RIDE. 



lanced between your lege, which he could never do, if one 

 rein were to operate flronger than the other. 



There arc particular cafes where the reins are feparatcd, 

 and one hckl in each hand ; it is ufual to feparate them, when 

 you trot a young horfe, or when you are to work one who 

 is difobedient and refills his rider; upon thefe occalions, 

 keep both your bands upon a level, low, and near your 

 body. To turn to the right, ulc your right rein ; to go to 

 the left, ufe your left rein ; but in order to make them have 

 their effect, move your arm gently, turning it a little from 

 your body, keeping your hand always low, and even near 

 your boot. 



Every horfeman, who would be perfect in his art, ought 

 to know the difpolition *f his horfe, the vices to which he 

 is fubject, the caufes from which they proceed, and the 

 proper method of retraining or amending them. Some- 

 times a horie will rebel, when you prefs him to do fome- 

 thing of which he is ignorant ; in this cafe he mould be 

 taught what you expect. ] f he knows, but cannot, through 

 inabilitv, perform what you require, endeavour to ailiil 

 nature by the help of art ; but if he knows, and is able to 

 do what you expect, firtt try every method which patience 

 and perfeverance can fuggelt, and'if you fail, compel him 

 by force and feverity. A horfe may be imperfect and bad 

 from four caufes : weaknefs, heavinefs in his make, want 

 of courage, and lloth ; and four qualities mult confpire to 

 make a good horfe, Ws. itrcngth, activity, courage, and 

 judgment. By a combination or mixture of thefe different 

 qualities, are the various difpolitions of horfes produced ; 

 and the remedy ought to be adapted to the nature of the 

 animals as well as to the diforder which the horfeman propofes 

 to rectify. A horfe may be difficult to be mounted ; 

 examine the fource of this vice. It may be owing either to 

 the ignorance, or the brutality, of thofe who have firtt had 

 to do with him, or perhaps that the faddle may have hurt 

 him, or elfe to a temper naturally bad. To whatever caufe 

 it may be owing, remember never to beat him ; for inilead 

 of curing him, you would certainly confirm him in his vice ; 

 clap him gently when you approach him, itroke his head 

 and mane, talk to him, and as you talk, clap the feat of the 

 faddle ; keep yourfelf ttill all the while, put your foot only 

 in the itirrup to encourage your horie, without doing any 

 more, in order to make him familiar, and to lofe all appre- 

 henfion and fear when he is going to be mounted ; by little, 

 and by degrees, at la.it, he will let you mount him ; you 

 will immediately get down, and remount, and fo fuccef- 

 fivoly for feveral times together, without attempting to do 

 any thing elfe; but lend him back to the liable. If it 

 happens that when you are upon him, he runs from the 

 [dace where you got upon him, bring him to it immediately, 

 him there Ionic time, coax him, and fend him away. 



The lirft lefTons ought to be well weighed, when you un- 

 voting horfe to obedience, and to reclaim 

 11 liberty to the lubjectionof the bridle, faddle, and 

 'ns rider ; lo restrained, it is not furpriiing if 

 loy all his itrcngth againit you in his own de- 



rality of colts are difficult to be turned and 

 guided as you would have them go ; we ought not, how- 

 ever, to 1 1 at this their nrft difobedience). It mult 

 be imputed to the habit they acquire from their birth, of 

 conftantly foil.. til ir dams; indulged in this liberty, 

 and subjected all at once by the bit, it is but natural they 

 ihould rebel. Thereis no way of eradicating thefe lirft im- 

 I BionsJ but by gentlenefs and patience. A horfeman who 



: Id make Die of force and correction, and employ it all 

 at once upon a young horfe, would difcouragc and make 



him be vicious ever after. If, therefore, your horfe rc-fufc- 

 to go forward, you mult lead another horfe before him ; the 

 perfon who rides the colt will try from time to time, and, in- 

 fenfibly, to make the colt go abreall with him, and after- 

 wards get before him. It, being iurpnled at feeing the 

 horfe no longer, lie (tops, or runs back, the rider rnulf en- 

 deavour to drive him forward either by his voice, or fome 

 kind of (light initrnment, or he that rides- the other horfe 

 may give him a Itroke with the chambriere, in order to 

 make him go forward ; if thefe methods Ihould not fuccced, 

 he will go before him again with the other horfe ; by degrees 

 (for one leilun will not be fufficient) the colt will grow ac- 

 cultomed to it, and, at lalt, will go on of himtelf. 



Molt horfes who ftart have fome defect in their fight, 

 winch makes them fear to approach the object. The horfe- 

 man, upon thefe occafions, inftead of having recourfe to 

 pumlhment, which often ferves only to alarm the horfe, and 

 extinguifh his courage and vigour, Ihould firit endeavour to 

 lead him gently towards the object that terrifies him, either 

 by encouraging him with his voice, or by doling his legs 

 upon him, to make him go up to the object that terrifies 

 him. If he will not go towards it, you may give him the 

 fpurs, but with difcretion ; and by coaxing and carefles, 

 pufh him towards it infenfibly. Severe correction will never 

 cure him of this fearful temper, which is a fault inherent in 

 his nature ; nor of any imperfection in his fight, which is a 

 diforder belonging to him ; but the habit of view and fmell- 

 ing may, in time, remedy the defects of nature. 



If, notwithstanding, you perceive that lloth and malice 

 are added to thefe faults, you mult ufe, as you find it ne- 

 cellary, both mildnefs and fevere correction ; and you will 

 bellow them in proportion to the effect they produce. For 

 the reit, be careful never to furprize and alarm a young 

 horfe which is fhy, and apt to Itart ; never terrify him with 

 what he molt fears ; never beat him in order to make him 

 come up to an object of which he is afraid ; accustom him 

 by degrees to it, and have patience ; the fear of punifhment 

 does oftentimes more harm, and is more dreaded by him, 

 than the very object which firit alarmed him. 



There are fome horfes who are struck with fuch terror at 

 the light of a (tone, or wooden-bridge, at the found and 

 echo of the hollow part of it, that they will fling them- 

 felves headlong into the water, without the rider's being 

 able to restrain him. They are to be cured of this appre- 

 henfion, by covering the pavement of their ft all with wooden 

 planks, between two and three feet high. The horie Handing 

 constantly upon them, his feet will make the lame noife as 

 they do when he goes over a bridge ; and he will, of courfe, 

 grow familiar to the found, and lofe all apprehenfion of it. 



To accustom them likewile to the noife of the 

 running under the bridge, lead him to a mill, fix two pi 

 directly ovcr-againit the wheels, and tie your horfe con- 

 llantly for two hours together, feveral times in the day. 

 Having done this, bung him back to the bridge, and ' 

 old horfe, that is not atraid, go before lum upon tin 1> 

 by degrees you will find him go over a bridge as readily and 

 quietly as if lie had never had the lead apprehenfion. 



For horfes that are addicted to lie down in the 

 you mud provide yourfelf with two little leaden halls, and 

 tie them to a piece of packthread, ami, in the moment 

 that lie is lying down, you mull drop thefe into his ears; 

 and if In- rites instantly, or forbears to lie down, draw them 

 back ; but. this method is nol left fure than that of breaking 

 a II. ilk filled with water upon his head, and letting thi water 

 run into ins ears. 



Fire, fmoke, the Imell of gunpowder, the noife of 

 or other arms, naturally lurprile and frighten a hi rl 



