^~y 
 
 B. 
 
 llll.l l,v 
 
 A OA M S 
 
 «» 
 
 k«(Ucv 
 
 JHT 
 
 T f n -■ i^i 
 
 
 
 ■'linlMT...A«. 
 
JOHNA.SEAVERNS 
 
MILITARY EQUITATION : 
 
 OR, 
 
 A METHOD OF BREAKING HORSES, 
 
 AND 
 
 TEACHING SOLDIERS TO RIDE. 
 DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF THE ARMY. 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRY EARL OF PEMBROKE, 
 
 l£c, ^c. l^c. 
 
 Scientia, Sc Patientia. 
 
 Equitem docuere fub armis 
 
 Infultare folo, et greffus glomerare fuperbos. Virg. 
 
 Vis coniili expers mole ruit fua. Ho r . 
 
 — .^i^i^—— — II ■ ■■ 
 
 THE FOURTH EDITION, 
 
 WITH PLATES. 
 
 LONDON: 
 PRINTED FOR G. AND T. WILKIE, NO. 57, P ATE R-NOSTE R-R OW | 
 
 AND 
 
 E. AND J. EASTON, SALISBURY, 
 
 MDCCXCIII, 
 

 TO 
 
 The king. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 WHEN the firft regiment of light dragoons was 
 raifed under the corrimand of my friend Gene- 
 ral George Augustus Eliott, we had frequent occa-t 
 fion to lament together the wretched fyftem of Horse- 
 manship, that at preferit prevails in the ARMY: A 
 fyftem difgraceful in itfelf, and produ(5bive in its confe- 
 quences of the mofl fatal evils : For troops in their own 
 nature mofl excellent and brave have been frequently 
 rendered inferior to lefs powerful ones, both in men and 
 horfes, for want of proper inftruftions and intelligence 
 in this Art, Thefe ferious confiderations (for indeed 
 they are very much fo) induced me to write down and 
 make public the following Leflons, calculated for the 
 life of the Cavalry : They are fuch as I have always prac^ 
 
 tifed 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 tifed myfelf i and taught both in the above- mentioTicd 
 rfegirnent and felfewherfe, with conftant fuccefs. Incited 
 by thefe reafons, I thus prefume to lay at your Majefty's 
 feet this little work, the outlines only of a more exten- 
 iive, general one, which I intend to make public here- 
 aftetj fhould I fir^d time to finifli it : And I am. the more 
 encouraged to it from the honour You have often done 
 me of talking to me upon Horsemanship, as alfo from 
 this confidence^ that if what I here recomiilend, be 
 deemed in any wife likely to be ufcful, (as I flatter my- 
 felf it may, if candidly examined^ and judicioufly prac- 
 tifed) it will not fail of receiving Your MAJESTY'S 
 1R.oyal Approbation and Support. I am. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Your MAJESTY^s 
 
 'MOST DUTIFUL SUBJliCT> 
 
 AND 'DEVOTED SERVANT, 
 
 P E M B R O K % 
 
 |*EM B R O KS-HoUSEj, 
 
 Fes. 15, '76«. 
 

 CONTENTS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Following TREATISE, 
 
 CHAP. h 
 
 The method of p'-eparing horfes to he mount edy with the cir~ 
 •cmmftances relative to it, r- - - -pagei 
 
 C H A P. II. 
 
 ^he method of -placing the men and rendering them firm on horfe- 
 backy with fome tccafional iyiftruEli&ns for them and the 
 horfes i and of bits. - - , page 6 
 
 C H A P. IIL 
 
 ^he method of fuppling horfes with men upon Jthenij by the 
 Epaule en dedans, ^c. with and zuithoict a longc, on 
 circles and on fir ait lines; and of working horfes in hand. 
 e -»-. = . . page 31 
 
 CHAP. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of the head to the wally and of the croupe to the walli 
 ------- P^ge SZ 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 ^e Trot, - -i - - • • page 6i 
 
 CHAP, VI. 
 
 The method of reining hack— —and of moving forwards immi* 
 diately after — of pacing — of pilar Sy ^c. — of moving 
 pilars i Cf<r. - ^ ^ * - page 7I 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 The method of teaching horfes to Jiand firey noijesy alarms y fights, 
 i^c. — of 'preventing their lying down in the water—to ft and 
 quiet to he fhot off from-— to go over rough and had ground 
 —to leap hedgeSy gateSy ditcheSy ^c. flanding and flying— ^ 
 to difregard dead horfes—to Jwimy ^c, - - p^g^ 80 
 
 CHAP, 
 
O N T E N T S, 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 ^he method of curing reftiveneJJeSj vices ^ defences j Jiarting^ and 
 Jiumhlingj ^'c. ----- P''ige 88 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Several remarks and hints on Jhoelng, feeding, management of 
 hor/es, ^f. ^c» «. ^ «. . - page 97 
 
 Page 42. 
 57- 
 61. 
 69. 
 90. 
 
 lOI. 
 
 103. 
 
 120. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 14. dele the comma after properly, 
 J 5. for appuT^ read appuis. 
 
 4. place a comma after determ'u:}. 
 2. place a co/on after themfehes. 
 II. place a full Jlop after /o. 
 
 1 5. for detejlihle read deteflahh, 
 17. for bc-vill.d read hc-velUd, 
 
 1 7. dele en after clmoji. 
 
A 
 
 METHOD 
 
 O F 
 
 BREAKING HORSES, 
 
 AND 
 
 Teaching SOLDIERS to Ride, 8ce. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The method of preparing horjes to he mounted^ with the 
 circumjlances relative to it, 
 
 rr^FIOUGH all horles for the fervice are generally 
 -^ bought at an age, when they have already been 
 backed, I would have them begun and prepared for the 
 rider with the fame care^ gentlenefs and caution, as if 
 they had never been handled or backed, in order to pre-, 
 vent accidents, which might elfe arife from ikittifhnefs 
 
 fe Of 
 
% AMETHODOF 
 
 or other caufes : and as it Is proper, that they ihould be 
 taught the figure of the ground they ai-e to go upon, 
 when they are at firfl mounted, they iliouid be previ- 
 oufly trotted in a longe on large circles, without any one 
 upon them> and without a faddle, or any thing elie, at 
 iirft, which might hurt, conftrain, tickle, or make 
 them any ways uneafy. 
 
 The manner of doing this is as follows : Put an eafy 
 cavejjon upon the horfe's nofe, and make him go forwards 
 round you, ftanding quiet and holding the longe -, and 
 let another man, if you find it neceffary, follow him 
 with a whip : All this muft be done very gently, and 
 but a little at a time ; for more horfes are fpoilt by 
 over-much work, than by any other treatment what- 
 ever ; and that by very contrary effects, for ibme- 
 times it drives them into vice, madnefs and defpair, 
 and often it flupifies them and totally difpirits them. 
 An excellent way of long'mg horfes, who are apt to carry 
 their heads low, (which many do) is to lo}7ge them with 
 a cord buckled to the top of the head-flail, and pafTing 
 from thence through the eye of the fnafHc into the hand 
 
 r)i the perfon who hoids the longe. 
 
 The 
 
BREAKING HORSES, dffr. j 
 
 The firfb obedience required in a horfe, is going 
 forwards : 'Till he performs this duty freely, never even 
 think of making him rein back, which would inevita- 
 bly render him reflive : As foon as he goes forwards 
 readily, fbop and carefs him. You muft remember in 
 this, and likewife in every other exercife, to ufe him 
 to go equally well, to the right and left ; and when 
 he obeys, carefs him and difmifs him immediately. A 
 horfe, though ever lb perfeft to one hand only, is but 
 a half dreflcd horfe. If a horfe, that is very young, takes 
 fright and frands flill, lead on another horfe before him, 
 which probably will induce him inftantly to follow. 
 Put a fnaffle in his mouth; which fnaffle fhould be full, 
 and thick in the mouth-piece, and not too fhort : and 
 when he goes freely, faddle him, girting him at firft 
 very loofe. Let the cord, which you hold, be long 
 and loofe ; but not fo much fo, as to endanger the 
 horfe's entangling his legs in it. It muft be obferved, 
 that fmall circles, in the beginning, would conftrain the 
 horfe too much, and put him upon defending himfelf. 
 No bend muft be required at firft r never fuffer him to 
 gallop falfe ; but whenever he attempts itj ftop him with- 
 
 B 2 out 
 
4- AMETHODOF 
 
 out delay, and then fet him oft' afrefh. If he gallops 
 of his own accord, and true, permit him to continue it j 
 but if he does it not voluntarily, do not demand it of 
 him at firfl. Should he fly and jump, fhake the cord 
 gently upon his nofe without jerking it, and he will 
 fall into his trot again. If he {lands ftill, plunges or 
 rears, let the man, who holds the whip, make a noife 
 with it J but never touch him, 'till it be abfolutely ne- 
 celTary to make him go on. When you change hands, 
 Hop and carefs him, and entice him by fair means to 
 come up to you : for by prefenting yourfelf, as fome do, 
 on a fudden before horfes, and frightening them ro the 
 other fide, you run a great nik of giving them a fliynefs. 
 If he keeps his head too low, heighten your hand, and 
 fhake the cavejfon to make him raife it : And in whatever 
 the horfe does, whether he walks, trots, or gallops, let 
 it be a constant rule, that the motion be determined and 
 really fuch as is intended, v/ithout the leaft lliuffling, 
 pacing, or any other irregular gait. A falfe gait fliould 
 never be fuffered. The trot is the pace, which enables 
 all quadrupeds to balance and fupport themfelves with 
 ftrmnefs and eafe. When he goes lightly, and freely, 
 
 tie 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 5 
 
 tie his head a little inwards by degrees : more, and more 
 foy as he grows more fiipple, both in trotting, and gal- 
 loping, in the lofigey without any one upon him. Great 
 care muft be taken, that he always goes true, and that 
 his head is not kept tied for any time together ; for if it 
 was, he would infallibly get a trick of leaning on the 
 rein, and throw himfelf heavily upon his ihoulders, when 
 he grew tired. Every regiment fhould have fome covered 
 place for their riding during the winter, or nothing hardly 
 can be done in the bad feafon. In good weather, it 
 is full as well, and more pleafant, to work out of doors : 
 and indeed doing fo frequently prevents local routines, 
 which horfes are fometimes particularly apt to take in Ihut 
 fchools, if great care is not taken. On the other hand, 
 they are more often di/lraied, and apt to lofe their atten- 
 tion by various objefts, in fields, than they are in a ri- 
 ding-houfe. It is therefore difficult to decide, either for 
 the one, or the other. There is more liberty in the one, 
 than in the other, and horfes out of doors grow ufed to 
 objefts they would otherwife fear. In fhut fchools, work 
 may be more exaftiy done, perhaps, and the ground there 
 is bell. Both are good at proper feafons, and either will 
 
 do very well, if the Riding-Mailer is good. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
6 AMETHODOF 
 
 CHAP. IL 
 
 The method of placing the men, and rendering them firm en 
 horjeback j zoith Jome occafional injiruclions for them and 
 the horfes j and of hits. 
 
 5/~|^IS necefifary that the greateft: attention, and the 
 -*- fame gentlenefs, that is iifed in teaching the hor- 
 fes, be obferved likewife in teaching the men, efpecially 
 at the beginning. Every method and art mull be prac- 
 tifed to create and preferve, both in man and horfe, all 
 poflible feeling and fenfibility, contrary to the iifage of 
 moll riding-mafters, who feem indiiftrioiiQy to labour at 
 abolifhing thefe principles both in the one and the other. 
 As fo many eflential points depend upon the manner, irt 
 which a man is at firft placed on horfeback, it ought to 
 be confidered, and attended to with the ftri6left care and 
 exa6lnefs. 
 
 The abfurdity of putting a man, wlio perhaps has ne- 
 ver before been upon a liorfe, (or if he hiis, 'tis probably 
 fo much the worfe) on a rough trotting one, on which he 
 is obliged (fuppofing the horfe is infenfible enough to fuf- 
 
 fer 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 7 
 
 fer it ; and if he be not, ihe man runs a great rifl>: of break- 
 ing his neck) to itick with all the force of his arms and 
 legs, is too obvious to need mentioning. This rough 
 work, all at once, is plainly as detrimental at firit, as it 
 is excellent afterwards in proper time. No man can be 
 either well, or firmly feated on horfeback, unlefs he be 
 mafter of the ballance of his body, quite unconflrained, 
 with a full poffeffion of himfelf, and at his eafe, on all oc- 
 cafions whatever J none of which requifites can he enjoy, 
 if his attention be otherwife engaged j as it mull wholly 
 be in a raw, unfuppled, and unprepared lad, who is put 
 at once upon a rough horfe : In fuch a diflrefsful ftate he 
 is forced to keep himfelf on at any rate, by holding to the 
 bridle, (at the expence of the fenfibiiity both of his own 
 hand, and the horfe's mouth) and by clinging with his 
 legs, in danger of his life, and to the certain depravation 
 of a right feeling in the horfe j— a thing abfolutely necef- 
 fary to be kept delicate, for the forming properly both of 
 man and horfe -, not to mention the horrid appearance of 
 fuch a figure, rendered totally incapable of ufe and 
 aftion. 
 
 The firft time a man is put on horfeback, it ought to 
 
 he 
 
« A METHOD OF 
 
 be upon a very gentle one. He never fhould be made 
 to trot, 'till he is quite eafy in the walk, and then on 
 very cafy horles at firft. Afterwards, as he grows firmer, 
 put him on rougher horfes, and augment by degrees the 
 velocity of the trot. He fliould not gallop, 'till he can 
 trot well J becaufe, though the motion of the gallop is 
 the eafieft, a horfe may be more eafily unfettled in gallop- 
 ing than in trotting. The fame mud be obferved in re- 
 gard to horfes : they fhould never be made to trot, 'till 
 they are obedient, and their mouths are well formed on a 
 walk ; nor be made to gallop, 'till the fame be effected 
 on a trot. When he is arrived at fuch a degree of firm- 
 nefs in his feat, the more he trots, (which no man what- 
 ever fhould ever leave off) and the more he rides rough 
 horfes, the better. This is not only the beft method, 
 (I may fay, the only right one) but alfo the eafieft and 
 the fhorteft : by it, a man is foon made fufficiently an 
 horfeman for a foldier ; but by the other deteftable me- 
 thods, that are commonly ufed, a man, inftead of im- 
 proving, contracts all forts of bad habits, and rides worfe 
 and worfe every day ; the horfe too becomes daily more and 
 more unfit for ufe. In proceeding according to the man- 
 ner 
 
BREAKING HORSfeS, &c. ^ 
 
 her I have propofed, a man is rendered firm and eafy upon 
 the horfe, and, as it were, of a piece with him ; both 
 his own and the horfe's fenfibility is preferved, and each 
 in a fituation fit to receive and praftife all leflbns effec- 
 tually : for if the man and horfe do not both work with- 
 out difficulty and conftraint, the more they are exercifed, 
 the worfe they become j every thing they do, is void of 
 all grace, and of all ufe. When the man has acquired a 
 perfecfl: firmnefs on a faddle, he fhould by degrees be made 
 equally firm on a rugi or on a horfe's bare back ; fo much 
 fo, as to be as firm, to work as well, and be quite as much 
 at his eafe, as on any demi-pique faddle. Very little pa- 
 tience and attention will bring this about. 
 
 Among the various methods, that are ufed, of placing 
 people on horfeback, few are direfted by reafon. Some 
 infifl, that fcarce any prefTure at all fhould be upon the 
 backfide ; others would have the feat be almofl upon the 
 back-bone : out of thefe two contrary, and equally ridi- 
 culous methods, an excellent one may be found, by ta- 
 king the medium. Before you let the man mount, teach 
 him to know, and always to examine, if the curb be well 
 
 C placedj 
 
;.o A METHOD OF 
 
 placed, (I meain, when the horle lias a bit in his mouthy 
 which at firft he fhouid not, but only a fnaffle, 'till the ri- 
 der is firm in his feat, and the horfe alfo fomev.'hat taught) 
 and likewife if the nofe-band be properly tight ; the- 
 throat-band loofifh, and the mouth-piece neither too- 
 high, nor too low in the horfe's mouth, but rightly put,, 
 fo as not to wrinkle the flvin, nor to hang lax -, the girts 
 drawn moderately, but not too tight ; the crupper, and 
 the breaft-plate, properly adjufted, and whether the reins 
 are of equal length. They Ihould be frequently taken ofF 
 and made fo, when they are found not to be fo. A very- 
 good and careful hand may venture on a bit at firfl, and 
 fucceed with it full as well, as by beginning with a fnafflc: 
 alone : but fuch a proceeding will require more care, more 
 delicacy, and more time, than can be exp~e6ted in a corps, 
 whofe numbers are fo confiderable, and where theie are ^6 
 few, if any good riders : A raw man is much eafier taught 
 to do well, than one, who has learnt ever fo long, on bad 
 principles ; for it is much ir.ore difiicult to undo, than to 
 do j and the fame in refpecl to the horfe. On colts, it is 
 better in all fchools v/hatfoever, to avoid any preffure on 
 the bars juil at firll, which a curb, though ever io deli- 
 cately 
 
BREAKING HORSFS, fJc. it 
 
 cately ufed, mud in fome decree occafion. Whoever be-; 
 gins a horfe with a bridle, muft be, in every reij3e6l, a. 
 very good, delicate rider, and be very careful that the 
 horfe does not get and keep his head low, whereby all ac- 
 tion in the fhoulders is Ipoiied. I have {<itn fome fchools," 
 in France particularly, where a bit was immediately put 
 into a horfe's mouth at firft ; but I have conftantly ob- 
 ferved in tliofe fchools, that their horfes carried their heads 
 low, that the motion of their fhoulders was not free, but 
 confined. Here and there one horfe or (o^, indeed, there 
 might be, whofe fore-hand nature had placed fo high, 
 that nothing could bring it down low. Great care muft 
 be taken to make the men ufe their fnaffles delicately j 
 otherwife, as a fnaffle has not the power, which a bridle, 
 has upon a horfe's mouth, they will ufe themfelves to 
 take fuch liberties with it, as will quite fpoil their hands, 
 and teach the horfes to pail, be dead in hand, and quite 
 upon their fhoulders, entirely deprived of good adlion. 
 Whenever any bridles are ufed, (and they always fhould 
 be at a proper time, v/hen the horfes' heads are high, and 
 they are well determined, light in hand, and free in their 
 motions) they muil be all the fame i for though different 
 
 C 2 mouths 
 
14 AMETHODOF 
 
 mouths require different Ibrts of bits, it is abfolutely ne- 
 ceflary that fome general uniform fort fhould be iifed 
 throughout a whole regiment. They Iliould differ only in 
 breadth, according to the breadth of each horfe's mouth. 
 There needs no great variety of fizes for bitting a whole 
 regiment. The beft I could ever pitch on, after repeated 
 trials, is one made after the following drawing. (Plate i.) 
 The weight of the bit, without the curb, is about four- 
 teen ounces three quarters, the curb alone weighs a- 
 bout four ounces and a quarter, and the little chain to 
 prevent horfes taking the branches in their mouth, (which 
 is a trick very many horfes get) three quarters of an 
 ounce. The whole together weighs one pound, three 
 ounces, and three quarters. The rings to the branches 
 fhould be fixed, and the reins buckled to them, to pre- 
 vent the latter from twifting. The mouth-piece is of a 
 proper lliape, height, and fubllance, and is fixed. All 
 fuch as are not fo, and move in the joint, have a bad, un- 
 certain effedl. Thin curbs are bad, and apt, if at all 
 roughly ufed, (a thing very difficult to prevent at all 
 times in fome people's hands) to cut, and damage the 
 horfe's mouth very much. They fliould be fiat, broad, 
 
 and 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 13 
 
 and eafy, that they may not hurt the horfe's barhj but 
 they muft not be thick, or heavy. This bridle is calcu- 
 lated for light troops. Heavier corps, who have larger 
 horfes, and of another kind, may have the branches a 
 quarter of an inch longer, and the whole bridle fomewhat, 
 but very little more fubflantial. Bridles fhould never be 
 ufed with raw recruits, or with raw horfes, at firft : a plain 
 mouthed, fmooth fnaffle, does much better i the twifted, 
 fharp, cutting ones, are barbarous, callous making in- 
 ftruments at bed ; the fingle ones, as well as the double 
 rein ones, are often very ufeful, and agreeable even with 
 drelfed horfes upon all airs whatfoever, if they are apt to 
 get their heads low. When thefe neceflary precautions 
 have been all taken, let the man approach the horfe gently 
 near the fhoulder ; then taking the reins and an handful 
 of the mane in his left hand, let him put his left foot 
 foftly into the kft ftirrup, (but not too far in) by pulling 
 it towards him, left he touch the horfe with his toe, 
 which might frighten him ; then raifing himfelf up, let 
 him reft a moment on it with his body upright, but not 
 ftiff": and after that, paffmg his right leg clear over the 
 faddle, without rubbing againft any thing, let him feat 
 
 himfelf 
 
14 A METHOD OF 
 
 ^imfelf gently down. The fame precautions miifb alfo be 
 taken in difmounting. He muft be cautious not to take 
 ■the reins too fliort, for fear of making the horfe rear, run, 
 or fall back, or throw up his head j but let him hold them 
 of an equal length, neither tight nor flack, and with the 
 little finger betwixt them. 'Tis fit that horfes fhould be 
 accuftomed to Hand Hill to be mounted, and not ftir 'till 
 the rider pleafes. The man, who holds the horfe to be 
 •mounted, muft not do it by the bridle, but only by the 
 cheeks of the head-flail, and gently, otherwife the fame 
 inconvenience might arife, as from the rider's holding the 
 reins too fhort himfelf in mounting. All foldiers fhould 
 be inftru6led to mount and difmount equally well on both 
 fides, v/hich may be of veiy great ufe in times of hurry and 
 confufion. Place the man in his faddle, with his body 
 rather back, and his head held up with eafe, without fciff- 
 nefs ; feated neither forwards, nor very backwards, with 
 the breaft pufhed out a little, and the lower part of the 
 body likewife a little forwards ; the thighs and legs turned 
 in without conftraint, and the feet in a ilrait line, ne; trier 
 turned in nor out: By this pofuion, the natural weight 
 of the thighs has a proper and fullicient prelfure ot it- 
 
 felf. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c. 15 
 
 felf, and the legs are in rcaciine fs to acl-, when called 
 upon : they miift hang dov/n ealy and naturally, and be fo ■ 
 placed, as not to be wriggling about, touching and- 
 ticiding the horfe's iides, but always near them in cafe 
 they fhould be wanted, as well as the heels. 
 
 The body muft be carefully kept eafy and firm, and 
 without any rocking, when in motion ; which is a bad ha- 
 bit very eafily contrafled, efpecially in galloping. The 
 left elbow mull be gently leant againft the body, a little 
 forwards ; unlefs it be fo refted, the hand cannot be 
 fleady, but will be always checking, and confequently 
 have pernicious effedls on the horfe's mouth: and the hand 
 ought to be of equal height v/ith the elbow j if it were 
 lower, it would conftrain and confine the motion of the 
 horfe's fhoulders, which muft be free. I fpeak here of 
 the pofition of the hand in general ; for as the mouths of 
 horfes are difFerent, the place of the hand alfo mull oc- 
 cafionally differ : a leaning, low, heavy fore-hand, requires 
 a, high hand -, and a horfe that pokes out his nofe, a low 
 one. The right hand arm muft be placed in fymme-. 
 try with the left -, only let the right hand be a little for- 
 warder 
 
i6 AMETHODOF 
 
 warder or backwarder, higher or lower, as occafions may 
 require : in order that both hands may be free, both arms 
 mufl be a little bent at the elbow, to prevent flifFnefs. 
 
 A foldier's right hand Ihould be kept unemployed in 
 riding j it carries the fword, which is a fufficient bufinefs 
 for it : In learning therefore to ride, the men fhould have 
 a whip or fwitch in it, and hold it upwards, that they 
 may thereby know how to carry their fwords properly, 
 keeping it downwards only, when they mount or dif- 
 mount, that the horfe may not be frightened at the fight 
 of it. 
 
 The hand mufl be kept clear of the body, about two 
 inches and a half forwards from it, with the nails turned 
 oppofite to the waiilcoat buttons, and the wrift a little 
 rounded with eafe ; a pofition not lefs graceful than ready 
 for flackening, tightening, and moving the reins from one 
 fide to the other, as may be found neceflary. 
 
 A firm and well balanced pofition of the body, on 
 horfeback, is (as has already been laid) of the utmoft 
 confequencc i as it affecSts the horfe in every motion, and 
 
 in 
 
BREAKING HORSES, C^c. 17 
 
 is the beft of h^lps : whereas on the contrary, the want of 
 it is the greatelt detriment to hhn, and an impediment 
 in all his a6tions. Many people make a great difFerence 
 about faddles, as a feriousobjed: of firmnefs; but nobody 
 Can be truly faid to have a feat, who is not equally firm on 
 flat, or demi-piqued faddles, on the true principles of 
 equilibre, and eafe. When the men are w^^ell placed, the 
 more rough trotting they have, without fcirrups, the bet- 
 ter j but with a itri6t care always, that tlieir pofition be 
 preferved very exadly. As for thofe unfeeling fellows, 
 who continue flicking by their hands, in fpite of all the 
 teacher's attention to prevent it, nothing remains to be 
 done, but to make them drop the reins quite on a fafe- 
 going horfe, and to keep their hands in the fame pofition, 
 as if they held them. In all cafes without exception, 
 but more efpecially in this, great care mufl be taken to 
 hinder their clinging with their legs : in fhort, no flicking 
 by hands or legs is ever to be allowed of at any time. If 
 the motion of the horfe be too rough, flacken it, 'till the 
 rider grows by degrees more firm : and when he is quite 
 firm and eafy on his horfe in every kind of motion, flir- 
 Tups may be given him j but he mull never leave off trot- 
 ting often, and working often without any. 
 
 D Th€ 
 
i8 AMETHODOF 
 
 The ftirrnps miifl: be neither lliort nor long ; but of 
 fuch a length that when the rider, being well placed, puts 
 his feet into them, (about one-third of the length of the 
 foot from the point of it) the points may be between 
 two and three inches hiQ;her than the heels : longer ilir- 
 rups are bad, and would make it very difncult for the rider 
 to get his leg over the baggage, fon^ge, cloak, &c. which 
 are faftened on behind upon the faddle : and fhorter would 
 be bad in every refpedc, and anfwer no end at all. The 
 length I mentioned above, isjuftthe right one, and is 
 to be taken in the follov/ing method : make the rider place 
 himfelf upon the faddle, even, upright and well, with his 
 legs hanging down, and the ftirrups likewife : and when- 
 he is in this pofition, raife the rider's toe to an equal 
 height with his heel, and take up the fhirrup, 'till the 
 bottom of it comes juft under the ankle-bone. The ftir- 
 rups mufc be exadbly of an equal length. The rider mufl 
 not bear upon liis ftirrups, but only let the natural weight 
 cf his legs reft on them : for if he bore upon them, he 
 would be raifed above, and out of his faddle ; which 
 fliould never be, except in charging fword in hand, with 
 the body inclined forwards at the very inftant of attack- 
 ing. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, i^c. 19 
 
 Ing. Spurs may be given, as foon as the rider is grown 
 familiar with ftirrups, or even long before, if his legs are 
 well placed. 
 
 Delicacy in the ufe of the hands, as well as in the ufe 
 of the legs, rnay be given by the teacher to a certain de- 
 gree i but 'tis nature alone that can bellow that great fen- 
 fibility, without which neither one nor the other can be 
 formed to any great perfection. A hand Ihould be firm, 
 but delicate : a horfe's mouth Ihould never be furprifed 
 by any fudden tranfition of it, either from flack to tight, 
 or from tight to flack. Every thing in horfemanlhip mull 
 be efFefted by degrees, and with delicacy, but at the fame 
 time with fpirit and refolution. That hand, which by gi- 
 ving and taking properly, gains its point with the leafr 
 force, is the beft; and the horfe's mouth, under this fame 
 hand's direftions, will alio confequently be the beflr, 
 fuppofing equal advantages in both from nature. This 
 principle of gentlenefs fliould be obferved upon all occa- 
 fions in every branch of horfemanfliip. Hard, bad mouths, 
 may appear foft and good to an infenfible hand -, fo that it 
 is impoflibie to form any judgment of a horfe's mouth by 
 
 D 2 what 
 
20 A METHOD OF 
 
 what any body tells you of it, unlefs you know the de- 
 gree of fenfibility, and fcience that perfon is poflefTed of 
 in horfemanfhip, or ride the horfe yourlelf. Sometimes 
 the right hand may be necefTary, for a moment, upon 
 fome troublefome horfes, to afTift the leftj but the fel- 
 domer this is done, the better j efpecially in a foldier, 
 who has a fword to carry, and to make ufe of, 
 
 The fnaffle muft on all occafions be uppermofl, that 
 is to fay, the reins of it muft be above thofe of the bri- 
 dle, whether the fnaffle or the bit be ufed feparately, or 
 whether they be both ufed together, "When the rider- 
 knows enough, and the horfe is fufficiently prepared and 
 fettled to begin any work towards fuppling, one rein muft 
 be ftiortened according to the fide worked to, (as is ex- 
 plained in its proper place) but it muft never be fo much 
 ftiortened, as to make the whole ftrength reft on that rein 
 alone j for, not to mention that the work would be falfe 
 and bad, one fide of the horfe's mouth would by that 
 means be always deadened j whereas on the contrary, it 
 Ihould always be kept frefti by its own play, and by the 
 help of the oppoftte rein's ading delicately in a fmaller 
 
 degree 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^u 2=1 
 
 ^degree of tenfion ; the joint efFefts of which produce 
 in a horfe's mouth the proper, gentle, and eafy de- 
 gree of appui or bearing J to preferve which, -when ob- 
 (tained, the horfe mufl not be over-worked ; if he is, he 
 ■will, befides other bad confequences, throw himfelf on 
 'h.h llioulders into the rider's hand, like a tired pofl-horfc 
 on the road. Colts indeed, as well as men, at firft mud 
 be taught the effeft of the reins taken feparately, for fear 
 ,of confounding them in the beginning with mixed cfFefts 
 .of them at once. Avoid working in deep, bad ground ; 
 befides its fpoiling a horfe^s paces, it obliges him to throw 
 himfelf on his flioulders upon the rider's hand, and tea-^ 
 ^hes him to tofs his head about difagreeably. 
 
 A coward and a madman make alike bad riders, and 
 ^re both alike difcovered and confounded by the fuperior 
 fenfe of the creature they are mounted upon, who is e- 
 qually fpoilt by both, though in very different v/ays. 
 The coward, by fuffering the animal to have his ov/n 
 way, not only confirms him in his bad habits, but creates 
 new ones in him : and the madman, by falfe and violent 
 inotions and corredions, ruins the horfe, and drives him, 
 
 throu":h 
 
92, AMFTHODOF 
 
 through defpair, into every bad and vicious trick that 
 rage can fugged. 
 
 All horfes heads muft be kept very high, 'till they 
 are quite determined, and free in the motions of their 
 fhoulders, 
 
 It is very requifite in horfemanfhip, that the hand and 
 legs lliould acl in correfpondence v/ith each other in every 
 thing ; the latter always fubfervient and affiftant to the 
 former, Upon circles, in walking, trotting, or gal- 
 loping, (I mean only wliere nothing mere is intended) 
 the outward leg i^ the only one to be ufed, and that only 
 for a moment at a time, in order to make the horfe go 
 true, if he be falfe ; and as foon as that is done, it muft 
 be taken away again immediately. If the horfe is lazy, 
 or any ways retains himfelf, both legs muft be ufed, and 
 prefTed to his fides at the fame time together; if. after 
 having tried fofter methods, fuch as a gentle prefllire of 
 ^he thighs, and putting the legs back, they fliould fail, but 
 |iot before. The lefs the legs are ufed in general, the 
 t>etter. Very delicate riders, in regular well attended 
 good fchools, never want their help j and horfes fo dref- 
 
 fed, 
 
BREAKING HORSES, 6?r. i^ 
 
 fed, are by far Hiperior to all others : they obey t!ie 
 fmallell toiicli on the rein, or the leaR weight of tlie 
 body thrown one way, or the other, imperceptibly, as may 
 be neceffary : the horfe and marl feern one, and the fame, 
 and fuch is the pradlice and teaching of great maflers ; but 
 that perfe6lion in the feeling of either man, or horfe, is 
 not to be expefted in tiie hurry which can not be avoided 
 in a regimiental fchool, where the numbenj are fo frj-cat. 
 By the term outv/ard, is iindcrrtood the fide wliich is more 
 remote from the center • and by inward, is rheant the fide 
 next to the center. In reining back, the rider fliould be 
 careful not to ufe his legs, unlefs the horfe backs on his 
 fhoulders ; in which cafe, they mufl be both a:)plied 
 gently at the fame time, and correfpond with the hand. 
 If the horfe refufe to back at all, the rider's legs mufl 
 be gently approached, 'till the horfe lifts iip a leg, as if 
 to go forwards ; at v/hich time, when that leg is in the 
 air, the rein of the lame fide with that leg, which is lifted 
 up, will eafily bring that fame leg backwards, dnd accor- 
 dingly oblige the horfe to back : but if the horfe of- 
 fers to rear, the legs muft be inllantly removed away. 
 The inward rein mufl be the tighter on circles, fo that 
 
 m 
 
241 A M E T H O D O F' 
 
 the liorfe may bend and look inwards; and the outward? 
 one croffed over a little towards it ; and both helJ in the 
 left hand, that foldiers may not have their right employed, 
 which, as has before been obferved, mud be left free for 
 other more neceffary ufes. 
 
 Let the man and horfe begin all lelFons whatfoever on 
 very flow motions, that they may have time to underfland, 
 and refleft on what is taught them -, but though the mo- 
 dons are flow, they muft not be dull, but determined, and' 
 without hefitation. In proportion as the effedls of the 
 reins are better comprehended, and the manner of work- 
 ing becomes more familiar, the quicknefs of motion muft 
 be increafed. Every rider muft learn to feel, without the- 
 help of the eye, when a horfe goes falfe, even in the moft. 
 I'jjeedy, and moft violent motions, and remedy the fault 
 accordingly : this is an intelligence, which nothing but 
 V,ra(5lice, application, and attention,, can give, in the be- 
 fvinning on flow motions. A horfe may not only gallop* 
 f ...ife, but alfo trot and walk falfe. If a horfe gallops 
 Life, that is to fay, if going to the right, he leads with. 
 C:.c left leg j or if going to the left, he leads with the 
 
 right ;. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, (^c, 25 
 
 Hght; or in cafe he is difunited, by which is meant, if 
 he leads with the oppofite leg behind to that which he 
 leads with before, flop him immediately, and put him ofF 
 again properly : the method of efFe6ling this, is by ap- 
 proaching your outward leg, gently, and putting your 
 hand outwards, ftill keeping the inward rein the fliorter, 
 and the horfe's head inwards, if poiTible j but if he fhould 
 ftill refift, then bend and pull his head outwards alfo. Re- 
 place it again, bent properly inwards, the moment he 
 goes off true. The help of the leg in this, and indeed 
 all other cafes, muft not be made ufe of at all, 'till that 
 of the hand alone has proved ineffeftuaL A horfe is faid 
 to be difunited to the right, when going to the right, and 
 confequently leading with the right leg before, he leads 
 with the left behind ; and is faid to be difunited to the left, 
 when going to the left, and confequently leading with the 
 left leg before, he leads with the right behind. A horfe 
 may at the fame time be both faife and difunited ; in cor- 
 redling both which faults, the fiime method muft be ufed. 
 He is both falfe and difunited to the right, when in going 
 to the right he leads with the left leg before, and the right 
 behind ^ notwithftandmg that hinder leg be with propriety 
 
 E more 
 
26 A METHOD OF 
 
 more forward under his belly, than the left, becaiife the 
 horfe is working to the right : and he is falfe and difuni- 
 ted to the left, when in going to the left, he leads with 
 the right leg before, and the left behind j notwithftand- 
 ing, as above, that hinder leg be with propriety more 
 forward under his belly than the right, becaufe the horfc 
 is working to the left. 
 
 Care muft be taken, that horfes, in (lopping on the 
 gallop, ftop true, behind particularly, which they are 
 very apt not to do ; efpecially in the longe, and bent, 
 without any one on them. 
 
 In teaching men a right feat on horleback, the greatell 
 attention muft be given to prevent ftiffnefs, and fticking 
 by force in any manner upon any occafion : ftiffnefs 
 difgraces every work ; and fticking ferves only to 
 throw a man (when difplaced) a great diftance from his 
 horfe, by the fpring he muft go off with : whereas by a 
 proper equilibrating pofition of the body, and by the na- 
 tural weight only of the thighs, he cannot but be firm, 
 and fecure in his feat. 
 
 As 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 27 
 
 As the men become more firm, and the horfes more 
 fupple, 'tis proper to make the circles lefs, but not too 
 much fo, for fear of throwing the horfes forwards upon 
 their fhoulders. 
 
 No bits Ihould be ufed, 'till the riders are firm, and the 
 horfes bend well to right and left ; and then too always 
 with the greateft care and gentlenefs. The filly cuftom of 
 ufing ftrong and heavy bits, is in all good fchools with rea- 
 fon laid afide, as it fhould be likewife in military riding ; 
 they pull down the horfe's head, keep it low, thereby ob- 
 (tru6l the adlion of the fore parts, and harden as much the 
 hand of the rider, as the mouth of the horfe ; both which 
 becoming every day more and more infenfible together, 
 pothing can be expefted but a moft unfeeling calloufnefs 
 both in one and the other. Some horfes, when firfi: the 
 bit is put into their mouths, if great care be not taken, 
 will put their heads very low ; which low pofition of the 
 head, provided the top of the head, and the nofe, be 
 nearly perpendicular, fome ignorant people call a good 
 qne ; without confidering, that the higher the top of the 
 Jiead is, provided that it is nearly perpendicular with the 
 
 E 2 tiofcj 
 
2% AMETHODOF 
 
 nofe, the better the pofition is on every account. If the 
 top of the head is low, the pofition is a bad one, notwith- 
 ftanding the head and nofe being nearly perpendicular, be- 
 caufe it obftrufts the aclion of the fore parts. With fuch 
 horfes, raife your right hand with the bridoon in it, and 
 play at the fame time with the bit in the left hand, 
 giving and taking. A ftrong bit, indeed, will flatter an 
 ignorant hand, juft at firfl: ; but it will never any other, 
 nor even an ignorant one for any time together j for the 
 horfe's mouth will foon grow callous to it, and unfeeling, 
 and the hand the fame. Moil horfes, whofe heads are 
 heavy, are apt to ftumble. 
 
 On circles, the rider muft lean his body inwards ; un- 
 lefs great attention be given to make him do it, he will 
 bg perpetually lofing his feat outwards, every rapid or ir- 
 regular motion the horfe may make. 'Tis fcarce pofTible 
 for him to be difplaced, if he leans his body properly 
 inwards. 
 
 In(lru<flion3, both to r^in and hor^e, in riding, arc of 
 %\it greateft importance and coafequence ; as the fuccefs 
 of adtions in a great meafure depends upon them. Squa- 
 drons 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 29 
 
 -drons are frequently broken and defeated through the ig- 
 norance of the riders, or horfes, but mofl commonly of 
 both together. Many and various are the difafters, that 
 •arife from the horfes not being properly prepared and fup- 
 pled, and from the men not being taught firm feats, in- 
 dependent of their hands, and the mouths of their horfes. 
 Were the men rightly inftru6ted how to keep the mouths 
 of their horfes frefh and obedient, and thereby maintaia 
 a cadeneed pace, (be it ever fo faft, or ever fo flow) ranks 
 would of courfe be always dreffed, and unfhaken, and 
 confequently always powerful. The flouteft, and by na- 
 ture, the befl of cavalry, is often broken, and thereby 
 rendered inferior far to much weaker and lefs refpe6tablc 
 bodies than themfelyes, for want of being properly in- 
 formed in the above-mentioned, and fuch-like particu- 
 lars. This is a matter worthy of a ferious infpeftion, 
 confideration, and amendment, the negle6l of which has 
 ppon many occafions been very fatal. 'Tis to be hoped, 
 that fome perfon of fufHcient authority and knowledge will 
 contrive to introduce many alterations, that appear very 
 necefTary in the cavalry. To what purpofe is cavalry loaded 
 with fuch monllrous heavy boots and firelock ? a lighter, 
 
 yet 
 
20 AMETHODOF 
 
 yet full as ftrong, and much more ferviceable boot might 
 be eafily contrived. A light carabine would fuit them 
 far better. A hat feems to me a filly and ufelefs piece of 
 drefs in a foldier : it is continually falling off, efpecially 
 in aftion i nor can it ever ferve as a protection againft 
 blows, &c. or bad weather, which are circumftances of 
 great confequence : whereas a cap has no inconveniences 
 at all attending it, may be made very ornamental and of 
 a martial appearance, and in fuch a manner, as to be a 
 good fence againft blows, rain, fnow, and ftormy winds, 
 and alfo convenient to fleep in. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 31 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 fi6^ method of /tippling horfeSy with men upon theniy by tht 
 Epaule en dedans, i^c. with and without a longe, on 
 circles and on jlrait lines ; and of working horjes in- 
 hand. 
 
 TTTHENahorfe is well prepared and fettled in all 
 ^ ' his motions, ('till when nothing more miift be at- 
 tempted) and the rider firm, (which is alfo as abfolutely 
 neceflary) it will be proper then to proceed on towards 
 a farther fuppling and teaching of both. In regiments, 
 efpeciaily thofe that are young, there are but very 
 few, if any, tolerable horfemen ^ which makes the greateft 
 exadlnefs and gentlenefs abfolutely neceflary in the in- 
 ftru(5ting of both : and more particularly fo in this cafe, 
 as horfe and man are both ignorant, and mufl be both a- 
 like taught together j which is a difficulty, that does not 
 exift in fchools ; for there a young rider is put upon a 
 made, or at leafl: a quiet horfe ; nor do any, but able ri- 
 ders, ever rftount a rav/ one. 
 
 In 
 
Zi AM£THODOF 
 
 In fetting out upon this new work, before which the 
 horfe fhould be taught to go well into the corners, both 
 with his fore and hinder parts, on a walk, (without be- 
 ing bent, for that cannot be yet expedled, though it will 
 be foon) and be very light in hand ; when he does it, 
 begin by bringing the horfe's head a little more inwards 
 than before, pulling the inward rein gently to you by de- 
 grees. When this is done, try to gain a little on the 
 flioulders, by keeping the inward rein the jQiorter, as be- 
 fore, and the outward one crofled over towards the in- 
 ward one. The intention of thefe operations is this : the 
 inward rein ferves to bring in the head, and procures the 
 bend j whilft the outward one, that is a little crofied* 
 tends to make that bend perpendicular, and as it fhould 
 be J that is to fay, to reduce the nofe and the forehead to- 
 be in a perpendicular line with each other: it alfo ferves^- 
 if put forwards, as well as alfo crofled, to put the horfe 
 forwards, if found necefi^ary j which is often requifite, many 
 horfes being apt in this, and other works, rather to lofe. 
 their ground backwards, than otherwife, when they fhould 
 rathef advance : if the nofe were drawn in towards the 
 breaft beyond the perpendicular, it would confine the mo- 
 tion- 
 
BREAKING HORSES, t^c, S3 
 
 tion of the fhoulders, and have other bad effcds. All 
 other bends, befides what I have above fpecified, are falfe. 
 The outward rein, being croffed, not in a forward fenfe, 
 but rather a little backwards, ferves alfo, when neccfTary, 
 to prevent the outv/ard ilioulder from getting too for- 
 wards, which facilitates the inward leg's crciTuig it ; 
 which is the motion that fo admirably fupples the fnoul- 
 ders. Care muil be taken, that the inv/ard leg pafs over 
 the outward one, without touching it j this inv/ard leg's 
 crofTing over mud be helped by the inward rein, whicll 
 you mufl: crofs towards and over the outward rein, every 
 time the outward leg comes to the ground, in order to 
 lift and help the inv/ard leg over it : at any other time, 
 but jufb when the outward leg is come to the ground, it 
 would be wrong to crofs the inv/ard rein, or to attempt 
 to lift up the inward leg by it : nay, it woiild be de- 
 manding an abfolute impofllbility, and lugging about the 
 reins and horfe to no purpofe -, becaufe a very great part 
 of the horfe's weight refling upon the inward leg would 
 render fuch an attempt, not only fruitlefs, but alfo pre- 
 judicial to the fenfibility of the mouth, and probably o- 
 
 F bli<>e 
 
 v3 
 
j4 AMETHODOF 
 
 blige him to defend himfelf, without being produdtivc of 
 any fiipplmg motion whatfoever. 
 
 When the horfe is thus far familiarly accuilomed to 
 what you have required of him, (but by no means before 
 he is entirely fo) then proceed to efFeft by degrees the 
 fame crofling in his hinder legs. By bringing in the fore 
 legs more, you will of courfe engage the hinder ones in 
 the fame work : if they refiit, the rider muft bring botli 
 reins more inwards -, and, if neceffary, put back alio, and 
 approach his inward leg to the horfe : and if the horfe 
 throws out his croup too far, the rider mufl bring both 
 reins outwards, and if abfolutely neceffary, (but not o- 
 therwife) he muft alfo delicately make ufe of his outward 
 leg for a moment, in order to replace the horfe properly ; 
 obferving, that the croup fliould always be confiderably 
 behind the fhoulders, which in all a6lions muft go firft ; 
 and the moment that the horfe obeys, the rider muft put 
 his hand and leg again into their ufual pofition. In this 
 leffon, as indeed in almoft all others, the corners muft 
 not be negleded : the horfe fliould go well, and tho- 
 roughly into them. Bring his fore parts into them, by 
 
 croffirvg 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 35 
 
 crofTing over the inward rein towards the outward one, 
 (but without taking ofi" from the proper bend of the 
 head, neck, and flioulders) and bring them out of the 
 corner again by croiTmg over the outward rein towards the 
 inward one. Thefe ufes of the reins have alfo their pro- 
 per efrecls upon the hinder parts. 
 
 Nothing Is more ungraceful in itfelf, more detrimental 
 to a mail's feat, or more deitruttive of the fenfibility q{ a 
 horfe's fides, than a continual wriggling unfettJedncfs in 
 a horfeman's legs, which prevents the horfe from ever 
 going a moment together true. Heady, or determined. 
 'Tis impoffible, upon the whole, for a man to be too firm, 
 fettled, and gentle. A foft motion may be always infor- 
 ced, if neceffary, with eafe ; but an harili one is irreco- 
 verable, and its bad confequences very often almoft irre- 
 parable. Men are very apt to get this trick of wrigglino- 
 their legs, even in going ftrait forward, and more fo with 
 one leg particularly put back in changing of hands ; 
 which Ihould be done by the reins only, in a graceful, 
 ftill manner, and v/ithout letting the horfe either throw 
 jiimfelf over too fall, or go lazily over to the other hand ; 
 
 F 2 the 
 
^6 A M E T H O D O F 
 
 the rider's hand alone is ahiioft always fufficient ; and, if 
 it llioiild not, many things fliould be tried, before fo ugly, 
 and bad a refource, as the above-mentioned is thought 
 of i I ft, that of fqueezing the thighs ; 2d, approaching 
 gently the calves of the legs, and 3d, ufing the fpur j but 
 without diftorting the leg, or foot, which a good mailer 
 will not permit to be done. 
 
 A horfe fliould never be turned, without firfl moving 
 a ftep forwards ; an imperceptible motion only of the 
 hand, from one fide to the other, is fufficient to turn him. 
 It muft alfo be a conftant rule, never to fuffer a horfe to 
 be flopped, mounted, or difmounted, but when he is 
 well placed. 
 
 At firfl, the figures worked upon mufl be great, and 
 afterwards made lefs by degrees, according to the im- 
 provement which the man and horfe makej and the ca- 
 denced pace alfo, which they work in, mufl be accor- 
 dingly augmented. The changes from one fide to the 
 other, muft be in a bold, determined trot, and at firll quite 
 ftraight forwards, without demanding any fide motion on 
 Vffo pijiesj which it is very necefTary to require afterwards, 
 
 when 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 37 
 
 when the horfe is fufficiently fuppled. By two pijies is 
 meant, when the fore parts and hinder parts do not fol- 
 low, but defcribe two different lines. 
 
 In the beginning, a huge is ufeful on circles, and alfo 
 on flraight lines, to help both the rider and the horfe ; 
 but afterwards, when they are grown more intelligent, 
 they Ihoiild go alone. No one, not even the befr riders, 
 fliould ever quite leave off trotting every now and then, in 
 the longe, both with, and without ftirrups. At the end 
 of the leffon rein back, and then put the horfe, by a lit- 
 tle at a time, forwards, by approaching both legs gently, 
 and with an equal degree of preffure, to his fides, (if ne- 
 ceffary) and playing with the bridle : if he rears, pufh 
 him out immediately into^ a full trot. Shaking the cavcf- 
 Jon on the horfe's^ nofe, and alfo putting one's felf bcf:)re 
 him, and rather near to him, will generally make him 
 back, though he otherwife refufe to do it: and moreover, 
 a flight ufe and approaching of the rider's legs, will forae- 
 times be neceffary in backing, in order to prevent the 
 horfe from doing it too much upon his H'loulders j but 
 the preffure of the legs ought to be very fmall, and taken 
 
 quite 
 
38 AMETHODOF 
 
 quite away the moment that he puts himfelf enough upon 
 his haunches. The horfe mufl learn by degrees to back 
 upon a ftraight line, but to make him do fo, the rider 
 rnufl- not be permitted to have recourie immediately to his 
 leg, and fo dilrort himfelf by it, (which is generally prac- 
 tifed with the common fort of riding-mafters) but fiifl 
 try, if croffing ovt r his hand and reins, to which ever fide 
 may be neceffary, will not be alone fufficient j which 
 moft frequently it will ; if not, then employ the leg, 
 which Ihould never be ufed 'till the laft extremity. 
 
 After a horfe is well prepared, and fettled, and goes 
 freely on in all his feveral paces, he ought to be in all his 
 works kept, to a proper degree, upon his haunches, with 
 his hinder legs well placed under him j whereby he will 
 be always pleafant to himfelf, and his rider, will be light 
 in hand, and ready to execute whatever may be demanded 
 of him in reafon, with facility, vigou*, quicknefs, and 
 delicacy. 
 
 The common niethod, that is ufed, of forcing a horfe 
 lidcways, is a moft glaring abfurdity, and very hurtful 
 |:q the animal in its confequences ; for, inftead of fup- 
 
 pling 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. ^9 
 
 pling him, it obliges him to ftiffen and defend himfelf, 
 and often makes a creature, that is naturally benevolent, 
 a reftive, frightened, and vicious man-hater for ever. In 
 general 'tis a maxim, as conftantly to be remembered, 
 as it is true, that it is more difficult to corre(5l faults and 
 bad habits, than to forefee and prevent them. Horfes 
 under riders, who ufe their legs, are, when going to work 
 on two piftes, perpetually fetting off with the croup fore- 
 moft, than which nothing hardly can be worfe. It is ow- 
 ing to the leg of the rider being applied to the fide of 
 the horfe, before the hand has determined the fore parts 
 of the animal, on the line, upon wliich he is to go. 
 
 For horfes, who have very long and high fore- hands, 
 and who poke out their nofes, a running fnalile is of ex- 
 cellent ufe ; but for fuch, as bore and keep theh" heads 
 low, a common one is preferable -, though any iicrfe's 
 head indeed may be kept up alfo with a runnin- one, by 
 the rider's keeping his hands very high and forwards ; but 
 that occaiions a bad and aukward polition in the man. 
 They are, as plainly appears from their confrruaion, bad 
 for tripping and (tumbling horfes. Whenever either is 
 
 ufcd 
 
4Q AMETHODOF 
 
 ufed alone, without a bridle, upon horfes that carry theif 
 heads low, and that bore, it mufl be gently fawed about 
 from one fide to the other. 
 
 Every body knows the conftruftion of a running fnaffle* 
 (Plate 2.) They will fee from that conftrudlion, that the 
 purchafe of it is greater than that of a common one. As 
 its firft point of appui is at the pommel of the faddie, 
 lower than the rider's hand, they will alfo eafily perceive, 
 why they are good for horfes, who have high light fore- 
 hands, and why they are bad for fuch as have low and 
 heavy ones. They are good for many horfes, when ufed 
 as a bridoon with a bridle, in cafes of remarkably long, 
 high fore-hands, and poking heads. On horfes, whofe 
 heads and fore-hands are difficult to raifc, a running fnaf- 
 fle, but not one fixed in the ufual manner, is often very 
 ufeful. The reins of it fliould be paffed through an eye 
 fixed on each fide the head, pretty high up on the head- 
 ftall towards the ears, before they come into the rider's hand. 
 (Plate 3.) When fixed at firft to the rings on the head- 
 ftall, and coming through the eyes of the fnaffle into the 
 rider's hand, without being at all fixed to the faddie, they 
 
 will 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c, 41 
 
 will often alfo be very ufeful. This leflbn of tht Epaule en 
 dedans J is a very touchftone in horfemanlliip, both for man 
 and horfe. Neither one nor the other can be drefied to 
 any degree without a confummate knowledge of it ; but 
 it muft not on any account be pra6lifed in the field in exer- 
 cifes, or evolutions : there the horfes mull always bend 
 towards the fide they are going, a thing (to the fhame 
 of the cavalry be it fpoken) fo rare to be feen. The E- 
 paide en dedans reverfed, is particularly advantageous to 
 horfes who are apt to throw themfelves forward. By re- 
 verfed, I mean when the fhoulders are worked upon the 
 outward larger circle, and the croup on the fmaller cir- 
 cle next the center. 
 
 Horfes well perfeded in the Epaule en dedans may un- 
 dertake, and foon learn any other leiTons whatfoever. 
 It ought, like all others, to be prad-ifed on all figures, 
 circles, ftrait lines, fquares, &c. and when on this laft, 
 which is an excellent lefTon, (as alfo in every leffon, and 
 on all figures, where there are corners and angles) care 
 muft be taken concerning the Ihoulders and croup, that, 
 which ever of thein is to enter the corner firft, may go 
 
 G quite 
 
42 AMETHODOF 
 
 quite into itj and let that which goes in lafl, follow 
 (?xa6lly the fame ground. This rule can not be too much 
 attended to. The croup, indeed, can never enter the 
 corner firfl, except in working backwards. 
 
 Of working in hand. 
 
 WORKING in hand requires a certain degree of 
 a<5tivity, a quick eye, and, like every thing elfe 
 ^bout horfes, good temper, and judgment. Though it 
 cart not t>e looked upon as a very difficult thing, I have 
 feen few people fucceed in it : none indeed, to any con- 
 fiderable degree, except Sir Sidney Medows, and the 
 Cavaliere Rossermini, at Pifa, author of the Cavallo 
 Perfetto. Begin by trotting, then galloping the horfe 
 properly, bent inwards by a flrap tied from the fide ring 
 pn the cavejfon to the ring on the pad. (Plate 4.) To the 
 head-ftall of the longe, a flrap and biickle under the throat 
 is very ufeful to prevent the fide part of it from chafing 
 againft the eye, which it is very apt to do, when the bending 
 flrap is ufed, and drawn at all tight. Do this for a little 
 
 while 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 43 
 
 ivhile only at a time. If the horfe leans on the llrap which 
 is tied to bend him, take oiF the caveffon, and ufe in its 
 (lead one of the long firings which will be mentioned and 
 explained a little further on, coming firft from the rino- 
 on the pad, and from thence through the eye of the fnaf- 
 fle; (Plate 5.) and alfo, if the horfe's head is low, 
 through the ring on the head-ftall, and from thence 
 through the ring on the pad, (Plate 6.) into the hand of 
 theperfon on foot, who muft humour it, yielding and takino- 
 it up occafionally, which will prevent the horfe's leaning, 
 and make him light. (Plate 6.) The long firing, thus ufed, 
 will do very well alone, without the llrap, wlien the horfe 
 is accuflomed to bend, and to trot determined round the 
 perfon who flands in the center, and holds the long firing. 
 After horfes have been a little accuflomed to be bent 
 ■With a flrap at the longe, they will very foon longe them- 
 felves, as it were ; that is to fay, that bent with the 
 llrap, they will go very well without any longe 3 and in- 
 deed, horfes may be brought, v/ith patience and gentle- 
 nefs, to work very well fo on almoft all lefTons in hand. 
 Next begin the epaule en dedans^ and after that, the head to 
 the wall, the croup to the wall, piafHng, backing, &c. 
 on all figures, by degrees. I have obferved, that moft 
 horfes generally go the head to the wall more cordially at 
 
 G s firft. 
 
44 AMETHODOF 
 
 firfl", than they do the croup to the wall. Working in 
 hand is, if I may be allowed the exprefTion, a kind of 
 driving. In explaining the method of working in hand, 
 we will ufe the right all the way through. Two people on 
 foot fhould be employed about it j one indeed may do, 
 and well, if it is a handy perfon, but two are much better 
 at firfl : one of thefe people holds a long firing, and in 
 fome lefTons two long firings, fixed, as fhall be prefently 
 explained, and a chamhrierey flanding at fome dillance 
 from the horfe ; the other perfon flands near the horfe, 
 holding the reins of the fnaffle, and a hand whip, to keep 
 the horfe ofi^from him, when neceffary. Girt a pad, with 
 a crupper to it, upon the horfe : the pad mufl have a large 
 ring in the center upon the top of it, and, about four 
 inches lower down on each fide, a fmaller one. On the 
 top of the pad, a little forwarder than the great ring, 
 there mufl be a fmall flrap, and buckle, which ferve to 
 buckle in the fnaffle reins, and to prevent their floating 
 about, and the horfe entangling his legs in them, in the 
 longe. Horfes mull never be worked in hand with any 
 thing in their mouths, but a large, thick, plain, running 
 fnaffle : a bridle is too ticklifli, and would fpoil the horfe's 
 mouth, unlefs it be in the hands of a very able mafler 
 indeed \ for, in working in hand, it is next to impofTiblc 
 
 to 
 
BREAKING HORSES, C^c. 45 
 
 to be fiifRciently gentle, and delicate with it. The eyes 
 of the fnaffle fhould be large, and on the head-flail, a- 
 bout the height of the horfe's eye, lliould be fixed a ring 
 on each fide. The perfon with the chamhriere holds a long 
 ftring, about eighteen feet long, (fo as to be out of the 
 reach of the horfe's heels) which muft be fmooth, of a 
 proper thicknefs, and not ftick, but run free. This ftring, 
 in the epaiile en dedans^ (Plate 7.) to the right, is buckled 
 to the right hand fmall ring on the pad, v/here the reins 
 of the running fnaffle are firft fixed -, from thence it palTes 
 through the right eye of the fnaffle, and from that to 
 the right hand fmall ring on the hcad-ftall, and througji 
 the large ring on the top of the pad, into the hand of 
 the perfon who holds the chamhriere^ and who, by means 
 of this ftring, bends the horfe to the right, and brings 
 in his ftioulderj following him on his right fide, and 
 tightening and loofening the ftring, as he finds it Vitz^{- 
 fary. If the horfe's fore-hand is high, and well placed, it 
 will not be neceftary to pafs the ftring througli the ring 
 upon the head-ftall : at the fame time, another perfon 
 ftanding near the horfe, the fnaffle reins feparated, and 
 the right one tied loofe on the right fide, leads him on 
 with the left rein of the fnaffle in his hand, walking near 
 
 his 
 
4^ Amethodof 
 
 his head, and taking care to keep the fhoulders in their 
 proper place, and not to take off from the bend to the 
 right, which is occafioned by the firing in the other per- 
 fon's hand, who will find it moft convenient, when work- 
 ing on this leflbn to the right, to hold the firing in his 
 right hand, and the chamhriere in his left, and fo vice verjd: 
 Thefe he miift make ufe of, and keep himfelf more or 
 lefs upon the flank, center, or rear of the horfe, as he finds 
 necefTary. In the changes from right to left, in the 
 e'paule en dedans, the perfon nearefl the horfe mufl be quick 
 in getting on the horfe's left fide; and the perfon with 
 the chamhriere mufl do the fame ; the former coming round 
 by the horfe's head before him, and the latter round by 
 his croup behind him ; and fo vice verJd to the left. In 
 the head, and in the croup, to the wall, both the men 
 are already properly placed for the changes. In this lef- 
 fon of the e'paule en dedans, in hand, when a horfe is very 
 clumfy, heavy in hand, fliff, headflrong, vicious, or 
 apt to flrike with his fore feet, or to rear or kick out be- 
 hind, a flick, or pole, is very ufeful j the flick, (about 
 feven feet long) is faflened by a flrap and buckle through 
 the eye of the fnaffie, where the reins pafs : a man places 
 himfelf, at a certain diflance, on the fide of the horfe's 
 
 head. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c. 47 
 
 head, going before him over the ground to be worked 
 upon, and holds the flick at arm's length, having tied it 
 lb, as to leave it room to play, as he draws it gently back- 
 wards and forwards to refrelh and enliven the mouth. The 
 other man holds a long rein, and the chambriere^ as repre- 
 fcnted in Plate 7. Like the pillars, this leflbn is excel- 
 lent, or bad, according to the hands it is in. I have 
 known a horfe's jaw broke, and his tongue cut in two by 
 it, and therefore it muft be ufcd in the moft fkilfui 
 and temperate manner, or not at all : it is ufeful in 
 raifing horfe's heads ; of thofe, particularly, who are apt 
 to get their heads down, or to kick in piaffing on for- 
 Jwards, &c. Almoft any lefTons may be done by the help 
 of this pole. 
 
 To work in hand, the head and the croup, to the wall, 
 (Plate 8.) two ilrings fixed, as above defcribed, (only 
 that they muft not come at all through the large ring on 
 the pad, but from the fmall rings on the head-ftall, im- 
 mediately into the hand of theperfon who holds the cham- 
 hriere) muft be ufed, one on each fide : one ftring, indeed, 
 might do j the right one, in working to the right, and 
 
 fo 
 
48 A METHOD OF 
 
 fo vkeverfd: but two are much better, and often necef- 
 iary, to help to keep the horfe in a proper pofition. Faf- 
 fing the firings through the rings on the head-ftall, is 
 not neceffaryj when the horfe carries his fore-hand high, 
 and well -, and when they do pafs through them, great care 
 muft be taken, by a gentle ufe of them, that they do not 
 gag the horfe : thefe two firings mufl be buckled together, 
 and meet in the hand of the perfon who holds the cham- 
 hrierej and who is on the left fide of the horfe : the fnaffle 
 reins too mufl be joined, and the perfon near the horfe, 
 who holds them, muft alfo be on the left fide of him, and 
 near his fhoulder, holding the right rein of the fnaffle the 
 Ihortefl, to bend him that way, (as does alfo the right 
 firing kept the tighteft in the other perfon's hand) and 
 making ufe alfo of the left rein, when neceffary, to keep 
 che horfe in a proper pofition^ and to guide him 
 occafionally, as if he was upon him : and never fo, as 
 to take away from the bend. The lefTon of the head, 
 or croupe, to the wall, in hand, is often done better, when 
 the man who follows, and holds the chambrierey has no 
 long reins, or only one long rein, unlefs the horfe is very 
 aukward, refraflory, or playful j for one of the long 
 
 reins 
 
 I 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c. 4^ 
 
 reins is apt to get into the way of the man, who is Hearer 
 to the horfe. When only one long rein is ufedj it will 
 be, of courie, the right hand one, to the right, and fo 
 'vice verjd. And indeed, in other leffcfns in hand, thefe 
 long reins are no longer neceflary, when the horfe is 
 grown handy ; provided the man nearer to him has a feel- 
 ing, fenfible, good hand, and perfedbly knows what he is 
 about* On the head or croup to the wall, in handj it is 
 a good way, at firR-, to h^ve a man, holding a long firing 
 buckled fimply to the eye of the fnaffle, go before the 
 horfe, leading him, as it were, along the wall* Hor- 
 fes will, with care and patience, not be very lofig bet- 
 fore they work well in hand j though, indeed, hever 
 fo truly, or delicatelyj as under a good rider; Horfea 
 worked well in hand look particularly well in coming 
 up the middle, and backing there on the piafFer, as 
 alfo in the piaffer, in one placCj both bent, (Plate 9.) 
 and ftraight, animated properly, and kept in a good po* 
 fition, their mouths being properly played with, and hu- 
 moured. When horfes become free, and familiar with 
 this method of working them in hand, it Ihould be done 
 by degrees on all paces, fall, and flow, but always with- 
 
 H out 
 
50 A METHOD OF 
 
 out noife, hurry, or confufion. Nothing determines them 
 better than working them in hand, when it is well done. 
 As the want of great accuracy, and delicacy is, from 
 -the great numbers, in fome meafure unavoidable in mili- 
 tary fchools, it is not amifs to teach troop horfes a little 
 their lefTons in hand, before the men do them on their 
 backs. One of thefe firings may be ufed by the perfon who 
 ^ holds the chambriere on foot, when the horfe is mounted ; 
 and it is a good method to do fo, fometimes, on all lef- 
 fons, and on all figures. This firing faftened, as in the 
 epaule en dedans^ only that it goes immediately from the 
 eye of the fnaffle into the hand of the perfon on foot, who 
 mufl fland in the center of the circle, helps the perfon upon 
 the horfe in the longe very much to bend him, as it does 
 indeed in all other lelTons. When the horfe has a rider otx 
 him, only one firing is necefTary to be held by the perfon 
 on foot. In the head to the wall, croup to the wall, piaf- 
 fing, &c. &c. it mufl be fhifted (for example, in the head 
 to the wall, &:c. &c. to the right) under the horfe's jaw, 
 from through the right eye of the fnafBe, into the hand 
 of the perfon on foot, who is on the left of the horfe i for 
 it need not pafs through the fmall ring on the head-flail 
 
 of 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 51 
 
 of the fnaffle j the man upon the horfe being the proper 
 perfon to keep the horfe's head up. It is fometimes ex- 
 pedient to pafs the firing over the horfe's neck under the 
 rider's hand, inflead of under the horfe's jaw. It mufl be 
 fixed, in the firft place, like a running fnafflle, to the 
 Ikirts of the faddle, from whence it goes, as above-men- 
 tioned, through the eye of the fnaffle into the hand of the 
 perfon on foot, after having paiTed under the horfe's jaw. 
 To piaffer too without any rider, on fquare, and all other 
 figures, advancing gently, and well into the corners, is a 
 very good leflbn. One man muft iland exactly before the 
 horfe, with his face to him, holding the two eyes of the fnaf- 
 fle, and keep the horfe advancing gently, by going back- 
 wards himfeif The man with the chambrierc muft ftand be- 
 hind the horfe, and animate him, or not, as he finds ne- 
 ceffary. Backing the horfe fo too fometimes is ufeful : 
 that may alfo be done on all figures. The degree of viva- 
 city, or dulnefs in the horfe, muft determine how the man 
 with the chambriere is to aft, and where he is to place him- 
 feif, when the horfe is backing. A horfe when well taught 
 may be worked, and it is then the beft way, by a fingle man 
 with long reins, and a chambriere, without any other per- 
 il 2 fon 
 
i% A M E T H O D O F 
 
 fon to aflift, (Plate lo.) AH airs in hand are to be worked 
 (o, whenever the animal is become fupple and obedient. 
 
 Working in hand is very particularly ufeful in Military 
 Equitation, becaufe it fpares the horfe the fatigue of any 
 weight upon him ; and the want of a proper allowance of 
 corn, to enable horfes to go through the work with vi- 
 gour, is a general army complaint^ almoft in all European 
 fervices, When it is well done, it has a mafterly, adive 
 appearance, and is always very ufeful in fuppling and de- 
 termining horfes j but, paft all doubt, a good rider moun- 
 ted, who feels every motion of the horfe, muft a6b with 
 more precifion, delicacy, and exadlnefs, 
 
 Great part of what has been faid here, of working in 
 hand, belongs properly to other chapters, but I was un- 
 willing to divide the fubjedl, and have therefore placed 
 here what I had to mention about it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. $3 
 
 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of the head to the wall, and of the croup to the wall. 
 
 THIS leflbn ihould be praftifed immediately after that 
 of the epaule en dedans^ in order to place the horfe 
 properly the way he goes, &c. The difference between 
 the head to the wall, and the croup to the wall, confifts 
 in this : in the former, the fore-parts are more remote 
 from the center, and go over more ground ^ in the latter, 
 the hinder-parts are more remote from the center, and 
 confequently go over more ground : in both, as likewife 
 in all other leflbns, (thofe done in backing only excep- 
 ted) the fhoulders mull go firft. In riding-houfes, the 
 head to the wall is the eafier leflbn of the two, at firft, 
 the line to be worked upon being marked by the wall, 
 which is not far from the horfe's head. All leflbns ought 
 to be frequently varied, to prevent routine. 
 
 The motion of the legs in the leflx)n we are fpeaking 
 of, to the right, is the fame as that of the epaule en dedans 
 to the left, and fo vice verjdy but the head is always bent 
 
 and 
 
^4 AMETHODOF 
 
 and turned differently : in the epaule en dedans y the horfc 
 looks the contrary way to that which he goes j in this he 
 looks the way he is going. 
 
 In the beginning, very little bend mufi be required ; de- 
 manding too much at once would perplex the horfe, and 
 make him defend himfelf: it is to be augmented by degrees. 
 If the horfe abfolutely refufes to obey, it is moft probably a 
 fign that either he or his rider has not been fufficiently pre- 
 pared by previous leffons. It may happen, that weaknefs, 
 or a hurt in fome part of the body, or fometimes temper, 
 though leldom, (in the horfe I mean) may be the caufe of 
 the horfe's defending himfelf: 'tis the rider's bufinefs to 
 find out from whence the obilacle arifes, and to remove 
 it J and if he finds it to be from the firft mentioned caufe, 
 the previous lefibns muft be refumed again for fome time ; 
 if from the fecond, proper remedies mufl be applied i 
 and if from the lafl caufe, when all fair means that can 
 be tried, have failed, proper corredlions, with coolnef^ 
 and judgment, muft be ufed. 
 
 In pradifing this lefTon to the right, bend the horfe to 
 the right with the right rein, helping the left leg over the 
 
 right. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c 55 
 
 Tiglitj (at the fame time when the right leg is ji^.ft com« 
 to the ground) with the left rein croiTed towards the right, 
 and keeping the right fhould'cr back with the right rein 
 towards your body, in order to facilitate the left leg's 
 crolTing over the right ; and fo vke verjd to the left^ each 
 rein helping the other by their properly-mixed effedls. In 
 working to the right, the rider's left leg helps the 
 hinder parts on to the rightj and his right leg Hops them^ 
 if they get too much fo ; and fo ince verfd to the left j but 
 neither ought to be ufed, 'till the handj being employed, 
 (as has before been explained) in a proper manner, has 
 failed, or finds^ that a greater force is necefTary to bring 
 what is required about, than it can effeft alone -, for the 
 legs fhould not only be correiponding with the hand, but 
 alfo fubfervicnt to it ; and all unnecefTary aids^ as well as 
 all force, ought always to be avoided as much as pofii- 
 ble. In firft beginning to teach this lefTon, the croup 
 mull be but little conftrained s as the horfe grows more 
 fupple, engage it more by degrees. 
 
 In the execution of all lefTons, the equilibre of the ri- 
 der's body is of great ufe^ eafe and help to the horfe : it 
 
 ought 
 
S6 AMETHODOF 
 
 ought always to go with and accompany every motion of" 
 the animal; when to the right, to the right; and when 
 to the left, to the left ; if it does not, it is a very great 
 hinderance to the horfe's going. 
 
 This leflbn is perpetually of fervice ; for example, in 
 all openings and clofings of files : and though it be chiefly 
 employed on ftraight lines, neverthelefs it muft be prac- 
 tifed, advancing, retreating, turning, &c. as it may be 
 of eflential ufe almoft in all cafes whatever : it muft be 
 pradbifed too in all paces, very faft as well as very flow, 
 but of courfe gently at firft; and changes alfo from one 
 hand to the other muft frequently be made on two piftes. 
 *Tis natural to imagine, that fome horfes, as well as 
 fome men, will be found more or lefs intelligent, adive, 
 vigorous, and fupple, than others ; and accordingly more 
 or lefs is to be demanded and expefted from them. This 
 and all other lefTons are to be performed with or without a 
 longe, as may be found needful. 
 
 Upon all horfes, in every lefTon and a6lion, it mufl be 
 obferved, that there is no horfe but has his own peculiar 
 ap^ui or degree of bearing, and alfo a fenfibility of mouth, 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c, 57 
 
 as likewife a rate of his own, which it is abfoliitely necef- 
 fary for the rider to difcover and make himfelf acquainted 
 with. A bad rider always takes off at leaft the delicacy of 
 both, if not abfolutely deftroys it, which is generally the 
 cafe. The horfe will inform his rider when he has got his 
 proper bearing in the mouth, by playing pleafantly and 
 fteadily with his bit, and by the fpray about his chaps. A 
 delicate and good hand will not only always preferve 
 a light appuij or bearing in its fenfibility, but alfo of a 
 heavy one, whether naturally fo or acquired, make a light 
 one. The lighter this appui can be made, the better-, 
 but the rider's hand muft correfpond with it : if it does 
 not, the more the horfe is properly prepared, fo much the 
 worfe for the rider. Inftances of this inconvenience of the 
 hcf}: of appui's J when the rider is not equally taught with 
 the horfe, may be feen every day in fome gentlemen, who 
 try to get their horfes bitted, as they call it, (which now 
 and then, though very rarely, they get done to fome de- 
 gree) without being fuitably prepared themfelves for ri- 
 ding them : the confequence of which is, that they ride 
 in danger of breaking their necks : 'till at length, after 
 much hauling about, and by the joint infenfibility and ig- 
 
 I norance 
 
58 AMETHODOF 
 
 norance of themfelves and their grooms, the poor ani- 
 mals gradually become mere fenfelefs, unfeeling polls, 
 and thereby grow, what they call, fettled, and pleafant ; 
 that is to fay, in reality, tiiat they are grown as infenfi- 
 ble as their riders, who, becaufe they are void of feeling, 
 and are not firm, muft either hold by the bridle, or fall. 
 One perpetually hears people fay, they love a horfe, who 
 will let them bear a little on his mouth. Depend upon 
 it, thofe people are not only ignorant, and unfeeling, but 
 alfo very unfirm in their feat -, for if they were not, they 
 could not poffibly find either ufe, or eafe, in bearing a 
 dead weight on their horfes mouths. To help a horfe every 
 now and then, properly, is a very different, and a very 
 ufeful thing. When the proper appiii is found, and made 
 of courfe as light as pofTible, it mufl not be kept dully 
 fixed without any variation, but be played with; other- 
 wife one equally continued tenfion of reins, though not 
 a violent one, would render both the rider's hand, and 
 the horfe's mouth very dull. The flighteft, and frequent 
 giving, and taking is therefore necelTary to keep both 
 perfed. 
 
 •What- 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c. 59 
 
 Whatever pace or degree of qiiicknefs you work in, (be 
 it ever fo fall, or ever fo flow) it muft be cadenced ; time 
 is as neceffary for an horfeman, as for a mufician. 
 
 Every foldier muft be very well inftrucled in this leflbn of 
 the head and of the tail to the wall: fcarce any manoeuvre can 
 be well performed without it. In clofing and opening of files, 
 it is almoft every moment wanted. Few regimental riding- 
 mailers either pra6tife it right, teach it right, or know it 
 right, but afl by force only : and make the horfe look the 
 wrong way. It is a great detriment to the fervice, that 
 fo few of the teachers are inllrufled on true and ufeful prin- 
 ciples of horfemanlliip. This lelTon of the head, or croup 
 to the wall, ^c. and all others, may be done on any pace j 
 but, for the reafons given at the end of the fixth chapter, 
 I Ihall give no very full inllrucStions for them on a gallop 
 here, as the nature of army riding hardly permits foldiers 
 to be taught fo far with exadlnefs. If a horfe is well 
 taught on ever fo flow a pace, he may, by degrees, 
 without difficulty, be taught to do the fame leflbn 
 with any degree of velocity. When he does it on a gal- 
 lop, the rider mull be quiet, and exad in the changes, and 
 
 I % be 
 
So AMETHODOF 
 
 be then careful to flop the horfe's leg, with which he 
 leads, juft at the time when it is mofl forward, before it 
 comes to the ground, by means of a flight tenfion of the 
 rein on the fame fide, which will ofcourfemake the other 
 leg go forward, and lead ; and, that the horfe may change 
 his hinder leg at the fame time, which is abfolutely ne- 
 ceflary, the rider miift at the fame time crofs over his hand, 
 (to the left, for example, in changing from the left to 
 the right) replacing it properly the moment the horfe has 
 changed both before and behind, which mufl be done 
 at ihe fame time. 
 
 g/tf^^"^ ird^^"' i^fy^"^ i>^ 
 
 CHAP. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, i^c. 6i 
 
 CHAP, V. 
 
 The Trot. 
 
 T FIE three different kinds of trot, the extended, the 
 fupple, and the even, or eqiml, (le determine ie delie^ 
 (^ Vuni) are explained lb wonderfully mafterly, and ele- 
 gantly, in Monfieur Bourgelat's Notiveau NewcajlUy that 
 I can not omit giving here tlie chapter on trots of fo truly 
 admirable amafter, for v/hich I am obliged to Mr. Beren- 
 ger's tranflation of that excellent work, 
 
 " When a horfe trots, his legs are in this pofition, two 
 in the air, and two upon the ground, at the fame time 
 crofswife j that is to fay, the near foot before, and the off 
 foot behind are off the groundj and the other two upon 
 it, and fo alternately of the other two* This adion of 
 his legs is the fame as when he walks, except that in the 
 trot his motions are more quick. All writers, both an- 
 cient and modern, have conllantly afferted the trot to be 
 the foundation of every leffon you can teach a horfe : there 
 
 arc 
 
62 AMETHODOF 
 
 are none, likewife, who have not thought proper to give 
 general rules upon this fubjed, but none have been exad 
 enough to defcend into a detail of particular rules, and 
 to diftinguifh fuch cafes as are different, and admit of ex- 
 ceptions, though fuch often are found from the different 
 make and tempers of horfes, as they happen to be more or 
 lefs fuited to what they are deftined ; fo that, by follow- 
 ing their general maxims, many horfes have been fpoiled, 
 and made heavy and aukward, inflead of becoming fup- 
 pie and adlive, and as much mifchief has been occafioned 
 by adopting their principles, although jufl, as if they 
 had been fuggefted by ignorance itfelf. Three qualities 
 are eflentially necelTary to make the trot ufeful. It ought 
 to be extended, fupple, and even, or equal. Thefe three 
 qualities are related to, and mutually depend upon each 
 other i in effeft, you cannot pafs to the fupple trot, with- 
 out having firft worked upon the extended trot j and you 
 can never arrive at the even and equal trot, without ha- 
 ving firfl: pradifed the fupple. I mean by the extended, 
 that trot, in which the horfe trots out without retaining 
 himfelf, being quite flrait, and going diredlly forwards ; 
 this cgnfequently is the kind of trot with which you muft 
 
 begin j 
 
BREAKING HORSES, Csff. 63 
 
 begin ; for before any thing elfe fhould be thought of, the 
 horfe fliould be taught to embrace, and cover his ground 
 readily, and without fear* The trot however may be ex- 
 tended v/ithout being fupple, for the horfe may go di- 
 re6lly forward, and yet not have that eafe, and fupplenefs 
 of limb, which diftinguillies, and chara6terifes the fup- 
 ple. I define the fupple trot to be that, in which the horfe 
 at every motion that he makes, bends and plays all his 
 joints, that is to fay, thofe of his fhoulders, his knees, 
 and feet, which no colts or raw horfes can execute^ who 
 have not had their limbs fuppled by exercife, and who 
 generally trot with a furprizing ftiffnels, and aukwardnefsj 
 without the leail fpring or play in their joints* The even 
 or equal trot, is that wherein the horfe makes all his limbs 
 and joints move fo equally, and exaftly, that his legs ne- 
 ver cover more ground one than the other, nor at one time 
 more than another* To do this, the horfe mull of neccC^ 
 fity unite and collect all his ftrength, and, if I may be al- 
 lowed the expreflion, diftribute it equally through all his 
 joints. To go from the extended trot to the fupple, you 
 muft gently> and by degrees hold in your horfe, and when 
 by exercife he has attained fufficient eafe and fupplenefs 
 
 to 
 
64 AMETHODOF 
 
 to manage his limbs readily, you muft infenfibly hold hiri"^ 
 in ftill more and more, and by degrees you will lead hin> 
 to the equal trot. The trot is the firfb exercife to which a 
 horfe is put ; this is a neceflfary iefibn, but, if given un- 
 IkilfuUy, it lofcs its end, and even does harm, Horfes 
 of a hot, and fretful temper, have generally too great a 
 difpofition to the extended trot ; never abandon thefe hor- 
 fes to their will, hold them in, pacify them, moderate 
 their motions by retaining them judiciouuy j their limbs 
 will grow fupple, and they will acquire at the fame time 
 that union and equality which is fo effenrialiy nccelTary. 
 If you have a horfe that is heavy, confider if this heayi- 
 nefs, or ftiffnefs of his fhoulders, or legs, is owing to a 
 want of flrength, or of fupplenefs -, whether it proceeds 
 from his having been exercifed unflcilfully, too much, or 
 too little. If he is heavy, becaufe the motions of his legs 
 and Ihoulders are naturally cold, and fluggifli, though at 
 the fame time his limbs are good, and his flrength is only 
 confined, and fliut up, if I may fo fay, a moderate, but 
 continual exercife of the trot will open and fupple his 
 joints, and render the aflion of his fhoulders and legs more 
 free, and bold 3 hold him in the hand, and fupport him 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c, 6$ 
 
 In his trot, but take care to do it fo as not to check, or 
 flacken his pace ; aid him, and drive him forward while 
 you fupport him ; remember at the fame time, that if he is 
 loaded with a great head, the continuation of the trot will 
 make his appui hard and dull, becaufe he will by this means 
 abandon himfelf ftill more, and weigh upon the hand. 
 All horfes that are inclined to be ramingue, that is to fay, 
 to retain themfelves, and to refill by fo doing, Ihould be 
 kept to the extended trot. Every horfe, who has a ten- 
 dency to be raminguej is naturally difpofed to unite him- 
 felf, and coUeft all his (trength -, your only way with fuch 
 horfes is to force them forward -, in the inftant that he o- 
 beys, and goes freely on, retain him a little, yield your 
 hand immediately after, and you will find foon that the 
 horfe of himfelf will bend his joints, and go united and 
 equally. A horfe of a fluggilh and cold difpofition, which 
 has neverthelefs ftrength and bottom, fhould likewife be 
 put to the extended trot. As he grows animated, and be- 
 gins to go free, keep him together by little and little, in 
 order to lead him infenfibly to the fupple trot : but if while 
 you keep him together, you perceive that he flackens his 
 adion, and retains himfelf, give him the aids brifkly, 
 
 K an 
 
66 AMETHODOF 
 
 and piifh him forward, keeping him neverthelefs gentl/ 
 in hand j by this means he will be taught to trot freely, 
 and equally at the fame time* If a horfe of a cold, and 
 fluggifh temper, is weak in his legs, and reins, you mud 
 manage him cautioufly in working him in the trot, o- 
 therwife you will enervate, and fpoil him. Befides, in 
 order to make the moft of a horfe who is not flrong, en- 
 deavour to give him wind, by working him Qowly, and 
 at intervals, and by encreafing the vigour of his exercife 
 by degrees ; for you muft remember, that you ought al- 
 ways to difmifs your horfe before he is fpent, and over- 
 come by fatigue ; never pufh your leffons too far, in 
 hopes of fuppling your horfe's limbs by the trot, inftead 
 of this you will falfify, and harden his appuii which is a 
 cafe that happens but too frequently. Farther, it is of 
 importance to remark, that you ought at no time, nei- 
 ther in the extended, fupple, or equal trot, to confine 
 your horfe in the hand, in expeftation of raifing him^ and 
 fixing his head in a proper place. If his appui be full in 
 hand, and the aflion of his trot Ihould be checked, and 
 reftrained by the power of the bridle, his bars would 
 very foon grow callous, and his mouth be hardened, 
 
 and 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c. 67 
 
 and dead j if, on the contrary, he has a fine, and fenfible 
 mouth, this very reftraint would offend, and make him 
 uneafy ; you mufl endeavour then, as has already been 
 faid, to give him by degrees, and infenfibly, the true 
 and juft appui, to place his head, and form his mouth by 
 Hops, and half-flops, by fometimes moderating and re- 
 ftraining him, with a gentle, and light hand, and yield- 
 ing it to him immediately again, and by fometimes let- 
 ting him trot without feeling the bridle at all. There is 
 a difference between horfes who are heavy in the hand, and 
 fuch as endeavour to force it : the firll fort lean, and 
 throw all their weight upon the hand, either as they hap- 
 pen to be weak, or too heavy, and clumfy in their fore- 
 parts, or from having their mouths too flefliy and grofs, 
 and confequently dull and infenfible : the fecond pull a- 
 gainft the hand, becaufe their bars are hard, lean, and ge- 
 nerally round : the firll may be brought to go equal, and 
 upon their haunches, by means of the trot, and llov/ gal- 
 lop ; and the other may be made light and ^(^tive- by art, 
 and by fettling them well in their trot, which will alfo 
 give them flrength, and vigour. Horfes of the firft fort 
 are generally fluggifh ; the other kind are, for the mofl 
 
 K 2 part. 
 
68 AMETHODOF 
 
 part, impatient, and difobedient, and upon that very ac- 
 count more dangerous, and incorrigible. The only proof, 
 or rather the mofl certain fign of your horfe's trotting 
 well, is, that when he is in his trot, and you begin to 
 prefs him a little, he offers to gallop. After having trot- 
 ted your horfe fufficiently upon a ftrait line, or diredlly 
 forwards, work him upon circles, but before you put him 
 to this, walk him gently round the circle, that he may 
 apprehend and know the ground he is to go over. This 
 being done, work him in the trot. A horfe that is loaded 
 before, and heavily made, will find more pains and diffi- 
 culty in uniting his flrength, in order to be able to turn, 
 than in going ftrait forward. The a6tion of turning tries 
 the ftrength of his reins, and employs liis memory and 
 attention j therefore let one part of your lefTons be to trot 
 them ftrait forward : finifti them in the fame manner, ob- 
 ferving that the intervals between the ftops (which you 
 ftiould make very often) be long, or fhort, as you judge 
 necefTary. I fay, you fhould make frequent ftops, for 
 they often ferve as a corre6tion to horfes that abandon 
 themfelves, force the hand, or bear too much upon it 
 in their trot. There are fome horfes who are fupple in 
 
 their 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 69 
 
 their flioulderSj but who neverthelefs abandon them- 
 felves, this fault is occafioned by the rider's having often 
 held his bridle hand too tight in working them upon large 
 circles j to remedy this, trot them upon one line or treadj 
 and very large -, ilop them often, keeping back your body 
 and outward leg, in order to make them bend and play 
 their haunches. The principal eifecls then of the trot 
 are to make a horfe light, and active, and to give him a 
 juil appiii. In reality, in this aflion he is always fupported 
 on one fide by one of his fore legSj^ and on the other by 
 one of his hind legs: now the fore and hind parts being 
 equally fupported crofswife, the rider cannot fail of fup-^ 
 pling, and loofening his limbs, and fixing his head -, but 
 if the trot difpofes, and prepares the fpirits and motions 
 of a finewy and aitive horfe for the juflell lefTons, if it 
 calls out and unfolds the powers, and ftrength of the a- 
 nimal, which before were buried, and Ihut up, if I may 
 ufe the expreflion, in the ftiffnefs of his joints and limbs ', 
 if this firft exercife, to which you put your horfe, is the 
 foundation of all the different airs, and maneges, it ought 
 to be given in proportion to the ftrength and vigour of the 
 horfe. To judge of this, you mull go farther than mere out- 
 
 v/ard 
 
70 AMETHODOF 
 
 ward appearances. A horfe may be but weak in the reins, 
 and yet execute fome air, and accompany it with- vigour, 
 as long as his ftrength is united and entire; but if he bo- 
 comes difunited, by having been worked beyond his abi- 
 lity in the trot, he will then faulter in his air, and perform 
 it without vigour or grace. There are alfo fome horfes 
 who are very ftrong in the loins, but who are weak in 
 their limbs; thefe are apt to retain themfelves, they bend, 
 and fink in their trot, and go as if they were afraid of hurt- 
 ing their flioulders, their legs or feet. This irrefolution 
 proceeds only from a natural fenfe they have of their weak- 
 nefs. This kind of horfes fhould not be too much exer- 
 cifed in the trot, nor have fharp corredlion ; their fhoul- 
 ders, legs, or hocks, would be weakened and injured; fo 
 that learning in a little time to hang back, and abandon 
 themfelves on the appui^ they would never be able to fur- 
 nifh any air with vigour, and juftnefs. Let every leflbn 
 then be well weighed ; the only method by which fuccefs 
 can be infured, is the difcretion you fhall ufe in giving *• 
 them in proportion to the ftrength of the horfe, and from 
 your fagacity in deciding upon what air or manege is moft 
 proper for him, to which you muft be direfted by obferving 
 which feems moft fuited to his inclination and capacity. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. ^1 
 
 CHAP. VL 
 
 I'he jnethod of reining back — and of moving forwards imr/ie- 
 diately after— of piaffing— -of pilar Si ^c.—of moving 
 pillarSi l^c. 
 
 SOMETHING having already been faidj in the chapter 
 of fuppling, &c. upon the fubjeft of reining back, 
 there will not be occafion to dwell much upon it here, as 
 the reader may have recourfe to that chapter^ Horfes, par- 
 ticularly fuch as are never put in the pillars, nor taught ' 
 to piaffe, fhould be reined back a good deal, fometimes' 
 flow, fometimes faff, and always without confufion, both 
 in hand, and when rode* Never finifh your work by rein- 
 ing back, efpecially with horfes that have any difpofition 
 towards retaining themfelves ; but always move them for- - 
 wards, and a little upon the haunches alfo after it, before ' 
 you difmount j unlefs they retain themfelves very much 
 indeed, in which cafe nothing at all muft be demanded 
 from the haunches, but, quite the contrary, they muft im- ' 
 mediately be trotted hard out. This leffon of reining 
 
 back. 
 
72 AMETPIODOF 
 
 back, and piaffing, is excellent to conclude with, andputs^ 
 a horfe well and properly on the haunches : the head and 
 fore-parts muft be kept high, and free, for any con- 
 finement there dellroys aftion. To bend the horfes fome- 
 times in doing it, is a good lefTon. It may be done, ac- 
 cording as horfes are more or lefs fuppled, either going 
 forwards, backing, or in the fame place : if 'tis done well 
 advancing, or at mofl, on the fame fpot, it is full fufficient 
 for a foldier's horfe : for to piaffe in backing, is rather too 
 much to be expedted in the hurry, which cannot but at- 
 tend fuch numbers both of men and horfes, as mufl be 
 taught together in regiments. This leffon mufl never be 
 attempted at all, 'till horfes are very well fuppled, and 
 fomewhat accullomed to be put together ; otherwife it 
 will have very bad confequences, and create reftivenefs : 
 infallibly fo, if not praftifed with the utmofl exaftnefs 
 and delicacy J and principally with horfes, that have the 
 leaft tendency to retain, or to defend themfelves. If they 
 refufe to back, and fland motionlefs, the rider's legs mufl 
 be approached with the greatefl gentlenefs to the horfe's 
 fides i at the fame time as the hand is adling on the reins 
 to folicit the horfe's backing. This feldom fails of pro- 
 curing 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c 73 
 
 Curing the defired effe6l, by raifing one of the horfe's fore 
 legs, which being in the air, has no v/ei^-ht upon ir, and 
 is confequently very eafily brought backwards by z. firiall 
 degree of tenfion in the reins. When this lefTon of pis.ffing 
 is well performed, it is very noble, and ufeful, and has a 
 pleafing air; it is an excellent one to begin teaching fcho- 
 lars with. In regiments, at their firft being raifed, v/hen 
 ail horfes are brought in young and ravv-, there can of 
 courfe be no horfes ready prepared in it for this purpofe i 
 but a litle tim.e and diligence remedies this inconvenience. 
 
 The leflbn, we are Ipeaking of, is particularly ferviceable 
 in the pillars, for placing fcholars well at firfl. Very few 
 regimental riding-houfes have pillars, and I m.ufti fay, that 
 it is fortunate they have notj for though, when properly 
 made ufe of with flcill, they are one of the greateft and 
 bell difcoveries in horfemanfliip, they muft be allowed to 
 be very dangerous and pernicious, when they are not un- 
 der the dire6lion of a very knowing perfon. Upon the 
 whole, however highly I approve of pillars, I would on no 
 account admit of any, unlefs conftantly under the eye and 
 attention of a very intelligent teacher 3 which is a thing 
 
 L 'a 
 
;4 A METHOD OF 
 
 fo difficult to be found in regiments, that I think pillars 
 are better banifhed from amongfb them, and therefore fhall 
 fay no more here of what I efleem neverthelefs fo much. 
 As for the fingle pillar, ufed in the manner it formerly was^ 
 it is a very ufelefs and ridiculous thing -, and being, as I 
 hope and believe, univerfally laid afide, I think it not 
 worth making further mention of here. Moving pillars 
 are exempt from thofe inconveniences which attend fixed 
 Ones, and I therefore recommend them for army ridings 
 By moving pillars, I underftand a horfe held by a rein on 
 each fide, by a man on each fide of him : another per- 
 fon with a chambriere follows, animates, or fooths him, as 
 he finds necefTary^ and makes him piaffe backwards, or 
 forwards, with, or without long reins, as is found expedi- 
 ent. When the long reins, or firings are ufed, or rather 
 the long firing or rein, (for one is generally fufficient) it 
 mufl be fixed on the fide the horfe is to be bent t this firing 
 is fixed to the faddle, and goes through the eye of the fnaf- 
 fle, and alfo through a ring on the head-flail, if the horfe 
 is apt to get his head low : one man, befides the one who 
 holds the chambriere, is fufficient in this cafe : the horfe is 
 bent to the right, or left^ or kept wholly ftrait. This me- 
 
 tho4 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c 75 
 
 thod is particularly ufeful for horfes whofe adlion of their 
 hinder legs is confined, and wants liberty ; the fame rule 
 will hold good for all horfes fo circumftanced in all they 
 do } for they fhould always be worked boldly out on large 
 fcales, and never confined to fmall figures. A horfe looks 
 remarkably well in this attitude, if thofe who hold him 
 have light hands, and keep his head high : they Ihould 
 each of them have a fwitch, to help them to keep the horfe 
 ftraight, in cafe of neceffity. This lefTon may be very well 
 done by one man alone, with long reins (as in Plat^ 10.) 
 
 It would fcarce be poffible (neither is it indeed neceflary) 
 to teach the more refined and difficult parts of horfemian- 
 fhip to all the different kinds, and difpofitions, both of men 
 and horfes, which are in all regiments; or to find the time 
 and attention requifite for it to fuch numbers ; but I yet 
 hope fome proper inflitution will be formed, to make good 
 riding-maflers, farriers, fadlers, and gun-fmiths, and every 
 thing elfe neceffary for the army, upon a good, and proper 
 footing : they are abfolutely neceffary, and fhould be pro- 
 perly and equally divided through the regiment, in the 
 fquadrons and troops. There Ihould be one riding-malter 
 
 L 2 in 
 
76 A METHOD OF 
 
 in chief, v/ith a fulticient number of under ones under him, 
 and formed by him : he fhould infped the work of the 
 others very frequently, and give lelTons by turns to the 
 whole regiment, going about from one quarter to another, 
 if the regiment is feparated : he fhould break too the offi- 
 cers hoifes, or rather teach them to do it themfelves, who, 
 I am forry to Vd.j it, fland at prefent, in general, in the 
 greatefl need of inflTu6tions, — no people more : they 
 fhould, therefore, and for the fake of creating emulation 
 too in the men by their example, always attend the ridings 
 mailer regularly two or three times a week, at leafl. I 
 muil urge the necefTity of forming by reading, and feri- 
 ous ftudy, as well as by much conilant praftice, proper 
 riding-maflers for the army ; though I am thoroughly ap- 
 prized, as the celebrated Mr. Bourgelat obferves, that 
 an ill-f unded prejudice partially dire6ts the judgment of 
 the greater part of thofe people, who call themfelves co- 
 noiifeurs. I know full well that they fuppofe that practice 
 alone can infure perfedlion, and that in their arguments in 
 favour of this their deplorable fyflem, they rejefl with fcorn 
 all books, and authors : but Equitation is confefTedly a fci- 
 ^ncci every fcience is founded upon principles^, and theory 
 
 mufl 
 
BREAKING HORSES, i^c. 77 
 
 mufl indifpenfably be neceflary, becaufe what is truly juft 
 and beautiful can not depend upon chance. What in- 
 deed is to be expe6ted from a man, who has no other guide 
 than a long continued practice, and who muft of necef- 
 fity labour under very great uncertainties ! Incapable of 
 accounting rationally for what he does, it muft be impof- 
 fible for him to enlighten me, or communicate to me the 
 knov/ledge which he fancies himfelf poffefled of. How 
 then can I look upon fuch a man as a mafter ? On the other 
 hand, what advantages may I not obtain from the inftruc- 
 tions of a perfon, whom theory enables to comprehend 
 and feel the effedls of his flighteft operations, and who can 
 explain to me fuch principles, as an age of conftant prac- 
 tice only could never put me into a way of acquiring ? 
 Equitation does, to be fure, require alfo a conftant, and 
 an aftiduous exercife. Elabit, and continual practice 
 will go a great way in all exercifes, which depend on the 
 mechanifm of the body, but, unlefs this mechanifm is 
 properly fixed, and fupported on the folid bafis of theory, 
 errors will be the inevitable confequence. In working a 
 horfe, a principal obje6t fhould be to exercife the genius, 
 -and memory of the animal, as well as his body. You 
 
 ihould 
 
78 A METHOD OF 
 
 ihould endeavour to difcover his natural inclination, and 
 to get a thorough knowledge of his abilities, in order to 
 take advantage in future of that knov/ledge. Without the 
 help of lights derived from juft principles, it is morally 
 impofllble that a horfeman fhould make ufe of his reafon 
 upon all occailons, or be able to find out, with care and 
 attention, whatever may conduct him to the end aad ob-r 
 je6l of his hopes, defires, and undertakings ; becaufe, ini 
 few words, there is an abfolute neceffity of fome method 
 for improving the natural difpofition of the animal, which 
 is in fome cafes defedtive and intra6table. The confe- 
 quences of the falfe, and prejudicial fyftem, which I am 
 oppofing, juftify my aflertions. The knowledge of a 
 horfe is vulgarly thought fo familiar, and the means or 
 drefllng him fo general, and fo common, that you can 
 hardly meet with a man, who does not flatter himfelf, that 
 he has fucceeded in both points j and while mailers, who 
 facrifice every hour of their life to attain knowledge, ftilf 
 find themfelves immerged in darknefs and obfcurity, men 
 the moft uninformed imagine, that they have attained the 
 fummit of perfedlion, and in confequence thereof fupprefs 
 the leaft inclination of learning even the firfl elements. 
 
 A 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c. 7«> 
 
 A blind, and boundlefs prefumption is the charafberiflic 
 of ignorance j the fruits of long ftudy, and application 
 amount to a difcovery of innumerable frefh difficulties, at 
 the fight of which a diligent man, very far from over- 
 rating his own merit> redoubles his eiforts in purfuit of 
 further knowledgCe 
 
 
 CHAP. 
 
8o AMETHODOF 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 ^he method of teaching horjes to Jtandfire, noifeSj alarms j fights j 
 &c. — of preventing their lying down in the water— to fiand 
 quiet to be fhot off from — to go over rough and bad ground 
 — to leap hedges, gates, ditches, i^c. flanding and flying — 
 to difregard dead horfes — to fwim, &c. 
 
 IN order to make horfes Hand fire, the found of drums, 
 and all forts of different noifes, you mufl ufe them to 
 it by degrees in the ftable at feeding-time j and inftead 
 of being frightened at it, they will foon come to like it, 
 as a fignal for eating. 
 
 With regard to fuch horfes as are afraid of burning ob- 
 je6ts, begin by keeping them ftill at a certain diilance from 
 fome lighted ftraw : carefs the horfe, and in proportion 
 as his fright diminifhes, approach gradually the burning 
 ftraw very gently, and increafe the fize of it. By this 
 means he will very quickly be brought to be fo familiar 
 with it, as to walk undaunted even through it. The 
 
 fame 
 
BREAKING HORSES^ £5?r. 8i 
 
 fame method and gentlenefs muft be obferved alfo, in 
 regard to glittering arms, colours, ftandards, &c. 
 
 As to horfes that are apt to lie down in the wafer, if 
 animating them, and attacking them vigoroiifly, fhould 
 fail of the defired effect, (which feldom is the cafe) then 
 break a ftraw-bottle full of v/ater upon their heads, the 
 moment they begin to lie down, and let the water run 
 into their ears, which is a thing they apprehend very much, 
 and which will in all probability foon cure them of the 
 trick. 
 
 All troop-horfes mufl be taught to Hand quiet and 
 ftill when they are fhot off from, to flop the moment 
 you prefent, and not to move after firing, 'till they are 
 required to do it : this leffon ought efpecially to be ob- 
 ferved in light troops, and it fhould never be neglected 
 in any kind of cavalry whatfoever : in fhort, the horfes 
 muft be taught to be fo cool and undiflurbed, as to fuffer 
 the riders to a6l upon them with the fame freedom, as 
 if they were on foot. Patience, coolnefs, and temper, 
 are the only means requifite for accomplifliing this end. 
 
 M The. 
 
g2 AMETHODOF 
 
 The rider, when he fires, miift be very attentive not to 
 throw himfelf forwards too much, or otherwife derange 
 himfelf in his feat. Begin by walking the horfe gently, 
 then Hop and keep him from flirring for fome time, fo 
 as to accuftom him by degrees not to have the leall idea 
 of moving without orders : if he does, back him 3 and 
 when you flop him, and he is quite ftill, leave the reins 
 quite loofe, and carefs him. 
 
 To ufe a horfe to fire-arms, firft put a piftol or carbine 
 in the manger with his feed j then ufe him to the found 
 of the lock and the pan j after which, when you are upon 
 him, Ihew the piece to him, prefenting it forwards, fome- 
 times on one fide, fometimes on the other: when he is thus 
 far reconciled, proceed to flalh in the pan \ after which, 
 put a fmall charge into the piece, and lb continue aug- 
 menting it by degrees to the quantity which is commonly 
 ufed : if he feems uneafy, walk him forwards a few fleps 
 flowly, and then ftop, back, move forwards, then flop a- 
 gain, and carefs him. Great care muft be taken not to 
 burn, or finge the horfe any where in firing j he would 
 remember it, and be very fhy, for a long time. Horfes 
 
 are 
 
BREAKING MORSES, t^c. ^3 
 
 are alfo often difquieted and unfteady at the clalh and glit^ 
 tering of arms, at the drawing and returning of fwords, 
 ^11 which they muft be familiarized to by little and little, 
 by frequency and gentlenefs. 
 
 In going over rough and bad ground, the men muft keep 
 their hands high, and their bodies back. 
 
 It is very expedient for all cavalry, in general, but par- 
 ticularly for light cavalry, that their horfes fliould be very 
 ready and expert in leaping over ditches, hedges, gates, 
 dec. not only Ungly but in fquadrons, and lines. The- 
 leaps, of whatever fort they are, wliich the horfes are 
 brought to in the beginning, ought to be very fmall ones, 
 and as the horfe improves in his leaping, be augmented by 
 degrees ; for if the leaps were encreafed confiderably at 
 once, the horfe would blunder, grow fearful, and contra6t 
 an aukward way of leaping v/ith hurry, and confufion. 
 The riders muft keep their bodies back, raife their hand a 
 little in order to help the fore-parts of the horfe up, and- 
 be very attentive to their equilibre, without raifing them- 
 felves up in the faddle, or moving their arms. The fureft 
 way to prevent people, in leaping over any thing, from rai- 
 
 M 2 ling 
 
$4 AMETHODOF 
 
 fing up their arms and elbows, (which is an unfirm, and un- 
 graceful motion) is to make them put a hand whip, or 
 fwitch, under each arm, and not let them drop. *Tis 
 beft to begin at a low bar covered with furze, (Plate 1 5 .q,,) 
 which pricking the horfe's legs, if he does not raife him^ 
 felf fufiiciently, prevents his contradling a fluggiih and 
 dangerous habit of touching, as he goes over, which any 
 thing yielding, and not pricking, would give him a cuf-, 
 torn of doing. Many horfes, in learning to leap, are apt 
 to come too near, and in a manner with their feet under 
 the bar. The beft way to prevent their doing fo, is to 
 place under the bar two planks of the breadth of the pil- 
 lars on which the leaping bar is fixed ; thefe planks muft 
 meet and join at top under tlie bar, about two feet high 
 from the ground, (Plate 15 .+.) and projedl at bottom upon 
 the ground, about two feet ; they mull be Itrongly framed, 
 that the horfe may not break them, by touching them with 
 his feet, The bar (hould be placed fo as to run round, 
 when touched, Let the ditches and hedges, &c. you firft 
 tiring horfes to, be inconfiderable, and in this, as in every 
 thing elfe, let the increafe be made by degrees. Accuf- 
 ^om them to come up gently to every thing, which they 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 85 
 
 are to leap over, and to fland coolly at it for fome time j 
 and then to raife themfelves gently up, and go clear over 
 it, without either floth or liurry. When they leap well 
 Handing, (Plate 11 and 13.) then ufe them to walk gently 
 up to the leap, and to go over it without firfl halting at 
 it i and after that pra6tice is familiar to them, repeat the 
 like in a gentle trot, and fo by degrees fafter and faller, 
 'till at length it is as familiar to them to leap flying on 
 a full gallop, (Plate 12 and 14.) as any other ways 
 all which is to be acquired with great facility by calm and 
 fbft means, without any hurry. 
 
 As horfes are naturally apt to be frightened at the fight 
 and fmell of dead horfes, numbers of which are every mo- 
 ment met with on fervice, (efpecially at the latter end of 
 the year, when the roads are bad, and the poor animals, too 
 often treated and driven cruelly, go a great way from camp 
 for forage) it is advifeable to habituate them to walk over, 
 and leap over carcafes of dead horfes j and as they are par- 
 ticularly terrified at this fight, the greater gentlenefs ought 
 conTequently to be ufed in breaking them of their dread 
 
 of it. 
 
 . . Horfes 
 
86 AMETHODOF 
 
 Horfes fhould alfo be accuftomed to fwim, which often 
 tnay be necefTary upon fervice ; and if the men and horfes 
 both are not ufed to it, both may be frequently liable to 
 perifh in the water. A very fmall portion of flrength is 
 fufficient to guide a horfe, any where indeed, but parti- 
 ticularly in the water, where they muft be permitted to 
 have their heads, and be as little conllrained as pofiible in 
 any fhape. In crofllng rivers, the horfe's head fhould be 
 kept againll the current, more or lefs, according to the 
 fituation of the place, higher up, or lower down, pur- 
 pofed to land at, and the degree of rapidity of the water. 
 In going down the ftream, the flraighter the horfe is the 
 better. The rider had always better quit his flirrups on 
 thefe occafions, for fear of accidents, and his getting en- 
 tangled in them. A horfe is turned difficultly in the wa- 
 ter j it mult be done very gently and carefully. For 
 partizans, and all who go chiefly on reconnoitring duty, 
 horfes Ihould be chofen, who are not apt to neigh : the 
 Numidians preferred mares to horfes, for furprizes on the 
 enemy, becaufe, being lefs apt to neigh, they were lefs 
 likely to be difcovered. Thofe of the whole army fhould 
 be taught to be obedient to the voice, and to carry dou- 
 ble. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c. 8.7 
 
 ble. Reins may be cut in battle ; and in crolTing waters, 
 and upon forced marciies, it may fometimes be neceflary 
 to take the infantry ("en croupe) up behind. The ancient 
 Lybians diredled their horfes in battle by the voice ; and 
 the fame cuflom prevails amongft them to this day, for the 
 modern Africans do the fame. 
 
 The heavy cavalry may pofTibly obje6b to having their 
 large horfes taught all thefe feveral exercifes j but thougli 
 they are not, nor can indeed be expe6hed to perform all, 
 with the fame a6livity and velocity, as light troops do, 
 yet 'tis abfolutely necefTary, that they fliould be taught 
 them all ; for 'tis a melancholy confideration, that any 
 trifling obflacle fliould prevent fo ufeful and powerful a 
 body from ading. I cannot take upon me to fay, whe- 
 ther it was always fo in former times, or not : the ancients, 
 I believe^ underftood horfemanfliip more than we are aware 
 of: there is a great deal of good fenfe in Xenophon's m.e- 
 thod' of forming horfes for war j after him, horfemanlhip 
 Was burled for ages, or rather brutalifed, which is ftiU too 
 much the cafe. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Zn AMETHODOF 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 'The method of curing rejihenejfesy vices, defences y ftartingy and 
 flumblingy ^c. 
 
 BEFORE any mention is made of the different kinds of 
 reftivenefles, vices, and defences, Sec. it is not amifs to 
 obferve, that a horfe's being good or ill-natured greatly 
 depends on the temper of the perfon, that is put about 
 him, efpecially at firftj and confequently one cannot be 
 too careful and watchful in this point. 
 
 Whenever a horfe makes refiflance, one ought, before 
 a remedy or correction is thought of, to examine very mi- 
 nutely all the tackle about him, if any thing hurts or tic- 
 kles him, whether he has any natural or accidental weak- 
 nefs, or in fhort any the leaft impediment in any part. For 
 want of this precaution, and previous infpedtion, many fa- 
 tal, and often irreparable difafters happen : the poor dumb 
 animal is frequently accufed falfely of being reflive and 
 vicious; is ufed ill without reafon, and being forced into 
 
 delpair. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, i^c, 89 
 
 defpalr, is, in a manner, obliged to att accordingly, be his 
 temper and inclination ever fo well difpofed. It mud ne- 
 ver be forgot, that it is necelTary to vv^ork on the minds of 
 horfes, at firfi: by flow motions which give them tim.e to 
 reflect. By degrees every thing may be done mofl: rapidly 
 with eafc and very well. Such is in general, unlefs fpoilt 
 by us, the good tem.per, docility, and obedience of a horfe, 
 that almofi any thing may be done with him by good-na- 
 ture, and fcience. Even the domefl:ic, worthy, friendly 
 dog is not more fufceptible of education. 
 
 A horfe that is vicious and alfo fo weak, that there are 
 no hopes of his growing flironger, is a mofl: deplorable 
 beafl:, and not worth any one's care or trouble : 'tis 
 very feldom, (I was near faying, never) the cafe, that a 
 horfe is really, and by nature vicious; but if fuch be found, 
 chafl:ifem.ents will become neceffary fometimes, but they 
 muft: then be always made ufe of with the greateft judg- 
 ment, and temper. The propriety of aids is to forefee, 
 and prevent faults. The propriety of chafliifements is to 
 corre^b them. 
 
 N CorrefLion 
 
9^ AMETHODOF 
 
 Correflion, according as you life it, tkrows a horie into 
 more or lefs violent a(5tion> wliich, if he be weakj he caa- 
 not fupport: but a vicious fcrong horle is to' be confidered 
 in a very different light, being able both to undergo and 
 confequently to profit by all lefTons; and is, in every ref- 
 peft, far preferable to the befb-natured weak one upon 
 earth. Patience and fcience are never-failing means to 
 reclaim a wicked horfe: in whatfoever manner he defends 
 himfelf, bring him back frequently with gentlenefs, but 
 with firmnefs too, to the lefTcn which he f^ems moft averfe 
 to, Horfes are by degrees mads obedient through the 
 hope of recompence and the fear of punifnment : how to 
 mix thefe two motives judicioufly together is a very dif- 
 ficult matter, not eafy to be prefcribedj it requires much 
 thought and praftice; and not only a good head, but a 
 good heart likewife. The cooled, and beft-natured rider, 
 ceteris paribiiSy will always fucceed bell. By a dextrous 
 ufe of the incitements above-mentioned you will gradually 
 bring the horfe to temper and obedience j mere force and 
 want of fkill and of coolnefs would only tend to confirm 
 him in bad tricks. If he be impatient or choleric, never 
 flrike him, unlefs he abfolutely refufes to go forwards, 
 
 which 
 
BREAKING HORSES, 6?<r. 91 
 
 which you mufc refolutely oblige him to do, and which 
 will be of itfelf a correftion, by preventing his having 
 time to meditate, and put in execution any defence by re- 
 taining himfelf. Refiftance in hcrfes, you muii coniider, 
 is fometimes a mark of fcrength rjid vigour, and proceeds 
 from fpirits, as well as fometimes from vice and weaknefs. 
 Weaknefs frequently drives horfes into vicioufnefs, when 
 any thing, wherein ftrength is neceffary, is demanded fi'cm 
 them i nay, it inevitably muft: great care therefore lliould 
 always be taken to difcinguifh from which of thefe tv/o cau- 
 fes, that are evidently fo different, the defence arifes, be- 
 fore any remedy or punifnment is thought of. It may 
 fometimes be a bad fign, when horfes do not at all defend 
 themifelves, and proceed from, a i^r.ggifn difpofiticn, a want 
 of fpirit, and of a proper fe^^bilit}^ Whenever one is fo 
 fortunate as to meet witli a horfc cf juft the right fpirit, 
 adivity, delicacy of feeling, with firength, and good- 
 nature, he cannot be cheriflied too m.uch j for fuch a one 
 is a rare and ineflimxable jewel, and if properly treated, 
 will, in a manner, do every thing of himfelf. Horfes are 
 oftener fpoilt by having too much done to tiism, and by 
 attempts to drefs them in too great a hurry, than by any 
 
 other treatment. 
 
 N 2 
 
92 AMETHODOF 
 
 If after a horfe has been well fuppled, and there are no 
 impediments, either natural or accidental, if he ftill per- 
 fifls to defend himfelf, chaftifements then become neceffary: 
 but whenever this is the cafe, they mufl not be frequent, 
 but always firm, though always as little violent, as pof- 
 fible : for they are both dangerous and very prejudicial, 
 when frequently or flightly played with; and P.ill more fo, 
 when ufed too violently. When a rider quarrels with his 
 horfe, he is generally the dupe of his pafsion, and the fray 
 commonly ends to his difadvantage. Whenever you fee a 
 man beating any animal, you will almoil always find, that 
 the man is in the v/rong, and the anim.al in the right. 
 
 'Tis impofsible in general, to be too circumfpe6b in lef- 
 fons of all kinds, in aids, chaftifements or carefTes; for as the 
 great Duke of Newcaflle obferves, if any man was in the 
 form of a horfe, he could not invent with more art than 
 fome horfes do, fchemes to oppofe what is required of him. 
 Some have quicker parts, and more cunning, than others. 
 Many will imperceptibly gain a little every day on their ri- 
 der. Various in Ihort are their difpofitions, and capacities. 
 It is the rider's bufinefs to find out their different qualities. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, (^c, . 9^ 
 
 and to make them fenfible how much he loves tliem, and 
 defires to be loved by them, but at the fame time, that he 
 does not fear them, and will be mailer. A good natured 
 clever man may with the greateft eafe teach a horfe any 
 thing ; more tricks even of all kinds, than dogs are feen to 
 perform at fairs. Plunging is a very common defence a- 
 mong reftive and vicious horfes : if they do it in the fame 
 place or backing, they mufl by the rider's legs, and fpurs 
 too fometimes firmly applied, be obliged to go forwards, 
 and their heads kept up high. But if they do it flying for- 
 wards, keep them back, ride them gently and very flow for 
 a good while together, and back them gently every now and 
 then. Of all bad tem.pers and qualities in horfes, thofe, 
 which are occafioned by harfli treatment and ignorant ^iders^^ 
 which are ver)' common, are the worfl. 
 
 Rearing is a bad vice, and in weak horfes efpecially, a 
 very dangerous one. Whilfl: the horfe is up, the rider mufl 
 yield his hand, and when the horfe is defcending he mufl vi- 
 goroufly determine him forwards by approaching his legs 
 to the horfe's fides : if this be done at any other time, but 
 whilft the horfe is coming down, it may add a fpring to his 
 
 rearing. 
 
94 AMETHODOF 
 
 rearing and make him fall backwards. With a good hand on 
 them, horfes feldom perfift in this vice -, for they are them- 
 felves naturally much afraid of falling backwards. If this 
 method, which I have mentioned, fiiils, (which it fcarcely 
 ever will) you mud m.ake the horfe kick up behind, by get- 
 ting fomebody on foot to flrike him behind with a whip i 
 or, if that will not eiFe6t it, by pricking him with a goad. 
 
 Starting often proceeds from a defed in the fight, which 
 therefore muft be carefully looked into. Whatever the 
 horfe is afraid of, bring him up to it gently j if you carefs 
 him every ftep he advances, he will go quite up to it by 
 degrees, and foon grow familiar with all forts of objeds. 
 Nothing but great gentlenefs can corred this fault : for if 
 you inflid punifhment, the apprehenfion of chaflifement 
 becomes prevalent, and caufes more flarting, than the fear 
 oftheobjedl. If you let him go by the objed, without 
 bringing him up to it, you increafe the fault and confirm 
 him in his fear : the confequence of which is, he takes his 
 rider perhaps a quite contrary way from what he was going, 
 becomes his mafter, and puts himfelf and the perfon upon 
 him, every moment in great danger. I have fo often heard 
 people maintain, fome, that blows are neceffary to cure 
 
 this 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^u ^^ 
 
 iliis evil ; and others, that horfes fhoiild be fuffered to have 
 their own way in it^ that I could not help faying a few 
 Words upon this fubjecc, (though it fpeaks for itfelf ) to con- 
 vince thofe, who, as my ingenious friend Mr. Bourgelat 
 fays, argumenteni de cesjyftemes de^lorahles^ 
 
 Quarrelling With horfesj plaguing, or berltihg them, as 
 bne often fees done, not only fpoils both their tempers, and 
 their paces, but it teaches them to trip, ftumble, fail. Hart, 
 run away, and to be unHeady- and vicious, &:c. whiifb gen- 
 tlenefs and coolnefs would very foon bring them to go 
 through, or over any bad place v/hatfoever, with eafe, 
 good-humour and fafetyi Beat a horfe for a trip, or fuch 
 a kind of thing, and he will foon do it again through fear 
 and hurry. Such failures fometimes proceed from weak- 
 nefs. In that cafe, proper food, and gentle exercife, by 
 reftoring the animal to health, and vigour, will cure him 
 of them* If they come from inattention, or from the bad- 
 nefs of his paces, he muft have a good rider to render him 
 attentive, and mend his movements. All other remedies 
 will prove fruitlefs, but thefe will notj uniefs fome natural 
 defedls, or acquired hurts, fuch as lamenefs, or bad weak- 
 ening diftempers interfere. Many 
 
96 AMETHODOF 
 
 Many troop horfes, and particularly old ones, often do 
 (lot chufe to leave their companions. They fhould there- 
 fore be ufed early, and frequently to leave their ranks fingly. 
 
 With fuch horfes, as are to a very great degree fearful 
 of any objecbs, make a quiet horfe, by going before them, 
 gradually entice them to approach nearer and nearer to the 
 thing they are afraid of. If the horfe, thus alarmed, be 
 undifciplined and headftrong, he will probably run av/ay 
 with his riders and if fo, his head muft be kept up high, 
 and the fnaffle fawed backwards and forwards from right 
 to left, taking up and yielding the reins of it, as alfo the 
 reins of the bit : but this latter muft not be fawed back- 
 wards and forwards, like the fnaffie, but only taken up, 
 a.nd yielded properly. No m^an ever yet did, or ever will 
 ftop a horfe, or gain any one point over him by main 
 force, or violence, or by pulling a dead wei<^ht againft him. 
 
 Upon horfes, who have a trick of turning Ihort about 
 fuddenly, to the right for example, feperate the reins, tak- 
 ing one in each hand : leave the right one quite loofe, 
 and pull the left one, ftretching out your hand from the 
 horfe to the left, and forwards. If the horfe ftill refifts, 
 ufe your left leg, and fpur; and fo vice verfd^ 'till he turns 
 to the left, CHAP, 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 97 
 
 CHAP IX. 
 
 Several remarks and hints on Jhoeingy feedings management of 
 horjes, i^c. ^c. 
 
 Do not by any means intend to enter here largely on the 
 many fyftems of llioeing j it would enlarge this treatife 
 too much, and extend the objedl of it beyond the bounds 
 I have prefcribed to it, and to myfelf : as feet differ, fo 
 Ihould fhoes accordingly, but as it happens unfortunately 
 for us, that the farriers belonging to the army, for want 
 of proper education, due inlpeclion, and encouragement, 
 are void of all real Ikill, and knowledge in their profefTion, 
 and have minds, in fhort, quite uncultivated, it is abfo- 
 lutely necefiary to lay down only fuch rules, as are plain, 
 general and invariable, and the flrifteft difcipline muft be 
 enforced to make them all obferved and followed mofc re- 
 ligiously. I do not hov/ever defpair of feeing in time fome 
 intelligent farriers properly inllrudedj and when fuch are 
 formed, and not 'till then, the number of them in regi- 
 ments lliould be increafed : It would even be much better 
 to have none at all, 'till fuch a reformation is brought a- 
 
 O bout 
 
9^ A METHOD OF 
 
 bout. One man cannot properly Ihoe more than forty hor- 
 fes; at prefent we have only one to a troop of fifty- five, 
 in time of war, befides bat-horfes, and all others belong- 
 ing to officers, futlers, carriages, fervants, &c. There 
 fhduld alfo be one forge-cart at leafl appropriated to each 
 fqiiadron, and a third for the latter-mentioned purpofes ; 
 but they muft not be like our prefent ones, which are 
 made fo heavy and with fuch low wheels, tliat they em- 
 ploy a great number of horfes, ruin m.oft of them, and 
 after all, feldom get up to their reflective regiments in 
 right time, even in good roads, and never in bad ones. 
 And I may fay, that 'tis lucky they do not, for upon ex- 
 perience one finds fewer horfes lame, during tlie abfence 
 ^^ of farriers, than when they are prefent. They fliould be 
 built upon two wheels only, and thofe very high : The 
 cart mufl be covered, and have partitions in it for the 
 forge, bellows, tools, charcoal, &c. All thefe things muft 
 be fo contrived, as to be eafily taken out of the cart, and 
 worked on the ground. This fort of forge-cart never flicks, 
 and is always able to keep up with the regiments on any 
 marches : it requires but few horfes, and fpoils none. I 
 have one for my own ufe, made by the Hanoverian train, 
 
 ■which 
 
BREAKING HORSES, GV. p^ 
 
 which is drawn eafily by two horfes. For regiments, the 
 carts miifl: be fomewhat larger, and more fubfiantial, and 
 would require three horfes. I doubt not, but an Engliili 
 workman would improve upon tliem, as to ftrength a.nd 
 lightnefo, as well as convenience ; tho' the cart I have, is 
 very vv'ell conflrufted, and anfwers well every neceffary 
 
 purpofe. 
 
 Piiyfic and a butteris in well-informed hands would not 
 be fatal; but in the manner we are now provided with far- 
 riers, they muiL be quite banifned. Whoever lets his far.ier, 
 groom, or coachm.an, ever even mention any thing more 
 than water-gruel, a clyfter, or a little bleeding, and that 
 too very feldom -, or pretend to talk of the nature of feet, 
 of tiie feat of lamenefTes, fickneiles, or their cures, may 
 be certain to find himfelf very Iliortly, and very abfiirdly, 
 quite on foot. It is incredible what tricking knaves mod 
 ftable-people are, and what daring attempts they will 
 make to gain an afcendant over their mafbers, in order to 
 have their own fooiilh projeits complied with. In fnoe^ 
 ing, for exarnple, I have more than once known, that for 
 the fake of eftabliihing their own ridiculous and pernici- 
 
 O 2 ' CU3 
 
too A METHOD Oh 
 
 ous fyflcm, when their mafters have QilTered from ic, t^xy 
 have, on purpofe, lamed horfes, and imputed the fault to 
 the fhoes, after having in vain tried, by every fort of in- 
 vention and lies, to difcredit the ufe of them. .How can 
 the method of fuch people be commendable, v/hofe argu- 
 ments, as well as praflice, are void of common kn{e ? If 
 your horfe's foot be bad and brittle, they advik you to 
 cover it with a very heavy Ihoej the confequence of which 
 proceeding is evident : for how fhould the foot, which be- 
 fore could fcarce carry itfelf, be able afterwards to carry 
 fuch an additional weight, which is fluck on moreover 
 with a multitude of nails, the holes of which tear and 
 weaken the hoof? If the foot is cut or hurt, one doflof 
 fays, load it, by way of cover, with all you can : his con- 
 ceited opponent as wifely counfels you to let the horfe 
 walk bare upon the fore. The only fyltem all thefe fim- 
 pletons feem to agree in, is to flioe in general with excef- 
 five heavy, and clumfy ill-fhaped Ihoes and very many 
 nails, to the total deIlru6lion of the foot. The cramps 
 they annex, tend to deftroy the bullet, and the fhoes 
 made in the Ihape of a walnut-lhell, prevent the horfe'i 
 
 walking 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. t6i 
 
 Waikinz upon the firm bafis, which nature has given him 
 for that end, thereby oblige him to flumble and fall, and 
 of conrfe from their fhape tear out the nails and ruin the 
 hoof. Feet once got thoroughly out of Hiape, by the cat 
 walnut--fhell, or other ill-fhaped fhoes, are fometimes irreco* 
 Verable, and almoft always very difficult to correil:; for horn 
 being of a flexible nature, by being confined in a mould, 
 will retain the fhape imprcifed upon it by a bad fnaped 
 flioe, which never admits of the natural tread of the foot. 
 The bell way, when a horfe is thus circumftanced, is to 
 pare his feet down almoit to the quick, and fiiort at thg 
 toe, and to turn him out without fhoes into fome foft grafs 
 ground 'till the feet grow again before he is fliod. They 
 totally pare away alfo, and lay bare the infide of the a- 
 nimal's foot with their deteflible butteris, which m.uft 
 caufe narrow heels, becaufe the hard outfide of the foot 
 will of courfe prefs in, when it finds no refinance, the in- 
 fide being cut away, and they afterwards put on very long 
 Ihoes, whereby the foot is hindered from having any pref- 
 fure at all upon the heels, which prefTure otherwife might 
 ftiil perchance, notwithftanding their dreadful cutting, keep 
 the heels properly open, and the foot in good order. The 
 
 frog 
 
102 A M E T H O D O F 
 
 frog flioiild never bec\itoutj but as it will fometimes 
 become ragged, it muft be cleaned every now and tnen, 
 and the ragged pieces cut olT v/ith a knife. In one kind 
 of foot indeed a confiderable cutting av/ay mud be allov/- 
 ed of, but not of the frog ; I mean that very high feet 
 mufl be cut down to a proper height; becaufe if they were 
 not, the frog, tho' not cut, would dill be fo far above 
 the ground, as not to have any bearing on it, whereby 
 die great tendon muil inevitably be damaged, and confe- 
 quently the horfe would go lame. 
 
 The weight of lliocs mufl greatly, v/holely indeed, 
 depend on the quality and hardnefs of the iron. If the 
 iron be very good, it will not bend ; and in this cafe, 
 the fhoes cannot poffibly be made too light; care how- 
 ever muft be taken, that they be of a thicknefs fo as not 
 to bend; for bending would force out the nails, and ruin 
 the hoof. That part of the flioe, which is next the horfe's 
 heel, mufl be narrower than any other, (as is feen in the 
 draught) that flones may be thereby prevented from get- 
 ting under it, and flicking there ; which otherwife would 
 be the cafe ; becaufe the iron, when it advances inwardly 
 
 beyond 
 
BREAKING Morses, ^c, ioj 
 
 beyond the bearing of the foot, forms a cavity, wherein 
 floncs being lodged would remain, and by prefling againll 
 the foot, lame the horfe. Broad webbed fhoes are very ab- 
 furd thin2:s. Nothino- more is wanted, than iuft iron enough 
 to protect the outward crufl: of the foot, and to prevent 
 its breakino-. The nails in ail ilioes muft, on account 
 of the natural fhape of the foot, be driven fianting a lit- 
 tle towards the extreme edges of the foot. Any partial 
 prelTure towards the inward edge of the fhoe, muft of 
 courfe, in a broad v/ebbed ihoe, loofen the nails, and con- 
 fequently tear and dam. age the foot, fuppofing even the 
 iron of the fhoe good enough not to bend. This incon- 
 venience of tearing out the nails, &c. great as it is, is the 
 beft which can happen in this cafe ; for, if the iron was to 
 bend, it would prefs againft the inv/ard part of the foot, 
 and lame the horfe juft as much as if the fhoe had not 
 been bevilled off at all in the proper place, for the picker 
 to be put in, in order to clean out (lones, gravel, &c. 
 Making a groove round the edges of Ihoes, if the iron 
 is not very good, may caufe a partial yielding there ; but 
 if the iron is good, a groove is very ufeful, to protedl 
 the heads of the nails. Farriers fhould always examine a 
 
 foot 
 
104 A METHOD OF 
 
 foot before they fhoe it, make the Ihoe, and pierce the 
 holes for the nails further from, or nearer to, the edges of 
 the foot accordingly, as they find the foot requires. The 
 holes for the nails Ihould always be pierced flanting rather 
 outwards. The beft way to forge Ihoes, in refpedt to the 
 nails, is to make the holes for the nails at twice, with two 
 different inftruments : firft on the outfide of the Hioe punch 
 a place, not quite through the Ihoe, big enough to re- 
 ceive, and cover the head of the nail, when driven in : 
 next punch a fmaller hole, from the center of the above- 
 mentioned larger one, for the blade of the nail, quite 
 through the Ihoe : thus the nails are well driven in, pro- 
 tedled, and can not be pufhed by ufe too much into the 
 foot, but always keep their firm, proper place, full as well as, 
 nay better than in a grooved fhoe in cafe the iron Ihould 
 not be perfectly good. All fhoes Iliould be a little broader 
 at the extremities towards the heels, than elfewhere, ex- 
 cept the foot fpreads of itfelf too much at the heel, which 
 js feldom the cafe j if the horfe cuts, they mufl . not be 
 made fo : the reafon why they Ihould generally be broader 
 there is, that they encourage the foot to grow, fpread 
 properly, and therefore prevent narrow heels. It mull al- 
 ways 
 
BREAKING HORSES, i^c, 105 
 
 «ways be remembered, that where the web grows narrow 
 fowards the heel, the feat of the flioe mud neverthelefs 
 keep its ufual proper equal breadth within, otherwife the 
 horfe's foot would not have its equal proper baf.s, or .^Tp- 
 pui, and the flioe would get into the foot, and require 
 frequent removals^ which are great inconveniences. Th^ 
 part of the flioe, v/hich the horfe walks upon, fiiould be 
 quite flat, and the infide of it likewife ; only jull fpace 
 enough being left next the foot, to put in a picker, (which 
 pught to be ufed every time the horfe comes into the lia- 
 ble, and often on marches) and alio to prevent the llioe's 
 preffing upon the fole. In fnowy weather, it is particuarly 
 neceflary to pick and clean the feet very often, on marclief; -, 
 otherwife the fnow foon grov/s very hard in the feet, makes 
 the horfe flip about very much, and hurts him aliLO-L as 
 much as large ftones in the feet would do. Four nails on 
 each fide, hold better than a greater number, and keep 
 the hoof in a far better ftate. The toe of the horfe mud 
 be cut fliort, and nearly fquare, (the angles only juil roun- 
 ded off) nor muft any nails be driven there j this method 
 prevents much Humbling, efpecially in defcents, and ferves 
 by throwing nourifliment to tJie heels, to ftrengthen them j 
 
 ? . on 
 
io6 AMETHODOF 
 
 on them the horfe Ihould in fome meafure walk, and the 
 ihoe be made of a proper length accordingly : by this 
 means narrow heels are prevented, and many other good 
 cffefts produced. Many people drive a nail at the toe, but 
 it is an abfurd pratlice. Leaving room to drive one there 
 caufes the foot to be of an improper length, and moreover 
 that part of the hoof is naturally fo brittle, that the nail 
 there feldom flays in, but tears out, and damages the hoof. 
 That my direftons for fhoeing a proper length may be the 
 more clear and intelligible, I have annexed a draught of a 
 foot fhod of a proper length. Handing on a plain furface, 
 and with it a draught of the right kind of fhoe. (Plate i6. 
 No. I. the interior part of the fhoe next the foot, and 
 No. 2. the exterior part, which rells on the ground.) 
 Mofl farriers make fhoes thicker at the heels, than at the 
 toes, efpecially for hard working horfes : the great folly of 
 doing fo is very eafy to be feen, for horfe-fhoes always wear 
 out fooner at the toe, than any where elfe -, confequently 
 the toe rather requires more fubflance, than any other 
 part. In fome farriers fliops the anvils are concave, and 
 the hammers convex, fo that it is almofl impoffible a well 
 fhaped flat fhoe fhould be made there. Place the fhoe both 
 ways on a flat furface, and it is furprizing how faulty the 
 form of it is generally. La 
 
BREAKING HORSES, (^c. 107 
 
 " La Fosse's tips, or half fhoes, are particularly ufeful for 
 feet whofe cruft is too weak to bear nails towards the hinder 
 parts of the foot, and whofe heels have a tendency to grow 
 narrow. Pity it is that they require being frequently re- 
 moved. 
 
 In wet, fpungy, and foft ground, where the foot finks 
 in, the preffure upon the heels is of courfe greater, than on 
 hard ground ; and fo indeed it fhould be upon all accounts. 
 The hinder feet muft be treated in the fame manner as the 
 fore ones, and the fnoes the fame : except in hilly and flip- 
 pery countries, where they may not improperly be turned up 
 a little behind : but turning up the fore-fhoes is very fcl- 
 dom, I am convinced, of any fervice, and is very preju- 
 dicial to the fore legs, efpecially to the bullets. In very 
 greafy, wet, or loofe kind of flippery foils indeed, where 
 the ground eafily gives way, and lets the foot in, without 
 however holding it in very ftrongly, turning up before may 
 be ufeful, but in a hard country, where the foot can not en- 
 ter the ground, cramps before are very hurtful, and quite 
 ufelefs ; the tendon being by them elevated, and there- 
 fore conftantly flraining itfelf for want of a bafis to reft 
 
 P 2 on. 
 
ioS A METHOD OF 
 
 on, they endamage the finews very much, and caufe wind- 
 galls, lamenefs, fwellings on the bullet, and weaknefTesj- 
 &c. almoft as much as the walnut-fliell fhaped llioe, which 
 is held in fuch high efleem by bad farriers, and their ig- 
 norant flable followers. In defcending hills, unlefs in the 
 above-mentioned kind of foils, cramps on the fore feet 
 are apt to throw horfes down, by flopping tlie fore legs, 
 Out of their proper bafis and natural bearing, when the hin- 
 der ones are rapidly prefTed j which unavoidably muft be 
 the cafe, and confeqiiently cannot but pulh the horfe upon 
 his nofe. With them on a plain furface, a horfe's foot is 
 always thrown forwards on the toe, out of its proper bear- 
 ing, which is very liable to make the horfe ftumble. The 
 notion of their utility in going up hills is a falfe one. 
 In afcending, the toe is the firft part of the foot, which 
 bears on, and takes hold of the ground, whether the horfe 
 draws, or carries ; and confequently the bufinefs is almoft 
 done, before the part, where the cramps are, comes td 
 the ground. Ice nails are preferable to any thing to pre- 
 vent flipping, as alfo to help horfes up hill, the moll for- 
 ward ones taking hold of the ground early, confiderably 
 before the heels touch the ground : they muft be fo made^ 
 
 as 
 
BREAlCiNG HORSES, ^c. to'^ 
 
 as to bcj when driven in, about a quarter of an inch above 
 the fhoe, and alfo have four fides ending at the top in a 
 point. They are of great fervice to prevent flipping on all 
 kinds of places, and by means of them a horfe is not 
 thrown out of his proper bafis. They muft be made of 
 very good iron ; if they are not, the heads of them 
 Will be perpetually breaking off, v/hich v/ill not hap- 
 pen, if the iron is good, and the nails are well made> 
 of the above-tnentioned iliape and fize. Making them 
 with higher heads, would render them liable to break 
 off, and anfwer no piirpofe whatever. When, in the 
 not long ago mentioned kinds of grounds, cramps on 
 the fore fe'^t are ufed, they fliould be fmall, and the 
 heads of the nails ihould ftand up in the manner of the 
 ice nails, but not quite fo highj above the fhoe, by 
 which the foot and the tendons would always have their 
 proper bearing. Thefe nails may be alfo ufed without 
 any cramps. By putting a frefh nail every now and 
 then on the fhoe, as wanted, all wifhed for ends are 
 obtained, and no bad effefts enfue. I know that I am 
 fighting againft a very (Irong, though very unreafon- 
 ajble prejudice. Let this method be tried only, and 
 
 conipjred 
 
,iio A METHOD OF 
 
 compared fairly on experience with others; and not imme- 
 diately laid afide, if, in flippery weather, a horfe thus 
 fhod Ihould now and then flip. In fomc weather, and on 
 fome ground, any horfe any how Ihod, may fometimes 
 chance to fall. There is unluckily no abfolute fpecific a- 
 gainft accidental falling in any fhoes yet difcovered. I 
 have tried all methods, and find the above-mentioned one 
 the nearell to perfedion : this fort of Ihoe and nails, when 
 well made and fixed properly, being the firmeft bafis, and 
 beft hold I ever knew. I do not recommend ice nails at 
 all times : in certain weather, (the greateft part of the year 
 indeed) the ground is in a condition which does not re- 
 quire any. From the race -horfe to the cart-horfe, the 
 fame fyftem of fhoeing fliould be obferved : the fize, 
 thicknefs, and weight of them only fhould differ : the 
 fhoe of a race-horfe mud of courfe be lighter than that of 
 a faddle-horfe -, that of a faddle-horfe lighter than that of 
 a troop, coach, draught, or bat horfe; and thefelaft more fo 
 than a cart, waggon, or artillery horfe. A faddle-horfe's 
 fhoe fhould weigh thirteen ounces and a half; that of a coach, 
 or draught-horfe one pound and three ounces : the nails for 
 the former one ounce per dozen ; thofe for the latter one 
 
 ounce 
 
BREAKING rtORSES, ^c. tit 
 
 ounce and three quarters. Much the eafieft way, and 
 in general the beft, is to ufe a narrow-webbed Ilioe, all 
 over of one equal breadth both within and without, with 
 the holes for the nails exadly in the middle : with little 
 or no art, liich a fhoC is made out of a narrov/ bar of iron : 
 it muft neceflarily be always narrow, for there can be no 
 bevel in it, or it would prefs upon and hurt the infide of 
 the foot : it has one p;reat advantae-e over all other fhoes, 
 that ftones cannot lodge in it. At prefent all llibei? 
 in general are too heavy : if the iron is good, Hioes 
 need not be fo thick, as they are now generally made. 
 With exceedingly heavy loads, fuch as large cannon, in 
 hilly> flippery countries, and in the bad feafons of the year, 
 the thiller horfe fliould be turned up both before and be- 
 hind, v/ith three cramps on each fhoe ; one in the mid- 
 dle part of the toe of the fiioe ; v/hich in going up hili 
 "Would help the horfe much in his nrfi force to draw his 
 weight after him. I mean this only for a thiller horfe, and 
 in certain countries, and weather, when the foot can enter 
 the ground, fo that the elevation given to the fhoe has no 
 inconvenience attending it. The utmoft feverity ought to 
 be infiicled upon all thofe wlio clap fhoes on hot: this 
 
 unpar- 
 
112 A METH OD OF 
 
 unpardonable lazinefs of farriers in making {{^ct thus fit 
 fhoes, inftead of Ihoes fitting {eet, dries up the hoofs, 
 and utterly deflroys them. It has happened, that the 
 fole has been fo much heated by a hot Ihoe, that a horfe 
 has been moll dangeroully lamed, and fome have even loft 
 their lives by it. Shoes fhould be always made and fitted 
 before the holes are pierced. The Ihoes in England at 
 prefent, that are contrived with the moft fenfe, are what 
 they call plates for the race-horfes at New-Market : I do 
 not fay, that they are perfed, but they are nearer the 
 truth, than any others I know ; nor are they fiibftan- 
 tial enough for coqimon ufe, though fufiiciently fo for 
 the turf. 
 
 It is fometimes eafy to cure horfes of cutting by fhoe- 
 ing, but far from always : nine times in ten their doing 
 it proceeds from their turning out their toes. Colts ge- 
 nerally graze with one foot ftretched out, which refts on 
 the infide, by which the infide is worn down ; this makes 
 the toe grow outwards, and the colt becomes crooked 
 from the fetlock downwards : the cutting then generally 
 proceeds from the infide being lower than the outfide j the 
 
 outfide 
 
6REAKING HORSES, ^c, 113 
 
 biitfide therefore muft be frequently pared down, and the 
 infide not. If the foot is fuch as will not bear cutting, 
 the Ihoe muft be made thicker on the infide web, than on 
 the outfide one, from the heel to the toe, and every time 
 the horfe is fhodj the llioe rnuft be turned a little in- 
 wards, and the outfide of the hoof ralped oiT, 'till the foot 
 becomes quite ftraight by degrees. Bar-llioes can never 
 be good, or ufeful, but juft for a very little time, to co- 
 ver fome damaged part of the foot, if the pooi* horfe 
 can not be fpared frDm. work, 'till he is cured* 
 
 'Tis ftrange, that tliere fhould be fo many ridiculous 
 and abfurd methods of fhoeing, when it is fo manifeft, 
 that a fmall fhare of common-fenfe, with a moment's re- 
 flexion upon the ftrudure of a horfe's foot, cannot but 
 fuggeft the proper one. Frequent removals of inoes are 
 detrimental and tear the foot, but fometimes they are 
 very necelTary : this is an inconvenience, which half- 
 ihoes are liable to, (though excellent in feveral other re- 
 fpefts) for the end of the Ihoe being very fliort is apt to 
 work foon into the foot, and confequently muft then be 
 jBioved. Soldiers ftiould always carry two fpare ihoes 
 
 Q^ with 
 
114 A METHOD OF 
 
 with them, on the upper end and outward fide of each 
 holfter pipe, with fome nails. Some fhould carry a ham- 
 mer, others a pair of pinchers, others a butteris, and all 
 be taught how to fix on a Ihoe. The weight of thefe things 
 properly divided is trifling. The ufe of them would be 
 foon found on fervice, particularly with light troops, and 
 on detachments, where farriers cannot be prefent. 
 
 The common praftice of fluffing feet with dung is a 
 very bad one, for the dung contains a rotting quality in it ; 
 clay and hog's lard, well mixed together, is much better 
 for that purpofe. As to hoof ointment, none is better 
 than that made of one pound of neat's foot oil, one pound 
 of turpentine, and ten ounces of bees-wax. Greafing and 
 flopping, though good for moft feet, are not fo for all : 
 weak fpungy crufls and foles are the worfe for it : fuch 
 mufl be kept dry. Strong feet mufl be often wetted, 
 greafed, and flopped, and the crufl kept down low, or 
 they will fall in by the flrong prefTure of the crufl, an4 
 caufe narrow heels. When hories are hot, the water 
 with which their feet are wafhed fhould be lukewarm: 
 \{ the heels arc cracked, thofe parts fhould be wafhed 
 
 with 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. it^ 
 
 With milk and water, and a little brandy in it, made a 
 little warm. Mr. Clarke, in his excellent treatife iipoil 
 llioeihg and feet, infills, that oil, greafy lluffings^ and 
 ointments agree but with few hoofs, that they flop the 
 natural perfpiirationj and that frequent wafliings with wa- 
 ter, moifltire, and coolnefs, keep them in a much more 
 perfeft ftate. The experience I have had fince I faw his 
 book, convinces me that he is right in general : the natu- 
 ral and fuperior benefit which feet and hoofs receive at grafs 
 from the dew, rains and moifture of the earth, is a proof 
 of it : and on the other hand we fecj that race-horfesj par- 
 ticularly at New-Market^ where they are always exercifcd 
 on a dry, clofe turf^ and where they drink out of 
 troughs, round which there is no water for them to Hand 
 in, are fubjed: to a variety of difeafes in the feet, and 
 hoofs, though they are kept cbnflantly greafed. 
 
 The methods of treating and keeping horfes in other 
 refpedts, are as various, and for the generality as incon- 
 fiftent with reafon, as thofe of fhoeing are ; but a little 
 confideration would (in moft common cafes at leaft) di- 
 re<^ people right in both. One pampers his cattle, witli 
 
 0^2 a view 
 
ii6 A METHOD OF 
 
 a view of ftrengthening them ; and afterwards, by way 
 of corre6tion, he pours down drugs into them without 
 thought or meafure : another lets no air at all into his 
 flable ; from whence his horfes inevitably catch cold, when 
 they ftir out of it, and are rotted, if they flay in it, by 
 bad corrupted air : a third, equally wife, leaves his liable 
 open, and his cattle expofed to the wind and weather at 
 all times, whether his horfes or the weather be hot or 
 cold, and frequently too even in wind-draughts, whilft they 
 are in a fweat. All thefe different notions and practices 
 are alike attended with deftruftion to horfes ; as alfo are 
 the many extravagances that prevail in the fame contra- 
 dictory extremes, with regard to coverings. But in anfwer 
 to all thefe foolilh fyllems, reafon plainly fuggefts to us, 
 that proper wholefome food, a well-tempered circulation 
 of fweet air, moderate and conftant exercife, with due care, 
 andfuitablecloathing, as weather and occafions may require, 
 will never fail to preferve horfes found and in health. 
 
 After working, and at night of courfe, as alfo in. lame- 
 nefTes, and ficknelTes, 'tis good for horfes to ftand on 
 fitter i it alfo promotes ftaleing, &:c. A,t other times it i» 
 
 a ba4 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 117 
 
 a bad cuftom ; the conilant ufe of it heats and makes the 
 feet tender, and caufes fwelled legs : moreover it renders 
 the animal delicate. Swelled legs may frequently be re- 
 duced to their proper natural fize by taking away the lit- 
 ter only, which, in fome ftables, where ignorant grooms, and 
 farriers govern, would be a great faving of phyfic and bleeds 
 ing, befides ftraw. I have feen by repeated experiments, 
 legs fwell, andunfwell, by leaving litter, or taking it av/ay^ 
 like mercury in a weather-glafs. 
 
 It is of the greatefl confequence for hprfes to be kept 
 clean, regularly fed, and as regularly exercifed : but v/ho- 
 ever chufes to ride in the way of eafe and pleafure, without 
 any fatigue on horfeback, or in fhort does not like to carry 
 his horfe, inftcad of his horfe's carrying him, m.ufl: not 
 fuffer his horfe to be exercifed by a groom, {landing up on 
 his ftirrups, holding himfelf on by means of the reins, and 
 thereby hanging his whole dead weight on the horfe's 
 mouth, to the entire deftrudion of all that is good, fafe 
 or pleafant about the animal. No horfe's paces can be 
 perfed, nor can he be agreeable, or indeed quite fafe, 
 unlefs his mouth has been made, and his body fuppled to 
 
 a cer-^ 
 
Ii8 A METHOD OF 
 
 a certain degree, fo as to be balanced in the rider's hafid. 
 A horfe's head fhould be kept high : when it is low, the a- 
 nimal can not be well balanced ; for the fore parts being 
 low, and weighing forwards, the hinder parts muft of 
 courfe be high : the fore parts are naturally much more 
 loaded than the hinder onesj though of a hi< urbng con- 
 flru6tion. ■ The rider ought to know as much as his horfe^ 
 at leaft j for, without art, it is impofiible to preferve that 
 union J and that together y if I may fo exprefs myfelf, which 
 are equally pleafing, and neceflary : a man on a totally 
 uninftru6led horfe, or an ill-inllrufted one, rides, as it were/ 
 tipon a coach pole. 
 
 A great quantity of hay, efpecially that which is taken 
 from water meadows, or any low and fwampy ground, be- 
 ing of a foggy nature, is not good for horfes; it hurts 
 their wind very much : it may ferve indeed for cart-horfes, 
 and for fuch troop-horfes (few of fuch, thank God, now 
 remain) who are meant for no other ufe, but to roll on 
 fiowly with a fat fellow, full of beer^ upon them -, who, 
 to the fhame of the fervice, with the badge of foldierfhip 
 *n his back, is a more llupid and lazy animal, than what 
 
BREAKING H0RSE3r ^^. i^9 
 
 he is mounted upon, which to its misfortune is rendered 
 fo by the fluggilhnefs of its rider, But troops, who are 
 really deftined for fervice, and to be ufeful, muft be aftive 
 ^nd in wind j the very training them only, to what is ab- 
 folutely necefiary, requires that they Ihould be fo, more, 
 or lefs, according to the different intents and purpoie^ 
 |:hey may be defigned for. 
 
 Upon fervice, the allowance of ail kinds of forage, 
 whenever there is a poffibility of fupplying it, is fuffici- 
 entj but fometlmes it cannot be procured for a long while 
 together : befides which misfoi-tune, it is very often moil 
 fhamefuily and carelefsly wafted ; not to mention, that 
 commiffaries in general feldom furnifli out the due quan- 
 tity or quality of any thing, which they have agreed and 
 engaged for, and are moft amply paid for, 
 
 At home, our horfes are crammed and ruined with over^ 
 much hay, and the allowance of corn is fcanty. A kin4 
 of rnill, not to grind corn, but only juft to crack and bruife 
 it a little, is fo ufeful, that no regiment fliould ever march 
 without one. Every grain of it goes to nourifhmentj none 
 is to be found in the dungj and three feeds of it go further 
 
 than 
 
I20 A METH OD OF 
 
 than four as commonly given, which have not been in the 
 mill. Cut wheaten ftraw, and a little hay too fometimes 
 mixed with it, is excellent food: to a quartern of corn 
 put the fame quantity of cut ftraw, and now and then 
 if a horfe is very lean, butnot otherwife, about half a one of 
 hay, and let them all be well mingled together; and as 
 Chopped flraw is generally exceedingly dry, fprinkle a lit- 
 tle water upon the feed in the manger. This proportion 
 of chopped ftraw may feem great, but confidering the 
 lightnefs of it, it is not fuch in reality. It obliges horfei 
 to chew their meat, and is many other ways of ufe. The 
 quantity of horfes food muft be proportioned to their fize, 
 work, make, appetite, &c. ; yet, in regiments it is ne- 
 ceffary to fix, and follow fome kind of general rule in 
 refpe6b to it. Four of thefe feeds as above-mentioned, 
 with ten or twelve pounds of hay per day, will be fuf- 
 ficient for moft horfes on almoft on all occafions, ex- 
 cept at the piquet late in the year in bad weather ; then 
 ihey fliould be almoft always feeding on fomething, or 
 other i and if they have no corn, they will confume near 
 forty pounds a day of hay, allowing for fome wafte, which 
 Is unavoidable, elpecially on bad ground, and in windy 
 
 weather. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c, lai 
 
 weather. When the forage confifts of unthrafhed flraw 
 only, eight-and-twenty, or thirty pounds of it for eacli 
 horfe will do very well, efpecially, if the cutting-box is 
 made ufe of, as it always fhould be. Whenever forage 
 is fcarce, the beft method is to have every thing cut, 
 and given to the horfes every tv/o hours, in nofe-bags, 
 or deep canvafs troughs, lb that the wind may blow none 
 away. Even in time of peace at home, :he cutting-box 
 ihould be ufed conflantly. The allowance at home 
 cannot afford fo much, neither indeed is fo much necef- 
 fary, when troops are not on fervice. The exercife hories 
 J;ake at home, though it fliould perhaps be greater, and 
 more conflant, than it is in fome corps, does not require 
 it. A matter of the greateft confequence, though few at- 
 tend to it, is to feed horfes according to their v/ork, and 
 never to fuffer them to pafs the day quite ftill, withouc 
 fom.e motion at leaft. When the work is hard, food Ihould 
 be in plenty; when it is otherwife, the food Ihould be di- 
 miniftjed immediately; the hay particularly. Horfes fhould 
 be turned ioofe fomev/here, or walked about every day, 
 when they do not work, particularly after hard exercife. 
 Swelled legs, phyfic, &c. will be faved by thefe means, 
 gjpd many didempers avoided. 
 
 R I can- 
 
iid A METHOD OF 
 
 I cannot mention the word piquet, v/ithout faying' 
 fomething on oiir pernicious cuftom of cutting horfe's tails 
 entirely off, the inconvenience of which is very glaring in 
 many inftances; but in none more, or more feriouay fo, 
 than at piquets on fervice, when in hot v/eather, and in 
 ground where there are many flies, I have often feen our 
 horfcs, with meat before them, fretting, fweating, kick- 
 ing about, laming one another, and fo plagued with 
 flies for want of tails to brufh them away, that they did 
 not eat at all, and fo grew out of condition, whilfl the 
 neighbouring foreign regiments on the fame ground brufh'd 
 off the flies with their tails, were cool, quiet, and fed at 
 their eafe, and improved. Since that tinne indeed our ca- 
 valry has been ordered to recruit only long tails, and tis 
 to be hoped the nation will follow the example, though 
 old cuflioms, even the worft, I know, are hard to be got 
 the better of. That of cutting off horfes tails, ears, and 
 other extremities, is a very old noted one indeed amongft 
 us in England ; for fo long ago as the year 747, a canon 
 was, by order of Pope Gregory the fecond, in a letter to 
 St. Augufline, exprefly made at an ecclefiafl:ical court in 
 Yorkfhire, to abolifli, amongft other cruel cuftoms, fo bar- 
 barous 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c, 123 
 
 barous a pradice. On duty and niarches long tails are 
 verv eafily tied up properly, and look very well : a nag- 
 taii indeed, fuffered to grow a little, proteds a horfe pretty 
 well. All forts of grains are foggy feeding, and though they 
 plump up the body, they do not give a wholefome and 
 found fat : bran too, is not folid food, and is only now 
 a.nd then to be allowed, when horfes are heated, to refrelli, 
 and open them, if the cafe requires it. 
 
 Whenever hay is put and left in the racks, it Ihould be 
 well cleaned and freed from dufb, and not given in too 
 large quantities: in this refped 'tis, like v/ater, much more 
 beneficial, v/hen fupplied in fmall quantities at a time. 
 "Wlien a good deal is given at a time, horfes fpoil, and do 
 not eat the greatefl part of it very often, by having blown 
 upon it a good while. A proper quantity of it fnould be 
 given at twice j a little in the morning before watering;, 
 and the reft fometim^e after they have done their work in 
 the evening. Nothing but good clean wheaten-llraw Ihould 
 be left at night in the racks, when the ftables are Hiut up, 
 and the horfes lefc to reft. If hay is left for them, they 
 will fixquently ftand up to feed almoft all night, lie down 
 
 R 2 but 
 
124 AMETHODOF 
 
 but little, and take fcarcely any reft. A little ftraw fome- 
 times in the racks during the day time is alfo proper. 
 
 Both before, and after working, horfes fliould be turned 
 about y^'iih their croupes to the manger for about an liour. 
 'Tis a common, but a great error, and very dctFirhental to 
 horfes, to gallop them immediately after drinking j what 
 fiiable-men call warming the water in their bellies : they 
 ought to be moved only gently. Upon the" whole, a very 
 lean horfe, and a very fat horfe are both in a manner ufe- 
 lefs to a certain degree : a rough coat is no good fymptom ; 
 but the means of making it fine iliould not be by dint of 
 heat and covering, but by drelTing and due care. It is of 
 the greateft confequence to a horfe's lieahh, that he fhould 
 always be well rubbed down, and cleaned. Lazinefs is 
 the true reafon why grooms cover horfes fo much, and keep 
 ftables fo hot, though they difguife it under the pretence 
 of thinking it wholefome, which indeed however the moft 
 ignorant of them really db. A horfe when abfolutely 
 ruined by over heat will neverthelefs very often have a 
 very fine good looking coat. 
 
 It 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c, 125 
 
 It is a duty very requifite, and incumbent upon officersj 
 to be as conftant, exatfl, and frequent in going up and down 
 the lines in camp, as through the flables in quarters] and 
 it is likewil'e advifeable for every one to vifit often his own 
 ftables, to infpedl and fuperintend the management of the 
 horfes. No trimming with cizars fliould be permitted ; 
 but whatever rough hairs appear, fhould be taken ofF by 
 drefTing. The infide particularly of the ears fhould never 
 be trimmed, but always kept cleaned : nature has placed 
 hairs within them for reafons very obvious : when they are 
 cut away, dud and infedts frequently get into the ears, in- 
 comode horfes very much, and fometimes caufe a ferious 
 ailment in thofe parts. As great inconveniences often hap- 
 pen from horfes getting loofe, I have affixed a draught and 
 defcription of the moft effedual halter I know of j (Pla. 17.) 
 and indeed the only one I have found upon trial, that is 
 capable of preventing iti 
 
 This halter has no throat-band, cr rather it has, iil 
 a manner, two, which are fixed, and begin at No. i. 
 Theycrofs at 2, are fixed again and end at 3. The nofc 
 band is alfo fowcd on at 3. The place 2, where the throat- 
 
 bajids 
 
126 A METHOD OF 
 
 bands meet, is a flat button, which is placed, when the 
 halter is well put on, jyft under the ganaches, (the chan- 
 nel between the two jaw-bones.) The chains, ropes, or 
 leathers. No. 4, which tie the horfe in the liable, are 
 alfo fixed at 3. No. 5, a Tingle cord or leathers if the 
 hbrfe is only faftened with one^ which will be as effeftual 
 ^s two. 
 
 As horfes are generally more fupple to the left, than to 
 the right, owing to their being, from their earlieft youth, 
 more handled on that fide, than the other, they Ihculd not 
 only be led with the left hand, in order that they may 
 bend rather to the right, than to the left; but all col- 
 lars, caveflbns, girts, bridles, bridoons, pillar cords, &c, 
 iliould be made for the famiC reafon, to buckle, and unbuc- 
 kle on the ri^ht fide. Horfes often hang themfelves Ini 
 their halters, and frequently hurt themfelves a good deal 
 by it : the befl remedy for fuch accidents is merely to 
 keep the hurt clean by wafliing it with lukewarm water 
 ■with fome brandy in it, and every now and then to fup* 
 pie the part widi a little green ointment, fuch as mallow^s, 
 &c. boiled to a certain confiilency, and mixed with fweec 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 127 
 
 When horfes are out of cafe, have buttons broke out 
 about them, their legs fwellj and their coats flare^ and there 
 -is not time (nor perhaps an abfolute necelTity for it) to 
 phyfic them> a rowel, and two ounces of the following 
 powder, given every morning for twenty, or thirty daysj 
 in wetted corn, fo that none can be blown away, are of 
 'great fervice : the powder to be compofed of one pound 
 of liver of antimonyj half a pound of fulphur, and a 
 quarter of a pound of nitre, mixed well together : if tlie 
 horfe has a coughj make it into balls, with flour and trea- 
 cle, or any fuch kind of thing; 
 
 A common complaint amongft troop-horfes is broken- 
 Vind, "Vfhich is chiefly occafioned by fluffing them with 
 too much hay; and often by hurrying them too violently- 
 after drinking, and after their coming at firfl: from grafsi 
 There is no fovereign remedy for broken-v/ind -, but the 
 greatefl: palliative I know of, is this following receipt of 
 lime-water, which is oftener of fervice if continued longj 
 or rather always indeedthan any other remedy I know of, 
 mving probably not only to the good €rfe6ts of the lime, 
 but alfo to the fmall quantity of liquid the horfes take ; 
 
 "for 
 
i2§ A METH OD OF 
 
 for very few will ever drink plentifully of this water, and 
 many will go feveral days without drinking at all, before 
 they will even tafte it : the horfe muft eat no hay at all, 
 and only have wheaten ftraw in the rack : this water muft 
 be ufed too when mafhes are given, and on every other 
 occafion : in fhort no other water is ever to be given in 
 any fhape whatever : 'tis made thus— Take two pounds of 
 quick lime, and put to it twelve gallons of water ; mix it 
 over night, flirring it for a long time together, and pour- 
 ing the water on very gradually 'till the ebullition is over j 
 then leave it to fettle for ufe the next day. If a chalybeate 
 fpring is at hand, the lime-water will be much the better 
 for being made of it, inftead of any common water. 
 This me^iicine caufes no inconvenience, or impediment, 
 and does not prevent the horfe from working as ufual. A 
 horfe, whofe wind is fufpicious, fliould immediately be put 
 on lime-water, apd never drink more than a, gallon or five 
 quarts in a day, and no horfe Ihould drink more than dou- 
 ble that quantity, that too at two or three different times. 
 Three pints of warm milk from the cow, night and morn- 
 ing, will fometimes prevent horfes heaving, or coughing 
 for a fliort time, even in tolerably fmart exercife ; but as 
 
BREAKING HORSES, l^c. 129 
 
 the advantages arifing from the milk are of fo fliort a 
 duration, this method may, with reafon, be looked upon 
 more as a dealer's trick to fell off a broken-winded horfe 
 by, than as a remedy. Farriers generally fend horfes tou- 
 ched in the wind to grafs, v/hich, opening them, at firft 
 feems to do them good, but, when they are taken into the 
 ftable again, and put for feme time on hard meat, they are 
 always worfe than before, and the diftemper more rooted in. 
 
 Worms are fo common, and fo troublefome a diftem- 
 per, that I can not omit faying fomething of them here. 
 Horfes, who look out of order, are frequently fo ownig to 
 worms } that muft be examined into always immediately. 
 Give fafting, and let the horfe faft three or four hours af- 
 ter it, a quart of beef brine every morning for three or 
 four days. The brine alone will often cure entirely, a 
 purge being given the day after all the brine is taken i a 
 clyfter fhould be given over night, before the purge. If 
 from one ounce and a half to two ounces of iEthiop's mi- 
 neral in a bolus is given the day after all the brine is taken, 
 and a day before the purge, the cure will be flill more cer- 
 tain. You'll fee the dead worms in the horfe's dung. 
 
 S A run- 
 
1^0 AMETHODOF 
 
 A running at the nofe, with a cough, aad other fymp^ 
 toms, known by the name of fbe dijtempery is fo frequent^ 
 and fo ill treated by farriers, that 1 can not help giving 
 fome directions for the treatment of it. Give frequent clyf- 
 ters, keep a rowel or tv/o running for fome time, and, if 
 the illnefs be violent, and attended by a fever^ give James's 
 fever pov/ders for three nights running, the tirft night three 
 papers, the fecond night two papers, and the third night 
 one paper. No bleeding at firn. Then give, for four 
 days running, two ounces of nitre, and afterwards an ounce 
 2.rA a half a day for fome time. Poultice from the very 
 beginning under and about the throat, with bread, milk, 
 and lard, made pretty hot ; if any thing hard thereabouts 
 grows foft, and does not break of itfclf, open it with 
 a lancet, and cleanfe it ' thoroughly. As foon as the 
 running at the nofe ceafes, and not before, give very gen- 
 tle exercife, and, if the cough then flill remains, bleed 
 very little at a time, but frequently, 'till it ceafes. Keep 
 the horfe by no means cold, but let him have frefh air. 
 He muft not be moved 'till the running at the nofe ceafes. 
 Don't phyfiCj but continue the ounce and a half of nitre 
 for three weeks at leaft, and give two or three times a week, 
 
 for 
 
BREAKING HORSES, &c, T31 
 
 for as long as Is found necelTary, a drink made of liquorice 
 root, ftones of raifins bruis'd, and figs dry'd, of each two 
 ounces, and one ounce of maiden-hair -, boil them toge- 
 ther in a quart of water, 'till reduced to a pint, then add 
 fyrup of balfam, cold drawn linfeed oil, of each two ounces, 
 and one ounce of nitre. This drink not to be given 'till 
 the running at the nofe ceafes. If the diflemper is 
 exceedingly flight, James's powders, may be omitted. 
 If the tellicles fwell, ufe cooling things, fuch as 
 warm m.iik and water, marfh- mallows, &c. but above 
 all things, don't negled to fufpend them in a fling. 
 Keep the nofe and nofl:rils very clean, by wafliing them 
 frequently with warm water. Feed with mafiies only, and 
 continue the poultice 'till the running of the nofe lias cea- 
 fed two or three days. Then the covering about the throat 
 muft be taken off by degrees, a little at a time. 
 
 Greafy and fwelled legs being a very common dillemper 
 in troop horfes, I fliall fet down the following very good 
 receipt for the cure of it -.—Take falt-pfetre two ounces and 
 two drams, the fame quantity of venice turpentine, 
 one ounce and four drams of flour of brimflone, dia- 
 |>ente fix drams i mix the whole together with a fuflicient 
 
 S 2 quan- 
 
73^ A METHOD OF 
 
 quantity of liquorice powder, make it into balls, and give 
 it to the horfe fafting in the morning; he muft not eat fur 
 two hours after taking it, nor drink for five or fix hours> 
 and then the water muft be warmilh ; he muft be kept 
 warm, and have gentle walking exercife the next day j this 
 dofe muft be repeated twice, or more, as required, with 
 an interval of three days between each dofe. 
 
 The following manner of treating the greafe is aif ) a vefy 
 good one.— As medicines to be given inwardly, take of 
 powdered refin one ounce and a half; of fait of tartar, 
 and fal prunell, each fix drams ; fpirit of turpentine, e- 
 nough to make it into a balL The proper dofe for a large 
 horfe is three ounces : it ftiould be given when firft made 
 up, or elfe the fait of tartar will make its efcape. This 
 will operate as a diuretic two days, during which time t'.ie 
 horfe is to have plenty of fcalded bran, plenty of warm 
 water, and gentle walking. The third and fourth mor- 
 ning, he is to take a ball made of the following medicines, 
 Takeoffoenugreek,anifeed, elecampane, turmerick, liquo- 
 rice powder, diapente powdered, each equal parts; add tu a 
 pound of this powder two ounces of anifated balfam of 
 
 fulphur. 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c 133 
 
 fulphur, and honey enough to make it of a proper confif- 
 tence : the dofe of this ball to be of the fize of a hen's egg : 
 the diuretic ball is to be given in the morning j the day- 
 following nothing; the two fucceeding mornings, the 
 cordial ball j and (o on 'till the diuretic ball has been gi- 
 ven three times: the cordial ball to be continued every day 
 after the third diuretic ball is given, 'till the horfe is welU 
 
 As external applications,— if there be a fwelling of the 
 parts, they fKould ht poulticed with warm I'ye meal, and 
 milk, boiled to a proper confiflience, which is to be renewed 
 every day. When the fwelling is gone, apply the fol- 
 lowing : take of honey two pounds and a half; of train 
 oil, and powdered allum, each two pounds ; boil them 
 to a proper confiflence : fom.e of this to be fpread on a 
 linen rag, and applied to the parts : to be renewed once 
 in forty-eight hours. The horfe muft not go out, when 
 this medicine is applied. This will dry up the fores, and, 
 if there is any fcurf, or fcab left, ufe the foilov/ing mix- 
 ture : take of the juice of houfeleek one part; of very 
 thick cream two parts ; beat it up together into an oint- 
 ment, and rub fome of it every day on the parts affeded. 
 
 Refia 
 
i3i A M E T H O D O F 
 
 Refin drink Is alfo very good for fwelled legs. The 
 following is alfo a good method of curing the greafe: 
 pluck out the hairs clean, with pinchers, all about, 
 and upon the greafed part. Then put on a turnip poul- 
 tice, and leave it on twenty-four hours; then fpread a 
 Jinen bandage with tar, and wrap it, not loofe, nor tight, 
 found the part, and leave it on three or four days. Con- 
 tinue at the fame time, the balls, or refin drink, and take 
 away fome blood once or twice, a little at a time. 
 
 When a horfe is lame, no matter where, grooms and 
 farriers generally fay he is fo in the Ihoulder, which is ver^ 
 feldom the cafe. If he really is fo, he will drag his toe 
 on the ground, or move his legs circularly, more of 
 Jefs, according to the degree of the hurt; if he does 
 not do it at all, he is not lame in the flioulder. 
 Every body who is in the lead acquainted with the tex- 
 ture of a horfe, knows this to be true. When a hoife's 
 lamenefs proceeds from any other caufe, from the knee 
 downwards, one may generally know it by fome inflamma- 
 tion, or other fign, fuch as fwellings, tendernefles. Sec. 
 One may generally fufpedt with reafonfomething wrong ifi 
 the feet, or coronary ring, owing chiefly to the commoM 
 very bad method of managing feet. Running thrulhes 
 
 are 
 
BREAKING HORSES, ^c 135 
 
 are a common complaint, and though they are to be 
 Hopped, generally end in eating away the infide of the foot: 
 Vitriol and water dry thefe thruflies> and fo does a mixture 
 of one-third fpirit of nitre, and two-thirds of fpirit of 
 wine dabbed with a rag, and fcveral other applications of 
 that kind. When horfes, who are troubled with them> 
 tread on a Iharpifh ftone, the pain they feel from it is often 
 fo great, that they fall down as if they were fhot. Some- 
 times a clumfy fellow, by negligence and aukwardncfs, 
 which is oftener the cafe, than by any other accident, is the 
 caufe of his horfe's falling, and breaking his knees. If any 
 thing will make the hair come again, and probably of a 
 right colour, burnt cork finely fifted, mixed with oil, and 
 made into an ointment will do it ; but if the horfe is grey, the 
 burnt cork mull be omitted, and honey mixed up with flie 
 oil in lieu of it, becaufe the burnt cork, by caufing the haii^ 
 to grow up of a darkifh colour, would disfigure a grey, or 
 white horfe. Before the cork, and oil ointment is ufed, 
 poultice the part with pounded turnips boil'd with milk, 
 and mixed up with hog's lard, and a little friar's balfam } 
 'till there is no fwelling or irritation left. The poultice 
 tnufl be put on frefh every twenty-four houisj the oint- 
 ment mufl be laid on very often, and the part mud be 
 
 kept free from dirt. 
 
 For 
 
136 A METHOD OF 
 
 For flralns of all kinds, foap, and camphor diflblved 
 into fpirits of wine, and ofcen well rubbed on the part, 
 which mufl be afterwards covered with tow and vvarra 
 pitch, are excellent. The tow thus ftuck, and left on, 
 keeps the injured part from cold, &:c. and it is fome 
 time before it wears oif : it is indeed a blemifh for the 
 time, but befides being a good remedy in itfelf, it is o- 
 therwife of great ufe, as it puts <t abfolutely out of the 
 power of grooms and farriers to play any of their tricks, 
 or for the latter to have any pretence whatfoever to be about 
 the ftables. It is a common cullom to give walking ex- 
 ercife to horfes who have fprains, which is very pernicious; 
 they fhould not be ftirred at all, if poflible : abfolute reft 
 is the beft remedy for them. 
 
 A blanket for each man carried under the faddle is of 
 vail ufe to the hoife's back, as well as to the man on ma- 
 ny occafions. Every man fhould have one. 
 
 Every troop ought to have a cutting-box belonging to 
 it, and one man conflantly employed in camp all day at it in 
 chopping hay, ftraw, &c. It is very eafily carried about. 
 
 Forage, whatever it is, muft not be cut too long, nor very 
 
 Ihort^ 
 
BREAKING HORSiES, ^c. 137 
 
 fiiort, but of fuch a length, that it may not, from its light- 
 hefs, be blown up thie horfc's noflrils out of the nofe-bag^ 
 or canvafs trough. A lazy fellow at the cutting-box, if not 
 watched, is Very apt, by way of getting rid cf his work 
 foon, to cut it much too longi 
 
 The Germans wifely carry, upon all occafions whatever, 
 every man a double feed of chopped ftraw and corn mixed 
 together, which is never touched, but by exprefs order of 
 the commanding officer, and then too in fuch quantities, 
 and at what time, he thinks fit to diretft. It frequently 
 happens upon long marches, and even fometimes when the 
 troops ftand ftill, that forage cannot be procured for fome 
 days together j then this practicej which I have juft men- 
 tioned, in ailiort time gives ftrong and apparent proofs of its 
 utility, by the prefervation of their horfe's good plight. It 
 is the means of faving the lives of many horfes, and helps, 
 in cafes of exigencies, to keep up the vigour of moft 
 cf them. None but thofe, who have been cye-wit- 
 pejGTes to the fail, can tell what harm a deficiency of forage, 
 only for two days, docs horfes, efpecially in marches by 
 night, and in bad weather : fome are often difabled by ic 
 for the whole campaign, and fome for ever after. 
 
 T la 
 
133 AMETHODOF 
 
 In the beginning of September, in our climates, green 
 forage is no longer plenty on the ground. It would there- 
 fore be prudent from that time to make every man carry 
 twenty pounds of fpun hay, and afterwards later in the year 
 a larger quantity. From about the twentieth of Septem- 
 ber, for example, or thereabouts, he might carry thirty 
 pounds for the reft of the campaign, and, befides this hay^, 
 eight pounds of oats mixed with four pounds of cut whea- 
 ten ftraw, none of thefe to be ever touched, but by order 
 of the commanding officer, and then in fuch quantity as 
 he thinks fit. This method would often prevent troop$ 
 from being in great want, and richly repay the horfe for 
 carrying the forage. As hay fpoils by being kept twilled 
 up for a long time together, it Ihould be unfpun, and giv- 
 en to the horfes at the end of three days, and a frefh trufs 
 fpun, and made up. If the campaign fhould laft through 
 the whole winter, this forage muft be carried, 'till there 
 is green forage enough on the ground the enfuing year, 
 which may not be 'till late, in poor uncultivated countries, 
 or thofe worn out by war. Whenever horfes come out of 
 quarters, where they have met with abundance, corn muft 
 be taken from them by degrees, if poffible, and not all at 
 once, be the feafon, and the country they take the field 
 
 ia 
 
BREAKING HORSES, 6?^. 139 
 
 in ever fo good. For a confiderable time horfes will do 
 very well in the field without corn, if, on coming out of 
 quarters, they are not weaned from it too fuddenly, and 
 the weather, and green forage is tolerably good; but late 
 in the year, when the weather grows bad, and horfes are 
 obliged to go a great way for forage, fome corn is abfo- 
 lutely necelTary, 
 
 In fetching forage, efpecially from any diflance, the truf- 
 fes fhould be very well made and fixed, and no men fuffer- 
 ed to ride on them ; the weight of both being immenfe. I 
 have very often feen trufies of three hundred weight, which 
 without a man on it, is a very heavy load. Lazincfs and 
 eiiftom has made fome people imagine that a trufs of forage 
 cannot be carried without a man on it, but it is not fo by 
 any means, if the trufles are well made, and properly fixed; 
 Thefe, and many other precautions and care, in matters, 
 feemingly perhaps little and trifling, ought to be deemed; 
 (as they really are) equally as neceflary for preferving a re- 
 giment in the condition it ought to be for its own credit, 
 and the public fervige, as a jufl; diftribution of rewards 
 .and punilhments. Thefe, and fuch-like attentions fhould 
 no more be difpenfed with^ than that an officer of each 
 
 troop 
 
14© AMETHODOF 
 
 troop Ihould Gonflantly vifit every horfe of that troop daily 
 in their liiieSj cantonmentSj or quarters j and efpecially too^ 
 and without delay, after fatiguing marches, and foul wea- 
 ther: but if this care be intrufled to a quarter-mafler^ 
 who is already over-loaded, not only with his own, but of- 
 ten with the whole bufincfs of the officers, beyond a pof- 
 fibility of executing half of it 3 and if he likewife, (being 
 indeed in fome meafure compelled to it) lliuffle off his bur- 
 den, all he can, upon the ferjeants and corporals, what elfe 
 can be expefled, but that the fame fpirit of idlenefs and 
 difregard will diffufe itfelf throughout the whole corps ? 
 Hence no duty would be compleatly and effentially perfor- 
 med; none in the flables or camp with refpe(5l: to the 
 horfes, accoutrements, &c. no regularity in cooking ; no 
 care to fee the men well dried after wet fervice -, in fhort, 
 no ferious attention to numberlefs other neceiTary articles 
 of difcipline, &c. whereby a regiment would mofl infa- 
 moufly fall to ruin, and be very foon rendered unfit for 
 fervice, 
 
 THE END- 
 
I'h,./. 
 
 Q 
 
 -I- I 
 
 I — I 
 
/'Ar/). 
 
/"/a.,). 
 
//. 
 
 0.4- 
 
/Va.S. 
 
 
 
 ^^'' 
 
 i:) 
 
/V^f.6. 
 
T/rfy. 
 
r/a. S\ 
 
Ph.(). 
 
J'/n. /(>. 
 
/y./.// 
 
F/r^JU. 
 
/V^/.A. 
 
I'/rr. /^. 
 
F/a. /5. 
 
r/a. /6. \ 
 
I'/njj 
 
17 folding engraved plates, line drawings mostly showing horses 
 being trained. Podeschi 55 (the 1761 edition). 
 
 Just a bit of wear to joints and extremities (tops of joints just 
 starting to crack), small scar to label, slight loss of gilt from spine 
 ornaments, otherwise the pleasing binding in excellent condition. 
 Folding plates with faint offsetting, a couple of minor spots or 
 smudges, otherwise A VERY FINE COPY INTERNALLY, THE 
 TEXT AND PLATES VERY FRESH AND CLEAN. (Plate 4) '$500 , 
 
 A cavalry officer who rose to the rank of major general, Herbert 
 (1734-94) developed a well-earned reputation as an expert in the man- 
 agement of military horses. After 10 years of personal experience in the 
 British cavalry, he published the present work in an effort to improve 
 the state of horsemanship, a goal that the DNB says was achieved by 
 this "very sensibly written treatise." Herbert's approach to training 
 horses involved a greater gentleness than had previously been accepted, 
 along with a more gradual and patient approach in allowing a horse to 
 become accustomed to something new. He also stressed the importance 
 of training horses to swim, to jump over dead horses, to obey oral 
 commands when reins are not available, and to perform a number of 
 other functions that are required in the course of military campaigns. The 
 present work was apparently the determining factor in getting his 
 methods adopted throughout the British cavalry. Our copy comes from 
 the fourth printing of the book; all of these early editions are rare (NUC 
 locates either three or four copies of each).