HINTS TO HORSEMEN.
If you do not wish your Horse to catch cold, Mount him the moment he comes out of the Stable.
“The Stirrups,” says Lord Pembroke, in his Essay on Horses, 12mo. 1761, pp. 18 and 19, “must be of just such length, that when the Rider, being well placed, puts his feet into them (about one-third of each foot from the point of it) the point may be about two or three inches higher than the heel when the Rider places himself upon the Saddle strait, even, upright and well with his Legs hanging down, and the stirrups likewise; and when he is in this position, take up the stirrup, till the bottom of it comes just under the Ankle bone. TheRider must not bear upon his Stirrups, but only let the natural weight of his legs rest upon them.”
Always ride a hole or two shorter across the Country, than you do on the Road.
Ride with a Snaffle, and use your Curb only occasionally.
Choose your Snaffle full and thick in the middle, especially at the ends to which the reins are fastened. Most of them are made too small and long, and cut the Horse’s mouth, and bend back over the bars of his jaw, working like pincers.
If you ride witha Curb, make it a rule to hook on the chain yourself; the quietest Horse may bring his rider into danger, should the curb hurt him.
If in fixing the curb you turn the chain to the right, the links will unfold themselves, and then oppose a further turning. Put on the chain loose enough to hang down on the Horse’s under lip, so that it may not rise and press his jaw till the reins of the Bridle are moderately pulled.
Observe that your Horse is furnished with a Bit proper for him, andby no means too heavy, which may incline him to carry low, or to rest upon the hand when he grows weary, which Horsemen call “Making use of a Fifth Leg.”
Always endeavour to avoid a Quarrel with your Horse:—if he is apt to Start, you will find occasions enough to exercise his obedience when what he starts at lies directly in his way, and you must make him pass: if he is not subject to start, do not contend with him about a trifle.
The notion of the necessity of making a Horse go immediately up to every thing he is afraid of, and not suffer him to become master of his rider, seems to be generally carried too far. It is an approved method to conquer a Horse’s fear of the sound of a Drum, by beating one near to him at the time of feeding him: this not only familiarises the noise to him, but makes it pleasant, as a forerunner of his Meat; whereas, if he was whipped up to it, he might perhaps start at it as long as he lived. Might not this be applied to his starting at other things, andshew that it would be better to suffer him (provided he does not turn back) to go a little from, and partly avoid an object he has a dislike to, and to accustom him to it by degrees, convincing him, as it were, that it will not hurt him, than to punish him, quarrel with him, and perhaps submit to his will at last, while you insist on his overcoming his fear in an instant? If he sees a like object again, it is probable he will recollect his dread, and arm himself to be disobedient.
“Now ofCorrections, the most principal isthe Spur, which must not at anytime be given triflingly or itchingly, but soundly and sharply, as oft as just occasion shall require: then, the Rod, which upon disorder, sloth, or miscarriage, of the members, must be given also soundly: then, the Voice, which being delivered sharply and roughly, asHa, Villaine!—Carrikra!—Diablo!—and such like threatenings, terrifieth the Horse, and maketh him afraide to disobey: and lastly, the Bridle which now and then stricken with a hardchocke in his mouth, reformeth many vices and distemperatures of his head: yet this last must be done seldome, and with great discretion, for to make a custom thereof is the ready way to spoil a Horse’s mouth.”
“Now ofCherishingsthere are generally in use but three; as first, the voice, which being delivered smoothly and lovingly, as cryingHolla—So, boy—There, Boy, There—and such like, gives the Horse both a cheerfulnesse of Spirit and a knowledge that he hath done well: then the hand, by clapping him gently on the necke or buttocke, or giving him Grasse or other foode to eate after he hath pleased you: and lastly, the big ende of the rod, by rubbing him therewith upon the withers or maine, which is very pleasing and delightful to the horse.”—Markham’s Way to Wealth, 4to. 1638. p. 16.
“The Hope of Reward, and the Fear of Punishment, governs the whole World, not only Men, but Horses; for it is impossible that you can well manage your Horse until he fear you, and out of that fear, Love andObey you; for it is Fear maketh every body obey both Man and Beast.Love is not so sure a Hold, for there you depend upon his Will; but when he Fears you, he depends upon yours.”—Soleysell’s Horsemanship, fol. 1717. p. 272.
Old Blundevill, in his 24th Chapter of his Book on Horses, 4to. 1609. p. 22, gives the following advice:—
“But because few keepers can correct with discretion, I would wish him rather to use no correction at all, but only to winne him by gentle meanes, by faire speaking, and by often clawing him and feeding him by hand, and in Summer season, by wiping away Flies,26Nats, or other things that doth annoy him: so shall the Horse be alwayes glad of him, and rejoice in his presence, and in time become so familiar, as he willplay with him like a dog; for, truely, unless there be mutual Lore betwixt the keeper and the horse, the horse seldom or never battleth; for if the keeper love not his horse, he will never meat him thoroughly nor delight to dresse him, nor will the horse be delighted with his dressing. And, therefore, the chiefest point of a horsekeeper is to love his horse and to seeke to be loved againe of him; so shall he profit the Horse and pleasure his Maister.”
Before you mount your Horse, if you are only going to take an Airing, examine whether the Bridle, Girths, and Straps, &c. are all good and well fixed, and that he is properly Shod.
“For want of a Nail the Shoe is lost,For want of a Shoe the Horse is lost.”
“For want of a Nail the Shoe is lost,For want of a Shoe the Horse is lost.”
“For want of a Nail the Shoe is lost,For want of a Shoe the Horse is lost.”
“For want of a Nail the Shoe is lost,
For want of a Shoe the Horse is lost.”
Direct that neither the Heel nor Frog be pared more than merely to take off what is ragged and broken. It is still more safe to do that yourself, or direct your Coachman to do it, than to trust it to a Farrier or Shoemaker, notwithstanding the Gentleman may have writtenover his Door, “Here Horses are shod agreeable to Nature and according to Art.”
Fit theShoeto the Foot, and not theFootto the Shoe.