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HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP, 
 

 
I2HTS DM HORSE IB &MSMIP 
 
 
 

 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP, 
 
 & |iqpf)cto auO |itrte; 
 
 OR, 
 
 COMMON SENSE AND COMMON ERRORS 
 
 IN 
 
 COMMON RIDING. 
 
 AN OFFICER OF THE HOUSEHOLD BRIGADE 
 OF CAVALRY. 
 
 CWCW 
 
 LONDON: 
 EDWARD MOXON, DOVER STREET. 
 
 MDCCCXXXIX. 
 
 ( C.WjG.W^ 
 
Ft 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 BRADBL'RY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, 
 
 WHITEFRJARS. 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 . When you wish to turn to the right, pull the right rein 
 stronger than the left : this is common sense. The common 
 error is precisely the reverse : the common error is, when 
 you wish to turn to the right, to pass the hand to the right. 
 By this, the right rein is slackened, and the left rein is tight- 
 ened, across the horse's neck ; and the horse is required to 
 turn to the right, when the left rein is pulled. It is to 
 correct this common error, this monstrous and perpetual 
 source of bad riding, and bad usage to good animals, that 
 these pages are written. 
 
 England is the only European country which admits of 
 
 b 
 
2 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 more than one style of riding. But in all Europe, even in 
 England, there is but one style of riding taught, as a system : 
 that style is the manege, or military style. The military 
 style is, and must ever be, essentially a one-handed style, for 
 the soldier must have his right hand at liberty for his weapons. 
 The recruit is, indeed, made to ride with a single snaffle, in 
 two hands ; but only as a preparatory step to the one-handed 
 style. His left hand then becomes his bridle hand : and 
 that hand must hold the reins in such a manner as will 
 require the least possible aid from the sword hand to 
 shorten them, as occasion may require. This is with the 
 fourth finger from the thumb only between them. For 
 these reasons, as far as soldiers are concerned, I do not see 
 how the present system can be altered for the better ; unless 
 it be by placing three fingers of the left hand between the 
 reins, instead of the fourth finger only : namely, the second, 
 third, and fourth fingers from the thumb of the left hand. 
 The reins held in this way, are as easily and as quickly 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 3 
 
 shortened, by drawing them with the right hand through the 
 left, as if they were separated by the fourth finger only. I 
 always adopt this mode myself when my sword is in my hand, 
 and should think it worth trial for all soldiers. But I see 
 no reason why, because soldiers are compelled to guide their 
 horses with the left hand only, and with the fourth finger 
 only between the reins, fcbat ladies and civilians should be 
 condemned to the same system. On the contrary, I would 
 have ladies ride in general with single-curb bridles. But 
 they, as well as gentlemen, when double bridles are used, 
 should ride with only one at a time. The rein of the other 
 should lie loose or knotted up on the horse's neck : and they 
 should use both hands to the reins, whether of the curb or the 
 snaffle, precisely the same as a rough-rider, or colt-breaker, 
 uses the reins of a single snaffle ; except that the reins 
 should pass outside the fourth fingers from the thumb, 
 instead of between them and the third fingers. 
 
 Fasten the ends of a rein, or a piece of tape of the same 
 
 b 2 
 
4 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 length, to the upper part of the outside rails of the back of 
 a chair : pull the reins enough to raise two of the legs off 
 the ground, and to keep the chair balanced on the remaining 
 two. Take your reins as ladies and soldiers are taught to 
 take them, both grasped in the left hand, the fourth finger 
 only between them, and (I quote from the regulations of the 
 English cavalry) " the top of the thumb firmly closed on 
 them-^the upper part of the arm hanging straight down from 
 the shoulder — the left elbow lightly touching the hip— the 
 lower part of the arm square to the upper — little finger on a 
 level with the elbow — wrist rounded outwards — the back of 
 the hand to the front — the thumb pointing across the body — 
 the hand opposite the centre of the body, and three inches 
 from it." In this position, we are taught, " the little finger 
 of the bridle hand has four lines of action : — First, towards 
 the breast (to stop or rein back) ; second, towards the right 
 shoulder (to turn to the right) ; third, towards the left 
 shoulder (to turn to the left) ; fourth, towards the horse's 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 5 
 
 head (to advance)." Try the second motion : you will find it 
 a very nice operation, and that you are capable of shortening 
 the right rein only in a very slight degree. You will also 
 find that, if the hand ceases to be precisely opposite the 
 centre of the body, — that the moment it is passed to the 
 right, the right rein becomes slackened, and the left rein is 
 pulled. This is still more the case when the horse's neck is 
 between the reins ; the left rein is then instantly shortened 
 across the neck. 
 
 I will not assert that the art of riding thus is unattainable 
 and impossible, though it has ever been so to me ; and though, 
 in my own experience, I never knew a cavalry soldier, rough- 
 rider, riding-master, or any horseman whatever, who turned 
 his horse, single-handed, on the proper rein. But I may 
 assert, that it is an exceedingly nice and difficult art. It is 
 the opera-dancing of riding ; and it would be a"s absurd to 
 put the skill of its professors in requisition, in common 
 riding or across country, as to require Taglioni to chasscr over 
 
ft HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 a ploughed field :— for single-handed indications, supposing 
 them to be correctly given, which, as I said before, I have 
 never known ; but, supposing them to be correctly given, 
 they are not sufficiently distinct to turn a horse, except in a 
 case of optimism : that is, supposing for a short time, a 
 perfectly broken horse, in perfect temper, perfectly on his 
 haunches, going perfectly up to his bit, and on perfect ground. 
 Without all these perfections, — suppose even the circum- 
 stance of the horse being excited or alarmed, or becoming 
 violent from any other cause ; that he is sluggish, or sullen ; 
 that he stiffens his neck, or pokes his nose, — single-handed 
 indications are worth nothing. But as for riding a horse 
 perfectly on his haunches, through a long day's journey, or in 
 rough or deep ground, or across country, one might as well 
 require infantry to make long, forced marches at ordinary 
 time, and strictly preserving their touch and dressing, or 
 — still to compare it with opera-dancing — Coulon to go 
 through a day's shooting with the pas de Ztphir. 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 7 
 
 But correct, single-handed indications, with the fourth 
 finger only between the reins, will not be obeyed by one horse 
 in ten thousand. Try them in driving : there the terret- 
 pad prevents their being given incorrectly, and a bearing 
 rein, a severe bit, and a whip, give you every advantage in 
 keeping your horse collected : you will find them wholly 
 inefficient. The soldier, who is compelled to turn to the 
 right, by word of command, when the correct indication is 
 unanswered, in despair throws his hand to the right. The 
 consequence is, that no horse is a good soldier's horse, till he 
 has been trained to turn on the wrong rein. 
 
 Without the same excuse for it, the same may be said of 
 all ladies, and all civilians, who ride with one hand only ; and 
 of almost all who ride with two hands ; for, strange to say, 
 in turning, both hands are generally passed to the right or 
 left ; and I have known many of what may be called the most 
 perfect straightforward hands— that is men, who, on the turf, 
 would hold the most difficult three-year-old to the steady 
 
8 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 stroke of the two-mile course, and place him as a winner to 
 half a length ; who, in the hunting-field, would ride the 
 hottest, or the most phlegmatic made hunter, with equal skill, 
 through all difficulties of ground, and over every species of 
 fence, with admirable precision and equality of hand ; or, who, 
 on the exercise ground, would place his broken charger on 
 his haunches, and make him walk four miles an hour, canter 
 six and an half, trot eight and an half, and gallop eleven, 
 without being out in either pace a second of time ; but who 
 have marred all by the besetting sin of side-feeling — of turning 
 the horse on the wrong rein. The consequence is, that they 
 can ride nothing which has not been trained to answer wrong 
 indications. 
 
 This is something like steaming without steering. Set them 
 on a finely-broken horse or a colt, and they become helpless 
 children, — the powerless prisoners of the brutes that they 
 bestride. How often does one see one's acquaintance in this 
 distressing situation, with courage enough to dare what man 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. t) 
 
 dare, but without the power to do what the rough-rider has 
 just done ! First comes the false indication of the rider ; 
 then the confusion and hesitation of the horse ; next the 
 violence of the rider ; then the despair and rebellion of the 
 horse. The finish is a fractured limb, from a rear or a 
 runaway ; the poor brute is set down as restive, and in 
 fact becomes more or less a misanthrope for the rest 
 of his days. I have seen the gentle and brave, under 
 such circumstances, act very much like the cruel and 
 cowardly; that is to say, first rough an innocent animal 
 for their own fault, and then yield to his resistance. It 
 is in consequence of this that we find so many restive 
 horses ; that so few thorough-bred horses — that is horses of 
 the highest courage — can be made hunters ; that, in fact, 
 almost all high-couraged young horses become restive, after 
 leaving the colt-breaker's hands. It is, indeed, in consequence 
 of this that the class of people called colt-breakers exists at 
 all. For if we all rode on their principle, which is the true 
 
10 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 principle, any groom, or moderately good rider, could break 
 any colt, or ride any restive horse. 
 
 There is a common error, both in theory and practice, 
 with regard to the restive horse. He is very apt to rear side- 
 ways against the nearest wall or paling. It is the common 
 error to suppose that he does so with the view of rubbing his 
 rider off. Do not give him credit for intellect sufficient to 
 generate such a scheme. It is, that when there, the common 
 error is to pull his head from the wall. This brings the rider's 
 knee in contact with it ; consequently all farther chastisement 
 ceases. For were the rider to make his horse plunge, his 
 knee would be crushed against the wall. The horse, finding 
 this, probably thinks that it is the very thing desired, and 
 remains there ; at least he will always again fly to a wall for 
 shelter. Instead of from the wall, pull his head towards 
 it, so as to place his eye, instead of your knee, against it ; 
 continue to use the spur, and he will never go near a 
 wall again. 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 11 
 
 No horse becomes restive in the colt -breaker's hands ; nor 
 do any when placed in their hands remain so. The reason 
 is, that they invariably ride with one bridle and two 
 hands, instead of two bridles and one hand. When 
 they wish to go to the right, they pull the right rein 
 stronger than the left. When they wish to go to the 
 left, they pull the left rein stronger than the right. These 
 are indications which, if the colt will not obey, he will at 
 least understand, the first moment he is mounted ; and 
 which the most obstinate will not long resist. But, as may 
 be supposed, it takes a long time to make him under- 
 stand that he is to turn to the right when the left rein 
 is pulled, and to the left when the right rein is pulled ; and 
 it is only the meek spirited and docile who will do this at all. 
 Such however is the general docility of the animal, that a 
 great proportion are, after long ill usage, taught to answer 
 these false indications. In the same way that a cart-horse is 
 brought to turn right or left, by the touch of the whip on the 
 
12 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 opposite side of the neck, or by word from his driver ; and 
 indeed, such is the nicety to which it may be brought, that 
 you constantly hear persons boast that their horses will " turn 
 by the weight of the reins on the neck." This, however, only 
 proves the docility of the horse, and how badly he has been 
 ridden ; for a horse which has been finely broken, should take 
 notice only of the indications of his rider's hand, on his mouth, 
 not of any feeling of the reins against his neck. 
 
 By indications generally, I mean the motions and applica- 
 tion of the hands, legs, and whip, to direct and determine the 
 paces, turnings, movements, and carriage of the horse. I 
 have used the word throughout instead of " aids," as being 
 perhaps more explanatory, and certainly less liable to abuse. 
 For common sense tells us that a horse receives no aid from 
 a pull in the mouth with a piece of iron, or a blow from a 
 whip, or a kick in the side from an armed heel, however 
 these may indicate to him the wishes or commands of his 
 rider. It is the common error to suppose that he is aided 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 13 
 
 and supported both by the hand and leg. I beg my pupil to 
 believe, that the horse's legs support the rider, and not the 
 rider's the horse ; that the horse carries the rider, and not 
 the rider the horse: — more than this, that the rider cannot 
 lift the horse, nor hold him up, when in the act of falling. 
 How often do we hear a man assert, that he has taken his 
 horse up, between his hands and legs, and lifted him over a 
 fence ; that he has recovered his horse on the other side, or 
 that his horse would have fallen with him forty times, if he 
 had not held him up ! These are vulgar errors, and mechanical 
 impossibilities. Could ten men, with hand-spikes, lift the 
 weight of a horse ? Probably. Attach the weight to the thin 
 rein of a lady's bridle ! Could a lady lift it with the left 
 hand ? I think not. Though it is commonly supposed she 
 could. A pull from a curb will, indeed, give the horse so 
 much pain in the mouth that he will throw his head up ; and 
 this so flatters the hand that its prowess has saved him, that 
 the rider exclaims, " It may be impossible, but it happens 
 
14 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 every day. Shall I not believe my own senses V The answer 
 is, No, not if it can be explained how the senses are deceived: 
 otherwise we should still believe, as, till some few centuries 
 ago the world did believe, that the diurnal motion was in 
 the sun, and not in the earth. Otherwise we must subscribe 
 to the philosophy of the Turk, who 
 
 " Saw with his own eyes the Moon was round, 
 Was also certain that the Earth was square, 
 Because he'd journey'd fifty miles and found 
 No sign of its being circular any where." 
 
 But these errors are not harmless errors. They induce an 
 ambitious interference with the horse at the moment, in 
 which he should be left unconfused to the use of his own 
 energies. If by pulling, and giving him pain in the mouth, 
 you force him to throw up his head and neck ; you prevent 
 his seeing how to foot out any unsafe ground, or where to 
 take off at a fence : and, in the case of stumbling, you pre- 
 vent an action dictated alike by nature and philosophy. 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 15 
 
 When an unmounted horse stumbles, nature teaches him to 
 drop his head and neck ; philosophy teaches us the reason of 
 it. During the instant that his head and neck are dropping, 
 the shoulders are relieved from their weight, and that is the 
 instant that the horse makes his effort to recover himself. If, 
 by giving him pain in his mouth, you force him to raise his 
 head and neck instead of sinking them, his shoulders will 
 still remain encumbered with the weight of them : — more than 
 this, as action and reaction are equal and in opposite direc- 
 tions, the muscular power employed to raise the head and 
 neck, will act to sink his knees. 
 
 The mechanical impossibility of the rider assisting his horse 
 when falling may be demonstrated thus : — No motion can be 
 given to a body without a foreign force, or a foreign fulcrum. 
 Your strength is not a foreign force, since it is employed 
 entirely on the horse ; nor can it be employed on the foreign 
 V^ fulcrum, the ground, through the medium of your reins. As 
 much as you pull up, so much will you pull down. If a man 
 
IQ HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 in a boat uses an oar, he can accelerate or impede the motion 
 of the boat, because his strength is employed, through the 
 medium of the oar on the water, which is a foreign fulcrum ; 
 but if he take hold of the chain at the head of the boat, 
 his whole strength will not accelerate, nor impede, the motion 
 of the boat, because there is neither foreign force nor foreign 
 fulcrum. His whole strength is employed within the boat, 
 and as much as he pulls backward with his hands, he pushes 
 forward with his feet. 
 
 All the arguments which I have heard adduced against 
 the doctrine here laid down, would also go to prove that a 
 horse cannot fall which has a bearing-rein and crupper, that is, 
 whose head is tied to his tail. Sir Francis Head's observations 
 about bearing-reins, in the " Bubbles of the Brunnen," are 
 quite philosophical. They should nevej be used except for 
 purposes of parade, or to acquire greater power over a dif- 
 ficult team. Sir Francis's observations are also true of the 
 harness used by the peasantry of Nassau, which he describes ; 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 17 
 
 but I think this arises from the poverty, not the philosophy, 
 of the peasants. Those among them, who have money enough 
 to buy smart harness, have the most elaborate bearing-reius. 
 One— a chain— from the lower part of the collar, which binds 
 the horse's chin to his breast, and another over the upper part 
 of the collar, along the back, to the tail, independent of the 
 terret-pad and crupper: — this is tying a horse's head to his 
 tail with a vengeance.— To be consistent, the opponents of the 
 theory which I have laid down should act on this principle, 
 — though I have never known them go quite so far : Sed quis 
 custodes custodiet ipsos ? What is to prevent the tail from 
 falling forward with the body ? They indeed argue, " Surely if 
 you throw back the weight of the shoulders over the croupe of 
 your horse, you relieve his forehand, and diminish the chance 
 of his falling." This is rather to propose a new method of 
 preventing a horse from falling, than to prove the advan- 
 tage of pulling at the mouth while he is falling ; for if it 
 be of any advantage to throw back your weight, then the less 
 
18 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 you pull at the mouth the better ; for the more you pull, 
 the less you are at liberty to throw back your weight. But, 
 in truth, it is of no advantage to throw back the weight, when 
 the stumble is made. If a position be previously taken up on 
 the croupe of a horse, the pressure will be less upon the fore- 
 hand than if you were placed in a forward position. But 
 during the time that the position is in the act of being shifted ; 
 that is, during the time that the horse is falling, the act of 
 throwing your own weight backward, produces an exactly 
 equivalent pressure forward ; in all respects the counterpart 
 of your own motion backward, in intensity and duration. 
 It is useless to dwell on this subject, or to adduce the familiar 
 illustrations that it admits of. It is a simple proposition of 
 mechanical equilibrium, and any one who is conversant with 
 such subjects will assent to it. 
 
 The question whether a jockey can mechanically assist 
 his horse, does not rest on the same footing. I believe 
 he can. Thus: — If a man sits astride a chair, with his 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 19 
 
 feet off the ground, and clasps the chair with his legs, 
 by the muscular exertion of his lower limbs he can jump 
 the chair along. The muscular force is there employed on 
 the foreign fulcrum, the ground, through the medium of 
 the legs of the chair. His muscular action strikes the chair 
 downward and backward ; and if the chair be on ice, it will 
 recede, so would also the feet of a horse in attempting to 
 strike forward. If the chair be on soft ground, it will sink ; so 
 would also a horse, in proportion to the force of the muscular 
 stroke. But if the resistance of the ground be complete, the 
 re-action, which is precisely equal, and in opposite directions 
 to the action, will throw the body of the man upward and for- 
 ward : and by clasping with his legs he will draw the chair 
 also with him. But he can only accomplish in this way a very 
 little distance, with a very great exertion. 
 
 If the jockey made this muscular exertion every time his 
 horse struck with his hind feet, his strength would be era- 
 ployed on the foreign fulcrum, the ground, through the 
 
 c 2 
 
20 ' HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 medium of his horse's bony frame. Thus the jockey would 
 contribute to the horizontal impulse of his own weight ; and 
 exactly in proportion to the muscular power exerted by the 
 jockey, the muscular system of the horse would be relieved. 
 At the same time, no additional task is thrown on the bony 
 frame of the horse ; since, if the jockey had not used his 
 muscular power on it in impelling his own weight, the mus- 
 cular system of the horse must have been so employed on it. 
 It is true, not much is done after all with a prodigious 
 exertion, but if that little gain six inches in a hardly contested 
 race, it may make the difference of its being lost or won. 
 Thus an easy race is no exertion to a jockey, but after a 
 hardly contested one, he returns with his lips parched, his 
 tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth, and every muscle 
 quivering. Chifney, and perhaps one or two first-rate jockeys, 
 may attempt this at the end of a race, for the last four or 
 five strokes, for no strength would stand it longer ; but woe 
 to the moderate jockey who attempts it at all ! For without 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 21 
 
 the nicest tact in timing the operation, the confusion, over- 
 balancing, swerving, and shifting of legs resulting from it, 
 would lose the best horse his race. 
 
 A mounted horse will overtake a dismounted horse, his 
 superior in speed. It is commonly supposed that this 
 results from the mechanical assistance of the rider. The 
 real reason is, that the dismounted horse goes off, like an 
 inexperienced jockey, at his utmost speed. No horse can 
 do this for five hundred yards without being distressed for 
 wind. The rider starts at a pace which he knows his horse 
 can keep ; and the dismounted horse, though he gains at 
 first on him, comes bach to him, as the jockeys say. For a 
 horse, which has been distressed for wind in the first five hun- 
 dred yards, will not arrive at the end of a mile nearly so 
 soon as if he had gone the whole at the best pace he could 
 stay at. Here the assistance from the rider is mental, not 
 mechanical. Woe also to the sportsman who ambitiously 
 attempts to lift his horse mechanically over a fence, on the 
 
22 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 principle discussed above ! He is much more likely to throw 
 him into it. He had better content himself with sitting 
 quietly on his horse, holding him only just enough to keep his 
 head straight and regulate his pace, and trust the rest to his 
 horse's honour. The body should not previously be thrown 
 back ; but, as the horse springs, the lower part of the rider 
 being firmly fixed in the saddle, and the upper part perfectly 
 pliable, the body will fall back of itself. And with strong 
 jumping horses, or at down leaps, the shoulders of fine riders 
 will constantly meet their horse's croupes. The more vertical 
 the thigh, the greater the strain in taking this position : — the 
 disciples of the Duke of Newcastle would break in two in the 
 performance. I abstain, however, from giving any parti- 
 cular directions about the seat; because I think good 
 handling is the cause, and good and graceful sitting the 
 consequence, of good riding ; and because, though I consider 
 the rules here laid down for the hands as applicable to every 
 species of riding, (1 have excepted the soldier with his 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 23 
 
 weapon in his right hand), I think there is a peculiar 
 seat proper to many different styles of riding. The ex- 
 tremes are the manege and the Eastern styles, both 
 admirable in their way, and perfectly practical, but each 
 wholly inapplicable to the performances of the other. 
 
 What can be more perfect than the seats of M. de Kraut 
 and the Marquis de Beauvilliers, in De la Gueriniere's work \ 
 or the engraving of that of M. de Nestier ? But I do not 
 think that a man in such a seat would look well, or perforin 
 well, in a five-pound saddle, over the beacon course ; still less 
 that he could lay the reins on the neck of a well-bred horse, 
 and at full speed lie along his horse's side, and with his own 
 body below his horse's back, prime and load a long gun, jump 
 up and use both hands to fire to the right, or left, or over his 
 horse's croupe ; or that he could wield a long heavy lance with 
 the power of a Cossack ; or, at full gallop, hurl the djerid 
 to the rear with the force of the Persian, and again, without 
 any diminution of speed, pick it from the ground. 
 
24 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 On the other hand, his peculiar seat renders the Eastern 
 horseman so utterly helpless in the performances of the 
 manege, that he is unable to make his horse rein back, or 
 passage sideways a step; and I have seen three hundred 
 Mussulman troops, from the northern parts of Persia, (each 
 of whom would perform forty such feats as the above,) take 
 more than an hour to form, a very bad parade line, in single 
 rank. When one of them had an interval between him and 
 the dressing hand, however small, as he could not make his 
 horse passage sideways, he was obliged to turn round to the 
 rear, and ride into the ranks afresh ; and so in succession 
 every man beyond him. 
 
 I should say, that the most perfect seat for the manege 
 should be shortened by a hole or two for the soldier, to give 
 him power with his weapons ; that the military rider should 
 take up his stirrups a hole or two when he goes hunting ; the 
 hunter a hole or two when he rides a race ; and for tours de 
 force, T consider the short stirrup -leather, and broad stirrup- 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 25 
 
 iron of the East, indispensable. It gives, in fact, the strength 
 of the standing, instead of the sitting, posture. The Cossack 
 retains this standing posture even at a trot. Few Eastern 
 horsemen allow that pace at all, but make their horses walk, 
 amble, or gallop. It is singular that of all people the English 
 only rise in the stirrup in trotting. It is not so singular that 
 most European nations are beginning to follow their example. 
 The English hunting seat is, in point of length, the medium 
 of those mentioned ; and perhaps that seat, or something 
 between that and the military seat, is the best adapted to 
 common riding. It unites, in a greater degree than any other, 
 ease, utility, power, and grace. The most perfect exemplifi- 
 cation of this seat is Lord Cathcart^s. 
 
 A bad horseman throws his horse down, which a good one 
 does not. That is, because the bad horseman hurries his horse 
 over hard or rough ground, or down hill, or over loose stones ; 
 allows him to choose his own ground ; lets him flounder into 
 difficulties, and, when there, hauls him so that he cannot see, 
 
26 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 or exert himself to get out of them ; and expecting chastise- 
 ment, the horse springs to avoid it, before he has recovered 
 his feet, and goes down with a tremendous impetus. If he 
 has to cross a rut to the right, he probably forces his horse 
 across it, when the right foot is on the ground. In this case, 
 unless the horse collects himself and jumps — if he attempts to 
 step across it — the probability is that in crossing his legs, he 
 knocks one against the other, and falls. The reverse of all 
 this should be the case. If you have not sufficient tact to feel 
 which of your horse's feet is on the ground, you must allow 
 liim to choose his own time for crossing, which will be when 
 the left foot is on the ground. You should habitually choose 
 your horse's ground for him, for notwithstanding his often 
 vaunted sagacity and safety, the wisest among horses will, to 
 avoid a moving leaf, put his foot over a precipice. This will 
 become as easy to you as choosing your own path when walking. 
 If your horse has made a stumble or is in difficulties, you cannot 
 leave him too much at liberty, or be too quiet with him. The 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 27 
 
 only notice to be taken is to reassure him by caressing him, if 
 you see that he expects chastisement from previous brutal 
 treatment. I will add that you should also habitually prevent 
 your horse out- walking, or lagging behind, his companions. 
 He is either very unsociable, or a bad horseman, who does 
 not keep abreast of his companions. Besides, horses being 
 gregarious, are apt to follow one another. This should not 
 be. Your horse should be in perpetual obedience to the indi- 
 cations that your hands and legs give him, and to nothing 
 else. These indications should not only decide the pace 
 which he is to take, but deal out to him the rate at which 
 each pace is to be executed, and also determine his carriage 
 during the performance of it, that is, the degree in which he 
 is to collect himself, or the degree of liberty which is to be 
 allowed him. 
 
 The indications of the hands are of two sorts — guiding and 
 retaining. Those of the legs and whip are also of two sorts — 
 guiding and urging. Suppose a horse standing still, with full 
 
28 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 liberty, and fully extended ; if the retaining indication of the 
 hands only be given, he will go backward in a loose and 
 extended form ; if, on the contrary, the urging indication of 
 the legs or whip only be given, he will move forward in a 
 loose and extended form, at a walk, trot, or gallop, according 
 to the vivacity with which the indication is given. If these 
 two opposite indications be given at the same time, the horse 
 will, as it is termed, collect himself. That is, being pulled 
 backward and urged forward at the same time, in obeying 
 both indications, a sort of condensation of the horse — I know 
 not how to express it otherwise— will result. If both indications 
 be continued and increased, the horse will piaffe that is, con- 
 tinue collected, in motion, without progressing; or he will 
 make the courbette, or rear. If both indications be discon- 
 tinued, he will resume the extended position of repose. If 
 again, in this position, both indications be given, but the 
 retaining one the strongest, the horse will go backward in a 
 collected form. If both be given, but the urging indication 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. £0, 
 
 the strongest, he will move forward in a collected form, at a 
 walk, trot, or canter, according to the vivacity with which 
 the indications are given. If the retaining and urging indi- 
 cations be given equally strong, but the right rein be felt the 
 strongest, which is the guiding indication of the hand to the 
 right, and the left leg be pressed the strongest, which is the 
 guiding indication of the leg to the right, the horse will 
 passage, that is, cross his legs and go sideways to the right, 
 bending and looking to the right, in a collected form. If both 
 indications are given equally strong, but the right rein and 
 the right leg the strongest, the horse will perform what is 
 called " the right shoulder in" (in towards the centre of the 
 longe or manege,) that is, he will cross his legs and go side- 
 ways to the left, bending and looking to the right, in a 
 collected form. 
 
 When the horse is in movement, there should be a constant 
 touch, or feeling, or play, or bearing, — it is difficult to express 
 it — between his mouth and the rider's hands. This is called 
 
30 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 the appui. I prefer, however, to use the English phrase of 
 hearing on the horse's mouth ; since to those who do not 
 understand French, appui will convey no meaning at all, and 
 to those who do understand it, it will convey the false idea of 
 the necessity of supporting the horse. It is impossible to 
 bestow too much pains and attention on the acquirement of 
 this ; it is the index of the horse's actions, temper, and inten- 
 tions ; it forewarns the rider of what he is about to do, and 
 by it he feels whether his horse requires more liberty or more 
 collecting. And it is impossible that in this bearing on the 
 horse's mouth, or in the indications of the hands and legs 
 generally, or in shortening and lengthening the reins, the 
 rider can be too delicate, gradual, smooth, firm, and light. 
 The hands, in the bearing on the horse's mouth, in their indi- 
 cations generally, as well as in shortening and lengthening the 
 reins, should be perfectly free from any approach to a jerk, a 
 loose rein, or uneven feeling of the mouth. The legs should 
 be kept from any action approaching to a kick, except when 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 3] 
 
 the spur is given, — that should be always present, and when 
 used, given smartly and withdrawn instantly; — but the pres- 
 sure of the legs should be perfectly smooth and gradual, 
 though, if necessary, strong. If good riding is worth your 
 attention, do not think these things beneath your notice ; for 
 the acquirement of the bearing on the horse's mouth, the turn- 
 ing your horse on the proper rein, smoothness of indications, 
 and in shortening the reins, the power of collecting your horse, 
 and the working together of your hands and legs, are the 
 unseen and unappreciated foundation on which good riding 
 stands. These, and not strength or violence, command the 
 animal. With these, your horse will rely on your hand, com- 
 ply to it ; and, without force on your part, he will bend to 
 your hand in every articulation. Without these, however 
 unintentionally on your part, you will be perpetually subject- 
 ing him to the severest torture, to defend himself against 
 which, he will resist your hand, poke his nose, and stiffen his 
 neck and every other part of his body. The horse can en- 
 
32 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 dure no greater torture than that resulting from an uneven 
 hand. This is known to every hack-cabman : — every hack- 
 cabman has hourly experience that a job in the mouth will 
 compel his jaded slave into a trot, when the solicitations of 
 the whip have been long unanswered; and I recollect one 
 of the greatest proficients I know, both in the theory and 
 practice of horsemanship, who, to train his sister and wife to 
 this perfect evenness of hand, used to make them draw up a 
 window curtain with bells attached to the lower part, so that 
 notice was given of the least jerk or uneven feeling. 
 
 To keep the horse, when in movement, to a collected pace, the 
 opposite indications of urging and retaining him must be con- 
 tinued. This working together of the hands and legs, and the 
 power of collecting the horse, are also most essential in turning; 
 a horse should never be turned without being made to collect 
 himself; without being retained by the hands, and urged by 
 the legs, as well as guided by both ; that is, in turning to the 
 right, both hands should retain him, and the right hand guide 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 33 
 
 him, by being used the strongest ; both legs should urge him, 
 and the left guide him, by being pressed the strongest. The 
 rider should also lean his weight to the right ; and the shorter 
 the turn, and the quicker the pace, the more the horse should 
 be made to collect himself, and the more both he and his 
 rider should lean to the right. This is well seen, when a man, 
 standing on the saddle, gallops round the circle at Astley's. 
 There the man must keep his position by balance alone ; and, 
 were he not to lean inwards, — were he, for a moment, to stand 
 perpendicularly, — he would be thrown outside the circle by the 
 centrifugal force. In turning suddenly and at a quick pace 
 to the right, unless the rider lean his weight to the right, he 
 will, in like manner, have a tendency to fall off on the left. 
 If, by clasping with his legs, he prevent this, his horse will of 
 course be incommoded, by being overbalanced to the left, when 
 turning to the right. It is bad, in turning to the right, to 
 run into the contrary extreme, to the one-handed system, and, 
 slackening the left rein, to haul the horse's head round with 
 
 D 
 
34 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 the right rein only. The horse's head should not be pulled 
 farther round than to allow the rider to see the right eye. 
 The legs, and particularly the left leg, should then urge the 
 horse to follow the guiding rein. Precisely the same indications, 
 namely, an increased retention of both reins, the right the 
 strongest, and an increased pressure of both legs, the left the 
 strongest, but differently modified, are used to start a horse in a 
 canter with the right leg; also, as has been stated, to make him 
 passage, that is, to cross his legs, and go sideways to the right. 
 But in making a horse canter with his right leg, the over indi- 
 cation of the right rein should be so trifling, as only to develop 
 his right nostriL The over indication of the left leg should 
 also be very trifling, or his haunches will be cast to the right, 
 and they will not follow his shoulders truly. The weight of 
 the rider should not lean to either side, but incline the least 
 in the world forward at starting, and be instantly replaced 
 when off. In indicating the passage to the right, the horse 
 must be more strongly retained with both hands. The 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. g£ 
 
 over indication of the right rein should be enough to 
 make his head and shoulders lead, that is, to keep them 
 more to the right than his haunches. The rider's weight 
 should be the least in the world to the right. The indi- 
 cation of the right leg should be enough to keep the horse 
 square, collected, and up to his bit; while the over indication 
 of the left leg must be strong enough to induce him to 
 cross his legs and go sideways to the right. If, during the 
 right passage, the indications of the legs are continued the 
 same, and those of the hands reversed, that is, if the tension 
 of the left rein is made stronger than that of the right, the 
 horse changes from right passage to left shoulder in ; that is, 
 he continues to cross his legs and go sideways to the right, 
 but he bends and looks to the left. As the hands alone make 
 this change, they may be said to guide here. If, from the left 
 shoulder in, the indications of the hands are continued the 
 same, and those of the legs reversed ; that is, if the pressure 
 of the right leg is made greater than that of the left, the 
 
 d 2 
 
30 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 horse changes from left shoulder in to left passage, 'that is, 
 he continues to look to the left, but crosses his legs and goes 
 sideways to the left, instead of to the right. As the legs 
 alone make this change, they may be said to guide here. 
 These are useful lessons, and together with reining back, 
 should be taught to all horses and all horsemen, if only 
 for the facility they give in opening gates and hurdles. 
 
 To practise the indications of the hands, take the bridle, 
 which is attached to the chair, at full length, with the tips 
 of the four fingers of the left hand between the reins, at the 
 centre, securing them between the tips of the second and 
 third fingers and thumb, the first and fourth fingers detached, 
 to facilitate their working on the rein proper to each, the 
 wrist turned down, and the back of the hand to the front. If 
 the length of the rein suits, they may be so held when you have 
 occasion to stand still for a length of time ; for the horse, 
 when in repose, is in his most extended posture. If, indeed, 
 you force him to stand collected for a length of time, he will be 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 37 
 
 uneasy and fidget. In long rides the reins may be also held so, 
 when the horse is going quietly at an extended walk ; but 
 neither rein must be loose. The bearing on his mouth, how- 
 ever lightly, must still be felt ; and if the horse in attempting 
 to stare about, — as colts and ill-ridden horses will, — should 
 throw his head to the right, it must be stopped by the feeling 
 of the tip of the fourth finger on the left rein ; or if he throw 
 his head to the left, by that of the first finger on the right 
 rein ; but, provided the bearing on the horse's mouth, and 
 this power of keeping his head straight, be preserved, a horse 
 cannot have too much liberty under the circumstances sup- 
 posed. Observe, a lady should never rest her hand on her 
 knee, nor a gentleman his on the pummel or neck. If a 
 gradual turn be made to the right, both reins must be pulled, 
 the right the strongest, by feeling the tip of the first finger 
 towards your right shoulder. Both legs must be pressed, 
 the left the strongest. The lady, if her horse will answer the 
 leg, must press it ; if not, she must touch the left shoulder with 
 
38 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 the whip. A lady must always carry a whip, from not having 
 a spur, or the power to use the leg on both sides. A man 
 should only carry one in riding a young horse, and then only 
 till the horse receives the pressure of the leg as an indication 
 to advance ; this he soon will, if the legs are closed whenever 
 the whip is used. The whip should not be carried below the 
 hand, like a jockey, but upright, like a manege or rough- 
 rider, in order to use it on either shoulder, to make your 
 horse follow the guiding rein. To turn to the left, the left 
 rein is pulled the strongest, by feeling the tip of the fourth 
 finger towards your left shoulder. Both legs must be pressed, 
 the right leg the strongest. The lady must touch the right 
 shoulder with the whip. 
 
 Should you have to pass a camp of gipsies, a carriage, or 
 any other object at which your horse may be expected, or has 
 been taught habitually, to shy ; if the object be on the left 
 press the right hand on the right rein, about a foot below 
 the left hand, so as to keep his head straight, and to prevent 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 39 
 
 his turning towards the object, and fronting it. This will be 
 sufficient if the horse has always been well ridden; if he has 
 been badly ridden, you must turn his head from the object of 
 his alarm at least sufficiently to see his right eye. And if he 
 has been ill-used for being alarmed, you must turn his head 
 still more towards the hedge or ditch on the right-hand side, 
 so as to make him pass the object with his head inclined from 
 it, and his croupe towards it. Do not imagine that there 
 will be any danger of his going into the ditch on that account, 
 the very contrary will be the case. If, indeed, you pull his 
 head towards the object of his alarm, and oblige him to face 
 it, he is very likely, indeed, to run backwards from it ; and 
 while his whole attention is fixed before him, he will go back- 
 wards over Dover cliff, if it chance to be behind him. Under 
 such circumstances, you cannot too soon turn your horse's 
 head, and his attention, from the fancied to the substantial 
 ill. But on common occasions the turning his head to the 
 right, should be as gradual and imperceptible as possible. 
 
40 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 No chastisement should be allowed in any case. If he make 
 a start, the rider should endeavour not to make a consequent 
 one. You should not, indeed, take more notice of a shy than 
 you can possibly avoid ; and unless the horse has been pre- 
 viously brutalised, and to re-assure him, you should not even 
 caress him, lest even that should make him suspect that 
 something awful is about to happen. The common error is 
 the reverse of all this. The common error is to pull the horse's 
 head towards the object of his fear, and when he is facing it, 
 to begin with whip and spur. Expecting to be crammed 
 under the carriage-wheel, the horse probably rears, or runs 
 back into a ditch, or, at least, becomes more nervous and more 
 riotous at every carriage that he meets. Horses are instan- 
 taneously made shy by this treatment, and as instantaneously 
 cured by the converse of it. It is thus that all young or bad 
 riders make high-couraged horses shy ; but none ever remain 
 so in the hands of a good horseman ; who, in fact, in some 
 sort, prevents his horse looking at an object which he would 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 41 
 
 start at, if seen. Should the object which the horse is expected 
 to shy at, be on the right ; the right hand must take the place 
 of the left, at the centre of the reins, and the left hand must be 
 pressed on the left rein, about a foot below the right hand. 
 When the right hand holds the reins in the centre, the horse 
 is turned to the right by feeling the tip of the fourth finger of 
 the right hand towards your right shoulder. This indication 
 must also be given when he shies to the left. He is turned 
 to the left by feeling the tip of the first finger towards your 
 left shoulder. The same indication if he shies to the right. 
 In making these indications, the greatest care must be taken 
 to keep the hand exactly opposite the centre of the body, 
 and not to pass it to the right or left, which would shorten 
 the wrong rein, across the neck of the horse ; but in these 
 cases the vacant hand may be pressed on the guiding rein 
 as before directed, particularly by gentlemen, who have a leg 
 on each side to urge the horse with. 
 
 If it be desired to make the horse walk in a collected form, 
 
42 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 to shorten the reins for that purpose, place both hands at the 
 centre of the reins. Separate the hands by drawing them 
 smoothly and lightly along the reins, till there are about 
 eighteen inches or two feet between the hands. Then bring the 
 hands together, letting the loop of the reins fall, and hang 
 downwards between the hands. In this way a lady should 
 first take up her reins when she mounts, and a gentleman 
 when his reins are on his horse's neck, or when he changes 
 the bridle with which he rides. A gentleman cannot ride too 
 much with his reins thus separated, as he has the power of 
 urging his horse up to his hands with his two legs ; nor can 
 a lady, provided the horse is going freely up to the bit. But 
 should the lady's horse require the whip to keep him up to 
 the bit, she must cross the reins in the left hand, by letting 
 the right rein slip through the right hand, far enough to 
 allow the right hand to pass behind the left ; laying the right 
 rein flat on the left rein, and securing both between the tips 
 of the second and third finders and the thumb of the l< j ft 
 
HIMS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 43 
 
 hand, the first and fourth fingers detached, as before directed. 
 The right hand is then at liberty to use the whip. To 
 trot, the horse must be still more collected ; consequently 
 the reins still more shortened, particularly if a collected trot 
 be required. To do this, the gentleman, who has his reins 
 separated, must first cross them in either hand — suppose the 
 left, as directed for the lady — then take the right rein with 
 the right hand, at any distance from the left which may be 
 required, and cross the reins in the right hand, by passing 
 the left hand behind the right, laying the left rein flat on the 
 right, and securing both between the tips of the second and 
 third fingers and thumb of the right hand. The left hand 
 then takes the left rein in front of the right hand, and if it 
 be intended to ride with the reins separated, lets the rein slip 
 till both are of equal length in the two hands. If from the 
 trot the horse is required to canter, the reins must be again 
 shortened, and he must be again more collected. The pupil 
 cannot bestow too much pains and practice on this mode of 
 
44 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 shortening the reins, by successively crossing them in one 
 hand and the other, and again separating them, one rein in 
 each hand. He should take the reins at the full extent, hold 
 the chair balanced and motionless on two legs only, and con- 
 tinue shortening the reins in the mode prescribed, till he 
 arrives at the chair. In doing this, the hands cannot be 
 kept too near the body, provided there is room to pass the 
 hand which is to quit the rein, behind that which is to receive 
 it. But the greatest care must be taken to avoid bringing 
 the hands so near the body as to prevent the hand which is to 
 quit the rein from passing behind that which is to receive it ; 
 otherwise the hand which is to receive the rein must be thrust 
 forward, to give room for the hand which is to quit the rein 
 to pass behind it ; this would not only disturb the bearing 
 on the horse's mouth, but would actually slacken one rein 
 at the very moment that it is desired to shorten both. The 
 reins should not be crossed when two hands are employed on 
 them ; but should be kept completely separated, one in each 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 45 
 
 hand, and should not be held both together between the 
 hands, as some jockeys do, by the thumbs and first fingers of 
 the two hands. This is not meant as a direction for race- 
 riding, but for common riding. The elbows should by no 
 means touch the hips or sides. I would not have them raised 
 as high, and thrust out like those of Lord Anglesea's imitators; 
 but I would have them as free from the sides, and bans' as 
 gracefully, as Lord Anglesea's own do. They should be the 
 least in the world squared, the wrists the least in the world 
 down, and the back of the hands to the front, as you see good 
 drivers drive, and above all things the wrists supple, easy, and 
 rounded a little. The best models for this are to be found in 
 the equestrian figures on the frieze of the Parthenon, among 
 the Elgin marbles. They have invariably two hands to their 
 horses, except when one is otherwise in use; and are as 
 perfectly horsemanlike, as they are exquisitely graceful. I 
 imagine from a view of these figures, that when the Greeks 
 held their reins separated, one in each hand, the parts coming 
 
4G HTNTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 from the horse's mouth entered the hands between the first 
 and second fingers from the thumbs ; were secured by the 
 grasp of the second, third, and fourth fingers, and by the 
 pressure between the first joints of the thumbs, and the 
 second joints of the second fingers; that the ends of the 
 reins, that is, the parts which form the loop at the centre of 
 the reins, quitted the hands at the fourth fingers ; not over 
 the first fingers, as with us in riding, but as they do with us 
 in driving. When the reins were placed both in one hand, 
 which appears to be done indifferently in either, the rein 
 proper to that hand remained as described ; the other was 
 not crossed, but placed flat on it, in the full grasp of the 
 hand, both ends quitting the hand at the fourth finger, the 
 same as with us in driving. This leaves the first finger 
 between the reins, which appears to be capable of more dis- 
 tinct indications on them than the fourth finger, as used in 
 the more barbarous after-ages. For the Greeks appear to 
 have used the tip of the first finger on either rein. Observe, 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 47 
 
 that with us, in driving, the left hand takes the reins from 
 below, with the back of the hand downward ; while the right 
 hand works from above, with the back of the hand upwards. 
 Whereas, in all cases, the Greeks appear to have worked with 
 both hands from above, with the back of the hands upward . 
 I think it a very easy, graceful, and effective mode of riding. 
 I, however, prefer the mode I have endeavoured to explain, 
 for many reasons, especially for ladies. They have to use the 
 whip with the right hand to urge the horse, and, in conse- 
 quence, must frequently ride with the reins in the left hand 
 only. In this case, by the mode I have advocated, as they will 
 have four fingers between the reins, instead of one only, they 
 will be the better enabled to give distinct indications with 
 them. Also this mode is better adapted for the use of the tips 
 of the fingers on the bridle ; and when the reins are taken in 
 the full grasp, the whole of each hand may be employed 
 instead of three fingers only ; whereby at once infinitely 
 greater delicacy, and infinitely greater power, are gained for 
 the bearing on the horse's mouth. 
 
4S HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 In going through the practices enjoined above, there should 
 be nothing approaching to a jerk or shake of either rein. 
 Neither rein should be for an instant loosened ; but an equal 
 tension kept on both ; and both should be of precisely equal 
 length when crossed in one hand. 
 
 To lengthen the reins, the pupil has only to let them slip 
 through the hands, paying equal attention to prevent jerking, 
 or uneven feeling on the horse's mouth. This adjustment 
 of the length of the reins should, in riding high-couraged, 
 hot, or pulling horses, be perpetually going on, so as to give 
 the appearance of playing with them ; and the facility of 
 doing it smoothly, and without disturbing the bearing on the 
 horse's mouth, or his being aware of it, is a most essential 
 feature in riding. Practise it well with the chair, with the 
 reins held by the tips of the fingers as directed, and also with 
 the reins held in the full grasp of the hand, the parts coming 
 from the horse's mouth entering the hands at the fourth 
 fingers, and the parts running towards the centre of the reins 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 4f) 
 
 quitting the hands between the first joints of the thumbs 
 and the second joints of the first fingers. Be assured, 
 however childish it may appear to you, it will teach you 
 the true principle of handling your horse ; and give to 
 the bearing, and indications of your hands on his mouth, 
 a delicate elasticity and resilience, resulting from the play 
 of every articulation from the tips of the fingers to the 
 shoulders. At the same time, if power be required, instead 
 of having the left hand only, with the fourth finger only 
 between the reins, by taking them in the full grasp of 
 the hands it allows you to employ the whole strength of both 
 shoulders. 
 
 On the other hand, the riding school is too apt to teach 
 you to sit on your horse as stiff as a stake ; to let your right 
 arm hang down as useless as if God had never gifted you with 
 one ; to pin your elbows to the sides ; to stick your left liand 
 out, with a stiff straight wrist, like a bolt-sprit ; and to turn 
 your horse invariably on the wrong rein. I do not mean to 
 
 E 
 
50 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 say that this is ever taught in the school ; but I may say that 
 all this is almost always learnt there. 
 
 The mode of shortening the reins in two-handed riding, 
 which I have seen rough-riders use, and which I have seen 
 recruits taught, when using the single snaffle, in all riding- 
 houses, English and Foreign, and which is detailed in the 
 ecole du cavalier, in the French cavalry ordonnance, is wholly 
 vicious. There are no directions at all given for this in the 
 treatise on military equitation, in the regulations for the English 
 cavalry, nor have I ever met with any in any book, English or 
 or otherwise, except in the French ordonnance. To shorten 
 the right rein, on the system in question (the reins being held 
 in the full grasp of the hands as last described, but enter- 
 ing the hands between the third and fourth fingers), bring 
 the thumbs together, take the right rein with the thumb and 
 first finger of the left hand, the thumbs touching, raise the 
 left hand, and let the right rein slip, till the thumbs are one 
 inch apart. With the right rein thus one inch shorter than 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 51 
 
 the left, if it be required to shorten the left equally, by 
 management, you may bring the two thumbs together again 
 without loosening the left rein; — I say, by management, you 
 may do so, but the chances are that the longest rein is inva- 
 riably thus slackened previously to being shortened, and con- 
 sequently the bearing on the horse's mouth disturbed ; but 
 supposing it possible to manage this by an inch at a time, it 
 is quite impossible to manage it at a greater distance. If, 
 therefore, you have to shorten both reins a foot, you cannot 
 effect it without twenty-four operations. This is not at all an 
 unlikely occurrence in riding unruly horses ; for such horses 
 are commanded by being made to bend or collect themselves : 
 their most frequent defence is jerking their heads away and 
 extending themselves ; and the facility of adjusting the length 
 of your reins to the degree in which they extend or collect 
 themselves, makes the difference of whether you can ride 
 such horses or not. If, in riding a half-broken, hot, or violent 
 horse, he jerks his head down, so as to draw one rein six 
 
 e 2 
 
52 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 inches longer than the other, it is impossible to bring the 
 thumbs together without slackening the longest rein— at the 
 moment you wish it tightened — four or five inches. I need 
 not dilate on the effect of this in riding such a horse as I 
 have supposed. 
 
 When the reins are crossed in the right hand, on the tips 
 of the fingers, to pull the right rein, feel the tip of the fourth 
 finger towards your right shoulder : do the same if the horse 
 shies to the left. To pull the left rein, feel the tip of the first 
 finger towards your left shoulder : the same if he shies to the 
 right. When the reins are crossed in the full grasp of the 
 right hand, to pull the right rein, feel the middle joint of 
 the fourth finger towards your right shoulder : the same if he 
 shies to the left. To pull the left rein, feel the middle joint of 
 the first finger towards your left shoulder : do the same if he 
 shies to the right. When the reins are crossed in the left hand, 
 on the tips of the fingers, to pull the right rein, feel the tip 
 of the first finger towards your right shoulder : do the same 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 53 
 
 if he shies to the left. To pull the left rein, feel the tip of the 
 fourth finger towards your left shoulder : do the same if he shies 
 to the right. When the reins are crossed in the full grasp of 
 the left hand, to pull the right rein, feel the middle joint of 
 the first finger towards your right shoulder : do the same if he 
 shies to the left. To pull the left rein, feel the middle joint 
 of the fourth finger towards your left shoulder : do the same if 
 he shies to the right. These indications cannot be too direct 
 from the hand to the horse's mouth, without any feeling of 
 the rein against his neck. The least motion of the hand to 
 the right or left, from precisely opposite the centre of the 
 body, will shorten the wrong rein across the neck. Observe 
 also, that in turning, there should be an increased retention 
 of both reins, that of the guiding one the strongest ; also 
 — in order to make the horse collect himself, — an increased 
 urging indication on both sides, but strongest on the side 
 opposite the guiding rein. But in placing the horse to pass 
 the object at which he shies, there should be an increased 
 
54 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 retention of the guiding rein only. The bearing on the non- 
 guiding rein should be in no respect altered : nor should 
 there be any increased collection of the horse, or urging indi- 
 cation of the leg or whip ; though their guiding indication 
 may be gently applied on the same side as the guiding indi- 
 cation of the hands, so as to cause the horse's croupe to be 
 inclined towards the object at which he shies. But this must 
 not be attempted, if the horse is the least alarmed or in 
 expectation of chastisement. 
 
 Horses in a state of excitement, and which have been in 
 bad hands, will require the reins in the full grasp of the 
 hands ; and sometimes the whole strength of the strongest 
 man. But this strength must be employed with smoothness, 
 otherwise they will be driven to despair by pain, and resist 
 instead of yielding to it. Stiffening themselves and pulling is 
 their defence against hard, harsh handling ; but none ever 
 remained permanently a puller, with a smooth and gentle 
 hand. 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 55 
 
 The single case in which a jerk in the mouth is admissible, 
 •is when your horse is about to kick, and some one is within 
 reach of his heels. The jerk causes him to throw his head 
 up, and he cannot without difficulty raise his croupe at the 
 same time ; but, except to save life or limb, supposing no 
 one within reach, hold your hands high, and pull severely but 
 smoothly; do not jerk. This in general will be sufficient to 
 prevent his kicking ; but it is better that your horse should 
 occasionally kick, than that he should always go as stiff as 
 if he were made of wood ; which is the inevitable result of 
 jerking. 
 
 Directions to use both bridles at once are perhaps out 
 of place in these pages, which profess only to treat of 
 common riding. For he must be a very uncommon horse- 
 man who should attempt it. To use both bridles, and adjust 
 their length, without disturbing the double bearing on the 
 horse's mouth, requires infinite tact and delicacy. I should 
 recommend the snaffle to be worked exactly as directed for 
 
56 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 the single rein, in the full grasp of the hand ; and the reins 
 of the curb to be held with the middle joint of the second 
 finger from the thumb between them. When the reins of the 
 snaffle are crossed from one hand into the other, those of the 
 curb should also be shifted to the second finger of that hand. 
 In this way, — especially in breaking horses to the bit, — the 
 bit may be used to induce them to bend or collect themselves, 
 and the snaffle to turn them. Violent habitual pullers will 
 sometimes be beaten from their modes of resisting the bit, 
 by this double bearing on their mouths. In this case I should 
 recommend the reins of both bridles being used at once, pre- 
 cisely in the way laid down for the reins of a single bridle, 
 except that the snaffle and curb reins should be kept 
 separated by the fourth finger of each hand. 
 
 A martingale should in no case be used except as a 
 defence ; that is, supposing the necessity of mounting a 
 high, harsh hand on a susceptible horse. In this case, an 
 easy snaffle, with a running martingale, will at least 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 57 
 
 counteract the height of the hand, and the friction will, 
 to a certain degree, steady and counteract the unequal 
 bearing on the horse's mouth. A low, smooth hand is the 
 only true martingale : this will never be acquired as long 
 as an implement is used which tends to permit harsh, high 
 handling with impunity. 
 
 If you have anything to carry which entirely occupies one 
 hand, and which may occasionally require both, such as an 
 umbrella in wind, or an over-fresh horse to lead at a quick 
 pace, I recommend you to knot up your reins like a jockey, 
 by twisting them twice round the two first fingers of the left 
 hand, and passing the end double through the loop, so as to 
 form a bow; this will neither get slack, nor so tight as to 
 crease the reins, or to draw out with difficulty. It obviates 
 the possibility of a horse, wild with his head, drawing the 
 reins through the hands, and consequently the necessity of 
 using both hands to shorten them: at the same time, being held 
 with the breadth of the whole hand at the centre, distinct 
 
58 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 single-handed indications can be given on them. A soldier 
 should go to a single combat with one of his reins in this 
 way. In the case of his adversary gaining his left rear, by 
 dropping the reins, the sword is then instantly shifted to the 
 left hand, and the rein as instantly grasped with the right, at 
 the proper length. As the soldier is only trained to use his 
 sword with his right hand, it is not, indeed, likely that his left 
 hand will be a match for his adversary's right ; but he will at 
 least be able to keep him at a distance, by striking, or pointing 
 at his horse's head, This would be a hopeless affair with 
 the right hand, particularly for a cuirassier. A pulling horse 
 may be ridden with one or both reins knotted in this way : 
 also a restive horse. His usual mode of defence is^ running 
 back and rearing ; because, from fear of his falling backward, 
 chastisement then usually ceases. In such a case, drop the 
 reins, lay hold of the mane with both hands, ply both spurs 
 severely, even while the horse is on his hind legs; and the 
 moment he flies from them, the reins are seized, in the mode to 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 59 
 
 be used most powerfully, without requiring any adjustment. 
 They should be so knotted previously to trying any of the 
 feats of the Eastern horseman, such as picking a piece of 
 money from the ground at a gallop, jumping off, or vaulting 
 on, or over, at a gallop, or using both hands to fire a carbine 
 to the rear, at a gallop, &c. &c. The reins should never be so 
 knotted in hunting, or in swimming a horse ; for, by catching 
 across the neck, they act like a bearing-rein, and oblige the 
 horse to carry his nose in, and his head up. In hunting, this 
 would bring his hind legs on his fences, and oblige him to leap 
 from the top of his banks, and, as it is called, to land all fours, 
 instead of extending himself, and letting himself down gently. 
 In swimming, it pulls his nose down, and obliges him to swim 
 with his head and neck out of water. 
 
 For common riding the objection is, that you cannot lengthen 
 or shorten the rein ; therefore, to give more liberty, or to 
 collect the horse more, the hand must go from or to the body. 
 If, therefore, the reins be knotted, so that the hands should 
 
60 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 be at a convenient distance from the body when the horse is 
 collected, they would be at a very inconvenient distance 
 when he is extended. 
 
 A side-saddle should have no right-hand pummel. It is 
 useless to the seat, and impedes the working of the right 
 hand. The appearance when mounted is infinitely improved 
 by the absence of it. It should have what is called a third 
 pummel, or leaping horn. In case of any unusual motion 
 of the horse, such as leaping, an ebullition of gaiety, or vio- 
 lence from any other cause, by pressing upwards with the 
 front part above the left knee, and downwards with the back 
 part above the right knee, a wonderfully strong grasp is ob- 
 tained, much stronger than the grasp obtained by the mode 
 in which men ride. This will be quite clear to you, if, when 
 sitting in your chair, you press your two knees together, and 
 afterwards, by crossing them over, press them, one down 
 and the other up. Besides this, when a man clasps his horse, 
 however firmly it fixes the clasping parts, it has a tendency 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. CI 
 
 to raise the seat from the saddle. This is not the case with 
 the clasp obtained in a side-saddle ; and for a tour deforce, 
 I find I am much stronger in a side-saddle than in my own. 
 There is no danger in this third pummel, since there is not 
 the danger of being thrown on it. More than this, it renders 
 it next to impossible that the rider should be thrown against 
 or upon the other pummels. In the case of the horse bucking, 
 without the leaping horn, there is nothing to prevent the 
 lady from being thrown up. The right knee is thus disen- 
 gaged from the pummel, and all hold lost. The leaping horn 
 prevents the left knee from being thrown up, and from that 
 fulcrum great force'may be employed to keep the right knee 
 down in its proper place. If the horse, in violent action, 
 throwsyhimself suddenly to the left, the upper part of the 
 rider's body will tend downwards to the right, and the 
 lower limbs upwards to the left : nothing can counteract this 
 but the appui afforded by the leaping horn. This tendency to 
 overbalance to the right, causes so many ladies to guard them- 
 
(J2 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 selves by hanging off their saddles to the left. The leaping horn 
 is also of infinite use with a hard puller, or in riding down 
 steep places ; for without it, in either case, there is nothing 
 to prevent the lady from sliding forward. It has also the 
 advantage, that should one rider like it, and another not, it 
 is easily screwed on, or taken off. The saddle should be kept 
 in its place by the elastic webbing girths, and not, as the 
 common error is, — probably from the facility of tightening 
 it, — by the hard, unyielding, leather surcingle. The use of 
 this surcingle is to prevent the small flap on the off side from 
 turning up, and the large flap on the off side from being blown 
 about with wind, and it should not be drawn tighter than is 
 sufficient for these purposes. The part coining from the near 
 side should not be attached, as at present, to the small flap, 
 but to the lower part of the large flap on the near side. This 
 will leave the small flap on the near side loose, as in a man's 
 saddle, and allow liberty for the use of a spring bar. It will 
 also lessen the friction against the habit and leg, by rendering 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. (ft 
 
 the side of the saddle perfectly smooth, except the stirrup- 
 leather. To lessen the friction from that, I recommend a 
 single, thin strap, as broad as a gentleman's, instead of the 
 present double, narrow, thick one. The stirrup should be in 
 all respects the same as a man's, and to make assurance doubly 
 sure, it should open at the side with a spring. This might be 
 useful in case of a fall on the off side, when the action of the 
 spring bar of the saddle might be impeded. But, if the stirrup 
 be~as large and as heavy as a man's, it is next to impossible 
 that the foot should be entangled in it. It is the common 
 error to suppose that persons are dragged owing to the stirrup 
 being too large, and the foot passing through it, — but the 
 reason is its being too small, and the foot being clasped by the 
 pressure of the upper part of the stirrup on the toe, and the 
 lower part on the sole of the foot. The strap should take on 
 and off it by means of a loop, like a slip-knot : it should be fixed 
 over the spring bar of the saddle, by a buckle similar to that of 
 a man's stirrup-leather, and which, though it bo only attached 
 
64 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 to the strap by the tongue, will be perfectly secure: — I recom- 
 mend this stirrup-leather to gentlemen also. The stirrup- 
 leather, which passes under the horse's body, and is fixed to 
 the off side of the side-saddle, is supposed to prevent the saddle 
 from turning round. This is a mechanical error. But the 
 great objection to this sort of stirrup-leather is, that it can- 
 not with safety be used with the spring bar ; for, when off 
 the bar, it remains attached to the saddle, and acts as a 
 scourge to the horse. I once saw a frightful instance of this. 
 
 I think the best way for a lady to mount is, to place the 
 left hand on the pummel, the right hand on the off side of 
 the cantle, or as far towards it as possible, and to give the 
 left foot to the person who assists her. In this way she may 
 use the strength of both arms to raise and balance herself. 
 This should be practised on any piece of furniture as high 
 as, or higher than a horse ; for accidents easily may, and in 
 fact constantly do, occur in mounting. 
 
 I have no feeling to prevent me descending to what may 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. (j£ 
 
 be called trifles ; in fact, that never shall be too trifling 
 for me which can in the smallest degree contribute to your 
 pleasure or safety. Good riding, as a whole, is indeed no 
 trifle, and it is worth acquiring by those whose pleasure or 
 business it is to ride ; because it is soon and easily acquired, 
 and, when acquired, it becomes habitual, and is as easy, nay 
 much more easy, and infinitely more safe, than bad riding. 
 Good riding also will last through age, sickness, and decrepi- 
 tude ; but bad riding will last only as long as youth, health, 
 and strength, supply courage : for good riding is an affair of 
 skill, but bad riding an affair of courage. A bold bad rider 
 must not be merely brave, he must be fool-hardy ; for he is 
 perpetually in as much danger as a blind man among pre- 
 cipices. It is, indeed, in riding as in most other things, 
 danger is for the timid and the unskilful ; or rather courage 
 and skill, timidity and want of skill, are synonymous terms. 
 Thus the skilful rider, when apparently courting danger in 
 the field, deserves no more credit for courage than for sitting 
 
56 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 in his arm-chair ; and the unskilful no more the imputation of 
 timidity for his backwardness, than one who, without any pre- 
 vious initiation in the art of funambulism , should decline fol- 
 lowing Madame Saqui on the tight-rope. Depend on it, the bold 
 bad rider is the hero. There is nothing heroic, nothing grand 
 in good riding, when dissected. The whole thing is a matter of 
 detail — a collection of trifles ; and its principles are so simple 
 in theory, and so easy in practice, that they are despised. 
 The pupil on hearing them assents, " Of course ! We need no 
 ghost to tell us that." — But, in fact, the great unpractised 
 secrets in riding are simply these : — When you go to the 
 right, pull the right rein stronger than the left : when you 
 go to the left, the left rein stronger than the right. Urge 
 the horse strongest on the side opposite to the guiding rein, 
 and let your bearing on his mouth be smooth and gentle. 
 He who does so, if not a perfect horseman, will at least 
 be a more perfect one than a million out of a million and 
 one. But, because I would divest horsemanship of the bom- 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 67 
 
 bastic mysticism of its foreign eulogists, do not fall into the 
 contrary extreme and despise the whole, because its parts are 
 insignificant. If you do, for the same reason, you may despise 
 all arts, all sciences : — I may say all greatness whatever. For 
 what are these but a knowledge, — a collection — a multiplicity 
 of trifles ? The arch, the palace, the pyramid, would never 
 have been built, if their architects had singly quarrelled with 
 each particle of their material, on the score of its individual 
 want of importance. 
 
 On account of ease to the rider, a lady's horse is only per- 
 mitted to canter with the right leg. Where this is the case, 
 he should never be cantered circles to the left, or turned 
 at a canter to the left ; as, unless the horse shifts his leg, it 
 will be an unfair exertion to demand of him ; that is, he must 
 be made to collect himself very much, or he will probably fall. 
 Cantering circles to the right, in open ground, where the horse 
 has nothing to bias him but the indications he receives from 
 the rider's hands and legs, is an admirable practice for a 
 
 f 2 
 
(JS HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 lady. In doing so, if the horse will answer the leg, collects 
 himself, and goes freely up to the bit, he should be ridden 
 with both hands. If he requires the whip to keep him up to 
 the hand, and make him collect himself, the reins must be 
 crossed in the left hand, and the whip applied chiefly on the left 
 shoulder, constantly if required, with as much gentleness as 
 is possible, but as much severity as is necessary. The bear- 
 ing on the mouth should be light but firm ; constantly giving 
 and taking to each stroke of the horse ; the right rein felt so 
 much stronger than the left, as to allow you to see the horse's 
 right nostril. An occasional race — who can canter slowest — 
 is also good practice both for horse and rider. This must not 
 be often repeated, nor must the horse be forced from a fair 
 canter, into a hobble or amble. With horses obstinately 
 addicted to the left leg, which is frequently a result of being 
 longed only to the left, it is a good plan to canter them side- 
 footed to the right, that is on a level line, on the side of a hill 
 which rises to the right. In this case, a very slight declina- 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 69 
 
 tion will incline a horse to take his right leg, and, on the side 
 of a steep hill, he can scarcely avoid doing so. 
 
 To give the bit its most powerful action, it should be placed 
 so low as only just to clear the tusks in a horse's mouth, and 
 to be one inch above the corner teeth in a mare's mouth. 
 The curb-chain should be so tiorht as not to admit of more 
 than one finger between it and the chin. These rules are 
 simple, and should be attended to by all riders, ladies as well 
 as gentlemen, for no groom knows how to bit a horse ; and 
 a horseman should no more mount with his bit improperly 
 placed, than a seaman set sail with his rudder out of order. 
 
 A twitch round the lower jaw, under the tongue, on the 
 bars or bare parts of the mouth, is perhaps the most certain, 
 powerful, and severe instrument to hold a horse with, and it 
 may be tightened till it becomes a dreadful implement of 
 torture. Next to this is what is called the dealer's halter ; 
 which is merely a narrow thong of leather in like manner tied 
 round the lower jaw, under the tongue, but incapable of being 
 
70 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 tightened or slackened like the twitch. The bit is a most 
 ingenious attempt to grasp the lower jaw by the same parts 
 with the capability of contracting or perfectly relaxing the 
 grasp, by the application or withdrawal of the powers of the 
 lever. This is the intended action of the bit — the philoso- 
 pher's stone, after which all bit-projectors and makers have 
 laboured. The obstacles to be overcome are various and 
 perhaps insuperable — and, indeed, could the powers of the 
 lever be employed on such exquisitely tender parts as the 
 bars, when within this iron vice, I think no hand could be 
 sufficiently delicate to use them. By pressing your finger-nail 
 against your own gums, you may form some idea of the agony 
 such an implement would have the power of giving to a horse. 
 Anything approaching to harsh, hard handling with it, would 
 drive him desperate, and force him to throw himself over 
 backwards. The idea of lifting his weight by such parts 
 grasped with iron is absurd ; still more preposterously bar- 
 barous that of arresting the headlong impetus of a falling 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 71 
 
 horse by them. Fortunately, the power of the rider is here 
 very limited, and the horse defends himself against it by 
 throwing his head upward and backward, and thus the rider 
 only breaks his horses' knees instead of his jaws. 
 
 But an ordinary bit placed in the ordinary way, never 
 touches the horse's bars at all. It is usually placed higher 
 than as directed above, and as it pivots on the eye — that 
 part to which the head -stall is attached — when in use, it rises 
 in the horse's mouth — higher, in proportion to the looseness of 
 the curb-chain and the length of the check, or upper part of 
 the branch or side of the bit, — and inside the mouth, it has a 
 mixed action, on the fleshy part of the gums, above the bars, 
 on the lips, and, owing to the narrowness of the porte, on the 
 tongue, — and outside the mouth, it acts on the coarse part of 
 the two jaw-bones, above the fine part of the chin, where the 
 two jaw-bones meet, where the curb-chain was originally 
 placed, and where it should act ; and I consider this sort of 
 upward grating action as calculated to excite, rather than to 
 
72 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 restrain a horse. A chifney bit, as it pivots on the mouth- 
 piece, avoids this, its action is quite independent of the head- 
 stall, and precisely on the parts where it is originally placed. 
 The horse employs his tongue as a defence against the bit, 
 passively as a cushion to protect the more tender parts on 
 which the bit was intended to work, and actively he uses the 
 muscles of the tongue in resistance to it. This may be proved 
 by using a straight mouth-piece, or one arched upward or 
 downward, but without a porte. From under these a horse 
 will never withdraw his tongue; and he will go with a dead 
 bearing on the hand, though equal, that is not more on one 
 side of the mouth than the other. Even a very narrow porte, 
 not a quarter the width of the tongue, will suffice, when pres- 
 sure is used, to defeat this defence, and completely to engage 
 the tongue within the porte. But being then much com- 
 pressed, it will sustain a great part of the leverage, and the 
 horse will endeavour still more to make his tongue the 
 fulcrum of the bit, and to relieve his bars from that office, by 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 73 
 
 protruding the tongue, and thus forcing the thick part of it 
 within the porte. It is a common error to make the porte 
 narrow, high, and the upper part uneven ; and by closing 
 the horse's mouth with a nose-band, to make it act on the 
 roof of the mouth. This is a useless and barbarous absur- 
 dity, and, like jerking a horse's mouth, much more likely to 
 excite him to action, than to induce him to cease from it. If 
 the porte be made wide, so as to allow space for the tongue, 
 the corners formed by the porte and the cannons, — those parts 
 between the porte and the branches, — are apt to work injuri- 
 ously against the bars, and also to slip quite off them, which 
 makes the action of such bits uncertain ; though they are very 
 effective and severe, if the mouth-piece be no wider than the 
 horse's mouth. But the mouth-piece which gives complete 
 room for the tongue, and yet brings the cannons into perfect 
 contact with the bars, is that of which M. de Solleysell claims 
 the invention, and which he describes as "a pas cCasne with 
 the porte gained from the thickness of the heels. " Let the 
 
74 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 mouthpiece be in width four inches inside : this, I believe, 
 will be sufficient for most horses ; since the part of a horse's 
 mouth where the bit should work is narrowest, and the checks 
 should consequently be set outwards. Let the entrance to the 
 porte between the heels be three-fourths of an inch, and the 
 porte open laterally to two and-a-half inches inside. 
 
 But when the tongue is perfectly disengaged from the bars by 
 the porte, the horse will still defend them by drawing his lip in 
 on one side, interposing it between one bar and one cannon 
 of the bit, and pulling on one side of his mouth only. This 
 may be partially remedied by using the snaffle at the same 
 time as the curb. It is a common error to attribute this to 
 nature having formed one bar stronger, or bad handling 
 having made it more callous, than the other. But these and 
 other tricks are not to be looked upon as the results of 
 natural defects, but as habitual defences against the pain 
 resulting from a hard harsh bearing on the horse's bars. With 
 a smooth and gentle bearing, he will not take to them, or 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 75 
 
 will discontinue them. For callous bars Xenophon pre- 
 scribes gentle friction with oil ! and the practice of the 
 Augustan age of the manege, recommended by Berenger, 
 was to amputate that part of the tongue which a horse 
 protruded or lolled out ! One of the most common defences 
 against the bit, is the taking the leg, the lower part of the 
 branch, in the mouth. This is commonly counteracted by 
 a lip- strap, but it may be prevented by having the leg bent 
 like that of a military bit. This avoids the use of the lip- 
 strap, which, to be effectual, must be so tight as, in some 
 degree, to gag the horse. The objection to the bent leg is, 
 that its appearance is unsporting. This, however, does not 
 apply as an objection to a lady's bit. The action of one 
 branch independently of the other, resulting from the mouth- 
 piece being jointed, or the porte movable, increases the faci- 
 lity of taking the leg in the mouth. For when the right 
 branch is in action, the leg is drawn back, and the bearing 
 of the lip-strap slackened, and the check in going forward 
 
76 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 draws the check of the left branch back, through the 
 medium of the curb-chain, which protrudes the leg of the 
 left branch. This also gives a sawing action to the curb- 
 chain. 
 
 If the theories laid down are true, it will result that the 
 common bits are best for the common run of coarse hands, 
 as being less severe, from their action being divided, and on 
 less sensible parts : and also, that they should be curbed 
 more loosely, and placed higher in the horse's mouth in 
 proportion to the degree of coarseness to be expected in the 
 rider's hand. 
 
 As the collected paces of the parade are not in vogue in 
 England, a gentleman rarely has occasion for his curb at all ; 
 except to train a horse for a lady, or in the case where a 
 commanding power is required with a horse, who, by bad 
 or cruel handling, has become habitually restive (for I dis- 
 believe the existence of one naturally so), or whose animal 
 impetuosity or ferocity leads him to attack his neighbours. 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 77 
 
 In such a case a chifney bit, on the principle described, with 
 half the length of branch, and a third part of the weight, 
 will be found more effective than a clipper bit ; and at the 
 same time that weight is got rid of, danger is avoided, 
 which, with branches running far below the horse's mouth, 
 is very great in going through living fences or coverts. The 
 reins should be extremely thin and supple ; they will last the 
 longer for it. For reins break from being stiff and cracking ; 
 and suppleness of reins is essential for delicacy of hand. 
 
 With such a bit, so placed, I have seen the taper tips of 
 the most beautiful fingers in the world, constrain the highest - 
 mettled and hottest thorough-bred horses, and " rule them 
 when they're wildest.' 1 It is an implement, which will give to 
 the weakest hand the power of the strongest ; which most of 
 the strongest hands cannot be trusted to wield, and which? 
 if ladies' hands are light, equal, and smooth, will give them 
 the power of riding horses such as few men might venture to 
 mount. 
 
78 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 Provided the indications from the hand are true and gentle, 
 no danger to the rider, or resistance from the horse, will 
 result from power ; but, on the contrary, safety to the rider, 
 and obedience from the horse. This is the only mode of 
 accounting for the fact that there are thousands of hands 
 which perform to admiration in driving, with the most severe 
 bits, but are quite unfit to be trusted in riding with any 
 thing but a snaffle bridle. For, in driving, the terret-pad 
 prevents false indications on the bit ; therefore, to ensure 
 true ones being given, two hands are used, or when one only, 
 two or more fingers are placed between the reins instead of the 
 fourth finger only ; consequently the horse obeys the slightest 
 touch, and consequently, his mouth and the rider's hand 
 become mutually more light. But put the driver and the 
 driven together, as rider and ridden, with the same bit, the 
 reins in one hand and the fourth finger only between them, 
 and what will follow ? the rider gives a wrong indication ; 
 the horse turns the wrong way, or stops. The rider insists, 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 79 
 
 and applies more force ; the horse rears. One or both fall 
 backwards. The blame is laid on the severity, instead of the 
 wrong application, of the bit, and the brute force of the rider. 
 And observe, it is power which I advocate, and not force. 
 " 'Tis well to have the giant's strength, but tyrannous to use 
 it like a giant. 1 ' As Lord Pembroke remarks in his admirable 
 treatise, his hand is the best who gets his horse to do what 
 he wishes with the least force ; whose indications are so clear 
 that his horse cannot mistake them, and whose gentleness and 
 fearlessness alike induce obedience to them. The noblest 
 animal will obey such a rider, as surely as he will disregard 
 the poltroon, or rebel against the savage. I say the noblest, 
 because it is ever the noblest among them which rebel the 
 most. For the dominion of man over the horse is a usurped 
 dominion. And, in riding a colt, or a restive horse, we 
 should never forget that he has the right to resist, and that, 
 at least as far as he can judge, we have not the right to 
 insist. When the stag is taken in the toils, the hunter feels 
 
80 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 neither anger nor surprise at his struggles and alarm; and, 
 indeed, would he not be very unreasonable were he to chastise 
 the poor animal on account of them ? But there is no more 
 reason in nature why a horse should submit, without resistance, 
 to be ridden, than the stag to be slain ; why the horse should 
 give up his liberty to us, than the stag his life. In both 
 these cases our " wish is father to the deed ;" and if our arro- 
 gance insinuates that a bountiful nature created these animals 
 for our service, assuredly bountiful nature left them in igno- 
 rance of the fact. And it is to the sportsman and the colt- 
 breaker that we must apply, if we wish to know whose victims 
 are the most willing ; not to the cockney casuist, whose know- 
 ledge of the stag is confined to his venison, and who never 
 trusts himself on the horse, till it has been "long trained 
 in shackles to procession pace/ 1 If he did, he would find 
 that the unfettered four-year-old shows the same alarm and 
 resistance to the halter as the stag to the toils. And, in 
 breaking horses, the thing to be aimed at, next to the power 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. fcj 
 
 of indicating our wishes, is the power of winning obedience 
 to those wishes. These, and these only, are the two things 
 to be aimed at, from the putting the first halter on the colt, 
 to his performance of the pirouette renversee au galop, — which 
 is perhaps the most perfect trial and triumph of the most 
 exquisitely finished horsemanship, and in which the horse 
 must exert every faculty of his mind to discover, and every 
 muscle of his body to execute, the wishes of his rider. 
 
 It is a vulgar error, an abuse of terms, the mere jargon of 
 jockeyship, to say that the horse needs suppling to perform 
 this, or any other air of the manege, or any thing else that 
 man can make him do. All that he wants is, to be made 
 acquainted with the wishes of his rider, and inspired with the 
 desire to execute them. For example, among the innumerable 
 antics which I have seen fresh young troopers go through, 
 when being led to and from the farrier's shop, I have seen 
 them perform this very air, the pirouette renversee au galop, to 
 the right round the man who leads them. I have seen them 
 
 o 
 
32 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 perform the figure perfectly, — with the exception that, instead 
 of the right nostril leading, the head and neck has been 
 straight on the diameter of the circle, — at the same time, 
 detacher Vaiguillette and mingle courbettes, hallotades, and 
 even cabrioles with it, combinations which La Broue, the 
 Duke of Newcastle, De la Gueriniere, or Pellier, would 
 scarcely dream of : — this a horse will do in the gaiety of his 
 heart, and without requiring any suppling. Take the same 
 horse into the school, follow him with the longe-whip, and 
 try to make him do it ; he will think you a most unreasonable 
 person ; he will by no means be able to discover your meaning, 
 and will, if you press him, finish by being exceedingly sulky. 
 Mount him, and try to indicate your wishes to him through 
 the medium of your hands, legs, and whip, or, if you prefer 
 the terms, give him their aid and support ; I will venture to 
 say that you will be nearer two years than one, before you 
 can get him to do what he has not only done, but done for his 
 own delight. In the mean time, if, during his two years of 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 83 
 
 suppling, you have never given him a false indication, or ever 
 forced him, he will be no more stiff than when he first began. 
 But if, as a million riders out of a million and one would have 
 done, you have been in the constant habit of doing both ; the 
 horse will long ago have become as stiff as a piece of wood. 
 Is it to be supposed that the best suppled manege horse is 
 more supple than the colt at the foot of his dam ? Can any 
 one, who has watched his pranks, think so ? How often have 
 I been told by a rider to observe how supple his horse's neck 
 has become ! — that he could now get his head round to his 
 knee ; whereas he could not at first accomplish more than 
 to see his horse's eye. If the same horse, loose, wished to 
 scratch his shoulder, or his ribs, or the root of his tail, would 
 he not forthwith do it with his teeth? When a cabriolet 
 or cart is turned in a narrow street or road, the horse is 
 forced to make half a pirouette, without any questions being 
 asked as to his capabilities or suppleness ; and the rein being 
 pulled strongest on one side, the whip applied on the other, 
 
 g 2 
 
84 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 the shafts to prevent his turning short, and probably 
 with evident reason why he should not go ahead, he sees 
 what is required, and does it without difficulty. But the 
 same horse will not do the same mounted, in the middle 
 of a grass field, with nothing but his rider's aids to bias 
 him, or indicate what is required of him. Put a halter on 
 a four-year-old who has never seen one, how many courbettes 
 will he make ? Put on a crupper, how many ballotades? 
 Girth him, how many cabrioles ? I have seen a young horse, 
 when led in a dealer's halter, if eager after his companions, 
 do the epaule en dedans. When placed against a wall to be 
 measured, I have seen him piaffe make the courbette, ballotade, 
 cabriole, pointe, and detacher V aiguillette . This he will do, as 
 long as he is raw and unused to his tackle. After he has become 
 accustomed to it, try to make him perform these airs at your 
 will ; and, as I have said, it will be two years before he will 
 understand and obey you. But these will be the reasons, not 
 his want of suppleness. Jump on him the first moment he is 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 35 
 
 saddled, he will probably run away; then stop him if you can : 
 
 or he will resist you by sulking, rearing, or throwing himself 
 down ; then make him gallop if you can, or take either leg, at 
 your will, at a collected canter. Is it from want of suppleness ? 
 or want of disposition to obey ? because he can't ? or because he 
 won't !— I think the last. Turn him away loose to his com- 
 panions in the green fields, and he will gambol with the light- 
 ness of a bird, and the elasticity of an eel ; and when you 
 want to catch him again, he will gallop fast enough, or proba- 
 bly inflating his nostrils, and spreading his tail, he will make 
 such a "passage" — I use it in the French sense, the cadenced 
 or collected trot— as, if you were on him, you would think an 
 ample reward for two years' labour. 
 
 The great thing in horsemanship is to get your horse 
 to be of your party ; not only to obey, but to obey wil- 
 lingly. For this reason a young horse cannot be begun 
 with too early, and his lessons cannot be too gradually 
 progressive. He should wear a head-stall from the begin- 
 
86 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 ning ; be accustomed to be held, and made fast by the 
 head ; to give up all four feet ; to bear the girthing of a 
 roller ; to be led, &c. When a horse hangs back and leads 
 unwillingly, the common error is to get in front of him, and 
 pull him. This may answer when the man is stronger 
 than the horse, but even then it would be an irksome process. 
 In leading, you never should be farther forward than your 
 horse's shoulder : with your right hand hold his head in 
 front of you, by the bridle, close to his mouth, or the 
 head -stall, and with the left hand touch him with the whip 
 behind you as far back as you can ; if you have no whip, 
 the spring bar will allow of the stirrup and leather being 
 easily taken off and on, which will make a good substitute. 
 The colt should also be led out by the side of old horses, 
 while at exercise, to accustom him to leave home and see 
 strange objects ; but he should not be made to face them, 
 still less be forced up to them. 
 
 The great use of longing is, not that it supples your horse, it 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. §7 
 
 is a farce to suppose it ; but that, next to being held by the 
 head and leading, it is the easiest act of obedience you can 
 require of him. In good hands it is a powerful and certain 
 mode of reducing a horse to submission, — of getting him to 
 go freely forward at your order, and it will never stiffen him. 
 In bad hands, it is the fruitful source of spavins, curbs, 
 and thorough-pins ; and far from suppling, it annually stiffens 
 and breaks down, thousands of horses : for the guiding 
 and urging indications are both on the same side of the 
 horse. His head and shoulders are forcibly hauled into the 
 circle by the cord, and his haunches driven out of it by the 
 whip. A horse should only be longed at a walk till he circles 
 without force. He should never be compelled to canter in the 
 longe, though he may be permitted to do it of himself. He 
 must not be stopped by pulling the cord, which would pull 
 him across, but by meeting him, or by running his head 
 towards a wall, or hedge, so that he stops himself straight. A 
 skilful person will, single-handed, longe a horse in many 
 
88 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 figures, and, by heading him with the whip, change him 
 without stopping, and longe him in the figure of 8. No 
 man is fit to be trusted with such powerful implements as 
 the longe- cord and whip who cannot do this; for he must be 
 ignorant of the principles of urging, guiding, and stopping the 
 horse in the longe. When the colt goes without force, he 
 should be longed on the snaffle, instead of the cavecon ; it 
 will facilitate his being guided, and held by the mouth, 
 when first mounted. In the longe, he should be accustomed 
 to feel the stirrups against his sides, and to carry the cross 
 with a great-coat on it. /When the reins are buckled to it — 
 which should be long at first, and shortened by degrees — the 
 inward should be so much shorter than the outward rein as 
 would allow the rider, if the horse were mounted, to see his 
 inward nostril. 
 
 As a practice of submission, placing him on the bit is good, 
 not to improve his mouth, it spoils that ; for colts left in this 
 way, tightly buckled up, bear heavily, and even go to sleep, 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 89 
 
 on the bit. The immediate consequence is raw, and after- 
 wards, callous lips. It is better to fix the straps from the 
 cross and pillars to the cavecon, instead of to the bit. Clean- 
 ing him on the bit, that is on an easy colt's mouthing- piece, is 
 an admirable practice. The reins should be on the sides of 
 the stalls, and the horse's head towards the manger : — when 
 dressed on the pillar-straps, there is danger of capping his 
 houghs by kicking against the manger. The brush acts as 
 the urging indication : the head of the stall as well as the 
 reins, inform the horse that he is not to advance ; the result 
 is that he collects himself to the bit. Here then the common 
 theory would make him to be taken up, and collected, not 
 between the hands and legs, not " dans la main et dans les 
 talons," but " dans the sides of the stall, et dans the horse- 
 brush :" that is, it would make him to be actively and mecha- 
 nically lifted by two passive and stationary pieces of timber, 
 and supported by the hog's bristles of the horse-brush. It 
 is precisely the same as putting him between the pillars in 
 
90 HINTS OX HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 a manege, which is an admirable explanatory practice to a 
 horse. For when retained by thejpillars at his head, which 
 indicate to him that he is not to advance, and urged from 
 behind, by the application of the longe-whip to his tail, he 
 sees what is required, that he has nothing to do but to 
 collect himself, and he does it. With the longe-whip in 
 skilful hands, the head and sides of the stall give infinite 
 advantages over the pillars in the manege. The stall should 
 be well littered, to prevent slipping : for the danger is, urging 
 him so far as to induce rearing : a fall backwards on pavement 
 might be fatal. Both teach the horse the same lesson, 
 namely, that when urged up to the bit, that is, when retained 
 and urged at the same time, he is required to collect himself. 
 Anything which facilitates this is of infinite value ; for, when 
 mounted, apply these opposite indications to a colt, he will 
 do anything but obey them — anything but collect himself. 
 If you insist, he will resist. He will end in overt acts of 
 rebellion, or at least in dogged sulks ; and that, from not 
 
HINTS OX HORSEMANSHIP. 91 
 
 understanding or not choosing to obey your aids, not from 
 want of suppleness. Let art supple the temper and under- 
 standing of colts, and leave nature to supple their limbs. 
 Cleaning a horse on the bit has also the additional merit 
 of preventing him from wearing his teeth, the sides of the 
 stall, and the manger, by biting them while being cleaned : 
 this last is probably the origin of crib-biting. By holding 
 the coifs head by the cavecon, or halter, or the strap of a 
 riding-school snaffle, which passes behind the chin, close and 
 fronting to a wall, and touching him with a whip on the side, 
 he may be easily made to passage, that is, cross his legs and go 
 sideways to either hand. For with the wall to show him that 
 he is not to advance, the hand to make his head and shoulders 
 lead, and the whip on one side, he instantly apprehends what 
 is required. He should also be taught to rein back by the 
 cavecon or halter : it is more simple than the bit, which, 
 from its severity, he at first mistakes for a punishment, instead 
 of an indication to rein back, and so becomes confused, and, 
 
92 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 if force is used, sulky. These are important steps, as prac- 
 tices of obedience as well as of intelligence. 
 
 There cannot be a better time than when the colt is in his 
 longing lessons, to teach him to leap. The bar itself should 
 be only six feet long. The posts which support it should be 
 four feet six inches high. The side rails attached to them, 
 thirty feet in length, with a post in the centre at fifteen feet 
 from either end, and they should slope down to three feet. 
 They should rest on the tops of the posts, and be flush with 
 them and perfectly smooth, so that the longe-cord may pass 
 freely along, and over them without catching. The pace 
 should be invariably a walk, as far as the middle post, thence 
 a slow trot. The horse must not be suffered to rush, or he 
 will refuse, or at least pull up and jump standing. The reins 
 of the snaffle should be taken over the head and passed 
 through the ring, on the left side of the snaffle, and the 
 longe-cord buckled to them. Hold the rein close to where 
 it passes through the ring. It will clasp the horse's lower 
 
HINTS OX HORSEMANSHIP. 93 
 
 jaw, like a slip-knot, and give you great power to hold him, 
 and prevent rushing. This should be done with a perfectly 
 smooth, firm feeling, and without jerk. All over-fresh 
 horses should be led in this way when not mounted ; without 
 it, a horse will contrive to pull with the top of his head, 
 instead of his jaw, and with force sufficient to break any 
 reins, or pull any man over. If the horse does refuse, the 
 bar should be lowered till he ceases to do so. He should be 
 always touched with the whip, if he hesitates ; but never 
 forced over anything higher than a foot from the ground. 
 And as long as he rushes, or shows nervousness, he cannot be 
 kept too low. When he goes freely and steadily, raise the 
 bar, hole by hole. Two or three times each day over the bar 
 would make him, before he is out of the breaker's hands, as 
 high and temperate a timber-fencer as the most practised 
 hunter — a high gate would be a joke to him. If he has no use 
 for this accomplishment in after-life, it is at least excellent as 
 an exaction of obedience. Any good-natured groom might 
 
94 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 teach these things to a colt from the moment he is weaned, and 
 it would save him much brutality, as a three or four-year-old. 
 In doing so, it is impossible to have too much forbearance. The 
 whole thing is an affair of patience. Put off the evil day of force. 
 Forgive him seventy times seventy times a day, and be assured 
 that what does not come to-day, will to-morrow. The grand 
 thing is to get rid of dogged sulks and coltishness — of that way- 
 ward, swerving, hesitating gait, which says, " Here's my foot, 
 and there's my foot,'" or "There is a lion in the street, I can- 
 not go forth ! " This is the besetting sin of colts, and this it 
 is, which on the turf, gives so great an advantage to a young 
 horse, who has another to make play, or cut out the running 
 for him. For this indisposition to go freely forward, results, 
 as well from their seeing no necessity to give up their will to 
 yours, as from their incapacity to perceive and obey the indi- 
 cations of their rider, without swerving, shifting the leg, &c., 
 and additional labour to themselves. All this is spared to 
 the young horse by the follow-my-leader system. 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 95 
 
 Everything should be resorted to, to avoid alarm on the 
 colt's, and force on the man's side, and gradually to induce 
 familiarity and cheerful obedience — to reconcile him to the me- 
 lancholy change from gregarious liberty, to a solitary stall, and 
 a state of slavery. I should say, he is the best colt-breaker 
 who soonest inspires him with the animus eundi ; who soonest 
 gets him to go freely straight forward ; who soonest, and 
 with the least force, gets the colt without company five miles 
 along the road from home, with the least unwillingness. 
 Violence never did that yet ; — but violence increases his 
 reluctance, and makes it last ten times longer. Indeed it 
 causes the colt to stiffen and defend himself; and this never is 
 got rid of. It is true that by force you may make him your 
 sullen slave, but that is not the object ; the object is to make 
 him your willing subject, and long, gentle usage will alone do 
 this. Above all things, do not be perpetually playing the 
 wolf to him. Deal in rewards where it is possible, and in 
 punishment only where it cannot be avoided. It is no doubt 
 
96 HINTS OX HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 our duty to create the happiness, and to prevent the misery, 
 of every living thing. But with our horse this is also a 
 matter of policy. Xenophon has a most charming remark, 
 that we should endeavour to make ourselves to our horse the 
 organ of pleasure, and that he should associate with our 
 presence the idea of the absence of pain. I should like to 
 quote one more golden rule from this most christian-like 
 heathen, namely, that nothing should be done to the horse in 
 anger. The colt should be caressed, rubbed, and spoken to 
 kindly. He should be fed from the hand, with anything he 
 may fancy, such as an apple or carrot, or sugar, and be made 
 to come for it when whistled to, or called by name. A good 
 way to familiarise them is, when their heads are fastened to 
 the cross, or saddle, so that they cannot reach to help them- 
 selves, to gather boughs or grass, and give it them on calling 
 their name, or whistling. In this way they will soon go with 
 you loose like a dog. When their heads are loose, by throw- 
 ing pieces of apple or carrot on the ground, they will learn to 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 97 
 
 watch your hand like a dog, and will soon pick up your glove, 
 or handkerchief, or whip, and bring it in exchange for the 
 reward ; or, when mounted, put their heads back to place it 
 in your hand. 
 
 These may be " foolish things to all the wise ;" but nothing 
 is useless which familiarises the horse ; which increases the 
 confidence and intimacy between him and his rider ; or 
 which teaches him to look to man for the indications of 
 his will, and to obey them, whether from fear, interest, or 
 attachment. 
 
 Till the colt is inured to the imprisonment and atmosphere 
 of the stable, he cannot be led out too frequently or too long 
 in the open air ; at the least twice a-day. Warm clothing 
 is by no means objectionable for horses, nor even a warm 
 stable ; but in all cases plenty of fresh air should be admitted. 
 
 Horses, in grazing, must, doubtless, swallow much earth. 
 Those kept in stables, and feeding only on hay and oats, will 
 often, if allowed, when out, seize any opportunity to eat earth ; 
 
 H 
 
98 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 or when first unbridled in the stable, will lick every particle 
 of it off their feet ; or if they can get at the wall, will lick the 
 whitewash off it. I think all horses should have a lump of 
 rock-salt, and a lump of chalk, in their mangers ; and I very 
 much doubt whether, with this exception, they should in any 
 case have any medicine whatever. Most of their disorders are 
 the results of close confinement in close stables, and are to be 
 prevented or remedied only by proper stable management, 
 plenty of gentle exercise, and air. Their infirmities and un- 
 soundnesses are almost invariably caused by too much work. 
 Do not, on that account, proceed to drug and poison them 
 internally with patent medicines ; or externally to subject their 
 skin and sinews to operations and tortures which would not 
 disgrace the Inquisition. But trust only to a loose place and 
 perfect rest. In the case of wounds, nature, wholly unassisted, 
 will perform cures almost miraculous, if not obstructed by 
 what is called art. 
 
 Shoes are necessary to a horse who works much on hard 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 99 
 
 ground. For take a horse with the soundest and hardest 
 l 100 f — that is, one bred on the driest and most upland pas- 
 ture — he will, perhaps, gallop ten or twenty miles unshod, on 
 a hard road, without breaking or injuring his foot ; but let 
 him travel thirty miles a-day, even at a slow pace, for thirty 
 successive days, and before he has performed a quarter part, 
 his foot will be worn to the quick. Still less will he be able 
 to stand a daily stage in a coach. Even the Greeks shod 
 their mules and draught-horses. But the modern shoe of the 
 West, — and I believe it to be better than that of the East, 
 — compels the horse to stand in a most unnatural manner ; 
 namely on the crust, or outside rim of the foot only. This evil 
 can be remedied during the time that the horse is in the 
 stable by the pad invented for this purpose, by that inge- 
 nious and original thinker, Mr. Cherry. This pad is broader 
 than the interior opening of the shoe : must be compressed 
 in order to be placed within it ; and remains there when the 
 foot is lifted, merely from the pressure caused against the 
 
 h 2 
 
100 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 interior sides of the shoe by the tendency of the felt to 
 expand itself. Let one or two thicknesses of leather, of the 
 same breadth as the interior opening of the shoe — that is, of 
 less breadth than the pad — be attached to the pad by being 
 sewed down the middle only ; so as to allow the felt to be bent 
 and compressed to place it in the foot. The leather should 
 protrude beyond the shoe about one-eighth of an inch. By this 
 a bearing will be got on the whole internal part of the foot, as 
 well as on the shoe ; at the same time that the pad will be 
 prevented from coming in contact with any moisture. I 
 think it essential that this internal support of the foot should 
 be dry ; for though it is true that horses at large in moist 
 pastures have invariably open heels, I attribute this not to 
 the moisture directly, but to the softness of the tread result- 
 ing from the moisture, and consequently to the perfect sup- 
 port and pressure on the whole interior part of the foot. It 
 is equally certain that horses on such ground have invariably 
 diseased frogs and thrushes. To cure this, I believe with 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 1QX 
 
 Xenophon that drought is essential ; and I think with him 
 that the foot should never be wetted unnecessarily— not even 
 washed. For this reason, and also to keep the stable sweet, 
 the horse should stand all day without litter. But above all 
 things he should stand on a flat plane. Nothing can be more 
 painful or more detrimental to a horse than obliging him, 
 as is now often the case, to stand up-hill. If there is a drain, 
 it should be towards the centre of the stall, if none, the 
 paving-stones should have deep interstices between them, so 
 that their surface should be always dry. I think the most 
 perfect standing for a horse who is shod, would be a stall, 
 laid a foot or eighteen inches deep, with fine shingle, or 
 sifted gravel. This would yield to the horse's tread till there 
 was an equal bearing on every part of the foot, be always 
 changing, always dry, and always cool. But I have not had 
 opportunity to try this, even as a standing for the day time ; 
 nor to prove how far it might be fitted for the horse to lie on 
 without litter ; or how far, if it were littered down for the 
 
102 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 night, the litter might with convenience be removed to form a 
 standing for the day time. Xenophon, with a different object 
 in view, recommends a standing of this sort for the unshod 
 horse while being cleaned out of doors. 
 
 All horses, but particularly broken-winded horses, should 
 have water always within their reach. Setting them pre- 
 viously to speedy galloping, is the only exception ; and this 
 is almost invariably overdone. Such horses, however, whether 
 race-horses or hunters, are the best judges of how much 
 chilled water they should drink after their exertion. The 
 groom may be competent and supreme in the case of his 
 own potations ; but his judgment in this case for the horse 
 is, I think, the frequent source of fever, inflammation, and 
 cholic. It is the common error to stint broken- winded horses 
 of water. This is a barbarous mistake. The object should 
 be to prevent them distending themselves by immoderate 
 draughts. This is best accomplished by giving them the 
 opportunity of making frequent moderate draughts. 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 103 
 
 Such things as the above, which relate to the future and 
 permanent well-being of the horse, should be attended to by 
 the master ; for even good grooms are too apt to confine 
 their cares to the present state and condition of the horse ; 
 and are careless or ignorant that their daily treatment of him 
 is surely, though imperceptibly, laying the foundation of 
 broken wind, stiffened sinews and joints, crippled and con- 
 tracted feet, &c. 
 
 I cannot finish without one word to deprecate a piece of in- 
 humanity, practised as much, perhaps more, by ladies than 
 gentlemen — the riding the horse fast on hard ground. I pray 
 them to consider that horses do not die of old age, but are 
 killed because they become crippled ; and that he who cripples 
 them is the cause of their death, not he who pulls the trigger. 
 The practice is as unhorsemanlike as it is inhuman. It is 
 true that money will replace the poor slaves as you use them 
 up, and if the occasion requires it, they must, alas ! be used 
 up ; but, in my opinion, nothing but a case of life and death 
 
104 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 
 
 can justify the deed. If the ground be hard and even, a 
 collected canter may be allowed, but if hard and uneven, a 
 moderate trot at most. One hour s gallop on such ground 
 would do the soundest horse irremediable mischief. Those 
 who boast of having gone such a distance, in such a time, on 
 the ground supposed, show ignorance or inhumanity. Such 
 feats require cruelty only, not courage. Nay they are per- 
 formed most commonly by the very persons who are too 
 cowardly or too unskilful to dare to trust their horse with his 
 foot on the elastic turf, or to stand with him the chances 
 of the hunting field : and such is the inconsistency of 
 human nature, that they are performed by persons who 
 would shudder at the sight of the bleeding flank of the race- 
 horse ! or who would lay down with disgust and some expres- 
 sion of maudlin, morbid humanity, the truly interesting 
 Narrative of that most intrepid and enduring of all gallopers, 
 Sir Francis Head. But compare the cases. In the case of 
 the race-horse, he has his skin wounded to urge him to a 
 
HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 105 
 
 two, or at most a five minutes 1 exertion, from which in ten 
 minutes he is perfectly recovered, and ready, nay eager, to 
 start again. In the case of the wild horse of the Pampas, 
 he is urged for two, three, or perhaps five hours to the 
 utmost distress for wind, as well as muscular fatigue ; he is 
 enlarged, — and in three or four days he is precisely the same 
 as if he had never been ridden. But in the case of the 
 English road -rider, though no spur is used, unfair advantage 
 is taken of the horse's impetuous freedom of nature ; his 
 sinews are strained ; his joints permanently stiffened ; he is 
 deprived at once and for ever of his elasticity and action, 
 and brought, prematurely a cripple, to the grave. 
 
 THE END. 
 
LONDON : 
 ItRADBlTRY AND EVANS, PRtNTRRS, WHI7EFRIARS. 
 
Webster Family Library of Veterinary Mediero 
 
 Qymmings School of Veterinary Medicine ak 
 
 Tufts University 
 
 200 Westboro Road 
 
 North Grafton, MA 01636 
 

 
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