W' A LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Shelf }fj.^^, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ,^y Issued bl-Tnonthly. By subscription, 60c. per year. No. 33. September 16, 18fli Entered at New York Post-OfRcp as second-class matter. O XJents.— tiiding and DMng. A USEFUL HANDBOOK OF VALUABLE INFORMATION SELECT DIALOGUES, AND SELECT SPEAKERS. We invite tlie attention of all lovers of good books to our two new series, which will be the most attractive and most compre- hensive in their particular field, and we hope that they will be found on the library table of every home in the country. A full list of the SELECT SPEAKERS, as far as issued, will be found below. . Each number contains appropriate selections of unusual excellence. No. I-EXHIBITION SPEAKER. No. 2 HUMOROUS SPEAKER. No. 3 YOUNG AMERICAN SPEAKER. No. 4-SCHOOL GIRL'S SPEAKER. No. 5-TEMPERANCE SPEAKER. No. 6 CHILDREN'S SPEAKER. No. 7 IRISH DIALECT SPEAKER. No. 8 PATRIOTIC SPEAKER. These two series will be issued .I'trtii-monthly, and all the readers who are pleased with the first numbers may depend upon it that the succeeding numbers will be equally attractive and en- tertaining. These popular books are large type editions, well printed, well bound, and in handsome covers. For sale by all Booksellers and Newsdealers; or sent, postage free, on receipt of price, 10 cents, by the publishers, STREET & SMITH, 25, 27, 29 and 31 Uose Street, New York. RIDING AND DRIVING, A Useful Handbook of Valuable Infor- ■ mation on Man's Most Faithful Friend — the Horse. Instructs How to Ride and Drive, Training and Care of Horses, Selecting Shoes, Harness, etc., Good and Bad Qualities of Horses, and Numerous Points that all who are Interested in Horses Should Know About. ^U"-^ ■ .u NEW YORK: STREET & SMITH PUBLISHERS, 31 Rose Street. ^ \ \ .R^^ Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1891, By Street & SiMiTH, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. CONTENTS. PAGE. Kiding 5 Riding Schools and Elding Masters 6 Eiding Dress 7 What to Eide 8 Choice of Horse 9 To Mount 9 Dismounting 13 The Seat 13 How a Lady Should Sit in the Saddle 15 To Hold the Eein 16 The Foot in the Stirrup 19 The Starting 19 The Walk 19 To Trot 20 Canter 21 The Gallop 22 General Directions 22 Good Hands 24 Pulling Horses 25 Vicious and Eestive Horses 27 Whip and Spur 82 Talk to Your Horses 34 The Spur in Extremity 34 Leaping 35 CONTENTS— {Continued.) The High Leap 37 Flying Leap 38 Crossing Water and Swimming a Horse 39 In Hunting 40 Biding to Hounds 40 Girls on Hyrseback 42 Driving 43 Preliminary Lessons 44 Starting 45 The Eule of the Koad 47 Have the Harness Fit 48 Turning Corners 49 Up and Down Hill 49 Bad Drivers 5o The Whip 51 Driving a Pair 52 How to Cool Out a Trotter 53 For Balky Horses 54 Look After Your Horses' Feet 55 Blood Will Tell 58 Trials of the Horse Buyer 59 Is it Wrong to Speed Colts ? 60 How to Oil a Harness 61 Why Miiles are Stronger than Horses 62 Visit Your Stable in the Morning 63 Riding and Driving. RIDING. The saying that whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well, is especially true of riding and driving. The horseman has to study not only the comfort of his horse and himself, but his safety as well ; while in driving, the lives of others are constantly committed to the care of the driver. It fol- lows, therefore, that one should spare no pains in acquiring a correct style. A well- known colonel, who wrote a book on horse- manship, and was one of the finest horsemen ever seen, was accustomed to assert that good riding, besides being much more com- fortable, was a great deal easier to learn than bad riding ; and there is much truth in the remark. It is with the object of helping the aspirant to equestrian honors to acquire a correct style that we put this little book into his hands. As far as possible all technical words have been avoided, and, if literary style is sometimes sacrificed, it is with the aim of making the directions clear. We would ask the reader to thoroughly master one section before he passes on to EIDING AND DEIVING. the next, feeling assured that, if he does so, the rules given for his guidance will enable him to avoid many of the faults that mark the riding of so many, even in the hunting field. RIDING SCHOOLS AND RIDING MASTERS. Although a plainly written book is, if properly made use of, of considerable value, it cannot, of course, quite take the place of oral instruction. But parents are warned against intrustmg children to the teaching of persons having no qualifications for the work they undertake. The ordinary groom or coachman is seldom an efficient teacher, because he has rarely been properly taught himself. Should he have served in a cavalry regiment, or have been an appren- tice in a racing stable, his instructions will be the better worth having. It may be ob- jected that the styles of the jockey and the soldier are not only widely dissimilar one from another, but that they also differ from ordinary civilian riding in many particulars. So they do when the elementary stage is passed, yet, at the outset, both will be able to show the novice the proper position of the arms, legs, and body, which is the founda- tion of all good riding. An inclosed riding school is an excellent place in which to take the preliminary les- sons. The horses upon which beginners are mounted are perfectly quiet ; their is nothing to frighten them out of their propriety; the pupil is under the eye of an instructor during EIDING AND DRIVING. 7 the whole of the lesson ; and the beginner can hear the directions given to others, and see the faults they commit. The quietude of a school gives confidence to the beginner, and lastly, a dozen lessons or so, do not cost much money. We may repeat, however, that a good school should be selected. The teaching of some so-called riding masters is worth very little. RIDING DRESS. Every one who rides should wear merino or silk undergarments, those fitting tight to the leg, are best. To dispense with under- garments is to run the risk of getting the skin rubbed off. The trousers should be of tweed ; loosely woven and fluffy materials are not only uncomfortable, but speedily wear out. A boy living in the country will probably be put into breeches as soon as he has mastered the elements of horsemanship, and these articles of attire should be made to fit tightly below the knee, and for about three inches above it; they should then become loose, and there should be plenty of length from the knee to the thigh. Nothing is so uncomfortable to ride in as breeches which become tight as soon as the leg is bent, as in riding. The hat should fit exacty ; if too large oi^ too small it will blow off, and danger may\ result. During the hunting season, not many years ago, a gentleman lost his life through his horse becoming frightened when his hat blew off. Should a felt hat be worn, a fastener should be fixed in the brim 8 ErDING AND DRIVING. at the back, and to this a guard should be affixed. The best kind are the short ones, which have a spring hook which fastens to the loop at the neck of the jacket. Should the guard be a long one, it must be passed through the loop in the jacket, and then brought round to the waistcoat buttons. The best gloves to wear riding are those known as dogskin ; they should be one or two sizes larger than those worn generally. WHAT TO RIDE. The horse is a highly-sensitive, intelligent creature, whose eyes, abnormally enlarging objects, cause him to see exaggeratedly, so that he acquires familiarity with persons and things ; this defect impairs his utility. The close contact of rider and steed — for the perfect cavalier should become as one with his mount — so shares their feelings that the horse of a timorous youth will never show pluck, while a fearsome animal, on the contrary, will achieve wonders if ridden boldly. To obtain this reliance from the inferior being, a long acquaintance is desirable, but much can be done by a consistency of firm- ness in rule, tempered only by such petty caresses and dainties and loosenings of the rein as will not throw a doubt on the per- manence of the subjection. If you are brought up among horses, you will have learned to ride bareback and with halter, if not the mane only ; however, you may not have this advantage, in which EIDING AND DRIVING. 9 event you must all the same learn that the holding on is by the legs partially encir- cling the horse's barrel, the best horsemen becoming bow-legged as you may have ob- served in the West among the cowboys, and even our city grooms and jockeys. Stirrups and reins may fail, but you will always have the horse's body between your legs to se- cure your seat. There are a few technicalities which you will have to know, and we may as well get through with them at the start. CHOICE OF HORSE. As spirited horses can only be managed by professional riders, or very experienced amateurs, and as full-grown horses are too powerful for youths, ponies are recom- mended to our readers, though they need not go to the extreme of getting a toy Shet- lander, which, if tired, can be taken up under one arm and carried home. TO MOUNT. The beginner is usually directed to stand at the shoulder of the horse, with his face toward the tail, and, while in that position he is told to place his left foot in the stirrup. When this plan can be followed out there is no better one, as the rider is out of the way of the left hind leg of the horse should he make a forward kick; while when the foot is in the stirrup there will be less hopping 10 BIDING AND DKIVING. about on one leg required before the rider gets his right leg off the ground. But this method of mounting, although correct cannot be adopted by a short rider who has to mount a tall horse. Assuming, however, that the horse and his rider are so far matched in size as to permit of the latter standing at the shoulder, the pupil should first take up the reins in his left hand and wind a lock of the mane round his thumb ; this will prevent him from hurting the horse's mouth should he lose his balance and steady himself with the reins. Still facing the tail, place the left foot in the stirrup spring off the ground with the right leg, and as you rise place the right hand on the cantle (the back part) of the saddle. When you are standing in the stirrup with the right foot close to the left and both legs straight, wait a moment; then remove the right hand from the cantle, throw the right leg over the saddle, and sink lightly into your seat, taking care not to come into the saddle with a jump. During the early practice you may find it necessary to bring the right hand to your assistance in order to find the off (the right) stirrup. To do this take hold of the stirrup leather and turn the forward edge backward; this will bring the stirrup-iron at right angles to the horse's body; and in that position it will be easily found by the foot. After a little practice on horseback the foot will gain the stirrup without assistance from the right hand. The pupil may here be told that should he lose his stirrups at any time, it is only neceS' sary to turn the toes inward so as to strike RIDING AND DRIYING, 11 the afterbar of the stirrup ; this will cause it to swings round and the foot will fall into it without effort. Dropping and regaining the stirrups should be practiced at the walk, trot, and canter. If, however, the disparity in size between the horse and his rider be too great to per- mit of his mounting while standing at the shoulder, he must stand behind the stirrup, near the horse's flank. From this position he will be able to raise his foot much higher than when standing at the shoulder. It is very useful to be able to mount with- out stirrups, and as the feat is not difficult for anyone with a moderate amount of activity, it may easily be acquired. Hav- ing taken up the reins, and woven a lock of the mane round the left thumb, take fast hold of the mane and neck with the left hand. With the right hand catch hold of the edge of the off side of the saddle, and, standing facing the horse, try how high you can jump, using the arms to aid you in ris- ing. After a little practice, you will be able to raise yourself so high that you can straighten the arms, and support yourself just as though you had used a stirrup, and were about to throw your right leg across the horse. Being in this position, lean for- ward, press on the arms, and throw the right leg upward and over the saddle, at the same time removing the right hand. As you gain proficiency, the interval between springing up to the requisite height and throwing your leg over should become shorter and shorter, until the whole process of mounting becomes practically one motion. 12 BIDING AND DRIVING. When you can mount a horse standing still, try it while he is in motion, and you will find it still easier ; it is easiest of all while the horse is cantering. Should you, while the horse is moving, fail to spring into the saddle, just come down on to your feet on the ground. Do not release your hold on the mane, but make use of the right hand to govern the reins ; take a few strides along- side the horse and try again. Children and small boys should never be allowed to mount wide, thickset horses or ponies. To cause them to stretch their legs too wide apart not only prevents their hold- ing on properly, but is attended with danger besides. Children who begin to ride almost as soon as they can walk usually begin on a donkey, or very small pony ; but assuming the beginner to be about ten or eleven years of age, it is better that his pony should not be too small — one about thirteen hands (there are four inches to a hand) will be a good height. To commence with anything smaller will be to grow accustomed to a short, fidgety kind of action that the rider will not experience when he comes to mount a full-sized horse. It is important that the confidence of a beginner should not be shaken at the out- set ; so children's ponies should be kept well exercised, and not too highly fed. They should, of course, be good-tempered and quiet to begin with. RIDING AND DBIVING. 13 DISMOUNTING. In dismounting, rein in the horse, keeping a firm hold on his bit, place the right hand on the crupper, disengage the right toot and throw the leg over the animal, and come lightly to the ground ; then withdraw the left foot, being careful not to let the horse have his head in the meantime. THE SEAT. The seat must be natural, in so far as there must be no putting yourself into any stiff attitudes; but it must not be slovenly. It is almost impossible to give the inex- perienced rider any rules for determining the proper length of the stirrup, because so much depends upon circumstances, whether, for instance, the rider have long, thin legs, or short and round ones ; whether the pony be wide or narrow. As a rule, however, an approximation may be gained by standing at the side of the horse, opposite to the spring bar on the saddle on which the stir- rup leather goes. Place the tips of the fin- gers of the right hand on the stirrup leather on the top of this bar, and with the left hand raise the stirrup iron to the arm-pit ; in the majority ofcases the stirrups will be of the right length when the leathers are long enough to permit of the thread of the stirrup iron coming to within about two inches of the body. U EIDiNG AND DEIVINO. Before the pupil tries to determine the length of his stirrups, however, he had bet- ter first gain his saddle, and then let out or take up the stirrups until the thread of the stirrup iron just reaches the inner ankle bone. Should the conformation of the rider require it, the stirrups may be taken up another hole. Although nothing is more un- gainly than a boy or man riding with his knees drawn up through his stirrups being very short, the novice may here be warned against riding with them too long. If, when the rider stands in his stirrups, he cannot clear the pommel of his saddle by a good inch and a half, or two inches, his stir- rups will be too long. In adjusting the stir- rups in this manner, place the feet "home" in the stirrups, that is to say, as far as they will go. The reason for so doing is because they will then not be too long when the pupil rides with the ball of the foot only in the stirrup. Remember that when you ride with your feet " home" in the stirrups, 3^ou win need the latter one hole shorter than when you ride with the ball of the foot in them, and vice versa. Now, having adjusted the stirrups to the proper length, place the feet in them as far as possible parallel to the sides of the horse (the toes should only turn out a very little), and draw back the heels until the leg, from the knee downward, is quite straisrht, and the heel almost in a line with the shoulder. Be sure never to ride with the feet thrust out in front, that position being both ugly and unsafe. Throw the shoulders back; look straight between the horses' ears ; keep lilDING AND DEIVING.' IS the hands about four inches from the body, and quite low down; the hands should almost touch the horse's withers (the part of him immediately in front of the pommel of the saddle). HOW A LADY SHOULD SIT IN THE SADDLE. A safe and easy seat in a saddle is when the lady has a good balance, and follows the motion of the horse, especially the right position and use of her right leg. The rider should sit in the middle of the saddle with her body in a natural, unaffected, flexible posture, not hanging to either side or lean- ing back. The upper part of the arm should hang loosely by the side, with the lower part held in such a way that the hands stand a little lower than the elbows, and the width of a hand from the body. The head to be kept in a natural position — for everything that is natural is graceful. That the lady can have a true seat, or, what that means, is : To stay in the saddle without losing her balance by the horse's different motions. This is accomplished by a firm hold with the right leg around the upper pommel, the lower part of the right leg to hang perpendicular. Do not poke the right foot toward the horse's neck, as the rider loosens her hold, because it opens the angle of the right knee around the pommel. The left leg is held under the lower pom- mel, hanging down in a bent position in such a way that an imaginary line from the shoulder should fall through the hip and 16 HIDING AND DEIVING. meet the foot a little back of the heel, rest- ing the ball of the foot in the stirrup-plate with a loose, elastic ankle-joint, and the heel pointed a little downward ; do not draw back the heel to the horse's side, which many ladies do in galloping, as it irritates a spirited animal. The length of the stirrup depends on which gait is wanted ; in trot- ting, have the stirrup never so short that the lower pommel prevents the rising to the trot — in the close seat to the trot a little longer stirrup is advisable, but for running and jumping shorten the stirrup so that the left leg gets a support from the lower pom- mel — especially in leaping — as it prevents the lady from being thrown forward, and therefore is this lower pommel in the old country called the leaping horn. There is no more pleasant sight than to see a lady sit in the natural position, and by an easy guiding show her mastership over the horse and contidence in herself, but I do not like to ride behind a horse where the rider is all over the saddle, and looks as if she might fall otf at any moment. Such riders can only thank the good nature of our American horses that they do not meet with an accident. TO HOLD THE REIN. This can be best learned w^iile yet dis- mounted. We will begin with a snaffle, or single bridle. Hang one of these on a peg, or take a piece of string, and tie the two ends to a chair. Then pick up the reins with the right hand, and insert the little, KIDING AND DRIYING. 17 third and second fingers of the left hand be- tween the right and left reins ; the ends will then be over the fore-finger, where they sliould be pressed by the thumb after the reins have been drawn to an even length. The first two fingers of the right hand should then take hold of the right rein close to the left hand, so that both hands will be em- ployed. Persons who habitually ride with one hand only, rarely sit straight in their saddles. Bringing their left hand forward generally causes them to bring their left shoulder forward as well; and, instead of looking straight between their horses' ears, they look to the right of the right one. The effect of this incorrect position is to bring the left leg in advance of the right, and so to destroy the balance to a certain extent. "When the pupil has acquired some pro- ficiency, it will not always be necessary for him to ride with two hands, but, for the reasons just given, he should commence in the strictly right way. When a double bridle (snaffle and curb) is used, there will be four reins in the rider's hand. With our bridle still on the peg, take up the snaffle rein, which is the top one, with the right hand, and place the third finger of the left hand between the two reins. Next take up the curb rein, the lower one, and separating the reins with the fingers of the right hand, place the left rein outside the little finger of the left hand, and the right rein between the first and second fingers of the left hand. You will then be holding the curb rein in the same manner in which you held the snaffle, when riding with that alone, 18 EIDING AND DKIVING. viz. : with the little, third and second fingers inside it. But you will have the snaftle rein on the third finger, so, as you look at your hand with the back held uppermost, the left curb rein will be outside the little finger ; the left snaffle rein will be between the little and third fingers ; the right snaffle rein be- tween the third and second fingers; and the right curb rein between the second and first fingers. Other methods besides those given above are in vogue for holding the reins. When riding with the snaffle alone, some persons insert any one finger alone between the reins; others insert two. Then, in using the double-reined bridle, the position of the reins, as given above, is sometimes reversed, the snaffle reins being outside, and the curb reins inside. Others, again, hang the curb on the little finger, and insert the second finger between the two snaffle reins. The methods we have advised for holding the reins are those most usually adopted, and in our opinion, they are the best. When the snaffle is carried inside the curb, there is more difficulty in loosening it than when it is held oil our plan ; and when it is on the little finger the reins are not so well under command, nor can the reins be crossed so easily. Although the beginner has already been instructed how to hold the reins, it will really be better for him during his first few rides to have a snaffle only, and to ride with one rein in each hand. By so doing he will keep his balance better. Now draw up the reins gently, until you just feel the horse's RIDING AND DRIVING. 19 mouth, press your legs slightly, and the groom in attendance will start the horse. THE FOOT IN THE STIRRUP. Being in the saddle and properly placed, if you turn the toe a little inward, a slight stroke of the iron will make it swing round sufficiently for the insertion of the foot. Some riders will persist in thrusting the foot in to the very instep, which, of course, is tempting a fatality in case one is thrown, even though they were "safety" stirrups. Others insinuate the toe daintily, so that they could not rise in the stirrups, from the inability to sustain their weight. The proper point to rest is rather out than in along the cross-line from the root of the small toe. THE STARTING. At whatever pace you intend to pursue your course, start slowly, and increase the pace until you attain that desired. Too fast a start will cause your steed to be blown. THE WALK. When the horse takes his first step do not heed the sensation that you are going to fall on one side. Keep the legs to the sides, and in a hundred yards you will feel quite se- cure. When you wish to turn right or left, pull the right or left rein, and do not, in 20 BIDING AND DEIVING. turning to the right, press the near (left) rein on the near side of the horse's neck. Nor must you in turning pull the hand away from the body in the direction toward which you desire to turn. Very little pres- sure at all will be required, but little as it is the hand must be drawn toward the waist- coat buttons, and not on one side. After having had some walking practice, the next thing is TO TROT. To change from the walk to the trot press both legs, raise the bridle hand for an in- stant ; and, if necessary, tap the horse gently once or twice with the whip. To adapt him- self to the action of the trot will be the severest trial the pupil has yet had. He must not be disheartened, though ; he must remember that there was a time when the finest and boldest horseman alive ex- perienced the same difficulty as he does. Begin at quite a slow trot; keep the knees into the saddle ; press somewhat on the stirrups and rise as the horse begins the pace, sinking gently down as he completes it ; and then rise and fall again. Beware of the temptation to lean forward in the trot; sit as uprightly as possible, or else should the horse stop or stumble you are very likely to fall over his head. Remember also to keep the legs close to the horse's sides, as nothing is worse than to see a rider's legs swaying about while his horse is trotting. In rising in the trot, moreover, it is not necessary to make any violent attempts to RIDING AND DRIVING. 21 leave the saddle ; to do so is to run the risk of being told by rude boys that you are "riding faster than your horse." The rising is accomplished merely by a little pressure of the legs and of the feet on the stirrups. To instruct the pupil how to make his horse CANTER Is not easy, because comparatively few ponies are well broken enough to obey the aids, and of course a beginner would not know what they are, or how to apply them properly. Let him, however, put more pressure on the reins than when trotting, and unless the horse be a very free goer, touch him on the right shoulder with the whip, and on the left side with the left heel. This will, or should, make him begin with the right leg — leading with the off leg it is called. Having induced the horse to canter, slacken the hold on the reins so as to use no more force than is absolutely requisite. Sit well up, and again remember to keep the legs and feet still. In cantering straight along a field it is proper for the horse to lead with the off leg ; but in cantering in a circle, he must lead it with the inside leg. For example, in cantering to the right, lead with the right leg; in cantering to the left, lead with the left leg. Should the young rider find, while canterng in a circle, that the pony is not leading with the inside leg, he should pull him to a trot or walk, and start again, persevering until he succeeds in bringing about the desired end. If a 22 BIDING AND DEIVING. horse leads with the outside leg in cantering in a circle, he is liable to cross his legs and give the rider a bad fall. THE GALLOP Is said by some to be only a fast canter ; but it is really a distinct pace, though with a description of the horse's movements in the paces it is inexpedient to trouble the be- ginner, who has enough to do for the present in mastering, the elements of horseman- ship. In galloping, the pupil must sit as still as he can, and take a rather tighter hold of his horse's head than when trotting or cantering, especially if the ground be soft. GENERAL DIRECTIONS. In the foregoing sections we have tried to lead the beginner step by step until we have accompanied him in outline on the first few rides. In his early lessons, if he does not begin in an inclosed riding school, a groom will probably lead his horse. It is often the practice for grooms to lead it by the bridle ; but the practice is a bad one for two reasons. In the first place, when the atten- dant pulls the bridle, he is not unlikely to flisturb the balance of the rider by pulling him forward or sideways. Secondly, a novice cannot understand too soon the effect on the horse's mouth of the pulling at the reins. This he cannot perceive so long as the groom holds the reins near the bit. The RIDING AND DEIVING. 23 leading rein should be a distinct one, fastened to the ring" of the bit. As the pupil gains skill and confidence, the groom may hold the leading reins at the end, so that the pony trots in a circle round him. This will be excellent practice for the beginner ; but the direction should be changed every few minutes. Pupils are often advised to ride in a sad- dle witout stirrups in order to grip with the jlegs. We counsel them to do nothing of the [kind, as the practice often leads to a rup- jture. When they have acquired some power |in the saddle it may be indulged in to a •limited extent, but certainly not while the beginner is rolling about in the saddle. It 'will be, however, an excellent plan to ride bareback, or on a cloth, for a short time now and then, as the rider will see the impor- tance of holding on with his legs, when he no longer has the assistance of the stirrups. At the same time, when riding in a saddle in the ordinary way, it is not to be expected that the horseman is to grip with all his might during the continuance of the ride. To do so would be to undergo as much fatigue in half an hour as should suffice for a whole day. As the pupil gains ex- perience, he will find his muscles gain in strength, and will instinctively acquire the knack of instantaneously gripping the sad- dle when occasion for so doing arises; when, for instance, the horse shies, stum- bles, kicks, or plunges. A secure, firm seat is not only indispensable to keep the rider from falling off, but it is necessary for the attainment of 24 RIDING AND DRIVING. GOOD HANDS, A quality that every horseman should try to cultivate. It is difficult to define the term "hands," as the horseman under- stands it. A man with good hands appears to control the horse without any exertion ; he exercises over his bearer a kind of magic influence, which causes horses to go quietly with him, although in the hands of less skill- ful men they may pull or become restive. To a great extent the possession of hands is a gift ; it is born in a man like an ear for music, though, as with the latter, much can be acquired by attention and practice. One golden rule is never to apply more force to the reins than is absolutely neces- sary. In walking, trotting, or cantering always try how little restraint you can do with. Begin by just feeling your horse's mouth, and if you keep him at the required pace with that gentle pressure, be careful not to pull one ounce harder at him. In gal- loping, as we have already said, your horse will need a little more holding together. If, while riding with this light touch, your horse should break into a quicker pace through being startled by a bird flying out of a hedge, by a dog barking at his heeJs, by someone riding or driving past you, or by any other cause — never make a frantic clutch at the reins, and so hurt your horse's mouth. Apply more force gradually, and as soon as you have succeeded in restrain- ing your horse, gently relax your pull, until KIDING AND DRIVING. 25 you are again riding with a light touch on his mouth. To do all this will be impossible without a firm seat. In other words, the seat must be entirely independent of the reins; the latter must never be employed as a support. "Riding the bridle," as it is termed, is not horsemanship. Unless the pupil has accus- tomed himself from the outset to depend for support upon the his legs only, he will, whenever the horse shies or makes the least bit of a plunge, grab at the reins as at a handrail, and away will go good resolu- tions, "hands" and all. Of course, during his novitiate in the saddle, a beginner will not be able to sit a plunging horse ; but, when riding, let him never forget to use as little pressure as possible. PULLING HORSES. Some horses and ponies there are that will not be restrained in this gentle fashion. Sometimes they will pull through eager- ness, sometimes because they have been ridden by persons who have kept up one dead pull at them from the beginning of a ride to the end ; a practice that in course of time has the effect of deadening the horse's mouth, and making it insensitive to delicate handling. Never attempt to ride a puller with one hand. Take a slightly shorter hold of the reins, with the left reins in the left hand, and the right ones in the right. Play with the horse's mouth, not by sawing the reins violently, but by taking a pull and 26 EIDING AND DEIVING. then yielding; tighten first one rein and then the other ; but never, as we said be- fore, keeping up a dead pull, which only makes a horse the more ungovernable. When the pupil conies to gain experience, he will find that there are two kinds of pullers. The first sort are those heavy- headed horses whose mouths have no more sensibility than a board; and whose con- formation causes them to hang heavily on the hand. These require not only good hands, but a certain amount of physical strength also, and are, as a consequence, unfitted for learners or boys. The second class are what may be termed tender- mouthed pullers ; they will pull by fits and starts, but chiefly when ridden in company with other horses. The less force you em- ploy with these the better. You will gradually learn to anticipate the moment at which the horse will take hold of his bit; and an ounce of pressure, at the right mo- ment, is worth half a ton of pulling after- ward. These light-mouthed pullers gener- ally throw their heads about a good deal as soon as ever the pressure of the bit is brought to bear upon their mouths. The rider should, therefore, be careful that the reins are so held that they can slip through tlie fingers, if necessary, otherwise he may be pulled over the horse's head. Another thing to remember is to keep the hands as low as possible, and to draw the heels well back. Avoid, too, riding only on the curb, and bear in mind that when you raise the hands you necessarily tighten the curb rein. You can prove this by the simple experi- RIDING AND DRIVING. 27 ment of holding the reins so that the curb rein is rather loose. Just raise your hands, and you will see that the more you raise them, the looser the snaffle becomes, and the tighter the curb gets. VICIOUS AND EESTIVE HORSES. In the common acceptance of the term, a horse is said to be vicious when he tries to hurt either his attendant or rider by biting, kicking, etc., but jibbing, shying, kicking, etc., are also vices, and when indulged in on the road, or in the field, the horse is said to be vicious or restive. The pupil will not always ride the quiet horse on which he gained his first ex- perience; and, as his subsequent mounts may occasionally give him some trouble, one may here direct his attention to some of the forms of restivenes and vice he is likely to meet with. Rearing is a dangerous vice, when a horse indulges in it to any extent, and no beginner should ever be allowed to mount a horse that rears at all. A horse generally rears during a fit of temper. When the rider comes to a turning, the horse may show an inclination to take one road, while his rider wishes to go by the other. If a horse is inclined to rear, he will do so as soon as he feels the pressure of the bit, on an attempt being made to turn him. Whether the horse rears straight up, or only a little, the novice must on no account pull at the reins, the effect of so doing being 28 EIDING AND DEIVING. to pull the anmial over backwards, when he is as likely as not to crush the rider beneath him. Directly you feel the horse rear, drop the reins at once, lean well forward, and, if you require any extra support, catch hold of the mane. Just as the fore feet are about to touch the ground, pull one rein, and apply the opposite heel, so as to make the horse move his hind legs, for remember, a horse can never rear so long as his hind legs are in motion. The best advice, however, that can be given is "Never ride a rearer at all." In some cases the vice can be cured, but only by first rate horsemen, with more nerve and presence of mind than is pos- sessed by the average rider. Kicking is sometimes the result of in- herent vice; sometimes it arises from "tick- lishness," as we call it, brought about by a bad fittting saddle. It is not difficult to sit a kicker after a very little experience. It is only necessary to ke^p a firm grip Avith the legs, and to tlirow the body well back every time the horse kicks. The beginner must remember that a horse can kick high- est when he is free to get his head between his fore legs. Therefore, on the slightest symptom of a tendency to kick being ob- served a rein should be taken in each hand and, by working first one and then the other the horse's head should be kept up as much as possible ; only the rider must take care that in his steed's endeavors to get his head down he, the rider, is not pulled for- ward over the horse's head. Shying is sometimes the result of defec- tive sight ; sometimes of nervousness ; or in EIDING AND DRIVING. 29 very rare instances it is a form of vice. It is an inflexible rule never to whip or spur a shying horse. In shying your horse will either dart from one side of the road to the other but away from the object at which it shies ; or else he will stop short and decline to pass it. In the former case there is nothing for the novice to do beyond taking care that he is not thrown by the sudden jump to one side. The opposite rein should of course be pulled so as to keep the horse on the road as much as possible. The other form of shying will tax the rider's seat some- what more severely. Very often the horse will stop suddenly, whip short round, and gallop off in the opposite direction. A sud- den stop followed by an instantaneous change of front is one of the incidents of riding that offers the greatest difficulty to an inexperienced horseman. Should the horse come to a stop without turning round the rider's first efforts should be directed to prevent him going round subsequently. Most books direct the rider to induce his horse to walk up to the object at which he shies, and to smell it. This is excellent ad- vice to the horsebreaker, but not to the be- ginner, who should run as few risks as pos- sible. We would, therefore, counsel and induce the rider to get his horse as quickly as possible on the opposite side of the road to that on which the terrifying object is, and then to coax his horse, or urge him by a pressure of the legs to proceed. Be careful, however, not to hold the horse so tightly as to prevent him going forward. Bolting or Running Away. — Among 30 EIDING AND DEIVINO. i people unaccustomed to horses this is spoken of as a common vice, whereas, in truth, it is an exceedinlgy rare one. It is true, horses sometimes run away when left unattended; but on the road it is comparatively seldom that any ordinary quiet horse attempts to bolt. When a party of riders are galloping over turf, a horse will, through sheer exu- berance of spirits, pull somewhat, and if a nervous, weak rider be in the saddle, this miay sometimes amount to running away. Should, however, the rider, from whatever cause, find that his steed is getting the bet- ter of him, the first thing is to retain his presence of mind. There is no danger in mere pace, so long as there be room to gal- lop. If the horse runs away on the road, take a shorter hold of the reins ; do not keep up a dead and continued pull at the mouth (for that will only tire the rider, and make the horse's mouth insensitive). Take a rein in each hand, and take a pull between the strides; that is to say, after the horse has propelled himself by his hind legs. The horse's mouth may be sawn, if necessary, by pulling first on one rein and then on the other; meantime, the hands should be kept low. Should the horse run away on the road, the rider's attention should be _ as much directed toward guiding as stopping him. If he knows the coun-try, he should endeavor to keep out of narrow paved roads or lanes that lead nowhere, or tliose leading to ponds, rivers, or canals. On those rare occasions on which horses do run away, only a strong rider will be able to have any power over them; and it may be said, in RIDING AND DRIVING. 31 conclusion, that an animal which has once bolted should never again be mounted by any but an accomplished horseman. Stumbling arises either from malforma- tion, such as straightness of shoulder; diseased feet ; legs that have suffei'ed from overwork, or from fatigue. In the latter case, it is best to get off and walk by the horse's side, or in front of him, with the reins over the arm. A horse with a straight shoulder should never be used for saddle work, but if the novice finds himself on such a one he will do well to ride at a moderate pace only ; to cause the bit to pla}^ on the horse's mouth, and to keep him on the alert by an occasional gentle application of the whip or spur. Horses with bad feet or legs — so bad at least as to cause them to stumble on the road — are but bad hacks at the best, and quite unsuited to the road, though many of them are good hunters when going on soft ground. The only thing to do is to avoid stones, to pick out the soft places at the sides of the road and not to hurry. Rubbing the rider's leg against a wall, is a trick horses learn very often. When you find your leg about to touch the wall, do not try to pull the horse's head away from the wall, but pull his head to it, and at the same time make use of the inside spur ; this will cause him to turn his hindquarters from the wall, and so free your leg. 32 KIDING AND DKIVING. WHIP AND SPUR. In the foregoing sections but little mention has been made of whip and spur. It has been assumed that the reader of this book is a beginner in the art of riding, consequently he has not been advised, should he find him- self on a stubborn or restive horse, to adopt quite the same course that would sometimes be proper were an experienced horseman in the saddle. Although the majority of horses and ponies are to be easily managed by kindness, force is sometimes necessary ; and when punishment has to be administered let it be done sharply. In ordinary road-riding the pupil must not get into the habit of perpetually fidget- ing his horse with his whip or spur. If the pony be lazy, he must of course, be kept up to his work ; but so long as he travels at the required pace, he should be neither struck nor spurred. How to discriminate between cases in which it is expedient to use punish- ment when temper is shown, and cases in which it is not advisable so to do, can only be learned by experience ; but, as a general rule, nervous horses should not be punished. Nearly all the bad habits horses become pos- sessed of are directly attributable to bad breaking, or bad management. If, there- fore, a new horse shows signs of temper, it is as well to be firm with him at the outset ; his former owner may have been too ner- vous to do anything but let him have his own way ; and, unless the horse be a down- BIDING AND DEIVINa 83 right bad-tempered one, the chances are that he will soon give In when he discovers his new rider is determined to be his master. In some cases the contest for supremacy may be more prolonged ; while in others it may be a long time before victory can be claimed, and then, perhaps, only after the infliction of a certain amount of punish- ment. As a rule, however, one would say, use the whip as little as possible. The riding-whip will be carried in the right hand, lash downwards ; but, when a hunting whip is used, it is commonly held with the hook of the handle downward; and it is grasped about six or eight inches below the loop, technically known as "the keeper," to which the lash is fastened. Young riders should never wear spurs. An ordinary riding-horse, free from vice, does not require them to be used once in a year: while if they are worn before the pupil has thoroughly mastered the art of keeping his legs in the proper position, he may spur his horse unintentionally, and thus provoke him to kick', plunge, or other- wise misconduct himself. When hunting, they are at times useful in the higher branches of horsemanship, with which we have nothing to do just at present; they are necessary as aids. For ordinary road rid- ing, however, they are useless, except when used by experienced riders to horses requir- ing special treatment. In conclusion it may be laid down as an inflexible rule that the young beginner must neither whip nor spur his horse without having some definite reason for so doing. 34 EtDING Am> DRIVING. TALK TO YOUR HORSES. People do not talk to their horses enough. Horses are highly intelligent, and while they cannot talk to you, seem to understand almost everything said to them. I have found by experience that a few words spoken kindly to a horse when frightened will very often do much toward quieting him, and upon a horse which is used to be- ing talked to, it will have a very good ef- fect. I firmly believe more can be accom- plished by the use of the voice than by the use of the whip and tugging at the reins. THE SPUR IN EXTREMITY. On all ordinary occasions the touch of the heel would be sufficient to impel the horse forward, but as a sluggard would get used to that and treat it as the peasants treated the cry of "Wolf!" the spur is necessary, as it might save a life at a pinch. Neverthe- less, it should always be used mercifully. In most cases the commencement of the action of spurring will start a steed, that action being to draw the foot backward and direct the toe downward which, of course, brings the rowell up and administers the punishment. KIDING AND DEIVING. 35 LEAPING. We must now assume that the pupil feels at home on his horse ; that he has to a cer- tain extent made his seat independent of the reins ; that he can rise in the trot with ease ; canter and gallop ; and sit his horse, should the latter now and then indulge in an unexpected little plunge. Having reached this stage of proficiency, the young eques- trian will probably begin to wish to follow the hounds with his father or elder brothers. Before doing so, however, he must learn to sit his horse over leaps of various kinds, as he will thereby learn confidence ; and, as in the hunting field there is a good deal to at- tend to besides mere jumping, it will be well to learn leaping in tlie quietier sphere of the riding-school or the home paddock. When practicable, we should recommend the rid- ing-school as the scene of the earlier at- tempts. In the first place, there is a soft substance to fall on; and, secondly, the horses used in those places for leaping les- sons are perfectly used to the work, and will of themselves teach the beginner a good deal. To'those, however, who live in the country, riding-schools are inaccessible, so the first requisite is a horse that will jump willingly in cold blood, without either dwelling at his leaps or rushing at tlieni at full speed. It is best to begin at a little ditch, because, while the pupil will experience something of the S6 BIDING AND DEIVING. sensation felt in taking a high leap, there will be less rise and fall than if the horse "jumps a bar or sloped hurdle. The first few attempts may be made over little grips only a few inches wide, just to give the pupil con- fidence ; after that, a ditch big enough to cause the horse to jump, if ever so little. At this he should be ridden at a trot. The re- sult of the first jump will probably be to send the rider's legs away from the horse's sides ; to cause him to lose his stirrups ; and not improbably to bring him on the horse's neck. There is no reason to be disconcerted at this partial failure. After two or three more attempts the beginner will succeed in sitting on the horse easily, and will quite enjoy the novel sensation. Then let him ride at a canter, and he will find that sitting on the horse will be easier than when jumping from a trot, because the horse will probably take the ditch in his stride. When riding at the leap, take both hands to the reins, keep a firm grip with the legs, sit upright, and, as you approach the ditch, take a light hold of the horse's mouth, but do not pull hard enough to check him, and make him refuse. As you feel him jump, lean back in the saddle, draw the heels slightly back, and on no account allow your legs to swing forward, as you throw the body back. To let them come forward in this manner is a very common fault indeed ; but, at the same time, a bad one ; it is both ugly, wrong, and unsafe. To guard against it, remember to press the legs to the saddle as you draw near to the ditch. As the horse takes off at the jump, give him his head, be EIDING AND DEIVING. 37 sure to keep the hands low, and as he lands feel his mouth again. THE HIGH LEAP. After a little practice at small ditches, the beginner will be in a position to try a high leap, which, in the first instance, may be a low leaping bar, a sloped hurdle, or a little furze and brushwood. In either case, how- ever, it need not exceed about eighteen inches in height. Start the horse at a trot about ten yards from the leap, and, when he takes off, be especially careful to sit well back; try and believe that you have to make your shoulders touch his quarters. At the same time, as when jumping the ditch, prevent his legs from swinging for- ward, and keep the hands low. It is by no means a bad plan, when riding at a leap, to separate the reins and, with the elbows to the sides, to keep the hands as far apart as the width of the body. When the horse rises to the leap bring the hands close to- gether; this gives the horse his head, by making the reins longer. Some people direct a beginner to lean slightly forward when the horse rises at a leap ; but this is bad advice. There is just a fractional part of a second during which a horse, while preparing to take a leap, may be said to be standing on his hind legs ; but the action of springing follows so quickly, and gives such a forward impetus to the rider, that, unless he sits well back at the outset, he will be leaning forward as the 38 EIDING AND DRIVING. horse lands, and will then be in danger of falling off, while the chance will be reduced to a certainty should the horse make the least mistake in landing. In riding, there- fore, at "flying fences," as hedges and ditches are called, the tyro will do well to regard the following as three cardinal rules to be scrupulously observed : 1. Sit well back directly the horse takes off. 2. Draw the heels slightly back, and do not allow the legs to swing forward. 3. Keep the hands duwn. As the pupil progresses, the height and width of the obstacles should be increased ; and, when a youth can sit with flrmness over a ditch six feet wide, and a hurdle or bar three and a half feet high, he will not find himself disconcerted by any bigger ob- stacle he may ride at. FLYING LEAP. The carriage of the body is the same as before, except that you sit well back over the steed, and when the landing is made you settle into your seat as for the gallop, the reins are loosed as he rises, and used afterward to guide him in the run. Voice, whip, and spur are not needed, and your leg pressure is rather kept up to make you be- come one with him than to have any other effect. After bar-practice, go at ditches and hedges, small and low at first. It ia the best practice to inculcate quick and accurate EIDING AND DRIVING. 39 falling into the proper seat, and true cal- culation of distances accomplishable. CROSSING WATER AND SWIMMING A HORSE. Few lads are likely to have occasion to cross a river too deep a.nd strong for ford- ing. That is done by the rider stripping and making a package of his clothes, which he secures on the saddle horns; then he takes to the water, urging the horse in be- side him, and continues thus, swimming with the left hand free, and the right one holding the bridle slack, and also grasping the mane or pommel. Sometimes, with a horse trained to obey the voice, the rider hangs on at the tail of the animal, out of the reach of its hoof strokes, and leaves the reins attached to the saddle bow. A ford is crossed by the rider leaving the stirrups and putting his legs up and outwards straight to clear the water if belly deep, or even by drawing the feet back if the dis- tance to traverse is immaterial. In riding the swimming-horse you get him gradually into the water, the reins well in hand to continue his confidence and en-, couragement given. ' Thehorse should be taken across diagon- ally ; do not attempt to go straight across. The horse's head must be kept against the stream, not with it ; you thus cut across up, not down, the river. If otherwise, the horse would be carried away by the current, and being frightened, he would flounder about 40 RIDING AND DKIVING. or roll over. If he becomes parted from you, reach shore on the same side as he is nearer, and call him into landing thither. Rest him before a fresh attempt. IN HUNTING The rider should generally shorten the stirrup leathers, and thrust the foot further home in the stirrups. RIDING TO HOUNDS. The practice over ditches and bars in the field will have accustomed the pupil to the motion of the horse in leaping, and, assum- ing the possession of fairly good nerves, the young horseman should not experience any very great diflficulty in riding over "natural fences," that is to say, the hedges and ditches that divide field from field. In rid- ing over the leaping-bar, the pupil will, no doubt, have showed that his horse has landed a few feet on the other side of the bar, and that, when he has ridden at a canter, the horse has covered more ground than when he has been ridden at the bar at a trot. Hence it follows that if, instead of grass there had been a ditch behind the bar and the spot on which the horse alighted, the horse would have jumped the bar and ditch as well. This should inspire confidence in the youth who is making his first appear- ance with the hounds ; for it is a fact that, if you ride at an ordinary hedge at a canter, RIDING AND DRIVING. 41 the pace of the horse will cause him to clear not only the hedge, but a decent-sized ditch as well. When, therefore, the rider sees no ditch in front of the hedge at which he is riding, he may be thoroughly certain that there is a ditch on the far, or, as it is gener- ally termed, the "landing" side; but, for the reason just stated, this need occasion no misgiving. When there is a ditch in front of the hedge, technically called "the taking off" side, it is not once in a thousand times that there will be a ditch on the far side. W^hen the ditch comes first, you need do nothing more than steady your horse, only be very careful not to pull at his mouth while he is jumping. If you do, you will cause him to jump short and get his hind legs entangled in the hedge, with the result that he may hurt himself by striking a stump, or get a needless number of thorns into his legs ; or, again, should the hedge be an unyielding one, checking him may be the cause of a fall. Following the hounds brings out all that is best, in a physical and moral sense, in a rider. The riding varies a great deal, ac- cording to the different countries and the direction the hounds may happen to take. Riders have merely to follow up the pack of hounds as closely as possible, taking care, however, to keep at a respectful distance from the dogs and the "whips." A rider should be careful (1) not to head the fox, (2) not to override the hounds, (3) not to halloo till the fox is fairly away. 42 RIDING AND DRIVING. GIRLS ON HORSEBACK. Of all forms of exercise none is better suited to girls than riding on horseback. Walking is apt to be very fatiguing, es- pecially to "divinely tall" maids now so common in our rising generation ; tricycling, with all its advantages, has a tendency to produce round shoulders and that develop- ment of the lower limbs which the late Charles Dickens happily described as "parenthetical legs." Rowing, good exer- cise though it may be, chiefly develops the upper part of the body, and cannot, more- over, be pursued at all seasons of the year. But riding is free from all these disadvan- tages; it can be enjoyed all the year round, in all countries and all climates where the horse can exist ; if moderately indulged iin, it gives exercise to most of the muscles of the body without fatigue ; and, further, the art of horsemanship, when fully understood and mastered, develops not only the bodily strength and health of the rider, but some of the best mental qualities, such as patience, courage, quickness, self-reliance, and self- control also. The question as to what age aur girls should begfin their riding lessons is o very vexed one. To acquire a really firm, easy seat, balance in the saddle, and that instinctive knowledge of the horse and his ways, which is the secret of good riding, from eight to ten years old is the best time for a girl who is fairly strong in nerve and health to begin to learn to ride. She may, BIDING AND DRIVING. 43 of course, sit on a pony- and be led about at an earlier age ; but this must not be under- stood as riding, which only begins when she takes the control of her pony into her own hands. Girls should not, if possible, receive their first riding-lessons from the inevitable coachman or groom, whose horsemanship has generally been more often acquired by chance practice and what is vulgarly known as "rule of thumb," than by any intelligible principles or theories ; but rather from their fathers, mothers, or some other grown up near relatives. The ring-lessons of little girls during the first year or so should not last more than from an hour to an hour and a half at a time, and the pace should be constantly varied between walk, trot, and canter, for in that way the child learns more quickly how to adjust her seat to the different movements of her pony, and also avoids unnecessary fatigue. DRIVING. Introductory Remarks. In some respects driving is easier than riding ; because the coachman has to con- tend with none of the difficulties incidental to keeping the seat on horseback. But driv- ing, nevertheless, presents difficulties of its own ; while, inasmuch as whoever drives a carriage is, more often than not, intrusted with the lives of others, driving can but be regarded as a work of great responsibility. Not only has the driver to regard the safety to life and limb of those persons in the 44 EIDING AND DEIVING. vehicle he is driving ; but also that of pedes- trians, and of persons driving in vehicles he may meet or overtake, any of whom may be injured by want of skill or forethought on the part of the driver. These considera- tions should have great weight with a youth who is likely to be intrusted with a horse and carriage, and should induce him to be careful to learn to become a coachman, and not a mere rein-holder, who is content to accomplish a journey simply more on ac- count of the forbearance of others than through his own skill. PRELIMINARY LESSONS. As with riding, the beginner should com- mence with some quiet horse, so that while he is learning how to sit, hold the reins, avoid other vehicles, and turn corners, his attention may not be distracted. The horse having been harnessed to the vehicle, the driver should walk to the off (right) side of the carriage, take the reins in his right hand, separating them bythe first and second fin- gers, and then mount, changing the reins to the left hand when he has taken his seat. Having done that, the next thing is to ar- range the rus: or apron with the right hand. When the reins are changed into the left hand they will be divided by the first and sec- ond fingers. The left arm must be kept close to the body, and the fore-arm (i. e., from the elbow to the wrist) should be across the body, witli the wrist bent so that the knuckles point to the front. Never keep KIDING AND DEIVING. 45 the hand stuck out in front, with the knuckles to the left, and the thumb up- ward. In that position there can be no flexibility of wrist, nor can the right hand come to the assistance of the left without disarranging the whole attitude. With fore- arm across the body, as directed above, the left hand will be put where the right can reach the reins. Now take the whip, which, in strict theory ought to be always held in the right hand and not left in the socket. To hold the whip properly, let it rest close to the root of the thumb, under the palm of the hand — never grasp it with the finger as you would an umbrella or walking-stick. If held thus — the only proper way — the fingers are no more confined than they would be if the whip were not in the hand at all. The first and second fingers will now be free to be placed on the right rein, where they should be kept. As a matter of fact, with a free-going horse, and on country roads, the whip is generally placed in the socket, and the left hand alone is used for the reins. This is, however, taking a liberty with the strict rules of driving. STARTING. Never be in a hurry to start. If you jump up on to the seat, start the horse be- fore you have fairly sat down, and drive awav, you will soon make the horse so fidgety that, as soon as he finds some one place their foot on the step, he will want to be off. Go to work, therefore, in a much 46 KIDING AND DRIVING. more deliberate fashion. Having settled yourself comfortably in your seat, let the groom start the horse by leading it off. This, it may be explained, is simply a direc- tion for the absolute beginner, in the event of his taking his first few lessons behind a horse not accustomed to stand still by itself. The young driver is strongly recommended, whenever he drives his own or his parent's horses, to practice the horse in standing by itself. It is enough, if, at first, the groom stands near the horse's head, but without holding him. By degrees he can stand more on one side, and then take up his posi- tion where the horse cannot see him. Before breaking off, however, we left the young coachman just making a start, the horse being led for the first few steps. It is better to walk out of the stable-yard ; but when once in the road the horse may com- mence to trot. As a rule he will do this on his own accord, or will need but slight en- couragement of the voice to do so. If he be of a more sluggish temperament touch him lightly with the whip. Do not, however, urge him to trot fast at first. By the time he has gone half a mile, the collar will have grown warm, and he will have settled down to his work. The remarks on "hands" apply equally to riding and driving. The young coachman must be careful not to use more force than is necessary, or to pull his horse about. With the reins and whip as before directed, proceed at a steady trot. Now is the time for him to remember illDING AND DElVlNG. 47 THE RULE OF THE ROAD, for he will not travel very far without meet- ing or overtaking another vehicle. In driving, as in riding, you keep to the left (near) side of the road. The "Rule of the Koad" is a paradox quite, To him who goes driving along, If he goes to the left he is perfectly right; Should he go to the right, he goes wrong. When you overtake another vehicle, you pass it on the right side, and then return to the left again as soon as you are well clear of it. There is, however, one exception to the rule that you must keep to the left on meeting other carriages. It is this : If you meet a groom riding one horse and leading another, he is sure to be leading the left horse ; in other words the led horse will be on the right, that is to say, on your left as you approach each other. Whenever this occurs, pull out to the right, so as to allow of the groom going to your left, in order that the led horse may be farthest away from your carriage. This is an important rule to remember, because a led horse will sometimes lash out with his hind legs at anything passing, and may injure either himself or you. The same rule should be observed when riding. 48 EIDING AND DRIVING. HAVE THE HARNESS FIT. If the owner took half as much pains to fit the harness to his horse or mule as he does to get a good fitting coat for himself, says an exchange, there would be fewer sores, scars, scabs, and hides with hair worn off. Harness is bought haphazard when it can be bought cheap at auction ; or, when there is immediate use for it, the purchase is made at a shop that doesn't keep an as- sortment ; so it happens that the animal, big or little, long or short, is put into a gear that pinches in one place and hangs loose in another. This is the way faithful, hard- working beasts of burden are treated. The privileged classes of horses that draw elegant carriages to show their speed to de- lighted owners and lookers-on, wear harness made to order, and made to fit, every strap of right length, in the right place ; especially the collar and hames conform to the neck and breast, bearing evenly on the parts that should sustain the pressure. Every work horse has an inalienable right to such harness when put to service; his owner can't afford to work him in a different kind. Very often the backpad, or parts that go over the back, is so short in plowing that there is a heavy pressure on the backbone, causing sores. The tortures of ill-fitting harness are intensified by the sun, dew, and rain, making it almost as rough and hard as if made of cast iron. Keep the harness out EIDING AND DEIVING. 49 of the wet as much as possible; keep it soft and pliable with neat's-foot oil, es- pecially the collars, which should be kept clean from dirt and hair. Remember, never fail to remember, that we are responsible to the working animals for their services. We can't pay all, but let us pay what we can in kindness and care for their wants. TURNING CORNERS Should be performed at a moderated pace. The sharper the corner the slower you should drive. On approaching the corner pull your horse to a slower trot, and take a wide sweep. By so doing you will be better able to see a vehicle coming from the op- posite direction, and, at the same time, you enable its other driver to see you, and so avoid a collision. When you are in a two- wheeled cart, never begin to turn too soon, as, besides risking a collision, you are liable to turn the cart over by getting the wheel onto a bank, or into a ditch. In driving UP AND DOWN HILL A good deal of judgment is required. Never press your horse when ascending a hill ; and should he be a free-goer inclined to trot, it is as well to restrain him, as it requires more exertion to trot half a mile against rising ground than to cover a couple of miles on the flat, unless of course the hill is of insignificant proportion. 50 EIDING AND DRIVING. Drive steadily down hill, especially down steep pitches, and in two-wheeled convey- ances. At the side of a country road there is often to be found sand, loose gravel, or broken earth. Take such a course as will admit of one of your wheels running over this loose ground, as it will act like a drag, and prevent the vehicle from leaning so heavily on the horse when going down hill ; but when going up hill, or on the flat, pick out the firmest portion of the road. When driving a four-wheeled carriage, particularly if it be at all heavily laden, take the precaution of putting on the skid when descending a hill that is in any way steep : but in any case pull up before you come to the brow of the hill, and go very gently for the first portion. As you get near the bot- tom the pace may be accelerated a little, and the impetus so obtained will carry the vehicle some way up the next incline, if there be one. But, to come off the crown of the hill at a fast speed, is only to court danger ; the carriage will gather way the further it goes ; will overpower the horses ; and may either cause them to come down, or halt. BAD DRIVERS. Bad drivers make bad horses. A horse cannot be screamed at and cursed without becoming less valuable in every particular. To reach the highest degree of value the horse should be perfectly gentle and reliable, but if it expects every moment that it is in harness to be scolded and struck, it will be BIDING AND DRIVING. 51 in a constant state of nervousness, and in its excitement is liable through fear to do something which is not expected. It is possible to train a horse to be governed by speaking to him, almost as completely as it is to train a child, and when thus trained the horse reaches its highest value. When a horse is soothed by the gentle words of his driver, and we have seen him calmed down from great excitement by no other means, it may be fairly concluded that he is a valuable animal for practical purposes, and it may be certainly concluded that the man who has such power over him is a humane man and a sensible one. THE WHIP. The best advice that can be given as to its employment is to use it as little as possible. Do not get into the habit of swishing it about, or of hitting a horse unnecessarily, as by so doing you will only irritate a ner- vous, plunging animal, and do no good to an idle one. Should your horse only require a gentle touch, either draw the point of the lash lightly across the back, or else with a very slight wave of the right arm, and a turn of the wrist, bring the lash down so that it touches the horse below the shaft and trace. When you find it necessary to hit the horse smartly, do not flick him with the whip, as though you w^ere trying to pick up something with the point of the lash ; nor, on the other hand, must you make a dead straight blow as though you were hitting a 52 BIDING AND DEIVING. nail with a hammer. Use the wrist as well as the arm, and so time the stroke that the force of it may be given with the point of the lash. Strike to hit the horse under the shaft, and never mark him'on the back ; this is a very uncoachmanlike practice. The be- ginner should also remember not to hit his horse nearer than he can help to the tugs, or any buckle, lest his whip get caught, when he will be in danger of breaking it. Should it become entangled, drop the point of the handle and shake it, by which means it will generally fall out of the catch. DRIVING- A PAIR. When the pupil has learned how to drive a single horse, he will experience very little difficulty in governing a pair. He must, however, remember that driving two horses does not merely consist in guiding them safely round corners and through streets. It is the duty of a coachman to see that both horses do their work in equal shares. This requires ,some practice, and makes driving a pair twice as difficult as driving a single horse. Until the beginner has gained suf- ficient experience to judge for himself, he must be dependent upon the groom for hav- ing the horses put properly together. RIDING AND DEIVING. 63 HOW TO COOL OUT A TROTTER. When the horse comes in from his work rub him all over, from his ears to his tail and clown to his knees, with wash as near the temperature of his body as possible. To make tliis wash take one part alcohol, two parts pure witch hazel and three or four times as much soft water as the combined quantity of alcohol and witch hazel. Every muscle should be rubbed thoroughly. Throw a medium weight blanket over the horse now, and let him stand until you have put the bandages on. Use the same wash for the legs as for the body, but have it cold. After putting the wash on the legs, rub them well with the palm of the hand, always rubbing down, never up. Put bandages on im- mediately after the rubbing. Rub all his heels perfectly dry with clean, dry rags; care should be taken in this, as cracked heels are very stubborn and often lay a horse up for the season. Throw the blanket back from his head and scrape out all the wash that remains. Most of it will have entered the pores of the body; cover up his shoulders and scrape the rest of the body; take a clean, dry rag and rub him all over lightly, always rub- bing with the hair as much as possi- ble; now put a light hood on him and an extra blanket over his loins, and after looking after his heels again walk him out for about five minutes, then bring him in, and should he have broken out any while 64 EIDING AND DEIVING. walking, scrape him again lightly, after which give him another light rubbing for say four or five minutes, when he should again be walked for about ten minutes and again taken in and rubbed slightly ; after which, put on lighter blankets and continue to reduce the weight as the heat leaves the body. FOR BALKY HORSES. Following are six rules for the treatment of balky horses, which are recommended by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Persons M^ho are unfortunate enough to own such animals are recom- mended to give one or more of these rules a trial : 1. Pat the horse upon the neck ; examine the harness carefully, first on one side and then on the other, speaking encouragingly while doing so; then jump into the wagon and give the word to go ; generally he will obey. 2. A teamster in Maine says he can start the most balky horse by taking him out of the shafts, and making him go around in a circle until he is giddy. If the first dance of this sort doesn't cure him, the second will. 3. To cure a balky horse, simply place your hand over the horse's nose, and shut off his wind until he wants to go, and then let him go. 4. The brain of the horse seems to enter- tain but one idea at a time; therefore, con- tinued whipping only confirms his stubborn resolve. If you can by any means give BIDING AND DEIVING. 55 him a new subject to think of, you will generally have no trouble in starting him. A simple remedy is to take a couple of turns of stout twine around the foreleg, just below the knee, tight enough for the horse to feel, and tie a bow knot. At the first cluck he will generally go dancing off, and after go- ing a short distance you can get out and re- move the string to prevent injury to the tendon in your further drive. 5. Take the tail of the horse between the hind legs, and tie it by a cord to the saddle girth. G. Tie a string around the horse's ear, close to the horse's head. LOOK AFTER YOUR HORSES' FEET. More good stock is ruined through bad shoeing than through any ailment to which horses are subject. To hammer an iron rim to a hoof is not all that is necessary, although many blacksmiths think that it is. As much care should be taken in shoeing a horse as in regulating the pendulum of a clock. This is more necessary, perhaps, in a trotting horse, which is very liable to in- terfere, strike and forge. Nine horses out of ten go lame through bad shoeing, and nine owners out of ten, while they will find fault if any part of the harness is awry, pay not the slightest attention to whether or not the shoes are on right. Horse-shoeing in recent years has been reduced to almost a science, and a careful shoer can correct imperfections of gait as 56 EIDING AND DEIVING. nicely almost as a machinist can regulate the balance wheel of his engine. In olden times, if a horse interfered, to make him throw his legs out the outside corks were lengthened and the plane of the poor beast's foot was placed at an angle causing him much pain and inconvenience, and often permanent injury. Nowadays a good black- smith so weights the shoe that when the horse throws out his leg a correct motion is obtained. Some horses travel best with a heavy shoe, others cannot carry a heavy shoe at all, and it is the duty of every horse owner to find out by experiment what kind of shoes his horse travels best with. Trotting horse- men appreciate the value of good shoeing, for it is known that on it depends much of the speed of the animal. A striking illustra- tion of this is Rarus, whose record was re- duced perhaps twenty seconds just through the attention given his feet by Splan. But aside from trotting stock good shoeing affects the welfare of roadsters and hacks. Many a horse tangles simply on account of ignorance in the construction and placing of his shoes, and many a man has become so discouraged that he has sold for a song an animal which, properly handled and shod, would have been almost invaluable. In an experience of many years the writer of this article has met but one stableman who had a proper knowledge of horses' feet, and while the others all claimed to be thorough horsemen, where the feet were in question they were ignorant. He once bought a horse that traveled in 2:50 with EIDING AND DEIVING. 57 boots. He wore twenty-two ounce shoes forward and ten-ounce behind. He traveled close and it was apparent that he was afraid to extend lest he should strike. His heavy- front shoes seemed to tire him, and he traveled so close behind that without boots on his ankles he would cut himself terribly when urged to any speed. His front shoes were changed for those weighing sixteen ounces and his hind shoes were made of twelve ounces with long heels on the out- side, and so weighted that the rim on the exterior half of the hoof weighed eight ounces, while the interior rim weighed but four ounces. In two weeks the horse gained such confidence in himself as to travel a mile in 2:40, and in a month trotted in 2:26 without touching anywhere. The value of the horse, which had been bought for $500, was thus increased to $3,(jOO and all because intelligence had been used in the shoeing. Leaving shoes on too long is also very bad for horses and causes much lameness. They should be removed at least once in four weeks. Horse owners should not trust the welfare of valuable animals to ignorant stablemen, and should at least once visit the blacksmith who does their shoeing and satisfy themselves of his intelligence and fitness. Nobody would send a chambermaid to speculate in stocks, and there is as little reason to intrust such valuable property as fine horses are to those who know little or nothing about them. 58 BIDING AND DRIVING. BLOOD WILL TELL. There are thirteen million horses in the United States, according to the latest census. Liiagine what a value we would create if we improved each one of this vast number of animals so that the individual Avas worth $50 more than he is. That is surely possible. Says Senator Stanford : " I am president of a street railroad in San Francisco, where we have hundreds of horses. The average life of our animals was three years. But one old horse stood that hard life nine years. His service was so exceptional I looked up his record. I hired detectives to trace him from one sale to another back to the man and farm that raised him. I found that his sire was a pedigreed horse ; his dam was of good blood though not standard. That ex- plained the superior usefulness of that horse to my mind. He had better bones in sub- stance, form and length, better muscles, better nerves, better heart, lungs and digestive organs, and he was worth $100 more on these accounts than any other horse we had. Now, I say that whether we raise horses for the plow or track, blood will tell and it is worth money. Electioneer earned $200,000 a year for me because he was a good horse. The old street car horse earned three times as much for us as his fellows be- cause he was a good horse. Each in his place proved a great truth, and it is time we knew all about it." EIDING AND DEIVING. 69 TRIALS OF THE HORSE BUYER. Few people who start out to buy horses ever succeed in finding exactly the "noble steed" their fancy pictured before they com- menced the hunt. Much, of course, depends upon the purpose for which the animal may be needed. If it is to be used for one specific purpose the difficulty in supplying the want is considerably reduced, and the buyer may fairly expect to find a horse possessing eighty or ninety percent of the qualities he desires; it seldom happens he gets more; the color may be a shade too light or dark ; he may be an inch more or less in size, have white or no white, tail thin or mane thick, head big or ears small, none of these de- ficiencies, perhaps of much moment, but still preventing the realization of the one hundred per cent of original expectations. It is, hoAvever, with that hete noire to the dealer — the family horse — that the greatest difficulty, and after the greatest disappoint- ment is met with, and generally fewer fancies satisfied than in any other class, if, this can properly be considered a class, con- sidering the many different duties it is called upon to perform. As a rule the man who needs a family horse keeps but one and that only in the summer. 60 RIDING AND DEIVING. IS IT WRONG TO SPEED COLTS? We are now fairly started in the experi- ment of colt racing, and will know in a few years whether the colt that is severely trained will mature into a sound and perfect horse. What the effect will be cannot as yet be accurately foretold. There is no doubt that many colts will be ruined by injudicious handling, but the same is true of many older performers. The tendency of the times is toward colt racing, and breeders, whether they favor it or not, are forced to follow the fashion if they wish to secure the richest prizes on the trotting course. There are several instances of horses training on from year to year from their two-year-old form, the most notable one perhaps being StambouLwho got a re- cord as a two-year-old of '-i: 37 1-2, and has reduced it each succeeding year, last season getting a record, as is well-known, in the remarkahle time of 3 : 11. Stamboul, though, in his two, three, and four-year-old forms could not be regarded as a sensational per- former. Sunol, however, has been a very remarkable record breaker, reducing the two, three and four-year-old records succes- sively, and there are many who believe that in her five-year-old form she will wipe out all previous records. There are many who believe that while it may not neces- sarily injure the animals while in train- ing, colts which have undergone the KIDING AND DEIVING. 61 severe preparation necessary to secure a low record, will not be as liable to "breed on" as those whose powers have not been so severely tried. We have not reached the stage when this question can be definitely settled, but Sable Wilkes, who lowered the three-year-old mark to 2:18 in 1887, and one of whose colts lowered the yearling record last year, would seem to prove that in his case at least there has been no such result. Patron at one time held the three-year-old stallion record and at eight years of age he was the sire of a two-year- old to beat 2:30. These two stallions are the only ones who got fast records at an early age that have as yet sired speed, but the others are young, none of them haying had a fair trial at the stud. Until it is clearly demonstrated to the contrary; we will believe that the surest way to get race horses is to breed fast mares to fast stallions and that the same rule will apply to early speed. HOW TO OIL A HARNESS. Take the harness to a room where you can unbuckle it, and separate the parts com- pletely. Wash each part well in luke warm water, to which has been added a little potash. Scrub well with a brush, until all grease and dust have been removed. Work the pieces well under the hand until they become supple. It won't do to oil until it becomes so. Let the ports dry in a place where they will do so slowly. When just moist, oil. For this purpose use cod liver 62 BIDING AND DRIVING. oil. It is the best for the purpose. Besides, if you were to use neat's foot, the rats and mice are your enemies at once, while they will not touch a harness oiled with cod liver oil. Give a good dose of oil to all parts, then hang up to dry. When dry rub well with a soft rag. WHY MULES ARE STRONGER THAN HORSES. The chief reason why a mule can nearly always wear out a horse, when it comes to a trial of endurance, is that the former always lies down to sleep, and the latter, in a large number of cases, sleeps standing up. The habit seems to come to horses which have been hurt, especially when in the stable, and they cannot be broken of it. Besides the absence of proper rest, and the constant danger of a heavy fall and consequent in- jury, this habit of standing up to go to sleep results in the giving way of the front knees, and gives the animal a prematurely aged and crippled condition. A walk through any large stable at night will show a number of horses standing up, but fast asleep, and whether these use three or four legs to stand upon, the knees of the fore legs are all baggy. With a mule, of course, it is quite different, for "Jack" lies down the moment he finds work is really over, and a somnambulist mule is seldom if ever met. KIDING AND DRIVING. 68 VISIT YOUR STABLE IN THE MORN- ING. Nothing in the ordinary surroundings of a horse can be so injurious as the absence of good ventilation. Any number of horses are kept in places where no ventilation ex- ists, and in many places where ventilators were put in by a well-meaning hand, one finds them stuffed up with hay and straw. Now, when it is remembered that a hurse breathes much stronger than a man, that the exhalations from his skin and elsewhere are so much greater than from any human being, it onl}^ stands to reason that ill-ven- tilated stables cannot possibly be preserva- tive of the horse's health, any more than a foul-smelling room would be of a human being's health. If a stable owner wants to know the atmosphere that his horses breathe, let him be the first man in the stable of a morning, when, unless his power of scent is all but gone, he will often have occasion to be horrified at the air his animals have to breathe. Free ventilation may at times have a tendency to cause colts to stare, but that is not half as bad as to undermine the horse's health by making him breathe foul air. Good light is likewise of great im- portance in the stable. Vegetation will die in the half -darkened room; it wants the sun's rays to keep up its vitality; the trees in the forests grow straight, so as to obtain their share of the light, and their lower 64 BIDING AND DRIVING. branches die off because the light does not penetrate to them. Is it reasonable to sup- pose that animal life can be deprived of the vitalizing influences of light with impunity? THE END. THE H/^j^lD-B00J\ I^IBI^/^I^Y. No. I— WOMEN'S SECRETS; or, How TO BE Beautiful. No. 2— MILL'S UNIVERSAL LETTER WRITER No. 3— HERRAIAN'S BLACK ART No. 4— SELECT RECITATIONS AND READINGS. 5— ZOLA'S FORTUNE-TELLER. 6— BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE. 7— ZOLA'S DREAM BOOK. . 8— THE MODERN HOYLE. . 9— HERRIMAN'S TRICKS WITH CARDS. . . No. lo— HELLER'S HAND-BOOK OF MAGIC AND ITS MYSTERIES No. II— THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 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