well as when finishing with its head in and 
 its croup out, the horse is now in a state for the driver 
 to attempt to set it upon its haunches still straighter, 
 and without the help of the walls. The great difficulty, 
 which the horse finds in doing this at first, is that of 
 being able to get the proper poize of its body. By 
 having been held rather straighter in the croupe reri- 
 versee tied to the right- — and by having been more 
 worked to the right than to the left, for reasons before 
 assigned" — the off legs have been most at liberty to lead. 
 This is a great help to a horse when beginning to be 
 worked in hand down the middle without being tied, 
 which may be attempted to be done at this period. For 
 it is there required to go quite straight, and for the off 
 shoulder to work the most in the piaffe. The off side 
 should also work the most, when the horse, in doing this, 
 changes for its ease for a few times by going terre a 
 terre. In this case the off legs should invariably lead ; 
 which, if the ^shoulder does not work the most in the 
 
 * See page 109. 
 
124 
 
 Passage down the middle of the house. 
 
 S.S.Chalm del . 
 
 Jf.Skelton sculp. 
 
 piaffe, they will not do. In order to make the horse 
 advance with the greatest ease to itself, and with the 
 least fear of restraint ; two men should each hold a black 
 rein put through the eye of the snaffle and buckled to 
 the headstall. The driver should have a long rein 
 fastened to the mouth-piece on the off side, and thrown 
 over the horse's shoulders, for him to hold behind the 
 horse on the near side. The use of this rein is to keep 
 the horse's plie* and as an aid towards preventing it 
 from advancing too fast. For in doing this, the hoise's 
 head should be a little bent to the right, and the body 
 kept quite straight. By attending to this, the ofFshoulder 
 
 * The term plie is used from the French word plier, to bend. 
 
MODE OP HOLDING THE HORSE DOWN THE MIDDLE. 125 
 
 will work rather the most, and the passage will be made 
 more regular ; so that when the terre a terre happens 
 to take place, the off legs will lead. If the horse be 
 inclined to carry its head low, so as to press upon the 
 hands of the men on each side, a buckle and. strap may 
 be put on to the off side. cheek of the headstall, and the 
 driver's rein maybe first put through that ring, and after- 
 wards buckled to the off side eye of the snaffle. He may 
 then occasionally check the horse, when this happens, 
 without fear of injury to its mouth. — But the business to 
 be done by these three men is so very much the touchstone 
 of art, that I scarcely know how to describe it. It is 
 hardly to be done with any truth by young beginners 
 and a young horse. For when the horse is in its utmost 
 exertion, as it ought to be, the two men holding the 
 black reins are in danger of being trod upon, unless 
 they pull and give exactly with one another ; and the 
 driver holding the long rein, and the whip, is in danger 
 of being run back upon, if either of these two men 
 check the horse too severely to save their toes. 
 
 The two men holding the black reins should stand at 
 the horse's shoulders. — The near side man quite close 
 to the shoulder, and the off side man a little further 
 off, and a little further back. They should twist the 
 reins firmly round their hands, and should hold them 
 of such a length, as to be able to pull or give instanta- 
 
126 HOW THE MEN SHOULD ASSIST EACH OTHER. 
 
 neously, as occasion may require. The man on the 
 near side, with the rein in his left hand, and the switch 
 in his right, should be ready to strike the ground at the 
 horse's haunches, if they are not sufficiently held in, or 
 to touch the horse's nose with the butt end of it, if the 
 haunches are held in too much. The driver must at 
 these times regulate his rein accordingly. Whenever 
 the near side man uses his switch, he must be very care- 
 ful to give the rein at the same time. This cannot be too 
 frequently mentioned. — When the long rein is pulled, 
 the horse may run back, and in so doing force its shoulders 
 on the near side man. In this case he should immediately 
 strike the horse with the switch under its arm, in order 
 to bring it straight again. At this time, the driver must 
 give his rein ; and while this is happening, the off side 
 man must give his rein entirely also ; so that the horse 
 must only feel the check by advancing to the near side 
 man's rein, which should be held across its neck the mo- 
 ment after the blow is struck. But this operation on the 
 near side may drive the horse suddenly on the man upon 
 the off side. This man should hold the black rein in 
 his right hand rather longer than the other man's, and 
 have a switch in his left hand. But the switch should 
 seldom be made use of; as the aids should chiefly be 
 given on the near side. Nor should so much use be 
 made of his rein, as of that of the man on the near side ; 
 
MEN S POSITION MATERIAL TO AN INCH. 127 
 
 as the off side man has the additional assistance of the 
 long rein of the driver. 
 
 When the horse comes upon the man on the off side, 
 the other man on the near side should pull his rein for- 
 wards and from himself. He should walk even before the 
 head of the horse, if requisite for the moment ; in order 
 that the horse may have no impediment in going back 
 to its place. But he should not be so forward, as not to 
 be able to run immediately to the horse's shoulder again, 
 the moment it comes back. At that instant, the offside 
 man must give the horse all its head, and accompany 
 it. These men must both of them use their legs as well 
 as their arms, for their position is material to an inch. 
 The business of the driver is to keep the horse for- 
 wards, and to aid the other two men by striking the 
 ground on either side, as occasion may require ; as also 
 by the occasional use of his rein, in order to keep the 
 plie of the horse's neck ; as the horse should look a little 
 to the right. — Too much exactness in the plie, or in 
 any thing else, should not be required just at first. The 
 great point is to get the horse to advance with exertion, 
 so as to feel the reins of the men on each side. When 
 this happens too rapidly, the horseman's long rein will 
 check it, if by his standing for a moment in the same 
 place, he lets the horse come upon it. 
 
 In the beginning of this lesson, but little should 
 
128 MEANING OF THE TERM passage. 
 
 be required at a time, but that little should be done 
 with exertion. If this method of working is not likely 
 to succeed, the driver should put on another long rein, 
 and the horse should be held pretty straight along 
 the walls, in the same manner as mentioned when 
 finishing the lesson of head in and croup out." This 
 recourse to a former lesson, by letting the horse have 
 the aid of the wall, is a great help to the poize of its 
 body, and should be used for a certain time, before this 
 lesson is again attempted. 
 
 The action of the horse down the middle of the house 
 should be either that of a passage, or tcrre a terre, ac- 
 cording to whichever seems easiest to it. Some horses 
 will naturally take to the passage, and others have great 
 difficulty in acquiring it, the action of the terre a terre 
 being more familiar to them. 
 
 I shall now explain the meaning of these terms, the 
 first of which has been frequently, and I believe still 
 is, almost entirely misunderstood. For it is generally 
 thought, that when a horse passages, it goes from side to 
 side ; whereas, in the passage, it is meant to advance in 
 a straight line, in the proud action of a piaffe. 
 
 The terms of horsemanship were taken from the 
 Italian language. — Passeggiare is to walk. The Duke 
 of Newcastle observes, " The walk or passage, which is 
 
 * See page 107. 
 
MEANING OF OTHER TERMS. 129 
 
 the action of the trot, is the best of all to put him upon 
 his haunches."* When a horse goes from side to side, 
 it is called in French chevaler. The term piaffe is used 
 most properly, when the horse is in the action of a trot 
 de ferme a ferme ; that is to say, in the same place. 
 When advancing on a straight line, firmly held together, 
 in the action of a trot, it is more properly said to be 
 passaging. Terre a terre is the action of a gallop releve. 
 It is called so, whether it be done on a straight line, 
 along the walls, or on the volts. In going down the 
 middle, the horse will frequently come for a few times 
 from the passage to the terre a terre for its own ease. 
 Either of them are equally beautiful. The horseman 
 should determine which of the two to prefer, according 
 as the horse feels it the easiest to do either the one or 
 the other. Horses should be encouraged in either selon 
 leurs allenres, which should always be studied. A sort of 
 double time is also sometimes produced by the haunches 
 in the passage, when in their utmost exertion, as they 
 ought to be. This when it happens, is beautiful. It is 
 called by the French desjredons de haunches. 
 
 * See the folio edition, p. 97. 
 
[130] 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 MODE OF WORKING AT THE PILLAR, IN THE CORNER, AND AT 
 THE DOOR; AND ALSO BY THE MAN'S STANDING BEFORE THE 
 HORSE DOWN THE LINE OF THE WALL, AND WITH LONG REINS 
 DOWN THE MIDDLE. 
 
 If the lesson down the middle of the house can be done 
 tolerably exactly, the horse at the end of it (which should 
 be about two horses lengths from the pillar) should by- 
 degrees be made to piaffe for a few times de ferme a 
 ferme. When this action becomes familiar to it, the 
 next gradation is as follows. The man, at the near 
 shoulder of the horse, should take his rein very short 
 in his hand. Having struck the ground with the switch 
 in the other hand, he should immediately push his 
 rein fiom himself, quite close to the horse's head. This 
 will force the horse sideways, so as to bring it to the 
 wall on the off side en chevalant, holding haunches. The 
 man should of course accompany it, stepping sideways 
 also. He should take particular care, that the fore-parts 
 are rather the most forward, without which the legs 
 cannot cross. When within a horse's length of the 
 
MODE OF COMING FROM THE MIDDLE TO THE PILLAR. 131 
 
 wall, the croup should be put to it, and it should thus 
 be carried along the wall for a few steps, till it gets a 
 little beyond the pillar. The man on the off side, 
 having led the horse to this place by stepping sideways 
 with it, should then strike either the ground, or the 
 boards, with the switch in his left hand ; and lift up 
 his rein, shaking it at the same time. The man on the 
 near side, bringing the horse's shoulders gently to- 
 wards himself, (if requisite) should make it advance 
 towards the pillar quite straight ; in the same manner 
 as it came down the middle of the house. When the 
 near side of the horse just touches the pillar, nothing 
 more should be done just at first, than to make it stand 
 still there. The next day, when the horse comes to the 
 pillar, if it be inclined to stand quite still, a little more 
 may be ventured. For this purpose, the man on the 
 near side should slip his rein up to the circular top of 
 the pillar, and should stand forwards a little, before the 
 pillar, so as to let his rein slide upon it. This is the 
 most expeditious way; as it can be done without the 
 horse's being stopped for it ; and the piaffe may be made 
 for a few steps immediately. If the horse be stopped, 
 it may either be done this way, or the rein may be put 
 through the ring at top, and should be held in the 
 man's hand standing close to the pillar. The length of 
 the rein from that part which passes through the ring 
 
132 MODE OF BEGINNING THE WORK AT THE PILLAR. 
 
 at the pillar, to the part where it goes through the eye 
 of the bridoon, should be nearly the same as that length 
 of the rope rein which is fixed to it. The reason 
 why it should be of this length is, that it gives the 
 horse room to piaffe with its side to the pillar, without 
 the croup being able to pass it, when in exertion. 
 When this rein is in its place, the horse should be 
 required to piaffe for a few times dejerme a ferine. The 
 check given by this additional lever makes it rather 
 more severe, than in the former method. The horse 
 may not like this at first, and when begun to be pur in 
 motion, may run back suddenly, the moment it feels 
 the cheek of the rein from the ring at the pillar. In 
 this case, the following alteration should take place. 
 The off side black rein should be taken off, and be put 
 on to the front part of the cheek of the bridle on the 
 near side. The long rein should be put on to the off 
 side, in the same manner as the black rein was, namely, 
 through the eye of the bridle ; and be buckled to the 
 headstall. It should be thrown across the back of the 
 horse, and be brought to the driver's hand, who should 
 stand on the near side, in order for the aids of the whip 
 to be given on that side. By this, the off' legs will 
 lead, in case of the horse's going terre a terre for a few 
 times. The driver by standing on the near side, has 
 
 * See Plate II. and see Description p. 5. 
 
ALTERATION OF REINS AND MEN'S PLACES. 133 
 
 also sometimes the power of using the pillar as a lever 
 to the off side rein, in case he wishes it, in the same 
 manner as the man has at the near shoulder when the 
 rein is slipped on to the top of it, instead of being put 
 through the ring. But the place of the driver must be 
 regulated according to circumstances, for which it is 
 not possible to give absolute directions. The man who 
 stood on the off side is now to hold the black rein before 
 the horse, with his right side most advanced, in order 
 for him to be able to check the horse in the easiest man- 
 ner with his right hand when required. He should 
 avoid looking the horse in the face, by which it might 
 run back, and should hold his rein quite slack, so as 
 only to make use of it when occasion requires it, to 
 keep the horse straight. When at his place — the best 
 way, in general, is for him to stand quite still ; for, by 
 remaining in the same place, the horse will be caught 
 by his rein, if inclined to run back on being put in 
 motion. When spoken to for this purpose — if it be 
 inclined to run back, the man, who is on the near side, 
 close to the pillar, should at that instant hit the horse a 
 forehanded blow under the arm, and the driver should 
 strike the ground with his whip behind the horse. This 
 may happen to produce an effect equally violent the 
 other way. 
 
 As when the wind is unsteady, the prudent mariner 
 
134 WORK OF THE MEN WHILE THE HORSE IS UNSTEADY. 
 
 always avoids belaying the sheet, or, in the language of a 
 landsman, tying the rope, so have I recommended the 
 prudent horseman, as long as the horse is unsteady at 
 the pillar, to hold the black rein in his hand, when put 
 through the ring, instead of its being tied to it. When 
 the horse is suddenly struck by the whip, or (to continue 
 my simile) when the sail is suddenly filled by the wind, 
 the rein should be let run through the ring, as the sheet 
 or rope should be let run through the block. The driver 
 should pull the off side rein a little, so as just to keep the 
 horse straight, by counterbalancing the running of the 
 rein through the ring on the near side. But the greatest 
 check the horse should receive, should be by the man 
 standing before it. He should in this case look it full 
 in the face, and run back, while he checks it, in propor- 
 tion, as the horse runs forwards. This enables him to 
 check it without altering the length of his rein ; for if 
 he did that, he is in danger of being run upon. By 
 being checked in this manner only, the horse is not im- 
 mediately hindered in its progress by a violent pull on 
 the mouth ; which might give it a dislike to return to 
 the pillar — the haunches might also in the last case ma- 
 terially suffer. 
 
 As I before observed — in general when the horse 
 is stopped, the driver should at the same instant step 
 forwards. This will frequently make the horse stand 
 
ALTERATION OF LESSON WHEN HORSE IS UNSTEADY. 135 
 
 still, when it would not otherwise have done so. But 
 when the horse either runs forward — or backs vio- 
 lently — the horseman must try, if he can, in some mea- 
 sure, find out the cause of it against the next time. The 
 reins may be too severe, when put through the eyes of 
 the snaffle and from thence up to the headstall. In this 
 case, they must only be fixed to the eyes of the snaffle. 
 The driver may also find that his position may be ad- 
 vantageously altered a little, according to the aids which 
 the horse will require for want of the off side black rein. 
 If all this will not do, another method may be tried, 
 which is by putting the horse into the corner ; for 
 the genius of the rider should always be exerted, in 
 trying how he can change the lesson, when he sees a 
 difficulty. When the horse is put into the corner, there 
 are two ways of placing the reins, according as it is re- 
 quired either to encourage the horse to advance (if it be 
 inclined to run back) or to prevent its advancing too 
 rapidly. In the first case, the near side black rein should 
 be taken off, and a long rein be put on in its stead, through 
 eye of the snaffle on the near side up to the headstall. 
 The other end of it should be brought through the ring 
 which is placed on the boards running the length of the 
 house* and from thence over the horse's back to the 
 driver's hand. 
 
 * See page 6, and Plate II. 
 
136 
 
 One mode of piaffing in the corner. 
 
 W. STcdton . 
 
 S3.Cludon icZ. 
 
 A ring and strap should be put on to the off side of 
 the headstall of the bridle. The offside long rein, being 
 put through this in the manner before described, should 
 have one end of it buckled to the roller. The other 
 end may either be brought through the ring which is 
 placed on the boards running the xuidth of the house, and 
 from thence to the man's hand, or immediately to his 
 hand. If, after a certain time, the horse be tolerably 
 steady, this end of it may be tied to the end of the other 
 rein, in order to gain more length to the whole, when 
 brought through the rings ; but that is not absolutely 
 requisite. The black rein should still be kept where I 
 last mentioned, namely, buckled to the mouth -piece 
 
WHICH PREVENTS THE HORSE FROM RUNNING BACK. 137 
 
 on the near side ; and the man should stand before the 
 horse, and prevent its running back upon the driver in 
 the following manner : he should step back a little to- 
 wards the middle of the house, and pull his horse, as if 
 he meant it to turn. By its head being advanced, in 
 this case, towards the middle of the house, the croup is 
 put into the corner, when the horse is inclined to run 
 back, instead of its running back upon the driver. The 
 latter must of course pull his off side rein, and give the 
 other at the same time, to help in bending the horse for 
 this purpose. This may be done more or less, by the off 
 side rein being either put through the ring, or brought 
 directly to the man's hand, as I have just mentioned. 
 
 After a certain time, if the horse does not like being 
 thus counteracted, it may begin to plunge forwards, and 
 pull the reins through the rings out of the man's hand. 
 In this case, let the near side long rein be put through 
 that side of the ring on the long wall which is nearest 
 to the corner, and be buckled to the mouth-piece of the 
 bridle. The other end of it should be brought to the 
 man's hand who held the black rein before the horse, 
 which should at that time be taken off. The man holding 
 
138 PIAFFE IN THE CORNER TO PREVENT RUNNING FORWARDS. 
 
 M.B. Cludtm id,. 
 
 TV. Sixltm sculp. 
 
 this rein should equally stand before the horse, but rather 
 further from it than when he held the black rein, for 
 fear of being run upon. He should pull, or give, as 
 circumstances may require ; for when the horse plunges 
 forwards, instead of piaffing in the same place, the check 
 it will receive by the lever of the rein through the ring 
 will be very severe. This is only to be lessened by the 
 degree of pulling or giving by the man before it. 
 
 The horse may next be apt to hold its head down, and 
 plunge by raising the hind parts. Its place must then 
 be changed from these rings to the ring which I men- 
 tioned should be put seven feet high on the contrary side 
 of the house, nearly opposite to the pillar." In this case, 
 
 * See page 6, and Plate II. 
 
CHANGE OP PLACE FOR THE SAME PURPOSE. 139 
 
 the horse will equally have the help of the wall, till it is 
 steady enough to piaffe at the pillar. The men's position, 
 and the placing of the reins, should be the same as last 
 mentioned. The check being now given from so great a 
 height, when the horse comes quick up to it, sets it at 
 once upon its haunches, by preventing the head from 
 being lowered. In this lesson much nicety is required 
 in the pulling and giving of the two men, according to 
 circumstances. As there is great use at times in chang- 
 ing the lesson, when all does not go on right, so it is 
 also of great service to change the place where a horse 
 is to work, that has got a trick by which the master is 
 counteracted. For a little change of method, together 
 with a change of place, often counteracts, almost di- 
 rectly, the tricks they are watching to play on the spot 
 they have been used to. 
 
 The horse, having now been assisted for a time in the 
 poize of its body by the help of the wall, may have in 
 some measure a still greater help, if not so unruly, as 
 to strike with the fore parts. Being at the ring, which 
 was last mentioned, all the long reins should be taken off, 
 and two black reins be put on thus — the near side rein up 
 to the head, and the off side rein through the ring down 
 to the saddle. The driver may also have a rope rein put 
 on plain to the mouth-piece of the bridle on the off side, 
 if required, to aid the man's hands, who should stand 
 
140 MAN" STANDING before THE HORSE. 
 
 before the horse, holding his right hand very high, and 
 his left hand low, as here represented. The horse can 
 be kept more steady in this way, and will be better able 
 to do the next lesson, to which it should be put, which 
 is that of working at the door with long reins, by having 
 previously had the aid of short reins and the help of the 
 wall. This method has all the advantages of the former 
 lessons, with the additional one of the horse's being able 
 either to piaffe deferme ajerme, or to advance in piaffing, 
 (if it is apt to retain itself) by the man's moving his posi- 
 tion accordingly. If it be required to advance, the man 
 must of course step back in proportion as it advances. 
 When inclined to run back of its own accord, the man 
 who stands before it must pull the horse inwards, as if 
 going to turn. For this purpose, stepping back a little 
 towards the middle of the house, he should bring his right 
 hand towards himself and put his left \muS.jrom himself, in 
 the same manner as when holding it in circles entire on 
 a foot-pace. When it has begun to turn, so as for the 
 croup to be nearly as forward as the head, it cannot run 
 back ; for the hind parts have then a tendency to get 
 more forward than the fore parts, so that its croup will 
 thus be stopped against the wall. This should only be 
 done on this particular occasion. For the method in 
 which it should advance in piaffing, is with its head 
 rather in, and its croup a little out; that is to say, with 
 
E.JB.Ckattm 3£s, 
 
 Xonddh/.J^uilisTicd/ Jarv.i.iBoB, by S.JFreematL . 
 
 W. Shstttm. sculp. 
 
HOW THE MAN SHOULD STAND before THE HORSE. 141 
 
 the body nearly straight. The man holding his right 
 hand high, and his left hand low, should shake them 
 both as he holds the reins, in order to make the bit play 
 in the horse's mouth. His position towards the horse 
 should be rather sideways, and nearer the centre, in 
 order that the horse may not strike him, if it advances 
 too rapidly when forced by the driver ; which might 
 happen, if he stood too much in front. The reins should 
 be firmly twisted round the middle of each hand, so that 
 they may not slip. They should be pinched hard by 
 the finger and thumb, and be taken hold of close to the 
 mouth-piece ; as they will slide through the rings, so as 
 to increase their length when acted upon. The horse 
 may be checked with either one or the other of them, 
 according as occasion may require. 
 
 It was mentioned before, that the near side rein should 
 be put through the eye of the bridle up to the headstall, 
 and that the offside rein should be put from the eye to 
 the ring at the headstall, and from thence to the saddle. 
 The rein, being thus double on the off side, not only 
 helps the horse to look inwards, but is also an additional 
 lever in the man's hand, so as to put him in greater se- 
 curity in case of the horse's striking with its fore parts ; 
 for by stepping sideways and checking this rein, the 
 blow would pass him. But the reins should be put on 
 according to circumstances ; for a double rein may be 
 
 R 
 
142 THE HORSE SHOULD BE EXERTED TO THE UTMOST. 
 
 found to be too severe, even on one side, or it may be 
 found requisite to put the reins double on both sides. 
 
 When tolerably perfect, the man may venture to let 
 the horse quit the wall, by checking the nearside rein, 
 and by the aid of the driver's whip, so as to come en 
 chevalant till opposite the doorway. It may then be ad- 
 vanced on a piajfe to the door, and be held there by the 
 man standing before it ; care being taken to change the 
 saddle for a roller if liable to be injured. But all this is 
 very severe, and should never be attempted till the horse 
 is tolerably supple ; the man is otherwise in very great 
 danger of being run over or struck at — for the horse 
 should do it with the utmost exertion ; as, according to 
 an expression of Sir Sidney Medows, they never look 
 so well as when they are red hot ; at the same time care 
 should be taken that they should not do it for so long a 
 time as to die upon the whip. But the greatest art of 
 horsemanship consists in being able to bring forth the 
 utmost powers of the horse, without its being vexed by 
 it ; in which case it will stand quite still the moment it 
 is called upon to do so. Nothing shews the difference 
 between good work and bad so much as this. For a 
 horse knows whether it is whipped in order for it to 
 be exerted to the utmost, or whether the blow is given in 
 anger, full as well as the man who strikes it. When the 
 work is well done, the utmost exertions may be brought 
 
HOW THE HORSE SHOULD BE DRIVEN TO THE DOORWAY. 143 
 
 forth at the same time that the horse still continues to be 
 Vami de Vhomme. 
 
 When the proper plie is acquired by the man's stand- 
 ing before the horse, with the aids of the short reins, 
 another method of doing this may be practised, so as for 
 the horse's head to be still more raised. The saddle 
 should be pulled off for fear of hurting it, and two long 
 reins be put on again, through the eyes of the snaffle up 
 to the head stall, with a black rein for a man to hold before 
 it, the horse being placed near the single ring in the 
 wall as before. He should now do very little, but help 
 the driver to keep the horse straight in driving it about 
 half way on a piaffe between that ring and the door way. 
 The man who stands before it, should have a switch in 
 his right hand. He should strike it against the boards, 
 when the horse is required to go from the boards en 
 chevalant till opposite the door way, in the same manner 
 as when held by the man standing before it with short 
 reins. This is a great help to the driver, who should 
 regulate his own whip and rein accordingly. When 
 arrived at the door, the driver can easily throw the near 
 side rein over the hook, without the horse's being 
 stopped for it. The man who stands before it, having 
 a switch in his right hand, is ready to strike the 
 horse's near shoulder, if the foreparts do not work 
 enough. The driver should give occasional aids to the 
 
144 ADVANTAGE IN PIAFFING AT THE DOORWAY. 
 
 haunches, by striking the horse either on the near side 
 flank or on the rump : for the aids should all be given 
 on the near side, in order that the off legs may be most 
 at liberty to lead in case of a terre a terre being made. 
 When it has thus piaffed with its utmost exertion for a 
 few steps ; if the driver chooses to have still more the 
 use of double pillars, his off side rein may be put 
 through the ring on the door post, and from thence 
 plain to the mouth piece, if it be likely to be too severe 
 by being kept up to the head. This alteration may be 
 made while the horse stops to breathe after the first 
 exertion. The head is raised by this method, so as to 
 prevent a possibility of the horse's bearing upon the 
 pillar reins, as it could in the old method, when worked 
 at the pillars with a caveson. By the present mode of 
 working, the horse is set upon its haunches, instead of on 
 its hods, as in the Duke of Newcastle's time. There is 
 also an additional advantage in working at the door way, 
 if the porch at the entrance of the house be paved with 
 clinkers ; for it makes the horse hear the sound of its feet, 
 when piaffing deferme aferme upon them. Alarmed by 
 this, as well as enabled by the hardness of the clinkers 
 to make the greater percussion upon them, its fore 
 parts will be lifted up much higher, than they are, 
 when the percussion is made on the soft ground in 
 the riding house. 
 
I B.£. Chalan, Jel. 
 
 Lorulon PuhtuhzJ JatS.'i . 1S00, by S.Tretnvm. . 
 
 W. Skeltan sculp . 
 
RUNNING REINS IN AID OF FIXED REINS. 145 
 
 In what has hitherto been said, it must be observed, 
 that I have never mentioned the reins as being fixed to 
 any thing. All at first should be loose ; and the head 
 being held high, the horse by degrees becomes supple 
 enough to throw its weight back ; and is consequently, 
 when in action, seated upon its haunches. This variety 
 of methods to be pursued, according to circumstances, 
 gives the rider various means of counteracting any 
 opposition that may occur, without chastisement, and 
 without constraint. It should be done merely by 
 changing from one place to another ; and either by 
 using the reins through the rings at the different places, 
 with more or less force, aided by the man's hands, or 
 by the reins in the man's hands only. For according to 
 an old observation, there are no better pillars than the 
 hands of a man. 
 
 When the horse can frajfe without a desire of oppo- 
 sition, and with equal ease to itself, in any of these 
 methods ; the reins may be tied to those rings which 
 they had hitherto been slipped through. In order 
 to prevent too great severity, just at first, the driver's 
 near side long rein should be kept on, and should be 
 passed through the ring at the pillar, when the pillar 
 rein is buckled to the mouth piece of the bridle. When 
 in the corner, a black rein should be tied to the ring, of 
 the same length as the pillar rein, and the driver's long 
 
Tlwte JX. 
 
 JJJt.Ouuan &&■ 
 
 Zon&>n.,?ubliilud JanZufiefi iy SJFreem 
 
 "W.Skelion sculp- 
 
AIDS REQUIRED ROUND THE PILLAR JUST AT FIRST. 147 
 
 to touch the pillar, should describe the two smallest 
 circles. If the rein be not required to be put on to 
 lead the horse by — -just at first, a man may stand at the 
 horse's near shoulder, with a switch in his hand, ready 
 to take hold of the fixed rein at the mouth piece, if 
 requisite, now and then, with his left hand ; and ready 
 either to touch the horse's nose with the but end of the 
 switch, in his right hand, if it advances too fast; or to 
 hit a blow on the back part of the horse's arm, if inclined 
 to run back. He should keep close to the pillar, 
 stepping backwards in the circle as the horse advances. 
 As the action is meant to be the same, when going 
 round the pillar, as when going round the walls, the 
 horse should be bent to the right, and should cross its 
 legs in four tracks to the left. This makes a variety 
 in the lesson, and is very useful to those horses, that 
 are apt to piaffe with their fore legs, hardly moving 
 their hind legs — it also prevents them from retaining 
 themselves. It is more severe than when done in 
 larger circles along the walls, and is a greater stress to 
 the hind parts ; so that these lessons should not be 
 practised, till the horse is nearly dressed. This lesson 
 may be done either with long or short reins, according 
 as the horse seems to require it.* 
 
 * The horses in this Plate are represented as doing it either to the 
 right or to the left, and are supposed to be supple enough to require only 
 
148 ACTION ROUND THE PILLAR WITH THE HEAD TO IT. 
 
 The next lesson, which is that of putting the horse's 
 head to the pillar, is more easily done by the short reins, 
 with a man at the pillar (as at No. I in this Plate) ; as it 
 requires the driver to go too large a circle, when done 
 with the long reins. In this case, the black reins must be 
 put on, in the same manner as the rope reins were in the 
 last lesson ; but instead of the near side rein being put 
 through the ring at the pillar, it should be taken hold of 
 very short by the man, who should stand close to the 
 pillar, keeping the pillar between himself and the horse. 
 This rein is only wanted just at first, in order to prevent 
 the too great severity of the rope rein. If a rein be 
 requisite, just at first, to lead the horse by, another 
 man should stand before the horse and have his rein 
 buckled to the front part of the off side mouth piece to 
 lead it by. The man, at the horse's near shoulder, 
 should hold the near side rein almost close to the eye of 
 the snaffle. He must regulate his off rein to such a length, 
 that while he holds it, he may also have the use of the 
 switch in his right hand. With these aids, he should 
 bring the horse's head pretty close to the pillar, in order 
 to make its fore parts describe the two smallest circles, 
 and its hind parts the two largest. The driver must 
 
 the aids of the driver's long reins, so as for him to keep their plie. His own 
 time, in going round the pillar, is of course regulated by the time he wishes 
 the horse to take in going round it in the piaffe. 
 
Tlato X 
 
 N°. 
 
 N°: 
 
 ffJB.lfuLm del. 
 
 London, Published Jan'x.xSob' by S.Frccman . 
 
 TV.Skeiton sculp. 
 
REINS ALTERED WHEN THE HORSE IS PERFECT. 149 
 
 stand on the near side, and give the aid of his whip 
 on the near side flank. After a time, the driver may 
 take the place of the man at the pillar, and hold the 
 pillar rein only in his left hand, and the black rein on 
 the off side in his right hand.* When difficulty no 
 longer occurs in doing these lessons, another alteration 
 may be put in practice for both of them. But this is 
 still more severe, and should never be done till a horse 
 is perfectly supple. By this I mean, that the pillar rein, 
 instead of being buckled to the mouth piece on the near 
 side, may be passed over the horse's shoulders, and be 
 buckled to the mouth piece on the offside. The man at 
 the horse's near shoulder will then make use of a black 
 rein on the near side, by taking hold of it very short 
 in his left hand ; and the driver will have only the aid 
 of his whip behind, so long as that is necessary — but 
 this is the very touchstone of art. If the whip behind 
 can be dispensed with, the driver should stand at the 
 horse's shoulders for this purpose. When I say the 
 driver, I mean the master ; for the driver is the only 
 man who should speak and regulate the whole. Having 
 only the black rein on the near side to hold in his left 
 hand, his right hand will be at liberty to give the aids 
 of the switch. In going head in and croup out, if the 
 horse be inclined to come round too fast, the rein may 
 
 * See Plate, No. I. 
 
150 CROUP TO THE PILLAR. 
 
 be held forwards and towards its jaws — it must conse- 
 quently be pushed from the man. For the near side rein 
 now regulates the whole, by being held towards or from 
 the driver, as occasion may require. — The aids of the 
 switch may be given either by being held at the horse's 
 nose, if it hurries round too much ; or occasionally by 
 striking the horse either across the body or on the 
 rump, if the hind parts do not work enough. The 
 pillar rein may be put on in the same manner, when 
 going with its head to the pillar, when the horse is 
 tolerably perfect in that lesson. The driver when at 
 the pillar, with the help of the near side rein only, in his 
 hand, must then of course bring the fore parts towards 
 himself, as before mentioned for that lesson. 
 
 In the next lesson, which is that of going with its 
 croup to the pillar, the long reins may be put on again 
 as when going in the lesson of head in and croup out. 
 But the pillar rein must in this lesson be buckled to the 
 off side mouth piece, for the horse must be on the con- 
 trary side of the pillar to that on which it is in the former 
 lesson, so as to be between the man and the pillar." A 
 man may lead it by a black rein on the near side, if requi- 
 site, in order to keep its head out from the pillar, as far as 
 the pillar rein will permit it. The driver must give the 
 aids of the whip on the near side when going to the 
 
 * See Plate, No. II. 
 
work in hand for a supple horse. 151 
 
 right. He must pull his off rein, more or less, when he 
 touches the horse with his whip, in order to aid it in 
 holding haunches, so as for the off side flank nearly to 
 touch the pillar. The hind legs will consequently 
 describe the two smallest circles, and be most con- 
 strained, and the fore legs the two largest. He must 
 walk rather fast himself, as he will have to describe the 
 largest circle. 
 
 The rings at the side of the pillar 5 are only required 
 for occasional use, when the horse can bear to have the 
 off side rein tied to them, instead of being held in the 
 driver's hand, when bent to the right in piaffing, de 
 Jerme aferme. The only aids, then required, are those of 
 the whip, and the switch at their different places by two 
 men ; or it may be done with aid of the switch only, by 
 the driver standing at the pillar, and occasionally touch- 
 ing the horse's nose with the butt end of it, or striking 
 the ground, or the saddle, with the other end. 
 
 Less and less is required, in proportion as the horse 
 gets more and more supple. When perfectly so, it may 
 be driven on the piaffe, with two long reins, by only one 
 man with its head to the wall, and from thence occasion- 
 ally upon the volts. Having made two or three volts on 
 the piaffe, or in terre a terre, in the middle of the house, 
 it may be brought back to the wall without stopping, 
 and from thence may be made to turn and piaffe down 
 
 ■ 
 
152 A SUPPLE HORSE DRIVEN WITH LONG REINS ONLY. 
 
 the middle. In the turn, perhaps a man may be placed, 
 so as to meet it, and may be required to accompany it 
 down the middle just at first, with only the aid of the 
 switch, without any rein. From thence taking hold, 
 just at first, of the driver's near side rein close to the 
 mouth piece, he may do the same thing as before 
 described, when a black rein was put on — namely, hold 
 it close to the horse's jaw, and make it go sideways to 
 the wall en chevalant, and from thence to the pillar.* 
 This part may also be frequently done by only the aids 
 of the switch, without the driver's rein being touched by 
 the other man. Indeed, I have frequently done the 
 whole of it, without any aid at all from another man. 
 If the man takes hold of the near side rein at this time, 
 the driver should not let it go out of his hand ; so that the 
 horse's progress need not be stopped a moment for those 
 occasional aids. When the horse is so highly dressed as 
 to be able to do all this, the aids are very few, and should 
 be delicately given — for, (if I may be allowed to resume 
 the comparison,) as the better the sails are set, and the 
 less the rudder is touched, the better the ship will go, so 
 the less the reins are touched, and the more nicely the 
 whip is managed, the better the horse will go ; for the 
 whip is the sail and the reins are the rudder. 
 
 * See page 130. 
 
[ 153] 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE ART OF MOUNTING ON HORSEBACK, AND DISMOUNTING, 
 WITH THE GREATEST EASE TO THE RIDER, AND WITH THE 
 LEAST DISTURBANCE TO THE HORSE. AIDS REQUIRED BY 
 THE RIDER FOR SO DOING. OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIFFERENT 
 LENGTH OF STIRRUPS SUITED TO DIFFERENT PURPOSES. 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE SEAT OF THE RIDER WHILE HIS HORSE 
 IS STANDING STILL. 
 
 In attempting to mount a colt there is a certain method 
 to be pursued, which, though seldom put in practice, 
 ought strictly to be adhered to. At that time, every 
 thing should be done as much by degrees — as quietly— 
 and as slowly as possible. — If any confusion prevail, by 
 every one not being exactly in their places — the colt, 
 which you wish to keep as quiet as possible, will be 
 frightened by the hurry of those around it. I merely pre- 
 mise this, as some excuse for the dry detail, which this 
 chapter will consist of. For, before the man can ride a 
 horse properly, that is zmtaught, he ought to be tho- 
 roughly taught himself. Let us therefore first consider 
 the man as the scholar, going to mount a horse, so 
 quiet, that the frequent practice upon its back, of those 
 
154 PARTICULARS TO BE ATTENDED TO. 
 
 instructions which are necessary for the rider, gives it no 
 disturbance. Lucky it is for both parties, where such a 
 horse falls to his lot ; for otherwise, the horse is apt to be 
 spoiled, long before the man is taught. 
 
 The rider should, properly, have two men to help 
 him, while the master is giving the lesson. The utmost 
 obedience should be paid to the master, and no other 
 voice be heard. I shall now shew the method in which 
 the horse ought to be brought into the house, and 
 repeat a few observations, which have been made 
 before. If a common saddle be put on, the stirrups 
 should always be put through one another, over the 
 pommel, before the horse is led out of the stable. This 
 should be a general rule, either in leading a horse in or 
 out of the riding house. A crupper should invariably 
 be used, for reasons before mentioned ; when a breast- 
 plate is wanted, a crupper should also be used, in 
 order to keep the saddle in its place. With these 
 two aids, the girths may be quite loose ; for, as before 
 observed, the play of the horseman's body would 
 otherwise be lost.* The bridle should be put on of 
 such a length in the cheeks of the headstall, as for the 
 mouth piece neither to gag the horse by being placed 
 too high, nor to rest upon the tushes by being placed too 
 low. But particular care should be taken not to let the 
 
 * See page 22. 
 
HOW THE OFF SIDE REIN MAY BE PUT ON. 155 
 
 throat-band be too tight — a fault too common — and 
 which is particularly distressing to a manage horse, 
 while in action — for it is doubly tight, when the horse is 
 bending. — If a curb bridle be used for manage riding, 
 instead of its being accompanied by a bridoon, the 
 buckle and strap with the ring to it, should be fastened 
 to the offside of the mouth piece of the bit. For this 
 purpose it should be twisted round the branch above and 
 below the mouth piece, and be firmly buckled there. A 
 black rein should afterwards be passed through the ring 
 of it, and be buckled to that part of the front of the 
 bridle, where it joins the cheek, so as to embrace both 
 the front and the cheek at that part. This may either 
 be done so, or another buckle and strap being put on 
 there, the rein having been put through the ring at the 
 mouth piece may be put through that ring also, and be 
 brought from thence to the saddle. It may either be 
 put on thus ; or having passed the rein through the 
 ring of the buckle and strap at the mouth piece, it may 
 immediately be buckled to the saddle. This should be 
 done selon le besogne du cheval. The other end should 
 be tied in a knot, and be of such a length as the rider 
 may require. These things being properly done, the 
 man should lead the horse from the stable to the riding 
 house, by holding, with his right hand, either the near 
 side rein, or the headstall, whichever he finds requisite. 
 
156 OBSERVATIONS BEFORE THE HORSE IS LED IN. 
 
 When arrived at the door, he should always make a! 
 point of looking through the pane of glass, in order 
 to see that no horse is passing, so as to impede his 
 opening it with his left hand. As the horse is now 
 going to be led into the house, I must repeat my obser- 
 vation on the absolute necessity there is, for an exact 
 obedience being paid to any order that may be given to 
 the man who leads it. At this time he should change his 
 hands frequently in leading, as occasion may require it. 
 Many things seem so plain, that they appear hardly 
 to be worthy of observation ; yet they are seldom 
 attended to. For instance, as before observed, every 
 one knows that the effect of pulling two reins is to stop, 
 and that of pulling one rein is to turn, yet it is seldom 
 practised ; for when one rein is pulled, in order to turn 
 the horse, the other is seldom given. Another obser- 
 vation might also be made on what is not in general at- 
 tended to. In leading — or in riding a horse — when its 
 head is turned towards a person, its tail must of course 
 be put from him. This, although so very common, 
 cannot be too often thought of, in order to prevent many 
 accidents which would occur without it ; in a riding 
 house especially, where only a given space is allowed 
 for such particular movements, and where the greatest 
 nicety is required in choosing the ground on which 
 the horse is to work. 
 
DIRECTIONS, AS SOON AS THE HORSE IS LED IN. 157 
 
 Having premised this, I shall open the door of the 
 riding house, with such directions, as will shew the im- 
 mediate importance of the observation. The man must, 
 on entering, lead his horse towards the pillar with his 
 right hand : he should then, as he goes along, come before 
 the horse, and, changing sides, lead his horse with the 
 left hand to the left-hand wall, leaving the pillar close 
 upon his right hand. Having arrived at the wall, he 
 should continue along it, with the horse nearest the 
 wall, till he comes almost to the circular end. — By lead- 
 ing the horse with .the right hand on entering the house, 
 if it be unsteady by being above its work, (or for any 
 other reason) the croup can immediately be put to the 
 right-hand wall. For if it springs while the man holds 
 it — as the head is retained, so will the croup advance of 
 course ; and if held in the left hand, according to the 
 observation which has just been made, the croup will 
 in that case be foremost before it can be put to the short 
 wall on the left. The horse may then run back if it 
 chooses, possibly to the great annoyance of those who 
 may be riding there. By the hand being changed while 
 the horse is leading, the same advantage is taken of the 
 long wall on the left hand, as might be taken of the 
 right-hand wall on entering, if requisite. While the 
 horse is leading along this left-hand wall, the man is at 
 liberty to turn with it at any time, so as to be totally out 
 
 T 
 
158 AVOIDING ANOTHER HORSE WHEN MEETING OR PASSING. 
 
 of the way, if another horse be coming along the wall 
 either way. When that happens — the man, having turned 
 one horse's length, should lead the horse one circle entire 
 round his own centre. This brings it back again to the 
 same place, and allows the other horse this interval to 
 pass in. If nothing happens to be in the way, when 
 nearly at the circular end, he should turn with it into 
 the middle of the house. Being arrived there — without 
 stopping and without quitting his hold on the off side, 
 he should advance a little before the horse, and take hold 
 ot the near side rein with his right hand, and should 
 stop the horse chiefly with that near side rein. If it be 
 led in with a curb bridle, the man's right hand, when 
 he stops the horse, should be put as close as possible to 
 the end of the branch ; so as to pinch the ring with his 
 finger and thumb. It should be taken hold of equally 
 close to the eye of a running snaffle, in case that bridle 
 be put on. By this, the horse will stop with one haunch 
 a little in, and consequently with its shoulders presented 
 to the rider. In this position it should be made to stand 
 upon all four legs. 
 
 All this may seem too much detail, but experience 
 has shewn me the absolute necessity of putting it in 
 practice exactly. The following remarks ought still 
 more precisely to be attended to, for want of which I 
 have known the rider have the greatest difficulty in 
 
FUt&JL. 
 
 H.B.CkaLon. del-. 
 
 X.o7ido?L .JFuiTzshal JarLj.3-800 hy SJirccmtoh. 
 
 W. Skeltmi Si uZp 
 
HORSE HELD READY TO BE MOUNTED. 159 
 
 getting on horseback — indeed I have seen instances in 
 which he has been put into the greatest danger ; and has, 
 for a time, absolutely given it up. — What has just been 
 observed (namely, that when a horse's head is held one 
 way, the croup must of course be the other), should here 
 be particularly remembered : for, in general, the man 
 who holds the horse, standing on the off side, pulls its 
 head towards himself — if the horse does not stand still, 
 he pulls it still more towards himself. At this time he 
 totally forgets the danger into which he puts the man 
 who is going to mount, by placing the croup of the 
 horse so much nearer to him, as to put it still more out 
 of his power to accomplish it — for the horse, thus held, 
 is exactly in the proper position, either to kick the 
 horseman, or to tread upon his foot with its hind leg. 
 
 When the horse stands properly upon all four legs, 
 if there be two men to help the man who is going 
 to mount, one of them should stand before the horse, 
 and hold its head towards the rider, by putting his left 
 hand a little towards himself, and pushing his right 
 hand a little from himself. By this act, the croup will 
 be from the rider. But most frequently the less the 
 horse is held the better. In a case, where the horse was 
 apt to run back violently, I have sometimes seen the 
 stick with the strap at the end of it brought into use 
 with very good effect. It should be buckled to the 
 
160 POSITION OF THE MAN HOLDNG THE STIRRUP. 
 
 eye of the snaffle on the near side, or be twisted round 
 the cheeks of a curb bridle above and below the mouth 
 piece ; which is the best way of buckling it to its place. 
 The man should stand in a sidling position towards the 
 horse's near shoulder. He should be rather before the 
 horse; and hold the stick with his left hand the forwardest. 
 He should pull it towards himself; and endeavour to keep 
 the horse's head towards the person who is about to 
 mount. The stick being buckled on the near side enables 
 him to put the horse's cvou^from the man who is going 
 to mount. He should raise the head so high as for the 
 horse to have its nose quite in the air. It is then in an 
 impossibility of running back. But violent remedies 
 should seldom be made use of, and are seldom necessary. 
 If there be only one man to hold the horse, he should 
 stand on the off side of it almost close to the girths, 
 taking hold of the headstall of the bridle, as well as he 
 can reach it, with his right hand extended, and pushing 
 it gently from him.* The nearer he stands to the girths 
 the safer he will be in case the horse advances to strike 
 him. If it happens to be impatient, and moves its posi- 
 tion a little, while the rider on the other side is going 
 to mount, he should invariably accompany it quite close, 
 
 * Where the arm was too short for this purpose, I have known the aid 
 of the but end of the whip, or switch, called in Avith success, by pushing 
 the cheek of the headstall with it from himself. 
 
THE RIDER PREPARING TO MOUNT. l6l 
 
 without letting go the stirrup leather. For if upon this 
 the man gets rather further off, he is in a possibility 
 of being struck by the horse ; but hardly otherwise. If 
 he moves his position at all, fearing that he should be 
 struck at by the horse's hind leg, he should only go a 
 little nearer to its shoulders ; for the horse cannot strike 
 him sideways with its fore legs. In this case, (properly) 
 another man should be called in, who should hold the 
 reins as before described.* The man on the offside should 
 then resume his former position close to the girths. 
 
 The horse being held very close to the eyes of the 
 snaffle, or to the rings of the curb bridle, let the rider, 
 with a switch in his right hand, with the point held 
 downwards, come quietly up to it, till he stands facing 
 the horse's shoulder. His left hand is then at liberty, 
 with which he may caress the horse, if it stands quietly. 
 If a curb bridle be put on. let him take hold of that 
 part of the reins where they are sewed together. For 
 this purpose he should bring his right hand in front 
 of that part of the rein of the bridle which is lying 
 on the neck of the horse. With his thumb on the 
 under side, and his finger on the upper side of this 
 rein, let him pinch this part firmly. The rein on each 
 side of the horse's neck will then be held at an even 
 distance from his hand to the rings of the bit. His arm 
 
 * See page 159- 
 
162 BRIDLE TAKEN HOLD OF BEFORE MOUNTING. 
 
 should then be extended upwards, till the reins are so 
 far straight as for him to feel the bit without acting upon 
 it : for if the bit be at all acted upon, it might occasion 
 the horse to run back. While he is doing this, the man 
 who stands before the horse should let go his reins for a 
 moment. The left hand of the rider must then be lifted 
 up almost close to his right hand. Putting two lingers 
 quite home between the reins, let the other two fingers, 
 (namely, the fore finger and middle finger), feel the off 
 side rein on the outside of it, and let the thumb feel the 
 outside of the near side rein.* Let his left hand, as 
 above described, be then slipped downwards along the 
 reins till it touches the mane of the horse. At this pe- 
 riod, the end of the reins held by the right hand must 
 be thrown out of that hand on the off side of the horse's 
 neck. 
 
 If a running snaffle be put on, instead of a curb bridle, 
 
 * In the old method of riding, the little finger only was put between 
 the two reins ; but it cannot be too often repeated, than when a direction 
 is to be given by pulling one rein only, the other rein cannot be given (that 
 is slackened) too much. The power is not the same in creating this effect, 
 when one finger only is put between the reins, as when Uvo fingers are 
 put between them. For supposing, for instance, that when the rider is 
 mounted, his left hand is to be carried towards his right hand, with his 
 nails upwards ; the left rein would be more shortened, and the right 
 rein more slackened, exactly in proportion to the number of fingers that 
 are put between these two reins. The power of stopping a horse is also 
 increased by it. 
 
POSITION OF THE MAN GOING TO MOUNT. 163 
 
 the rider must take hold of the near side rein, where it is 
 buckled, or tied, to the off side rein. Holding this up 
 in his right hand, he must put his left hand underneath 
 it close to his right hand, and taking hold of it loosely, 
 quite home in his left hand, he must slip that hand down 
 again along the rein, till it touches the mane. He must 
 then throw the remainder of the rein from his right 
 hand, on the offside of the neck of the horse. Let him 
 then hold up a lock of the mane with his right hand, 
 and taking hold of it also with his left hand placed under- 
 neath his right hand, he should twist it firmly round the 
 fore finger of his left hand, and bring the remainder of it 
 within that hand. The switch should then be put. quite 
 home into his left hand, and the mane be firmly grasped 
 by his finger and thumb. This is absolutely necessary 
 to be attended to, being, as it were, one of the pivots, 
 upon which he must afterwards turn in mounting. 
 
 His right hand being quite disengaged — with his body 
 in an upright, easy position, let him throw his right 
 shoulder back, and turn gently and gracefully upon his 
 left leg on his own centre till his back comes almost op- 
 posite to the side of the horse's head ; or, as M. le Comte 
 Drummond de Melfort expresses it, " qiiilfasse un demi 
 a droiteT He must then put the poize of his body on his 
 right leg — advancing his right shoulder again, let him 
 take hold of the stirrup leather with his right hand just 
 
164 MODE OF ASCERTAINING HIS DISTANCE IN MOUNTING. 
 
 above the iron. The part which hangs outwards should 
 then be presented towards his left leg, which should be 
 lifted up for the purpose at the same instant, and put into 
 the stirrup. If all this be properly attended to, it will be 
 the best method of ascertaining the distance he should 
 stand from the horse. His body being then brought back, 
 till he stands perfectly upright, he is at liberty to make a 
 spring or two, if requisite, on his right leg, and at the next 
 instant to bring his right arm forwards and take hold of the 
 offside of the cantel of the saddle with that hand ; so that 
 if his distance happens not to be exactly taken, this will 
 ascertain it. He should spring up, so as to bring his 
 right leg in air even with his left leg, and ready to be 
 thrown across at the next instant. 
 
 If there be two men to help the rider, the man on the 
 off side should take hold of the stirrup leather with both 
 hands thus : — the right hand should be placed close to 
 the stirrup iron, and the left hand just above the right 
 hand. When the rider puts his foot into the stirrup, the 
 left hand should be slipped up the leather close to the 
 iron upon which they are suspended, in a common saddle, 
 pinching them at the buckle, which should always be 
 brought up to that part. If it be a peak saddle, his hand 
 should be slipped up close to the bur.* The stirrup leather 
 in this part must be pinched as firm as possible between 
 
 * See Plate XI. 
 
Plate -C! 
 
 KJB.OiaLem. lei. 
 
 X ondan ,Tublislmdj Jan?. i ±8 06, Tyy SJ'r&cman. 
 
 W.SkeltoTb sculp. 
 
STIRRUP HELD AND PRESENTED TO THE RIDER. 165 
 
 his finger and thumb, which should be kept upwards 
 for that purpose. This will enable him to bear from 
 his knuckles to his elbow, against the horse's side 
 firmly and concavely ; leaning on the stirrup leather 
 with his whole weight. — Before the rider throws his 
 leg across, his right hand should be shifted from the 
 cantel to the bur, with his fingers on the inside, and his 
 thumb on the outside of the bur. While he is doing this, 
 the man holding the stirrup leather should slip his left 
 hand down again, in proportion as he feels his counter- 
 poize less wanted. This must be done quickly; his 
 hand will then be out of the way of the horseman's 
 thigh. At that time, the right hand should be taken 
 away from the stirrup iron, which should be presented 
 by the /^//.hand to the rider's foot. That part of the 
 stirrup leather, which hangs outwards, should for this 
 purpose be held towards the horseman's leg, ready for 
 him to put his foot into the stirrup, when he raises his 
 toes for that purpose. 
 
 When he has a man to assist him in mounting, his 
 girths should be only so tight as just to admit his hand, 
 if he puts it between them. For it cannot be too often 
 repeated, that tight girths should always be avoided in 
 a riding house ; as the pressure of them prevents the 
 horse from bending so much as is required ; and is fre- 
 quently the occasion of its back being set up, besides 
 
 u 
 
^66 PRACTICE IN MOUNTING. 
 
 other bad consequences before remarked. In my de- 
 scription of the implements, it was mentioned that the 
 bottom part of the stirrup iron should be made hollow, 
 in order to receive the ball of the foot, and to prevent it 
 from slipping ;* as being the principal pivot upon which 
 his body is to turn while mounting. 
 
 The rider being then in his seat — with his right hand 
 still on the bur of the peak saddle, (or on the pommel of 
 a plain saddle,) and his left hand not having yet quitted 
 hold of the mane, let him throw his leg back again over 
 the horse's croup for practice. For this purpose, he must 
 first press his weight on his right hand, and on his left 
 leg ; and then bring his right leg close to his left leg, (in 
 air,) and his right hand back to the cantel. For the better 
 practising of this, a portmanteau might be put on to 
 the horse's croup, if the rider be a military man ; and 
 he should practise it frequently, in order to be able to 
 throw his leg over the largest quantity of baggage that is 
 ever put upon a horse, without disturbing the poize of 
 his body, and without interrupting the two pivots upon 
 which it acts, by stooping too forwards. If I may be 
 allowed the comparison, this is like a writing master's 
 teaching a scholar to write a round text hand — slowly 
 at first — in order, that by thus forming his letters large, 
 and of a good shape, he may afterwards be able to form 
 
 * See page 28, and Plate IV. No. 14- 
 
PRACTICE IN MOUNTING. \67 
 
 them in a smaller hand, of the same good shape, quickly, 
 and gracefully. — When the rider has practised getting 
 up and down at two times, sufficiently to be able to keep 
 the poize of his body in doing it slowly — at the time 
 that his right leg is in air, let him bring it to the 
 ground again. With his left hand to the mane, as before, 
 and his left leg in the stirrup, let him then make two or 
 three bounds upon his right leg. With the spring 
 acquired by this, he must throw his right leg at once, 
 as high as possible, over the horse's croup, till in his 
 seat ; placing his right hand (at the different times,) as 
 before directed. This must be tried on a very quiet 
 horse, and I recommend his throwing it high, only for 
 the trial, and in case of necessity. For having done 
 this for practice, he will be able to do it with greater 
 ease to himself, and consequently with less disturbance 
 to his horse, when less exertion is required.* 
 
 * This can never be done gracefully with a short stirrup — nor can it 
 be done so quickly. The shorter the stirrup is, the more effort the man 
 must make to lift himself from the ground. For he cannot, with equal ease 
 spring upon the ground two or three times for practice, as has been recom- 
 mended, in order to give his body that proper equilibrium, which enables 
 him to throw his leg steadily over a quantity of baggage. I will venture 
 to say, that a man practising in the way that is here mentioned, with a 
 stirrup of a moderate length, will spring up infinitely more quickly and 
 more gracefully, than with a shorter stirrup. I will also venture to say, 
 that the poize of his body will be better kept, while throwing his leg over. 
 
168 THE RIDER MOUNTED — WITH HIS HORSE STANDING STILL. 
 
 The rider being now again in his seat, should let go the 
 mane ; keeping the bridle in his left hand, where he took 
 hold of it. Before he takes hold of the offside rein, he 
 should bring his right hand over his left hand, and take 
 the switch gently out of it, turning the point downwards 
 as he brings it back. He should then let his elbow fall 
 easily down, for his hand to take hold of the off side 
 rein. While the rider is changing his switch, the man 
 who held the stirrup, should take hold of that rein 
 loosely, in order to give it into the rider's hand. The 
 man who stands before the horse, should now quit his 
 hold of the rider's bridle, and stand still by the horse, 
 and encourage the horse to stand still, till the rider has 
 adjusted his bridle of such a length, as to be able to give 
 the horse all its head, at first setting off; for he should 
 feel his horse's mouth as soon as he has taken a step or 
 
 This will abundantly compensate for all the advantages that are said to be 
 gained, by the leg being more easily thrown over the baggage, when 
 standing on a short stirrup — for his body cannot be so firm. The power 
 therefore, which is gained by the shortness of the stirrup, is lost by the 
 unsteadiness of the body. For a man cannot venture to stoop his body so 
 low when crossing his leg over in a short stirrup, as he can on one rather 
 longer, and he can only lift his leg up in proportion as he stoops his body 
 for that purpose. It must also be remarked, that a man who has a short 
 stirrup to get up by, does it most by the pull of his arm, whereas the man 
 who gets up by rather a longer stirrup, does it most by the spring of his 
 leg. But of the length of the stirrups for different purposes, I shall have 
 occasion to say more hereafter, 
 
MODE OF ADJUSTING HIS REINS BEFORE HE SETS OFF. |69 
 
 two, but not before; since (as before observed) the switch 
 is the sail, and the reins are the rudder. The reins 
 should no more be used, before the horse is put in 
 motion (either by speaking to it, or by the switch,) than 
 the rudder of a ship should be used before the sails are 
 set. If a curb bridle be used, the same mode should in 
 some measure be adopted in adjusting the reins to their 
 length, as was done in first taking hold of them. For 
 this purpose, let the finger and thumb of the right hand 
 find that part where the reins are sewed together : — 
 pinching that part firmly, and holding the right hand 
 up with his thumb facing the horse's ears, let the left 
 hand be slipped forwards along the reins, till it comes 
 a little beyond the front of the saddle. The reins being 
 then thrown from the right hand, and the curb bridle 
 being adjusted; let the left hand help the right hand in 
 settling the length of the offside rein, which I men- 
 tioned should be put on to it : — this should be held rather 
 more forward than the curb rein, as it is a running rein. 
 If a running snaffle be put on — when the offside rein is 
 given into the right hand of the rider, it must be pulled 
 through that hand, by the help of his left hand, till the 
 length is adjusted. In the same manner, by the 
 help of his right hand, he must slip the near side rein 
 through his left hand, to the length he requires it. 
 When running reins are made use of, no positive 
 
170 LENGTH OF THE STIRRUPS, 
 
 directions can be given about the precise length at which 
 they should be held. This must depend on the manner 
 in which they are put on. For the reins should be held 
 proportionably shorter at first, according to the number 
 of levers to be made use of ; as there is so much more rein 
 in proportion to come into the hands, when begun to be 
 used. In that case, it is frequently requisite that they 
 should be held very short at first, and the arm be put 
 much more forward than is otherwise right ; for when 
 it is intended to turn the horse directly, the right 
 hand should be held almost close to. the mouth piece, 
 and the left arm be proportionably advanced, to give 
 the near side rein. If fewer levers are made use 
 of, (by both reins being only put through the eyes 
 of the snaffle up to the head,) they need not be held so 
 short. 
 
 The length of the stirrups should be determined by 
 the horseman when seated. He should place himself just 
 as easily on his saddle, as he would naturally do, were 
 he on the bare back of his horse ; raising the ball of his 
 foot easily as soon as he is seated, in order to put it into the 
 stirrup. This part when easily supported by his stirrup, 
 should be nearly on a level with his heel. The rider 
 should now sit with his limbs perfectly loose. Nothing 
 can better demonstrate the absolute necessity of this, 
 than by supposing a possible, and sometimes a probable 
 
Why OF THE LENGTH HERE MENTIONED. 171 
 
 case, if he be seated on a high-couraged horse, or on an 
 unsteady one, or perhaps both. I will suppose, that 
 without the least notice to the rider, at first setting off, 
 a bound is suddenly made in the one case ; and a plunge 
 attempted in the other. The rider, in the first instance, 
 far from being discomposed, would only be put lower 
 in his seat. For his limbs, being so loose, would fall 
 still lower, in proportion to the hollowness, which by 
 this exertion is made in the horse's back. If the back 
 be set up in the second instance, it is still more requi- 
 site to sit loose ; as nothing is so difficult to sit, as a 
 horse that sets up its back suddenly, and attempts to 
 plunge, without doing so. The most difficult next to 
 that is, when it really makes the plunge by setting up its 
 back. In both cases, nothing can save the horseman 
 but his sitting perfectly loose — for the length of his 
 fork is then undiminished below, and his whole body 
 undisturbed above, so long as neither his legs nor his 
 elbows, are lifted up by any exertion of his own. The 
 length of the stirrups, by the directions that have been 
 given, will be such, as that the legs of the rider can 
 find them without disturbing his seat, in every exertion 
 which the horse makes. For instance, let a horse be 
 made to rise without a rider on its back, but with only 
 the stirrups hanging loosely from the peak-saddle. The 
 different parts of the sides of the horse, which these 
 
172 THE MODE OF DETERMINING LENGTH OF STIRRUP. 
 
 stirrups will touch, in proportion to the height it rises, 
 will determine exactly where the position of the horse- 
 man's legs should be, and consequently the length of his 
 stirrups, so as to let the ball of his foot rest easily on the 
 hollow of the stirrup iron. If they are too short, the 
 horseman will not be able to get his legs far enough 
 back, without violently pressing upon them ; if they 
 are too long, he will not be able to get them back with- 
 out dropping his toes so much lower than his heels, as 
 to run the risk of losing them. In either case, the 
 muscles of the thighs and legs must be stiffened ; and 
 when any one part is stiffened, the poize of the body is 
 presently gone.* Having now put the horseman com- 
 
 * Taking them as a body, no men ride so well as hack postilions, who 
 
 are obliged to sit loose and throw their bodies back, when they happen to 
 
 have horses which will not advance, so as to touch their collar. In this 
 
 case they are obliged also to give them all their heads at first setting oflf; for 
 
 if the rein were pulled by the least possible touch, the horse would never 
 
 advance. Let any one observe the length of the stirrups of those poslilions 
 
 who ride horses of this description, which are often the highest 
 
 couraoed — if they are too short, they would lose their seat in throwing 
 
 their bodies back ; for the position of their legs would be more horizontal 
 
 —if they are too long, their own ease would not be consulted, — for they 
 
 would not be able to sit what is called the New-Market hitch; that is to say, 
 
 so far to press upon their stirrups in the trot, as only to touch the saddle at 
 
 every other bound. When this is mostly done by the action of the horse, 
 
 so as for the man to use no more effort of his own, than by leaning his body 
 
 a little more forward, (which of course throws him rather more off his 
 
 saddle,) it is the greatest ease both to himself and to his horse. In the same 
 
DISADVANTAGE OF TOO SHORT STIRRUPS. 173 
 
 pletely in his seat, I shall make a few observations, on 
 the different lengths of stirrups, suited to different pur- 
 poses. In order to corroborate my opinion of the dis- 
 advantages of the shortness of the stirrups used by our 
 cavalry, in opposition to the advantages said to be 
 gained by them, I shall quote the sentiments of M. le 
 Conte Drummond de Melfort. He says* -• Si ce n'etoit 
 ' pas fronder le sentiment general des officiers de 
 ' cavalerie, qui sont convaincus, au point que rien 
 5 ne pourroit les en dissuader, que les cavaliers, pour 
 ' bien assener un coup de sabre, doivent necessairement 
 ' avoir leurs etriers courts, j'entreprendrois de donner 
 ' des raisons que je crois capables de persuader, du 
 ' moins ceux qui preferent qu'on leur montre la verite; 
 ' a la folle ambition de vouloir toujours que les autres 
 ' donnent dans leur sens." After so far agreeing with 
 those, who are in favour of short stirrups, as to be of opi- 
 nion, that the stirrups of an officer. of cavalry, may be 
 rather shorter than those of a manage-rider, he goes on by 
 saying, " mais ci ces memes etriers, plus releves qu'on 
 " ne viLnt de le dire, forcent le cavalier a s'asseoir pres 
 
 manner, I consider it much more easy, when a race horse or a hunter are 
 at full speed, for the body of the man to be so far advanced, as for him 
 not to touch the saddle at all. For in proportion as his body is advanced, 
 his legs must go back ; he is therefore said to stand upon his stirrups, which 
 in fact he does — but of this more hereafter. ■ 
 * See his Traite sur la Cavalerie, p. 27. 
 
 X 
 
174 DISADVANTAGE OF TOO SHORT STIRRUPS. 
 
 " de l'arcon de derriere, et que dans l'attente de l'eve- 
 " nement d'une bataille, ou d'un combat de cavalerie, 
 *■•■ oil, d'apres le principe reeu d'avoir les etriers courts, 
 " le cavalier soit a meme, pour ce cas seulement, d'en 
 " tirer avantage, et qu'en attendant que cet evenement 
 " puisse avoir lieu, tous les cavaliers soient forces d'avoir 
 " leur assiette trop en arriere, et les jambes trop en 
 " avant ; je me recrierai sur cette premiere inconse- 
 " quence, qui force toute la cavalerie a etre toute la vie 
 " mal placee a cheval, pour ne tirer avantage de cette 
 " position defectueuse qu'un jour, peut-etre, en deux 
 " ou trois compagnes." This perhaps somewhat re- 
 sembles the remarks I might make on our own cavalry, 
 though from a different cause. For the inclined plane 
 on which (as before described) the dragoons sit, as 
 their saddles are now made/ 1 ' would force their seat too 
 forward, were it not counteracted by the shortening of 
 the stirrups ; so that instead of their being in a possibi- 
 lity of getting their legs back, they are thrown forwards, 
 in the best position for spurring their horse's shoulders, 
 and in the worst for any other purpose. Ourecavalry 
 having a double disadvantage, both from the shortness of 
 their stirrups, and the make of their saddles, must bound 
 upon them, when the horse makes a sudden jerk, as is 
 too frequently seen. Nay, I will venture to say, that if 
 
 * See page 21. 
 
LENGTH OF STIRRUPS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES. 175 
 
 a horse were first to rise, and then to launch out with a 
 horseman on its back in this position — if the slightest 
 touch were given to him sideways, upon either shoulder, 
 it would throw him off in an instant. The disadvantage 
 of short stirrups in mounting and dismounting, with 
 ease and expedition, has before been mentioned. 
 
 Having already pleaded my excuse, for the observa- 
 tions that may be made concerning our cavalry, I shall 
 now take the liberty of making a personal digression, 
 as it appears applicable to my subject, and then return 
 to it again. Some years ago, I had so very severe an 
 accident, as to oblige me to forego the pleasure 
 of hunting. In consulting my own ease, in order 
 to enable me to enjoy as often as I wished, what 
 was my greatest amusement, I pursued the following 
 plan. The saddle on which I rode my hackney to 
 cover, was made ship shape* and my stirrups were of 
 the length before described ; and thus I sat at ease au 
 fond de la selle. My hunter's saddle was generally made 
 a little straighter. My reason for this was, in order that 
 it might keep the better in its place, without the use of a 
 crupper ; as it is necessary for the girths to be so tight, 
 as for the rider to be able to get on and off in a moment, as 
 occasion might require ; and sometimes whether the horse 
 will stand still or not. This is the only case in which I 
 
 * See Plate IV. No. 2, and note, p. 25. 
 
176 
 
 DIGRESSION. 
 
 think tight girths are allowable, and consequently a crup- 
 per unnecessary. For if the girths be tight — a crupper, 
 upon any sudden spring, is liable either to gall the horse's 
 tail, or to snap ; which last would frequently occur in 
 the exertion of leaping. The stirrups on my hunting 
 saddle were put one hole shorter, so that ray legs could 
 not be kept quite so far back, unless my body was a 
 little bent forwards by rising upon them, when in 
 full gallop, so as to make one line perpendicular from 
 my hips to my heels. When in this position, I was 
 just clear of my saddle. My legs being so far back, and 
 my position but little elevated, it was still firm enough 
 to allow me, the free use of my arms, to direct the horse 
 in any way without pulling at its mouth. By this, the 
 bars retained their sensibility, whenever they were 
 required to be acted upon, as a direction for the horse 
 either to slacken its rate, to stop, or to turn. Had I been 
 sitting easily upon the saddle, with my stirrups one hole 
 longer, my natural position would have been one straight 
 line nearly perpendicular from my shoulders to my heels. 
 Being elevated upon the stirrups only sufficiently to 
 clear the saddle, when my body was stooped forwards 
 in the full gallop — my legs, as before observed, were 
 allowed to go so much further back as to make a straight 
 line perpendicular from my hips to my heels. My 
 position was therefore firm, with the least constraint. 
 
COMPARATIVE DIGRESSION. 177 
 
 This was the more necessary, when it was frequently 
 requisite to be kept as still as possible in this position, for 
 some length of time during the chase, unless interrupted 
 by leaps. When a leap presented itself, my stirrups 
 were not so short, as to prevent my sitting easily down, 
 and throwing my body as far back as was necessary, 
 resuming my former position instantaneously after- 
 wards. If they had been so short as those of our 
 cavalry, and my body of course a chateau branlant, it 
 would have been equally impossible for me to have 
 kept my seat, without continually pulling at my horse's 
 mouth for that purpose only. This is so frequently 
 done, (by English sportsmen especially) that foreigners 
 say of us very properly, " cut an Englishman's bridle 
 " and he will fall off directly." 
 
 The above digression has been introduced, in order to 
 shew what a similarity takes place in a party of cavalry, 
 pursuing an enemy. The ease of a soldier should be 
 as much consulted, as the ease of a sportsman. The latter 
 may change his position at pleasure ; may ride home in his 
 stirrups, so as to alter his position for his own ease ; may 
 stand up in them, or not, as he likes; and has the free use 
 of both his hands to guide his horse with. The dragoon 
 must absolutely sit in the same position, frequently for a 
 length of time. If he be confined and cramped by the 
 shortness of his stirrups, he cannot help himself; for 
 
178 BAD EFFECTS OF TOO SHORT STIRRUPS. 
 
 neither his stirrups, nor the make of his saddle, will 
 permit him to put his legs back. How absolutely 
 necessary is it, that he should be firm in his position, 
 particularly at times when his life is doubly endangered, 
 by the uncertainty of the ground he has to gallop over, 
 and by the leaps he may have to take, when pur- 
 suing, or being pursued by an enemy ? Add to this, 
 that when in a body — all possible regularity, circum- 
 stances considered, is to be preserved, so as for the line 
 to be kept unbroken. 
 
 The position of the dragoon, in pursuit of his enemy, 
 is nearly the same as that which I have mentioned, for the 
 sportsman when at full speed. — In proportion as the body 
 is thrown forwards, the lower parts must be stiffened. 
 The higher therefore the knees are, the greater their 
 tendency to slide up to the pommel of the saddle, if the 
 horse makes the least false step ; or by any sudden jerk 
 or spring ; et alors ilfaut avoir recours a la main. With 
 this help, (the disadvantages of which Mr. de Melforthas 
 very properly pointed out) the horseman might venture 
 to throw his body more forward than when his stirrups 
 were rather longer ; but he is too much a chateau branlant 
 to do it without this aid. The disadvantages therefore, 
 are fairly pointed out by him, and I think are worthy of 
 consideration. In speaking of the advantages of rather 
 longer stirrups, he says very properly, that the rider 
 
BAD EFFECTS OF SHORT STIRRUPS. 179 
 
 ■• tenant son cheval entre ses cuisses, ses jarrets, et ses 
 " jambes" sits so steadily as to be able to guide his 
 horse with one hand, while he directs his sabre with 
 the other. Let it also be considered, that where neither 
 the bridle nor the mane are wanted to be held as points 
 d'appuie — when he stands on his stirrups his body is 
 unconfined. For his position is as firm, as if standing 
 on the ground. Let us therefore suppose him on the 
 ground ; and that he is required to pull at some fixed 
 object by a cord held in his left hand, while he leans 
 forwards, to make a cut with the sabre in his right 
 hand. Let him try whether he can reach his object 
 with his arm stretched out, as exactly as if his whole 
 body were unconfined, and his left hand at ease. In 
 this last instance, he has the free use of both shoulders, 
 to help him to exert, with the greatest force, the muscles 
 of that shoulder, the arm of which is to be directed with 
 the greatest strength, and with the greatest exactness. 
 
 Can this be counterbalanced by the advantage he can 
 be said to lose, for want of a little more height, to 
 aid the then uncertain fall of his sabre? or by the 
 greater length he can venture to strike, with more 
 risk of losing his seat, and with less power of guiding 
 his horse ; having only one hand allowed for that pur- 
 pose? In this case also, he sits as steadily as if he 
 were standing on the ground ; having one hand at 
 
180 SEAT, WHEN NOT INTERRUPTED BY STIRRUPS. 
 
 liberty to guide his horse with at times, while he has all 
 the advantages just mentioned, of using his sabre with 
 so much greater force and certainty with the other hand. 
 When his stirrups are too short, — as Mr. le Conte 
 Drummond expresses it, " il est comme un chateau 
 " branlant, et ne peut avoir, dans cette posture, qu'une 
 " solidite factice, et incertaine, encore faut il, le plus 
 " souvent, qu'il s'attache a la main, ce qui est un incon- 
 " venient des plus dangereux, dans un moment surtout, 
 " oil il est aussi essentiel pour lui, que son cheval ne 
 " fasse pas de faux mouvements." 
 
 As I have dwelt perhaps too long upon this subject, 
 I shall conclude this chapter by quoting a few passages 
 from a pamphlet entitled, Rules for bad Horsemen, by 
 Charles Thompson, Esq. This was some time ago put 
 into my hands, and contains among others, some very 
 judicious remarks. In the 5th Edition of it, p. 2,2, he 
 says, " It is often said with emphasis, that such a one 
 " has no seat on horseback ; and it means, not only that 
 " he does not ride well, but that he does not sit on the 
 " right part of his horse. To have a good seat, is to sit 
 " on that part of the horse, which, as he springs, is the 
 " centre of motion ; and from which of course, any 
 " weight could be with most difficulty shaken. As in 
 " the rising and falling of a board placed in equilibrio, 
 " the centre will be always most at rest ; the true seat 
 
PLACE OF THE SADDLE ADAPTED TO THE SEAT. 181 
 
 " will be found in that part of your saddle, into which 
 " your body would naturally slide, if you rode without 
 " stirrups; and is only to be preserved by a proper 
 " poize of the body." Page 25, he goes on by saying, 
 " To have a good seat yourself, your saddle must sit well. 
 " To fix a precise rule might be difficult : it may be a 
 " direction, to have your saddle press as nearly as pos- 
 " sible on that part, which we have described as the 
 " point of union between the man and horse, however, 
 " so as not to obstruct the motion of the horse's shoulders. 
 " Place yourself in the middle or lowest part of it: sit 
 " erect ; but with as little constraint, as in your ordinary 
 " sitting. The ease of action marks the gentleman : you 
 " may repose yourself, but not lounge. The set and 
 " studied erectness acquired in the riding house, by 
 *' those whose deportment is not easy, appears un- 
 " genteel, and unnatural." 
 
[ 183] 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 SECTION I. 
 
 THE BAD EFFECTS OF MARTINGALES. 
 
 As nothing has yet been said on the subject of martin- 
 gales, which are too much in general use — before my 
 rider is set in motion, I shall make a few observations 
 on them. Although the bit, which is now made use of, 
 is by no means so severe as formerly — yet, when 
 accompanied by a bridoon, passed through a running 
 martingale, the confinement is almost as vexatious, as 
 the constraint of the former more severe bit was without 
 it. Let the hand of the rider be ever so delicate, there 
 must, in that case, be a constant pressure by the bridoon 
 on the bars of the mouth, whenever the horse is in 
 motion — for the martingale being fixed to the girths, 
 the rings at the end of it, through which the bridoon 
 passes, cannot yield to the motion of the horse. They 
 are therefore the fixed pullies, through* which the reins 
 pass from the hands of the rider, previous to the com- 
 munication with the horse's mouth. This continued 
 pressure tends to benumb the most sensible parts ; and 
 
TIGHT MARTINGALES AS BAD AS TIGHT HARNESS. 183 
 
 consequently to impede the comprehension of the horse, 
 as well as to constrain the motion of its limbs. Fixed 
 martingales prevent the action of the limbs still more, 
 although they do not interfere with the mouth. When 
 the seat of a horseman is not sufficiently steady for him 
 to have his hands at liberty upon all occasions — the 
 bridoon, when pulled at unawares, will not disturb the 
 horse so much, whose bars have been deadened by its 
 passing through the running martingale, as if their 
 sensation had not thus been impeded. Therefore, 
 perhaps to an unsteady horseman, it may be said to be 
 of service. A bad coachman, for the same reason, 
 gains an advantage by harnessing his horses extremely 
 tight. For their limbs being confined by their harness, 
 and consequently their action constrained, less nicety is 
 required in keeping them together. But that man is 
 the best horseman, who can sit the stillest, with the 
 loosest reins — that person is also the best coachman, 
 who can drive the steadiest, with the loosest reins and 
 the longest traces. 
 
 If a colt naturally holds its head up, (a circumstance ex- 
 tremely to be wished by all good horsemen) — as soon as 
 a circingle can be put on, the general practice is to put 
 on a martingale with a headstall to it, which is fixed to 
 the circingle under its belly. This — to be of any ser- 
 vice — is buckled so short, as to be very painful to the 
 
184 ACTION With AND Without A MARTINGALE. 
 
 jaws, by confining the head downwards, more than 
 nature intended it. It is consequently the first impedi- 
 ment to the motion of the limbs. For, observe a horse 
 when loose in a field, at its first setting off from a stand- 
 still. The head is immediately raised — the consequence 
 of which is, that the fore parts are at liberty for action, 
 and the weight is directly thrown on the haunches. 
 
 When a bit and bridoon are put into the mouth, and 
 the latter is accompanied by a running martingale, the 
 power of deadening the bars is double. For both 
 bridles act on the same part of the mouth, and have the 
 same tendency to pull the horse's head downwards. 
 Both are frequently used at the same time; and then 
 equally tend to confound the meaning, which the rider 
 wishes to communicate ; even if the horse, after a certain 
 time, has sufficient sensibility left, to be able to com- 
 prehend any thing : — for as I before observed, the only 
 medium of communication, from the rider to his horse, 
 is by the mouth. The Duke of Newcastle was so much 
 aware of the tendency which the bit had to deaden the 
 bars of the mouth, that a caveson was made use of at 
 that time, for the rider to have a power of raising the 
 head with, occasionally, when put on single as at first. 
 This was afterwards put on double, and made use of to 
 bend the horse, without affecting the bars of the mouth. 
 The bridoon used by the late Earl of Pembroke* 
 
IMPEDIMENTS OF A MARTINGALE. 185 
 
 answered the same purpose, as the caveson did, when 
 put on single, and acted on a more sensible part. It 
 equally avoided the former laborious method of raising 
 the head by degrees with the bit ; and equally eased the 
 bars of the mouth. For the bridoon, unaccompanied by 
 a martingale, acts upon the cheeks of the mouth, espe- 
 cially when the hand of the horseman is raised for 
 that purpose. The position of the horseman's hand 
 is then very material, which is not the least so, when 
 the bridoon is run through a martingale ; as it can 
 then only act upon the bars. But in the former case, 
 if the reins of the curb bridle be slackened, when the 
 hands are raised, in order to bring the bridoon into 
 action — the bars of the mouth, not being at that time 
 acted upon, have time to recover their sensibility. 
 
 Thus far I have only mentioned the general bad 
 effects of a running martingale, in regard to deaden- 
 ing the horse's mouth. The ill consequences of it, 
 when the horse is required to be turned, or to be bent, 
 come next into consideration. If one arm of the 
 horseman, with the bridoon in his hands, be extended 
 sideways, so as for that rein to be nearly at a right 
 angle from its neck ; the line, by which the horse 
 is meant to be turned, only reaches from his hand to 
 the martingale. The remainder of the rein, from the 
 rings of the martingale to the mouth piece of the 
 
186 WRONG DIRECTIONS OF A MARTINGALE. 
 
 bridoon, makes a straight line downwards, towards the 
 horse's shoulders ; and conveys no other direction to the 
 horse than for it to back sideways upon its shoulders,- — 
 for the head is prevented from being raised, so as to per- 
 mit it to back upon the haunches. It is also prevented from 
 being turned — by the rein coming straight from the 
 mouth piece (the point of communication) to the ring 
 of the martingale. — But, if the arm of the horseman 
 be extended sideways, when the martingale is not 
 used, so as for the rein to be nearly at a right angle 
 to the horse's neck ; that line, by which the horse 
 is meant to be turned, reaches quite straight from the 
 hand of the rider to the bridoon in its mouth. It 
 forms, as it were, a portion of the turn, which the 
 horse is meant to describe in advancing, and for which 
 purpose it is pulled sideways. The communication 
 is then at one time, and without interruption. It is 
 also in this case upon the cheek; whereas, in the other 
 case, it acts severely on the bars; and consequently 
 continues to encrease the insensibility of the mouth, 
 without conveying the meaning of the rider — for the 
 effect of it is to back, rather than to turn. 
 
 When the stop is intended to be made — whether 
 by the use of the curb bridle, or of the snaffle running 
 through the martingale, the difficulty is equally great. 
 For the bars being already deadened by the continual 
 
BAD EFFECTS FROM CONSTRAINT. 187 
 
 pressure of the bridoon on exactly the same parts, 
 upon which the curb bridle acts also ; the horse is 
 doubly provided with a defence against the rider. 
 When the method of communicating the intention of 
 the rider is thus counteracted, horses frequently cannot 
 understand the meaning. When they cannot under- 
 stand it, as well as sometimes when they will not, 
 they are directly ready to play tricks. For, (as my 
 old master frequently observed,) " no boy tries to 
 " plague his schoolmaster, so much as a horse does 
 " to plague a horseman." What is begun by constraint, 
 is apt to be continued by severity ; and instead of 
 the master's receiving any pleasure in the progress of 
 his scholar — at this period generally begins the battle. 
 For the genius is longer in opening, when the means 
 are so very inadequate to the end proposed. But the 
 reason assigned for constraint is, that it is the shortest 
 way. As to the boy — I believe it is not ; as to the 
 horse, I absolutely deny it. A sullen obstinacy is also 
 in both cases frequently the result, where steadiness 
 and obedience are required by means of constraint 
 and severity. A mode therefore better suited to the 
 horse's comprehension, by leaving off the use of the 
 martingale, would avoid the necessity of inflicting a 
 punishment, frequently as tormenting to the mind 
 of the master, as painful to the body of the scholar. 
 
[ 188 ] 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 HELPS REQUIRED BY THE RIDER, IN FIRST GETTING ON THE 
 BACK OF A COLT. METHOD OF RIDING IT SLOWLY, AND A 
 LITTLE AT A TIME, FOR THE FIRST FEW LESSONS — AND THEN 
 ON THE TROT AND GALLOP, IN Ollt piste, large, AND ALSO IN 
 CIRCLES. METHOD OF CROSSING THE HOUSE ON Onepiste FROM 
 RIGHT TO LEFT, AND Vice Versd. 
 
 1 h e manner in which the colt should be tied for the 
 longe, and the method in which it should be worked in 
 hand along the walls, with its head in and croup out, has 
 been described in a former chapter. The use of work- 
 ing in hand, previous to the horse being mounted, has 
 also been mentioned. When the colt has been longed, so 
 as for it to be sufficiently settled for the rider to venture 
 to mount — the black rein, and buckle and strap, should 
 be taken off. If there are two men to help the rider, 
 two long reins should be buckled — one to each eye of 
 the snaffle. The reason, why the horse should be held 
 with two long reins is — that those, who hold them for the 
 rider, are not only in greater security themselves, 
 but are ready to go on with the rider when he first sets 
 off. This — when properly done, is the greatest help 
 
METHOD OF HOLDING LONG REINS before THE COLT. 189 
 
 lo him. The colt thus prepared, should be brought into 
 the middle of the house, and when there — the men 
 should be placed before it thus. If there are two men — 
 they should stand about six feet from each other, and 
 about the same distance from the horse, with two rope 
 reins held about that length from the mouth piece to their 
 hands. The man standing on the off side, should twist 
 that rein once, quite home, over his left hand. Having 
 done that, he should firmly grasp his left hand with his 
 right hand ; by which he gets the use of both hands to 
 the rein in the steadiest manner. The man, on the near 
 side, should twist his rein over his right hand, and 
 firmly grasp that hand with his left hand. 
 
 If the man on the off side should require a whip in his 
 right hand, when it is meant that the horse should ad- 
 vance — that hand is at liberty to hold it, by the rein being 
 held in the left hand. The man standing before the horse 
 on the near side, has more power by holding the rein in 
 his right hand, the bend of his arm enabling him to use 
 it with more effect than when held in his left hand — for 
 his right arm is held concavely towards the horse. By 
 holding the reins in this manner, each man has the 
 greatest power when he wishes to exert it. Their arms 
 should be extended before them as far as they . can, 
 without being stiffened. The reins should be held slack 
 enough, for the horse not to be sensible of being held, 
 
 z 
 
igo use of long reins before the colt. 
 
 and tight enough, for the men, by stepping back, to 
 check them towards themselves, in one time, when 
 wanted. 
 
 If the horse advances straight of its own accord, 
 while the rider is coming up to it — the men should step 
 back as many steps as the horse advances, and give their 
 checks together: — for a check on each side stops a 
 horse, or backs it. If the colt moves sideways towards 
 the rider — the man with the long rein on the near side 
 should step from the colt sideways on that side, as many 
 steps as the colt takes — checking it as he steps. The 
 man on the off side should at the same time go as many 
 steps towards the colt, without altering his rein, as the 
 other man steps sidewaysyrora it. This will slacken his 
 rein entirely. — I cannot too much inculcate the absolute 
 necessity of attending to so common a thing as that two 
 reins stop, and that one rein turns. It is what every 
 one seems to know, but what very few practice. By the 
 man on the off side advancing, without altering his 
 rein, the same number of steps, which the other man 
 took sideways — it is impossible for the colt to check 
 itself unawares with that rein, so as for the two reins to 
 act at the same time ; by which the intention of the check 
 would be prevented. When the colt is coming back to its 
 place by means of this check — the man on the offside must 
 step quickly back to his place also, and the man on the near 
 
Two reins or one AS may be necessary. 191 
 
 side approach it, as many steps as the horse takes side- 
 ways to gain its place again — at the same time slackening 
 the rein till he means to stop it. If the colt run side- 
 ways the other way, the same thing should be done 
 vice versa, with the same attention. If it runs back, 
 the two men should remain fixed in their places. The 
 consequence of this will be, that it will probably only 
 run back as far as the length of the reins permits it. If 
 the colt still forces itself back— let the men indulge it in 
 the thing for. which it wishes, and back it down the 
 middle by checks being given by each man at the same 
 time, to the end of the house ; or as far as it chooses to 
 go : and let the rider endeavour to begin to mount 
 it there. 
 
 If the colt be tolerably quiet, I have seldom known 
 the assistance of above one man required. In this case 
 one end of his rope rein should be buckled to the off 
 side mouth-piece, and the other end of it should be put 
 through the eye of the snaffle on the near side, and then 
 slipped on to the upper part of the cheek of the bit, having 
 taken it out of the loop for that purpose. The rein on 
 each side should then be taken hold of, about three or 
 four feet from the horse's mouth: — the man having 
 twisted it round each hand, his arms should be extended 
 and held wide apart. The middle part of the rein 
 will then be neither so short as to prevent either hand 
 
192 man's position when holding one rein. 
 
 from acting separately ; nor so long as for the man to be 
 in danger of treading upon it. His two hands, aided by 
 his legs, must now do the same offices, as I before 
 mentioned, the two men should do ; carefully recollect- 
 ing, that in making or in preventing the horse from 
 going sideways — when one hand checks, the other hand 
 must give entirely; — that is, the other rein must be thrown 
 forwards to the horse, for fear of a check being given 
 unawares. Let this be thoroughly attended to. 
 
 His own position must also be strictly observed, lest 
 the colt should plunge suddenly upon him. He should 
 therefore stand rather upon the near side of the colt, in 
 the manner before pointed out, when holding the horse 
 with short reins." This will enable him to let the colt 
 slip by him, if it plunges notwithstanding the check. 
 The colt being now held by one — or by two men — as 
 above described ; the other two men should approach it 
 quietly and carefully, one on each side. The man on 
 the offside should take hold of the stirrup, in the manner 
 before mentioned, and be ready to hang upon it with all 
 his weight. The rider (having previously pulled off 
 his spurs for safety) may then put his foot into the 
 stirrup as before described, and rise upon it without 
 crossing his leg over ; being counterpoized by the man 
 on the off side. This is the utmost that should be 
 
 * See page 159, and Plate XI. 
 
COLT ADVANCING WITH THE WEIGHT SUSPENDED. 193 
 
 attempted at first. It should be done after the colt has 
 been worked in hand ; and if it stands still, it should 
 immediately be caressed, and put into the stable. If it 
 will not quite bear this, no more should be attempted 
 than it will quietly bear. After the next days lesson — if the 
 colt is perfectly quiet ; the man or men, holding the reins, 
 should, by stepping back a little, and speaking gently, 
 pull it two or three steps forwards, while the rider is 
 standing in equilibrio, with one foot in the stirrup, one 
 hand holding the mane, and the other on the cantel of 
 the saddle ; ready to cross his leg over, without doing so. 
 After the colt has gone two or three steps, it ought to 
 be stopped by checks given by the man standing before 
 it — for the reins should not yet be put on for the rider's 
 use. This will prove, whether the colt is not only 
 quiet while standing still with a weight upon it, but also 
 while walking forwards with the weight. The rider is 
 in perfect safety at both these times, let what will hap- 
 pen — for by stepping on the ground again with his 
 right leg, in case the colt is unsteady, he is totally 
 disengaged. 
 
 At the end of the next days lesson, if this point be 
 gained, the black rein, with which the colt was tied, 
 should have one end of it buckled to the off side eye of 
 the snaffle, and the other end tied in a knot to the near 
 side eye. This forms a plain snaffle bridle — the long 
 
194 EIDER SEATED AT HIS EASE ON THE COLT. 
 
 rein or reins should be put on as before. Let the rider, 
 when going to mount, put the near side of the black rein 
 quite home into his left hand. Having also taken hold of 
 the mane with that hand in the manner before recom- 
 mended, and holding the stirrup with his right hand, he 
 should afterwards stand some little time upon his poize 
 on that stirrup. If all is quiet, he may then venture 
 to put his leg across gently. When in his seat — the off 
 side rein should be put into his hand by the man on the 
 offside, after he has given him the stirrup ; into which 
 his foot should be put, in the easy manner before 
 described ; without, upon any account, stooping his 
 head down to look for it.* This last observation may 
 seem too trifling to mention, but it is of the utmost con- 
 sequence that it should be attended to. For, besides the 
 ungracefulness of a man's stooping to look for his stirrup, 
 supposing that the colt gives a sudden plunge at this 
 time — the man's back is naturally lowered a little when 
 he stoops his head down ; and the plunge, when he is in 
 that position, might throw him off in an instant. 
 
 When the man has got both feet in the stirrups, let him 
 sit there quietly for an instant.— If the horse is totally 
 undisturbed by it, the man, or men, who stand before it, 
 should lead it forwards for a few steps as before, and 
 then stop it there. The man, who held the stirrup 
 
 * See page 170. 
 
CAUTIOUS, AND INSENSIBLE PROGRESS. 195 
 
 should have a switch in his hand, which he may either 
 give to the rider at the time, or reserve for the pur- 
 pose of tapping the ground with, to make the colt 
 advance. After the horse has walked these few steps, 
 the rider should get down again as quietly and as slowly 
 as he got up. For this purpose, the man on the off 
 side should approach the colt again very gently, and 
 watch the time when the rider places his right hand on 
 the pommel of the saddle, as an old, easy, plain saddle 
 should be put on at first. At this period he must take 
 hold of the stirrup leather near the iron, with his right 
 hand — his left hand should then be slipped up the leather 
 as soon as he perceives the rider going to put his leg 
 over. He should bear his whole weight upon it, as 
 mentioned before, for a counterpoize. 
 
 This insensible progress should be carefully attended 
 to, whether the colt seems to require it or not. For the 
 springs of a colt are sometimes made so suddenly, (even 
 when every thing seems to be going on as quietly as pos- 
 sible) that the rider cannot be too much upon his guard. 
 When it does happen, he must call to his aid all his pre- 
 sence of mind. In the old French schools, the riding 
 master's expression to his scholar upon those occasions, 
 was, " Monsieur, soy qz present." At the instant- — sitting 
 tight naturally suggests itself, which is the only thing to 
 be avoided. Instead of this, if a man can but keep every 
 
196 ALTERATION OF REINS IN THE PROGRESS. 
 
 limb almost as loose as if he were fast asleep ; those 
 limbs will naturally continue to drop in the place where 
 they were, before the plunge happened. The legs will 
 drop, the elbows will drop, the body will drop. In the 
 other case, when one part is stiffened, the stiffness of the 
 others would follow of course. The knees would slip 
 up by the jerk towards the pommel of the saddle, owing 
 to the convexity of the horse's body — the legs would, of 
 course, get forwards towards the horse's shoulders — the 
 stirrups would, in consequence, be slackened (unless 
 his toes were very much stretched out to avoid it,) 
 and his elbows would quit his sides, and probably 
 fly up as wings to help him from his seat. All 
 this would happen in one second of time, as I have 
 frequently seen. 
 
 The horse having been worked in hand the next day 
 as usual, the same caution should be observed. The 
 rider being then easily in his seat ; let the man, who holds 
 the stirrup, take another switch in his hand, besides that 
 which he is to give the rider. Let two black reins be 
 previously put on, each of them passing through the 
 eyes of the snaffle, and buckled to the half ring at the 
 headstall. The other ends should be tied together of a 
 convenient length for the rider to be able to hold them 
 separately in each hand. They should neither be so 
 long as to catch to his saddle flaps, nor so short, as for 
 
PROGRESS CONTINUED INSENSIBLY. 197 
 
 his hands, when separated, to catch the middle part 
 when they feel the mouth piece. The man before the 
 horse must now lead it forwards with the long rein as 
 before, towards the wall to the right. He should for 
 that purpose step rather sideways . If the colt is inclined 
 to stop, after having gone two or three steps (from recol- 
 lecting the orders which had been communicated to it 
 for that purpose the preceding days) let the man who 
 held the stirrup strike the ground with his switch. He 
 should follow the colt quietly for that purpose. Having 
 arrived at the wall, it should be led for a few steps only, 
 or through the two corners if possible, as slowly as it 
 can walk. Having done this, let it stop there, and be 
 caressed. 
 
 At the next lesson it should be led about half way 
 down the next line, and from thence into the middle of 
 the house ; where it should be stopped in any attitude 
 convenient to itself, and not inconvenient for the rider 
 to get off its back. No precision should ever be at- 
 tempted at first : — whoever tries it, will find that more 
 harm is done by the attempt, than can compensate for 
 any good that may be expected from the progress. The 
 colt must begin by doing ill, before it can be expected 
 to do well. The next days lesson should be the same ; 
 only that a little more may be attempted than the day 
 before, if all is quiet ; but by no means otherwise. In 
 
 a a 
 
198 TURNING WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE WALL. 
 
 this case — the colt being led through the two corners on 
 a walk — if the rider finds it inclined to trot a little, 
 let the man who holds the rope-rein turn his back to the 
 colt, and run along the house with it large. The man 
 who held the stirrup, or more properly the master, 
 should then take a long whip in his hand, and follow 
 the colt ; striking the ground if required, in order to 
 keep it forwards. I say the master — for the greatest 
 judgment is required in doing this. Indeed, (as Sir Sidney 
 Medows used frequently to say, and as I have since 
 known by experience,) " there is more art in following, 
 than there is in riding." 
 
 Having now brought the colt to go large round the 
 house — the rider may, on quitting the circular end, 
 attempt to turn it to the opposite wall, the master stand- 
 ing on the outside of the circle, ready to strike, either 
 the wall or the ground for that purpose, in the manner 
 that is mentioned when working in hand." Having suc- 
 ceeded in turning once or twice, for a few days — the 
 next insensible progress is that of riding in circles on 
 the trot and gallop. At this period, if two men are 
 running along with the colt with long reins ; the man, 
 holding the near side rein, may venture to take that rein 
 off. If only one man is running along with it, he 
 may venture to slip the near side end of it from the 
 
 * See page 36. 
 
USE OF THE LONG REIN IN CIRCLES. 199 
 
 cheek of the snaffle. This will give him the full length 
 of the long rein to help the rider with in the longe. 
 The latter having both reins up to the headstall, should 
 only endeavour to raise the horse's head as high as he 
 can, and to make it trot out quite straight. The master's 
 long rein will help to bend it a little, every time the 
 horse happens to feel it ; and this is sufficient plie just 
 at first. It is also of great service in the longe, in pre- 
 venting the horse from hitting the rider's leg against the 
 board by any sudden exertion. — Another great use of the 
 long rein is that of being able to bring the horse forwards 
 by it, in case of a sudden stop of its own accord, or in 
 case of its rising suddenly when inclined to plunge. 
 The man's position, in the circle which he must describe 
 when going in the longe, must be so far before the horse, 
 as to let the rein be slack in its progress, yet for him tti 
 be able to let the colt immediately feel it pull forwards, 
 whenever it attempts to rise of its own accord. The 
 same thing should be done when going large — for the 
 reins of the rider, being both of them placed up to the 
 headstall, it is not in his power to prevent the colt from 
 rearing by holding them ever so low. The only way, 
 therefore, in which this can be done, is by the horse's 
 perceiving itself to be always pulled down again, by the 
 long reins before it. The business of the man who 
 follows with the whip, should be that of striking the 
 
200 UNION OF AIDS TO THE RIDER. 
 
 ground at that moment. The colt then finds itself dis- 
 appointed two ways, when endeavouring to stop and 
 rear — first, by being pulled down again by the rein 
 before it ; and next, by being driven on by the whip 
 behind it. 
 
 With these aids, the rider has nothing to do, but to 
 
 sit loose enough, and help with his switch to keep the 
 
 colt in progress, till he chooses to stop it. The greatest 
 
 care should be taken never to let it stop of its own 
 
 accord. But when I say this, the utmost judgment is also 
 
 required in keeping it forwards. For, at this time, two or 
 
 three men must be exactly in their places, and in perfect 
 
 union with the rider in their different operations. It must 
 
 be considered, that a colt has not been used to have so 
 
 many persons about it at a time, and that it likes to stare 
 
 about, and not mind its work, just as much as a child 
 
 does ; and is often more on the watch to play tricks. It 
 
 must also be made to comprehend its lesson, as a child 
 
 must ; and if the men are in confusion, or in wrong 
 
 places, and do not comprehend what they are about, the 
 
 colt cannot; and the consequences will probably follow, 
 
 which were observed in a former chapter. 
 
 When all is quiet after a few lessons in this way, the 
 rope rein may be left off, and a black rein be slipped 
 through the off side eye of the snaffle, with both ends re- 
 turned into the hands of the man who stands before the 
 
ALTERATION OF AIDS IN THE PROGRESS. 201 
 
 horse. When the rider is going to mount, this rein may 
 be held short on the offside, and the rein of the rider's 
 bridle on the near side. Instead of the horse's being led 
 by the rope rein all the time, it must now be led by the 
 black rein thus doubled, till it has gone one turn round 
 the house. If all then appears quiet — without the horse's 
 rate being interrupted, let him hold the buckle end of the 
 rein in his hand only, instead of both ends. The other 
 end will consequently slip through the eye of the bridle, 
 and fall on the ground. The man, taking no notice of 
 this, should continue to run along with the colt, keeping 
 at the same distance, as when he held it. Otherwise, as 
 the colt has hitherto been led, it will, sometimes, with- 
 out that aid, not understand that it is required to go 
 forwards. For it must be recollected, that the hand of 
 the rider, let it be ever so fine, pulls it the contrary way 
 to what the long rein did. — For want of this being at- 
 tended to, I have known a colt rear and plunge as soon 
 as the long rein has been taken off, and the man quitted 
 his place, that never attempted it before. The man, who 
 followed with the whip, should also still continue to 
 follow, if he is wanted. If not — while going on circles 
 at either end of the house, he should stand on the outside 
 with his arm extended, so as to help the rider in turn- 
 ing, in the manner that has been mentioned in a former 
 chapter. 
 
202 SUBSTITUTE FOR THE RIDER WHEN REQUIRED. 
 
 It cannot too often be repeated, that the rider should 
 sit as loose as possible. For if the colt happens sud- 
 denly to be inclined to stop, and attempts to rear, the 
 man may touch it behind with the long whip, instead of 
 striking the ground. In this case, the next thing which 
 the colt (being disappointed in rising) may probably do, 
 is to launch out. All this requires but little of the rider's 
 attention, if he sits loose enough not to be embarrassed 
 about his seat ; and consequently to be able to attend to 
 nothing else, but keeping his horse forwards on the 
 trot or gallop, as fast as it is inclined to go. I have 
 myself witnessed a singular instance of a colt being on a 
 sudden discontented with having a man on its back. 
 This horse retained itself, and plunged so violently, as 
 neither to mind the rein before it, nor the whip behind 
 it. The man sat still as long as he retained his senses — 
 the colt at last shook itself violently, and by that act, 
 threw the rider. The same man was afterwards thrown 
 off twice in that way, though perfectly aware of it. 
 After this, a boy was put upon its back, who was a 
 good rider, with all the helps that could be given him — 
 but exactly the same thing happened. The colt was 
 perfectly quiet both before and afterwards, so that there 
 was no use in punishing it. The master's judgment was 
 then required in finding a substitute for the rider. A 
 sack was filled with clay, and slung on each side. It 
 
AIDS IN CROSSING THE HORSE. 203 
 
 was contrived to be tied so tight, that the colt never 
 succeeded in getting rid of its burthen, and consequently 
 never afterwards attempted it. 
 
 When it has learnt to trot and gallop large and in 
 circles — first to the right, and then to the left — without 
 the assistance of the long rein at separate lessons, the 
 rider may try if it will cross the house. For this pur- 
 pose, one man should stand in the centre of the circle, 
 and another man should stand facing the circular end, 
 on the outside of it, near the wall on his right hand. 
 The rider should bring his horse to an easy trot in the 
 circle, and attempt to cross the house immediately from 
 right to left. The two men, having each a long whip in 
 their hand, should, for this purpose, accompany the 
 horse on each side, more or less, according to their 
 judgment at the time, either quietly or by striking the 
 ground — in order to help the rider in his directions to 
 the horse, to cross it exactly, so as to arrive at the oppo- 
 site wall at that part, where, if a circle were made of the 
 size of the breadth of the house, it would touch that wall 
 and the end wall. This is a great help to the horse if 
 properly done. For at this period, it cannot be sup- 
 posed sufficiently to understand the reins of the rider, 
 so as to obey them as exactly as he wishes, when 
 deprived of the aid of the wall. This should just at 
 first be the end of a lesson, by stopping the horse when 
 it arrives at the opposite wall. 
 
204 • ALTERATION OF THE REIN IF REQUISITE. 
 
 When difficulty no longer occurs in doing it from right 
 to left, the same thing should be done from left to right. 
 The rider's body should always incline a little inwards. 
 During the progress of this lesson, the placing of the 
 reins may be altered, according as the horse may seem 
 to require it, — but, in the beginning, the more simple 
 the better ; as a colt cannot always comprehend the 
 double reins just at first, and will be frequently apt to 
 retain itself when they are placed so too soon. 
 
 The colt should at first only go straight, with its head 
 as high as possible. If it leans upon the bridle — the 
 rider, making one hand help the other, should take hold 
 of the reins as short as he can. Holding his hands very 
 forward, and sitting very loose in his seat, he should 
 saw it through and through the horse's mouth ; not by 
 checks, but by sawing — pulling it through and through, as 
 far as each cheek of the mouth piece will let it come. 
 If more power is requisite, and the horse is still heavy 
 in hand, and throws its head out too much at this period, 
 the offside rein may be altered as follows.* It should 
 be buckled to the saddle, and put from thence through 
 the ring of the buckle and strap, which should be put 
 to the headstall : — the rein, being brought from thence 
 through the inside part of the eye of the snaffle, should 
 be tied to the near side rein. 
 
 * The reason why, the off side rein only should be altered, is that the 
 horse has in general more difficulty on the o^side than on the near side. 
 
FAST DOWN THE LINES AND SLOW IN THE CORNERS. 205 
 
 A quick progressive motion, with the head very high, 
 is at this period all that is required ; therefore the less 
 restraint the better. Infinitely greater judgment is re- 
 quired from the followers, in giving their aids so as to 
 quicken the riders progress, and prevent the horse from 
 stopping, than is wanted by the rider. These aids I have 
 described — care should be taken to let the horse go fast 
 down the line, and to take it up in the corners ; paying 
 little attention just at first, as to whether it goes right or 
 wrong. For the great thing to be obtained at that period 
 is, a continued progressive motion, never to be stopped, 
 but by the will of the rider. The younger the colt is, 
 the shorter the reprise should be — for it must be recol- 
 lected that young things are apt to be giddy. Colts are 
 also soon out of wind, till they are used to their work. 
 
 When a quick progressive motion can be obtained, the 
 manner of riding it with the headzrc and croup out should 
 follow the same, as when working in hand — for the rider 
 should never attempt to practise any thing on the horse's 
 back, which is not tolerably familiar to it to execute 
 in hand. The great use of working in hand is, (as before 
 observed) that the rider's work is advanced by it. For 
 the horse, having previously practised the lesson in 
 hand, only feels half the difficulty in learning it when 
 mounted ; and the man feels less difficulty in making 
 the horse obey him. — At the end of every day's lesson, 
 
 Bb 
 
206 RIDER'S POSITION IN REINING BACK. 
 
 the colt should be put gently back by a few steps only 
 at first. In doing this, the rider's body should be placed 
 rather forwards ; but he ought by no means to lean upon 
 his stirrups. He should sit most perfectly loose. If any 
 difficulty occurs, so as to require help, another man may 
 be called to his aid. This man, if it can be ventured, 
 should strike the ground before the rider with a long 
 whip, looking the horse full in the face. But this, like 
 every thing else in following, must be done with the 
 greatest care and judgment. 
 
[ 207 ] 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 POSITION OF THE RIDER, SO AS TO ACCOMPANY THAT OF THE 
 HORSE, WHEN GOING ON THE LINES OF ART, WITH ITS HEAD 
 in AND CROUP out. 
 
 When the horse can trot large with ease to itself on a 
 straight line, to the right and to the left, and can bear 
 the reins placed double, (if they are required to be so) 
 the croup may be put out a little. The forward quick 
 progressive motion should then be rather restrained, and 
 the colt be brought insensibly into the same position, as 
 in doing it in hand when tied. The man's position should 
 also be altered a little, so as for his plie to accord with that 
 of his horse. This should be the study of the rider — by 
 feeling every spring of the horse under him so exactly ; 
 and by bending his own body so precisely ; as to make 
 it easier for the horse to accompany the rider's plie, than 
 to go in any other method. For this purpose, his weight 
 should be so placed, as for the horse to feel it the most 
 on those parts, upon which it is going to spring. If the 
 weight of the rider be properly placed, the spring of the 
 horse will be increased by it for a short time ; that is to 
 say, so long as the muscular power is exerted in propor- 
 
208 the man s plie makes the horse's plie. 
 
 tion to the weight which is added to it. If it be impro- 
 perly placed, the horse's spring will not only be im- 
 peded by it, but its plie will never be properly obtained : 
 — for the parts which ought to work the least, will 
 work the most, when going in circles especially : — the 
 horse will also be in greater danger of falling, when 
 the poize is improperly placed. It is equally requisite 
 for the man to have his poize, as it is for the horse. I 
 have seen an instance where the horse was supple, and 
 where the man had not got his plie, of the man's falling off, 
 by the horse's merely making a trip when longing on 
 the lines of art, from which it recovered itself instantly. 
 I shall now observe, how the position of his body should 
 be, either when the horse is going in circles on the lines 
 of art, or with head in and croup out along the walls. 
 
 The method of working the horse in hand, in both 
 these ways, has been mentioned before. Its body is 
 required to be very much bent, in order to describe the 
 four pistes in either case.* When going large with its 
 head in and croup out, the general method is only to put 
 one shoulder in, which the French call, " metre 1'epaule 
 " en dedans." It was Sir Sidney's method, and I 
 have always found it the most effectual to put both 
 shoulders in; that is to say, " les epaules en dedans;" 
 which is better described by calling the lesson — head 
 
 * See pages 49, and 102. 
 
Plate i3. 
 
HOW THE HORSE SHOULD BE SET OFF. 209 
 
 in and croup out, which in fact it ought to be, nearly as 
 much as in circles. It must be observed, that in going 
 to the right for this purpose, the near-side legs of the 
 horse are bent inwards, so as for those on the off-side to 
 double over them, as before described. To accompany 
 this, all the left side of the rider should be advanced, 
 that is bent inwards, and all his right side kept back.* 
 Therefore, from the first moment of his setting off, all 
 his left side should be brought forwards. When his 
 left arm (being lifted up and easily bent) is very much 
 advanced, as it should be, without altering the length of 
 the rein in that hand ; the horse will have all its head 
 •on that side, as it ought to have. But previously to this, 
 the left hand should help the right hand in pulling the 
 off rein through it, so as to take very short hold of that 
 rein. The right hand should be slipped forward for 
 that purpose, more or less, according to the number of 
 pullies the rein has to run through. + When the horse 
 has advanced two steps from the middle of the house, 
 (but not before) he should carry his hand from the horse 
 with his knuckles up, and should then draw it back 
 again, nearly as far as his hip, by which the horse's 
 croup will be turned to the wall on his right hand. If 
 it turns too short by this act — the right hand, being raised 
 for the purpose, should be carried a little towards the 
 
 * See the Plate. t See page I69. 
 
210 how to go large prom the circles. 
 
 wall, with the nails upwards. More or less exertion 
 
 of the right hand, either the one way or the other, 
 
 according to circumstances, is all that is required in 
 
 circles. The left rein should never be used in circles, 
 
 but when the progress is dangerously fast — when false 
 
 — and in the stop. When going head in and croup out 
 
 along the walls, the left hand may be used a little, so as 
 
 just to prevent the horse from turning. When coming 
 
 to that lesson without stopping from the lesson on circles, 
 
 the right hand should be carried with the nails up towards 
 
 the horse's neck, in order to shew that it is meant to go 
 
 large. This should be continued more or less, according 
 
 as it is required for the horse's croup to be kept more 
 
 or less in or out. The position of the man's body — 
 
 advancing all his left side, keeping back all his right 
 
 side, and leaning upon his right stirrup, is very material. 
 
 This, and the use of the right hand, held a little toxuards 
 
 the wall with the nails up — or with the zuhole arm more 
 
 or less extended towards the centre with the knuckles up — 
 
 should do the whole. As the offside of the horse is to 
 
 be kept back, so should the man's right leg be kept very 
 
 far back to accompany it ; and nearly his whole weight 
 
 should be leant upon that side. His head should be 
 
 kept to the right, as his horses should, and both man and 
 
 horse should look very much inwards. As the horse's head 
 
 is not meant to be kept high in this lesson, the man's 
 
RIDER'S POSITION AND AIDS. 211 
 
 body may be kept rather more forward (except at par- 
 ticular times) than in any other lesson.* His aids should 
 chiefly be given with his left leg. This, being advanced 
 as before mentioned, should be kept loose for that pur- 
 pose. The switch in his right hand may occasionally be 
 used — but it should be seldom done — for the horse may 
 be disturbed by it, and go false immediately, which fault 
 
 * In order to shew the effect of the position of both the man and the 
 horse, let us suppose the rider to be already made, and the horse required 
 to be suppled — and then consider what happens. The horse's head is pulled 
 round to the right ; and the croup is stopped by the wall : so that the hind 
 parts are pulled round also. The right side of the man has the whole of 
 his° weight pressed against the horse's off side, so as to restrain that 
 part. Thus, its body is held concavely, while the two ends are bent 
 inwards. In this position, the horse is to be worked, so as to bend with 
 the greatest effect from the head to the tail. 
 
 In order to shew this more clearly, let us suppose that I wanted to bend 
 the long whip in my hands, with the greatest power short of breaking it; 
 how should I hold it for that purpose ? I think, I should take hold of the 
 thong very near the keeper with my right hand; and leaning upon the 
 ground on my right knee, and holding the handle of the whip in my left 
 hand, I should put the middle of the whip to my left knee, and pull each 
 end of the whip inwards towards my body, till the part of the crop towards 
 the keeper was so much bent, as nearly to break it. In order to adopt the 
 simile, we must suppose the keeper which is pulled at, to be the rein towards 
 the horse's bit — the end of the crop toward the keeper to be the horse's 
 shoulders which are required to be bent the most — the middle of the crop 
 which is pressed against the knee, to be the body of the horse, which is 
 leaned against by the man's thigh, by the pressure of his weight against 
 the stirrup; and that part toward the handle, which is held in his left hand, 
 to be the haunches, which are required to be exerted the least. 
 
212 use of this lesson being accurately DONE. 
 
 often takes the rider a great deal of time to correct after- 
 wards. The voice is the best aid, although it should not 
 be continually given. 
 
 The horse should be permitted to go easily from the 
 trot to the gallop, and vice versa according to its incli- 
 nation provided it goes right. This is the most useful 
 lesson that can be practised both for the rider and for 
 the horse. By permitting the horse to go from the one 
 to the other, it is the least constrained ; and nothing 
 conduces more to improve the seat of the rider — for he 
 should be able to feel accurately under him, when the 
 horse goes true or false. In the trot — this must be deter- 
 mined by the working of the shoulders ; and his rein 
 should either be pulled or given, according as he finds 
 the horse ready to set off in a true, or a false gallop. For 
 if this work be not done accurately, the horse's shoulders 
 will only be stiffened, and the horse will be bent to the 
 left, instead of being bent to the right — so that nothing 
 proves more effectually the truth of the work, and 
 the accuracy of the rider in feeling which shoulder 
 works most, than permitting the horse to go from the 
 one to the other, as mentioned above. For as in the 
 gallop to the right, when the impulse is given by the 
 near legs, and the poize of the body is in consequence 
 thrown on the near side, so as for the ^shoulders to 
 work the most: — so in the trot — when the gallop to the 
 
HORSE TO BE FELT accurately UNDER THE RIDER. 213 
 
 right is intended to be immediately produced by it— 
 the poize of the horse's body and impulse should be 
 placed across, upon the near leg before and on the off 
 leg behind. The off shoulder will then work the most, 
 and be the most at liberty to lead. For, if the contrary 
 happens — notwithstanding the horse is so much bent to 
 the right, the near legs will lead, when the gallop com- 
 mences. This is easily seen by use, and should be as 
 nicely felt by the rider, — for those legs, which receive 
 the greatest share of the weight upon them, will hit the 
 heaviest blow upon the ground. In the same manner, a 
 man wishing to alter his rate of running, so as to hop 
 first upon one leg and then upon the other, if he wishes 
 his right leg to lead in that kind of gallop, will hop the 
 hardest on the left leg. 
 
 I have expatiated the more upon this, in order to 
 shew the necessity there is, that the rider should pay 
 the utmost attention to it. On the nicety of his feeling 
 this action of the horse under him, almost all the art of 
 riding depends ; for this lesson is the foundation of all 
 the others ; and that by which a horse (if it be ever so 
 well dressed) should generally be begun, so as for the 
 shoulders to be properly suppled ; by which the fore 
 parts are afterwards more easily raised. But, even the 
 false action of a colt, however necessary to be strictly 
 attended to afterwards, should not be regarded so much 
 
 c c 
 
214 OPINION OF OTHERS ABOUT THIS LESSON. 
 
 at first, as the main point is to get the colt to advance ; 
 and if the rider understands how to feel the colt pro- 
 perly under him, it will soon go right again for its own 
 ease. Therefore, it must either be suffered to go on 
 wrong for a short time, just at first, or not, according to 
 circumstances.* 
 
 Horses are generally so much more supple, by nature, 
 to the left than to the right, that they do not require to 
 be worked in this lesson, so much to the left hand ; nor 
 is it requisite for the croup to be kept so much out to the 
 left, as to the right hand — for, in general, the rider will 
 find much less difficulty in making the horse bend to 
 the left hand, when it is able to cross the house steadily 
 for that purpose. The late Earl of Pembroke says,+ 
 " this lesson of the epaule en dedans, is a very touchstone 
 " in horsemanship, both for man and horse. Neither 
 " one nor the other can be dressed to any degree with- 
 " out a consummate knowledge of it ; but it must not 
 " on any account be practised in the field in exercises, 
 " or in evolutions." This certainly can never be prac- 
 tised in a body ; but, I cannot help thinking, that it 
 might frequently be practised to great advantage, by a 
 few single horsemen at a time, following one another, 
 head in and croup out, on a piece of plain ground ; 
 
 * See page 45 for this, and page 38 for the aids which the rider may 
 recfuire when the horse is longing. + See his Treatise, page 41. 
 
IT CAN BE PRACTISED BY MORE THAN ONE AT A TIME. 215 
 
 taking advantage of a hedge for that purpose, and one 
 corner to turn in. My reason for thinking so is, that I 
 have now and then, in some measure, suppled a horse 
 by riding it in this way about my own farm, with a bit 
 and bridoon on, without ever taking it into a riding 
 house, as it was occasionally rid by others. 
 
 By the method just mentioned — a horse, with a tole- 
 rable disposition towards it, will in a few months get 
 supple enough to take its right leg in setting off in a gal- 
 lop, and stop on its haunches, at places where it has been 
 used to stop ; at which time it can easily be reined back 
 a step or two. If the horse offers to gallop false, when 
 more than one are doing it at a time, no interruption 
 need take place ; for the rider can always turn, so as to 
 place himself the last of his companions. It must also 
 be considered, that when going head in and croup out to 
 the right ; if done properly with both shoulders in, 
 which requires the greatest art, the horse doubles its legs 
 to the left every step it takes ; so that on this account 
 also, it is not required to be done so much to the left. 
 In exercising out of doors — when the horse is tolerably 
 perfect in this lesson, it might also soon be made to turn 
 at the corner, and come down the middle of the field in 
 full gallop, and to stop on its haunches immediately at 
 some given place. After it has recovered its breath — it 
 might, by use, be made to set off again directly on a 
 
216 MODE OF DOING THIS LESSON OUT OF DOORS. 
 
 gallop. — When tolerably perfect thus far — by taking 
 rather more room in the turn, two or three horses might 
 be made to gallop down the middle of the field, so as to 
 keep the line, and to stop at the same instant. When able 
 to do this easily, a long demi-volte might be attempted, 
 for which the horses would thus be prepared ; and one 
 after the other might make the demi-volte ; holding 
 haunches, and join the same line again, with the horse's 
 croup to the wall, after the last man had past the other 
 way, if only three or four were at work at a time. — 
 When continued in this way on the trot to the right, 
 with the croup to the wall — the near leg doubles over 
 the off leg — and the off leg has already doubled over the 
 near leg, in going head in and croup out. The horse of 
 a dragoon, wants but little more than what has been 
 already mentioned. Many other methods, besides these, 
 might be suggested, which could easily be taken advan- 
 tage of out of doors, if the foundation of this science were 
 but known; and many days, even in the winter, might 
 be usefully employed for these purposes — for but a little 
 should be done at a time. The Earl of Pembroke says, 
 " that* in good weather, it is full as well, and more 
 " pleasant, to work out of doors: and indeed doing so 
 " frequently prevents local routines, which horses are 
 " sometimes particularly apt to take in shut schools, if 
 
 * See his Treatise, page 5. 
 
MODE OF MOUNTING WITHOUT HELP. 217 
 
 " great care is not taken." He goes on by saying. " In 
 tJ shut schools, work may be more exactly done, perhaps, 
 " and the ground there is best. Both are good at proper 
 " seasons, and either will do very well, if the riding- 
 '■' master is good." 
 
 As riding with the bit and bridoon out of doors has 
 been mentioned — it may not perhaps be improper in this 
 place to describe the manner of holding them when 
 mounting; as well as the method of using, in the 
 most expeditious way, either the one or the other. 
 In going to mount, the rider should take hold of the 
 curb bridle, as was mentioned before,* while the bridoon 
 reins are lying on the horse's neck, nearest to the 
 pommel of the saddle. Having taken the mane and the 
 curb reins in his left hand, let him place the left rein 
 of the bridoon over them, and pinch them all together. 
 After this — when there is no one to hold his horse, when 
 his foot is put into the stirrup — let him make the left 
 hand help the right, till he brings the right hand rein of 
 the bridoon of such a length, as to be able to make the 
 horse gently feel both reins of the bridoon, when that 
 hand is brought to the cantel of the saddle on the off 
 side, to aid his spring from the ground. When this is 
 properly done — the horse may be held firmly in the 
 rider's hands, if he chooses to wait a little, before he 
 
 * See page 162. 
 
218 RIDING WITH BIT AND BRIDOON OUT OF DOORS. 
 
 throws his leg over. When seated — the left hand should 
 againhelp the right hand inadjusting the length of the bri- 
 doon rein. The man is then ready to set his horse off, the 
 moment he has found his stirrup. Sometimes, in order to 
 shorten this process, let the bridoon only be taken hold of 
 in this way ; not touching the curb reins till after the man 
 is mounted. He will then be equally safe on his horse, 
 having the entire use of one bridle, and being ready to 
 take hold of the other when mounted. Having both 
 bridles in his hand — the manner of sawing the bridoon, 
 in order to lighten the horse's mouth, when required, 
 should be the same as described in sawing the running 
 snaffle in the riding-house.* In shortening the bridoon 
 for this purpose, the curb bridle is slackened of course. 
 When this last is to be used again — the rider, pinching 
 with the finger and thumb of his right hand, that part of 
 the curb rein where they are sewed together, the left hand 
 should be slipped down in order to shorten them. This of 
 course instantly lengthens the bridoon ; as that rein should 
 accompany the left hand when put forwards for that 
 purpose. In the same manner the curb rein should 
 accompany the left hand, when each hand helps the 
 other, and both are put forwards in order to shorten the 
 bridoon again, when the curb rein is meant to be slack- 
 ened. This should be frequently practised, and will 
 
 * See page 20-4- 
 
RIDING WITH BIT AND BRIDOON OUT OF DOORS. 219 
 
 then be done very quickly, although the description of 
 it may seem long. Till this method is known, the croup 
 cannot be put out with any effect by these bridles ; as 
 much is to be done by the bridoon — and occasional assist- 
 ance may be gained by the use of the off rein of the curb 
 bridle in aid of it. It is also very useful to be able to saw 
 the bridoon in backing or in stopping a horse.* 
 
 * In common riding, the off rein of the bridoon may either be held in the 
 right hand, or occasionally put over the curb bridle reins in the left hand 
 between the thumb and fore finger. In this method, it is more easily taken 
 hold of by the right hand, than when the off side rein is put between 
 the fingers immediately over and touching the off side curb rein. 
 The latter is the best way to hold them in hunting ; where the 
 delicacy of the mouth is not so much consulted, and where a firm 
 appuie is frequently wanted, in order to prevent the rider's legs from 
 getting too forwards, in the irregular action of the horse, in leaps, 
 and in confined places, where it may happen to be requisite to take 
 a spring, or where a spring may be taken contrary to the rider's intention. 
 The right hand can also occasionally take hold of ir, or let it go, without 
 the interference of the left hand, as well as when put between the finger 
 and thumb in the other way. It is also most out of the way, when close 
 to the curb rein, and is sawed with more power when the eagerness of a 
 hunter may require it to be done with force, when the bars are benumbed 
 with pulling at the curb bridle. A running bridoon is very pleasant in 
 common riding, but should by no means be used in hunting, as it is too 
 severe where the aids must be irregular.* But the severest bridles of all — 
 and those which I have made use of, when no curb bridle would stop a 
 horse in hunting, are two crinkled snaffles, tied each of them in a knot, of 
 a proper length, so as for either to be used occasionally. One of these 
 should be a plain snaffle, and the other a running snaffle with the offside 
 
 * See Plate IV. No. 4- 
 
220 AIDS TO THE RIDER IN GROSSING THE HOUSE. 
 
 To return to my subject — when the horse has gone 
 for a certain time with its head in and croup out to the 
 right, let one man stand in the centre of the circle with 
 a long whip, and another at the wall on the outside of 
 the circle, with a long whip also ; and let the rider with 
 the aid of these two men attempt to cross the house, so as 
 to come to the same place, where I mentioned he should 
 arrive when working in hand." The man in the centre 
 should then accompany the rider on the o^side, and the 
 man at the wall should accompany him on the near side. 
 Each should do more or less by running along with the 
 horse and striking the ground either on the one side, or 
 on the other, as occasion may require ; but in doing this, 
 (as in most other lessons where following is concerned) 
 there is more art than in riding. 
 
 If this be properly done, it is a great help to the rider, 
 who should at first finish the lesson by stopping his horse 
 
 rein put through the ring of a buckle-and-strap on the off side ; and the 
 near side rein either in the same manner, or only through the eye of the 
 bridoon up to the headstall. When the rider understands how to saw 
 either the one or the other of these bridles properly, as occasion may require, 
 he will find it the easiest to his hand of any. He will also find that the 
 same horse will champ the mouth-piece in these two bridles, whose mouth 
 was apt to be deadened in the curb-and-snaffle bridle ; at least I found it 
 so, when I used it in hunting for some years, to a horse which no curb 
 bridle would stop. But in recommending what I have practised, I should 
 add, that it requires some nicety in the use of the two bridles together. 
 
 * See page 11 3. 
 
RIDER'S POSITION IN STOPPING HIS HORSE. 221 
 
 when arrived at the wall ; and by degrees continue along 
 that wall rather straighter to the left than to the right. 
 His horse should be much more worked to the right in this 
 lesson, than to the left, for the reasons before assigned. 
 As in working in hand, it has been before observed, 
 that (both in circles, and along the walls) when the 
 horse is going with its head in and croup out, the stop 
 should be the reverse of the progress ;* so should it be 
 when the horse is mounted. It has just been mentioned, 
 that in going to the right, the near side rein should never 
 be used, except to prevent the horse from turning, or to 
 impede its progress when going too fast — it must con- 
 sequently be made use of when the horse is to be stopped. 
 The rider must then be very careful by no means to 
 alter his position, by pulling his left rein so far towards 
 himself, as for his right shoulder to be advanced instead 
 of his left. On this account, when the left rein is pulled 
 for that purpose, his left hand must be held up towards 
 the horse s ears, and towards the wall. By pulling the near 
 side rein in this way, without giving the other, and at 
 the same time throwing his body easily back, he will 
 find himself able to bring his horse's head to the wall 
 for the stop, without any alteration of his own position. 
 When he sets off again — he should bend his body for- 
 wards a little, so as to be able to take hold of his off rein 
 
 * See page 67. 
 Dd 
 
222 METHOD OF TROTTING DOWN THE MIDDLE. 
 
 very short in turning his horse, when the croup is put 
 out again ; in the same manner as he did when setting 
 off at first. 
 
 When the horse has for a little time gone in this 
 manner with the rider on its back, large and in circles ; 
 let him try to come down the middle, and stop at the 
 pillar without holding haunches. For this purpose, the 
 master should stand in the centre of the circle at the 
 circular end, with a long whip in his hand ; and after 
 the rider has gone a few circles, the master should 
 step back a little from the centre, towards the window 
 at the end ; and when the rider comes to the wall, 
 and endeavours to turn a half circle, so as to come 
 down the middle, the master should strike the boards 
 with his whip, back-handed, to aid him. — After that, 
 [if necessary) in order to make the horse come straight 
 down the middle, he should accompany the rider on the 
 near side, striking the ground with his whip as he runs 
 along with him. This should be done as fast as the 
 horse is inclined to do it, either on the trot or gallop. 
 The rider should only carry its shoulders on the turn ; by 
 which I mean, that its croup should still be kept out in 
 the turn, and the horse come nearly straight down the 
 middle. The master's whip, if properly managed, will 
 at this time help the rider very much in doing this. If 
 the gallop be false, the rider may make the horse do it 
 
RIDER'S POSITION" IN STOPPING THE HORSE. 223 
 
 once more ; and if possible on the trot. — When the stop 
 is made, which should be immediately from the trot or 
 gallop, precision should not be attended to just at first, 
 for it cannot be expected. But, in order that the horse 
 may by degrees make the stop as it ought to be — the 
 utmost pains at this time should be taken by the rider, 
 to drop into his seat as loosely as possible. By doing 
 this, not only his own seat will be secured, but the 
 horse's back will by degrees bend more and more, so as 
 to receive him in the hollowest part. For this purpose, 
 for reasons before mentioned, the legs should be easily 
 dropped, and the arms should be dropped ; and the 
 body should also be easily thrown back. He is then bien 
 au fond de la selle* when the saddle is of such a shape 
 as to permit him to be so.-f 
 
 * See page 24- + See page 20. 
 
[ 224 ] 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 METHOD OF MAKING A LONG DEMI-VOLTE, SO AS TO BRING THE 
 HORSE'S CROUP TO THE WALL. MODE OF WORKING IN THAT 
 ACTION, AS ALSO WITH THE HEAD in AND CROUP OUt, without 
 
 the help of the walls, head to the wall. — quart de volte, 
 square — going en chevalant from right to left, and vice 
 
 VERSA PESADE — PASSADES VOLTES. 
 
 When the horse can turn with ease to itself with its 
 
 croup out, and come straight down the middle on the 
 
 trot or gallop — the rider, with the help of the master, 
 
 should endeavour by degrees to make it hold haunches 
 
 a little in doing it, and go sideways to the same wall 
 
 from whence it came, instead of coming down the 
 
 middle. This is by no means difficult to be done, as 
 
 horses have much less difficulty in putting their croup 
 
 in, than in putting their croup out. It must of course 
 
 be done rather slower — and the horse is prepared by it 
 
 for what should be attempted to be done next ; which 
 
 is that of making a long demi-volte, so as to put the croup 
 
 to the wall. Having been previously worked in hand 
 
 in that lesson, till it can be done with ease to itself — the 
 
 demi-volte should next be attempted, which will bring 
 
 the horse back to the same wall ; and the lesson should 
 
RIDER'S POSITION IN THE DEMI-VOLTE. 225 
 
 be finished when the horse is arrived at the wall. In 
 order to do this, it should be held quite straight, justbefore 
 it is going to quit the wall,* and be turned in the same 
 manner as when making the demi-volte in hand, in work- 
 ing with its head to the wall tied to the right. 4- By this 
 I mean, that it should hold haunches a little in the turn; 
 which the horse at this period will easily do, if the rider 
 turns the nails of his left hand up, and putting it close 
 to the horse's left ear, checks it a little, by holding his 
 left hand upwards, and bringing it across towards his 
 right hand ; which is the same aid, as the horse received 
 before, from the man who held the stick. He should 
 pull the rein in his right hand, more or less, according 
 as he requires the croup to be more or less kept in. No 
 alteration whatsoever should take place in his seat ; his 
 body should be gently thrown back at the time, in 
 order for the horse to do it on its haunches, without 
 retaining itself. When the aid is given by the left hand, 
 it should be accompanied by the left leg if required ; but 
 not otherwise. The voice is the best direction, and the 
 man should sit as still as possible, with his poize as 
 before. 
 
 In proportion as the haunches are begun to be worked, 
 so should the man's body be thrown further back upon 
 them. For this reason — in putting the horse's croup to 
 
 * See No. 2. Plate XIII. + See page 122. 
 
226 
 
 RIDERS AIDS IN THE DEMI-VOLTE. 
 
 the wall, (the lesson at which we are now arrived,) the 
 man's body must be thrown rather further back than in 
 the preceding lesson : — but his poize should be kept the 
 same; namely, with his left arm, and the whole of his 
 left side advanced, and all the right side kept so Jar back, 
 as for his weight to be as much as possible on his right 
 side, and leaning on his right stirrup. For as the horse 
 is still bent to the right — the left leg is at liberty, as 
 before, to give the aid, if required, when that of the left 
 hand is not sufficient. The aids with the hands are the 
 same as when the horse was worked in hand in this 
 lesson. The master may follow with a long whip 
 just at first; or afterwards, if requisite, at times, in 
 the same place as when holding the long rein. The 
 rider's left rein, being carried across the horse's neck, 
 should be slackened a little, if the horse holds haunches 
 too much. The right rein should be held rather 
 lower, and steadier than the left, with the nails up 
 and the elbow in; pulling or giving a little as occa- 
 sion may require — for all the right side should be as 
 firm as possible. The right hand may also be required 
 to be sometimes held for a short time with the knuckles 
 up, and the elbow out, in aid of the left hand, when the 
 haunches are held rather too much, but this is seldom 
 requisite. 
 
 The horse now goes en chevalant to the right, with 
 
HEAD ifl AND CROUP Out WITHOUT THE HELP OP THE WALL. 227 
 
 its body bent to the right, and looking to the right. As 
 the position of the horse is, so should be that of the rider, 
 in order to be of a piece with his horse. He should 
 therefore look to the right, with all his left side advanced, 
 towards his right side." 
 
 When the horse can bear to come with its croup to the 
 wall till opposite to the pillar — the rider with the help of 
 the master, may try to bring it from thence through the 
 two corners, and finish opposite to the pillar on the other 
 side of the house. But this should not be done till the 
 horse can go with its head in and croup out with ease to 
 itself; for that lesson is the foundation of this. Nothing 
 shews the ease with which the horse is able to do it, 
 more than by trying if it can be done without the help 
 of the wall. This may either be done by its being put 
 within a horse's length of the wall, on the same lines as 
 will afterwards be shewn for the terre a terre ; or by the 
 horse's quitting the wall, when just out of the circular 
 end, and making as if it would turn to the other wall, 
 without doing it, as at No. 5, Plate XIII. In order to 
 
 * See Plate XIV. I have dwelt the more on this, as the reverse frequently 
 happens, by the plie as well as the poize of both man and horse being the 
 wrong way, when the horse is going en chevalant either to the right or to the 
 left. See the Earl of Pembroke's observations on this subject, pages 59 and 
 41 ; and the countenance of both man and horse in making the demi-volte in 
 Plate XXII. of the Duke of Newcastle's book. 
 
228 FROM Croup TO THE WALL TO head TO THE WALL. 
 
 do this — when in the centre of the house, it should be 
 brought back again to the same wall, without its position 
 being at all altered, as at No. 1 . The action is beautiful 
 when this is done with ease to itself. It cannot be done 
 exactly, till the horse is supple enough, and then only on 
 the trot ; for the legs cannot so easily double in the 
 gallop in stepping back, which it must do for a certain 
 
 time.* 
 
 When tolerably perfect in the lesson of head in and 
 croup out, and in that of putting its croup to the wall — 
 if the horse has already had its head put to the wall in 
 hand, both to the right and to the left — after having 
 stopped a little to breathe, when arrived at the wall in 
 the last mentioned lesson from the demi-volte ; the 
 rider may attempt to put its head to the wall. This 
 should be done for a few steps only at first, either on 
 its arrival at the wall, or on the opposite side. In the 
 last case, it may be continued with its head to the 
 wall through the circular end ; and the lesson finished 
 there, if the horse is at first able to bear so much; 
 as it is less constraint to go through the circular end, 
 
 * The letters at No. I. and those on the other side of No. V. correspond 
 with those between No. III. and II. all of which correspond with the posi- 
 tion of the horse's feet in the plate, being all descriptive of their position at 
 the different places in the action of head in and croup out. The letters 
 of course indicate the legs as before, viz. a the off fore leg, b the off hind 
 leg, c the near fore leg, and d the near hind leg. 
 
poize of the rider's body in the change. 229 
 
 than through the corners. When this is perfectly- 
 familiar to it — the next attempt is to make it come 
 immediately from the one to the other. For this pur- 
 pose^ — when the horse, after having made the demi- volte, 
 arrives at that part of the wall opposite to the pillar ; 
 the rider should immediately hold his left hand up very- 
 high, and bring it towards his right hand, throwing his 
 body very far back. — When brought to the wall till the 
 horse is straight with it, — the rider's position must be in- 
 stantaneously exactly reversed in every part; so that all, 
 that was kept back before, must now be advanced, and 
 vice versa. His seat must be directly contrary to what it 
 was before — for all the right side must now be ad- 
 vanced, and all the left side kept back — his right hand 
 must be held high and his left hand low — in short, in 
 every point exactly the reverse ; audit is all to be done in 
 an instant- — for the horse under him should do it in an 
 instant ; care being taken that the horse does not begin 
 to change the plie, till it comes straight with the 
 wall — after which, the off shoulder should be imme- 
 diately put to it. For this purpose, the nails of the left 
 hand should be held towards the right hand, in order to 
 assist the horse in reversing every part of its body, 
 which the poize of the rider should accompany, by 
 sitting perfectly loose so as to feel it accurately under 
 him. While the rider pulls the left rein for this purpose 
 
 e e 
 
230 poize of the horses body in the change. 
 
 — the light rein is given of course by his right shoulder's 
 advancing at the time without altering the rein in his 
 hand. The manner in which the horse makes the 
 change is thus. It has been mentioned that in the gallop 
 to the right, the off legs lead, and the impulse is on the 
 near legs. This is, of course, vice versa to the left. In 
 the change — a bound is made upon the off legs, on their 
 coming down in succession, when advanced to the 
 wall and leading. The poize and plie of the horse's 
 body is at that instant completely changed ; so as for the 
 near legs to pass them in air — and to. lead ; the impulse 
 being continued on the off legs. 
 
 This change may either be made on the gallop, (that 
 is to say in terre a terre,) or on the trot ; the plie and 
 poize of the horse's body, accompanying it equally. For 
 when the horse's croup is to the wall to the right, the 
 impulse in the trot is on the near fore leg and the off 
 hind leg. By a bound on these two legs when leading, 
 the gallop to the right can be commenced at any time.* 
 When the change is made on the trot, the impulse is 
 immediately shifted to the other two legs across ; by 
 which the gallop to the left might commence at any time. 
 As the demi-volte was supposed to take place on the 
 trot, from the action of head in and croup out, I have 
 supposed the trot to be continued till the horse is 
 
 * See page 60. 
 
change in the gallop by crossing the house. 231 
 
 arriving at the wall, and the change to be made on the 
 gallop.* When the horse is supple enough to go once 
 or twice round the house with its head to the wall, to 
 the left — the same change may be made by a long demi- 
 volte to the left — so as to put its head to the wall to 
 the right. 
 
 If the horse be inclined to retain itself, it should be 
 worked fast, and the change should be made by crossing 
 the house instead of from the demi-volte. In this case, its 
 body should not be held quite so straight to the wall, as 
 when coming with its croup to the wall in the demi- 
 volte, so that the change may be made more in air by 
 the haunches not being held quite so much. The house 
 should be crossed from that part where the circle 
 quits the wall, to that part where it joins it again ; and the 
 change should be instantaneously made, as soon as it 
 arrives at the wall ; and the gallop be continued as at 
 No. IV. If the horse be inclined to make the change 
 very much in air — this method of crossing the house 
 will have a much better effect, than when done in 
 the demi-volte ; but in process of work, either the one 
 or the other may be required selon V allure du cheval. 
 
 * See Plate XIII. No. III. and IV. where the gallop a c d b is changed 
 for the gallop c a d b. This change is marked by a stroke at right angles to 
 the lines. 
 
232 QUART DE VOLTE — AND SQUARE. 
 
 If the horse be perfectlv quiet in doing this, and not 
 apt to retain itself — when supple enough to be able to 
 bear it. a quart de volte may be attempted on the gallop, 
 in one corner of the house, as at Plate XIV. No. I. 
 For this purpose, the horse should be held nearly straight, 
 after it has passed the corner, when going on the 
 terre a terre with its head to the wall — it will otherwise 
 be in an impossibility of turning ; or if it does turn at 
 all, the croup will be foremost, instead of the shoulders. 
 It should then be brought to the next wall, holding 
 haunches a little on the volte, but straight for the 
 change ; in order that the near legs may then be thrown 
 forwards instead of the off legs, without the croup's 
 being too much advanced. 
 
 A square may also be attempted on the passage, so as 
 for the corners only to be cut off; as at Ts'o. II. For this 
 purpose, the horse should be held quite straight on the 
 lines of the square, and the croup should be thrown out 
 in the corners, by the right hand being pulled inwards 
 instantaneously at these times, and kept so only for a 
 moment. The knuckles of the right hand should be 
 held up when the hand is pulled inwards, and the nails 
 up when the hand is put towards the horse's neck again, 
 (that is outwards) immediately after. In short, the hands 
 do almost every thing in regard to directions at any 
 
CONCLUSION OF THE LESSON. 233 
 
 time — the legs and the body being kept as still, and as 
 loose as possible ; with the poize on the one side or on 
 the other, as occasion requires. 
 
 The horse having been alreadv practised in being 
 held tog-ether a little straighter down the line at the end 
 of the lesson, when working with its head in and croup 
 out in hand/'" may finish in the same manner with the 
 rider on its back. The lesson mav either be finished in 
 this way, or by the horse's croup being held a little 
 straighter down the line of the wall, after making a de mi- 
 volte either way. so as to put its croup to the wall > Both 
 these methods prepare it for passaging do wn the middle. 
 When the horse has got the poize of its body tolerably 
 well in passaging; down the line of the wall, the rider 
 mav attempt to make it come down the middle, in the 
 same manner as when worked in hand. I For this pur- 
 pose the two men. who held the reins at that time, 
 might help him, bv going one on each side of him. with 
 a switch in their hand, ready to tap the ground with, 
 when required : or the man on his near side might 
 strike the wall with a long whip, immediately after the 
 rider has turned from the centre window, and accompany 
 him either bv giving the aids on the near side, or behind 
 the horse — but this requires the greatest judgment. Few 
 horses can do more for the first vear with the rider on 
 
 1 See page 107. + See page 111, I See Vignette, page li-£. 
 
234 horse going en chevalant. 
 
 their back, than the lesson of head in and croup out, and 
 croup to the wall on each hand. During the latter part of 
 that time, if the horse is so far advanced, as to have had 
 its head put to the wall in hand ; the rider may begin the 
 practice of this and of the changes on the gallop at that 
 period. If the horse be tolerably perfect in this also, 
 in the course of six months more ; and can passage down 
 the middle of the house quite straight — it is then ready to 
 practice going from side to side of the house, by one step 
 forwards, and one step sideways, either in the piaffe or in 
 terre a terre, or by coming easily from the one to the other 
 selon son allure. This is what the French call chevaler. 
 
 For this purpose, when the horse has passaged quite 
 straight, so as to be beyond the centre of the circular 
 end, as at Plate XIV. No. Ill — let the horseman (in the 
 position represented in the plate) make the horse feel 
 the near side rein, by holding his left hand with the 
 nails up across its neck. The aids should be given more 
 or less either by one hand or the other, according as it is 
 requisite for the shoulders or the haunches to be ad- 
 vanced at the time. This motion of the left hand carries 
 the shoulders. If the left heel is used at the same time, 
 and that the haunches are too much advanced by it, the 
 pulling of the off side rein stops the haunches. The 
 rider should lean almost his whole weight on the right 
 stirrup, the moment the horse steps to the right by the 
 
'Plate -l.il- 
 
ACTION PROM SIDE TO SIDE WHICH IS clltValant. 235 
 
 aids which are given. When a man can sit in the proper 
 position in making a clemi-volte, to the right or left,* 
 his position and the aids are exactly the same, as when 
 requiring the horse to go one step forwards , and one step 
 sideways in the present instance. When the demi- 
 volte is made, it has been mentioned that it may be 
 done either by the legs doubling over each other in the 
 trot, as at Plate XIII. No. II — or by the gallop, as at 
 No. III. and the change at No. IV. As few horses 
 can change in the gallop when going en chevalant for 
 two or three times from one wall of the house to the 
 other — this lesson must be done partly in terre a terre, 
 and partly on the piaffe — I have therefore supposed the 
 piaffe to take place as far as No. III. in Plate XIV. and the 
 terre a terre to take place before the horse comes from 
 thence to the right hand wall. When arrived at the 
 wall on either side — if the horse cannot change imme- 
 diately on the gallop ; the piaffe de ferme a ferme must 
 take place for a moment, till the poize of the body is so 
 completely reversed, as for the terre a terre to take 
 place again to the left, till arrived at the left hand wall. 
 This should be done at first by separate lessons — stopping 
 at each wall. When after a certain time the horse 
 appears to be ready to make the change instantaneously — 
 the rider should feel accurately under him the moment in 
 
 * See page 225. 
 
236 poize of the rider en chevalant. 
 
 which the impulse has ceased on the near side in the 
 terre a terre to the right, and when the impulse com- 
 mences on the off side at the next instant, when ready 
 to go to the left : — at that instant he should change the 
 whole of his own poize as before directed," and give the 
 same aids, vice versa, from the right to the left hand wall. 
 The change being then made again — the horse may be 
 brought in the same manner by one more change to the 
 right hand wall, and once again to the wall on the left 
 hand — either in the piaffe, or in terre a terre; the 
 rider allowing his horse to make the changes on the 
 one or on the other, according to its own inclination. 
 - — Some horses will do it immediately, and in the 
 air, on the gallop ; but these are but few. — When 
 arrived at the left hand wall, the horse should change 
 again, till arrived in the middle of the house oppo- 
 site to the pillar. The lesson may be ended there 
 with apesadei- made quite straight, except that the head 
 
 * See page 229. 
 
 * As thepesade is'shewn in plate XV. that action requires no explanation. 
 It is the foundation of all the rest of the airs which are merely mechanical, 
 where a horse has a disposition for them; and are of little use. They are 
 never to be done with accuracy, except by horses kept on purpose, 
 which can only happen in a very large establishment. Where I have 
 found a horse rise too frequently, I have sometimes touched it on the 
 rump, on its coming down again, so as to produce a curvette:. — as the hind 
 legs are quite even on the pesade, the fore legs in this case come down 
 
PASSADES BEGUN BY A GALLOP FROM A Standstill. 237 
 
 .should be a little bent to the right. This not only looks 
 better, but by so doing, the body will keep its plie a 
 little, although the legs follow exactly.* 
 
 When a horse is sufficiently dressed to do this — 
 having been allowed some time to take its breath again, 
 it may be backed a few steps, in order to gain a little 
 more ground, so as to set off in a gallop from a standstill, 
 and to make a few passades in the breadth of the house. 
 For this purpose — the horse, as soon as it has been reined 
 back, should be placed a little sideways, towards that 
 window on the left hand, which is opposite to the pillar. 
 When it has been used easily to raise the fore parts in 
 the pesade — it will not be difficult for it to spring up im- 
 mediately after being stopped, and to advance the off 
 hind leg by the spring of the fore parts ; so as to throw 
 itself forwards with that leg leading. + The off fore 
 leg is thrown forwards in air, so as to lead, when the 
 foreparts come down in the manner described in page 8 5 . 
 Having advanced en gallop releve to the wall — the same 
 
 quite even from the pesade, and at the same instant, when the hind legs are 
 in air. This is the only difference between that air and the terre a terre. 
 In the latter, the legs are set down Jo llo wing each other ; in the former, they 
 come down as it were upon the hop — comme un corbeau — from whence the 
 name. A little more aid with the whip, and the voice, would produce a 
 groupade or perhaps a ballotade : — more, than that, would produce a 
 capriole: — for this is the gradation. These aids may be regularly seen in 
 the prints of the Duke of Newcastle's folio edition. 
 
 * See Plate XV. + See the ground plan of Plate XV. 
 
 Ff 
 
238 Passades the breadth of the house. 
 
 gallop should be continued with its head to the wall 
 through the two corners, and from thence till the horse 
 arrives nearly opposite to the pillar, where it should be 
 turned, holding haunches so as nearly to face it. From 
 thence — leaving the pillar close on the rider's left hand 
 — it may be made to gallop and turn, two or three times 
 the breadth of the house (as shewn in the plate) — -fast on 
 the straight line, and slower in the turns. This should 
 be done in the action of head to the wall. The turns 
 should be made almost within the horse's own length ; 
 and the lesson may be finished by the horse being brought 
 to the passage on the last turn ; so as to end by piaffing 
 de Jerme a forme at the pillar. But before this can be 
 done on the breadth of the house, it ought to be prac- 
 tised on the length of the house, without the help of the 
 walls, when the lesson may be finished by a passage 
 down the middle — of which more hereafter. 
 
 As I have not yet mentioned the manner in which 
 the change should be made from the long demi-volte with- 
 out the help of the walls, I shall now revert to Plate XIII. 
 No. VI. and VII. The horse is there represented as 
 going in terre a terre to the left ; in the action of croup 
 to the wall, holding haunches gradually more and more, 
 till arrived at No. VII.; where it is placed exactly at 
 right angles to the wall, in the same manner as if it had 
 been carried on to the corner of the house. At that instant 
 
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 Fublislici Ja/i*z.i.Sob',br S.JFrc 
 
 Slichton scidp. 
 
CHANGE WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE WALL. 239 
 
 the impulse upon the o^legs a b, will be changed, as 
 marked by the line across, so as for it to be put upon 
 the near legs c d, as at No. VIII: by which the off legs 
 will pass the others in air, and lead again, in the same 
 manner as the near legs led ; as seen on the other side 
 at No. IV. as before described.* With all this, the horse- 
 man's body should accord just as instantaneously as 
 when the change is made with the help of the wall at 
 No. III. The change from right to left is of course vice 
 versa. The pillar must be left close upon the right 
 hand, when the change is from left to right, and vice 
 versa the other way. 
 
 In every lesson where no change is made, two persons 
 can work at a time in a riding house of the size I have 
 described, as well as one. When the lesson of head in 
 and croup out, croup to the wall, or head to the wall, for 
 instance, are practised as separate lessons — if one horse's 
 rate be faster than the other which it follows ; the horse, 
 that is first, should make a double. This leaves all the 
 remainder of the house for the other to go through, 
 before it comes up again ; so that they are no impedi- 
 ment to each other. 
 
 Two horses can also work abreast without the help of the 
 wall, if they are tolerably perfect in going head in and 
 croup out, and head to the wall separately, with the aid of 
 
 * See page 229- 
 
240 Passades d toute bride by two horses abreast. 
 
 the wall. When in the middle of the house, and working 
 close together, so as to keep the line — the horse that has 
 the fastest rate of going should be put on the largest 
 circles. It should go exactly at the same rate, when in the 
 straight line ; and be advanced before the other on 
 a quicker rate, when in circles, in proportion to the 
 size of the circles in which they have to turn. When 
 going terre a terre in the circles, as in the lesson of 
 head to the wall — care should be taken that the haunches 
 are not held so much, as to hinder the leading of 
 the fore parts. In Plate XVI. No. I. I have shewn 
 the position of each horse's feet, so as to keep the line in 
 that action on the voltes, in the manner that Sir Sidney 
 Medows and myself often practised it together, by 
 making one or two entire voltes at one end of the riding 
 house, without the help of the walls, and coming en 
 passades a toute bride to the other end.* Having then 
 made one or two voltes at that end, the lesson was 
 finished by our keeping the line exactly on the passage 
 down the middle ; and then, either piaffing de Jerme a 
 ferme, or making a pesade, selon Valleur de nos chevaux. The 
 line of direction is marked in which the two horses 
 should go on the circles with one haunch in.\ The posi- 
 
 * In order that the work may be seen more easily, an interval of the 
 breadth of one horse is left between each — but they should be nearly close 
 together. 
 
 + a the offfore legof each horse is there seen touching this lineof direction. 
 
LINE OF DIRECTION OF EACH WITHIN THE VOLTE. 241 
 
 tion of the rider should be exactly the same, and the 
 aids exactly the same for the voltes as mentioned for the 
 demi-voltes. The plie of the horse should of course be 
 the same* The rate of going should be fast on the 
 straight line, and slower when arriving at the circlest 
 If going to the right, as here represented, the rider 
 should carry both hands a little out at this time, and with 
 rather more appui than in the straight line. By doing 
 this, the horse's rate will be rather more restrained; 
 and the shoulders carried a little more out, so as for one 
 haunch to be more or less in, in proportion to the size 
 of the circle ;+ as the outside horse must be kept the 
 straightest. The fore parts also will thus be able to 
 embrace the largest circle — and by having only one 
 haunch in, the horse's rate will not be so far restrained as 
 to run any risk of becoming entier — that is, that the 
 haunches will not be so far advanced, as for the fore 
 parts to be almost in an impossibility of turning, on 
 the circle which they are meant to describe. By the 
 haunches being no more kept in than I have marked — 
 the line of direction, which is given for each off fore leg 
 to lead by, will be within the volte, that is between the 
 horse and the centre of the circle. When quitting the 
 
 * See page 226. 
 
 + This is marked by dotted lines from the off leg before, to the near 
 leg behind ; shewing that the off haunch is in more or less, according to 
 the circle. 
 
242 PUe of each horse. 
 
 circle to go on the straight line again — the hands must 
 be carried a little outwards, and the reins given imme- 
 diately, with the aids of the calves of the legs, so as to 
 make the horse go fast on the straight line, making the 
 passade a toute bride; each man sitting as loosely, and as 
 still as possible, and regulating his horse, so as to keep 
 the line, and arrive together on the circles at the opposite 
 end. The same aids should then be given, (in order to 
 put each horse properly on the circles) as were before 
 mentioned. 
 
 This is not only very entertaining when done well, 
 but whoever can do it, for a few times only, without his 
 horse going false either before or behind, is no bad 
 horseman ; however easy it may seem till it comes to be 
 tried : nor can he do it, till his horse is tolerably suppled 
 by the help of the walls, after its head has been put to 
 them for some length of time. The Duke of Newcastle 
 says,* " Nothing more strongly proves a horse to be 
 " thoroughly dressed, than passades, since nothing can 
 " make a horse perfect but the hands and the heels, and 
 " he obeys both in passades. He flies the heel upon 
 " straight lines, and obeys the hand in going slower 
 " and turning." The use of its being done in this way, 
 where more than two are to do it together, is very great 
 for many reasons. It must be considered that the horse 
 
 * Page 61. 
 
IN PROPORTION TO THE CIRCLE. 243 
 
 by its plie being properly kept, actually constitutes, in its 
 progress, a portion of the circle in which it is going. 
 The horse nearest the centre is the most bent, and forms 
 an arch, which is able the better to resist the next horse 
 if it presses. The next horse is less bent, and conse- 
 quently inclined to go rather more from the centre ; and 
 by its plie being kept the same way, although not quite 
 so much, the least motion of the off rein across its neck, 
 carries the shoulders still more outwards ; or the off rein 
 being carried a little towards the centre, puts them more 
 inwards if required, as observed in the demi-voltes* The 
 plie of every horse, after that, is regularly decreased in 
 proportion ; by which, the nearer the horse is to a 
 straight line, the more tendency it has to fly off from the 
 centre: — but it is easy enough to prevent this ; conse- 
 quently, by the plie being thus regulated, every horse 
 has less and less chance of crowding on the centre. 
 Where this is done in a larger body with one hand only 
 — if the knuckles of the left hand be held upwards, and 
 the rein across the neck carried to the near side ; or if the 
 nails be carried up, and the rein held across to the off side, 
 it answers the same purpose ; with a little additional aid 
 of the leg if requisite, in order to compensate for the want 
 of the other hand. For an additional pressure on the off 
 leg, put rather further back, forces the croup out, and 
 
 * See page 225. 
 
244 SAME plie OUT OF DOORS AS WITHIN THE HOUSE. 
 
 puts the shoulders in ; and the spur made use of by the 
 near leg, puts the haunches in. My reason for mentioning 
 this is to shew the method in which quarts de voltes, 
 demi-voltes, and voltes may be done by larger bodies out 
 of doors, so as to have less chance of crowding on 
 each other. For this purpose, I shall next point out a 
 lesson which a dressed horse can do out of doors ; and 
 what may also be practised as a lesson by two or more 
 horsemen, whose horses are tolerably perfect in doing 
 the lessons of head in and croup out, croup to the wall, 
 and head to the wall within the house. 
 

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[245] 
 
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 SECTION V. 
 
 TWO LESSONS THAT CAN BE PRACTISED OUt of DOORS ; ONE FOR 
 a drest HORSE, AND THE OTHER FOR ONE OR MORE HORSES 
 TOGETHER, THAT ARE NOT QUITE SO WELL DREST. 
 
 .Having now described every thing that constitutes a 
 drest horse within the house, I shall point out as well 
 as I can, a lesson for a drest horse out of the house, 
 which has lately given me much entertainment when 
 the weather has permitted. For this purpose, after the 
 horse has been properly settled within the house, the scene 
 of action must be changed to the lawn before my riding 
 house, in the country. On this lawn, two trees happen 
 to be placed about a hundred yards from each other, 
 and are taken as centres for the circles which are meant 
 to be described. 
 
 As a preparation for this lesson, the horse being 
 brought into the house is put back in hand down the 
 middle, and brought forward again on the passage by two 
 men,* for once or twice, to settle it for being mounted. 
 In order to settle the rider also when mounted, it is 
 made to go with the head in and croup out, for a circle 
 
 * See Vignette, page 124, 
 G £ 
 
246 LESSON OUT OF DOORS FOR A DREST HORSE. 
 
 or two at the circular end : and being brought from 
 thence straighter on a full trot down the line of the house, 
 the horse is stopped on its haunches at the open door- 
 way, to make apesade (by way of obedience) on leaving 
 it. After a stop for an instant, it sets off again on a trot 
 clelie* for a certain distance -f till the gallop is ready to 
 commence easily.;}; This gallop is continued, holding 
 haunches a little, as being upon the turn, till arrived at 
 the volte, which is to be made by the horse's holding 
 haunches a little more, for one circle entire round the 
 first tree. It proceeds from thence, half way over the 
 same circle, in order to quit it nearly opposite to that part 
 on which it. entered. The same gallop is continued from 
 thence, till it arrives halfway between the two trees. 
 
 Here, the horse being put quite straight — (in the 
 same position as when arriving at the wall, after having 
 crossed the house, )§ the change is instantaneously made 
 
 * The Earl of Pembroke, in his quotation from M. Burgelat's Nouveay 
 Newcastle, (Edit. 3-) concerning the three different kinds of trot, calls the 
 trot delie, the supple trot. In page 63 he says, " I define the supple trot 
 " to be that, in which the horse at every motion that he makes, bends and 
 " plays all his joints, that is to say, those of his shoulders, his knees, 
 " and feet." 
 
 + See Plate No. II. the trot, a d crossed by c b. 
 
 \ See the line across the track No. III. which marks the place where the 
 gallop, by the off legs a Heading, commences from the trot. 
 
 § See Plate XIII. No. III. and IV. 
 
LESSON OUT OF DOORS FOR A DREST HORSE. 247 
 
 on the gallop,* so as for the near legs to lead, in the same 
 manner, for one circle entire, terre a terre to the left, 
 round the next tree. Proceeding from thence half round 
 again, the circle is quitted, so as to change again, from 
 left to right, at the same place where the change was made 
 from right to left.t Turning immediately to the right, at 
 right angles to this figure of eight, a passade a toute bride 
 is made for about a hundred yards, as described in the 
 riding house.^ When returned again, on, or a little 
 beyond the same place, half the ground is gone over 
 again in the same manner. A demir volte being then 
 made at the opposite end, the horse is put from the terre 
 a terre to the passage as soon as opposite to the door of 
 the house. Having proceeded for a certain time on the 
 passage — the lesson is ended by the horse again making 
 its obedience in a pesade. Notwithstanding the descrip- 
 tion may seem long— the time in which this is performed, 
 is no more than five minutes : — and what may seem rather 
 more extraordinary — the horse, which is supple enough 
 to be able to do it, is aged 2,5 years, and still in full 
 vigour; for when a horse is once well drest, it gets 
 .. -. • " 
 
 * See the change by a stroke crossing the line of direction, shewing 
 where a b closed on one side of it, so as to change for c d on the 
 other. 
 
 + See the stroke marked across the track. 
 
 J See No. I. of this Plate. 
 
248 LESSON FOR ONE OR MORE HORSES NOT SO WELL DREST. 
 
 more and more supple, as long as it is capable of bearing 
 the exertion. 
 
 Having made my apology in my preface for introducing 
 military riding with that of the manage, I hope now to be 
 excused, for presuming to mention, a thought that occurs 
 to me of a lesson that might be practised out of doors, by 
 three or four horsemen meeting together ; either individual 
 lovers of horsemanship, who might happen to have horses 
 sufficiently dressed for the purpose — or by a few of those 
 real lovers of the art, who are to be found in almost 
 every regiment. If the science of horsemanship should 
 ever be so far encouraged, as for a few men and their 
 horses in a regiment, to be supple enough to do it, 
 by their horses being able to go with their heads to the 
 wall within the house with ease to themselves — three or 
 four horsemen might come out of any part of the line 
 where their duty might have placed them, without 
 disturbing the rest of the regiment ; and proceed, at first, 
 irregularly on a trot delie ; passing by each other, if re- 
 quisite, as at No. IV. so as for the fastest horses to be 
 placed on the left. Having gone forty or fifty yards, 
 (by which time each man would feel his horse ready to 
 take the gallop with the off legs) their rate of going 
 should be so regulated, as for them all to arrive on the 
 gallop at a given line (No. V.), about a hundred yards 
 from the regiment at the same moment. From thence, 
 
LESSON FOR A FEW HORSES OUT OF DOORS. 249 
 
 without stopping, they might proceed to practise the 
 same lesson that wasj ust now mentioned to have been done 
 by my master and myself ivitfiito the house at No. I. 
 
 What an opportunity would this be of shewing some 
 of the best riders, as well as some of the most supple, 
 and fleetest horses in the regiment ; and if ever the 
 science should be so far advanced, as for a review to 
 commence by this lesson, the duration of it, to each 
 party that does it, would only be about five minutes : — 
 nor would the exertion, for that short time, at all prevent 
 those horses from going through any other manoeuvres 
 equally well afterwards. It should only be done either 
 to the right or to the left, as separate lessons — for changes 
 on the gallop are not be expected ; especially with- 
 out the help of the walls. The lesson might be finished 
 by quitting the circle at No. VI. when their horses 
 would be rather beyond the right of the regiment; 
 and turning into the rear at No. VII. so as for each to 
 stop at that part of the regiment near where he quitted it. 
 Having staid there for a few minutes, so as for their 
 horses to recover their wind ; they might then come 
 forwards, and fill up the intervals from whence they 
 began.* Those who could do it with precision would 
 
 * I have before noticed the Duke of Newcastle's opinion of the use of 
 passades. He directs them to be done with the bridle only; but I think 
 they can hardly be done accurately as a lesson by a single horseman, 
 
250 WHEELINGS, DONE SAME AS VOLTES. 
 
 be an example to others, in the accuracy of wheeling, 
 as well as in that of dressing, both in the passades and in 
 circles. 
 
 To use the words of the Comte Drummond de Melfort, 
 ' : Si ce n'etoit pas fronder le sentiment general des offi- 
 " ciers," might not I presume, that by doing the wheel- 
 ings in half squadrons accurately in this way, with both 
 man and horse bending and looking to the pir'ot Jtank, 
 in the same manner as the man looks to the centre within 
 the house ; the wheelings might be done without 
 crowding, by the bridle hand being only carried a little 
 in or a little out ? Might not the quart de volte be done 
 with both man and horse looking to the standing flank 
 at the time they are doing it, in the same manner as they 
 would do when halted?— When done by Sir Sidney 
 Medows and myself, on supple horses, we kept within 
 six inches of each other's knees without crowding ; as 
 the most delicate aids carried the horse a trifle either 
 the one way or the other. We were easily seated on our 
 horses— being of one piece with them by all parts in- 
 clining the same way.* For the same reason, the horses 
 
 without the rider being allowed to touch the bridoon also, occasionally, with 
 
 his right hand for a short time on the volts. To a drest horse it is by no 
 
 means difficult ; and I have frequently practised it with my sword in hand, 
 
 when the ground permitted it, for my own amusement, before the business 
 
 of the volunteer regiment began, in which, as before mentioned, I serve 
 
 as Major. 
 
 * See page 227. 
 
ACCURACY OF WHEELING OUT OF DOORS. 251 
 
 were equally at ease in doubling their legs over, and 
 perfectly secure in the poize of their bodies ; for their 
 riders were properly poized also — and all were bent 
 and looked the way they were going. 
 
 If the science of horsemanship should ever be so far 
 advanced as for the piaffe to be done steadily, and only 
 at the moment required by the voice of the man, it 
 would be a beautiful practice for half squadrons of good 
 riders, on supple horses, to wheel by the pivot horse 
 turning on its real centre,* instead of on the fore feet, 
 by piaffing de Jerme ajerme, with a little inclination to 
 the way it is to turn — the next horses on the piaffe, or 
 passage^ (by which I mean advancing a little) the next 
 on the passage, or terre a terre, so as to advance a little 
 more ; — the next horses on the terre a terre, or the trot 
 delie, % selon leurs alleurs — the next on the trot delie, or 
 the gallop releve, according as they were nearer or farther 
 from the standing flank ; — the next on the gallop releve, 
 or in full gallop. § 
 
 * See page 19. + See page 129- X See page 246. 
 
 § It must be considered that what I have here mentioned is only meant 
 for a certain number of men on drest horses, consisting, perhaps, of half 
 a squadron — who could each regulate exactly the motion of their horses, 
 while they looted all the time to the pivot flank : — how far this is practi- 
 cable by a larger number on horses not so well dressed, nor so well know- 
 ing the rate they are to go at without some fixed object to look at, I will, 
 not venture to say. I only mention what appears to me to be the true 
 
252 Importance of having the right poize. 
 
 It is of infinite service for a horse to be able to gallop 
 fast and slow, without changing the legs either before 
 or behind, and to turn either on a small or a large circle, 
 instantaneously and steadily at the will of the rider. I 
 think I may presume to say 3 that, when pursuing or pur- 
 sued by an enemy, when galloping over rough and 
 uneven ground — those men would be likely to succeed 
 the best, whose bodies, as well as their horse's, are 
 poized the best.* 
 
 method of doing it. This should be deviated from as little as possible, in 
 order for the man to be of one piece with his horse ; which he cannot be 
 as long as his head, and perhaps his body aho, are inclined one way, and his 
 horse is going the other. 
 
 * A remarkable story occurs to my mind at this moment, of an English 
 dragoon, ill poized on his horse, pursuing a French foot soldier who ap- 
 peared to have but little chance of his life as soon as he could run no 
 longer. This man perceived that the dragoon was so ill poized, that by a 
 sudden stop he would infallibly be thrown. He therefore let him come 
 up ro him, and suddenly fell down, with his sword at liberty to run the 
 dragoon through as he was coming to the ground. The event was said to 
 have answered hisexpectation. — I will suppose another possible case: — that 
 a dragoon, upon a much faster horse, shall be pursuing an enemy ; but that 
 his retreat would be cut off, if he did not return within a given time — what 
 an advantage would it be, were he able, by use, to have his body and his 
 horse's body poized in the manner it is on the smallest semicircle here de- 
 scribed, t This demi-volte he might require his horse to make, by being 
 used to it, exactly at the time when passing his enemy, after having struck 
 his blow on his enemy's back, and the gallop might be continued in his 
 retreat, without loss of time. I will suppose this to be required on a stiff 
 
 t See Plate XVI. No. I. 
 
IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE RIGHT POIZE. 253 
 
 The advantage must also be considered when they are 
 to keep the line both in quick and slow time, and to turn 
 on the gallop with the least loss of ground. On the other 
 hand — the disadvantage has already been mentioned, 
 both as to speed and security, in those horses, which, 
 for want of being properly suppled, are liable to be fre- 
 quently cross-legged. By this, not only their speed is 
 decreased," but their own safety, as well as that of their 
 riders, is often endangered. However, as perhaps I 
 
 horse, and ask what would happen? Half the man's strength would be lost 
 in pullingup his horse onarriving at his enemy ; and lucky would it be, if that 
 could be done with one hand, when the horse had been very much pressed. 
 The difference of the time and space in turning would also be very great. 
 As to precision in the blow, that would be impossible. In the other case, 
 if he sat still in beginning the pursuit, making a passade furieuse, and giving 
 his horse all its head, (by which its mouth would be kept fine for the stop,) 
 and having his stirrups of the length I have described; his attention would 
 by no means be upon his horse — but rising easily on his stirrups, when 
 advancing towards his enemy, in order for the blow to be struck, and sitting 
 down loosely the moment after — his horse would be instantly brought on 
 a slower gallop, and hold haunches, so as to describe the very small semi- 
 circle on which it is to turn in retreating, and be able to increase its 
 speed again without any interruption of time, by not having changed its 
 legs either before or behind. 
 
 * The trial has often been made of a horse to run against a man for a 
 a hundred yards so many times on the same ground. That horse, ceteris 
 paribus, would have the best chance, which could set offin a gallop from a 
 stand-still and turn the truest in the smallest compass, so as to be able to 
 gallop off fast again the moment it had turned. 
 
 h h 
 
[ 254 ] 
 
 may have said too much already relative to matters in 
 which I may seem to have stepped out of my line — 
 I shall take my leave, with hoping that no offence will 
 be taken, where no offence is intended to be given. 
 
 THE END 
 
 Primed by W. Bulmer and Co. 
 Cleveland-row, St James's. 
 
DIRECTIONS FOR THE BINDER. 
 
 The Frontispiece, Plate I. to face page i. of the Preface. 
 Plate II. to face page 1. of the Work itself. 
 
 III. to face page 12. 
 
 — - IV. 30. 
 
 . v. 62. 
 
 ■ VI. 63. 
 
 VII. — 140. 
 
 VIII. — 144. 
 
 IX. 147. 
 
 X. 149. 
 
 XI. 159- 
 
 XII. 164. 
 
 XIII 209- 
 
 XIV. 234. 
 
 XV. 238. 
 
 XVI. 245. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 In the running Title, p. 67, for positions read position. 
 
 Page 101, for aprtiadarly read particularly. 
 
 Page 179, running Title, should be— Bad effects of too short stirrups. 
 
 QT When the Earl of Pembroke's work is quoted, the third Edition is meant.