Book VII. 



TRAINING OF HOUSES. 



1001 



recommended that he be taken to some ploughed land, where he is to be walked and trotted until he be 

 slightly fatigued. If" the colt be very high spirited or refractory, or if he be not inclined to lift up his legs 

 sufficiently, it may be admissible to practise him on some very light-ploughed lands ; but if otherwise, it is 

 better to dispense with this, and a field and a road alternately used will, in general cases, be found prefer, 

 able. It would be well that this preliminary practice should be performed in a cavesson to ensure obedi- 

 ence. When he is perfectly tractable during his exercise, let a person used to him lay himself gently and 

 by degrees across his back ; and if he seem not to be alarmed, let him proceed at a foot-pace with his 

 burden. When this occasions no alarm, let one leg gradually be slid over his back, the person at his head 

 engaging his attention during the time, and encouraging him. The rider may then gradually raise himself 

 up. The next step will be to mount him at oncein the usual way, still havinga judicious attendant at his 

 head : this must likewise bv no means be done suddenly, or at a jerk, but very gradually and slowly, by 

 several risings and heavings. If he bear this patiently, the person is to seat himself firmly on his back ; 

 but if he be troublesome and not tame enough, the person is to forbear the attempt to mount, and he is to 

 be trotted in the hand over the same ploughed lands or other ground again, till he is more fatigued, and 

 willing to receive the rider quietly on his back : when this is done, the person who is on his back must 

 encourage him, and the man who has his head must lead him a few paces forward; all the while en. 

 couraging him. The feet are to be fitted well in the stirrups, and the toes turned out ; afterwards the rider 

 is to shrink and move himself in the saddle, and the person who holds his head is to withdraw his hand a 

 little farther from the mouth. As the rider moves his toes forward, the holder must move him forward 

 with the rein, till he is made to apprehend the rider's motion of body and foot, which must always go 

 together, and with spirit, and will go forward without the other's assistance, and stay upon the restraint 

 of the rider's hands. When this is accomplished, let him be cherished, and again have grass and bread to 

 eat ; and then let the rider mount and alight several times, encouraging him between each time, and thus 

 lie is to be managed till he will go on, or stand still at pleasure. This being done, the long rein may be 

 laid aside, and the band about the neck, which are always used on this occasion, and nothing will beneces. 

 sary but the trenches and cavesson, with the martingaL A groom must lead the way before ; or another 

 horse going only straight forwards, and making him stand still when desired. In this manner, by some- 

 times following, and sometimes going before another horse on the trot, the creature will by degrees be 

 brought to know that it is his business to be quiet and governable. 



6608. To teach a horse the different movements of walking, trotting, galloping, and ambling, comes next 

 in order. 



6659. Watting is the slowest and least raised of all a horse's movements. It is performed, as any one 

 may observe, by the horse's lifting up its two legs on a side, the one after the other, beginning with the 

 hind leg first. Thus, if he leads with the legs of the right side, then the first foot he lifts is the far hind 

 tout; and in the time he is setting it down (which in a step is always short of the tread of his fore foot on 

 the same side) he lifts his far fore foot, and sets it down before his near fore foot. Again, just as he is 

 setting down his far fore foot, he lifts up his near hind foot, and sets it down again just short of his near 

 fore foot ; and just as he is setting it down, he lifts his near fore foot, and sets it down beyond his far fore 

 foot. This is the true motion of a horse's legs in a walk ; and this is the pace in which many things are 

 best taught ; for instance, when the horse is to be taught to turn to the right and left, or from one hand to 

 another, he is first to be taught it on the walk, then on the trot, and finally on the gallop. The walk is a 

 pace to which team, carriage, and road horses should constantly be well broke, as being of great use in all 

 such cases and intentions. It is an excellent pace too in a saddle horse, when well performed by being 

 properly taught, . . . 



6ii60. In trotting, the limbs are diagonally employed ; but their tenses or times, or rising and falling, are 

 very different, as it is conducted slow or fast. In the slow trot the diagonal legs are elevated and replaced 

 simultaneously; while those on the ground are preparing to elevate themselves, and the horse is for a 

 moment on tiptoe ; but until the original diagonal legs are set down, these are not wholly elevated : there- 

 fore the horse is during the moderate trot at no time without support. But it is very different when the 

 trot is accelerated, as to nine or ten miles an hour; for then there is a period in every spring made by the 



diagonal members, when all the feet are 

 in the air at the same time ; and the 

 body completely suspended from the 

 ground by these means. Thus during 

 this accelerated action, the off' fore leg 

 and near hind leg having been elevated 

 in the air, before they meet the ground, 

 the near fore leg and the off hind one 

 are not only prepared, as in the slow trot, 

 to elevate themselves, but actually do so 

 before the others are set down ; conse- 

 quently, the feet, at this precise time, 

 must be all in air. (fig. 84ri.) To speed 

 in the trot, it is necessary that a horse 

 pick up his feet quick, and extend them 

 far forward. To the safety also, it is 

 necessary he elevate his knee particu- 

 larly ; at the same time the general 

 elevation of the whole limb is operated by high withers and oblique shoulders. 



6661 Three qualities are essentially necessartj to make the trot useful. It ought to be extended, supple, 

 and even, or equal : these three qualities mutually depend upon each other, so that you cannot pass to the 

 supple trot without having first worked upon the extended trot; and you can never arrive at the even 

 and equal trot without having practised the supple. The extended trot (Jig. 846.) is that in which the 

 horse (rots out without retaining himself, going directly forwards ; and this consequently is the kind of 

 trot with which you must begin. The supple trot is that in which the hor e, at every motion he makes, 

 bends and plavs his joints by the elasticity of the organs composing them ; which no colts or raw horses 

 can execute, who have not had their limbs suppled by exercise. The even or equal trot is that in which 

 the horse moves so equally and exactlv, that his legs never cover more ground one than the other nor atone 

 time more than another. To go from the extended trot to the supple, you must gently and by degrees hold 

 in your horse; and when by exercise he has attained sufficient ease and suppleness fo manage his 

 limbs readily, you must insensibly hold him in still more and more, and by degrees you will lead him to 

 the equal trot. „ . . . 



6662. The manner of trotting a colt who has never been backed is as follows : — I ut a plain snaffle in ms 

 mouth ; fit a cavesson to his nose, to the ring of which tie a longe of a reasonable length Let a groom 

 hold this longe, who having got at some distance from the colt, must stand still in the middle ot the circle 

 which the horse will make. Let another follow him with a long whip or chambriere in his hand, the 

 cold being alarmed, will be forced to go forward, and to turn within the length ot the cord the groom must 

 hold it tight in his hand ; by this means he will draw in, or towards the centre, the head of the colt, and 

 his croupe will of consequence be without the circle. In working a young horse after this manner do 1 not 

 press or hurry him. Let him walk first, and afterwards put him to the trot. If you neglect this method 

 his legs will be embarrassed : he will lean on one side, and be more upon one haunch than the other ; 

 the inner fore foot will strike against the outer one, and the pain which this will occasion will drive ftir.i 

 to seek some means of defence, and make him disobedient. If he refuses to trot, the person who holds 



