I 
 
 I 
 
 THE 
 
 SADDLE-HOESE 
 
 A COMPLETE GUIDE 
 
 FOR 
 
 EIDIll^G AND TRAIITIISrG 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, 
 
 62 & 54 LAFAYETTE PLACE. 
 
 1891. 
 
Entered, according to Act of Congress, In the year 1881, by tbo 
 
 ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, 
 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Chapter I. 
 How to Use a Horse - 9 
 
 Chapter H. 
 In the Saddle 14 
 
 Chapter HI. 
 Bits and Bitting 31 
 
 Chapter FV. 
 The Mount, Reins, etc ^- 43 
 
 Chapter V. 
 Horse Gymnastics 50 
 
 Chapter VI. 
 Hands and Legs 55 
 
 Chapter VII. 
 The Walk, Trot, GaUop, etc 62 
 
 Chapter VIII. 
 Vices, Tricks, and Faults 68 
 
 Chapter IX. 
 Early Education of the Horse.. 72 
 
 Chapter X. 
 French Method of Training 85 
 
 Chapter XI. 
 When Ladies Ride .- 93 
 
 (7) 
 
RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 HOW TO USE A HORSE. 
 
 It is a matter of congratulation that the Americans are 
 each year taking more kindly to horseback riding, with a 
 growing desire, in all parts of the country, for a practical 
 knowledge of the foundation of horsemanship. This is 
 largely owing, doubtless, to the pleasure and benefit de- 
 rived from the exercise, as well as to the fact that now 
 considerable attention is being paid to breeding good 
 saddle-horses, while the improvements m American sad- 
 dlery have been so great, much of the discomfort and 
 danger of horseback riding has been overcome. At the 
 present time, there is an active demand for fine, hand- 
 some, mettlesome, and gentle saddle-horses. Horseback 
 ridmg Ts now considered by all classes as a graceful ac- 
 complishment, and since people of wealth and culture 
 have set the fashion, all the world follows it, as a matter 
 of course. Fox-hunting, polo, and other horseback 
 amusements are on the increase, necessitating a know- 
 ledge of horsemanship on the part of those who partici- 
 pate. Every American city now has its beautiful parks, 
 ^ (9) '■ 
 
10 RIDING AXD TEAIXIN'G SADDLE-HOESES. 
 
 with bridle paths, and the pastime of horseback riding is 
 largely indulged in by residents of the town, who find 
 this one of the most delightful forms of exercise at their 
 command. It is not so difficult to learn how to ride 
 horseback properly as many people suppose. In most 
 countries school-ridinsr has advanced with the aze. and it 
 is now recognized, by the professors of the art, that each 
 man has a seat peculiar to himself, and those movements 
 only are practised that are necessary to give the rider 
 control over his horse under all circumstances. 
 
 "When we see that school-riding, in one form or another, 
 is used in all armies, and, indeed, wherever the horse 
 must be under command, it is hardly necessary to argue 
 the importance of a knowledge of its laws by all who 
 desire to ride well. And although, in the extended 
 gallop of the hunting-field, it is impossible to retain the 
 equilibrium of the mmitge, the horse will be the more 
 amenable for his sc':.ooling, and the rider will always 
 have the resources of his art. 
 
 Some writers upon horsemanship think it is a mistake 
 to place children of a tender age upon horseback, while 
 others are of the oj^inion that a child is none too young 
 to learn as soon as it is able to sit upon a horse's back. 
 In the South, and many parts of the West, children are 
 often placed upon the back of some old and gentle horse 
 while yet very young. The result is, they become accus- 
 tomed to the movements of the animal, and gain a seat 
 at a very early age. There is little danger, or risk of 
 injuries, from such a course. As with the languages, 
 music, and dancing, a child can hardly begin to learn 
 how to nde horseback at too earlv an a^e. An active 
 
HOW TO USE A HORSE. 11 
 
 man may learn to ride well at any age ; and a bold boy 
 
 of fourteen, "who comprehends the system upon which he 
 is taught, may in six months become a good horseman. 
 It is not given to all men to excel in riding : courage, 
 activity, a perfect temper, and aptitude for the exercise 
 are requisite for the acquirement of the highest ekill. 
 But a knowledge of a proper method will give to every 
 one comparative immunity from the dangers that attend 
 horsemanship. A schooled-horse, confiding in his master 
 and obedient to the spur, is not apt to try his powers in 
 rebellion ; and when in hand and properly gathered he 
 will recover from a mistake that might otherwise prove 
 disastrous. 
 
 In these pages we present a system of riding and train- 
 ing by which the pupil may become his own master. 
 
 The whip and the spur are necessary aids in the educa- 
 tion of the horse, and in compelling his obedience after 
 he has been trained. The first should be seldom used, 
 the latter never, to inflict punishment. For instance, if 
 a horse rears, the spurs must be employed to force the 
 action of the hind-quarters, and so to drive him forward ; 
 but having brought about that result, they must not be 
 thrust into him to pimish him for rearing. The horse is 
 to be taught that the spur is applied to make him bring 
 certain forces into action, and when used with discretion 
 he will respond to it : but unnecessary strokes with the 
 spur will rouse his resentment, and he will stubbornly 
 refuse to obey its indications. It serves no good purpose 
 to irritate a horse, as he will never yield while angry. A 
 contest between horse and nder should always be avoided, 
 for, in addition to the chances that the former will prove 
 
12 RIDING AN"D TRAIJiTING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 the victor, a high-spirited animal may be made incurably 
 vicious, when, by milder treatment, he could be subdued 
 without endangering his usefulness. A rebuke in a harsh 
 tone of Yoice will generally suffice to correct a horse, and 
 he will not know how to resent it. The best way to con- 
 trol the horse is through firmness and kindness, but 
 timidity is worse than severity in inducing vice. 
 
 The young horse soon becomes tractable, and, as long 
 as his temper is unruffled, he desires to do that which is 
 required of him. Until the spirit of rebellion is awak- 
 ened, he is as anxious to avoid the perils of battle as his 
 master should be. If, upon an occasion, he declines to 
 perform some movement that is required of him, let his 
 attention be turned to that which will please him, and 
 his obedience in this will induce his obedience afterwards 
 to the first demand. To give up to him after a battle 
 will confirm his obstinacy, but he will soon forget his 
 unnoticed defiance. Under proper treatment he will in 
 time yield to the will of his master, without dreaming of 
 resistance. 
 
 The story of Tarleton taming his savage steed with 
 bloody spurs, and the vivid descriptions of the manner in 
 which the Mexican breaks the spirit of the mustang, may 
 pass to adorn the pages of a romance, or to heighten the 
 interest of a traveller's tale. But, aside from the cruelty 
 and peril of such methods, there remains the fact that 
 horses so broken submit for the time only, and the 
 struggle is to be repeated more or less often. Except in 
 those rare cases of horses naturally vicious, and they are 
 lunatics, fear is the mastering passion of the horse. It 
 is cowardice that drives him to desperate resistance 
 
HOW TO USE A HORSE. 13 
 
 against the sway of his master ; the effort that is suc- 
 cessful in ridding him of his tyrant suggests his favorite 
 Tice. 
 
 If the horse is taught to calm his fears at the sound of 
 the voice of man ; if he is never ill-treated, in or out of 
 the stable; if he does not perceive timidity upon the 
 part of his masters ; and if, with all these conditions, 
 he is given plenty of air and exercise, he will rarely 
 show vice. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 IN THE SADDLE. 
 
 In a little book, called ''Man and Horse/' published in 
 England, the author, Mr. March Phillipps, gives most 
 sensible directions for learning to ride. Most books on 
 the subject are of such a professional character as to be 
 nearly useless to an ordinary reader who wants to learn 
 about riding in a common-sense way. 
 
 Mr. Phillipps says : "You want to learn how to sit a 
 horse. Very good; then put aside for the present all 
 anxiety about managing and guiding him. Your present 
 business is, wherever he may go or whatever he may do, 
 to continue steady upon his back. Therefore, leave it to 
 some one else to take care that he goes where he ought 
 and does nothing which he ought not. You are at pres- 
 ent in the situation of a landsman going to sea, and must 
 not think of steering until you have got your sea legs." 
 
 This injunction suggests the fundamental principle of 
 the whole art of learning to ride, which is to learn one 
 thing at a time, and to learn that thing well, before 
 attempting anything else. As there can be no good 
 riding without a good seat, the learner's whole attention 
 should be devoted for days or weeks or months, as may 
 be necessary, to acquiring it, giving no thought to any- 
 thing else. Never mind the management of the horse, 
 that will come in due time. Learn to be as perfectly at 
 (14) 
 
IK THE SADDLE. 15 
 
 home in a oonstantly moving saddle as in a stationary 
 arm-chair — so that, whether the horse walks, trots, or 
 canters, shies or jumps, you will either remain immov- 
 ably in the saddle, or get back to your proper position 
 when disturbed from it, without effort or loss of time. 
 Bear in mind, too, that in acquiring a seat, it is just as 
 easy to acquire a good one as a bad one, while only the 
 good seat (and there is but one good seat) will enable you 
 under all circumstances to ride safely and well. With- 
 out a good seat, no amount of skill in the management 
 of a horse will be of much use. So begin at the begin- 
 ning, and devote your whole attention to acquiring an 
 easy and secure position under all circumstances. Do 
 not even trouble yourself about the manner of mounting 
 and dismounting. 
 
 The proper seat on horseback is one in which the 
 crotch and the hips are as firmly attached to the saddle 
 as it is possible for them to be ; the legs below the knee 
 as free and independent as possible ; and the body, from 
 the waist upward, perfectly supple and pliable. "What- 
 ever movement the horse makes, the hips must conform 
 to it, moving to the right or the left, or tipping back- 
 ward or forward, as the case may be. But while they 
 follow the changing position of the saddle, the legs, from 
 the knees downward, must be free to move in obedience 
 to the rider's will ; and the upper part of the trunk, 
 keeping its perfect balance, must move easily on a flex- 
 ible spine and accommodate itself instinctively to every 
 movement. 
 
 If a man's body were cut off at the lower part of the 
 waist, the natural pressure of the thighs against the 
 
16 RIDIl^G AI^D TEAIKIi^G SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 saddle would easily hold the hips in a firm position. If 
 a whalebone rose out of the severed trunk, supporting a 
 heavy weight two feet above it, the hips would still be 
 free to move with the saddle ; but if for the whalebone 
 we were to substitute a stiff rod, the movement of the 
 hips would communicate a movement to the weight, 
 which in its turn, being at the long end of a lever, would 
 wrench them from their position. 
 
 The spine of the rider represents the whalebone or the 
 rod, as the case may be, and the chest, head, and arms 
 represent the weight. If the lower spine be kept flexible, 
 the upper part of the body will not, from a sudden 
 motion of the horse, be started from its position by the 
 movement of the hips ; but if it be rigid, it will commu- 
 nicate the movement to the heavy mass above, and this 
 movement, once started, will be continued, acting on the 
 spine as a lever to remove the hips from their place. 
 This effect can be fully illustrated by standing erect and 
 throwing the weight, first on one leg and then on the 
 other, holding the lower spine, first supple and then 
 rigid. 'Sfe have dwelt thus long on this point, which is 
 probably never thought of Dy one poor horseman out of 
 five thousand, because it is the foundation of good riding. 
 Until the ability to preserve a supple loin under all cir- 
 cumstances is acquired, the rider is in danger of a fall at 
 any moment ; and it will always be impossible for hmi 
 to ride gracefully or with comfort. But while the supple 
 loin is of the first importance, an erect position of the 
 body is hardly less so. The position on horseback 
 should resemble the position when sitting on a high 
 stood, rather than on a low chair. On the chair, the 
 
IIS" THE SADDLE. 
 
 17 
 
 weight is supported on the seat, behind the hips, and the 
 spine has a tendency to curve outward, and the shoulders 
 and chest to droop forward. On the stool, the legs hang- 
 ing down, the weight is supported more directly under 
 the hips, the spine is curved inward, and the head and 
 
 
 Fio'. 1.— AN INSECURE SKAT. 
 
 chest are more easily thrown backward. This is the 
 position assumed by a good horseman ; the weight of the 
 upper part of tlie body being suiDported on an inward- 
 curving and flexible spine. And it is the position to 
 which the learner must so accustom himself that it be- 
 
18 RIDING AKD TRAINING SADDLE-H0ESE8. 
 
 comes almost a second nature to assume it whenever in 
 the saddle. As many of our readers are not familiar 
 with the wonderful comic pictures of John Leach, in 
 which the good and bad seat on horseback are better 
 
 Fig. 2.— A SECURE SEAT. 
 
 shown than anywhere else, we reproduce here two that 
 will answer our purpose. 
 
 Figure 1 shows the stiff and awkward bearing of an 
 unaccustomed rider, who has hired a livery-stable horse 
 
Iiq^ THE SADDLE. 19 
 
 for a holiday. Figure 2 the upright, Hthe position of a 
 good horseman. 
 
 And now, how to get this seat. Saddle your horse, 
 unbuckle the stirrups and take them out ; let the reins 
 He on his neck, and call in the services of a friend to hold 
 and lead him. Divest yourself, in this way, of all respon- 
 sibility as to his conduct. Get into the saddle in any 
 way you please (the manner of mounting is a secondary 
 consideration, and it may be learned later). Turn your 
 toes inward, press your knees against the saddle, but not 
 your calves, and open the back part of the thighs as far 
 as possible. This will bring tlie flat of the thighs agamst 
 the saddle, and give the largest possible contact with it. 
 Curve the spine inward, and throw the shoulders back. 
 This, being an unaccustomed position for you, will seem 
 awkward, and will look awkward, and you can at first 
 only maintain it at an expense of a considerable rigidity 
 of the spine. Let your arms hang listlessly by your 
 sides. Holding fast mainly by the knees, shift your seat 
 from side to side with as little swaying as possible to the 
 upper part of the body. Vary the exercise by swinging 
 the body itself from side to side and from front to rear, 
 while the seat is firm. Continue this exercise, no matter 
 how long it takes, until your trunk is pivoted in your 
 hips so that you can move it m any direction while keep- 
 ing the spme curved inward. Do not at any time hug 
 the horse's sides with the calves of the legs, but let the 
 lower legs hang loosely. The thighs should neither hang 
 too straight up and down, nor be raised too high at the 
 knee, but should take that position which gives the 
 firmest hold on the saddle. Having become perfectly at 
 
20 EIDIKG AXD TRAIXIi^Q SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 home "svliile the horse is quiet, let him be led at a walk, 
 increasing the speed after a time, and finally let him be 
 galloped with a long bridle rein, nntil, under all his 
 motions, you feel comfortable and easy, and have learned 
 to depend only on your thighs and the flexibility of your 
 body to maintain your position. Boys will learn this in 
 less time than men, and some boys in less time than 
 others ; but all must make up their minds to learn it, 
 howeyer long it takes, before they can become thor- 
 oughly good horsemen and can really enjoy riding at all 
 paces. 
 
 The practice prescribed haying been perseyered in until 
 the pupil has made himself perfectly at home in the 
 saddle, and so suppled his loins that the motion giyen to 
 the upper part of the body has no effect on the seat, he 
 may now resume the stirrups and learn their use. They 
 are yery important as a matter of conyenience and com- 
 fort, but they should aid a rider to easily regain his seat 
 when he has lost it, rather than to keep it. It is yery 
 fatiguing to ride, eyen at a walk, with the legs dangling 
 at the horse's sides, and especially so when they are kept 
 in the position already indicated — the only position that 
 can giye a secure seat. In walking, a gentle support of 
 the stirrups will help keep the body from swaying from 
 side to side as the horse moyes. In trotting, where stir- 
 rups are almost indispensable, they enable the horseman 
 to either " rise to the trot," or to so distribute the shock 
 in "riding hard," that it shall be no shock at all, but an 
 easy, quick moyement, distributed between the feet, the 
 seat, and the thighs. 
 
 The length of the stirrups should be carefully attended 
 
rN" THE SADDLE. 21 
 
 to. Take the proper position in the saddle, with the 
 whole inner part of the thighs, as far down as the knees, 
 pressing firmly and immoYably against the saddle, and 
 the legs below the knees hanging vertically — the toes 
 pointing a little downward. Then have the stirrup- 
 leathers so adjusted that the irons will just touch the 
 hollows of the feet, giving them support without raising 
 their position. There will then be no danger that the 
 stirrups will disturb the seat, either by raising the knees 
 or by the effort of the rider to reach down to them when 
 the straps are too long, while by drawing back the feet, 
 so that their balls rest on the irons, a leverage will be 
 given — from the balls of the feet to the ankle joints — 
 that will be sufficient to maintain an even pressure, even 
 if the person is thrown a little from the saddle by the 
 movement of the horse. As men's legs and their arms 
 are generally of proportionate length, and as the stirrups 
 are usually fastened a certain distance down on the sides 
 of the saddle, the stirrups are of the proper length when 
 the whole length of leathers and irons is a trifle less than 
 that of the arm and hand ; that is, lay the tips of the 
 fingers on the band of the leathers where they pass 
 around the bolt on the sad.dle-tree, and draw the irons 
 toward the arm-pit. If they just touch the muscle 
 under the shoulder-blade (not reaching away into the 
 ribs), the straps are usually of the right length. 
 
 In ordinary riding, it is best to have the baU of the 
 foot touch the stirrups, as the play of the ankle-joint 
 gives more elasticity to the support ; but in rough gal- 
 loping or leaping, it is best to ^^ drive the feet home," 
 and carry the stirrup in the hoUows. Especially must 
 
22 
 
 EIDING AND TRAINIiq-Q SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 small stirrups be avoided. The irons should not, of 
 course, be so large that the boot-heels can, by any acci- 
 dent, get through them, but there should be ample room 
 for the foot to be thrust in and out with perfect freedom. 
 This will be one of the best safeguards against the worst 
 mishap that can befall an unhorsed rider — that of being 
 dragged by the heels by a runaway horse, owing to the 
 binding of the foot in the stirrup. There have been 
 numerous devices made to prevent this calamity. The 
 
 Fiff. 3.— SAFETY STIRRUP. 
 
 only one of them that is even tolerably sure (and that 
 one is nearly perfect), is shown in figure 3. This is 
 simply an an-angement for closing the back part of tho 
 iron by which the stirrup-leather is fastened to the 
 saddle, with a movable piece held in place by a spring, 
 exactly as the blade of a pocket-knife is held. It takes a 
 sharp jerk to open this catch, but, unless it is allowed to 
 become fastened with rust, it will yield to much less 
 strain than that of a falling rider. These safety irons 
 are attached, as a matter of course, to all English saddle- 
 
IK THE SADDLE. 
 
 trees. We shall not here discuss the construction of sad- 
 dles, but the beginner will be most likely to use the 
 saddle that he can get most conveniently. Whether this 
 is a *^McClellan" saddle, figure 4, a Mexican, figure 5, 
 
 Fig. 4.— MCCLELLAN SADDLE, 
 
 or the better English saddle, figure 6, or the Whitman, 
 is not very important at the commencement. 
 
 Precisely as he has schooled his muscles to the require- 
 ments of his new position without the aid of stirrups, so 
 must the learner now learn to make proper use of them, 
 and he should attempt nothing further until he has 
 learned how to use these accessories — that is, how to use 
 them as accessories only, not as an essential dependence. 
 Their most important office is to rest the legs, and to 
 
24 RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 relieve the muscles of the fatiguing work of keeping the 
 seat firm at all times. So long as there is no unusual 
 disturbance of the position, it is well to depend mainly 
 on the stirrups to preserve it ; but any sudden start, in 
 whatever direction, should find the knees and thighs at 
 once ready to perform their duty of grasping the saddle. 
 
 Fiff. 5. — ^MEXICAN SADDLE. 
 
 This cannot be the case if the weight is thrown too much 
 on the feet ; but it is also important to learn to stand in 
 the stirrups (while the horse is in motion), turning so as 
 to look to the rear, and to throw the weight first on one 
 foot and then on the other ; in short, to assume every 
 possible position rapidly and easily, for all this adds im- 
 
IK THE SADDLE. 25 
 
 mensely to the security, freedom, and grace of the seat. 
 It is only in this way that one can hope to become so per- 
 fect a horseman as to justify the old description as being 
 ^'sb part of the horse," of '^ seeming to grow out of the 
 horse's back." 
 
 This branch of the subject — acquiring a good seat with 
 and without the aid of stirrups — may be appropriately 
 closed by a quotation from **Man and Horse": *^ When 
 
 Fig. 6.— ENGLISH SADDLE. 
 
 you can sit your horse perfectly in his trot and canter, 
 you possess a seat such as not one rider in half-a-dozen 
 ever acquires, you are still far from being a good 
 horseman, you can not, indeed, properly speaking, be 
 termed a horseman at all. But you may look forward 
 with confidence to becoming what most men would con- 
 sider an excellent horseman ; because you have had the 
 pationce and perseverance to drudge on until you have 
 2 
 
26 RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 been bumped and jolted into a smooth and solid union 
 with your saddle. It is by the absence of this union, and 
 by the abrupt shocks and displacements to which they 
 are consequently exposed, that so many riders are dis- 
 abled from acquiring the proper use of their hands and 
 legs ; consequently from ever becoming masters of their 
 horses." 
 
 The next step should be to free yourself from your 
 bondage to the person who has up to this time managed 
 your horse for you ; and a real bondage it is, as you will 
 find when you first attempt to take him in hand yourself. 
 You may even have been somewhat accustomed to riding 
 before your present exercises commenced, yet you will 
 feel very awkward when you first attempt to repeat your 
 lessons while managing the animal yourself ; for the 
 mere fact cf having to do something with your hands 
 will have a tendency to constrain your position. It gives 
 the body another employment, and the combination of 
 demands upon it, and upon the attention, must be made 
 familiar before it can become easy. There is no other 
 rule than to learn one thing at a time, and then to learn 
 the combination of each with all that has preceded it, 
 before taking the next step ; and this rule is equally 
 applicable to the man and to the horse. Both are ** get- 
 ting the knack" of an artificial habit, and they must 
 learn it gradually, or they will never learn it at all. 
 
 Major Francis D wyer, an English ofiicer in the Austrian 
 cavalry service, wrote a work on ^' Seats and Saddles, Bits 
 and Bitting," which has the advantage of being, in some 
 respects, different from other books about horsemanship. 
 
 The theory advanced with regard to seats is, that at a 
 
IN THE SADDLE. 27' 
 
 point of the horse's back, directly over the fourteenth 
 vertebra — that is, about half way between the withers and 
 the coupling (or top of the hips) — there is located what 
 he calls the center of motion and the center of strength ; 
 the central point from which the forces of the horse, 
 when carrying weight, may be figuratively said to radiate. 
 In other wo»'ds, this is the point — the middle of the back 
 — where weight can be most easily carried, where the 
 least motion will be imparted to it, and where its distri- 
 bution will be most equal over all four of the horse's feet; 
 consequently, it is over thys point that the rider's center 
 of gravity should fall. As the rider should sit in the 
 middle of his saddle in order that it may transmit his 
 weight equally over so much of the horse's back as it 
 touches, the middle of the saddle should be over this 
 center of motion. As the fastening of the saddle by the 
 girths should be directly under the rider's center of grav- 
 ity, it follows that they should be under this center of 
 motion. And, again, as it is important that when the 
 rider's weight is transferred to the stirrups, it should not 
 thereby be transferred to another point on the saddle, 
 the attachment of the stirrups should also be in the 
 center of the saddle. The reasoning on which these di- 
 rections are based seem sound ; but they are so different 
 from the practice in which the writer has been trained, 
 that he cannot fully indorse the recommendation without 
 trial, though he is quite ready to advise that they be borne 
 in mind, and that they be conformed to as nearly as the 
 construction of our present saddles will admit. His own 
 inclination would be to set the saddle a little further for- 
 ward, and to place the stirrups a little in advance of its 
 
•28 RIDIl^G AND TRAINIi^Q SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 center, adhering of course to the injunction that the 
 rider's weight should be placed in the middle of the 
 saddle, and the girths attached directly in its middle. 
 Major Dwyer is undoubtedly correct in objecting to what 
 is called the chair-seat, where the rider sits far back on 
 the saddle and supports his legs by stirrups attached near 
 its front ; and his illustration of the sort of seat that is 
 
 Fig. 7.— THE MODERN MILITARY SEAT. 
 
 best (see fig. 7), is certainly very good indeed, and may 
 well be taken as a model of elegance, ease, and safety for 
 the imitation of the learner. 
 
 Mr. Apperley, a celebrated English authority on fox- 
 hunting, says : " When hounds find and go away, place 
 yourself well down in your saddle, on your fork or twist ; 
 and do not be standing up in your stirrups (as was for- 
 merly the fashion, and the cause of many a dislocated 
 neck), sticking out your rump S;S if it did not belong to 
 you ;" and he accompanies his direction with a very in- 
 
IK THE SADDLE. 
 
 Ji9 
 
S) RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 structive illustration of a bad and a good seat (fig. 8). 
 As riding is an imitative art, there is really much more 
 to be learned from these ilkistrations than from any de- 
 scription that it is in our power to give ; but the rider 
 should always bear in mind that a well-balanced horse, 
 in turning to the right or the left, turns on its center of 
 gravity, or '^center of motion;" and that if the rider's 
 weight is placed to the front or rear of this position, it 
 will not only impede the horse's free ir ovement, but will 
 feel much more disturbance than if in its proper position. 
 The learner, if he really desires to become a first-rate 
 horseman — and it is only when stimulated by this de- 
 fiire that one can really enjoy learning to ride — should 
 consider well what experience has shown to be the best 
 position (as indicated in our cuts), and jontinue his prac- 
 tice until this position becomes the most easy and natural; 
 it surely will become so by sufficient practice, and, when 
 a good seat is once obtained, it can no more be forgotten 
 than the art of swimming. 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 ^^mm 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 BITS AND BITTING-. 
 
 The second part of Major Dwyer's book, which is per- 
 haps even more valuable than the first, relates to *' Bits 
 and Bitting ," and he shows more conclusively, than any 
 writer who has preceded him, the importance of great 
 care in the adjustment and management of the bit and 
 
 Fig. 9.— HEAD-GEAR FOR YOUNG HORSES. 
 
 bridle, giving some opinions which are quite new to the 
 writer, and which are obviously important. 
 
 His device for the head-gear of a young horse that is 
 to bo broken for any purpose, or of any horse that is to 
 be trained to the saddle, we show in figure 9. This is an 
 (31) 
 
32 RIDING AKD TRAIi^ING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 ordinary snaffle-bridle, with a single pair of reins, with 
 the check-pieces drawn short enough to cause the bit to 
 touch lightly in the corners of the mouth. There is at- 
 tached to it, by two straps buckled one into each check- 
 piece, a nose-band, or strap, which passes around the 
 nose quite below the bit, but high enough to take its 
 bearing on the bone rather than on the cartilage of the 
 nose. This strap is drawn tight enough to prevent the 
 horse from opening his mouth to any considerable width. 
 There is no way in which a colt does more to make him- 
 self insensible to the action of the bridle than by stretch- 
 ing open his jaw and bearing against the bit. From the 
 position of this nose-band, it is entirely out of the way 
 of both bridle and bit ; and as the mouth is not entirely 
 bound together by it, it can in no way interfere with 
 proper control by the rider. It simply prevents the 
 horse from resorting to a very common means of defence. 
 Another apparatus described must be very useful not 
 only in training, but in the management of all horses 
 who have the trick of carrying their heads so high as to 
 cause the bit, when pulled upon, to ride up into the cor- 
 ners of their mouths instead of bearing, as it should do, 
 against the lower jaw. It should be equally valuable in 
 preventing an animal from tossing his head in a fitful 
 way, as many horses do. It is at the same time entirely 
 free from the grave objections that hold against all forms 
 of martingales, having nothing Avhatever to do with the 
 reins, and subjecting the horse to no constraint so long 
 as he carries his head in the proper position. It is called 
 a " running-rein," and is shown in figure 10. A short 
 strap, d, about six inches long, with a buckle at each end. 
 
BITS AXD BITTING. 
 
 33 
 
 is fastened to two rings of the snaffle, and passes under 
 the horse's chin. At the middle of this strap there is 
 attached another, i, three or four inches long, at the end 
 of which there is a stout smooth ring, c, an inch or more 
 in diameter. There is a strap, Ic, around the neck which 
 supports another, I, that passes, back to the girth of the 
 saddle, as with the ordmary martingale ; but this latter 
 strap, instead of being split into two parts, as in the 
 
 Fig. 10.— KUNNING-REIN. 
 
 martingale, extends six or eight inches beyond the neck- 
 strap, where it carries another smooth ring, h, somewhat 
 larger than the one under the chin. These rings are bet- 
 ter made of ivory ; but iron, if smooth, would answer 
 tolerably well. The *' running-rein," e to /, is of the 
 width of an ordinary bridle-strap, eight and a half feet 
 long. It not made of one piece of leather, its joints 
 should not be within two feet of the center. One of its 
 
34 BIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 ends is furnished with a buckle, and a tongue-strap 
 eighteen inches long, which is to be buckled through a 
 staple or D-ring on the left side of the saddle near the 
 pommel. The other end of the strap is then passed 
 through the ring, h, in front of the horse's breast, then 
 through the ring, c, under his chin, then again through 
 the breast-ring, h, and brought up to the rider's right 
 hand,/. This arrangement gives him more power to 
 draw the horse's head down to its proper position than 
 any other device in use. So long as the animal behaves 
 himself, the slackening of the ^^running-rein" leaves him 
 perfect freedom, but, when necessary, the least pull acts 
 with double force on his head and draws it in a down- 
 ward direction. 
 
 ' Whether a horse is to be used for riding or for driving, 
 there is no doubt that the use of the '^ running-rein," 
 and the nose-band bridle would offer the best means for 
 his proper training, and would do very much to prevent 
 the restiveness that is so common a result of the ordinary 
 methods, and would often prevent the trainer's loss of 
 temper, which has more effect in spoiling the disposition 
 of the animal than have his own inherited qualities. 
 
 Even more important than the Saddle — so far as the 
 management of the horse is concerned — is ths apparatus 
 by which his movements are to be regulated and re- 
 strained : that is, the ^^Bit." The various forms of bit 
 sold by saddlers, even in the largest cities, are almost in- 
 variably faulty. They are made without much consider- 
 ation of the use to which they are to be put, and often 
 fail to produce much effect, except as a means of tortur- 
 ing the horse into a kind of sullen obedience. It is one of 
 
BITS AN"D BITTING. 36 
 
 the offices of the bit to produce pain ; but only when the 
 horse resists its action, and then only so much as may be 
 necessary to secure submission to the rider's will. As he 
 will instinctively yield to a pressure that would cause pain 
 if he did not yield, and as, if the pain is produced from 
 both directions, he will try so to move as to escape from 
 that which is the more intense, it is of the greatest im- 
 portance that the bit be constructed in such a manner, 
 and so placed in the mouth, as to impel his head in the 
 right direction — that is, toward the rider's hand. 
 
 The bit rests against the ^^bars" of the lower jaw, 
 those parts of the jaw where there are no teeth. It has 
 two levers, one at each side ; one end of each of these 
 levers projects upward, carrying the chain that passes 
 under the chin, and the other ends project downward to 
 receive the reins, by which the force is to be applied. 
 The object is to have the chin serve as a fulcrum, so that 
 when a strain is applied to the lower ends of the levers, 
 the pressure on the bars will be sufficiently suggestive of 
 pain to cause the horse to draw in his head. If, from 
 bad construction or improper adjustment, the chain be- 
 comes more painful than the bit, the horse will withstand 
 the lesser pain in his mouth to escape the greater pain 
 behind it, and will thrust out his head in obedience to 
 the real impulsion. In this case the bit is virtually the 
 fulcrum, and the stronger impression is produced by the 
 chain. It is in the principle herein suggested that we are 
 to seek the solution of the greatest difficulties connected 
 with proper bitting ; and its close observance is necessary 
 to complete success. In nine cases out of ten the arrange- 
 ment of the bit is so faulty, that it is impossible for it to 
 
36 
 
 RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 act as it should, and instead of inducing obedience, we 
 arouse opposition. The reason for the prejudice against 
 curb-bits, among those who consider them instruments 
 of iorture, is, that as they are generally used, they are 
 instruments of torture. It is impossible to ride really 
 well on an average horse without a curb-bit ; but it is 
 impossible to ride well on any horse, unless the curb-bit 
 is properly made and properly adjusted. Its importance 
 
 f. 11. — CKIKB-BITTING. 
 
 is sufficient to justify, a careful explanation, for which 
 purpose the above illustration, figure 11, is taken from 
 Major Dwyer's book. 
 
 The point, d, shows the position of the bit in the 
 mouth ; e, is what is known as the ^^chin-groove," which 
 is easily seen on any horse. The head-stall should in all 
 cases be of such a length as to allow the bit, d, to lie ex- 
 actly opposite the chin-groove. This is the only place 
 where it will not do more harm than good, unless the 
 horse is remarkably well broken ; /, is the point where 
 the rein is attached, at the end of the lower arm of the 
 
LIT3 AND BITTING. 37 
 
 lever; a, h, c, represent the ends of tlie upper arms 
 of the lever, showing what would be their action if 
 they were of different lengths. These are the points 
 where the curb-chain is attached to the bit. The rule 
 which has been established by experience is, that this 
 upper arm of the lever should be exactly as long as the 
 perpendicular distance from d to e. This allows the 
 chain, l, e, to lie easy and naturally in the chin-groove 
 without pinching, when the rein is held lightly, yet to 
 exercise a strong leverage when the reins are drawn. For 
 instance, when the point, /, is drawn back to the point, 
 liy it will not be able to move much farther, and a strong 
 pressure will be brought to bear on the mouth. If the 
 upper arm of the lever were twice as long as the distance 
 from d to e, reaching to a, the chain a e, if hanging in 
 the chin-groove, would have very little effect, except to 
 pinch and torture the horse, producing the most pain 
 upon the jawbone, just above the chin-groove, causing 
 the horse to throw up his head to escape it. If, on the 
 other hand, the upper arm of the lever were made only 
 half as long as the distance from d to e, reaching to c, 
 the chain would have very little effect, unless it were 
 drawn so tight as to be uncomfortable even with a loose 
 rein ; so tight, indeed, that it would soon chafe the chin- 
 groove and make that so painful, that at the least touch 
 of the rein the principal effect would be produced there 
 ratlier than in the mouth, and the horse would again be 
 caused to throw up his head. 
 
 If the upper arm of the lever is of the proper length, 
 reaching to 5, when the lower end of the lever is drawn 
 back to h, the upper end will be advanced to g, and the 
 
88 KIDING AND TRAIiq^IKG SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 chain will draw on the line g to e, drawing, almost exactly, 
 at right angles to the jawbone at the chin-groove, bring- 
 ing the chain flat against it, creating the least possible 
 amount of pain there, and affording a firm fulcrum, from 
 which force may be directly applied to the bars at the 
 mouth. 
 
 The length of the lower levers need not be made so 
 exactly according to rule. The longer they are, the more 
 effect will be produced with a given amount of force ap- 
 plied to the reins. Perhaps a safe rule would be to make 
 them twice as long as the upper arms of the levers. This 
 is enough for the control of the worst cases, and more 
 than this, as is usual, increases the difficulty of light 
 handling. The construction of that part of the bit which 
 lies in the horse's mouth, connecting the two side levers, 
 is important. Its length should be just such as to allow 
 the levers, which should be turned out a little at the top 
 to make room for the leathers, to play freely over the 
 sides of the face without chafing. The bit should not 
 be too long, nor should the upper ends of the levers be 
 too much turned out lest the chain be straightened out, 
 and caused to rest only against the bones of the jaw ; 
 whereas it ought to follow closely around, touching the 
 skin for at least three inches of its course. Curb-chains 
 are made flat, so that when twisted into shape, they lie 
 almost as smooth as a band of leather against the chin. 
 The larger they are, and the larger the wire of which 
 they are made, the easier and better they will be. They 
 are attached by spring-hooks to the eyes of the upper 
 ends of the levers. The mouth-piece of the bit should 
 also be of generous size in those parts that lie against the 
 
BITS AKD BITTII^G. 
 
 39 
 
 bars, being much less painful than if small. That part 
 of the bit lying between the bars should be made 
 of thinner iron and a httle elevated, forming what is 
 called the port or tongue-groove, preventing the horse 
 from taking the pressure on his tongue, as he might do 
 if the bit were straight, and thus beconiing heavy or dull 
 in the hand. 
 
 The lower ends of the levers or '^ branches" may be 
 either straight or curved. If straight, they should have 
 
 ■"bauchee' 
 
 eyes a little above the points where the reins are attached, 
 to carry what is called the lip-strap ; a small leather that 
 passes through a loose string in the curb-chain, and is 
 
40 RIDIiTG AND TRAIi>riJ^G SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 buckled to the lever on each side. The object of this 
 strap is to prevent the horse from taking the branch of 
 the bit in his teeth and destroying the effect of the curb; 
 a trick that most horses soon learn, and which they 
 know how to take advantage of. Figure 12 represents 
 what is called the ^'Baucher" bit, and is copied from 
 one that the Avriter has had in use for many years. 
 
 To avoid the complication and cost of the lip-strap. 
 
 Fig. 13.—" MCCLELLAN " BIT. 
 
 the curbed branch, or lower lever, is adopted for army 
 use ; and there is no reason why it is not equally suitable 
 for the use of civilians. It brings the iron in such a posi- 
 tion that the horse cannot possibly get hold of it. This 
 bit is shown in figure 13, the " McClellan " bit. 
 
BITS AKD BITTTKG. 41 
 
 The foregoing details will seem to those who are not 
 familiar with the niceties of riding, to be needlessly 
 minute and particular. Many a man will say that any 
 bit is good enough for him ; just give him a good strong 
 pair of reins to hang on by ( !) The proper reply to this 
 IS, that this is nob written so much for him, though he 
 needs its information more than any one else, if he only 
 knew it, but for those who really care to become good 
 horsemen. 'No one can ride with pleasure on a horse that 
 has a bee incessantly trying to sting him under the chin. 
 His fear of the bee introduces a disturbing element that 
 counteracts all our efforts to make him attend steadily to 
 his duty ; and an ill-fitting, badly placed bit causes hardly 
 less disturbance. 
 
 There are many points to be attended to in the proper 
 equipment of a saddle-horse, nearly all of them points of 
 minor detail, yet they are important, too ; for unless the 
 rider's weight is properly placed, and unless he has the 
 proper means for controlhng and guiding his horse, there 
 can be no comfort, or gracefulness, or pleasure for the 
 man. There must also be a loss of endurance and smooth- 
 ness of working for the animal ; and as it costs no more, 
 save in attention, to have things right than to have them 
 wrong, there need be no excuse for failure in essential 
 points. 
 
CHAPTEE rV. 
 THE MOUNT, EEINS, ETC. 
 
 We have now given our learner a preliminary shaking 
 into a smooth and secure seat by mounting him on a 
 horse whose management is intrusted to a friend, have 
 taught hina the use of the stirrups, and have shown him 
 what sort of saddle and bridle he needs for his outfit. 
 He is now ready to begin to learn to be a horseman, and 
 he may next be taught to mount properly. 
 
 He should first learn, if young enough for such 
 efforts, to vault into the saddle. We now and then hear 
 of Princes, and the like, who lay one hand on the pom- 
 mel and ^'gracefully vault into the saddle," but we do 
 not see the feat performed except by skillful acrobats, and 
 it is not very gracefully performed even by them. The 
 following method, however, demands but little skill or 
 strength, and, while always a good way to mount, is 
 sometimes the only way it is practicable to mount a 
 restive horse. 
 
 1, Stand facing the horse's left shoulder ; 2, adjust 
 the reins in the left hand, and take a lock of the mane 
 in it ; 3, lay the right hand on the pommel of the saddle, 
 with the fingers inside and the thumb outside of it ; 4, 
 spring upward and throw the whole weight on the hands, 
 with the crotch at the hight of the saddle, figure 14 ; 5, 
 (42) 
 
THE MOUXT, EEIXS, ETC. 
 
 43 
 
 raise the right leg slowly, well over the horse's croup, 
 without bending the knee, and drop lightly into the 
 saddle — during this movement most of the weight is 
 borne by the right arm ; G, withdraw the hands from the 
 neck and pommel, and put the feet into the stirrups. 
 These movements should be practised until it becomes 
 easy to make them moderately. It looks very awkward 
 tu. SCO a man ^'^ scramble" into his seat by hookmg his 
 
 Fig. 14.— LEARNING TO MOUNT. 
 
 right leg over the saddle and tugging himself over by his 
 hands. As soon as your horse is accustomed to the 
 manoeuvre, and will stand quietly, practice the two move- 
 ments, 4 and 5, separately ; first learn to spring from 
 the ground to the position described, and to drop easily 
 down again without effort, and without kicking, and 
 learn to handle the weight, when up, by raising the body 
 until the knees are on a level with the hands, and set- 
 tling back again. This movement depends very much 
 
44 RIDING AN"D TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 on the ability to handle the weight of the person with 
 the arms, and will need a little practice, which may as 
 well be taken on a wooden horse or a bar, fastened five 
 feet from the ground, a little higher after this has be- 
 come easy. In short, make it easy to get into this ele- 
 vated position, and to feel unrestrained while in it. 
 Next, learn to get the control of your right leg, so that 
 it becomes natural and easy to throw it over the horse's 
 croup with a bold swing, not poking it over knee fore- 
 most, and to carry it so high that there is no danger of 
 touching his hips with the toe, nor of scraping his flank 
 with the spur, as the foot descends. Keep up the alter- 
 nate motions of throwing the leg over the saddle, and of 
 returning again to the erect position, until you can 
 arrest the movement at any point, and have such perfect 
 command of the weight that you can be sure of getting 
 lightly into the saddle under all circumstances. This 
 knack, once acquired, will never be lost, and you may be 
 sure of mounting any horse, except a bad rearer, on 
 whose neck and saddle you can lay your hands ; that 
 much accomplished, you are sure of him, and you can 
 safely dismount by reversing the movements, in spite of 
 his efforts to give you a fall. 
 
 While this vaulting is a very valuable knack to possess, 
 the ordinary steady, sober citizen whom we are address- 
 ing, will usually wish to mount with the stirrup. It is 
 curious to see what different ways different people adopt 
 to do so simple a thing. Some practice the old military 
 system : standing at the side of the horse's neck, face to 
 the rear, with the left hand holding the reins and a lock 
 of the mane, they hold the stirrup with the right hand. 
 
THE MOUNT, REINS, ETC. 
 
 45 
 
 figure 15, put the left toe into it, give two hops, which 
 slews them round until they face the horse and catch the 
 cantle, or back part of the saddle with the right hand, 
 then rise and get their seat. The first position of this 
 manner of mounting exposes the rear of the rider to a 
 bite from the horse, which, the hand being engaged in ■ 
 the mane, he is powerless to prevent. A beginner 
 
 Fig. 15.— OLD MILITAKT MOUNT. 
 
 usually takes hold of both ends of the saddle, finally 
 manages to get his toe into the dangling stirrup, and 
 then struggles with more or less difficulty into the 
 saddle, where, for a moment, he has no control of the 
 horse, who, if he is at all spirited, commences the exer- 
 cises by a very confusing start. 
 
 The correct manner of mounting with the aid of the 
 stirrup is, in our opinion, the following : 1, Stand op- 
 posite the cantle of the saddle, face to the front, with 
 the right hand, holding the rein short enough to feel the 
 horse's mouth, far over the right side of the cantle ; 2, 
 
46 
 
 RIDIi^G AI^D TRAIKIKG SADDLE-HOESES. 
 
 take the lower part of the stirrup-leather in the left 
 hand, and steady it while introducing the left foot, figure 
 16; 3, give a spring, npward and forward, throwing the 
 weight as evenly as possible on the left foot and on the 
 right hand, so as not to turn the saddle, grasping the 
 lower part of the mane with the left hand in rising, and 
 standing erect in the stirrup, with the feet touching each 
 other ; 4, throw the right leg, without bending the 
 
 Fig. 16. — PROPER WAY TO MOUNT WITH STIRRUP. 
 
 knee, well over the horse's croup, and, ra's'ng the right 
 hand at the same time, drop lightly into the saddle ; 
 5, as the right hand is raised from the cantle, let go of 
 the mane, and receive the reins between the fingers of 
 the left hand, letting go Tvdth the right as soon as they 
 are properly adjusted. 
 
 After the left hand has seized the mane the horse cannot 
 prevent the rider reaching his seat ; and the rider firmly 
 establishes himself before he withdraws either hand. 
 
 There is no difficulty, for one who is not infirm, to 
 
IN THE SADDLE. 47 
 
 mount in this way, and the only objection that can be made 
 to it, is that by a '^ cow-kick" the man standing at the 
 girth may receive an injury. But this is a rare vice, and 
 a horse that kicks is dangerous to approach, for mount- 
 ing or for any other purpose ; so that it is hardly worth 
 while to abandon a system that is otherwise excellent, 
 because it does not apply to a very small class of vicious 
 brutes, that should not be used for saddle under any cir- 
 cumstances. 
 
 On the other hand, nearly every horse will paw with a 
 fore-foot, if at all impatient, and he who stands in front 
 of the shoulder of a horse is not secure from injury. 
 Among the other disadvantages of the generally adopted 
 method, mention may be made of the following : 
 
 1. The rider, standing in front of the shoulder of the 
 horse, may be upset by a forward movement ; and this 
 danger is greatly mcreased after the foot is put into the 
 stirrup. 
 
 2. The left hand, entangled and held in the hairs of 
 the mane, cannot use the reins. 
 
 3. The drag upon the cantle of the saddle must, in all 
 cases, disturb its position, and may cause it to turn. 
 
 4. The right arm fastened to the cantle of the saddle 
 prevents the right leg passing over the back of the horse. 
 
 5. To pass the right leg over the horse, the right arm 
 must be removed ; thus taking away the principal brace 
 ot the body at the most critical time, and allowing the 
 body, in case of any movement, to fall backwards towards 
 the shoulder of the horse. 
 
 6. The absence of a reason for any one motion in the 
 method. 
 
4S KIDIXG AND TRAILING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 Upon the seat depends the security of the rider, not 
 only as regards his remaining upon the horse, but in per- 
 mitting him to use that lightness and delicacy of touch 
 that is required to manage and control the horse. It 
 has often been said that this desired lightness of touch is 
 a rare gift, wholly denied to strong men. But if a man 
 has a seat that is independent of any support from the 
 reins, he may acquire a light touch upon the mouth of 
 the horse as readily as he may make a fine stroke with a 
 pen. 
 
 Each man has a seat peculiar to himself, and that will 
 be his seat for all purposes, whether in the field, upon the 
 road, or in the school. 
 
 It will be obtained in the following manner : — 
 
 After having reached the saddle, disengage the left foot 
 from the stirrup. Then bearing the weight of the body 
 upon the buttocks, make the inner sides of the thigh, 
 from the knee up, grasp the saddle. The body must be 
 held erect, the shoulders thrown back, and the chin 
 drawn in ; and the elbows should be carried close to the 
 sides. 
 
 The legs, from the knee down, should hang without 
 stiffness, and the feet will, without effort, find their 
 proper place, parallel with the body of the horse. 
 
 The length of stirrup-leather will be found when the 
 tread of the iron strikes the heel of the boot immediately 
 above the junction of the sole. The toes will be raised 
 and inserted in the stirrups as far as the balls of the feet. 
 
 The stability of the seat is dependent upon the weight 
 of the body, the balance, and the grasp of the thighs. 
 The erect seat upon the breech, that we have described, 
 
IK THE SADDLE. 49 
 
 permits the body to make, most readily, those motions 
 that are necessary for preserving the perpendicular appli- 
 cation of the weight, and for keeping the balance. The 
 strongest hold upon the saddle possible is with the inside 
 of the thighs. 
 
 There should be no pressure upon the stirrups ; for 
 this would relieve the weight, disturb the balance, and 
 force the grip of the thighs. It is no argument in favor 
 of riding upon the stirrups that the horsemen of the East 
 carry their knees up to the pommel of the saddle, for the 
 Mexicans, who are better riders, extend the leg to its full 
 length. It is in spite of bad systems that these peoples 
 who live on horseback become skillful m the management 
 of their steeds. Because a circus performer standing 
 upon one leg keeps his horse under circumstances that 
 would prevent a poor rider from keeping in his saddle, it is 
 no argument that the proper way to ride is upon one leg. 
 
 The seat having been found and the stirrups having 
 been adjusted, no changes should be made for the differ- 
 ent circumstances under which the rider will be called 
 upon to exercise his skill. It is bad art when the prin- 
 ciples are not suited to every emergency ; and the seat 
 that has been found to be that in which the center of 
 gravity can best be preserved in the high airs of the 
 manege, where the horse makes the most violent move- 
 ments of the fore-hand and of the croup, should answer 
 aU requirements. 
 
 The beginner will use the reins of the snaffle only. He 
 will take a rein in the grasp of each hand, the loose end 
 passing under, and held by the thumb, at a length that 
 will give him command of the mouth of the horse. 
 
50 RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 In teaching the horse the changes of direction, as is 
 described in the chapter upon ^^ Hands and Legs," one 
 hand will hold the curb, the reins divided by the little 
 finger and grasped by the thumb ; while the snaffle-reins 
 will be held above those of the curb, divided by the 
 breadth of the other hand. 
 
 There are various ways prescribed for holding the 
 reins in riding the trained horses, but we prefer the 
 following method : — 
 
 In the left hand : the curb-reins divided by the little 
 finger ; the snaffle-reins divided by the middle finger ; 
 the ends of both sets carried up through the hand and 
 secured by the thumb, which should be uppermost and 
 pointed to the ears of the horse. By bending the wrist 
 to the right so that the knuckles come uppermost, the 
 head of the horse will be carried to the right and the 
 change made in that direction. By bending the wrist to 
 the left, so that the finger-nails come uppermost, the 
 horse will be turned to the left. There should never be 
 tension on the two bits at the same time. The horse 
 should be ridden upon the curb ; the snaffle will be used 
 to fix the hight of his head, and, occasionally to take the 
 place of the curb to freshen the mouth. 
 
 The right hand will be carried upon the loose ends of 
 the reins to assist the left. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 HORSE GYMNASTICS. 
 
 The following exercises will be found of great service 
 in giving strength to the seat, in aiding the balance, m 
 teaching the habit of regaining a lost position without 
 disturbing the tension of the reins, and in giving ease 
 and grace to all the motions of the rider. 
 
 When so indicated, these movements will be made from 
 the position prescribed for ''the seat." 
 
 1. In the seat, with the arm hanging motionless by 
 his side, let the pupil take away one thigh from contact 
 with the saddle and bring it back into its place, with the 
 point of the knee turned in as much as possible, the 
 movement being made by a rotation of the hip-jomt. 
 This should then be done with the other leg. 
 
 2. From the seat, and the rest of the body is quiet, 
 raise both knees to meet above the pommel of the saddle, 
 and bring them back to the saddle, making the inner 
 sides of the thighs take as many points of contact as 
 possible. 
 
 3. In the seat, keeping the thighs close to the saddle, 
 let the pupil lean back until his shoulders touch the rump 
 of the horse ; then let him quietly recover his erect 
 position. 
 
 4. In the seat, keeping the buttocks in the saddle and 
 the thighs in place, let the pupil lean forward and slightly 
 
 (51) 
 
52 RIDING AlsD TRAII^ING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 to one side until one of his shoulders touches the crest 
 of the horse. Then let him slowly recover his position, 
 
 5. In the seat^ let the body sway forward, to one side, 
 to the rear, to the other side, and then into position ; 
 then reverse the movement. 
 
 6. Lose the seat to the right, and without aid from 
 the hands bring the body back into the saddle by a quick 
 turn of the buttocks ; then make the movements to thc 
 other side. This should be practised at the walk, at the 
 trot, and at the gallop. 
 
 For the Balaj^ce. — 1. In the seat, the arms hanging 
 without stiffness, carry the right leg over the pommel to 
 the left side ; then carry both legs over to the right ; then 
 come back to the seat by carrying the left leg to its place. 
 
 2. In the seat, carry the right leg over the pommel to 
 the left side ; then work the body upon the buttocks as a 
 pivot until the face is to the rear. Carry the left leg over, 
 then the right leg, and work the body upon the buttocks 
 as a pivot until the face is to the front. Resume the 
 seat by carrjang the left leg over the pommel to its place ; 
 then reverse the movement. 
 
 For the Legs and Feet.— 1. In the seat, keeping 
 the knees fixed, bring the lower part of first the one leg 
 and then the other, as high up on the ■ side of the horse 
 as possible, without either touching the horse or moving 
 the knee. This movement should be done at the walk, 
 at the trot, and at the gallop, so that the rider may have 
 perfect control of the action of the legs m directing the 
 movements of the croup. 
 
 2. In the seat, the legs hanging without stiffness and 
 the rest of the body quiet, rotate, first the one foot and 
 
HOeSE GYMKASTICS. 53 
 
 then the other, from the ankle joint, with an outward 
 and then an inward movement. The improvement in 
 this exercise may be measured by the facility with which 
 the pupil can gain his stirrups by the action of the feet 
 only. 
 
 To Mount. — Standing at the shoulder of the horse, 
 facing the near side, seize a lock of the mane close to the 
 crest, the hairs passing down through the hand, the 
 thumb uppermost. 
 
 With the right hand grasp the pommel of the saddle, 
 the fingers under the tree, the thumb extended towards 
 the ground. 
 
 Leave the ground with a spring and take the weight 
 of the body upon the arms until the fork is level with the 
 withers of the horse, resting a moment m this position. 
 
 Carry the right leg over, and sink quietly into the 
 saddle. 
 
 Eelease the holds upon the mane and the pommel. 
 
 To those who have never tried it, this movement ap- 
 pears to be difficult. It is, in fact, very easy, and should 
 be accomplished after a few trials by any one who is active 
 enough to undertake ridmg. It should be performed at 
 the walk, at the trot, and at the gallop. At the gallop 
 care must be taken not to carry the body over too much 
 in putting the right leg across the horse, nor neei the 
 body be carried so high as when the horse is at rest, nor 
 IS the momentary stop to be observed. 
 
 To Dismount. — Seize the mane and pommel as m 
 mounting. Bear the weight upon the straightened arms 
 as the right leg is brought over to the left side. Hold 
 the body for a moment perpendicularly to the side of the 
 
54 
 
 RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 horse, the whole weight being supported by the two arms. 
 Drop gently to the ground at the shoulder of the horse. 
 This may be done at the gallop, by avoiding the momen- 
 tary rest and coming down ]3repared to take a few steps 
 with the horse, after which the holds upon the mane and 
 pommel should be released. 
 
 General Exercises. — 1. From the seat, grasping 
 each side of the fore-part of the saddle, bear the weight 
 of the body upon the extended arms, turning the balanced 
 body first one way and then the other. 
 
 2. From the seat, grasping each side of the fore-part 
 of the saddle, throw the body forward upon the slightly 
 bent arms towards the neck of the horse ; and throwing 
 up the legs in rear, cross them, and come into the saddle 
 faced to the rear. 
 
 3. From this position, place the palms of the hands 
 upon the rump of the horse, and performing a move- 
 ment similar to the above, come into the saddle faced to 
 the front. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 HANDS AND LEGS. 
 
 The liorso is propelled by the hind-quarters, and the 
 m-.^voments are directed by the forehand. The legs of 
 the rider act upon the croup, and by their pressure bring 
 forward those forces ; the hand restrains the forces of the 
 forehand, and collects and guides all. When the forces 
 of the croup are brought forward to such a point that 
 they meet and balance the forces of the forehand, the 
 horse is in equilibrium, and no movement can be gener- 
 ated until one or other of the forces predominate. 
 
 As the legs act upon the forces of the croup, and as 
 the hand governs the forces of the forehand, it will be 
 seen that this union and balance of the forces puts the 
 immediate and distinct control of the mass within the 
 power of the rider. 
 
 The forward movement of the horse will be measured 
 by the effect of the forces of the croup to predommate, 
 and the corresponding yielding of the forces of the fore- 
 hand. 
 
 But if the force opposite the augmented force does not 
 yield, then that unyielding part is the more firmly fixed 
 to the ground, as by an incumbent weight, and if action 
 takes place it must either be in rearing or in kicking. 
 
 If the forces of the croup predominate, and the fore- 
 (55) 
 
56 EIDIIs^G AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 hand does not yield to correspond, then the action of 
 this latter part is hampered. But if, as the forces of the 
 croup seek to advance the point of union, an advance is 
 made by the fore- quarters, the equilibrium may still be 
 approximately obtained. That is, if this equilibrium is 
 to be maintained, the forward movement of the forehand 
 will be permitted as the forces of the croup are brought 
 forward. 
 
 If the speed is to be increased, the legs will act upon 
 the croup, and the hand will give freedom to the fore- 
 hand. If it is desired to moderate the speed, the forces 
 of the forehand will be brought back ; and when they 
 are brought back to a point where they balance the forces 
 of the croup, a halt is brought about. If the forces of 
 the forehand are brought back beyond this point of bal- 
 ance, the mass must move back, or undue weight must 
 fall upon and fix the croup. 
 
 It is the object of the rider to maintain the approxi- 
 mate equilibrium in all the movements of the horse. 
 But, to obtain the control of these forces, all the resist- 
 ances, active or by the will of the horse, and passive or 
 by the weight of the horse, must be overcome. 
 
 That is, the horse must be suppled in the forehand 
 and in the croup, must obey the legs, and be amenable 
 to the bit. The method of supplying the croup and of 
 teaching obedience to the pressure of the legs, will be 
 treated at length in the chapter upon '' The Early Edu- 
 cation of the Horse." We shall now turn our attention 
 to the forehand and to its sense of feeling, the mouth. 
 
 The horse must first be taught that he can not pass 
 beyond the limit put by the hand without bringing pain 
 
HAN-DS AND LEGS. 67 
 
 upon himself, but that so long as he is obedient to the 
 bit he finds comfort. To this end the hand will firmly 
 resist any attempts of the horse to go beyond the limit 
 fixed, but it will make a concession whenever he yields 
 his opposition. The next step will be to make him relax 
 his jaw and bring his head into position, so that there 
 will be no opposition to the bit. To accomplish this 
 the rider will be mounted and the horse will be kept 
 upon his ground. Taking the curb-reins in the left 
 hand, the rider will make gentle vibrations of the right 
 rem with the right hand until the horse gives the jaw. 
 A word of encouragement will be given, and the tension 
 will be released. Then, changing the curb-reins into 
 the right hand, the same thing will be done with the left 
 rein by the left hand. After the horse will yield to 
 either side, he will be induced to give up the opposition 
 of the jaw, and bring the head into position by the same 
 vibrating motions of the two reins at equal length. If 
 the horse hangs upon the bit, he will be induced to bring 
 up his head and carry his own weight by a few pulls 
 upon the snaffle-bit, from below upwards. But there is 
 never to be a steady tension upon the bit ; the horse is 
 to be kept in hand by a series of slight touches, that are 
 to be relaxed the moment the resistance ends. When 
 there is a steady pull, no matter how light it may be, the 
 equilibrium is destroyed. 
 
 By a pressure of the legs the horse will be made to 
 bring his hind-legs in under him, a forward movement 
 being prevented, and lightness in front being secured, by 
 the means above recited. When these forces from the 
 forehamd and from the croup are gathered and balanced. 
 
58 RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 the horse is in equilibrium, and is ready for any move- 
 ment without further preparation. 
 
 After these lessons have been repeated at the halt, 
 until he desists from opposition, he will be put into the 
 walk, the trot, and the gallop, the approximate equilib- 
 rium being at all times demanded. If he attempts to 
 go beyond the bit he must be restrained, and lightness 
 must be kept up by the gentle, intermittent tensions of 
 the curbs. If he hangs back, the heels must keep the 
 forces of the croup up to the point that is required by 
 the desired speed. 
 
 It is through ignoring the fact that a horse's forehand 
 may be lightened by the play of the bit, that induces 
 some writers upon riding to adopt crude and improper 
 means for producing the different movements depending 
 upon that condition. A badly-trained horse will bear 
 upon the bit of the heavy hand, and instead of becoming 
 light in the front, at its pressure upon the mouth, the 
 forehand will be the heavier for this opposition. It is 
 for such horses and such riders that some writers upon 
 the art advocate that the head should be pulled to the 
 left to lighten the right shoulder, when the rider wishes 
 his horse to lead in the gallop with the right side. Now 
 it is agreed on all hands that a horse's head should be 
 turned in the direction that he goes. In the above in- 
 stance the head of the horse is turned to the left, and he 
 is to lead off with the right side. Then if his head is 
 carried to the right, to change direction to that side, the 
 horse should, if he answers to his signals, change his leg 
 and be false in his gallop. But when the heavy-handed 
 rider has on some occasion made his horse rear, he finds 
 
HAi^^DS AKD LEGS. 69 
 
 that when tlie horse is forced to yield to the hand he 
 becomes Hght in front, and the theory we support is in 
 that case proved. 
 
 We have seen that, hy overcoming the resistances of 
 the forehand, we can lighten that part without violence, 
 and when we come to the lesson upon the gallop the 
 same principles will be applied to make the horse lead 
 with either leg. For if the forehand is made light by 
 the proper action of the bit, that side will be made the 
 lighter upon which the action is the more strongly de- 
 fined, so that to make him lead off with the right leg we 
 shall raise that side with the right rein, and the horse 
 will move off with his head in the proper position. 
 
 To Chakge Direction. —We will suppose that the 
 horse has so far progressed in his education that he may 
 be put into the walk, and yet be so obedient to the bit 
 that he retains the equilibrium as far as is possible. 
 Keeping him at a steady walk, the rider will accustom 
 him to bear the pressure of the legs by applying them, 
 first one and then the other, as the horse raises the 
 ©pposite fore-leg. This will serve to improve the action 
 of the gait, as well as to bring him to bear the pressure 
 of the legs without flinching. When he will answer the 
 pressure of the legs and bare heels by bringing forward 
 the forces of the croup, and will measure his speed by 
 the freedom given him by the hand, without forcing 
 himself upon it, he will be accustomed to the spur until 
 he bears the scratch of the rowel with the same compla- 
 cency that he bore the attacks of the heels. This can 
 be brought about without trouble by quieting the horse 
 by voice and hand after each application of the aid. 
 
60 EIDIiTG AND TRAIiq-IifG SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 which at first should be very light, to gradually increase 
 in force. The spur should never be given with a shock, 
 but the foot should be carried back and the rowel quietly 
 but quickly applied by lowering the toe. After the 
 horse finds that the spur comes soon after the pressure 
 of the leg, he will rarely require the application of the 
 severer form of the aid, and the whole education of the 
 horse will tend to make him quick and lively in his 
 motions, and obedient to the slightest expression of his 
 master's will. 
 
 The horse, in hand and gathered, will be put into the 
 walk, and the rider will practice the change of direction 
 to the right. Taking the curb-reins in the left hand, 
 he will hold the snaffle reins divided by the width of his 
 right hand. Upon arriving at the point where a new 
 direction is to be taken, the rider will turn the head of 
 the horse by the direct application of the right snaffle- 
 rein, and when the horse turns into the new path the 
 left hand will be carried to the right, so that the left 
 curb-rein will press against the left side of the neck. The 
 legs of the rider will give such aid in bringing up the 
 croup in the new direction as the circumstances may 
 require. 
 
 After the horse will turn readily to the demand of the 
 snaffle-bit, he will be made to take the new direction 
 with the unaided use of the curb, the left hand being 
 carried to the right so that the outside rein presses upon 
 the neck, and bends his head in the direction he is to move. 
 
 Carrying the curb-reins in the right hand, and those of 
 the snaffle in the left, the change of direction to the left 
 will be made in a similar manner. 
 
HAl^DS A1<^T> LEGS. 61 
 
 The horse will be accustomed to be brought to a stop 
 from the walk bj the rider raising the hand and leaning 
 back in the seat, and gently pressing with the legs to 
 bring under the forces of the croup. 
 
 The horse standing, and in equilibrium, the rider will 
 induce him to bend his head and neck, first to one side 
 and then to the other; by the vibratory motion of the 
 direct curb-rein. Both legs will be kept close to the 
 sides of the horse to keep him steady, the opposite leg 
 being rather closer to overcome resistance and to prevent 
 a movement of the croup against it. The horse will not 
 be permitted to carry back his head, at will, from the 
 bent posture, but the rider will bring it back into posi- 
 tion by the rein opposed to that by which the movement 
 was begun. 
 
 It only remains, for the present, that the horse should 
 be taught to bend the croup, at the application of the 
 heel, sufiiciently to put him into position for the gallop. 
 He will first be made to take a step with the hind legs to 
 the right by the application of the left leg, the right rein 
 playing with the mouth to remove the opposition of the 
 right shoulder. By inverse means the croup will be 
 moved a step to the left. In all movements of the croup 
 the legs should be held close to the horse, so that the 
 action produced by the one may be readily checked by 
 the other. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 THE WALK, TROT, GALLOP, ETC. 
 
 It is not necessary, nor is it desirable, that the tight 
 grip of the thighs should be maintained while at the 
 walk. The g'ait is so smooth that the weight and the 
 balance will serve to keep the rider in his seat, and the 
 knees being in position, the thighs may instantaneously 
 take their hold in case of a sudden start of the horse. 
 But this ease should never degenerate into negligence, 
 and as a horse is more apt to stumble at a walk than at 
 a quicker gait, the rider must never permit his attention 
 to be taken from his horse. The horse should be kept 
 constantly in hand, particularly after any great exertion 
 that has called upon his strength, for he is much less 
 able to recover from a mistake when he is tired, and he 
 feels the fatigue less when he is kept roused. In going 
 down hill, he must have liberty enough to permit his 
 body conforming to the slope of ground, so that he may 
 extend his step safely. 
 
 For the trot, the horse must be kept light, between 
 the application of the hand and legs. The speed will be 
 restrained by the first, or augmented by the latter, at the 
 will of the rider, whose efforts should be so directed as 
 to give a regularly-cadenced gait of equal action, in the 
 highest equilibrium possible. The hight and brilliancy 
 of movement in the trot may be governed by the applica- 
 (62) 
 
THE WALK, TEOT, GALLOP, ETC. 63 
 
 tion of first the one and then the other spur, as the 
 opposite fore-leg of the horse is raised to step off. In 
 this way, it may be developed into the Spanish trot of 
 the manege. 
 
 In the trot, the rider should sit erect, with the shoul- 
 ders thrown back, and the thighs close to the saddle. If 
 the rider rises to the trot, the constant shifting of the 
 weight will greatly interfere with the equilibrium of the 
 mass, but it is not necessary that the horse should get 
 out of hand or be permitted to bear upon the bit. The 
 rider should take no support from the bit, but should 
 hold his hand so that it will be independent of the mo- 
 tion he allows his body to make. To rise in the trot, the 
 rider will make use of the knees to secure the seat and 
 allow his body, slightly sustained by the stirrups, to be 
 thrown up by the motion of the horse, letting his weight 
 sink back into the saddle in time to take the next impe- 
 tus of the gait. The shoulders should be held easy, but 
 in rest ; and the legs should hang straight down from 
 the knee, and must not be permitted to work along the 
 sides of the horse. 
 
 In the gallop, which is a succession of leaps, the rider 
 will lean slightly back, so that the buttocks will be car- 
 ried well under him, and hold the body without stiffness. 
 The positions of the body must, however, always conform 
 to the action of the horse, and to the direction in which 
 he goes ; and practice must show what, and how great, 
 these changes should be. In the gallop, the horse must 
 be true, to insure his balance and safe-footing. To be 
 true in the gallop, the fore and corresponding hind-leg 
 will be in the lead of that side to which the horse is 
 
64 BIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 turning or moving. For instance, if it is the intention 
 to turn or to move the horse at a gallop to the right, he 
 must have the head and croup bent to the right, and 
 must take the lono^ strides of the srait with the fore and 
 hind-leg of that side. This will preserve his center of 
 gravity, and in case of a mistake he has his legs in under 
 him to help him to a recovery. If the horse is galloping 
 in a straight line, it makes no difference with which of 
 his fore-legs he takes the long stride or lead, provided 
 the hind-leg of that side corresponds. If a horse takes 
 the long strides with the right fore-leg and the left hind- 
 leg he is disunited, and has not got his powers well in 
 control. If, in turning to the left, he is leading with 
 the right legs, he can with difficulty retain the center of 
 gravity, and is apt to fall at the slightest blunder. We 
 say that a horse leads on that side when he makes the 
 long strides with the legs of one or other side. But the 
 fact is, the fore-leg of the other side leaves the ground 
 before the fore-leg which makes the long stride does, and 
 the same thing is true of the hind-legs. But the legs on 
 the side to which he has been bent pass the others in 
 their longer stride, and the horse is said to lead with 
 them. 
 
 To put the horse into the gallop, leading with the off- 
 leg, let the rider bring him into equilibrium, then light- 
 ening the forehand, and particularly the right shoulder, 
 with a play of the direct rein, let him press in the left 
 heel. In consequence of these movements on his part, 
 the horse will take the gallop with the legs on the right 
 side making the larger strides ; for the right shoulder is 
 free to extend itself in answer to the propulsion of the 
 
THE WALK, TROT, GALLOP, ETC. 6$ 
 
 forces from the croup, and the hind-quarters being bent 
 around to the right, the hind-leg on that side must fol- 
 low with a similar step. The croup of the horse, bend- 
 ing to the right at the application of the opposite sptir, 
 will make the longer stride with the hind-leg that is so 
 advanced, and such a movement is required to preserve 
 the center of gravity under the condition. 
 
 The horse having been put into the gallop, he will be 
 aligned upon the path he follows by means of the hand 
 and legs. The trained horse, under the skilled rider, 
 will take the gallop upon the right or upon the left leg 
 without bending perceptibly ; for so perfect will be the 
 equilibrium and the control, that the measured use of 
 the aids will inaugurate a movement that will not require 
 correction. 
 
 For Leapikg. — The pupil should first practice the 
 standing leap, and upon a well- trained horse. The horse 
 standing at the bar will be induced to rise by transferring 
 the forces of the forehand back, and by the pressure of 
 the legs will be made to spring forwards. 
 
 As the horse rises, the rider will bend slightly forward, 
 giving the horse the reins. When the horse leaves the 
 ground, the rider should lean back, so that he may pre- 
 serve his center of gravity, and by bringing his buttocks- 
 well in under him, receive the shock in the strongest pos- 
 sible seat. As the hind-legs of the horse reach the 
 ground, the rider will resume his erect position. Any 
 bearing upon the stirrups will disturb the seat, and may 
 cause the rider to fall. There must be no attempt on 
 the part of the rider to lift the horse, and when the 
 hand has played its part of conveying back the forces of 
 
66 RIDIJSTG AND TRAIHIKG SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 the fore- quarters, it must ease the tension of the reins 
 until the fore-feet of the horse touch the ground, when 
 he will feel the mouth to give the horse such support as 
 he may need to recover the equilibrium. 
 
 In taking the flying leap, the seat will be nearly the 
 same as that for the gallop ; the rider will not lean for- 
 ward as in the standing leap, for the action of the horse 
 will not require it, and if he swerves or refuses, the rider 
 should be sitting well back to avoid a fall. As the horse 
 makes the exertion for the jump, the rider will bring his 
 breech well under, lean back as far as the effort the horse 
 is about to make shall demand, and resume the position 
 for the gallop when the horse alights, at the same mo- 
 ment collecting him for the same speed with which he 
 approached the leap, but taking care not to check him 
 or harass his movements. 
 
 When the horse takes the flying leap, he must have 
 the fullest liberty of his head ; the bit being used only to 
 direct him to the obstacle, and its tension released before 
 the horse rises in the leap. The legs will be carried in 
 close to the sides of the horse to support him, but be 
 neither spurred nor whipped at the jump, as it distracts 
 his attention at a critical moment. If he requires it, the 
 horse should be roused before he comes upon the ground 
 where he is to decide upon his place for taking ofl, and 
 from that time he should be left to himself until he re- 
 ceives the support of the bridle as his fore-feet touch 
 the ground. The trick of throwing up one arm, or of 
 giving a cry of encouragement to the horse as he rises, 
 may work mischief by causing him to swerve, but it is 
 then too late to ofler him aid in gathering for the leap. 
 
THE WALK, TROT, GALLOP, ETC. 
 
 67 
 
 The horse should not be ridden to a high leap at a speed 
 that extends him too much. He should not be so flur- 
 ried as he approaches a wide leap that he can not use his 
 instincts for safety. If a horse jumps in a slovenly man- 
 ner, he should be remanded to the school. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 VICES, TRICKS, AND FAULTS. 
 
 The severity with which a horse has been punished for 
 a fault is, usually, the measure of the violence with which 
 he will repeat it. It is this violence that makes the horse 
 so dangerous in his rebellion, for until he loses his reason 
 he will take care not to injure himself, and so in a mea- 
 sure protects his rider. Few young horses are dangerous 
 in their resistances until they have met with cruel treat- 
 ment. It is seldom that a colt in breaking will bolt with 
 his rider ; it is usually the old offender who is guilty of 
 this most dangerous of vices. Although nearly every 
 young horse will rear at the pressure of the bit, he will 
 seldom rise to a dangerous hight, and he soon ceases to 
 offend in that way. A horse must be corrected and put 
 right, but it is never necessary to resort to severe punish- 
 ments. Fortunately the horse is an animal of one idea, 
 and when he has determined upon his line of opposition 
 he is easily circumvented and humbled. If he refuses to 
 turn to the right he will be so intent upon opposing the 
 right rein that he may be turned around to the left until 
 he is confused, when he will very gladly go in any direc- 
 tion. If he declines to go forward he is not prepared to 
 resist a demand for a backward movement, and he will 
 soon tire of that unusual mode and start forward at the 
 first hint from his rider. But a horse properly broken 
 (68) 
 
VICES, TRICKS, AlfD FAULTS. 69 
 
 and trained will not be guilty of such contumacy, and 
 will not be apt to show the vices of which we are about 
 to speak, but for which the rider must be prepared. 
 
 If a horse bolts, the rider should not fatigue himself by 
 taking a steady drag upon the mouth. Leaning back, 
 with the breech well under him, and bearing no weight 
 in the stirrups, the rider should take a succession of pulls 
 upon the bit, one following the other sufficiently near to 
 obtain cumulative effect. When the horse appears to 
 yield to the bit, advantage should be taken of the 
 moment, to prevent his again extending himself, by in- 
 creased exertions upon the part of the rider, whose 
 power should be reserved as far as possible to seize this 
 opportunity. We know of no way to prevent a horse 
 bolting ; by keeping his head up with the snaffle-rein the 
 rider will have greater command of the horse, but "the 
 use of severe bits will not deter a confirmed bolter from 
 indulging his vicious propensity. 
 
 If a horse rears the reins should be loosened, and if the 
 rider require support he should seize the mane, without, 
 however, letting the reins drop from his hands. The 
 spurs should not be applied while the horse is rising, but 
 as he comes down the legs of the rider should be closed 
 to induce the horse to go forward. If the horse refuses 
 to go forward, the rider will find the side of the mouth 
 with which the horse is not prepared to resist, by draw- 
 mg the rems from right to left, and holding the rein of 
 that side low he will pull the horse around, aiding the 
 hand by the application of the spur on that side. If, 
 when the horse rears, he sinks upon his hind-quarters, 
 the rider should endeavour to leave the horse by seizing 
 
70 KIDIKQ AN"D TRAINIKG SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 the mane and throwing himself aside, and. although he 
 may not be able to clear himself of the horse, he will at 
 least avoid coming down under the saddle. 
 
 If a horse is shy at passing an object, he can generally 
 be made to proceed by turning his head away, and pass- 
 ing him along with the leg opposite to the object, as in 
 traversing. If he is a young horse, and does not seem to 
 haye known fear, he will usually face that which has 
 caused his alarm if he is allowed to take as much room 
 as the way offers. The rider should avoid, as much as 
 possible, taking notice of the horse's fright, as any ner- 
 vousness on the part of the rider will confirm the horse 
 in the opinion that there is danger. If a horse takes 
 alarm on the road at things with which he is familiar, it 
 is either through defective eye-sight, or because he has 
 found out that he can take liberties with his rider. A 
 man of discretion will know when a horse should be 
 whipped up to an object of which there is a pretence of 
 fear, but the horse must never be struck after he has 
 passed on. 
 
 We do not like a horse that has low action, for he must 
 trip, and he is likely, sooner or later, to come down. A 
 horse stumbles when, through weakness, weariness, or 
 stiffness from age and work, he is not able to recover 
 himself from a trip. He usually bears the evidence of 
 his accident on his knees. 
 
 A horse that stumbles from weakness is not fit for 
 saddle use. If the rider is unfortunate enough to find 
 himself mounted upon a horse that gives indications of 
 bemg insecure upon his feet, he should demand free and 
 lively action, with rein and legs. The horse should not 
 
VICES, TRICKS, AKD FAULTS. 71 
 
 be allowed to become indolent, nor be permitted to bang 
 upon the bit. On descending a hill the horse must have 
 liberty of action, for if he steps too short he is liable to 
 come down ; and a horse that is checked has not enough 
 freedom for his safety. It is after a long day's work that 
 a weary horse may for the first time stumble, and it is a 
 mistaken idea of kindness that induces the rider to let a 
 horse take his head upon such an occasion. The horse 
 misses the encouragement of the rein and the support of 
 the leg, and is invited to fall. Besides it is much more 
 fatiguing for him to bear his burden, deprived of the 
 usual aids, and in drooping spirits. Finally, in case of 
 a fall, either of a stumbling horse, or under any other 
 circumstances, the rider should hold on to the rem until 
 he is assured that his feet are free of the stirrups. 
 
CHxiPTER IX. 
 EARLY EDUCATION OF THE HORSE. 
 
 In order that he may never chafe against restraint, the 
 horse should never know perfect freedom. From the hour 
 he is foaled he should be accustomed to the sight of man, 
 and belief in man's power should increase with his know- 
 ledge. He must be treated with kindness ; but indul- 
 gence will spoil his temper, and he acquires a contempt 
 for the authority that is tardily enforced. 
 
 At SIX months of age the colt should be broken to fol- 
 low with the halter, and be made to submit at any time 
 when his resistance cannot have such success as to en- 
 courage him in rebellion. At two years of age he should 
 be made to bear the saddle without repugnance, and to 
 know the effects of the bit. If he is intended for riding 
 purposes he should never be put in a bitting-machine, as 
 all contrivances of that kind teach him to bear upon the 
 hand, a habit that is incompatible with perfect manners. 
 But, from the time he is two years old, he should be 
 lunged, at intervals that will insure his retaining that 
 which is taught him, with the cavesson, or nose-band, 
 used for breaking-in horses. 
 
 By the time he is ready to bear the weight of the rider 
 
 he should be perfectly familiar with the stable, and 
 
 should submit to all the manipnlations of the groom. 
 
 At three years of age, if he be a well-developed colt, he 
 
 (73) 
 
EARLY EDUCATION OF THE HOKSE. 73 
 
 may be mounted by some one whom he well knows, and 
 induced to go forward a few steps. In all of his previous 
 education, and particularly at this juncture, he should 
 be treated with firmness but great gentleness, and he 
 should be encouraged by hand and voice whenever his 
 conduct deserves approval. 
 
 If he has been treated as thus far advised, he will not 
 be likely to show any restiveness on the occasion of his 
 being mounted for the first time, and the trainer will, 
 perhaps, never experi'ence any trouble with him. It is 
 not improbable that upon the third or fourth day that he 
 is mounted he will, on being taken beyond his usual 
 limits, show some disinclination to yield to the will of 
 the rider, and refuse to go in a direction for which he has 
 some dislike. No violence should be resorted to in such 
 a case, but if he will not answer the bit and the pressure 
 of the legs, he may be led by some one Avho should be at 
 hand in these early lessons to assist the trainer. 
 
 The snaffle, alone, should be used at first, and the rider 
 should hold his hand high or low, as the horse bears down 
 or raises his head. He should be ridden in this bit until 
 he readily answers to it, and the rider should teach him, 
 as early as possible, to go foward at the pressure of the 
 legs. No whip should be carried in the early mounted 
 lessons, and in the lunging on the cavesson the whip 
 should never be used to cause pain. 
 
 If the colt is naturally heavy in the shoulders he should 
 be made to carry himself light by short pulls upon the 
 snaffle, from below ujd wards. The active resistance of 
 the mouth should be overcome by gentle vibrations of the 
 bit. 
 4 
 
74 RIDIKG AND TEAIXIXG SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 When he will go quietly in the snaffle, and has been 
 made familiar with the usual sights and sounds of the 
 road, he may be put into the double-reined bridle. The 
 snaffle will be used to regulate the hight of the head, and 
 to begin the changes of direction : the bit will be used to 
 teach the horse to give the jaw and to bring in the head, 
 as before described. 
 
 These bittings are never to be abandoned, and they 
 must be daily practised, so that the horse will yield to 
 the first demand of the bit. 
 
 When the horse is obedient to the bit he should be 
 made to collect his forces in equilibrium, and he is 
 then prepared for schooling in those higher branches of 
 his education that are to make him, what is so highly to 
 be desired, a trained horse. 
 
 By firmness and gentleness the horse can, by means of 
 the system already explained, be readily made quiet to 
 ride. If he becomes shy it will be because his vision is 
 defective. A young horse, properly treated, will acquire 
 so much confidence in his master that he will face objects 
 about which he has grave suspicious. Each time that he 
 finds his terror groundless, his fear of strange objects 
 will be lessened, and some horses, trained in this way, 
 will shy at nothing when under the saddle. 
 
 Pirouettes. — The precision with which the pirouettes 
 are made, will determine the grace and facility with which 
 the horse will execute all movements. 
 
 Pirouettes on" the Forehaistd. — The horse, saddled 
 and bridled, will be taken to some retired spot. The 
 riding-school is, of course, the best place for these lessons. 
 
EARLY EDUCATION OF THE HORSE. 75 
 
 but any smooth ground will answer, where there is 
 nothing to distract his attention. 
 
 It is intended that the horse shall carry his croup 
 around his forehand, the outside fore-leg acting as the 
 pivot in the movement. The trainer will stand at the 
 shoulder of the horse, and, if the first movement is to 
 be made to the right, on the near side of the horse. 
 
 With his left hand he will take both reins of the curb 
 at about four inches from the branch of the bit. He will 
 then induce the horse to give his jaw, and to bring his 
 head into a perpendicular position, by drawing the reins 
 in gentle vibrations towards the chest of the horse, yield- 
 ing the hand whenever the horse answers to the pressure, 
 and repeating the operation whenever the horse shows a 
 disposition to go out of hand. With the whip he will 
 then tap the horse on the rump until the hind legs are 
 brought well under the body. The horse will then be in 
 a position to make a move in any direction without any 
 further preparation. 
 
 The horse being thus collected, the trainer will give 
 gentle taps of the whip upon his near flank, until the 
 animal moves one step to the right, the forehand being 
 held stationary by the bit in the left hand, and resistance 
 of that part overcome by feeling the right side of the 
 mouth. As soon as this one step to the right, by the 
 hind-quarters, is taken, the taps of the whip must cease, 
 and the horse should be encouraged, so that he may 
 know that his effort has met with approval. 
 
 This change of position will throw him out of line, his 
 off fore-leg being far in the rear. By a tap of the whip 
 upon the off fore-arm he will be brought straight, and 
 
76 KIDIKG AXD TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 •the trainer should again show his satisfaction by a kind 
 word or a touch of the hand. Let these proceedings ho 
 continued until the horse steps off promptly : but he 
 should not, at first, take more than one step at a time, 
 and must never be permitted to volunteer a movement. 
 After each change of position he is to be put straight, 
 and he will be kept collected by the hand and whip. 
 
 The same means, right and left being interchanged, 
 will teach him to pass in the opposite direction. 
 
 These lessons should be repeated at intervals, so that 
 fchey are not rendered irksome or fatiguing to the horse, 
 until he will complete his circles, either way, without 
 taking up the pivot, or outside foot. 
 
 These pirouettes will now be made with the rider in the 
 saddle ; and if the work on foot has been faithfully per- 
 formed the horse will be well advanced in his education. 
 
 Bringing the horse into equilibrium, the rider will 
 play with the right rein of the curb to destroy the resist- 
 ances of the shoulder, and with his left leg will make the 
 horse carry the croup one step to the right. The right 
 leg of the rider will be held close to the side of the horse, 
 to limit the movement to one step, to prevent him mov- 
 ing backward, and to assist the off fore-leg in taking its 
 place in the new position. Taking one step at a time, 
 the horse will complete the movement about the near or 
 outside fore-leg, which has been the pivot. 
 
 By inverse means, and observing the same care, the re- 
 versed pirouette will be made to the left. 
 
 When the horse will make the circle by the one step 
 and the stop, with ease and without assistance, he will be 
 made to complete the pirouettes without the stop, step by 
 
EARLY EDUCATION OF THE HOESE. 77 
 
 step ; his head carried in on the side of the approaching 
 croup. That is, if the croup is passing to the right the 
 head will be carried to the right, to give an easy and 
 graceful carriage to the horse in the movement. 
 
 Pirouettes on the Croup. — In these movements the 
 forehand will go about the croup, the inner hind-leg 
 being the pivot. To show the horse what is expected of 
 him, a few lessons should be given on foot, in the follow- 
 ing manner : — The trainer will stand in front of the 
 horse, and, taking a snaffle-rein in each hand, in order to 
 direct the forehand and to iSx the croup, he will lead the 
 horse about, a step at a time, taking pains to keep the 
 pivot-leg as stationary as is possible under such circum- 
 stances. 
 
 He will then mount the horse and put him in equilib- 
 rium. With a snaffle-rein in each hand he will, if pirou- 
 etting to the left, draw the horse to the left with the rein 
 of that side, fixing the croup with the snaffle in the right 
 hand. The right leg will be kept close to the side of the 
 horse to prevent the croup coming against it, and to keep 
 that side of the horse up in its place in the movement if 
 required. The forehand will be brought about in this 
 way until the horse's position is reversed, and he stands 
 facing the direction opposite to that from which he started. 
 Then he will be put in line, the right leg of the rider 
 being used to bring up the right side of the horse. By 
 the assistance of the aids, right and left being exchanged, 
 the horse will be practised in the movement to the right. 
 In the same way the horse will then be made to complete 
 the circle, pivoting on the croup, to the right and to the 
 left, the outside leg being brought up as the balance re- 
 
78 RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 quires its support. After the horse will perform these 
 pirouettes on the snaffle-bit, the curb will be used at the 
 finish of the movement, and then the curb-bit, the reins 
 carried in the hand to which the horse turns, will be used. 
 Finally the horse will be made to do the pirouettes to 
 either side, Y,^ith the curb-reins carried in the left hand. 
 To make the pirouettes on the haunches neatly and 
 quickly, the forces of the forehand will be well carried 
 back, so that the horse will rise off the ground in mak- 
 ing the face about. The hind-leg on the inside is to be 
 the pivot, and the other hind-leg will be brought up dur- 
 ing the movement to give it the finish. 
 
 After the horse has been taught to traverse, and to make 
 the changes m the gallop for which these lessons have 
 prepared him, he will be ready to make the pirouettes 
 upon the croup in action. To this end he will be ridden in 
 circles, then in voltes or circles in which the croup fol- 
 lows an inner path and the forehand an outer path : the 
 pirouette results when the horse will make the volte with- 
 out moving his hind-legs away from the pivoting ground. 
 
 Traversing. — If the reader has mastered all that has 
 appeared in these pages to this point, he should be able 
 to make his horse perform everything that is possible to 
 the animal. It only remains for us to point out the 
 best manner for obtaining the best effects in the more 
 important movements. 
 
 In traversing or passing sideways to the right and to 
 the left, the horse should be placed at such an angle, 
 with the line upon which the movement is directed, the 
 shoulders in advance of the croup, that his legs may move 
 freely and his carriage be light and unconfined. Suppose 
 
EAKLY EDUCATION^ OF THE HORSE. 79 
 
 the horse is standing peri3endicularly to the line of the 
 moYement, and it is intended to traverse to the right, the 
 rider will make the croup pass one step to the left, which 
 will bring him into proper position for traversing in the 
 opposite direction. The resistance of the shoulders will 
 be overcome by the right rein, and the left leg will cause 
 the horse to step off to the right, the two aids demand- 
 ing the position and the movement, the right leg being 
 ready to assist in keeping the horse up in his place, and 
 to prevent the croup coming too far to that side. He 
 must be kept in equilibrium and at the proper angle to 
 the line of march, or the movement will be awkward and 
 uneven. He will be made to traverse, at a speed not 
 faster than a walk, in direct lines and in circles, to the 
 right and to the left, taking care that in the circles the 
 body of the horse keeps the proper angle at every point 
 in the circumferences. 
 
 He may then be brought to perform the traverse at 
 the passage, which is the high step that is produced by 
 restraining the advance of the horse, and at the same 
 time demanding from him increased action and exertion. 
 The horse being at the trot in a direct line, the rider 
 will induce the action of the passage by the pressure of 
 the legs, alternately as the horse raises the opposite fore- 
 leg, and by restraining with the hand any increase of 
 speed ; then with the direct rein and opposite leg the 
 horse will be made to traverse, the high step of the pas- 
 sage being retained in the movement by accentuating the 
 pressure of the opposite spur as the horse raises the fore- 
 leg on the side to which he is passing. The heel of the 
 rider on the side to which the movement tends will be 
 
80 RIDIITG A^B TRAII^ING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 used to keep the horse up to the line, and to prevent the 
 croup going over too far. The result should be a regu- 
 larly cadenced action, in which the horse dwells at each 
 step, the effect of the increased pressure of the rider's 
 leg being to keep the legs of the horse suspended for the 
 moment. But the croup must not be driven over too 
 far, and the equilibrium must be observed. In traversing 
 at the passage the weight of the horse is, at each cadence, 
 sustained upon two legs diagonally opposed, while the 
 other two are carried beyond them in the direction of 
 the movement — the shoulders slightly in advance upon 
 one path, the croup in simultaneous actions following 
 another parallel path. At each step the horse leaves the 
 gi'ound, and is for the moment in the air. 
 
 The traverse in the gallop may be obtained by similar 
 means. The horse being put into the gallop on the 
 .direct line, and leading with the legs of the side on 
 which the movement will be made. As the horse comes 
 upon the ground where the traversing is to begin, he 
 will be permitted to make one false step with the croup 
 as he takes the position for the traverse, to be corrected 
 at the second step in the movement. In the same way, 
 when he is put into the direct line, he will be permitted 
 to make one false step with the croup to preserve his 
 balance, to be brought into the true gallop at the second 
 step upon the new line. 
 
 Chais'ges in the Gallop. — It is agreed on all sides 
 that the changes in the gallop are not only the most 
 striking and important of all the movements, but that in 
 them is also found the highest test of the skill of the 
 rider. But hardly any two authorities have agreed upon 
 
EARLY EDUCATION OF THE HOESE. 8l 
 
 the method by which this is to be taught, and few can 
 be found who hold the same opinion as to the best man- 
 ner of making the trained horse change in the gallop. 
 We have never had any faith in the method as usually 
 accepted, even by the highest authority, of teaching the 
 horse to gallop by a false method, to afterwards substi- 
 tute a better one in demanding his performance of 
 that pace. 
 
 If the forehand of the horse is lightened by bringing 
 back its forces, that side will be the lighter from which 
 we demand the most ; and to make the horse lead with 
 the one side or the other is simply to make the hand act 
 more upon the side from which we desire the highest 
 action. If, then, we wish to gallop with the right side 
 of the horse giving the extended strides, we should make 
 play with the bit upon that side of his forehand, and 
 bring his croup around with the pressure of the left 
 leg. The horse will then lead off as desired, with his 
 head in the proper position, and there will be nothing to 
 correct. 
 
 Although the direct rein has been, before this time, 
 used to teach the gallop, it is for the purpose of pulling 
 the shoulders in so that the horse, his croup being 
 brought around by the opposite spur, will not be able to 
 take the extended step with the outside leg. Although 
 this accomplishes the object, it gives cramped and un- 
 graceful action. We believe that the theory advanced 
 gives the best results, for it is the method that Baucher 
 and other great authorities use after the horse has been 
 taught by some ruder means. 
 
 To make a horse lead with a certain side, theref ore^ the 
 
82 RIDIXG A>'D TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 direct rein "will make play, supported by the oppos- 
 ing leg. 
 
 At first the horse Trill b3 made to gallop in the line, 
 then in circles, gradually diminishing in diameter, 
 always leading: with the lesr of the side to which he is 
 going. When the horse will answer to the aids, and will 
 lead with either leg, as may be required, without hesita- 
 tion or blundering, the rider will turn him from a circle 
 to the right or the left, to one on the other hand, apply- 
 ing, quickly but without yiolence, the hand as the fore- 
 feet finish the first part, the leg as the hind-feet finish 
 the last part of the gallop in the old direction. 
 
 "When this has been accomplished, without destroying 
 or interfering with the cadences of the gait, it will be a 
 mere matter of practice to make the changes at any 
 finished step in the direct line. 
 
 To Stop ix the Gallop. — While it is only in the 
 gallop in equilibrium that the horse can be brought to a 
 finished halt, yet the same means, in a form modified by 
 the rider's appreciation of the circumstances, may be 
 effectually used to make the horse draw up in the ex- 
 tended gallop. 
 
 The horse being in the best approximate equilibritim, 
 the rider will bring him to a stop by leaning back and 
 pressing in his legs as the hind-legs of the horse begin 
 one cadence of the gait, and raise the hand, and bear 
 upon the bit as the fore-legs begin the next cadence. 
 The result will be that the horse Avill stop without 
 another cadence, for the heels bring in and the weight of 
 the body fixes the hind-legs, and the hand restrains and 
 brings back the forces of the forehand, and prevents the 
 
EAELY EDUCATIOK OF THE HOESE. 83 
 
 mass advancing. These applications of the aids must be 
 made "\nth celerity and precision, but Tvithout yiolence. 
 
 To Back. — In backing the horse, the offices of the 
 forehand and croup are interchanged ; for now the im- 
 pulsion comes from the forehand, and the heels restrain 
 and direct the forces of the croup upon the course. 
 
 Standing at the head of the horse, the trainer will 
 bring him into equilibrium, taking care that the shoul- 
 ders and croup are in a line. Then, with a tap of the 
 whip upon the croup, he will induce the beginning of a 
 forward movement from that part by the raising of one 
 of the hind-legs, but before the mass acquires the for- 
 ward motion the horse will be made to carry the raised 
 hind-leg one step in rear, bv a pressure upon the bit. He 
 will then be collected, and made to take one other step 
 backwards in the same manner. The next day he may be 
 made to take two consecutive steps ; and he will be 
 taught carefully and without haste, until he will move 
 back several steps and still retain his lightness. 
 
 The rider will then mount the horse, and, having 
 brought him into equilibrium, will, by a pressure of the 
 legs, induce the raising of one of the hind-legs, which 
 will be carried back one step by a pressure of the bit. 
 The whole art of teaching the horse to back lies in these 
 instructions ; but the rider must proceed cautiously, so 
 that the horse will acquire the movement in an easy and 
 light manner. Let him be satisfied with a few steps well 
 done each day, until the horse acquires perfection in the 
 movement. The legs will always be carried close to the 
 sides of the horse to keep him straight, and to prevent 
 the forces from yielding too much ; the hand must infln- 
 
84 
 
 RIDING AN^D TRAINII^G SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 ence the forces of the forehand only enough to produce 
 the backward motion, without bringing them back so far 
 as to destroy the equilibrium. When the rider wishes to 
 stop the horse backing, he will increase the pressure of 
 the legs and yield the hand in some cadence of the 
 movement, and will start the horse forward in the walk 
 without coming to a marked halt. 
 
 The horse may be made to go backwards with the 
 actions of the trot or the gallop, by the same means that 
 are used to make him back in the motions of the walk. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 FEENCH METHOD OF TRAINING. 
 
 There is a method of training, invented by a French 
 rider, Baucher, and named after him, which is an effec- 
 tive means for making both horse and rider perfect in 
 their "work. Its details are too minute for repetition 
 here, but they are well set forth in " Herbert's Hints to 
 Horse-keepers," and will well reward the attention of 
 those who have the time and the enthusiasm to follow 
 them out. By their aid, an unbroken horse, if a good 
 subject, can be made a very nearly perfect saddle beast in 
 two months' time, having a lesson of thirty minutes or 
 less, morning and night. 
 
 Its general principles are : To teach the horse but one 
 thing at a time ; to teach that thoroughly before pro- 
 ceedmg with the next step ; to make the lessons so short 
 as not to disgust the pupil ; to reward obedience more 
 especially than to punish disobedience, or rather non- 
 obedience ; to make the horse thoroughly supple in every 
 muscle of his body, and to teach him to move all his 
 members as easily, under the rider's weight, and under 
 the restraint of his hands and legs, as he would do if 
 playing in a pasture ; and to practice him in handling 
 the rider's weight, and in obeying the rider's impulses 
 and restrictions, so that all his movements shall be made 
 m accordance with the rider's will rather than his own, 
 (85) 
 
86 KiDiiq^a akd training saddle-hokses. 
 
 so that lie shall, in fact, make no account at all of his 
 own will, but execute that of the man instead. 
 
 'We are aware that this sounds like an impossibility, 
 but any one who will faithfully study and practice Bau- 
 cher's system, will soon see that any horse of tolerable 
 form and strength, and of average courage and temper, 
 may be brought to this state of discipline without diffi- 
 culty. 
 
 The peculiarities of the method are thus set forth by 
 Mr. Phillipps : *'It begins by enabling the horseman to 
 take complete possession of the horse's faculties while at 
 rest and in slow motion. This ascendency, once gained, 
 need neyer be lost ; because a good horseman is always 
 able to reduce his horse to that state in which it can be 
 successfully re-asserted. The horse is, in this manner, 
 soon made to perceiye that if he escapes from the equilib- 
 rium required by his rider, when at a pace which gives 
 him the opportunity of doing so, he will immediately 
 find himself brought back to a pace at which he may be 
 forcibly prevented from doing so. When he once under- 
 stands this truth, his self-will is subdued forever." 
 
 Baucher teaches that the horse does his work easily to 
 himself and pleasantly to his rider only when he moves 
 under the rider's weight, and in obedience to his direc- 
 tions, with the same ease and gi^ace, the same perfect 
 equilibrium, as when playing with horses in an open pas- 
 ture. A horse moving in a state of freedom carries his 
 hind-legs so far under him that they carry the weight of 
 the hinder part of his body in the easiest way, and so 
 give the front-legs only their proper share of work to do. 
 The neck is left perfectly free to carry the head in what- 
 
FREKCH METHOD OF TRAINING. 87 
 
 ever position will best assist in maintaining the balance 
 of the body. If we take an unbroken horse, whose 
 movements in the pasture are all perfect, and put a rider 
 on his back and a bit in his mouth, he will either per- 
 form such antics as will make him anything but a pleas- 
 ant saddle-horse, or, which is most likely, he will become 
 perfectly rigid and awkward, poking out his nose, bear- 
 ing on the bit with the full force of his neck, carrying 
 too much of the weight on the fore-quarters, and strad- 
 dling along with his hind-legs in a very ungainly and 
 uncomfortable way. Especially in the cantor will he 
 seem to plunge with his whole weight on to his fore-feet, 
 making his gait both uncomfortable and unsafe. Bau- 
 cher's method overcomes these difficulties, empowers the 
 rider to carry the weight of both horse and rider on the 
 fore-feet, or on the hind-feet, or on all, at pleasure, and 
 to soften the rigidity of the neck, and cause the head to 
 be carried in an easy position. 
 
 The first step, after having broken the horse to saddle 
 and bridle, is with the neck and mouth. Stand at his 
 left side, facing his neck, holding the left rein of the 
 snaffle in your left hand. Take both curb-reins in your 
 right hand, a few inches back of the bit, and draw them 
 gently toward the horse's chest, holding him in place, 
 and keeping his head quiet with the left hand. The 
 horse will at first resist the pressure of the curb, and try 
 to throw up his head, but if you are patient and firm, he 
 will presently bend his neck, draw in his chin, and 
 champ the bit ; then drop the curb-reiiis, pat his neck, 
 and make much of him. Eepeat the lesson at short in- 
 tervals, until at the slightest touch of the curb he will 
 
88 KIDING AKD TKAIKING SADDLE-HOBSES. 
 
 arch his neck. This lesson having been repeated nntil it 
 is perfectly understood, renew it in the saddle, drawing 
 on the curb with a steady pressure, until he drops his 
 head and champs the bit as before. Eeward the first 
 sign of obedience by caresses and praise. Eepeat the 
 moyement, until at the first touch of the rein he lets go 
 of the bit, arches his neck, and stands quietly and at 
 ease. Even if you have to call assistance to keep him in 
 place, do not let him either back or turn around in order 
 to get away from the pressure of the bit. 
 
 The next step is to obtain the same control over the 
 hind-quarters that you now have over the forehand, and 
 you must first teach him to bear the spur without mov- 
 ing. Accustom him first to the pressure of the leg and 
 of the unarmed boot-heels, and later, of spurs, with cloth 
 or leather over the rowels ; when he is perfectly indiffer- 
 ent to them, then uncover the rowels. 
 
 Mr. Phillipps says: ^' When he has learned not to resist 
 the spurs, by kicking, he must next be taught to spring 
 from them. Get him well in hand, and touch him 
 lightly, but firmly, on both sides. If he kicks or winces, 
 you are getting on too fast, and must return to tlie cov- 
 ered rowels, if not to the bare heels. ... If he tries to 
 move forward, carefully restrain him by the bridle, and 
 then, dropping both your legs and hands, caress him, 
 and let him stand at ease. Eepeat the lesson until the 
 slightest pressure of your legs is sufficient to make him 
 promptly collect himself, and bring his hmd-legs under 
 his body." The great point is now secured ; the horse 
 has been taught the position you desire him to maintain, 
 to carry his weight well on his haunches, to arch his 
 
FREKCH METHOD OF TRAIiq"IKG. 89 
 
 neck, and to relax his jaw. Future instructions consist 
 mainly in teaching him to preserve this position, and to 
 avoid all rigidity at any speed. 
 
 Although you may have taught the horse to stand per- 
 fectly at his ease while standing still, and to be *' light in 
 hand and light on his legs," you will lind that the 
 moment you attempt to move him forward at a walk, he 
 will throw out his nose at the first step, and be as un-' 
 gainly as ever. Take hold of his mouth immediately and 
 endeavor to supple his neck. If he continue the resist- 
 ance, halt him at once, bring his head into position, and 
 let him rest a moment before advancing again. He will 
 soon learn to walk with his mouth light. If he seems 
 to step too short, as though too much restrained by the 
 curved position, press him lightly with the heels to send 
 him forward. You will soon learn when the free move- 
 ment of the horse indicates a just balance, or equilibrium, 
 between the forehand and the hind-quarters. It is this 
 that you must always study to preserve — drawing back 
 the head when there is too much forward tendency, and 
 applying the legs when the horse goes, as horsemen say, 
 ''behind the bit," that is, with an uncertain, short step. 
 
 The next step is not to trot, but to move backward at 
 a walk. This you can attempt only when the use of the 
 curb causes the horse to bring in his head before it short- 
 ens his step. Get him well collected at a halt ; apply 
 the legs until you feel a forward tendency of the weight, 
 showing that the hind-legs are free to step ; then draw 
 backward on the curb to such a degree that the horse, to 
 preserve his balance, will step backward, that is, the 
 horse's weight being in perfect balance between your legs 
 
90 BIDING AXD TRAINIifG SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 and hand, so that jou can send it in either direction — 
 throw it backward by the use of the hand, causing the 
 horse instinctively to step in that direction, to prevent 
 falling, just as when you force his weight forward he 
 advances his feet to receive it. This is the secret of 
 Baucher's treatment, and its perfect mastery, accompanied 
 with practical skill, is j^erfect horsemanship. As soon 
 as the horse has taken a single step backward, loosen the 
 rein and withdraw the legs from his sides, and pet him 
 and praise him, to show that he has done what is desired, 
 which knowledge is dearer than oats to a kindly- 
 tempered horse. After a little he will take two or three 
 steps backward, and in time will move backward as 
 gracefully as forward. 
 
 Having taugl't all you can teach of movements in a 
 direct line at a walk, repeat the lessons at a trot. You 
 will have the same difficulty as in the former case, and 
 you v/ill probably be longer in overcoming it. The faster 
 the motion, the greater the tendency of the horse to throw 
 his weight forward and to bear on the bit. Don't try to 
 draw him back by an extra pressure on the curb, but hold 
 your hand firm and touch him gently with the spurs ; 
 this will drive his hind-legs under him and take the 
 weight from the forehand. He will in time learn that 
 he can go more easily and more safely with his weight on 
 his haunches than on his shoulders, and his gait will then 
 become easy instead of hard. When he trots perfectly, 
 teach him, which will be easier, f o gallop with the same 
 collected motion. In doing this, pursue the same routine 
 that has been laid down for the walk and the trot ; that 
 is, do not allow the horse for a moment to carry his head 
 
FREi^CH METHOD 0¥ TIIAINING. 
 
 91 
 
 too low or too far out, to bore on the bit, as though he 
 would drive his fore-feet into the ground, neither let him 
 commit the opposite fault of throwing his whole weight 
 on his haunches as if to rear, and so make eyery step a 
 miniature jump. The habit of "boring" is inveterate 
 with some horses, and can not easily be contended against 
 by ordinary means. Baucher had a device, which he 
 
 Fig. 17. — bauchee's treatment of boring. 
 
 withheld from publication, that is very efcective. Both 
 curb-reins and the left snaffle-rein being held in the left 
 hand, in its proper j)osition, the right snaffle-rein only 
 is taken in the right hand and drawm upward, so as to 
 press the snaffle against the corner of the mouth on one 
 side, as shown in the engraving. This has an effect that 
 an upward pressure on both snaffle-reins entirely fails to 
 produce, and its knowledge has given to the personal 
 
92 RIDING AND TRAINING SADDLE-HORSES. 
 
 pupils of Baucher a great advantage oyer those who haye 
 learned his system from his books alone. 
 
 The gallop will never be perfectly easy and perfectly 
 safe until it is what is called perfectly " cadenced " — the 
 fore-feet and the hind ones striking the ground with 
 equal force, and both neck and tail being perfectly supple. 
 A horse travelling in this way may trip over a rolling 
 stone at every tenth step without any danger of falling, 
 and he will perform a journey of twenty miles with much 
 more ease to himself and his rider than he would make 
 even five miles with, as is usual, most of the force of 
 every leap falling on the fore-feet. 
 
 In accomplishing all this, as much depends on the per- 
 fect balance of the rider's temper as on the balance of his 
 weight. Above all must nothing provoke or startle him 
 to a rough handling of the bit, which is his chief means 
 of communication with the horse; a mistake will be 
 interpreted precisely as an intention would be, and a very 
 few mistakes will suffice to confuse all previous teachings. 
 'Tirm as a grasp of steel, yet soft as a touch of love," 
 this describes the perfect hand, and while it should yield 
 to the horse's proper movements and restrain his improper 
 ones, as it can do only when guided by instinctive intel- 
 ligence, it should be as independent of the movement of 
 the rider's body and of its efforts to keep a proper seat as 
 though it were an iron hand attached to the pommel of 
 the saddle. The legs, too, should be ever ready to per- 
 form their office — the thighs, to preserve the rider's seat, 
 and the lower limbs ever on the alert to restrain any in- 
 terruption of the equilibrium by reason of a faulty posi- 
 tion of the horse's hind-legs. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 WHEN LADIES RIDE. 
 
 All the instructions contained in these pages, except 
 BO far as regards those for gymnastics and for the seat, 
 will apply to ladies, when the whip will take the place of 
 the right leg of the man. 
 
 The whip should be strong and straight, and the horse 
 will be trained to answer to its application in exactly the 
 same way as to the pressure of the man's leg. 
 
 It is only necessary to say a few words about the seat. 
 We have no improvement to suggest in a saddle by a 
 good maker, beyond remarking that it must fit the rider, 
 and insisting that, in addition to the double safety- 
 stirrup, the leathers should hang from spring-bars in the 
 tree, the bar inclining upwards from the front, so that 
 the stirrup may not be detached in case the rider carries 
 her left leg back, as many are in the habit of doing. 
 
 The lady should so sit upon the horse that her weight 
 will fall perpendicularly to the back of the horse ; her 
 face directly to the front, her shoulders drawn back, and 
 her elbows held to her sides. She will permit her body, 
 from the hips upwards, to bend with the motions of the 
 horse, in order that she may preserve her balance. The 
 reins are to be held in the manner prescribed for men, 
 the hand in front of the body, and in a line with the 
 (93) 
 
94 EIDINQ AND TRAIKING SADDLE-HOESES. 
 
 elbow. The whip is to be carried in the right hand, 
 with the point towards the ground. The horse should 
 never be struck with the whip upon the head, neck, or 
 shoulder. To apply the aid upon those parts will teach 
 him to swerve, and render him nervous at the motions of 
 the rider. In a lady's hand, the whip simply takes the 
 place of a spur for the right side. 
 
 The horns of the saddle, the superfluous one at the 
 right being dispensed with, should be of such lengths 
 and curvatures as will suit the rider. 
 
 The right leg will hold the upright horn close in the 
 bend in the knee, by such a pressure as the action of the 
 horse or other circumstances will dictate. 
 
 The left foot will be thrust into the stirrup to the ball 
 of the foot, and the heel will, as a rule, be carried down ; 
 but when the heel is eleyated, the upper part of the left 
 knee should find support in the side-horn, and for that 
 end the stirrup-leather will be given such a length as 
 will permit this. By the grasp given by the elevation of 
 the left knee from the stirrup, and the embrace upon the 
 upright h^rn by the right leg, the rider will have as 
 strong a seat as her strength can aiford ; and with a 
 proper balance she will not be likely to find a horse that 
 will unseat her. 
 
 As a fall of the horse is attended with great perils to a 
 lady rider, she should never be mounted upon an animal 
 whose legs betray any weakness, or whose knees give evi- 
 dence of stumbling, or upon one that is not master of 
 her weight. The lady must see that, in turning to the 
 right or left, her horse leads on the side to which he 
 bends, and she should carry her inside shoulder slightly 
 
T\^HEK LADIES RIDE. 95 
 
 back at the same time, so that the center of gravity of 
 the mass will be preserved. The leg will support the 
 horse in turning to the right ; the whip will give support 
 in turning to the left. 
 
 The lady who desires to excel in horsemanship should, 
 when an opportunity offers, witness the performance of 
 some school-rider of her sex. A few public lessons from 
 such mistresses of the art will be of very great advantage.