The general art of riding, sometimes called manège riding, to distinguish it from its modifications in road-riding, hunting, racing, &c., teaches us to place every part of the body so that it can act upon the horse in every emergency, shows the effect of all the aids or modes of guiding him, and enables us to render him obedient to the slightest touch. By never suffering the ascendancy to be transferred to the horse, by in general preventing him from making all his speed, and by exhausting him the sooner the more he exerts himself without permission, it bestows upon the rider perfect security.
An intimate knowledge of this method is necessary even to our abandoning it when convenient, to our adopting the styles, afterwards to be described, for more extended and rapid paces, or for long continued riding, to our suffering the horse to take more or less of ascendancy, and to our, when necessary, easily recovering that superiority of the hand, of which those who are ignorant of this fundamental method are less capable.
The recent practice has been to carry the foot rather more forward than is represented in our Plates, approaching in this respect, to the ancient position, as seen in the Elgin marbles, &c.
A Parisian bit, which is attached to the mouth of the horse, without a headstall, has been lately used. It is, however, applicable only to horses, on account of its being retained in the mouth by means of the side tusks, which mares do not possess. It is composed of a semicircular bar of iron, which goes under the chin, to which its concavity applies; while a short bar, firmly attached to one of its ends, passes nearly half-way through the mouth. Through the other end of the semicircle is a hole, into which, when the bit is on, must be screwed a bolt, similar to the one just described. These two bolts, it is easily understood, pass behind the tusks, and nearly meet in the centre of the mouth.[64]
[64] The Saddle (Fig. 1).—a, pommel; b, cantle; c, panel; d, flaps; e, stirrup leather; f, girths.
Bridles (Fig. 2)—a, b, headstall with the cheekstraps; c, do. of the curb; d, do. of the bridoon or snaffle passing through it over the poll; e, nosetrap (seldom found in any but military bridles), f, throatlash. Fig. 3. A twisted snaffle-bit. Fig. 4. A plain snaffle-bit. Fig. 5. A Weymouth curb, with chain and chainstrap (a) attached. Fig. 6. A common curb-bit, with the upset in the mouthpiece.
Plates XXXIV., XXXV. f. 1 give better ideas of the horse and his equipments than the longest and most detailed description. The reader will therefore examine them in succession. We have here only to add those circumstances as to the equipment of the horse, which could not be communicated by that otherwise briefer and more impressive method.
The shoes of a horse have much to do with his, and consequently with his rider’s, comfort. It is therefore important to know that he is properly shod. To effect this, the shoe should be fitted to the foot, and not the foot to the shoe.
Neither heel nor frog should be pared more than merely to take off what is ragged; for no reproduction takes place here, as in the case of the hoof. Farriers ruin nearly all horses by doing otherwise. Indeed, they are not to be trusted with this operation, which, after shoeing, any gentleman may perform with his pocket-knife. The sole of the foot must not be hollowed out, but only the outer wall pared flat or even with the sole, and most at the toe. Nor, above all things, ought the farrier’s finishing rasp all round the edge of the horn immediately above the shoe to be permitted. Neither ought nails to be driven far backward towards the heel, where the horn is softer and more sensible, especially at the inner quarter. When a horse has a high heel, the foot, except the frog, may be pared flat, but not hollowed out or opened. When a horse has a low heel, the foot should be pared only at the toes.
It is common to allow the fore part or toe of the hoof to grow long, thereby throwing the horse much on his heels. This position is unnatural, because, were the horse in a state of nature, without shoes, the toe, from constant contact with the ground, would be worn down to its proper level with the heel. This growth, then, of the fore part of the hoof, by throwing him on his heels, renders them tender, and causes lameness: while the foot, not being flat on the ground, also strains the ligaments of the fetlock joint. These evils may be obviated by doing as nature directs—by cutting away the toe to the proper level with the heel, so as to allow the foot to bear flat upon the ground. When a horse has a short pastern, he should have a short shoe, because a long one would compel him to bring his heel more backward than the unpliableness of his pastern would easily admit.
The saddle should be proportioned to the size of the horse. Before, the bearings should be clear of the plate bone; behind, they should not extend further than within four inches of the hips; and their pressure should be equal on every part intended to be touched. The closer the saddle then comes the better, if neither the weight of the rider nor settling of the panel can possibly injure the withers or chine. Before mounting, the rider should examine whether the saddle, girths, straps, bits, bridle, &c., are all good and well fixed.
When the saddle is on the horse, the lowest part of the seat should rather be behind its centre, as it is there that the weight of the body should fall, and by that means the thighs can keep their proper position. The best test of the adaptation of the seat is, when the rider, without stirrups or effort, easily falls into his proper place in the saddle.
Stirrups should not be used until the pupil is capable of riding without them. Their proper length is when the upper edge of the horizontal bar reaches a finger’s breadth below the inner ankle-bone. When the feet are in the stirrups, the heels should be about two inches lower than the toes. No more than the natural weight of the limbs should be thrown upon them. It is by an accurate position, and an easy play of the ankle and instep, that the stirrup is retained, so as to slip neither forward nor backward, even if the toe be raised for a moment.
The position on horseback with stirrups differs from that without them only in this, that the thigh being, by the stirrup, relieved from the weight of the leg and foot, the knee is slightly bent, and rather before the lines which these form in the position without stirrups. In hussar riding, hunting, &c., the breadth of four fingers should intervene between the fork and the saddle when the rider stands up.
Spurs should never be used but by an accomplished rider. When it is necessary to employ them, they should be applied a few inches behind the girth, as low as possible, and with the lightest touch capable of producing the effect.
As to the bridle, in order to give the greatest possible ease to the snaffle, a large and polished bit is necessary. Most bits are too small and long, bend back over the bars of the horse’s jaw, work like pincers, and cut his mouth.
To give the greatest degree of severity, the bit, while hot, is twisted into a spiral form, so as to present to the jaw a rough and sharp surface, capable of pressing the bars or lips with greater or less severity. The degrees of punishment which this bit is capable of inflicting are generally sufficient for all the purposes of correction. It is therefore best to ride with a snaffle, and to use a curb only occasionally when absolutely necessary. In all cases, the rider should observe that the horse is furnished with a bit proper for him. If too light, it may have the effect already described. If too heavy, it may incline him to carry the head low, or to rest upon the hand, which jockeys call “making use of a fifth leg.” The simplest and most useful of the curb kind is the Weymouth bit, which consists of a strong plain mouth-piece of uniform thickness, without any upset, but merely a curve forwards, to give ease to the tongue.
The centre of the reins should be accurately marked; and, when both reins are held in one hand, and the near rein has to pass under the little finger, and over the fore-finger, on the outside of the off-rein, the latter should be held about half an inch shorter, and the centre should be brought proportionally towards the left. In adjusting the bridle on the horse’s head, the headstall, parallel to and above the cheekbone, must have its length so regulated as to permit the mouth-piece of the curb to rest on the bars, an inch above the lower tushes in horses, and about two inches above the corner teeth in mares, which have no tushes. The nose-band, lying under the snaffle headstall, must be buckled so loosely that a finger can pass freely under it and over the horse’s nose. The bit of the snaffle must be higher, but not so much so as to wrinkle the corner of the mouth. The throat-lash must be buckled rather loose. The mane is usually cut close under the headstall; the finger clears any part of the foretop interfering with it; and the remainder, when combed smooth, is put either over or under the front.
If the rider uses a curb, he should make it a rule to hook on the chain himself; for the quietest horse may bring his rider into danger, if the curb hurt him. The curb-chain must pass under the snaffle. The rider should, therefore, put his right hand under the snaffle reins to take hold of the curb-chain, and introducing two fingers of his left within the cheek of the bit, and aiding these with his thumb, take hold of the curb hook. The end links of the curb-chain being in his right hand, he should turn the chain to the right and under, or as he would a screw, till every link lies flat and smooth, and then, without losing a half turn, put that link on the hook which appears to be neither tight nor slack. The finger should pass between the horse’s jaw and curb, which in this case hangs down upon his under lip. It is necessary also to see how it operates. If the branch has liberty to move forty-five degrees, or to a right angle, it is the degree which is in general best. If, however, one link of the chain confine it to thirty-five degrees, and if one link lower give it fifty-five degrees, then the manner of the horse’s carrying his head must determine which is most proper: if the horse naturally carry his nose high, the branch may have fifty-five, if he bring his nose in, he should have thirty-five degrees. If there be a chain-strap, it must be placed so high on the branch, that when passed through the ring in the curb-chain, it may be buckled tight enough to prevent the horse lodging the branch on his teeth.
When a horse’s head is steady, when he is light in hand, can obey its motions with ease, and stop readily, the bit is properly adjusted. On the contrary, if he open his mouth as if gagged, writhe his jaws, draw his tongue above the mouth-piece, or thrust it out sidewise; if he fear the impression of the bit, have no appuy, toss his head up and down, carry it low, and endeavour to force the hand, or refuse to go forward, or run backward, the bit is not properly adjusted.
In mounting, the rider,—presenting himself rather before the horse’s shoulder, with his left breast towards that shoulder, and with his whip or switch in his left hand,—takes, with the right hand, the snaffle reins in the centre;—introduces the little finger of the left hand between them from before, the back of that hand being towards the horse’s head;—places the left hand below the right on the neck of the horse, about twelve inches from the saddle;—draws with the right hand the reins through the left, and shortens them, till the left has a light and equal feeling of both reins on the horse’s mouth;—throws, with the right hand, the reins to the off side;—takes, with the same hand, a lock of the mane, brings it through the left hand, and turns it round the left thumb:—and closes the left hand firmly on the mane and reins.
The right hand, after quitting the mane, lays hold of the left stirrup, the fingers being behind, and the thumb in front of it;—the left foot is raised and put into the stirrup as far as the ball of it, Pl XXXV f 2 the right foot is then moved until the rider’s face is turned to the side of the horse, and looking across the saddle; while the right hand is placed on the cantle, the left knee against the saddle on the surcingle, with the left heel drawn back, to avoid touching the horse’s side with the toe;—by a spring of the right foot from the instep, not by any pull with the right hand, the rider raises himself in the stirrup, the knees firm against the saddle, the heels together, but drawn back a little, and the body erect, and partially supported by the right hand Pl XXXVI f 1 the right hand moves from the cantle to the pommel, and supports the body;—the right leg at the same time passes clearly over the horse’s quarters to the off side;—the right knee closes on the saddle; the body comes gently into it;—the left hand quits the mane, and the right the pommel.
The left, or bridle hand, with the wrist rounded outwards, is placed opposite the centre of the body, and at three inches’ distance from it;—the right hand is dropped by the side of the thigh;—the stirrup is taken instantly with the right foot, without the help of hand or eye;—the clothes are adjusted;—and the whip is exchanged from the left hand to the right, being held with the lash upwards, but inclining a little towards the left ear of the horse, and never leaving the right hand, except while mounting or dismounting,—(Plate XXXVI. f. 2.)
The horse is to be accustomed to stand till the rider request him to move. The habit of unsteadiness is acquired from grooms, who, on going out to water and exercise, throw themselves over a horse from some elevation, and give a kick to the animal even before being fairly upon it. If a groom attend at mounting, he ought not to be suffered to touch the reins, but only that part of the bridle which comes down the cheek.
In dismounting, the whip is to be returned into the left hand;—the right hand takes hold of the rein above the left;—the right foot quits the stirrup;—the left hand slides forward on the rein, to about twelve inches from the saddle, feeling the horse’s mouth very lightly;—the right hand, dropping the reins to the off side, takes a lock of the mane, brings it through the left, and twists it round the left thumb;—the fingers of the left hand close on it;—the right hand is placed on the pommel; the body being kept erect. The body is supported with the right hand and left foot;—the right leg is, without touching the horse’s hind-quarters or the saddle, brought gently to the near side, with the heels close, care being take not to bend the right knee, lest the spur should touch the horse;—the right hand passes at the same time to the cantle, to preserve the balance, as in the act of mounting;—the body is gently lowered until the right toe touches the ground;—resting on the right foot, the left stirrup is quitted, and the left foot placed in line with the horse’s hoofs;—the hands remaining as in the former motion. Both hands then quit their holds of the mane and cantle;—and the right hand lays hold of the snaffle rein near the ring of the bit.
In mounting without stirrups,—after taking up the reins, instead of seizing the mane, the rider lays hold of the pommel and cantle, and, by a spring of both legs from the insteps, raises the body to the centre of the saddle. By a second spring of both arms, the right leg is carried over the horse, and the rider enters his proper seat by closing the knees on the saddle, and sliding gently into it.
In dismounting without stirrups, on either side of the horse, the rider throws the weight of the body on the hands placed on the pommel, and, by a spring, raises the body out of the saddle before the leg is brought over the horse.
The seat must be understood in an extended sense as the disposition of the various parts of the body, in conformity with the action of the horse; and its effect is the rider’s being firm in the saddle, when he might be otherwise thrown forward over the horse’s head, or backward over his tail.
The fundamental seat is that intermediate one of which all others are modifications, and in which the rider sits when the horse is going straight forward, without any bend in his position. In describing this, it is first necessary to consider the rider’s relation to the horse.—He must sit on that part of the animal’s body which, as he springs in his paces, is the centre of motion: from which, of course, any weight would be most difficultly shaken. The place of this seat is that part of the saddle into which the rider’s body would naturally slide were he to ride without stirrups. This seat is to be preserved only by a proper balance of his body, and its adaptation to even the most violent counteractions of the horse. Turf jockeys necessarily sit further back, that they may employ the pulls.
It is necessary to consider the horseman in various parts, and to explain their different functions: 1st, the lower part, as being here the principal one, namely, the thighs, with the legs as dependent on them; 2dly, the upper part, namely, the body, with the arms dependent on it. The thighs, from the fork to the knees, are commonly called the immovable parts, and upon them the whole attitude depends. They must not wriggle or roll, so as either to disturb the horse, or render the seat loose; but they may be relaxed when the horse hesitates to advance. The legs occasionally strengthen the hold of the thighs by a grasp with the calves; and they likewise aid, support, and chastise the horse. The body, from the fork upwards, must always be in a situation to take the corresponding motion, and preserve the balance. The position of the arms is dependent on that of the body, but they also exercise new functions.
As a good seat is the basis of all excellence in riding, we shall consider these parts in detail.
In relation to the thighs, the rider, sitting in the middle of the saddle, must rest chiefly upon their division, vulgarly called the fork, and very slightly upon the hips. The thighs, turned inward, must rest flat upon the sides of the saddle, without grasping; for the rider’s weight gives sufficient hold, and the pressure of the thighs on the saddle would only lift him above it. The knees must be stretched down and kept back, so as to place the thighs several degrees short of a perpendicular; but no gripe must be made with them, unless there be danger of losing all other hold. If the thighs are upon their inner or flat side in the saddle, both the legs and the feet will be turned as they ought to be. Thus turned, they must be on a line parallel to that of the rider’s body, and hang near the horse’s sides, but must not touch; yet they may give an additional hold to the seat, when necessary, and the calves must act in support of the aids of the hands. The heels are to be sunk, and the toes to be raised, and as near the horse as the heels, which prevents the heel touching the horse.
As to the body.—The head must be firm, yet free. The shoulders thrown back, and kept square, so that no pull of the bridle may bring them forward. The chest must be advanced, and the small of the back bent a little forward.
The upper parts of the arms must hang perpendicularly from the shoulders, the lower parts at right angles with the upper, so as to form a horizontal line from the elbow to the little finger. The elbows must be lightly closed to the hips, and, without stiffness, kept steady, or they destroy the hand. The wrist must be rounded a little outwards. The hands should be about three inches from the body, and from the pommel of the saddle, and from four to six inches apart; the thumbs and knuckles pointing towards each other, and the finger nails towards the body.[65]
[65] When in motion round the manège, or the circle, the inward hand, or that towards which we turn, is to be a little lower than the outward one.
When the rider is in the proper position on horseback without stirrups, his nose, breast, knee, and instep are nearly in a line; and, with stirrups, his nose, breast, knee, and toe, are in a line.—(Pl XXXVI.) The man and the horse throughout are to be of a piece. When the horse is at liberty, or disunited, as it is termed, the rider sits at his ease; and, as he collects and unites his horse, so he collects and unites himself. There must, however, be no stiffness of manner, more than in sitting on a chair; for it is ease and elegance which distinguish the gentleman.
The balance in riding preserves the body from that inclination to one side or the other which even the ordinary paces of the horse, in the trot or gallop, would otherwise occasion. It accompanies and corresponds with every motion of the animal, without any employment of strength, and consequently, the rider sits so firmly that nothing can move his seat. His skill consists essentially in balancing himself on the horse in such a manner as not to fetter the animal’s movements. To illustrate this, if the horse work straight and upright on his legs, the body must be in the same upright direction: as the horse moves into a trot, the body must be inclined a little more back; in the gallop, also in leaping, or in any violent movements, the body must chiefly be kept back; and, when the horse bends and leans, as he does when on a circle, or trotting briskly round a corner, the body must lean similarly, or the balance will be lost. Throughout the whole, the figure must be pliant to every action of the horse; for the balance can be maintained only by as many different positions as he is capable of working in.
To help his balance, the rider must never take the slightest assistance from the reins. Whatever the position of the body, the hand must be fixed, and the reins of such a length as to feel and support the horse, but never to hold on. To acquire the balance, the practice on circles, or the longe, is useful; working equally to both hands, and not using stirrups till the pupil has acquired the balance without them. Experience proves that the body, if in the manège seat and fundamental position, almost involuntarily takes the corresponding motion, whether the horse stumbles, rears, springs forward, or kicks.
There are various methods of holding the reins, according to the style of riding, the design of the rider, and the propensities of horses.
In holding the snaffle-reins separately, one rein passes into each hand, between the third and fourth fingers, and out of it over the fore-finger, where it is held down by the thumb.—(Pl XXXVII f. 1.) When afterwards further advanced, the reins are held in the left hand, as at first taken up; the left rein passing under the little finger, and the right under the third finger, both lying smooth through the hand, the superfluous rein hanging over the first joint of the fore-finger, and the thumb being placed upon it.[66] —(Plate XXXVII. fig. 2.)
[66] Sometimes, however, the right rein is made to enter the hand from above over the fore-finger, and crosses the left rein in the palm, where the fingers close upon them, a loop or bow being formed of the residue between the hand and body, whence it hangs down.—(Plate XXXVII. fig. 3.)
Riders should not throw their right shoulders back, as they are apt to do, when they first take the reins in one hand. The right arm should hang by the side, with the hand by the side of the thigh; or, if holding the whip, it may be kept a little lower than the left, in order not to obstruct the operation of the bridle.
We have already said, that we think it best to ride with the snaffle alone, and use the curb only occasionally. In this case, the curb reins may have a slide upon them, and may hang on the pommel of the saddle, or the horse’s neck. When the rider, however, holds the curb as well as the snaffle, having both, as is most usual, in the left hand,—while the curb reins are placed as above described of the snaffle reins, the snaffle reins are placed within them; that is, the left snaffle rein enters under the second, and the right under the first finger, and both pass up through the hand, and out of it, over the fore-finger, precisely as do the curb reins, except that they lie at first above, then within, and lastly, under them.—(Plate XXXVII. fig. 4.)
Shifting the reins should be done expertly, without stopping the horse, altering the pace, breaking the time, or looking to the hands. When the snaffle reins are held in one hand, the method of shifting from the left hand is as follows:—Turn the thumbs towards each other; carry the right hand over the left; in place of the little finger of the left hand, put the fore-finger of the right hand downwards between the reins; lay the reins smoothly down through the right hand, and place the thumb upon the left rein between the first and second joint of the fore-finger.—(Pl XXXVII. f. 5.) To shift them again into the left hand, it is only necessary to carry the left hand over the right; to put the little finger of the left hand downwards between the right and left reins; to place them smoothly upward through the hand, and to let the ends hang over the fore-finger, as at first.—(Plate XXXVII. fig. 6.)
When both curb and snaffle reins are held in the usual method, we shift them into the right hand in a similar manner, by turning the thumbs toward each other; carrying the right hand over the left; putting the fore-finger of the right hand into the place of the little finger of the left; the second finger of the right into the place of the third finger of the left; and the third finger of the right into the place of the second finger of the left; and laying the reins smoothly down through the right hand.— (Pl XXXVII. f. 7) When we shift the reins again to the left hand, we put the fingers of the left hand into the places we took them from, and turn the reins smoothly upward through the hand, and over the fore-finger.—(Plate XXXVII. fig. 8.)
Separating the reins is sometimes necessary. When a horse refuses obedience to one hand, we use two. It is seldom, however, necessary to take more than one rein in the right hand; and this is the right rein of the snaffle only. For this purpose, the rider turns the back of his right hand upwards, puts the first three fingers over the snaffle rein, receives it between his little and third fingers, lets the superfluous end hang over the fore-finger, with the thumb upwards, as he does the bridle hand. (Plate XXXVII. fig. 9.)
Adjusting the reins is shortening or lengthening them, wholly or partially, as occasion may require. To adjust the whole, we take the superfluous reins that hang over the fore-finger of the left hand into the right, so that with that hand we support the horse, and feel every step he takes; and we then open the fingers of the left hand so as to slip it up and down the reins smoothly and freely, and thereby adjust them to our pleasure.
To shorten the curb rein, and lengthen the snaffle, we take in the right hand the centre of the curb rein, that hangs over the fore-finger, slip the whole of the reins too long, pass the left hand down them, and feel with the fingers whether both the curb reins are of equal length, before we grasp with the left hand, or quit with the right. Similarly, we shorten the snaffle, and lengthen the curb, by taking in the right hand the centre of the snaffle that hangs over the fore-finger, and proceeding in the same way.
When any single rein wants shortening, we apply the right hand to that part which hangs over the fore-finger, and draw it tighter. When the reins are separate, or occupy both hands, and want adjusting, we bring the hands together to assist each other; remembering that the inner hand, or that which supports the attitude the horse works in, is not to depart from its situation, so as to occasion any disorder, but that the outer hand is to be brought to the inner, for the purpose of adjusting them.
To have a correct notion of the manner in which the hand operates on the horse’s mouth, it must be understood that the reins, being held as described, are collected to such definite length, that bracing the muscles of the hand would rein the horse back, and easing them permit him freely to advance; the hand, for preserving a medium effect on the mouth, being only half shut, and the knuckles near the wrist nearly open. The hand, then, being connected to the reins, the reins to the bit, the bit operating in the curb on the bars, and in the snaffle on the lips, the rider cannot move the hand, and scarcely even a finger, without the horse’s mouth being more or less affected. This is called the CORRESPONDENCE.
If, moreover, the hand be held steady, as the horse advances in the trot, the fingers will feel, by the contraction of the reins, a slight tug, occasioned by the cadence of every step; and this tug, by means of the correspondence, is reciprocally felt in the horse’s mouth. This is called the APPUY.
While this relation is preserved between the hand and mouth, the horse is in perfect obedience to the rider, and the hand directs him, in any position or action, with such ease, that the horse seems to work by the will of the rider rather than by the power of his hand. This is called the SUPPORT.
Now, the correspondence or effective communication between the hand and mouth,—the appuy, or strength of the operation in the mouth,—the support, or aid, the hand gives in the position or action,—are always maintained in the manège and all united paces. Without these, a horse is under no immediate control, as in the extended gallop, or at full speed, where it may require a hundred yards to pull before we can stop him.
The degree of correspondence, appuy, and support, depends, in horses otherwise similar, on the relative situation of the hand. The act of raising the rider’s hand increases his power; and this, raising the horse’s head, diminishes his power. The depressing of the rider’s hand, on the contrary, diminishes his power; and this, depressing the horse’s head, increases his power. On these depend the unitedness or disunitedness in the action of the horse.
A writer on this subject (Beranger, we believe) gives the following useful illustration:—“If a garter were placed across the pupil’s forehead, and a person behind him held the two ends in a horizontal direction, the pupil, if he stood quite upright, could not pull at the person’s hand, nor endure the person’s hand to pull at him, without falling or running backwards.” This is the situation of a horse when united.
Accordingly, when the pupil felt the hand severe, or expected it to pull, he would guard against it by bending the body, projecting the head, and planting one foot behind. This is the situation of a horse when disunited, or defending himself against the heaviness of the hand. Hence the perpetual pull of a timid rider, or a heavy insensible hand, cannot keep a horse united, because the horse cannot then bear its severity. Thus heavy hands make hard-mouthed horses; and hence it is in this condition that we generally find horses, for the best broke become so, if ridden a few times by an ignorant horseman. In such cases, the horse makes the rider support the weight both of his head and neck, or goes on his shoulders, and is apt to stumble.
If, then, the appuy be heavy, from the head being carried too low, and the horse not sufficiently united, the rider must raise the hand, and let the fingers, by moving, rather invite than compel the head, or more properly the neck, to rise, for the object is to bring in the head by raising the neck, the legs at the same time pressing the haunches under. By these means, the horse will be united, and the appuy will be lightened. Should the hand, however, be too confining to the horse when united, he may become so balanced on his haunches that he can neither disunite himself nor advance one step; and, should the rider then press him without yielding or dropping the hand, he would compel him to rear.
Such are the two extremes, where the horse is disunited, and where he is too much united. The intermediate effect of the hand and heel must be acquired by practice.
To a masterly hand, firmness, gentleness, and lightness, are very properly described as being essentially necessary.
Firmness of the hand does not, however, do more than correspond exactly with the feeling in the horse’s mouth, unless the horse attempts to get the ascendancy, to abandon that delicate correspondence producing the appuy, and keeping him under the strictest obedience, and to make a dull or insensible pull on the hand. To frustrate these attempts, the hand is kept firm, and the fingers braced; and, should the horse plant his head low to endure this, the fingers are moved, the reins shaken, &c., to raise the head and divert him from his purpose; or, if this be unavailing, the hand is yielded that the reins may become slack, and a snatch is given in an upward direction, which will not only make him raise his head, but will deter him from putting it down again.
Gentleness of the hand relaxes a little of its firmness, and mitigates the feeling between the hand and the horse’s mouth, without passing, however, from one extreme to another. Lightness of the hand lessens still more the feeling between the rider’s hand and the horse’s mouth, and consists in a slight alternate feeling and easing of the bridle, regulated by the motion of the horse; for, if the appuy were always in the same degree, it would heat the mouth, dull the feeling, and render the horse’s bars callous. The rider must also distinguish whether the horse washes to disengage himself from restriction, or wants a momentary liberty to cough, to move if cramped, to dislodge a fly, &c.
The curb, if used, requires always a light hand to manage it; and the horse should never be put to do any thing in a curb at which he is not perfectly ready. The curb is adapted for acting in a direct line only: the snaffle should be used in all other cases. Still, as to all these qualities, the transitions must be gradual. Were the rider, passing over that degree of restraint which is derived from the easy or gentle hand, to go at once from a firm to a slack one, he would deprive his horse of the support he trusted to, and precipitate him on his shoulders. On the contrary, were he to pass from the slack to the tight rein all at once, he would give a violent shock to the horse’s mouth.
All the operations of the hand, then, should be firm, gentle, and light; and in these, the fingers and wrist alone must act. Certain liberties called descents of the hand, are also taken with well-bred horses. These are made three different ways:—by advancing the arm a little, but not the shoulder, still keeping the usual length of rein, or by dropping the knuckles directly and at once upon the horse’s neck;—by taking the reins in the right hand, about four fingers’ breadth above the left, and letting them slide through the left, dropping the right hand at the same time upon the horse’s neck;—and by taking the end of the reins in the right hand, quitting them entirely with the left, and letting the end of them fall upon the horse’s neck. These graceful freedoms must never be used but with great caution, when the horse is quite together, and in hand; and the rider, by throwing back his body, must counterbalance the weight of the horse upon his haunches.
There are still minuter rules belonging to this head; for instance, both snaffle reins being in one hand, and that in the first position,—if we open the first and second fingers, we slacken the right rein;—if we open the little finger, we slacken the left rein;—if we shut the hand entirely, and immediately open it again, we lessen the tension of both reins. By these methods, we may relieve and freshen the two bars in which the feeling and appuy resides. So also in the second descent of the hand. While the right hand holds the reins, we may slide the left hand up and down these in that degree of appuy which belongs to the easy and slack hand: during which the horse will endeavour to preserve that mutual sensation between the mouth and the hand, which makes him submit with pleasure to constraint. By this play of the rein and movement of the bit to avoid pressure in one continued way, the horse’s head is kept high, and his neck and crest are raised.
The modes of guiding the horse are called aids, because they not only direct, but assist him to execute. They also check him in acting contrarily. These aids are certain positions of the hand, body, legs, and sometimes of the switch or whip. The hand is so far the principal of these, that the others are sometimes called accompaniments, as only giving power and efficacy to the hand.
A horse can move four different ways—forward, to the right, to the left, and backward; but he cannot perform these motions unless the hand of the rider makes four corresponding motions. There are accordingly five different positions for the hand, including the general one from which the other four proceed.
In the first position, the reins pass up between the third and fourth fingers of each hand, their ends are thrown over the fore-fingers, the thumbs are closed on them, and the fingers are shut:—the hands being held as already described in treating of the seat. The second position consists of a slight relaxation of the preceding, and permits the horse to advance. The third position shortens the right rein rather upward, and turns the horse to the right. The fourth position shortens the left rein rather upward, and turns the horse to the left; and the fifth position shortens both reins, and stops or reins the horse backwards.
The aids of the hand, as forming these positions, when the reins are held in one hand, may be very simply given by a little extending, or bending the wrist, to make the horse advance, or go backward,—and by slightly carrying the hand to the right or to the left, and in both cases rather upward, to make the horse turn in these directions.
Several modifications of the rules already given occur. We do not, however, approve of these positions, as they, in a great measure, reverse and destroy the natural aids of the hand, by leaving the right rein slack in the turn to the right, and the left rein slack in the turn to the left. Indeed, they could not possibly be obeyed by the horse, were it not that, on this point, he seems to have more understanding than his rider, and draws his conclusions as to the latter’s intentions, not from the inconsistent action of his hand, but from the more natural accompanying aids of his body and legs. Fortunately, however, these twistings of the bridle hand, though always taught, are, we believe, rarely practised.
We give these positions here, only in compliance with custom.
In the first position the under surface of the fore-arm and hand forms a horizontal line from the elbow to the joint of the little finger; the elbow is lightly closed to the hips; the wrist is rounded; the knuckles are kept directly above the neck of the horse, the hand being at three inches from the body, and as much from the pommel of the saddle; the nails are turned towards the body, the little finger being nearer to it than the others; the reins, in entering the hand, are separated by the little finger; and the thumb is placed flat upon them as they pass out over the fore-finger.
In the second position the hand is yielded to the horse by turning the nails downward, so as to carry the thumb nearer the body, and the little finger further from it, yet somewhat obliquely, for the thumb passes nearly into the place where the knuckles were in the first position, the nails being now directly above the horse’s neck. This permits the horse to advance.
In the third position the hand, leaving the first, is turned upside down, so that the thumb is carried out to the left, and the little finger brought into the right. This carries the operation of the reins nearly three inches more to the right, by which the left reins press the neck, the right reins are slack, and the horse is turned to the right.
In the fourth position the hand, leaving the first, the back is turned upward, so that the little finger is carried out to the left, and the thumb brought in to the right. This carries the operation of the reins to the left, by which the right reins press the neck, the left reins are slack, and the horse is turned to the left.
In the fifth position, quitting the first, the wrist is rounded, the nails turned upwards, and the knuckles towards the horse’s neck. This stops him, or compels him to go backward.
These aids, however, when the reins are held in one hand, are not so effective as those where the reins are separate.
To aid the second position of the hand, and cause the horse to advance, the body may be thrown a little forward, but not so as to press heavily on his fore-parts. To aid the third and fourth positions of the hand, a mere turn of the body is sufficient.—Thus, in entering an angle, it is only necessary to turn the body imperceptibly toward the corner, just as if the rider intended to go into it himself; his body then turning to the right or left, his hand must necessarily turn likewise, and the leg of the side on which he turns will infallibly press against the horse, and aid him. In coming out of a corner, it is only necessary to turn the body again, the hand will follow it, and the other leg, approaching the horse, will put his croupe into the corner, in such a manner that it will follow the shoulders, and be upon the same line.—The same motion of the body is likewise necessary to turn entirely to the right or left. To aid the fifth position of the hand, and make the horse go backward, the body must be thrown gently back, and the hand will go with it.
To aid the second position of the hand, and make the horse advance, the legs must be closed. Even when a horse stands still, the legs held near him will keep him on the watch, and with the slightest upward motion of the bridle, he will raise his head and show his forehead to advantage. To aid the third position of the hand, and turn to the right, the right leg must determine the croupe to the left, and facilitate the action of the shoulder, which the hand had turned to the right. To aid the fourth position of the hand, and turn to the left, the left leg must determine the croupe to the right. In making a change to the right, the left leg confines the croupe, so that it must follow the shoulders. In changing again to the left, the right leg acts similarly. To aid the fifth position of the hand, and stop the horse, while he is held in, the legs must be gently brought to the sides.
The aids of the legs have their degrees progressively increasing, thus:—the leg being brought nearer the side is the lightest; placing the leg further back, with the toe turned out, is the next; a touch with the calf of the leg, is the third; a stroke with it, having the toe kept up firmly, that the muscles of the leg may be hard, is the fourth; and the strongest is the scratch, which, when the legs are laid on hard without effect, is given by dropping the toe, when, if the spur be properly placed, the rowel will scratch the horse’s side, and this is succeeded by giving the spur sharply. Aids with the whip are also used to give greater effect to the heel. These are gentle taps on the hind quarters, and sometimes on the shoulders. When given on the near side, the hand is either applied behind the back, with the whip held by the fingers like a pen, the lash being downwards, or across the bridle-hand before, the whip being held with the lash upwards.
Animations proceed from the hand, the leg, the whip, or the tongue; those of the hand and of the legs have been described among the aids. Animations of the whip are mild taps to quicken the horse, or, if the lash is upwards, switching it in the air. Those of the leg and whip threaten punishment; and accordingly, with sluggish horses, both may be necessary. The animation of the tongue is produced by placing the tongue flat against the roof of the mouth, and suddenly displacing the posterior part of it by drawing the air laterally between it and the palate. This noise is animating to the horse; but, if too much continued, or too frequent, its effect is destroyed.
Soothings are the reverse of animations, and are used to dispel the fears of horses, and to give them confidence. The voice soothes by soft and mild tones; the hand, by gentle patting, or stroking: the body and legs, by relinquishing all unnecessary firmness, and sitting easy. A horseman should have perfect command of his temper, as well as invincible patience and perseverance, to make the horse comprehend and perform. He must demand but little the first time; he will be more readily obeyed the next; and he may increase his demands as the horse improves in habit and temper.
Corrections are given either with the spurs or switch, or by keeping the horse in a greater degree of subjection. In these a good horseman endeavours rather to work upon the mind than the body of the horse. The corrections which render a horse most obedient, and yet dishearten him least, are not severe, but rather oppose him by restraint, and make him do directly the contrary. If, for example, he do not go off readily, or if he be sluggish, make him go sidewise, sometimes to one hand, sometimes the other, then drive him forward.—If he go forward too fast, moderate the aids, and make him go backward more or less according to his conduct.—If he be disorderly and turbulent, walk him straight forward, with head in and croupe out.
When correction is given with the whip, it should be with strength; the lash being upwards, the arm lifted high, and the whip applied behind the girths round the belly: or it may be given forward, over the shoulders, between the fore-legs. Should the horse kick at the application of the whip to his flank or quarter, the rider must instantly apply it smartly, and must repeat it more sharply, should he kick at that. By this, he may be made sensible of his fault.
To give a horse both spurs properly, the rider must change the posture of his legs, and, bending his knee, strike him with them at once, quickly and firmly. Some horses disregard the whip, but fly at the spurs; others disregard the spurs, and are terrified at the whip; the rider consequently will apply that which is most likely to produce the desired effect. When, however, the whip or spurs are applied two or three times sharply to restive horses without effect, the rider must desist, and try other methods.
The rider should not suffer his horse to move till his clothes are adjusted, and whip shifted, when, collecting his reins, and taking one in his right hand, he must close his legs, to induce the horse to move slowly forward in the walk. If he wish to increase the pace, the pressure of the knees must be increased. When the horse moves, the legs must resume their former position,—the hands remain perfectly steady,—and the body yield to the movement.
As to character, the walk is the pace performed with the least exertion; only one leg at a time being off the ground, and three on. In this pace, accordingly, four distinct beats are marked, as each foot comes to the ground in the following order:—first the off fore foot, next the near hind foot, then the near fore foot, and lastly, the off hind foot.[67]