188 



SECTION XV 



IIOUSEMAXSHIP ITS VARIOUS BRANCHES, 



J. HE divisions or variations of this system, have ah'eady been occa- 

 sionally referred to, in the course of the work. Horsemanship may be 

 ])rimarily divided into the manege, or manage, for militarv and orna- 

 mental ])urposes, and the method adopted for the common occasions 

 of business or pleasure. These two grand purposes will admit of various 

 subdivisions ; as the mamge is divided into the grand and petit ; and 

 civil Horsemanship, granting such a term to be legitimate, consists of 

 the modes to be adopted upon the turf, in the i lELD, in the troiting 

 MATCH, and in common road business. 



On commencing this branch of my subject, I first opened the analysis 

 of Horsemanship by Mr. Adams, the riding-master, a book, although I 

 knew the name, which.came accidentally into my hands. I have not 

 the pleasure to know Mr. Adams, or where his school is, but according 

 to the best of my judgment, he has served the public with a very ex- 

 cellent practical work, upon a thread-bare, though always interesting, 

 subject. Accustomed to run over the pages of his grace of NeMxastle, 

 and the French originals, and with no small share of that prejudice 

 against the manege, which usually adheres to the class.. of horsemen to 

 which I belong, I dreaded a repetition of the task; and when I reluc- 

 tantly opened the volumes of Adams, it was not with very sanguine 

 e.xpectations. The truth is, I despaired of any thing beyond the flou- 

 rishes and lofty pretensions of modern compilation, the main worth of 

 which I had long since learned to appreciate ; instead of which, to my 

 most agreeable surprise, I there found moderation and the soundest 

 practical lessons, given in such perspicuous terms, that no man of com- 

 mon sense can misapprehend them ; those sanctioned beyond a doubt, 

 by the author's own pen and experienct% and enforced by reflections, 

 which, both for their solidity and humanity, Avould do honour to the 

 head and heart of any man. In fine, i found an easy text book, for 



the 



