r-^I^H 
 
 
 
 ^^mJL' ''-"'" 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^^v 
 
/ '^ 
 
 -y 
 
 J.dl.&rwif, 
 
f f --^v- ; 
 
;M ^ 
 
 
 
 ^ s 
 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF 
 
 MODERN RIDING, 
 
 LADIES; 
 
 ^n latt 3in^Pi^o'J^ttt^"ts are applieii to practice 
 
 PROMENADE AND THE ROAD. 
 
 \ % 
 
 BY JOHN ALLEN, 
 
 HIDING MASTER, SEYMOUn PLACE, BRVANSTONE SQUARE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR THOMAS TEGG, NO. 73, CHEAPSTDE; 
 R. GRIFFIN AND CO. GLASGOW; AND J. CUMMING, DUBLIN. 
 
 1825. 
 
C and C. WhittinE;bani, Cbiswirk. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 Though ridino* on horseback seems only 
 of late to have become the most fashionable 
 exercise of Ladies, it has very long been 
 sufficiently so to warrant the publication of 
 a useful work on the subject; and it is 
 truly wonderful that none should have ap- 
 peared. Indeed, the difficulties and the 
 delicacies which attend the practice of 
 riding in Ladies, have long appeared to 
 to the writer to render such a work more 
 necessary for them, than for Gentlemen. 
 
VI ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 Such were the motives which led to the 
 production of the present volume, in Avhich 
 the chief labour of the author has been to 
 concentrate in the smallest space every 
 thing really useful to Ladies on the subject 
 of Riding, to express this in simple and 
 intelligible language, and to give the whole 
 a systematic and impressive arrangement. 
 
 He accordingly flatters himself, that, at 
 a time when Riding has become so emi- 
 nently fashionable an exercise for Ladies, 
 and when the Park daily displays so many 
 elegant women on horseback, his work will 
 ensure the security, ease, and grace of the 
 riders. 
 
 The opposition of illiterate riding masters 
 to every work on the subject of their art is 
 quite proverbial. It is impossible to peruse 
 such works without seeing^ how careless 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. Vll 
 
 and superficial their lessons are. Readers 
 will therefore be on their guard. As such 
 lessons are charged at a high rate, and as 
 the perusal of this renders few indeed of 
 them necessary, it should be read through 
 and its Plates well consulted before a 
 single lesson is taken. The sooner, also, 
 after a few lessons, that a Lady rides on 
 the Road, the better. She will never ac- 
 quire confidence there by circling within 
 the walls of a school. The sensation of 
 ridino; in these two situations is totally 
 different. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 OF THE HORSE AND ITS EQUIPMENTS. 
 
 P.1SC 
 
 Chap. I. Of the Lady's Horse and its natural Paces 3 
 
 Chap. II. Of the Saddle and Bridle 8 
 
 Section I. — Of the Saddle 8 
 
 Section II. — Of the Bridle 13 
 
 PART II. 
 
 OF MOUNTING, DISMOUNTING, ETC. 
 
 Chap. I. Of Mounting 25 
 
 Section I. — Preliminary '25 
 
X C'0\TE.\TS. 
 
 rai;c 
 
 Section II. — Of Mounting 26 
 
 Section III. — Of disposing the Reins 32 
 
 Chap. II. Of Dismounting 33 
 
 PART III. 
 
 OF THE SEAT, THE BALANCE, AM) THE HAND. 
 
 Chap. 1. Of the Seat 39 
 
 Section I. — Preliminary 39 
 
 Section II. — Of the General Position 40 
 
 Section III. — Of the Position of particular 
 
 Parts 43 
 
 Section IV. — Concluding Remarks 46 
 
 Chap. II. Of the Balance 50 
 
 Chap. III. Of the Hand 54 
 
 Section 1. — Preliminary 54 
 
 Section II. — Of Holding the Reins 54 
 
 Section III. — Of the Correspondence and 
 
 Appui 56 
 
 Section IV. — Of the Qualities of ihe Hand. . 6i 
 
CONTENTS. XI 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 OF THE AIDS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Chap. I. Of the Aids of the Hand 71 
 
 Section I. — Preliminary 71 
 
 Section II. — The Five Positions when the 
 
 Reins are separate 72 
 
 Section III. — The Five Positions when the 
 
 Reins are not separate 74 
 
 Chap. II. Of the Aids of the Body 77 
 
 Chap. III. Of the Aids of the Leg and Whip 81 
 
 Chap. IV. Of Animations, Soothings, and Correc- 
 tions 84 
 
 Section I. — Of Animations 84 
 
 Section II. — Of Soothings 85 
 
 Section III. — Of Corrections 86 
 
Xll CO NT EM'S. 
 
 PART V. 
 
 OF THE DIRECT PACES. 
 
 Chaf. 1. Of the Walk (Jl 
 
 Section I. — Of the Walk generally and par- 
 ticularly 91 
 
 Section II. — Of Turns in the Walk 95 
 
 Section 111. — Of Wheels in the Walk 98 
 
 Section IV. — Of Changes and Deniivolts in 
 
 the Walk 101 
 
 Section V. — Of the Stop in the Walk 105 
 
 Section VI. — Of Going Backward in the 
 
 Walk 108 
 
 Chap. II. OftheTrot 113 
 
 Section I. — Of the Trot in general 113 
 
 Section II. — Of the Kinds of Trot 115 
 
 Section lil. — Of the Trot in particular .... 117 
 Section IV. — Of Turns, Stops, &c. in the 
 
 Trot 121 
 
 Chap. III. Of the Gallop 125 
 
 Section I. — Of the Gallop in general, and of 
 
 its Kinds 125 
 
CONTENTS. XIll 
 
 Page 
 
 Section II. — Of the Canter in particular ... 12B 
 Section III. — Of Turns, Stops, &c, in the 
 Gallop 136 
 
 PART VI. 
 
 OF CIRCLING, LEAPING, AND CRITICAL SITUATION.S. 
 
 Chap. 1. Of the Circle 143 
 
 Chap. II, Of Leaping 1.50 
 
 Section I. — Of Leaping in general 1.30 
 
 Section II. — Of the Standing Leap 152 
 
 Section TIL — Of the Flying Leap 1.5B 
 
 Chap. III. Of critical Situations 16.3 
 
 Section I. — Preliminary 16.3 
 
 Section II. — Of Rearing l65 
 
 Section III. — Of Kicking l67 
 
 Section IV.— Of Plunging 169 
 
 Section V. — Of Shying, &:c 171 
 
 Section VI. — Of Restiveness 171 
 
XIV CONTENTS, 
 
 PART VII. 
 
 OF THE CURB, STIRRUP, ETC. 
 
 Page 
 
 Chap. I. Of the Curb, &c 179 
 
 Section I. — Preliminary 1 79 
 
 Section II. — Modes of Holding the Reins. . 180 
 
 Section III.— Of Shifting the Reins 181 
 
 Section IV. — Of Separating the Reins 184 
 
 Section V. — Of Changing the Reins J 85 
 
 Section VI.— Of Adjusting the Reins 186 
 
 Section VII.— Of the Position of the Hand. 188 
 Section VIII. — Of the Management of the 
 Curb 190 
 
 Chap. H. Of the Stirrup 191 
 
DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE PLATES. 
 
 Plate 
 
 Page 
 
 I. Parts of the Horse 1 
 
 II. Preparing to Mount 27 
 
 III. Preparing to Mount 29 
 
 IV. Mounting 29 
 
 V. Mounting 29 
 
 VI. Seat facing the Title. 
 
 VII. Dismounting 34 
 
 VIII. Dismounting 35 
 
 IX. Dismounting 35 
 
 X. Dismounting 35 
 
 XL Dismounting 35 
 
 XIL Seat 47 
 
 XIII. Changes and Demivolts 102 
 
 XIV. Changes and Demivolts 104 
 
 XV. Stop 108 
 
 XVI. Trot 123 
 
 XVII. Cantering 127 
 
 XVIII. Cantering 127 
 
 XIX. Cantering 127 
 
 XX. Lesson of the Circle 148 
 
 XXI. Leaping 152 
 
 XXII. Leaping 156 
 
 XXIII. Leaping 160 
 
iL- 
 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF 
 
 MODERN RIDING. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 OF THE HORSE AND ITS EQUIPMENTS. 
 
 / 
 
 L. B 
 
PART I. 
 
 OF THE HORSE AND ITS EQUIPMENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OF THE lady's HORSE AND HIS NATURAL 
 PACES. 
 
 A lady's Horse should, in the first place, be 
 good tempered and willing (for a sluggish 
 horse is the most unpleasant of any), but he 
 should be no wise choleric, or impatient in 
 company. He should, secondly, be smooth 
 in all his paces. He should, thirdly, be steady 
 and safe on the road. With these natural 
 qualifications, he should, fourthly, be suitably 
 dressed or broke for a Lady's riding, that is, 
 properly suppled and united, particularly to 
 gallop with the right leg, and the mouth made 
 
 B 2 
 
PRINCIPLES OF P. I. 
 
 light and obedient. These are the essential 
 properties of a Lady's Horse. 
 
 If, however, a Horse possessed every qua- 
 lity requisite for a good horsewoman, a Lady 
 of timid disposition would be so alarmed at 
 tlie sprightly action and delicate sensibility of 
 his mouth, that she could not forbear cring- 
 ing; and, against this, it is necessary to guard, 
 for the cringing of the body, always to the 
 near side, and also that of the hand, makes 
 the horse restless and uncomfortable. 
 
 The natural paces of the Horse are the 
 Walk, the Trot, and the Gallop. These are 
 all distinguished hj the action of the legs and 
 the beats of the feet, which mark a sharp, flat, 
 slow, quick, or rapid time. 
 
 I. The Walk is the inost languid pace, 
 being performed with less exertion than the 
 others. 
 
 The action of the Walk is that motion of 
 the leo-s in which one at a time is off the 
 
 it or- '^«- ^>'- 
 
MODERN RIDING. 3 
 
 ground and three on ; marking four distinct 
 beats, as each foot in rotation comes to the 
 ground in the following order : — The ofll' fore 
 foot, leading first, marks one ; the near hind 
 foot, two ; the near fore foot, three ; and the 
 off hind foot, four. 
 
 Here, though the feet follow each other 
 quickly, yet the languor of the action makes 
 the beats fiat. 
 
 II. The Trot is a more animated pace, 
 proceeding from the Walk ; for when we ani- 
 mate the Horse too much, or urge him to 
 proceed faster than he can by moving one 
 leg after the other, we oblige him to take up 
 two at a time. 
 
 In the Trot, the off fore foot and near hind 
 foot mark one beat ; and the near fore foot 
 and off hind foot mark another beat ; so that 
 in this action there are two legs crosswise 
 off the ground, and two legs on, which in 
 their alternate chanoe of situation mark the 
 time of one, two. 
 
6 PRINCIPLES OF P. I. 
 
 Here, as the action is animated, the beats 
 are sharp and quick, in proportion to the 
 degree of animation and extension. 
 
 III. The Gallop is a pace of still higher 
 animation, and more exertion than the Trot, 
 and proceeds from the Trot, as the Trot does 
 from the AValk ; for when we press a horse in 
 the Trot beyond his capacity, or animate him 
 with the legs while we retain him with the 
 hand, we compel him to raise his two fore 
 legs after each other, which commences the 
 action of the Gallop. 
 
 The action of the Gallop is in the following 
 order, when leading with the right leg. — The 
 near fore foot is first raised from the around : 
 then the off fore foot. These come to the 
 ground in the same order. The near fore 
 foot marks one beat, or time : the off fore 
 foot, passing the other, while both are in the 
 air, comes to the ground more forward, is 
 the leading foot, and marks the second beat. 
 The hind feet follow in like manner. The 
 near hind foot marks a third beat; and the 
 
MODERN RIDING. 7- 
 
 off hind foot, passing, comes to the ground 
 more forward, and marks a fourth beat. 
 Thus the action of the Gallop is by means of 
 the two fore legs leading close after each 
 other ; and the hind legs immediately follow- 
 ing in like order. 
 
 Here, when the Gallop is united and true, 
 the feet mark a regular, sharp, and quick 
 time, of one, two, three, four. 
 
 IV. The Amble may perhaps be considered 
 as a natural pace of the horse ; because most 
 foals followino- their dams amble more or less 
 to keep up with them. The difference be- 
 tween the walk and the amble is, that two 
 less of a side are raised in the latter at one 
 and the same instant, and so on vice versa. 
 
8 
 
 PRINCIPLES OP p. I. 
 
 CHAP. 11. 
 
 OF THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 
 
 Section I.— Of the Saddle. 
 
 The Saddle must be considered first with 
 relation to the horse, and secondly with rela- 
 tion to the rider. 
 
 I. With regard to the horse, the Saddle 
 prevents the friction he would endure if bare- 
 backed, or if he had merely a cloth on ; and 
 it distributes the weight of the rider to the 
 parts most capable of bearing it. 
 
 Without a Saddle, the horse would sustain 
 the weight in the middle and weakest part of 
 the back ; but with a Saddle, the rider's weight 
 
MODERN RIDING. 9 
 
 is distributed, as the Saddle has bearings be- 
 fore and behind, but none in the middle. 
 
 Hence it is evident that the Saddle should 
 be proportioned to the size of the horse ; the 
 bearings before being clear of interference 
 with the plate-bone, and not extending further 
 behind than within four inches of the hips. 
 
 The bearing of the Saddle should be equal 
 on every part that it is intended to touch; 
 and the closer it comes, so that neither the 
 weight of the rider nor settling of the pannel 
 can bring it to injure the withers or chine, 
 the better. 
 
 If a Saddle do not fit, the pannel cannot be 
 stuffed so as to insure its not injuring the 
 horse ; and where it does fit, superfluous 
 stuffing should be avoided, as causing the 
 saddle to shift its place, &c. 
 
 II. With regard to the rider, it must be 
 observed, that a Saddle may form a most 
 
10 PRINCIPLES OF P. I. 
 
 unpleasant seat for her, though it fit the 
 horse. 
 
 The best test of the propriety or adaptation 
 of the seat is when the rider, without the 
 stirrup and without effort, easily falls into and 
 keeps her proper situation in the Saddle ; for 
 when the seat is improperly shaped, she will 
 be shifted and placed insecurely. 
 
 A Lady^s Saddle requires particular exact- 
 ness in fitting, or the horse will be cruelly 
 galled by it. It should be very deep in the 
 points, and should sit close from the top 
 of the bearing to the extreme ends of the 
 points. The manner in which a Lady rides 
 will ever give the Saddle a preponderance to 
 the near side, at which time the Saddle is 
 sustained by the point on the near side, and 
 the bearing on the off, which may be com- 
 pared to a hook ; the depth and closeness of 
 the near point, preventing the bearing on the 
 off side unhookino itself. The closer the 
 pommel comes down to the withers, so that 
 
MODERN RIDING. 11 
 
 neither weight nor settlement can make it 
 touch, the better; and a trifling easement 
 may be given on the off side of the pommel, 
 but not to extend to any part where the 
 bearing should be, lest you loosen that hold 
 which sustains the Saddle. 
 
 Ladies' Saddles, when properly fitted, will 
 not require cruppers more than gentlemen's, 
 but the girths crossed from the hind part of 
 the Saddle to the front, will keep them more 
 steady ; or a strap from the hind part of the 
 Saddle to the fore girth on the off side, may 
 prevent the Saddle twisting to the near side, 
 as it usually does. 
 
 The seat of a Lady's Saddle, exclusive of 
 the head, is differently formed from the gen- 
 tleman's. A deep hollowness in the centre 
 of the seat is unnecessary ; the seat is stuffed 
 on each side full, that the rider may be less 
 liable to slide to the near side ; and particular 
 regard should be had that the Saddle is pro- 
 portioned to the size of the Lady, for a tall 
 Lady, though ever so slim and light, must not 
 
12 PRINCIPLES OF P. I. 
 
 have a short Saddle, because she cannot keep 
 herself from off the cantle. 
 
 The modern Ladies' Saddles, exclusive of 
 the heads, are made high in the pommel; 
 the intention being to prevent the seat from 
 shifting forward, on even ground, or small 
 declivities, which it unavoidably will in riding 
 down steep hills ; and when the seat is thus 
 thrown forward, the knee loses its grasp, 
 which is the lady's principal security. The 
 head of the modern Saddle, which is the part 
 that receives the knee, is made high (from 
 six to eight inches), which secures the knee 
 from being displaced by any little unex- 
 pected roughness, that sometimes unavoid- 
 ably happens. The head is also placed more 
 upright, or over to the oft* side, which assists 
 the lady in keeping her centre in the Saddle, 
 and not hanging to the near side. Beside 
 this, the modern Saddle has a flap on the 
 near side before, which preserves the habit 
 from the sweat of the horse, and the leg from 
 the front of the Saddle. The inside of this 
 flap is sometimes lined with flannel for the 
 
MODERN RIDING. 13 
 
 accommodation of the horse ; and the outside 
 with hog-skin, stuffed for the accommodation 
 of the rider. The head, and every part of 
 the Lady's Saddle, should be stuffed, to ren- 
 der it as comfortable as possible. 
 
 The Ladies' Saddles, made by Jackson, are 
 the only ones a Lady can safely and com- 
 fortably use. The great improvement of 
 their external form is not their only recom- 
 mendation : their maker seems to be the only 
 man who can adapt a Lady's Saddle equally 
 to the horse and the rider. Their materials, 
 workmanship, durability, and cheapness are 
 equally remarkable. 
 
 Section II. — Of the Bridle. 
 
 The Bridle consists of reins and a bit ; for 
 the latter term may be applied to any piece 
 of metal introduced into the horse's mouth 
 for the purpose of restraint. 
 
 I. A short iron rod, made rather wider 
 than the mouth of the horse, and provided 
 
14 PRINCIPLES OF p. I. 
 
 with a hook or ring at each extremit}^ for 
 fastening the reins to, affords us an instance 
 perhaps of the greatest possible simplicity in 
 the construction of a bit; and such a one 
 only slightly curved forwards, to allow more 
 liberty for the tongue, is at present in general 
 use for the heavier kind of draft horses. 
 
 A rod similar to the former, broken in two 
 pieces, and connected by a joint in the- 
 middle, is the next in point of simplicit}^, 
 and is in common use for horses of li^ht 
 draft, as in those employed for the curricle, 
 coach, &c. 
 
 1. The next in point of farther complica- 
 tion of parts, and which scarcely can be said 
 to differ from the former, is the common 
 snaffle. This is provided with two cross 
 pieces which rest against the lips or sides of 
 the mouth externally ; for as the snaffle is 
 intended for the saddle horse, and the reins 
 go to the hands, these cross pieces are useful 
 in preventing the bit from being drawn 
 lhroug;h the mouth. 
 
MODERN RIDTNG. 15 
 
 The distinction between a bridon and snaf- 
 fle is insignificant ; for on all occasions the 
 cross pieces of the latter are most convenient, 
 and the bridon is merely an imperfect snaffle. 
 
 To give the greatest ease possible, a large 
 and highly polished bit is necessary. 
 
 On the other hand, to give the greatest 
 degree of severity to the mouth piece of the 
 snaffle, it is twisted while hot into a spiral 
 form, and is made to present by this means a 
 sharp, rough, and unequal surface to the jaw, 
 being capable, according to the degree of 
 sharpness to which the edges are wrought, of 
 pressing the bars or lips with greater or less 
 severity. The different degrees of punish- 
 ment which this kind of bit is capable of in- 
 flicting, will perhaps be found sufficient for 
 all the purposes of correction. 
 
 2. The next kind of bit in use for horses is 
 the curbed bit, which, as it is an instrument 
 of much greater complication of parts than 
 
16 PRINCIPLES OF P. I. 
 
 the snaffle, so it appears to have been of 
 comparatively recent date. 
 
 Stripped of all unnecessary trappings, this 
 instrument consists of the followino- essential 
 parts : — a mouth piece ; two side branches, 
 or inflexible rods of iron, firmly fixed to the 
 former ; a chain passing from side to side, 
 behind the chin, including the jaw ; two eyes 
 or rings at the upper extremity of these 
 branches, serving to fasten them to the head- 
 stall, to stay them in the mouth, and having 
 the chain attached to them; and two other 
 rings at the lower extremity of the above 
 branches receiving the reins which pass to 
 the hand. These are all the parts really 
 necessary to constitute the curb. 
 
 The bits thus formed being placed in the 
 mouth, and the chain passed round the lower 
 jaw, the branches, it will be readily seen, 
 become powerful levers when drawn back- 
 wards, acting upon the mouth piece as a 
 centre, and squeezing, by means of the chain, 
 whatever interposes between it and the mouth 
 
MODERN RIDING. 17 
 
 piece, with a force equal to the length of 
 the lever afforded by the lower branch. 
 
 This force, it will be perceived, is regu- 
 lated not only by the length of the lever below 
 the mouth piece, but also by the greater or 
 less distance at which the chain is placed 
 from it. The chain is usually fixed to the 
 eye of the cheek piece, where the head stall 
 is fastened: if, therefore, this part is very 
 long, it is evident that it must moderate or 
 counteract the power and effect of the lower 
 end of the branch, and render it less severe, 
 by bringing the centre of motion nearer to 
 the middle of the lever. 
 
 It appears manifest, from the construction 
 of this instrument, that its whole force is 
 exerted upon the jaw itself, and that it has 
 power to pinch the bars with cruel violence, 
 even to the fracture of the bone ; and this 
 with very powerful branches has sometimes 
 happened. It can also bruise and totally de- 
 stroy the tender covering of the inside of 
 the mouth, and the skin beneath the jaw. 
 
 L. c 
 
18 PRINCIPLES OF P. I. 
 
 From considering its mode of operating, it 
 might reasonably be doubted whether it does 
 in reality stop the horse by its power and 
 opposed force, as is generally conceived at 
 present, or rather by the severity of the pain 
 it inflicts ; for should the horse arm himself 
 against this, it is totally insufficient to arrest 
 his course ; of which instances occur in run- 
 away horses every day. 
 
 The most useful bit of the curbed kind 
 appears to be the Weymouth bit, which is at 
 present in common use for draft horses of 
 light work, as for carriages, coaches, &c. It 
 consists of a strong, plain mouth piece, of 
 uniform thickness throughout, without any 
 upset or jeive, but is simply curved forwards, 
 to give liberty to the tongue. This kind of 
 construction is the simplest perhaps that the 
 curb admits of. 
 
 The easier, simpler, and lighter a bit is in 
 all its parts, provided it produces the desired 
 effect, the better and more agreeable it will 
 be. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 19 
 
 II. As to the Reins, we need only observe, 
 that their centres should be accurately mark- 
 ed ; but when, by both reins being held in 
 one hand, the near or left rein has to pass 
 under the little finger and on the outside of 
 the right rein over the forefinger, this should 
 cause the right rein to be held from half to 
 three quarters of an inch shorter, and the 
 centre to come proportionally toward the 
 left. 
 
 III. It remains for us to notice the proper 
 application and adjustment of these bits to 
 the horse's mouth. 
 
 In adjusting the Bridle on the horse, the 
 headstall must be of such length as to admit 
 the mouth piece of the bit to rest on the bars, 
 a little above the tush ; the bridon a little 
 shorter, but not so high as to wrinkle the 
 corner of the mouth, and the throat-lash 
 buckled rather loose, to admit the horse when 
 going to bridle his head. The mane is usually 
 cut close where the headstall comes, and the 
 finger should clear any part of the mane, or 
 
 c 2 
 
20 PRINCIPLES OF P. I. 
 
 foretop, that may interfere with it. The 
 foretop, when combed smooth, may be put 
 over or under the front. The curb is the last 
 thing adjusted, and though a trifling variation 
 may be proper, according to the manner the 
 horse carries his head, we may set down that 
 which suits the generality of horses. 
 
 The curb chain is to pass under the bri- 
 don. Therefore, put your right hand under 
 the bridon reins, to take hold of the curb 
 chain; and, with the left, put two fingers 
 w^ithin the cheek of the bit, and with your 
 thumb take hold of the curb hook. The end 
 links of the curb chain being in your right 
 hand, turn the chain to the right, or as you 
 would turn a screw, till every link lies smooth 
 and flat, as though it was a strap, and then 
 without losing a half turn, put that link on 
 the hook which appears to be most appro- 
 priate, i. e. neither tight nor slack, and exa- 
 mine how the branch operates. If the branch 
 has liberty to move forty-five degrees and no 
 more, it is the extent most proper ; but a few 
 degrees, more or less, are not to be regarded. 
 
MODERN HIDING. 21 
 
 Nevertheless, if one link of the chain confines 
 it to thirty-five degrees, and putting it one 
 link looser gives it liberty to fifty-five degrees, 
 the manner your horse carries his head must 
 determine which of the links is most proper. 
 If the horse naturally carry his nose high, 
 let the branch have fifty-five degrees ; if he 
 bring his nose in, thirty-five will be best. 
 
 If there is a chain-strap, the strap must be 
 placed so high on the branch, that when 
 passed through the ring in the curb-chain, it 
 must be buckled to such tightness as to pre- 
 clude the possibility of the horse lodging the 
 branch on his tooth. Unnecessary tightness 
 should be avoided, as it renders the bit less 
 comfortable to the horse. 
 
 When a horse can stop readily and with 
 ease, when his head is constant and steady, 
 and he is light and firm in the hand, and so 
 supple as to be able to obej^ it in all its mo- 
 tions with ease and readiness, he gives ample 
 proofs that the bit is properly adjusted,, and 
 fitted to his mouth, and that he is reconciled. 
 
22 MODERN RIDING. P. I. 
 
 and even pleased with the power it exercises 
 over him : on the contrary, if he open his 
 mouth as if he was gagged, if he writhe and 
 twist his jaws, if he draw up his tongue above 
 the mouth piece, or thrust it out of his mouth 
 sideways, if he retain himself or run back- 
 ward, if he carry his head very low, and 
 endeavour to force the hand, if he fear the 
 impression of the bit, have no appui, toss his 
 head up and down, or refuse to advance and 
 go forward, interrupting his manege with 
 various disorders, he gives evident reason to 
 suspect that the bit is not properly adapted 
 to his mouth, and hurts it, either within side 
 or without. 
 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF 
 
 MODERN RIDING. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 OF MOUNTING, DISMOUNTING, ETC. 
 
PART II. 
 
 OF MOUNTING, DISMOUNTING, ETC. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 OF MOUNTING. 
 
 Section I. — Preliminary. 
 
 The pupil should be brought forward by 
 degrees, and with due preparation. Her 
 lessons should be short and gentle, as well 
 with a view to her gradual progress, as to 
 prevent injury from too great exertion. 
 
 Some teachers so much regard this pro- 
 gression, that before they place a Lady on 
 horseback, they make her execute, and that 
 with facility, lessons with the bridle and sad- 
 
26 PRINCIPLES OF P. II. 
 
 die alone ; and these occupy her attention 
 several days. 
 
 • 
 The early lessons are given with a snaffle 
 bridle, on a well trained and steady horse. 
 
 The first instructions are those of Mounting 
 and Dismounting. 
 
 Section II. — Of Mounting. 
 
 Whatever the disposition of a horse may 
 be, he should be approached apparently in 
 good temper. Horses know by appearance 
 whether the rider is angry or pleased, bold or 
 timid, handy or awkward. A soothing tone 
 of voice and caresses are pleasing; and to 
 such as are unsteady, or have a dislike to 
 be mounted, it helps to dispel their fears. 
 Young horses especially should therefore be 
 thus gently treated, and much encouraged. 
 
 Before Mounting, it is proper to observe 
 whether the saddle is rightly placed, the girths 
 secure and not too tight (for many horses 
 
^ 
 
 :=i 
 
 n 
 
 ^ 
 
 0^1 
 
MODERN RIDING. 27 
 
 are apt to plunge when they are), the bridle 
 fitly on, and the curb, when used, smoothly 
 placed. 
 
 Let the assistant adjust the reins of the bit 
 smoothly, and of equal length, taking it up 
 within the bridon rein, and dividing the reins 
 with the forefinger of his left hand. 
 
 The Lady receives the reins from him with 
 her right hand, just before the pommel of the 
 saddle, the whip being in it, which passes over 
 to the off side. 
 
 The Lady puts her forefinger between the 
 reins, gently letting them slip,, not to disturb 
 the horse, till her hand rests and lays hold on 
 the near crutch or pommel of the saddle. — 
 Plate IL 
 
 She stands then close to the horse, upright, 
 with the face half turned from the saddle. 
 The assistant places himself before her, and, 
 where practice has been wanting to make 
 either expert at this business, it will be best 
 
28 PllINClEVLES OF I'. II. 
 
 for the assistant to place both his hands toge- 
 ther by the intersection of his fingers. He 
 then stoops to receive the lady's left foot, 
 which must be placed full and firm on his 
 hands. 
 
 The Lady then places her left hand on his 
 right shoulder, by which, and the hold she 
 has on the pommel of the saddle, she steadies 
 herself, while she bears all her weight on the 
 assistant's hands, straightening the left knee 
 and keeping it firm. 
 
 Should the Lady be heavy or inactive, the 
 more particular care is requisite in both : — 
 on the Lady's part, that she bear her weight 
 centrically and perpendicularly in the hands, 
 not putting her foot forward as she raises it, 
 by which she would shove the person from 
 her : on the assistant's, that he place himself 
 in such manner that the Lady may be between 
 him and the saddle, his face directed so that 
 he can stoop to assist the Lady without re- 
 moving himself to a distance ; for the closer 
 he stands, the greater his power to assist. 
 
«— « H 
 

 "#, 
 
 
 h:«5^ 
 
 
 , ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' 1 
 
 1 
 
 ,=1 
 
MODERN RIDING. 29 
 
 The assistant must not attempt to raise the 
 Lady till the right foot has quitted the ground, 
 and the left knee is nearly straight : otherwise 
 he will prevent the Lady from raising herself 
 in his hand. Plate III. 
 
 The assistant now, by raising himself, raises 
 the Lady to the saddle, where she pauses 
 while the assistant places the stirrup on her 
 left foot. Plate IV. 
 
 This done, the Lady shifts her right hand 
 from the near crutch of the pommel, to the 
 off crutch of the pommel ; and the assistant 
 places his right hand under the Lady's left 
 arm, by the support of which, and the hold 
 she has with her right hand, she will raise 
 herself upright in the stirrup. 
 
 The assistant with his left hand draws the 
 clothes next the saddle forward. Plate V. 
 
 This being done, the Lady places her right 
 knee over the pommel of the saddle, and then 
 seats herself. Plate VI. 
 
30 PRINCIPLES OF P. II. 
 
 By this mode, if properly attended to, you 
 will find several inconveniences avoided, such 
 as the binding of the clothes under the right 
 knee, the difficulty of raising the knee over 
 the high pommels now in use, &c. 
 
 Should the clothes want any adjustment 
 behind, the Lady with her left hand takes hold 
 of the assistant's left hand, her right hand 
 having hold of the pommel, and raising her- 
 self forward, the assistant at the instant with 
 his right hand, adjusts them smoothly. 
 
 When Ladies become expert horsewomen, 
 they can adjust their clothes when the\^ be- 
 come uncomfortable, without assistance, and 
 consequently are not necessitated to have 
 their clothes pinned. This they can do when 
 riding at any pace, or standing still, at their 
 pleasure. 
 
 The method of doing it is to take the reins 
 in the right hand as directed when Mounting, 
 holding by the oif crutch or pommel of the 
 saddle, and raising yourself up. The action 
 
MODERN RIDING. 31 
 
 of the horse, if moving, will then consider- 
 ably assist you. With your left hand, each 
 time you rise, pull and shake your clothes 
 down, and endeavour to raise yourself as high 
 as you can for that purpose. 
 
 When the clothes rise before, it may be 
 necessary to remove the knee from the pom- 
 mel. This few Ladies choose to do, nor is it 
 advisable but when the horse stands still, or is 
 only in a slow walk. You then, having hold 
 as before, and leaning the body back — but 
 raising yourself upright in the stirrup is best — 
 remove your knee, and thus standing, let the 
 garments fall down by a momentary shifting 
 of any part that presses them to the saddle ; 
 which done, place your knee again, and seat 
 yourself. 
 
 Pouches in the skirts of the habit, with 
 leads in them, are very convenient ; the habit 
 then flows more gracefully than when pinned ; 
 and the petticoats may be pinned under the 
 skirt, if the Lady prefer it. 
 
S2 PRINCIPLES OF P. II. 
 
 Ladies who ride should have their hair very 
 firmly and closely dressed, and their hats 
 pinned, so as to prevent their being moved by 
 the motion of the wind or the horse, or the 
 brims flapping over their eyes ; for either of 
 these not only greatly embarrasses the rider, 
 but prevents her seeing how to guide her 
 horse. 
 
 Section III. — Of Disposi?ig the Reins. 
 
 The pupil should then divide the Reins, 
 placing them between the third and fourth 
 fingers of each hand, the end of the reins 
 being thrown over the forefingers, the thumbs 
 closed on them, and the fingers shut. 
 
 When afterwards further advanced, she 
 holds the Reins in the left hand. 
 
MODERN RIDING. $3 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 OF DISMOUNTING* 
 
 Ladies dismount their horses with, and occa- 
 sionally without, assistance. 
 
 In either case, they first shift the reins to 
 the right hand, and apply it to the off crutch 
 of the saddle. 
 
 The gentleman officiates, if present, in 
 clearing the Lady's clothes from the pommel 
 of the saddle, as the Lady raises her knee 
 over. 
 
 Taking the stirrup from the foot, the Lady 
 then shifts her rio;ht hand to the near crutch 
 of the pommeL 
 
 L. D 
 
 ^ 
 
«% 
 
 34 PRINCIPLES OF P. II. 
 
 In whatever manner the Lady may choose 
 to dismount, it is necessary to be careful that 
 the clothes are off the pommel of the saddle, 
 and the stirrup free of any entanglement. 
 
 I. If the Lady is alert and active, she may 
 dismount very gracefully by giving her left 
 hand into the gentleman's left hand ; and, 
 springing just sufficiently to clear the saddle, 
 she will alight on the balls of the feet, with 
 the knees a little bent, so as to drop a small 
 curtsy, which will prevent any jar which 
 might otherwise take place. 
 
 The gentleman must have his right hand 
 ready to apply under the Ladj^'s left arm as 
 she alights. Thus he may not only lighten 
 her down, but prevent any accident that 
 might occur by the Lady's foot alighting on 
 any thing that might occasion her to slip. 
 Plate VII. 
 
 II. Should the Lady not choose to spring- 
 in this manner from the horse, she will lean 
 

 r K/in%A .: 
 
 
 H,: 
 

 1 V 
 
 
 "i'{ 
 
 
 1 
 "1 
 
 \ 
 
 i| 
 
 
 ^frwt 
 
 ^^p^^mi^Hi 
 
 ^^Hjii' 
 
 JK ^^ -■ 
 
 ""^'^'Sli'S 
 
 w 
 
 W'> 
 
 
 ^ Bi'i 
 
 
 K-i^w"'"* 
 
 I ll 
 
 *r * 
 
 ll ,\ 
 
 J. -•,,,* i, 
 

V-V: * 
 
 
 Ul-^- 
 
 
 n 
 
 9 
 
 w '--^ wf'i' 
 
 
MODERN RIDING. 35 
 
 forward, and the gentleman will receive her 
 with a hand under each arm, and lighten her 
 to the ground. Plate VIII. 
 
 III. AVhen the Lady dismounts without help, 
 after clearing her stirrup, and every thing as 
 above described, she turns herself to the right 
 in such manner that she may lay hold, with 
 her left hand, of a large lock of the horse's 
 mane, keeping hold at the same time of the 
 near side of the pommel. Plate IX. 
 
 She then springs from the horse to clear 
 her clothes. Plate X. * 
 
 She alights on the balls of her feet, with her 
 knees a little bent, for the purpose before 
 directed, and her face to the horse's withers, 
 keeping fast hold with both hands till she is 
 firm and secure on her feet. Plate XI. 
 
 V 
 
 I) 
 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF 
 
 MODERN RIDING. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 OF THE SEAT, THE BALANCE, AND THE 
 HAND. 
 
PART III. 
 
 OF THE SEAT, THE BALANCE, AND THE 
 HAND. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 OF THE SEAT. 
 
 Section I. — Preliminary. 
 
 The Seat is the disposition of the several 
 parts of the body, agreeably to the manner in 
 which the horse works. 
 
 The immediate result of this is, the keeping 
 firm in the saddle at such times as the body is 
 liable to be thrown on the horse's neck, if not 
 over his head, or to tumble backward over 
 the horse's tail. 
 
40 PRINCIPLES OF P. III. 
 
 It should be explained to the pupil, that, to 
 have a good seat on horseback, she must be 
 in unity with her horse, and as firm and easy 
 as though they were one body. 
 
 The fundamental Seat is that medium posi- 
 tion from which all others proceed, and in 
 which the rider sits when the horse is not only 
 going straight forward, but without any bend 
 in his position, 
 
 Section II. — Of the General Positmi. 
 
 In the Ladies' Seat there are three divisions, 
 different from those of the horseman. 
 
 I. The first is the left leg, on the foot of 
 which the stirrup is placed. This part is 
 nearly, if not wholly, useless ; for though a 
 stirrup is placed on the foot, the only use of 
 it is to ease the leg a little, which, for want of 
 practice, might ache by dangling and suspen- 
 sion. The keeping it steady in the position 
 which it will naturally assume will be requir 
 
MODERN RIDING. 41 
 
 site for ease ; but where Ladies become pro- 
 ficients in horsemanship, this leg is employed 
 to aid on the near side, and the whip on 
 the off. 
 
 II. The second is the right leg, including 
 the knee and breech, on which the weight 
 principally rests. The knee over the pommel 
 and the leg kept back, with the toe raised, 
 grasp the pommel, and lying close to the fore 
 flap of the saddle, take a very firm hold, and 
 are the Lady's principal support and depen- 
 dance. This part is stationary and immove- 
 able, varying only as to the strength or exer- 
 tion of the muscles, as the action of the horse 
 or circumstances may require. 
 
 III. The last is the body, from the seat 
 upwards. The body being upright, the weight 
 must rest on the centre of the saddle, inde- 
 pendent of the stirrup. 
 
 When the Lady sits too far over the saddle, 
 she must sit bent — a circumstance that should 
 
42 PRINCIPLES OP P. III. 
 
 be carefully avoided, as it causes her to lean 
 to the near side, to the destruction of every 
 property of the hands, and of the aids of the 
 body. On the other hand, the Lady must be 
 mindful not to bear any weight in the stirrup, 
 nor hang by the pommel — a circumstance 
 which must occur whenever she leans to, or 
 slips from, the centre to the near side. This 
 would render the horse very uncomfortable, 
 and wring his back and withers. A greater 
 apprehension of falling on the off than the 
 near side, occasions this propensity. 
 
 The Lady must also sit square on the horse, 
 or place herself in such a manner, as to look 
 directly between his ears. If she sit with her 
 elbows to the head and tail, she will be liable 
 to fall backwards or forwards, according to 
 the side of the horse on which she most pre- 
 ponderates. 
 
 The body, moreover, should not incline 
 forward or backward ; but if there be a ten- 
 dency to either, it should be back. This will 
 
MODERN HIDING. 43 
 
 draw in the shoulders, and give the body an 
 appearance of confidence, which should cha- 
 racterise every rider. It will likewise prevent 
 her pressing too forward, so as to lose the 
 hold she should always have with her ham, 
 on the short head, or pommel of the saddle ; 
 and will also prevent her pressing with her 
 weioht too much on the shoulders of the 
 horse. 
 
 Section III. — Of the Position of particular 
 Parts. 
 
 I. The position of the leg and foot in the 
 stirrup should be as easy as possible. If it 
 be forced out in an awkward manner, the 
 Lady will find her whole form rendered un- 
 graceful, and the leg itself, if not cramped 
 from the tension of the muscles, will be 
 greatly fatigued. It should not, however, 
 press the horse ; but should preserve that easy 
 position which it would have, were the Lady 
 
44 PRINCIPLES OF P. III. 
 
 to sit upright in her chair, without pressing 
 the legs of it, or extending her leg in a slant- 
 ing manner from it. 
 
 II. The position of the right leg requires 
 no particular description. 
 
 III. The head should be free, firm, and 
 easy. — It should be firm, that is to say, 
 straight, without leaning to the right or left, 
 neither advanced nor thrown back, in order 
 to be ready for all the natural motions that 
 the rider may make in turning it to one side 
 or the other. Otherwise, it would occasion 
 a stiffness ; and that stiffness affecting the 
 different parts of the body, especially the 
 spine, they would be constrained. 
 
 The shoulders should be thrown back. 
 
 The chest should be advanced. 
 
 The small of the back should be bent a 
 little forward. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 45 
 
 The upper parts of the arms should hang 
 perpendicularly from the shoulders. 
 
 The lower part should be at right angles 
 with the upper. 
 
 The elbows should be lightly closed to the 
 hips, but without stiffness. 
 
 If the elbows are not kept steady, they will 
 give an uncertainty and fickleness to the 
 hand, sufficient to ruin it for ever. 
 
 The wrist should be rounded a little out- 
 wards. 
 
 The hands should be placed so that the 
 little fingers may be on a level with the elbows, 
 about four, and never more than six inches 
 apart ; the thumbs and knuckles pointing 
 towards each other. 
 
 When at rest, the hands are to be in line 
 with each other, and about three inches from 
 
46 princtplp:s of p. m. 
 
 the body. AVhen in motion round the ma- 
 nege, or the circle, the inward hand (which is 
 the hand on which we turn) is to be a Uttle 
 lower than the outward one. 
 
 This, then, is the general position on horse- 
 back, when the horse stands still, or is moving 
 at a walk. 
 
 Section IV. — Concluding Remarks. 
 
 It is ever to be understood, that the rider 
 and the horse are to be of a piece. In other 
 words, when the horse is at liberty and dis- 
 united, then the rider, in like manner, sits at 
 her ease, and may be said to be disunited ; 
 and as she beo;ins to collect and unite her 
 horse, so she collects and unites herself. 
 When the rider is pressing a horse to the 
 union, and drawing from him the most ele- 
 gant attitude and lofty action, the rider's 
 attitude must likewise be in the extreme of 
 elegance, and her exertions in the same pro- 
 portion to that of the horse. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 47 
 
 We may conclude by observing with Be- 
 renger, that the Seat alone may be cultivated 
 for some time ; and when the scholar has 
 arrived at a certain degree of firmness and 
 confidence, if the horse can be trusted, let the 
 master hold the longe, and the pupil, aban- 
 doninsj the o;overnment of him to the master, 
 ride him to both sides, with her hands behind 
 her. This will very soon settle her with firm- 
 ness in the saddle, will advance her waist, 
 will place her head, will teach her to lean 
 gently to the side to which she turns, so as to 
 unite herself to her horse, and will give that 
 firmness, ease, and just poise of the bod}^, 
 which constitute a perfect Seat, founded in 
 truth and nature, and upon principles so cer- 
 tain, that whoever shall think fit to reduce 
 them to practice, will find them confirmed 
 and justified by it. 
 
 Plates VI., XII, &c. examined in succes- 
 sion, illustrate the Seat. 
 
 It is right to practise without the stirrup, 
 and endeavour to acquire a steady Seat with- 
 
48 PRINCIPLES OF P. III. 
 
 out any assistance from the reins. For this 
 purpose, sit upright, and direct the eye and 
 the body to the horse's nose, which in the 
 circle will be more or less bent within. This 
 practice should be first and mostly to the 
 right, to divest the Lady of the propensity 
 she generally has to lean to the near side of 
 the horse, — beginning first with a walk, then 
 a slow trot, and increasing the action, as the 
 Lady acquires firmness and freedom in the 
 saddle. 
 
 When the Lady, in a smart trot, has ac- 
 quired the freedom of leaning to the right, so 
 that she can see the feet of the horse on the 
 off side, there is reason to suppose her Seat 
 is correctly established. Occasionally trying 
 this will discover the great support the Lady 
 has from the right leg, which must then be 
 kept back and pressed close to the fore-flap 
 of the saddle. A small shifting of the Seat 
 to the left will be found a necessary coun- 
 terbalance to that degree of inclination the 
 body may take to the right ; and the Seat 
 returning to the centre as the body assumes 
 
MODERN RIDING. 49 
 
 an upright position by the support of the 
 right knee, shows the stirrup to be unneces- 
 sary, further than for the ease and support of 
 the toe, or rising in the trot, and to be useless 
 in point of security. 
 
 L. 
 
50 PRINCIPLES OF P. III. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 OF THE BALANCE, 
 
 The Balance in riding is the preserving the 
 body from that inclination to one side or the 
 other, which even the ordinary paces of the- 
 horse in the trot or gallop will occasion. 
 
 The Balance is preserved when the rider 
 sits directly down upon the saddle, and so 
 firmly that nothing can loosen her seat. But 
 the firmness here necessary is that hold with 
 which she keeps herself on horseback, with- 
 out employing strength, trusting entirely to 
 the natural balance of her body to accompany 
 all the motions of the horse. 
 
 Nothing but practice can give this Balance, 
 and consequently this hold upon the horse. 
 
MODERN HIDING. 61 
 
 Let US illustrate this Balance. 
 
 If the horse work straight and upright on 
 his legs, the body must be in the same up- 
 right direction. 
 
 As the horse moves into a trot, the body 
 must be inclined a little more back ; while 
 the whole figure must be pliant, and accom- 
 pany all the movements of the horse ; the 
 elbows and lower limbs being kept steady. 
 So also in the gallop, in leaping, or in any 
 violent movements of the horse, the body 
 must chiefly be kept back, and accompany 
 the various actions of the horse with an easy 
 pliancy. 
 
 When the horse bends or leans, as he does 
 when he works on a circle, or trots briskly 
 round a corner, then the body must lean in 
 the same direction and proportion, or the 
 Balance will be lost. 
 
 To preserve the Balance, it is evident that 
 the body must keep in the same direction as 
 
 E 2 
 
52 PRINCIPLES OF P, IIT. 
 
 the horse's legs ; and thus the Balance is 
 maintained by as many different positions as 
 the horse has capacity to work in. 
 
 The pupil must take no assistance from 
 the reins to support the Balance. The hand 
 must be fixed, and the reins of such length 
 as to feel and support the horse, but never to 
 hold on. 
 
 To acquire the Balance the practice on 
 circles, or what is called the longe, is recom- 
 mended. Here it is right to begin on large 
 circles, and at an easy gentle trot, by which 
 the horse will be so little bent, as scarcely to 
 make a perceptible alteration in the funda- 
 mental position ; but as the circles are con- 
 tracted, and the pace extended, it is necessary 
 not only for the body to lean with the horse, 
 but likewise to bend or be turned in the 
 same direction as the horse's head, which, 
 of course, is a litde within the circle. In 
 doing this it is useful to work equally to both 
 hands. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 53 
 
 Experience proves that the body, if in the 
 manege seat and fundamental position, almost 
 involuntarily takes the corresponding motion, 
 whether the horse rears, springs forward, 
 kicks, stumbles, &;c. 
 
54 PRINCIPLES OF P, III, 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 OF THE HAND. 
 
 Section I. — Preliminarij. 
 
 On the Hand depends all excellence in horse- 
 manship. The hand directs the action and 
 time, raises the horse's forehand, lightens the 
 mouth, and supports the position. In violent 
 contentions with the horse, the Hand deprives 
 the horse of half of his power to throw the 
 rider ; and it would otherwise be impossible 
 to keep on the back of some horses. 
 
 Section II. — Of Holding the Reins. 
 
 Before the operation and effects of the 
 Hand can be attained, an expertness at hold- 
 ing the Reins must be acquired. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 55 
 
 There are various methods of holding the 
 Reins, according to the style of riding, the 
 design of the rider, and the propensities or 
 defences of the horse. 
 
 Here we consider bridles which have one 
 rein attached to each end of the bit, such as 
 snaffles. 
 
 In these as well as in other cases, the Reins 
 ought generally to be separated, passing into 
 the hand between the third and fourth fingers 
 and out of it over the forefingers, where they 
 are held down by the thumbs. 
 
 When the snaffle is held in the common 
 way, both Reins are placed in the left hand. 
 The left Rein passes under the little finger 
 and the right under the third finger, both 
 lying smooth through the hand, the superflu- 
 ous quantity of Rein hanging over the first 
 joint of the forefinger, and the thumb placed 
 upon it. 
 
56 
 
 TKINCIPLES OF V, III. 
 
 Section HI. — Of the Correspondence and AppuL 
 
 To convey to the pupil an idea of the manner 
 in which the hand operates on the horse's 
 mouth, she should be placed on a horse 
 whose mouth is perfectly formed and obe^ 
 dient, but not too delicate ; the reins beins; 
 held as described ; the hand placed so that 
 the ends of the fingers are opposite to the 
 centre of the body, and about the height of 
 the elbow : the reins collected to such deter- 
 mined length, that, bracing the muscles of 
 the hand, would rein the horse back; and 
 easing them, permit the horse freely to ad- 
 vance. The hand, for preserving a medium 
 effect on the mouth, should be only half 
 shut; — the knuckles next the wrist being 
 nearly open, 
 
 I. The hand being connected to the reins, 
 the reins to the bit, the bit operating in the 
 curb on the bars in the horse's mouth, and in 
 
MODERN RIDING. 57 
 
 the snaffle on the lip, the rider cannot move 
 the hand, nor scarce a finger, but the horse's 
 mouth is more or less affected. This is called 
 the Correspondence, 
 
 II. If then the hand be held steady, as 
 the horse advances in the trot, the fingers 
 will feel, by the contraction of the reins, a 
 slight tug, occasioned by the cadence of 
 every step. This tug, which is reciprocally 
 felt in the horse's mouth, by means of the 
 above described Correspondence, is called 
 the Appui. 
 
 While this Appui is preserved between the 
 hand and mouth, the horse is in perfect obe- 
 dience to the rider, the hand directing him 
 with such ease that the horse seems to work 
 by the will of the rider, rather than the com- 
 pulsion of the hand. 
 
 Now the Correspondence, as it is termed 
 when we speak of the effective communica- 
 tion between the hand and mouth, — the Appui, 
 when we speak of the quality or strength of 
 
58 PRINCIPLES OF P. III. 
 
 the operation in the mouth, — the Support, 
 when we speak of the effect the hand pro- 
 duces in the position or action, — are always 
 to be maintained in the maneoe, and all 
 united paces ; and, without these, a horse is 
 under no immediate control, as we find in 
 the extended gallop or full speed, where it 
 may require a hundred yards to pull, before 
 you can stop. 
 
 The strength or degree of this Appui 
 (allowing for the different qualities of horses' 
 mouths), depends on the relative situation of 
 the hand, and position of the horse. 
 
 The raising of the rider's hand increases 
 her power ; and this, raising the horse's head, 
 diminishes its power. 
 
 If a garter were placed across the pupil's 
 forehead, and a person behind her held the 
 two ends in a horizontal direction, if the 
 pupil stood quite upright, she could not pull 
 at the person's hand, nor endure the person's 
 hand to pull at her, without falling or running 
 
MODERN RIDING. 59 
 
 backwards. This is the situation of a horse 
 when united. 
 
 Accordingly when the pupil felt the hand 
 severe, or expected it to pull, she would 
 guard against it, by bending the body, pro- 
 jecting the head, and planting one foot be- 
 hind. This is the situation of the horse when 
 disunited, or defending himself against the 
 heaviness of the hand. 
 
 Hence a heavy insensible hand cannot 
 unite a horse, because the horse cannot bear 
 its severity when united. And hence heavy 
 hands make hard mouthed horses. 
 
 If then the Appui be heavy from the head 
 beino' carried too low, and the horse not suf- 
 iiciently united, raise the hand, and let the 
 fingers, by moving, rather invite than compel 
 the head to rise ; the left leg on one side and 
 the whip gently laid on the other at the same 
 time, pressing the haunches under. By this 
 means the horse will become more united, 
 and the Appui will be lightened. 
 
60 PRINCIPLES OF P. III. 
 
 Should the hand be too straight, or con- 
 fining to the horse (which it may be, though 
 it does not pull half an ounce) by the rider 
 collecting the reins to unite the horse, and 
 the horse freely uniting himself, he may be- 
 come so balanced on his haunches, that, 
 while the hand supports him thus, though it 
 do not pull in the least, he cannot disunite 
 himself, nor advance one step ; and should 
 the rider then press him without yielding or 
 dropping the hand, she would compel him to 
 rear. 
 
 By these two extremes may be understood, 
 first, where the horse is disunited; and last, 
 where he is too much united. The interme- 
 diate consequence and effect of the hand and 
 heel must be acquired by practice. 
 
 In pulling the bridle, if the Ladj^ pull 
 more than at the rate of a pound weight, 
 she may be said to carry her horse, and not 
 the horse her. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 6l 
 
 Section IV. — Of the QuaUties of the Hand. 
 
 TiiEKE are many properties requisite to con- 
 stitute a masterly Hand. That is called a 
 masterly Hand which is not only well formed 
 in itself by tuition, and riding manege horses, 
 but can make the untutored mouth partake 
 of the sensibility of the Hand, which, in other 
 terms, is dressing the horse. 
 
 Three Qualities are essentially necessary to 
 such a Hand. It ought to be firm, gentle, 
 and light. 
 
 I. That may be called a firm or steady 
 Hand whose feeling corresponds exactly with 
 the feeling in the horse's mouth. This de- 
 mands a certain degree of steadiness, and 
 constitutes that just correspondence between 
 the Hand and the horse's mouth, which every 
 horseman wishes to find. 
 
62 PRINCIPLES OF F. III. 
 
 Such a Hand will not yield to the soli- 
 citation or craving of the horse to get the 
 ascendency of the Hand ; for an ascendency 
 of the Hand is obtained when the horse aban- 
 dons that delicate correspondence producing 
 the appui, and keeping him under the strictest 
 obedience, and makes a dull or insensible 
 pull on the Hand. And horses, though they 
 have been ever so well broke, after being 
 rode a few times by an untutored Hand, will 
 fall into this, if permitted. 
 
 To frustrate the little efforts of the horse 
 to obtain his purpose, the Hand is kept firm, 
 and the fingers braced, by which their opera- 
 tion becomes severe, and is a proper punish- 
 ment. Should the horse disregard this, and 
 plant his head low, to endure the severity of 
 the Hand, the Hand must act by moving the 
 fingers, shaking the reins, &c. to raise the 
 head and divert him from his purpose ; and 
 lastly, the correction of the Hand must be 
 given severely, if necessary, to deter him 
 from further attempts. This correction is 
 
MODERN RIDING. 6S 
 
 given by first yielding the Hand that the reins 
 may become slack, then giving them a smart 
 or violent snatch in an upward direction, 
 which will make the horse raise his head ; 
 and the apprehension of a repetition of it will 
 deter him from putting it down again. 
 
 II. An easy or gentle Hand is that which, 
 by relaxing a little of its strength and firmness, 
 eases and mitigates the degree of feeling 
 between the Hand and horse's mouth. 
 
 It is a rule in this respect not to pass, at 
 once, from one extreme to another, as from a 
 firm Hand to a slack one, or to jump over 
 that degree of sensation which is derived 
 from the easy or gentle Hand. Were the 
 rider at once to go from a firm Hand to a 
 slack one, she would entirely abandon her 
 horse, she would surprise him, deprive him 
 of the support he trusted to, and precipitate 
 her on his shoulders. On the contrary, were 
 she to pass from the slack to the tight rein all 
 at once, she must jerk her Hand, and give a 
 
64 PRINCIPLES OF P. III. 
 
 violent shock to the horse's mouth :— rough 
 and irre2;ular motions which would be suffi- 
 cient to falsifj^ the firmest appui, and to ruin 
 a good mouth. 
 
 The Hand, moreover, must be sensible 
 and discriminating whether the horse v/ishes 
 to disengage himself from its restrictions, or 
 whether he wants a momentary liberty for his 
 accommodation and ease. He will remove 
 the rider's Hand if he wants to cough ; he will 
 move his head if cramped by too long con- 
 finement, or to dislodge a fly, and the like. 
 The rider, discovering the cause of such 
 removal, will not correct (unless the horse, 
 presuming on her compliance, takes too 
 much liberty), but rather allow a reasonable 
 accommodation, and be gentle and pleasant 
 while the horse is united and obedient. 
 
 in. A lioht Hand is that which lessens 
 still more the feelins; between the rider's 
 Hand and the horse's mouth, which was be- 
 fore moderated by the gentle hand. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 65 
 
 The appui being always in the same de- 
 gree, would heat the mouth, would dull the 
 sense of feeling, would deaden the horse's 
 bars, and render them insensible and callous. 
 Lightness of hand consists, then, in an almost 
 imperceptible alternate feeling and easing of 
 the bridle, regulated by the motion of the 
 horse. 
 
 By proper attention to this practicCj the 
 natural delicacy and feeling of the horse's 
 mouth will be preserved, — the rider's Hand 
 will be gradually formed, — and a constant 
 correspondence between the horse and the 
 rider will be established. On the contrary, 
 any dead or continued pull will produce 
 effects directly opposite to those desired. 
 
 It is indispensably necessary, therefore, 
 that all the operations of the Hand should be 
 firm, gentle, and light ; and, in order to this, 
 it is necessary that the wrist alone should 
 direct all its motions by steering it, if we 
 may so say, through every motion which it is 
 to make. 
 
66 
 
 PRINCIPLES OF P. Ill, 
 
 It is, nevertheless, true, that with horses 
 that are well dressed, one may take liberties. 
 Such are those motions which are called de- 
 scents of the Hand . These are made three dif- 
 ferent ways, — either by dropping the knuckles 
 directly and at once upon the horse's neck,^ — 
 or by taking the reins in the right Hand, about 
 four fingers' breadth above the left, and let- 
 ting them slide through the left, dropping the 
 right Hand at the same time upon the horse's 
 neck ; — or else by taking the end of the reins 
 in the right hand, quitting them entirely with 
 the left Hand, and letting the end of them fall 
 upon the horse's neck. These motions, how- 
 ever, which give grace to the rider, never 
 should be made but with great caution, and 
 exactly at the time when the horse is quite 
 together, and in the Hand ; and the rider 
 must take care, by throwing back her body, 
 to counterbalance the weight of the horse 
 upon his haunches. 
 
 Besides these rules, there are others not less 
 just and certain ; but the niceness of which 
 every rider is not able to understand. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 67 
 
 Both reins being in one Hand, and that 
 
 being in the first position, if I open the two 
 
 middle fingers, I slacken the right rein. If 
 
 I shut my Hand, the right rein operates again, 
 
 and resumes the appui. If I open my little 
 
 finger, carrying the end of it upon the right 
 
 rein, I thereby slacken the left, and shorten 
 
 the right. If I shut my Hand entirely, and 
 
 open it immediately again, I thereby lessen 
 
 the degree of tension and force of the two 
 
 reins at the same time. Again I may close 
 
 my Hand not quite so much, but still close it. 
 
 It is by these methods, and by the vibration 
 
 of the reins, that we may unite the feeling in 
 
 the Hand with that in the horse's mouth ; and 
 
 it is thus that we may play with a fine and 
 
 made mouth, and freshen and relieve the two 
 
 bars in which the feeling or appui resides. 
 
 It is the same with respect to the second 
 descent of the Hand. The right Hand holds 
 the reins ; and we pass and slide the left Hand 
 upon the reins, up and down, and in that 
 degree of appui of the easy and slack Hand ; 
 
 F 2 
 
68 MODERN HIDING, P. Ill, 
 
 by means of which the horse endeavours of 
 himself to preserve that mutual sensation be- 
 tween his mouth and the rider's Hand, which 
 alone can make him submit with pleasure to 
 the constraint of the bit. 
 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF 
 
 MODERN RIDING 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 OF THE AIDS. 
 
PART IV. 
 
 OF THE AIDS. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 OF THE AIDS OF THE HAND. 
 
 Section I. — Preliminary. 
 
 Aids are the indication of the rider's will to 
 the horse, and are so called, because they not 
 only require, but assist, the horse to execute. 
 They, at the same time, check or obstruct 
 him from acting contrarily. 
 
 These Aids are certain positions of the 
 hand, body, legs, and sometimes of the whip ; 
 the Hand being the principal. The others 
 are sometimes called accompaniments, as 
 
72 PRINCIPLES OF P. IV. 
 
 they give greater power and efficacy to ihe 
 hand. 
 
 A horse can move four different ways. He 
 can advance, turn to the right, to the left, 
 and go back, but he cannot make these dif- 
 ferent motions, unless the Hand of the rider 
 permits him, by making four corresponding 
 motions, which answer to them. Thus there 
 are five different positions for the Hand. 
 
 The first is that general position from which 
 proceed the odier four. 
 
 Section II. — The Five Positions zcJten the Beins 
 are separate. 
 
 I. When the Reins are separate and one held 
 in each hand, the First Position is that which 
 has been already given ; viz. the Reins pass- 
 ing up between the third and fourth fingers 
 of each hand, their ends being thrown over 
 the forefingers, the thumbs closed on them, 
 and the fingers shut, the hands in line with 
 
MODERN RIDING. /3 
 
 each other, about three inches from the bod}^ 
 and the httle fingers as high as the elbow. 
 
 II. The Second Position consists of a shght 
 relaxation of the preceding, and permits the 
 horse to advance. 
 
 III. The Third Position shortens the ridit 
 Rein rather upward, and turns the horse to 
 the right. 
 
 IV. The Fourth Position shortens the left 
 Rein rather upward, and turns the horse to 
 the left. 
 
 V. The Fifth Position shortens both Reins, 
 and reins the horse backward. 
 
 In all these cases, the hands are kept near 
 the body, 
 
74 PRINCIPLES OF P. TV 
 
 Section III. — The Five Positions zs)hen the Reins 
 are not separate. 
 
 When both Reins are held hi one hand these 
 rules are modified as follows :— 
 
 I. First, let the hand be held three fingers 
 breadth from the body, as high as the elbow, 
 in such a manner that the joint of the little 
 finger is upon a right line with the tip of the 
 elbow; — let the wrist be sufliciently rounded, 
 so that the knuckles may be kept directly 
 above the neck of the horse ; — let the nails 
 be exactly opposite the body, the little finger 
 nearer to it than the others, the thumb quite 
 flat upon the Reins, which must be separated 
 by putting the little finger between them, the 
 right Rein lying upon it. This is the first and 
 general position. 
 
 II. Would you have your horse go for- 
 ward ? Yield to him your hand ; and for that 
 purpose turn your nails downwards, in such 
 
MODERN RIDING. Jo 
 
 a manner as to bring your thumb near your 
 body, to remove your little finger from it, and 
 to bring the thumb into the place where the 
 knuckles were in the First Position, keeping 
 your nails directly above your horse's neck. 
 This is the Second Position. 
 
 III. Would 3^ou turn your horse to the 
 right? Leave the First Position, and carry 
 your nails to the right, turning your hand 
 upside down, in such a manner that your 
 thumb be carried out to the left, and the little 
 finger brought in to the right. This Position 
 of the hand will carry the operation of the 
 Reins nearly three inches more to the right, 
 by which the left Reins will press the neck, 
 and the right Reins will be slack. This is the 
 Third Position. 
 
 IV. Would you turn your horse to the 
 left ? Leave the First Position, turn the little 
 linger to the left, the thumb to the right, the 
 back of the hand upwards. This will carry 
 the operation of the Reins to the left, the 
 right Reins will press the neck, and the left 
 
76" PKiNCirLES OF r. iv. 
 
 Reins will be slack. This is the Fourth 
 Position. 
 
 V. Would you make your horse go back- 
 ward? Quit the First Position, let the wrist 
 be quite round ; turn the nails quite upwards, 
 and the knuckles towards the horse's neck. 
 This is the Fifth Position. 
 
 These different Positions, however, are not 
 alone sufficient; we must be able to pass 
 from one to another with readiness and 
 order. 
 
 These aids where the Reins are held in 
 one hand are not so effective as those where 
 the Reins are separate ; which have already 
 been described. 
 
 They may be more simply given by a little 
 extending or bending the wrist to make the 
 horse advance or go backward ; and by 
 slightly carrying the hand to the right or 
 left, and rather upwards, to make the horse 
 turn in these directions. 
 
MODERN RIDIXG. 77 
 
 CHAP. 11. 
 
 OF THE AIDS OV THE BODY. 
 
 II. To cause the horse to advance, while the 
 hand is relaxed, throw the body a little for- 
 ward, but do not press the horse's fore parts 
 with your weight ; and at the same time ap- 
 proach your legs to his sides. — If your horse, 
 also, rise up, bend your body forward. 
 
 III. and IV. In order to make the horse 
 go into the corner of the manege, you must 
 begin by opening it. 
 
 To open a corner is to turn the shoulder 
 before you come to it, in order to make it 
 cover the ground ; and then the croupe, 
 which is turned in, will not follow the line of 
 the shoulders till they are turned and brou2;ht 
 
78 PRINCIPLES OF P. IV. 
 
 upon a straight line, in order to come out of 
 the corner. In order to turn the shoulder to 
 the corner, you must carry your hand to the 
 side to which you are to go ; and to throw in 
 the croupe, you must support it with the leg 
 or whip on that side to which you carry your 
 hand. 
 
 To make the shoulders turn, and come out 
 of the corner, you must carry your hand on 
 the side opposite to that to which you turned 
 it, in order to go into the corner ; and that 
 the croupe may pass over the same ground as 
 the shoulders, you must support with the leg 
 or whip of the same side to which you now 
 carry your hand. 
 
 The horse never can perform any of these 
 actions without an entire agreement of all 
 these Aids ; and one single motion of the 
 body will be sufficient to unite them all with 
 the utmost exactness. In effect, instead of 
 carrying your hand out, and seconding that 
 Aid with the leg or whip, turn your body, 
 but imperceptibly, towards the corner, just as 
 
MODERN RIDING. 79 
 
 if you intended to go into it yourself; your 
 body then turning to the right or left, your 
 hand, which is one of its appurtenances, must 
 necessarily turn likewise, and the leg or whip 
 of the side on which you turn will infallibly 
 press against the horse and aid him. If you 
 would come out of the corner, turn j^our 
 body again, your hand will follow it, and 
 your leg or whip of the other side approach- 
 ing the horse, will put his croupe into the 
 corner in such a manner, that it will follow 
 the shoulders, and be upon the same line. 
 
 It is by these means that you will be 
 enabled to time the Aids of the hand and leg 
 or whip with greater exactness than you could 
 do were you not to move your body ; for 
 how dexterous and ready soever you may be, 
 3^et when you only use your hand and leg or 
 whip, without letting their Aids proceed from, 
 and be guided by your body, they can never 
 operate so effectually, and their action is infi- 
 nitely less smooth, and not so measured and 
 proportioned, as when it proceeds only from 
 the motion of the body. 
 
80 PRINCIPLES OF P. IV. 
 
 The same motion of the body is Hkewise 
 necessary to turn entirely to the right or left, 
 to make your horse go sideways on one line, 
 or to make the changes. 
 
 V. If you would make the horse stop, 
 throw gently back your own body ; your 
 hand will go with it, and you will make the 
 horse obey by a single turn of the wrist. If 
 he kick, leap, or yerk out behind, throw your 
 body back. 
 
 If he gallop when he should not, oppose 
 all his motions ; and, for this purpose, push 
 your waist forward towards the pommel of the 
 saddle, making a bend or hollow at the same 
 time in your loins. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 81 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 OF THE AIDS OF THE LEG AND WHIP. 
 
 Ir must be observed, that a Lady can aid 
 only with one Leg— the left Leg on the left 
 side. The Whip gently pressed on must give 
 the corresponding Aid on the right side. 
 For this purpose the Whip must be carried 
 with the lash downward. At other times the 
 AVhip may be differently carried, but never in 
 such a manner that the lash may touch or 
 tickle the hind quarters or flank. The situa- 
 tion in which gentlemen carry their Whip and 
 hand is equally proper for Ladies. Ladies 
 may also occasionally carry their Whip-arm 
 straight, hanging pendulous from the shoulder ; 
 the thumb turned outward preventing the arm 
 shaking ; and the AVhip held in the manner 
 you would a pen, with the lash downwards. 
 
 L. G 
 
82 PRINCIPLES OF P. IV. 
 
 This position is graceful in a gentle trot or a 
 slow gallop. 
 
 II. If }^ou want to make the horse go for- 
 ward, while you yield your hand to him, at 
 the same time close your Leg and AVhip 
 upon his sides. The hand ceasing to con- 
 fine, and the Leg and Whip driving his hinder 
 parts, the horse obeys. » 
 
 III. If you want to go to the right, while 
 you carry your left hand to the right, and 
 support him with your right hand, your Whip 
 determines his croupe to the left, and facili- 
 tates the action of the shoulder, which your 
 hand had turned to the right. 
 
 IV. If you want to turn him to the left, 
 while you carry your right hand to the left, 
 and support him with your left hand, you 
 approach your left Leg. 
 
 When you would make a change to the 
 right, j^our left Leg confines the croupe, so 
 that it cannot escape, but must follow the 
 
MODERN RIDING. 83 
 
 shoulders. If you would change hands again 
 to the left, your Whip acts as your left Leg 
 did in going to the right. 
 
 V. When you wish to stop him, hold him 
 in, and approach your Leg and Whip gently 
 to his sides. 
 
 The Aids of the Leg and Whip have their 
 progressive strength and effect. 
 
 When the Aids are properly displayed, they 
 discover the taste and judgment of the rider, 
 and have a pleasing appearance. 
 
 G 2 
 
84 PRINCIPLES OF P. IV. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 OF ANIMATIONS, SOOTHINGS, AND COR- 
 RECTIONS. 
 
 Section I. — Of Animations. 
 
 Animations are requisitions of more exer- 
 tion, life, and spirit, and proceed from the 
 hand, the leg, or the whip. 
 
 Those of the hand and of the leg have been 
 already described among the aids. 
 
 Animations of the whip are mild taps to 
 quicken the horse ; or, if the lash is upwards, 
 switching it in the air. This has a gay apn 
 pearance, as well as effect, if not too often 
 repeated or continued too long. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 85 
 
 The Animations of the whip are menaces, 
 which indicate a punishment, if not attended 
 to. 
 
 Section II. — Of Soothings. 
 
 SooTHiNGS are the reverse of animations, and 
 are used to pacify horses that are alarmed, or 
 have too much fire in their constitutions. 
 
 Of all the means we use in dressing horses, 
 Soothings and caresses are the most salutary. 
 These dispel their fears, reconcile them to 
 new operations, and give them confidence in 
 their master. 
 
 The voice sooths by soft and mild tones; 
 the hand, by gentle patting. Sec. ; the body 
 and legs, by a stillness, relinquishment of all 
 unnecessary firmness, and sitting easy. 
 
 / 
 
86 PRINCIPLES OF P. IV. 
 
 Section 111. — Of Concctiom. 
 
 Corrections are of two sorts. You may 
 punish a horse with the whip ; you may 
 punish him by keeping him in a greater 
 degree of subjection. In all cases, a sensible 
 rider will endeavour rather to work upon the 
 understanding of the creature, than upon the 
 different parts of his body. 
 
 In reality, the Corrections which reduce a 
 horse to the greatest obedience, and which 
 yet dishearten him the least, are such as are 
 not severe ; but such as oppose him in what 
 he wants to do, by restraining and putting 
 him to do directly the contrary. If your 
 horse do not advance, or go off readily, or if 
 he be sluggish, make him go sideways, some- 
 times to one hand, sometimes to the other ; 
 drive him forward, and so alternately. If he 
 go forward too fast, being extremely quick 
 of feeling, moderate your aids, and make 
 
MODERN RIDING. 87 
 
 him go backward some steps : if he press 
 forward with hurry and violence, make him 
 go backward a great deal. If he is disor- 
 derly and turbulent, walk him straight for- 
 ward, with his head in and croupe out. These 
 sorts of Correction have great influence upon 
 most horses. 
 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF 
 
 MODERN RIDING 
 
 PART V. 
 
 OF THE DIRECT PACE8. 
 
PART V. 
 
 OF THE DIRECT PACES. 
 
 CHAP. I 
 
 or THE WALK, 
 
 Section I. — Of the IVcdk generalltj ami par- 
 ticulat'b/. 
 
 Foil the lessons of a few days, the pupil 
 should ride quietly at a M'alk round the 
 manege, in order to have an opportunity of 
 becoming, in some degree, accustomed to 
 the movements of the horse, of extending his 
 limbs, and of preserving the proper position 
 and balance while he is in motion. 
 
 She should not suffer the horse to move, if 
 she can help it, till her clothes are adjusted, 
 
92 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 and the reins shifted. Then collecting her 
 reins and taking one rein in the right hand, 
 she must press her leg and whip to the horse's 
 sides to request the horse to move forward in 
 the Walk, and till she makes this request the 
 horse should not be permitted to advance. 
 
 As soon as the horse begins to move, the 
 leg and whip are to resume their former 
 position, — the hands are to remain perfectly 
 steady, — the body is to yield to the move- 
 ments of the horse. The Walk is begun at 
 a slow rate, as this prevents confusion, and 
 by the etiquette of the riding house it is 
 directed to the right hand first. 
 
 The excellence of the Walk depends on 
 that degree of union which supports the 
 horse's head, and raises his feet without 
 shortening or retarding the step, and that 
 degree of animation which quickens the step, 
 and sharpens the beats without falsifying the 
 time or altering the action. The perfection 
 of the Walk therefore is, an animated quick 
 step, measuring exact distances, and making 
 
^rODERN RIDING. 93 
 
 a regular time, b}^ putting the foot flat to the 
 ground. 
 
 If the horse's head is not supported, he not 
 only carries himself slovenly, but does not 
 raise the foot sufficiently to put it out flat, 
 and he therefore shortens his step, and is 
 liable to touch with his toe. If, on the con- 
 trary, the head is supported too high, he 
 cannot put his foot out, and the step will also 
 be shortened and retarded. In this situation, 
 should the rider animate the horse to quicken 
 his step, or put out his foot, he would break 
 time, and go into the trot. 
 
 Thus, if you do not support the horse sufli- 
 ciently, his head will be low, and his Walk 
 slovenly. If you support him too much, you 
 will shorten his step so that he cannot walk 
 freely. If you do not animate him, he will 
 not exert himself. If you animate him too 
 much, he will trot. 
 
 If the horse trot when you design him to 
 walk, check him immediately, and examine 
 
94 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 the cause. You will find your animation 
 somewhere above the Walk ; for, though you 
 do not animate with whip or leg, yet your 
 hand, or even your body, may be too anima- 
 ting, when added to the natural spirit and 
 and vivacity of the horse. The hand, if too 
 high or confining, is too animating for the 
 Walk : the body, if braced too firm, or as 
 might be necessary in the trot, would also be 
 too animating ; for as the horse is, so must 
 the rider be. 
 
 The rider must practise the Walk to both 
 hands, by crossing over in the long change. 
 Let us, therefore, consider that and turns in 
 general. 
 
 Plate XII. illustrates the Walk. 
 
 Avoid laying hold on the off crutch of 
 the saddle on any occasion (unless you are 
 absolutely likely to fall) : you certainly will 
 acquire erroneous habits if you accustom 
 yourself to that practice. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 95 
 
 Section II. — Of Turns in the Walk. 
 
 All Turns are, at first, to be made very 
 slowly. 
 
 The inward hand (which is the hand on 
 which we turn to the right or left), is to be 
 a little below the outward hand, and the 
 inward rein leads, and is to be held with 
 double power or pressure, in comparison with 
 the outward rein. This aid is to be given by 
 the little finger pulling gently upwards, and 
 towards the body — never downwards to the 
 knee. The outward hand is to retain a 
 steady hold of the outward rein. 
 
 The horse is to be supported, and kept up 
 to the bridle, by an occasional slight pressure 
 of the leg and whip. He will thus be made 
 to obey the leading rein, and to bring his 
 haunches under him. The pressure of the 
 inward aid — the leg or whip separately, would 
 occasion the horse to throw his haunches too 
 much outwards. 
 
9^ PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 The aids are to be proportionately applied, 
 according to the effect you mean to produce. 
 The greatest exactness, uniformity, and deli- 
 cacy is required in the execution. 
 
 To give an idea of this, suppose a circle of 
 thirty yards diameter, and the number of 
 circles that can be described within so large 
 a circumference. Just so many degrees of 
 operation have these aids to perform. Even 
 in the centre, these aids, judiciously managed, 
 can turn the horse on three distinct and sepa- 
 rate pivots :— first, on his centre, or the point 
 directly under the seat of the pupil, in which 
 the fore feet take place of the hind, and the 
 hind of the fore : — secondly, on the fore feet, 
 in which the fore feet keep their ground, and 
 the hind feet move round them : — lastly, on 
 the hind feet, which keep the centre, while 
 the fore feet describe the circle. 
 
 In working a horse upon a circle of thirty 
 yards diameter, the delicacy of these aids is 
 not perceivable ; and yet, if there were none, 
 the horse would certainly work on a straight 
 
MODERN RIDING. 97' 
 
 line. This shows how susceptible and obe- 
 dient a horse is to the most imperceptible 
 touch ; for while a proper correspondence is 
 maintained, and the appui delicate and true, 
 a hair's breadth alteration of position affects 
 the horse's mouth. 
 
 This proportionate degree of aids proceeds 
 from, and is directed by, the eye. Thus : the 
 eye traverses about three or four yards before 
 the horse on the ground intended to be gone 
 over ; the body presents itself to the direction 
 of the eye ; the hand in its proper situation 
 moves with it ; and the hand being moved off 
 the line, though but half an inch, directs the 
 horse off the line in that proportionate degree. 
 The more the circles are contracted, the eye, 
 of course, in traversing the ground, will be 
 the more directed to the hand you are work- 
 ing to, and, consequently, the body and hand, 
 presenting themselves in that direction, give 
 the proportionate degree of aid required. 
 
 n 
 
98 PRINCIPLES or p. V. 
 
 Section III.— Of Wheels in the Walk. 
 
 A HORSE may Wheel or turn on his own 
 ground, on three pivots. The first two are in 
 continual use in the army ; the third is rarely 
 wanted ; but all should be practised, to give 
 a thorough knowledge of the power and effi- 
 cacy of the hand and heel or whip. 
 
 I. Here it is to be observed, that the aids 
 of the hand direct all before the rider, and 
 the aids of the heel or whip all behind her : 
 hence, in wheeling on centres, the hand and 
 heel or whip operate together — the hand 
 leading the shoulders round — the heel or whip 
 directing the croupe. Thus, in going about, 
 the fore feet describe half a circle, and the 
 hind feet another half circle ; by which means 
 the fore and hind feet change situations. 
 
 The great attention of the hand is to sup- 
 port that degree of appui which will carry its 
 aids into effect, and not suffer the horse to 
 
MODERN RIDING. 99 
 
 move off his ground ; for if the appui is too 
 weak, the horse will advance over his ground, 
 and if too strong, he will retire from his 
 ground. But whether you wheel to the right 
 or left, let the aids of the hand, body, and leg 
 or whip exactly correspond ; and practise 
 slowly at first, as much to the one hand as 
 the other. 
 
 As the horse arrives at the situation you 
 intend him to halt in, whether it is a Wheel, 
 which is a quarter circle, — about, which is 
 half a circle, — or about and about, which is a 
 whole circle, — the hand, bod}^, and leg or 
 whip must resume their proper straight posi- 
 tion ; the hand being dropped, and the fin- 
 gers eased, that the horse may stand quiet. 
 
 II. In wheeling the horse on his fore feet, 
 the hand has to support and confine the fore 
 part, while the heel or whip directs the croupe 
 round . 
 
 The aiding with the leg or whip will induce 
 the horse to advance, if a proper restriction 
 
 H 2 
 
100 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 be not put in the fingers. The hand, there- 
 fore, keeps its proper centrical situation, put- 
 ting so much restriction in the fingers as is 
 necessary to prevent the horse from advanc- 
 ing ; while the leg or whip, by a proportionate 
 strength of aid or pressure, directs the croupe 
 round. 
 
 The further attention of the hand is to 
 correct any propensity of the shoulders to 
 move, and that in the most delicate manner, 
 lest you create a greater disorder than you 
 meant to prevent. 
 
 III. The Wheeling a horse on his hind feet 
 is by far more difficult than the preceding. 
 
 The hand possessing a greater power than 
 the heel or whip, if it act too precipitately 
 or confiningly, will force the croupe off its 
 ground : the hand, therefore, must act with 
 the greatest caution and delicacy, allowing 
 sufficient scope for the shoulders, not to force 
 the croupe to shift. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 101 
 
 Both leg and whip are to be attentive to 
 the croupe. The inner of these, which is 
 that to which hand you are turning the horse, 
 is to be placed back, but not to touch, lest 
 you should throw the croupe out. The outer 
 of them must be ready to stay the croupe, if 
 it has such a propensity. 
 
 Section IV.— Of Changes and Demivolfs in the 
 Walk. 
 
 I. A Change is no more than the altering 
 the hand to which you were going, or the foot 
 with which you were leading ; but this being 
 done by different tracks or modes, and in 
 several actions, gives corresponding names 
 to them. 
 
 The Long Change is crossing the riding 
 house in a diagonal line, the whole length of 
 the house. In this, when you are working to 
 the right, you quit the wall at figure 1, and 
 cross to figure 3 ; or quit the wall at figure 3, 
 
102 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 and cross to figure 1 ; by which you change 
 the hand to which you were going. Plate 
 XIII. figure 1. In like manner, when work- 
 ing to the left, and you would change to the 
 right, you depart from the wall at figure 2, 
 and cross over to figure 4 ; or at figure 4, 
 and cross over to figure 2 ; which effects the 
 Change. 
 
 When working on circles of a large dia- 
 meter, and you would effect a Change, you 
 form another circle of the same dimensions, 
 making a figure 8 ; in the intersection of 
 which circles you change your own and 
 horse's position, and work to the contrary 
 hand. These are called Large Changes. 
 Figure 2. 
 
 When you change on circles which are so 
 circumscribed that the two do not exceed the 
 width of the riding house, they are called 
 Narrow Changes. Figure 3. 
 
 If, when you make a Change, you perceive 
 the croupe to be too much in, by turning 
 

 ''!'•■.'■ 
 
 V;i'; 
 
 //Ii 
 
 .//// 
 
 1 
 
 / 
 
 Narrow 
 
 
 
 % ^llli 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 fil 
 
 
 
 
 
 % ■ /f 
 1 /f ' 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 ■■%>. 
 
 r^ ii.'i 
 
 1 1 
 J 
 
 1 
 
 'Ii! ^ 
 
 
 
 1 
 s- 1 
 
 ^ //// 
 
 '•ii; 
 //// 
 
 
 '"■^S:r:TrX-IC->?:~vrVr;V/:^^^^ 
 
 
 ■VsVj>,_ 
 
 .■:^^' 
 
MODERN RIDING. 103 
 
 your body in, you will drive it out ; and the 
 hand, following the body, determines the 
 shoulder by means of the outward rein, which 
 is shortened. If the croupe is too much out, 
 turn you body out, and this posture, carrying 
 the hand out, shortens the inner rein, and 
 confines the croupe. This aid is so much 
 better, because, if executed with delicacy, it 
 is imperceptible, and never alarms the horse. 
 
 In order to make the hand and leg or whip 
 work together, it is necessary that the motion 
 should proceed from the rider's hip, which, 
 in turning, carries with it the rest of the body 
 insensibly ; without this, very far from being 
 assisted by the balance of your body in the 
 saddle, you would lose it entirely, and, toge- 
 ther with it, the gracefulness of your seat. 
 
 II. An air performed on a circle is called 
 a Volt ; and consequently the half circle is a 
 Demivolt. 
 
 The Change by the Demivolt is effected 
 when working to the right, as from A to B, — 
 
104 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 Plate XIV. Figure 2. At B you quit the 
 line, and work on a Demi volt, which brings 
 you to the point C, at which place you change 
 and work to the left. In changing again 
 from the left to the right, you quit the line at 
 the point D, Figure 3, work on a Demivolt 
 to the point E, change and work to the 
 right. 
 
 The Changes on the Volt are confined to 
 particular airs. When the Volt is complete 
 make a half stop, change the aid of leg or 
 whip, and work the Volt round to the con- 
 trary hand, on the same ground as before. 
 
 The Change Reverse is worked on travers- 
 ing lines, and confined to the same airs as the 
 Volt. It is done by reversing your hands, 
 position, &c. and consequently the horse's 
 position and foot at every angle. — Figure 4. 
 

 ,,: 
 
 
 
 
 
 <:■'' --/''' 
 
 
 -"-;.-- 
 
 
 
 yi^ .'.> 
 
 ,-/'' 
 
 ''^^■'■.. 
 
 
 
 
 'V' ^-r==-"-"-" 
 
 "-"-"--■-- '~\\ 
 
 
 
 ,-,-'-^ ..jf>- 
 
 /' z^'" 
 
 x\ 
 
 
 ,, 
 
 =''' -;5'''''' 
 
 a 1/ 
 
 \' 
 
 \ 
 
 
 ;-=-'' 
 
 \ ll 
 
 
 te 
 
 'J-T'' ~v- 
 
 
 il !; 
 
 
 ■'! '^ 
 
 *-^^>^ 
 
 '■>,.^ 
 
 i* V* 
 
 
 
 
 
 "^^=^=:.... 
 
 __.^:::>^'/ 
 
 
 H3 <jr, "-i;. 
 
 tTl 
 
 li=ti^.: 
 
 
 ^;\ 
 
 \v \ 
 
 1^0 i; 1; 
 
 / /' il I: 
 
 U if b ii i: 
 
 M ^ ii ii 
 
 ii !• •. ? il •: 
 
 \\ ^ ii ii 
 
 \\ ^ ii fi 
 
 ''\ ■■•>. 
 
 • "v. 
 
 """^M 
 
 ^U« 
 
MODERN RIDING. 105 
 
 Section V. — Of the Stop hi the Walk. 
 
 The Stop, in horsemanship, is an instanta- 
 neous prevention of action at the height of 
 animation, without the least previous notice 
 or indication by which the horse could be 
 aware of your intent : otherwise the effect 
 and intention would be lost. 
 
 The generality of horses and riders are not 
 capable of stopping at the word, and are 
 content to effect this by a gradual cessation 
 of action in an uncertain distance, depending 
 on the degree of animation and speed, dis- 
 union of the horse, or inefficacy of the rider's 
 hand, which may require the space of from 
 one to one hundred yards. 
 
 The Stop properly performed shows the 
 great superiority of the rider's hand over the 
 horse, thereby gives her confidence, confirms 
 
106 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 the horse in obedience, unites him, supples 
 the haunches, and bends the houghs. 
 
 Though its effects are beautiful and salu- 
 tary, mischief may occur from a too frequent 
 or injudicious practice of it ; for, should we 
 act too powerfully on a horse weak behind, 
 or in his loins, we may spring his sinews, or 
 sprain his back. 
 
 The perfection of the Stop consists in the 
 action ceasing at the finish of a cadence, 
 without breaking the previous time ; the 
 horse beins; so balanced on his haunches, and 
 the animation still alive, that, with liberty 
 given, he can advance with the same rapidity 
 as before. 
 
 The Stop is performed by the rider putting 
 a proportionate strength in the muscles of 
 the hand, bracing her arms to her body, feel- 
 ing both reins equally and firmly, drawing 
 the fingers toward the body, closing for an 
 instant both the leg and whip in order to 
 
MODERN RIDING. 107 
 
 press the horse up the bridle, and throwing 
 the body back. All this must be done at one 
 and the same instant, making but a single 
 motion ; for if the rider omit to press her 
 leg and whip, the horse may not bring his 
 haunches under ; and consequently the Stop 
 will be on the shoulders, and spoil the 
 effect. 
 
 The time must be seized when the first 
 part of the cadence is coming to the ground ; 
 so that the finish of that cadence completes 
 the Stop. If this time is not seized by the 
 rider, the cadence will be broken, and the 
 Stop irregular. 
 
 The hands and legs are immediately to 
 resume their proper position. 
 
 If your horse has not readily obeyed in 
 making his Stop, make him go backwards • 
 it is a proper punishment for the fault. If 
 in stopping he toss up his nose, or force the 
 hand, keep your bridle hand low and firm. 
 
108 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 and your reins quite equal, give him no 
 liberty, press upon his neck with your right 
 hand, till he has brought down his nose, and 
 then immediately give him all his bridle ; this 
 is the surest method to bring him into the 
 hand. 
 
 Plate XV. illustrates the Stop. 
 
 Section VI. — Of going Backward in the Walk. 
 
 The action of a horse when he goes back- 
 ward is, to have always one of his hinder 
 legs under his belly, to push his croupe 
 backward, to bend his haunches, and to rest 
 and balance himself one time on one leg, 
 and then on the other. 
 
 Care must be taken that this action of 
 going backward be just ; and that in per- 
 forming it the horse keep his head steady, 
 fixed, and in a right place, that his body be 
 
^ ^ \ \ k^ 
 
 \)\l 
 
 \\{^ 
 
 * M \C 
 
 '4*{3' i' 
 
MODERN RIDING. 109 
 
 trussed or gathered up as it were under him, 
 that he be not upon his shoulders, but, on 
 the contrary, upon his haunches, and that 
 his feet be even. 
 
 It is by an equal and steady feeling of 
 both reins of the bridle, that the horse is 
 made thus to step back ; and to give greater 
 efficacy to this, the hand should be kept from 
 rising, and the knuckles a little down. The 
 body should no longer be thrown back as in 
 the Stop, but rather bend forward, which 
 gives the hand greater effect, without pro- 
 voking the horse to rear — a circumstance 
 that might occur with horses which do not 
 readily obey the hand, particularly if you 
 leaned back to give power to the hand. If 
 you attempt to compel the horse back by the 
 power or weight of the body, and he should 
 rear, the body cannot be brought forward, 
 you hang on by the bridle, and should you 
 happen to have the preponderance, you pull 
 the horse backwards on yourself. The horse 
 must at the same time be gentlv felt widi both 
 
110 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 leg and whip, in order to keep him up to the 
 bridle, and to prevent him from swerving. 
 
 The operation of the hand in reining back 
 is a kind of invitation. Should the horse not 
 readily obey, play with the mouth by moving 
 the fingers : this will induce the horse to raise 
 his head. 
 
 The instant the horse is constrained to 
 back, the body, if in a proper position, will 
 incline forward, and the fingers must be 
 eased. A horse that is properly broke, 
 obeys the lightest pressure of the fingers, 
 and backs without throwing him off his ba- 
 lance ; but the horse that is constrained to 
 back is overbalanced, and, if the body did 
 not come forward, or the hand relinquish its 
 severity, he must back till he fell : there- 
 fore, the instant the horse yields to the 
 hand, the body and hand yield to the horse, 
 that he may recover his balance. He should 
 then be gently invited or pressed to back 
 again r 
 
MODERN RIDING. Ill 
 
 In reining back, the hand must preserve its 
 centrical situation, so that it may not compel 
 the croupe to traverse off the line. If the 
 hand is from the centre to the left, the croupe 
 will traverse to the right ; and if to the right, 
 the croupe will traverse to the left. 
 
 With the greatest exactness of the hand, 
 however, some horses' croupes will traverse, 
 and require the particular attention of the 
 heel or whip to support and direct them on 
 the line. The hand and heel or whip are 
 always to support and assist each other. 
 Thus : should the croupe traverse to the 
 right, you must, of course, press with the 
 whip ; then to give assistance or cooperation, 
 the hand must be carried a little to the rioht : 
 but this must be done with the greatest deli- 
 cacy, lest you should throw the croupe too 
 much to the left, and reverse the disorder 
 instead of correcting it. 
 
 It i& to be observed, that, in reining back, 
 the hand and the heel or whip change their 
 
112 PRINCIPLES OP P. V. 
 
 functions ; that is, the hand compels the action, 
 and the heel or whip directs it. 
 
 This operation ought to be performed very 
 slowly at first, and only two or three steps at 
 a time. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 113 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 OF THE TROT. 
 
 Section I. — Of the Trot iji general. 
 
 When the pupil has been sufficiently prac- 
 tised in the Turnings, &c. at a Walk, she is 
 to be instructed to urge her horse into a 
 o;entle Trot. 
 
 This pace is the foundation of excellence 
 in all others. By its alternate action, we 
 supple every joint — the shoulders, the elbow, 
 the knee, the loins, the haunches, the houghs : 
 we raise the head and foot, and make the 
 mouth, without which the faculties of the 
 horse are confined, and all his actions stiff 
 and uneven. 
 
 L. I 
 
114 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 The perfection of the Trot consists : first, 
 in its suppleness, which gives the horse a free 
 use and extension of his limbs, either on 
 straight lines or circles ; next, in its union, by 
 which the labour is more equally distributed, 
 for a little observation points out, that the 
 horse's fore legs have a greater portion to 
 sustain than the hind, especially when the 
 horse is disunited, or, what is termed, on the 
 shoulders ; then in its action, which should 
 be true and equal, the liberty of the fore 
 quarters not exceeding the hind, nor the hind 
 the fore, — the knee up, the haunches bent, 
 springy and pliant, the step measuring exact 
 distances, and making a regular time of one, 
 two, the measure of which depends on the 
 animation, restriction, or rapidity of the ac- 
 tion. By these qualities, the horse is capa- 
 citated to work freely to right or left, on 
 circles, without falsifying his step, or break- 
 ing his time. 
 
 In the Trot, as in the gallop, the horse 
 leads with a foot, either right or left, by 
 \yhich the leading side is a little more ad- 
 
MODERN RIDIXG. 115 
 
 vanced than the other. This nice discrimi- 
 nation is observed only by those much ac- 
 quainted with horses. The suppUng to both 
 hands capacitates him to work to one hand 
 as well as the other ; and in horses that have 
 not been so suppled, if chance or fatigue 
 make them chanoe their les; for that which 
 they are not accustomed to, their action is 
 stiff, irregular, confined, and unpleasant. 
 
 Section II. — Of the K'nids of Trot. 
 
 There are three kinds of Trot — the Extend- 
 ed, the Supple, and the Even. These depend 
 upon each other. In effect, you cannot pass 
 a horse to the Supple Trot, without having 
 first worked him upon the Extended Trot ; 
 and you can never arrive at the Even and 
 Equal Trot, without having first practised the 
 Supple. 
 
 I. By the Extended is meant that trot in 
 which the horse steps out without retaining 
 
 i2 
 
116 PRIXCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 himself, being quite straight, and going di- 
 rectly forwards. This, consequently, is the 
 kind of trot with which the pupil may begin ; 
 for before any thing else ought to be medi- 
 tated, the horse should be taught to cover his 
 ground readily, and without fear. 
 
 II. The Trot, however, may be extended 
 without being supple ; for the horse may go 
 directly forvvard, and yet not have that ease 
 and suppleness of limb which distinguishes and 
 characterises the Supple Trot. The Sup- 
 ple Trot is that in which the horse, at every 
 motion that he makes, bends and plays the 
 joints of his shoulders, knees, and feet. This 
 no colts or raw horses, who have not had 
 their limbs suppled by exercise, can exe- 
 cute: on the contrary, they always trot with 
 surprising stiffness and awkwardness, and 
 without the least spring or play in their 
 joints. 
 
 III. The Even or Equal Trot is that wherein 
 the horse makes all his limbs and joints move 
 so equally and exactly that his legs never 
 
MODERN RIDING. 11? 
 
 cover more ground one than the other, nor at 
 one time more than at another. To do this, 
 the horse must of necessity unite and collect 
 all his strength, and, if we may be allowed 
 the expression, distribute it equally through 
 all his joints. 
 
 To go from the Extended Trot to the Sup- 
 ple, you must gently, and by degrees, hold in 
 j^our horse ; and when by exercise he has 
 attained sufficient ease and suppleness to 
 manage his limbs readily, you must insensibly 
 hold him in still more and more, and by de- 
 grees you will lead him to the Equal Trot. 
 
 Section III. — Of the Trot in particular. 
 
 Begin each pace conformably with etiquette, 
 by going first to the right. Therefore, from 
 the walk cross over from the left by the long 
 change, and put your horse to the Trot. 
 
 To make the horse trot, apply, for an in- 
 
118 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 stant, the leg and whip to his sides : at the 
 same time raise the forehand by a shght 
 feeling of the bridle, drawing the little finger 
 of each hand rather upwards and towards the 
 body. This, as well as all other aids of the 
 hands, must be done smoothly, avoiding all 
 jerks or sudden motions. 
 
 The instant the action commences, the 
 hand receives and regulates it. If too rapid, 
 it is checked, by strengthening the hand ; — if 
 too slow, by easing the fingers, and more 
 animation ; — if not sufficiently united, by col- 
 lecting the reins, and raising the head. 
 
 The beginning is always moderate. The 
 rider sits close to the saddle, not rising nor 
 standing in the stirrup ; and she keeps the 
 hands up in their proper situation, steady and 
 pliant, preserving a due correspondence, and 
 just appui. 
 
 As the horse moves on in the Trot, the 
 body of the rider should incline a little back- 
 vvards, and the whole figure must be pliant. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 119 
 
 partaking of, and accompanying, the move- 
 ments of the horse. 
 
 The seat must chiefly be preserved by the 
 balance of the body. 
 
 These things attained, the rider may pro- 
 ceed as rapidly as the firmness of her seat 
 and balance will admit, being mindful not to 
 exceed that, lest her seat should be thrown 
 into disorder. 
 
 When the pupil is confirmed in some 
 degree, in her seat at a Trot, she should be 
 taught to collect her horse, and to bring his 
 haunches under him. This is effected by 
 pressing the horse up to the bridle by the aid 
 of the leg and whip ; but care must be taken 
 that this is not done too hastily or violently, 
 as the horse might thereby be injured. 
 
 It is of importance to remark, that the rider 
 ought at no time, neither in the extended, 
 supple, nor equal Trot, to confine her horse 
 in the hand, in expectation of raising him. 
 
120 PKINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 and fixing his head in a proper place. If the 
 appui be full in the hand, and the action of 
 his Trot should be checked and restrained by 
 the power of the bridle, his bars would very- 
 soon grow callous, and his mouth be hardened 
 and dead : if, on the contrary, he has a fine 
 and sensible mouth, this very restraint would 
 offend and make him uneasy. The rider must 
 endeavour, then, to give him, by degrees, the 
 true and just appui, to place his head, and 
 form his mouth by stops and half stops, — by 
 sometimes moderating and restraining him 
 with a gentle and light hand, and yielding it 
 to him immediately again, — and by sometimes 
 letting him trot without feeling the bridle at 
 all. 
 
 The only proof, or rather the most certain 
 sign of a horse trotting well is, that when 
 he is in his Trot, and the rider begins to press 
 him a little, he offers to gallop. 
 
 As the rider improves, she will encourage 
 her horse to put his foot out freely, support- 
 ing his forehand up, and his haunches under. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 121 
 
 For this purpose, she must keep up a suffi- 
 cient degree of animation ; and the instant 
 she perceives a languor, which may be felt 
 before any visible abatement in the action 
 takes place, she must throw in her animation 
 in time — a touch of the finger, the animation 
 of the tongue, the switch of the whip, or the 
 application of the leg and whip, whichever 
 comes the most ready, so that it is not too 
 frequently used to lose its effect. 
 
 Section IV. — Of Turns ^ Stops, <^^c, in the Trot. 
 
 The operations directed in the preceding 
 chapter to be performed at the Walk, are 
 now to be practised at a Trot. 
 
 On Turns and Changes in the Trot there 
 is nothing to be added ; but as Stops were 
 required to coincide with cadences, it is ne- 
 cessary to observe that the first cadence in 
 the Trot is performed by the two feet that 
 
122 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 lead, and mark the time, one ; and that the 
 feet that mark the time, two, finish the ca- 
 dence, and should complete the Stop. 
 
 To give variety and information, the rider 
 should occasionally alter the cadence or mea- 
 sure of the action, by strengthening the hand, 
 and keeping up a sufficient degree of anima- 
 tion, to prevent the horse from stopping. 
 Then again she should give him liberty, and 
 proceed with the same spirit as before. Now 
 she may make a Stop : then rein him back 
 two or three steps, keeping the horse so united 
 and animated, that the instant the hand may 
 give him liberty, he advances as rapidly 
 again. 
 
 The pupil by thus exerting herself, and 
 progressively aiming from one degree of ex- 
 cellence to another, till she can ride a spirited 
 horse to the height of his animation, will 
 strengthen her seat, get the true balance of 
 body, and learn the operation, effect, and 
 power of the hand. 
 
^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
MODERN HIDING. 123 
 
 When the pupil rides with this animation 
 and spirit, which cannot be expected for some 
 time, the lessons must be proportionally short. 
 If we ride a horse to the height of his anima- 
 tion, though he were in regular exercise and 
 the best condition, he would be so heated 
 in ten minutes, that humanity would say — 
 " Stop ; let the horse take breath, and re- 
 cover himself." 
 
 This, in horsemanship, is called a reprise ; 
 and two such breathings are sufficient for any 
 horse to do in one day ; for the moderate 
 riding of a horse twenty miles on the road 
 would not be more distressing, nor reduce 
 his condition so much, as riding two such 
 reprises. 
 
 Plate XVI. illustrates the Trot. 
 
 The Rise in the trot is not so easily ac- 
 quired by Ladies as Gentlemen. Neverthe- 
 less, practice will soon overcome the diffi- 
 culty. 
 
124 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 On bringing your body a little forward, 
 when the action of the horse raises you from 
 the saddle, a greater portion of your weight 
 will be received by the right knee, by which 
 and a light pressure with your left foot, you 
 ease your return to the saddle. 
 
 Ladies must be mindful in rising, that they 
 do not twist their bodies, nor rise to the left 
 side, a fault many are addicted to. To avoid 
 such a practice, endeavour to keep the right 
 shoulder back, and raise the body in a line to 
 the horse's right ear. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 125 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 OF THE GALLOP. 
 
 Section I. — Of the Gallop in general, and of its 
 Kinds. 
 
 We do not recommend the Gallop to be 
 begun soon, because the trot is the founda- 
 tion of good riding ; the young rider, how- 
 ever, being duly prepared by the practice 
 of the foregoing lessons, may proceed to that 
 of the Gallop. 
 
 The Gallop may be considered under three 
 distinct heads, namely : — That of the Racer, 
 on the course at Newmarket ; that of the 
 Hunter, under moderate animation, in the 
 field; and that of the Lady's or Pleasure 
 
126 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 Horse, on the road, which is commonly 
 called the Canter. Each of these actions 
 has its peculiar excellence ; but the last is 
 the most difficult to accomplish, as it requires 
 the skill of an able rider to foreshorten and 
 throw the horse on his haunches, sufficiently 
 to complete it. 
 
 In Cantering or Galloping on a straight 
 line, it is not very material whether the 
 horse leads with the off leg before, or with 
 the near leg before, provided the hind leg 
 of the same side follows the fore leg. Indeed 
 it has been found, on trial, that by strictly 
 adhering to the rule of never suffering a 
 horse to gallop but with his right fore leg, 
 he has been quite worn out on one side, when 
 he was quite sound on the other. It is, how- 
 ever, proper that the horse should be deter- 
 mined by the rider as to the leg with which 
 he should lead. Ladies' horses generally 
 lead with the off or right les;. 
 
 In Cantering round the circle, or the ma- 
 nege, to the right, it is necessary the horse 
 
' ! 
 
 
 
^ 
 % 
 
 :=^ 
 
 h 
 
 o 
 
MODERN RIDING. 127 
 
 should lead with the inward, or off fore leg, 
 followed by the off hind leg. This action is 
 termed true or united. — Plate XVII. 
 
 In Cantering to the right, if the horse lead 
 with the off fore leg, and near hind leg, he is 
 said to be disunited : it is a rocking motion, 
 the legs interfere, and he cannot sustain it. 
 Or if he lead with the near fore leg, and off 
 hind leg, he is equally disunited. — Plate 
 XVIII. 
 
 In Cantering to the ri2[ht, if the horse 
 lead with both near legs, he is said to gallop 
 false. 
 
 In Cantering round the circle, or the ma- 
 nege, to the left, it is necessary the horse 
 should lead with the inward, or near fore leg, 
 followed by the near hind leg. This is termed 
 true or united. — Plate XIX. 
 
 In Cantering to the left, if the horse lead 
 with the near fore leg and off hind leg, he is 
 
128 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 said to be disunited. Or if he lead with the 
 oft* fore leg and near hind leg, he is equally 
 disunited. 
 
 In Cantering to the left, if the horse lead 
 with both off" legs, he is said to be false. 
 
 Section II. — Of the Canter in particular. 
 
 In the early practice of the Canter, it should 
 be commenced from a short animated, and 
 collected trot. After some practice it may 
 be done from the walk ; and finally from the 
 halt. 
 
 The first thing to learn is, how, in a proper 
 manner, to put the horse into a Canter ; for 
 to begin the Canter well, and to finish it well, 
 displays more the skill of the rider than any 
 part of it. 
 
 To put the horse immediately to the Canter 
 from the spot where you may be standing, or 
 
MODERN RIDING. 129 
 
 from any pace j^ou may be riding, the hands 
 and the heel and whip must collect and press 
 the horse together : in other words, press the 
 horse with the leg and whip ; and at the same 
 time, with a quickening sensation in the 
 fingers, and a little raising of the hand, in- 
 vite the fore legs to rise in the action of the 
 Canter. 
 
 If the horse do not readily obey this, you 
 must increase your animation, and keep the 
 hand more firm, to prevent the horse trotting. 
 By this means, you will constrain him to 
 raise his fore legs together, which commences 
 the action. 
 
 Besides raising the action to the Canter, 
 you are likewise to direct the horse which 
 foot he is to lead with. The foot the horse 
 should lead with is the inner ; and horses that 
 have been equally suppled to canter with 
 either leg, readily take the foot, by putting 
 the croupe in. This will be understood by 
 what follows. 
 
 L. K 
 
130 • PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 In the Canter, the horse leads with one 
 side, and that side is advanced somewhat 
 more forward than the other, which is in- 
 creased as a horse maj^ canter more or less 
 with his croupe in. This position of the 
 horse makes a corresponding position of the 
 rider necessary, whereby the balance is kept 
 more steady, and the position of the horse 
 better supported. 
 
 Ladies' horses generally canter with the 
 right foot forward ; and in this case, the body 
 and consequently the hands naturally turn 
 slightly to the left. 
 
 The rider's head, by a like general rule, is 
 always to be directed to the horse's nose, her 
 eye glancing on the ground the horse's fore 
 feet go over. In the Canter the horse's nose 
 is directed to the ground : the rider's face is 
 consequently the same. 
 
 This position of the rider must be propor- 
 tioned to the position of the horse ; that is. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 131 
 
 as the horse canters more or less with his 
 croupe in. 
 
 Let the pupil then attempt to put her horse 
 to the Canter, we will say to the right : that 
 is, leading with the right foot foremost. At 
 the instant she makes the disposition with her 
 hands and animations to raise the action to 
 the Canter, let her take the corresponding 
 position, and the effect will be this : the hands 
 will be carried more to the left, which will 
 determine the shoulders out and support the 
 horse's head in a proper position; while the 
 left leg being turned a little out, will be car- 
 ried farther back, and nearer to the horse's 
 side, and that will support the croupe to the 
 right, that is, in. 
 
 If the horse strike off with the wrons; le^, 
 false or disunited, the rider must endeavour, 
 at the first corner at which he arrives, by an 
 additional feeling of the right rein, and ap- 
 plication of the left leg, to make him change, 
 and lead with the proper leg. 
 
 k2 
 
132 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 When the horse leads with the proper leg^ 
 the hand should resume its usual position, 
 the rider observing to make the horse bend a 
 little inwards, by shortening the right rein. 
 The fingers should be softened, if necessary, 
 to let the horse advance, but the hand kept 
 up, and every cadence felt of the fore feet 
 coming to the ground. 
 
 Beginners cannot be expected at first to 
 know when the horse takes the proper leg : 
 practice alone must give them that know- 
 ledge. If the rider, however, take the proper 
 position, and if the horse go off smoothly, 
 and continue the croupe in, she may reason- 
 ably suppose him right ; but on the contrary, 
 if the horse appear to resist these aids, and 
 the croupe be out and the shoulders in, he 
 will, most likely, be false. 
 
 It is natural with beginners, to suppose 
 that the faster they ride, the better they ride ; 
 but, however gratifying the riding fast may 
 be, there is more skill displayed in keeping 
 
MODERN RIDING. 133 
 
 up an animated action in the Gallop, at the 
 rate even of three miles an hour, than at that 
 of twelve or fifteen miles an hour. The 
 attention of the pupil should therefore be, 
 to keep up the animation and action of the 
 Gallop, without going fast. If the animation 
 fail, or the action be not supported by the 
 hand, the horse will break into the trot, 
 particularly as the Gallop is shortened or 
 united. 
 
 The perfection of the Gallop consists in 
 the suppleness of the limbs, the union of the 
 horse, the justness of the action, and the 
 regularity of the time. 
 
 The Gallop when disunited and when ex- 
 tended to speed, even though the horse is 
 supple and just on his legs, loses its harmony 
 and regularity of time. In these cases, the 
 fore legs measure less space from each other, 
 and so do the hind legs, which makes the 
 beats quicker in each, and leaves a space 
 between the beats of the fore legs, and the 
 beats of the hind. In these Gallops, it would 
 
134 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 be highly imprudent to circle, or turn, but on 
 a very large scale. 
 
 Begin, therefore, in a medium way, nei- 
 ther too rapid nor too slow. Be sure to 
 keep the hands up, rather above than below 
 the elbow, and quite steady, that you may 
 feel the cadence of every step, and the sup- 
 port your hand gives. If you feel the action 
 declining, correct it instantly, before worse 
 disorder takes place, by an animating touch 
 of the fingers, the leg, or the whip. The 
 hand first discovers any disorder or relin- 
 quishment going to take place, and conse- 
 quently is the first to correct it. 
 
 Horses, when broke, in many instances, 
 discover the ineflficacy of the rider's hand, 
 particularly in the Gallop round the riding 
 house. If the hand be not attentive, the 
 horse will break his ground at the ends: he 
 will not only evade filling the corners, but 
 will circle without going to the extent of the 
 house. To prevent this, keep the horse suf- 
 ficiently united, and properly supported by 
 
MODERN RIDING^ 135 
 
 the hand. Do not suffer him to depart from 
 the side wall, till his nose arrives within five 
 yards of the end wall. As you become pro- 
 ficient, you may ride him up to a yard. 
 Then gradually turn or incline your body, to 
 let the horse circle ; but still keep the hands 
 sufficiently operating outward, to keep the 
 horse's fore legs on the outer extent of the 
 ground, and .close the leg, to support the 
 croupe in, and haunches under ; by which 
 the horse will be properly balanced, and in 
 no danger of slipping. 
 
 The pupil must be trained by piractice and 
 instruction to retain her seat and balance, 
 and to make her horse obey the aids, with as 
 much ease and steadiness at the Canter as at 
 the Walk. 
 
 When the rider finds she can put her horse 
 off properly, and support the action, she must 
 particularly attend to the truth and union of 
 the action, and try to raise it to the highest 
 animation, riding sometimes rapidly, some- 
 times slowly, yet always united. 
 
136 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 When capacitated to ride the Gallop in 
 high animation, lofty action, united and true 
 to both hands, she will proceed to make the 
 changes. 
 
 Section III. — Of Turns, Stops, <^c. in the 
 Gallop. 
 
 I. When the rider is familiar with the paces, 
 easy in her seat, and has learnt to apply the 
 proper aids, she should be taught how to 
 turn her horse to the right, at a canter. 
 This is to be done with the leading rein, by 
 raising the horse's forehand, and pressing 
 the haunches forward and under him : at the 
 same time, the outward rein assists to steady 
 the horse, and a pressure of the leg keeps the 
 haunches from falling too much out. 
 
 If she turn her horse suddenly with the 
 inward rein, only without shifting the fore- 
 hand, or applying the leg, the horse must 
 turn on his shoulders, and lose all power to 
 
MODERN RIDING. 137 
 
 halt on his haunches; and being twisted 
 round unprepared, he will change to the 
 outward leg, to counteract the effect of this 
 uncollected Turn. 
 
 The inner hand always supports the posi- 
 tion the horse works in, and must be fixed to 
 the body. The outer hand must be accom- 
 modating to the inner : that is, it may be de- 
 tached from the body, — placed forward to 
 admit the little turn of the horse's nose to 
 the lines he is to work on, — carried higher 
 than the inner, to raise the action and anima- 
 tion without moving the hand that supports 
 the position ; and if the outer elbow is raised, 
 the hand, elbow, and shoulder must be of a 
 parallel height, and form a graceful arch. 
 
 II. 1. The pupil should also practise the 
 Stop frequently, always changing the place 
 where she stops, lest the horse should pre- 
 pare himself to halt when he comes^ to the 
 place at which he has been accustomed to 
 stop. 
 
138 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 To avoid any unnecessary shock either to 
 rider or horse, during the manege lessons, 
 the Halt should at first be preceded by the 
 trot, and the pupil should stop her horse 
 well on the haunches, by applying the leg 
 and whip as he feels the bridle, raising her 
 horse's forehand, and suffering him to go a 
 pace or two at the trot before he finally 
 halts. 
 
 To stop skilfully in the gallop, you seize 
 the time when the horse's fore feet are coming 
 to the ground, which is the beginning of the 
 cadence ; and the hind feet coming up to 
 their exact distance finish the cadence, and 
 complete the Stop ; while the horse is so 
 balanced, that he can readily set off again 
 with the same rapidity as before. 
 
 The skill of the rider and obedience of 
 the horse, are happily displayed in the Stop 
 during the gallop ; for, besides seizing the 
 exact time, as above observed, a due pro- 
 portion of power must be attended to, agree- 
 
MODERN RIDING. 139 
 
 able to the readiness, obedience, union, or 
 rapidity of the action. Should your opera- 
 tion be too feeble, the Stop would not be 
 effected, at least in a proper manner : if it 
 be too powerful, you overbalance the horse 
 on his haunches, and compel him to move 
 his feet after the cadence is finished, to re- 
 cover his balance. Besides, in these over 
 violent operations of the body and hand, you 
 risk the extension of the sinews behind, or 
 hurting the back and loins ; and therefore, 
 till horses are ready and obedient to the 
 Stop, it should not be attempted in too vio- 
 lent and rapid gallops ; nor even then, if the 
 horse is weak^ or the rider heavy, in which 
 case, the double Arret is used, as being less 
 liable to injure the horse, or shake the 
 rider. 
 
 2. The double Arret is, the Stop completed 
 in two cadences of the gallop, which, in vio- 
 lent action, is by far less distressing both to 
 rider and horse. The horse, till practised 
 and made obedient to the Stop, will not 
 however be handy at the double Arret ; for, 
 
140 PRINCIPLES OF P. V. 
 
 in the first instance, he stops by compulsion ; 
 but when practice has brought him to obe- 
 dience, he readily stops at the easy throwing 
 back of the body. In rapid action, the body 
 being gently thrown back, will not make the 
 action instantaneously cease ; but the obe- 
 dience of the horse makes the effort, which 
 checks half his career in the first cadence, 
 and the body being still kept back, he com- 
 pletes it in the second. 
 
 3. The half Stop is a pause in the gallop, 
 or the action suspended for a half second, 
 and then resumed again. 
 
 Now, the difference in performing the half 
 Stop, is throwing the aid of the body back, 
 not so determinately, lest you should thereby 
 so overbalance the horse that he cannot rea- 
 dily set off again, without moving his legs 
 after the finish of the cadence ; for the ca- 
 dence is no sooner finished than the body is 
 to come forward, to permit the action to go 
 on : so that the half Stop is only a pause in the 
 gallop. It is mostly used to effect a change 
 
MODERN RIDING. 141 
 
 from the left leg to the right, when the left 
 has been improperly taken up. 
 
 The cadence of the Stop, half Stop, and 
 double Arret are quicker than the Gallop, 
 because, when the aids are thrown in to 
 effect the Stop, the hands check the fore legs, 
 while the rider's leg and whip drive in the 
 haunches ; and this occasions the feet to 
 come to the ground quicker and nearer toge- 
 ther. The cadence of the Stop should be no 
 shorter than the readiness and obedience of 
 the horse will admit ; the half Stop not quite 
 so short ; and the two Arrets still more mode- 
 rate, by which the horse stops with more 
 ease to himself in two cadences. 
 
 As the Canter is a severe exercise, both 
 for riders and horses, the duration of it 
 should be short. 
 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF 
 
 MODERN RIDING, 
 
 PART VI. 
 
 OF CIRCLING, LEAPING, AND CRITICAL 
 SITUATIONS. 
 
PART VI. 
 
 OF CIRCLING, LEAPING, AND CRITICAL 
 SITUATIONS. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 OF THE CIRCLE. 
 
 The Circle should, at first, be from twelve 
 to twenty yards in diameter, and the horse 
 be made to move on it for some days at a 
 walk. 
 
 In moving round a Circle, in order to pre- 
 serve the poise of his body, the horse must 
 necessarily lean inwards in proportion to the 
 size of the Circle, and to the speed at which 
 he is made to move upon it. The rider must 
 
 L. L 
 
146 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 of course conform to, and partake of, that 
 inclination, or the equiHbrium of both will be 
 disturbed, and she will lose the power to 
 retain her seat. 
 
 This exercise of the Circle confirms the 
 equilibrium and unity of the rider and 
 horse. 
 
 Commence the Circle to the right, by lead- 
 ing off the horse with the inward rein, so that 
 you can see the inward eye ; and support the 
 horse with the leg, to keep his haunches under 
 him. 
 
 The direction already given, that the inward 
 rein is to be lower than the outward one, 
 should be particularly attended to, when 
 riding with the snaffle. 
 
 Here, besides keeping up a proper corres- 
 pondence in the hand, supporting the action, 
 and regulating the time, your eye is to mark 
 the ground your horse is to work on ; and 
 your aids for that purpose are to be smooth 
 
MODERN RIDING. 14? 
 
 and delicate, that the action or time may not 
 be interrupted. 
 
 To be certain that your hand and aids are 
 correct, you may at first have some mark to 
 direct your eye, which the horse would not 
 be directed by ; for if your Circles were 
 trodden on a green sod, your horse would of 
 himself follow the beaten path, and you would 
 not be able to discover the truth of your 
 aids. Having, therefore, ground which is 
 not marked, if you place four or five marks 
 on each Circle, endeavour to pass directly 
 over each mark. You will then discover how 
 near you can work. 
 
 Do not confine yourself to work the whole 
 time on two Circles, because that would not 
 only become irksome, but the horse might 
 work it by rote. After some continuance at 
 it, therefore, diversify your track, and change 
 your ground as often as you please, that the 
 horse may never be aware of your intention, 
 except by the correctness of your aids. 
 
 L 2 
 
148 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 Plate XX. will more clearly describe the 
 lines to work on. The intersection of the 
 circles, and the termination of the diagonal 
 lines, are the points where you change your 
 ground from one Circle to another. The 
 letters a are where you may drop your marks 
 to direct you to your ground, and discover 
 the correctness of your performance. 
 
 Begin, then, with a slow cadence, and 
 moderate animation, till you can keep your 
 ground, and change smoothly without break- 
 ing time or pace. Then attempt a brisker 
 action, and higher animation, always attend- 
 ing to the accuracy of the pejformance. As 
 you attain perfection in the large changes, 
 occasionally attempt the narrow, which still 
 makes a greater diversity, always aiming at 
 exactness in working your ground true, and 
 changing without breaking time. 
 
 As the rider is confirmed in her balance 
 and seat, the Circle may be gradually dimi- 
 nished, and she may urge her horse into a 
 
MODERN RIDING. 149 
 
 gentle trot; and finally, when properlj^ pre- 
 pared, into a short, collected canter. 
 
 This lesson after being practised with both 
 hands, must be accomplished with one. 
 
 This occasionino; great exertion to the 
 horse, must be of short duration, and relieved 
 by frequent halts. 
 
 After due preparation, the Circle should 
 be the concluding part of each day's lesson, 
 and should, at first, be done without the stir- 
 rup, and afterwards with it. 
 
150 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 CHAP. II, 
 
 OF LEAPING 
 
 Section I. — Of Leaping in General. 
 
 For the practice of Leaping in the manege, 
 the movable bar is preferable to fixed posts, 
 as by being easily removed, it leaves the place 
 free for other purposes of exercise when the 
 bar is not wanted. The bar should be ten 
 feet in length, which will admit of two horses 
 leaping abreast. It should be low at first 
 (from one to two feet) ; and never very 
 high. 
 
 The stirrup is no security to the seat in any 
 situation on horseback ; and those who can- 
 
MODERN RIDING. 151 
 
 not forbear pressing a weight in it, had better, 
 when learning to leap, have none. 
 
 It is evident, that when any action of the 
 horse tends to lift you from the saddle, the 
 stirrup cannot keep you down. Nothing 
 but the gravity of the body presses to the 
 saddle. 
 
 Bearing in the stirrup, however, must ope- 
 rate to the lifting you from the saddle, and 
 must loosen any hold you may take with the 
 leg. 
 
 Leaps are taken standing or flying. The 
 first is most difficult to sit, though always 
 practised first, because the slow and steady 
 leaping of a properly broke horse gives the 
 rider time and recollection, and the master 
 standing by can direct, and prevent acci- 
 dents. 
 
1.52 PRINCIPLES OF r. VI. 
 
 Section II. — Of the Standing Leap. 
 
 In the Standing Leap, the horse first shortens 
 and then extends himself, in a considerable 
 degree. Great readiness in the hand of the 
 rider is, therefore, requisite to give the ap- 
 propriate aids. These, if well timed, will 
 assist the horse ; but if otherwise, they will 
 check or embarrass him, and endanger both 
 the animal and his rider. 
 
 Plates XXI, XXII, and XXIII, illustrate 
 the Leap. 
 
 In commencing the lesson of Leaping, the 
 rider must chieflj^ depend on the natural 
 effort of her horse. The pupil, who has the 
 advantage of learning on a well trained horse, 
 must therefore be first taught to leave him at 
 liberty to extend himself by a ready and fear- 
 less yielding of the bridle, observing only to 
 pfeserve her own equilibrium by leaning for- 
 
rrr 
 
 
 ' '^ I 
 
 __ ':'><l^£' -- •'-^~^^'J>- 
 
^ 
 
 
MODERN HIDING. 153 
 
 ward, as the horse rises, and backward, as 
 she ahghts. — See the Plates. 
 
 By practice and attention, she will soon 
 learn to apply the aids necessary to assist the 
 horse. These are few; but to a beginner, 
 they may be of difficult application. 
 
 The position then of the rider, when 
 Leaping, changes as the horse changes his 
 position. 
 
 Thus, when the horse is brought to the 
 bar, the body is to be upright, exactly in the 
 position which has been taught. — The right 
 leg is to he applied to the horse's shoulder, with 
 such firmness as to keep you down to the saddle ; 
 but with the left leg you are to bear no weight 
 in the stirrup. — Keep your hand in the centre, 
 and quite low; and your reins not too short, 
 but just by the pressure of your fingers to 
 feel the horse's mouth. 
 
 In this position you come to the bar. The 
 pressure of your leg, Avhip, and fingers will 
 
154 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 invite the horse to rise ; and, as he rises, the 
 body comes forward^ and preserves its perpendicu- 
 lar. — Be sure to keep the back in, arid the head 
 firm. 
 
 As the horse springs from his hind legs, 
 you slip your buttock under you, and let your 
 body go finely back, — keeping your hands 
 down, legs close, and body back, till the 
 horse^s hind legs have come to the ground. 
 
 Now we may explain the consequences of 
 omitting any of these precepts. 
 
 The application of the legs to hold you 
 firm to the saddle carries conviction with it. 
 
 The hand being kept low is an essential 
 thing. The hand is raised principally from 
 fear. It is either done with the intention of 
 holding on by the bridle, or of making the 
 horse rise before. 
 
 The consequence of the latter motive so 
 far as regards the horse is, that they raise the 
 
MODERN RIDING. 155 
 
 horse's head and nose out of place, which 
 straightens his neck, and he consequently 
 cannot gather himself to rise, till he has 
 dropped his nose and curved his neck. This 
 the hand will not suffer him, in that situation, 
 to do ; and the consequence is, that he makes 
 an awkward short leap of all four together, 
 which is dangerous and unpleasant both to 
 horse and rider. 
 
 As to the rider, the hand raised in this 
 situation prevents the body from going back ; 
 for, were the body properly thrown back, the 
 rider must then check the horse, and prevent 
 him from covering his Leap. This the horse 
 is very sensible of; and therefore, he pre- 
 pares himself to force the hand. The conse- 
 quence is, the rider is pulled forward, and 
 the shock she receives when the horse meets 
 the ground tumbles her on its neck, if not 
 completely off. 
 
 We have said — The body comes forward 
 to preserve its perpendicular, &c. Were the 
 body to hang back as the horse rises before, 
 
156 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 the weight would hang on his mouth, and 
 prevent his leaping at least, if he did not 
 pull the rider over backwards. 
 
 We have also said — The back should be 
 hollow, &c. 
 
 A¥ere the body to be brought forward, 
 with a round back and shoulders, it would 
 not be in a situation to get back in time^ 
 without much exertion of the rider ; but if 
 the back be hollow, when the horse springs 
 forward, it will, of itself, fall backward if 
 the hand be not raised to prevent it. — If the 
 head be loose, the action of the body may 
 cause a small wrench of the neck, or a bite of 
 the tongue. 
 
 Slipping your buttock under you gives the 
 body more liberty to lean back ; and unless 
 die body is well back, the shock, when the 
 horses feet meet the ground, will shake it 
 forward, whereby you not only deprive the 
 horse of the support which at this time he 
 should have from the hand, but are in danger 
 
MODERN HIDING. 15? 
 
 of falling. If you recover jrour right posi- 
 tion, or take your legs from their situation 
 before the Leap is completed, you will be 
 liable to disorder, loss of balance, and the 
 like. 
 
 « 
 These are the principles by which the seat 
 is maintained in all violent exertions of the 
 horse. 
 
 Such being the position and action of the 
 body — with regard to the reins, the pupil in 
 riding up to a Leap, must yield the bridle 
 to her horse, guiding him in a straight line to 
 the bar or fence ; — bring him, in the Standing 
 Leap, up to the bar at an animated pace ; — 
 halt him with a light hand, and upon his 
 haunches ; — when she perceives the horse 
 rising, only feel the reins so as to prevent 
 their becoming slack; — when the horse 
 springs forward, yield the hand without re- 
 serve ; — and, when the horse's hind feet come 
 to the ground, again collect her horse ; and, 
 resuming her usual position, move on at the 
 former pace. 
 
158 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 If the horse be too much collected previous 
 to his Leap, he will bound, or " buck over," 
 as it is called. If not sufficiently collected 
 or animated, he will probably not clear the 
 Leap. The degree in which a horse should 
 be collected or animated must entirely de- 
 pend on the temperament of the animal, 
 and must be left to the judgment of the 
 rider. 
 
 Section III. — Of the Flying Leap, 
 
 The pupil should not be put to the Flying 
 Leap until she is familiar with the standing 
 leap. She will then find no difficulty in 
 making it at any pace, if it be gradually in- 
 creased from the walk to the gallop. 
 
 The Flying Leap is distinguished from the 
 standing leap by its being made from any 
 pace, without a previous halt ; and although 
 the action is quicker, it is much easier to the 
 rider than the standing leap. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 159 
 
 The pace at which you should go at a 
 Flying Leap must always be moderate. You 
 must never flurry the horse with a view of 
 making him take a determined spring. By 
 so doing you will often deter him from taking 
 his proper distance, and make him leap at 
 hap-hazard, to the great danger of your own 
 neck. A horse which rises too soon seldom 
 clears his leap, and risks being strained by 
 the effort to cover it : a horse which rises too 
 late, or too near the bar, or a strong fence, 
 will be likely to strike his knees against it, 
 and thereby throw his rider, or hurt himself. 
 The rider, on the contrary, must with a light 
 and ready hand, keep his head steady and 
 straight to the bar, Sec. 
 
 If a horse leap willingly, let him take his 
 own pace to it, and he will be sure to spring 
 from his proper distance, and give himself 
 that velocity which will assist his spring. 
 Twelve yards from the Leap the rider may 
 turn her horse to it in a trot ; the horse will 
 strike into the gallop ; and a stroke or two 
 with the whip before he springs will increase 
 
160 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 his velocity, if she perceive that the heiglit 
 he has to cover requires that exertion. If a 
 horse be indolent, and require some anima- 
 tion, it is better to apply the whip to rouse 
 his apathy just before you turn his head 
 toward the Leap, than while he is running 
 at it. 
 
 The seat, in the Flying Leap, is exactly 
 the same as in the standins; one ; but easier 
 to sit, as already said, because, the horse^s 
 body keeps a more horizontal position ; and 
 if it is a Leap of inconsiderable height, it 
 appears no more than a springing stroke in 
 the gallop. On this account, the rider has 
 no occasion to bring her body forward at the 
 raising of the fore legs, for the spring from 
 the hind legs immediately follows, and the 
 body might not get back in time. It is even 
 dangerous to let the body have a propensity 
 to come forward at the raising of the fore 
 feet, for sometimes a horse does not come 
 fair, or will refuse to take his leap, and check 
 himself; in which case, if the body is for- 
 ward, 5^ou may tumble over his head. There- 
 
MODERN RIDING. l6l 
 
 fore, keep your body upright; take hold 
 with your legs ; be sure to keep your hand 
 down; and, as the horse springs forward, 
 your body is sure to take the corresponding- 
 action of leaning back, particularly if you, 
 at the instant, slip your breech under you, 
 and bring your waist forward with an exertion 
 proportioned to the spring the horse makes. 
 Bring not your body upright, nor slacken 
 the hold, till after the hind feet have come to 
 the ground. 
 
 A horse requires but little support or 
 assistance from the hand till he is over his 
 leap, or coming to the ground : then the sup- 
 • port of the hand is proper, and assists to bring 
 the body upright. The assisting and lifting 
 a horse over Leaps may be done by old 
 practitioners, but the attempting it by young 
 ones is improper ; they cannot judge when ; 
 and in the attempt would, most likely, balk 
 rather than assist. At the best, it can be 
 done onlj^ when a horse leaps freely and de- 
 terminedly : at other times the offer to assist 
 would deter him from the Leap. 
 
 L. M 
 
162 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 The necessity of caution and delicacy in 
 the application of the aids naturally increases 
 in proportion to the speed at which the Leap 
 is to be performed ; but practice, under 
 proper instruction, will remove every diffi- 
 culty. 
 
 It will be advisable in early practice at the 
 leaping bar, to use the snaffle rein only, taken 
 in both hands. 
 
 Whips should not be used while the pupil 
 practises in Leaping. The rider must be 
 taught to depend upon her own aids to ensure 
 the obedience of her horse. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 163 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 OF CRITICAL SITUATIONS. 
 
 Section I. — Fj^eUminary . 
 
 When a horse is addicted to rearing, kick- 
 ing, and bolting, plunging, shying, and res- 
 tiveness, the seat is maintained in like man- 
 ner as in leaps. Hence we consider these 
 after Leaping. 
 
 In all these cases, the operation of the 
 hands is to prevent, deter, and disarm him 
 as much as possible. For this purpose, the 
 arms are held firm to the body, the reins 
 separated, and the hands kept up. 
 
 When you feel the horse disposed to play 
 these tricks, you consequently prepare your- 
 
 IM 2 
 
164 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 self for the encounter, by separating the 
 reins, (Sec. Now, the body must be kept 
 upright, but very flexible, accompanying 
 every action of the horse, to be ready to repel 
 every effort he may make. Your balance is 
 to be nicely preserved, for the horse is in 
 alternate motion with his fore and hind legs, 
 and you know not whether he will rear before 
 or kick behind. Your body, therefore, should 
 accompany the action of his legs. Accord- 
 ingly, when he lifts his fore legs, your breech 
 must be thrust out behind, by which you are 
 prepared if he rears. As the fore feet come 
 to the ground, you slip the buttock under, 
 which prepares you for his kicking or spring- 
 ing forward. If either take place, you are in 
 the requisite situation, and keeping a firm 
 hold with your hands, you support the horse 
 from falling, and keep a proper restraint upon 
 him. 
 
 On this subject, it is right to ascertain the 
 horse's modes of defence, the action which 
 he employs when inclined to disobedience, 
 and his action, when passion has subsided. 
 
MODERN RIDING. l65 
 
 Until this information is obtained, the rider 
 and horse cannot be said to have estabHshed 
 their friendship ; and patience, with resolu- 
 tion, on the part of the rider, are the only 
 means to effect it. 
 
 Section II. — Of Rearing. 
 
 Of all the defences a horse makes, that of 
 Rearing is the most dangerous, when they 
 rise so rapidly and unexpectedly, that you 
 are scarcely aware of them, and so high as 
 to endanger their falling backwards. It is 
 fortunate that a horse which rears to this 
 extreme seldom or never kicks. You have, 
 therefore, principally to guard against his 
 Rearing. 
 
 Whenever the horse rises straight up, throw 
 your body forward, and give him all the 
 bridle. The weight of your body upon his 
 foreparts will oblige him to come down. In 
 the minute that his fore feet are coming to 
 the ground, give him the whip sharply, and 
 
166 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 as quickly as you can. — These aids and cor- 
 lections, however, must be given with the 
 greatest caution and exactness. 
 
 Another method is the following. — When- 
 ever you are aware of the horse's disposition 
 to rear, have your reins separated, and be 
 prepared for him. The instant you perceive 
 him going to rise, slack the one hand, and 
 bend him with the other, keeping your hand 
 low. This bend compels him to move a hind 
 leg, and being thrown off his balance, he of 
 necessity comes down with his fore feet. 
 Twist him then round two or three times, to 
 convince him of your superiority. This like- 
 wise confuses and baffles him. 
 
 By these means you may deter a horse 
 from Rearing to any dangerous height ; and, 
 after he has convinced himself by a few expe- 
 riments, he will give it up for that time. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 16? 
 
 Section III. — Of Kicking. 
 
 A HORSE addicted to kick high, seldom or 
 never rears high, unless the firmness of the 
 hand compels him to it. 
 
 Horses subject to kick, either when they 
 go forward or stand still, must be kept much 
 together, or held in closely. 
 
 The hands, though fixed, are not to pull at 
 the horse, if he do not attempt to force the 
 hand and get his head. Give him the liberty 
 to go forward, though not to get his head 
 down, which would enable him to kick with 
 such violence as to throw himself down. 
 Confining the head up disarms him ; and he 
 makes a bolt from all fours, or springs for- 
 ward somewhat like the awkward leap a horse 
 makes when you confine his head to a stand- 
 ing leap, but not quite so rough. 
 
168 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 If your hand confine the head, as has been 
 directed, you may bid defiance to his kick- 
 ing ; and, when a horse finds his defences do 
 not avail, he wisely gives it over. 
 
 The twistincr a horse round a few times for 
 this vice will have its effect. 
 
 Every horse has a favourite side, on which 
 he is prepared for defence ; your attack 
 must, consequently, be on his weak or un- 
 prepared side, not only in this, but in every 
 other instance. If you seize a favourable 
 moment to attack his feeble side, and have 
 the opportunity of twisting him without his 
 power of resistance, his astonishment and 
 confusion will deter him from farther conten- 
 tion, unless you provoke it by ill timed cor- 
 rection, passion, and the like. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 16'9 
 
 Section IV. — Of F lunging. 
 
 Plunging is seldom attempted by horses 
 but at their first backing or breaking. It is 
 then attempted by some to a most violent 
 degree ; and it is so exhausting to the horse, 
 that if he fails in throwing the rider, bursting 
 his girths, or breaking any of his tackle, he 
 soon gives it over. But, if he succeed, he 
 is encouraged to try again. Till horses are 
 broke of this, they are not rideable without 
 proper assistance. 
 
 When a horse plunges, he gets his head 
 down, cringes his tail between his quarters, 
 sets up his back, swells his body to burst his 
 girths, and, in this position, kicks and 
 plunges till he can hold his wind no longer. 
 He holds his breath all the time ; conse- 
 quently, when he makes six or eight plunges, 
 
170 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 he is done, — his breath can be held no 
 longer. 
 
 To sit these plunges is to cure them. 
 About three days' trial, of which the first is 
 generally the most violent, decides the con- 
 test. Success in their endeavours, or impro- 
 per treatment, may provoke farther attempts : 
 otherwise the contest is given up. 
 
 To sit a horse when he plunges you must 
 take a firm hold with your leg, and be mind- 
 ful that in getting his head down, he does not 
 pull your body forward. You are in no 
 danger of his rearing ; and, therefore, have 
 only to keep your body back, and hold firmly 
 with your hands, to prevent him throwing 
 himself down, which is not unlikely, if he get 
 his head entirely loose. 
 
MODERN HIDING. 171 
 
 Section V. — Of Shying, ^c. 
 
 The next danger that the rider is exposed to 
 is, when a horse, either by Shying or Res- 
 tiveness, springs to one side, or turns short 
 round. 
 
 Security, in these situations, depends on a 
 strict conformity to the rules laid down. If 
 you observe the precepts of not bearing in 
 the stirrup, and yielding the body to go with 
 the horse, you will be safe. 
 
 Section VI. — Of Restiveness. 
 
 The horse generally commences his attack 
 by stopping, turning short round, mostly to 
 the right hand, as taking the rider at the 
 greatest disadvantage, for few are so power- 
 ful with the left as the right hand. 
 
172 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 The horse expects you will oppose the 
 opposite hand to which he turns, to prevent 
 him ; he designedly attacks the weakest hand ; 
 and he is so prepared to defend against your 
 utmost efforts, that it is vain to attempt it. 
 Instead, then, of attempting to prevent him 
 with your left hand, attack him rather with 
 your right, and turn him completely round, 
 so that his head is presented the way you 
 were going. 
 
 Here an application of the whip may be 
 tried, to compel him forward, but it seldom 
 does. He generally turns round again ; and 
 you, in like manner, attacking his unguarded 
 side, turn him two or three times, letting 
 your heel and whip, if necessary, powerfully 
 assist your hand, before he can arm or defend 
 himself against it. 
 
 Finding themselves baffled in their defence, 
 some give it up, and go on; others will make 
 a more obstinate resistance. 
 
 If he still refuse to go the way you want 
 
MODERN RIDING. 173 
 
 him, you must studiously prevent his going 
 any other ; and if you find him set himself 
 against j^our endeavours to make him go 
 forward, immediately change your attack, 
 turn him about, and rein him backward. 
 When a horse sets himself ao;ainst o-oins^ for- 
 ward, he is easily compelled backward. 
 
 Here his defence is again baffled, and this 
 is ever to be your rule — never to contend 
 with him on that point he is prepared to 
 resist. 
 
 In these contests }^ou must be collected, 
 and have an eye to the surrounding objects, 
 that you may not put yourself in an awkward 
 situation, which, through inattention, you 
 may do, without the design of the horse. 
 
 Yet it frequently happens that restive 
 horses try their utmost to get you into these 
 situations, by sidling to other horses, car- 
 riages, walls, rails, the foot pavement, the 
 houses, &c. &c. 
 
174 PRINCIPLES OF P. VI. 
 
 It is natural for persons to pull the horse 
 from the object that he makes for ; but this 
 gives a determined horse the completest op- 
 portunity of accomplishing his intention, and 
 some restive horses would be always crushing 
 your knee against a wall if you had not the 
 means to prevent them. 
 
 Whenever, then, you find the horse so dis- 
 posed, instead of pulling him from the wall, 
 bend his head to it, by which the side of the 
 horse next the wall is in a concave position, 
 which prevents his utmost endeavours from 
 doing you an injury. 
 
 In the streets, or on the roads, innumer- 
 able objects more dangerous than a wall will 
 present themselves, which you must be atten- 
 tive not to come near. The instant, there- 
 fore, that you perceive a horse sidling to any 
 object, turn his head to that object, and back 
 him from it. 
 
 By this means you protect yourself from 
 
MODERN RIDING. 175 
 
 injury ; foil his intentions ; and after a fruit- 
 less contest, he is obliged to submit. 
 
 A horse's defences, in the above instances, 
 in a manner defeat their own purpose, be- 
 cause you immediately convert their defence 
 to their punishment. There are, however, 
 some few horses who fix themselves like 
 stocks, setting all your endeavours at defiance 
 to move them. Were they to move, you 
 could convert that to your purpose; but 
 while they stand as stocks, they defy you to 
 move them forward, backward, to right or 
 left. There, happily, they set up a defence 
 that can in no way endanger your person. 
 
 This defence, however, must also be con- 
 verted to punishment. Let them stand ; make 
 no attempt to move them ; and you will find 
 that in a short space, frequently less than a 
 minute, they will move of themselves. If 
 you have patience to sit on their backs, and 
 keep them there for a time, it is the most 
 proper punishment for the offence, and will 
 surely cure them of that mode of defence. 
 
176 MODERN RIDING. P. VI. 
 
 When these various defences, however, are 
 not powerfully set up, the general rule is to 
 push and carry your horse forward ; and, for 
 this purpose, you may make a slight use of 
 5^our whip, in order to drive him forward. 
 
 Whatever passion possesses the rider, it 
 prevents that concord and unity taking place, 
 which ever should subsist between the rider 
 and the horse. The rider, therefore, must 
 alwaj^s be disposed to amity, and should never 
 suffer the most obstinate resistance of the 
 horse, to put her out of temper. If the con- 
 test do not demand her utmost exertions, she 
 should be able to converse with the same 
 composure and indifference as though the 
 horse Avere all obedience. By this means, 
 the instant a horse finds himself foiled, he 
 desists, having no provocation to contend 
 farther, and is abashed at his own weakness. 
 
PRINCIPLES 
 
 OF 
 
 MODERN RIDING. 
 
 PART VII. 
 
 OF THE CURB, STIRRUPS, ETC. 
 
 L. N 
 
PART VII. 
 
 OF THE CURB, STIRRUPS, ETC. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 or THE CURB, ETC. 
 
 Section I. — PreUminarij. 
 
 All the preceding lessons are supposed to 
 be given with the snaffle alone. 
 
 When the pupil has attained some profi- 
 ciency in horsemanship and has acquired a 
 proper degree of knowledge of the aids, she 
 may be instructed to ride with the Curb in 
 addition to the Snaffle. 
 
 N 2 
 
180 PRINCIPLES OF P. VII. 
 
 The construction of the Curb, and the 
 mode of using it, have been alreadj^ ex- 
 plained. 
 
 Section II. — Modes of Holding the Reins. 
 
 We have already described the modes of 
 holding the Snaffle either with two hands or 
 with one. Those of holdino; the Curb are 
 somewhat similar. 
 
 Considering these in the same order, we 
 may first notice the practice of the army, who 
 always ride with bits and bridoons. The bit 
 or curb rein is placed within the bridoon or 
 snaffle rein, and passes through the hand 
 exactly in the same manner as the snaffle 
 was before described to do ; the little finger 
 separating the left rein from the right, &c. 
 The left rein of the bridoon or snaffle then 
 passes through the hand, laying smooth on 
 the left rein of the bit or curb, with the 
 
MODERN RIDING. 181 
 
 thumb, as before observed, placed on it ; and 
 the right rein hangs loose. 
 
 The more usual method of holding the 
 reins is that wherein the little finger separates 
 the curb reins, and the second finger the 
 bridoon reins. 
 
 Section III. — Of Shifting the lleins. 
 
 Tins should be done expertly without stop- 
 ping the horse, altering his pace, breaking 
 the time, or looking to the hands. 
 
 When the snaffle reins are held in one 
 hand, the method of shifting from the left 
 hand into the right is as follows. 
 
 Turn the thumbs toward each other, carry 
 the right hand over the left, put the fore 
 finger of the right hand downwards between 
 the reins in the place of the little finger of 
 the left hand, and lay the reins smoothly 
 through the right hand. 
 
182 PRINCIPLES OF P. VII. 
 
 By this means the fore finger separates the 
 left reins from the right ; the superfluous 
 reins hang; downward throu2;h the hand ; and 
 the thumb presses the left reins between the 
 first and second joint of the fore finger. 
 
 If the reins are shortened by this method 
 of shifting, it is easy to let them slip to their 
 proper length; but, whenever they are too 
 long, it requires the assistance of the other 
 hand to shorten them. 
 
 The shiftins; them a2;ain into the left hand 
 is only carrying the left hand over the right, 
 putting the little finger of the left hand down- 
 ward between the left and right reins, placing 
 them smoothly upward through the hand, and 
 letting the ends hang over the fore finger as 
 at first. 
 
 When both curb and snaffle reins are held 
 in the last and most usual method, you shift 
 them into the right hand (after turning the 
 left thumb towards the right), by putting the 
 fore finger of the right hand into the place of 
 
MODERN RIDING. 1S3 
 
 the little finger of the left, the second finger 
 of the right into the place of the third finger 
 of the left, and the third finger of the right 
 into the place of the second finger of the left, 
 placing the reins smoothly through the right 
 hand, with the ends hanging down. 
 
 Thus you have every rein separate in the 
 right hand. 
 
 When you shift them again to the left, put 
 the fingers of the left hand into the places you 
 took them from. 
 
 When you are handy and expert at this, 
 your reins will never be in disorder. 
 
 The shifting of the reins is principally in- 
 tended to relieve the left hand when cramped 
 or tired, or when you have occasion to use it, 
 or when you mean to work or attack your 
 horse on the left side. 
 
184 Pill NCI PLES OF P. VII. 
 
 Section IV. — Of Separating the Reins. 
 
 Separating the Reins, on several occa- 
 sions, is very necessary. Two hands can 
 execute more than one; and, consequently, 
 when a horse refuses obedience to one hand, 
 you take two. 
 
 You seldom have occasion to take more 
 than one rein in the right hand, which, if a 
 single-reined bridle, you cannot mistake ; but 
 when it is a double-reined bridle, you take 
 the right rein only of the snaffle in the right 
 hand. 
 
 For this purpose, turn the back of your 
 right hand upwards ; put the first three fin- 
 gers over the bridoon rein, by which you 
 receive the rein between your little and third 
 finger ; let the superfluous end hang over the 
 fore finger with the thumb placed on it ; and 
 then carry the thumb upwards as you do the 
 bridle hand. 
 
MODERN RIDING. 185 
 
 Section V. — Of Changing the Reins. 
 
 Changing the Reins, when working with a 
 double-reined bridle, may at times be neces- 
 sary. 
 
 For this purpose, when you are working to 
 the right, you have the reins of the bit only 
 in the left hand, the bridoon rein being en- 
 tirely detached from it ; and the right hand 
 holds only the right rein of the bridoon. 
 
 Now, when you change to the left, first 
 throw all the superfluous rein over to the 
 right, so that the rein is straight from the 
 horse's mouth to the neck on his left side, 
 and quit it with the right hand. Then change 
 the reins of the bit into the right hand, with 
 the fore finger downward between them, as 
 other reins have been directed to be shifted. 
 Lastly, the left hand, being disengaged, lays 
 hold of the bridoon rein, which, by the super- 
 fluous rein being over on the right> you cim 
 
186 J?RINCIPLES OF P. VII. 
 
 take as short as you please, and let it slip to 
 the length you require. 
 
 In changing again to the right, be sure 
 first to throw all the superfluous bridoon rein 
 to the left, and then you will not be embar- 
 rassed when you come to take it up with the 
 right. 
 
 Section VI. — Of Adjusting the Reins. 
 
 Adjusting the Reins is altering them by 
 shortening or lengthening in whole, or in 
 part, as occasion may require. This will be 
 as often as you change from one place to 
 another. Besides, the reins, being held as 
 pliant and easy as circumstances will admit, 
 imperceptibly slip, particularly with begin- 
 ners. 
 
 To become expert at adjusting the reins, 
 take the superfluous reins that hang over the 
 fore finger of the left hand into the right hand 
 altogether. Do not remove the left hand ; 
 but only open the fingers so that you can slip 
 
MODERN llIofNG. 187 
 
 the hand up and down the reins smoothly 
 and freely, while the right hand supports the 
 horse and feels every cadence or step the 
 horse takes. By this method, you will be- 
 come handy in altering the reins altogether. 
 
 Would you shorten the curb rein and 
 lengthen the bridoon, apply the right hand to 
 the end of the curb rein, that hangs over the 
 fore finger. First slip the whole of the reins 
 too long ; then slip the left hand down the 
 reins, keeping the centre of the curb rein fast 
 in your right hand, and feeling with your fin- 
 gers whether both the curb reins are of equal 
 length before you grasp with the left hand or 
 quit the right. 
 
 In like manner you shorten the bridoon or 
 snaffle, and lengthen the curb ; first slipping 
 the whole too long ; and then applying the 
 right hand to the rein j^ou mean to shorten. 
 
 When any single rein Avants shortening, 
 apply the right hand to that part which hangs 
 over the fore finger, and draw it tighter. 
 
188 PRINCIPLES OF P. VII. 
 
 A little observation and practice will soon 
 make you so perfectly acquainted with their 
 situation, that you will find them as readily in 
 the dark as in the light. 
 
 When the reins are separate, i. e. both 
 hands occupied by reins, and they want ad- 
 justing, you bring the hands together to assist 
 each other ; remembering that the hand that 
 supports the attitude or position the horse 
 works in, which is always what is termed the 
 inner hand, is not to depart from its situation 
 so as to occasion any disorder, but rather the 
 outward hand to be brought to the inner, for 
 the purpose of adjusting them. 
 
 Section VII. — Of the Position of the Hand. 
 
 The left elbow is to touch the hip lightly. 
 The arm is to be steady against the side, 
 without force or stiffness. The hand is to be 
 about three inches from the body, and as 
 much above the pommel of the saddle. The 
 
MODERN RIDING. 189 
 
 little finger is to be in a line with the point of 
 the elbow. The wrist is to be rounded. The 
 finger nails are to front the centre of the 
 body. The thumb is to point across the 
 body. 
 
 From this position of the bridle hand, the 
 little finger should at least have three lines 
 of action upward to guide the horse ; — to- 
 wards the right shoulder, — towards the left, — 
 towards the breast. The little finger should 
 move on these lines only as the aids require. 
 Thus the horse will be guided, and lifted up 
 at each turn, by the inward or leading rein ; 
 the outward acting in unity with it. 
 
 Pupils should be cautioned not to throw 
 their right shoulders back, which they are apt 
 to do, when they first take the reins in one 
 hand. The right arm should hang in any 
 easy and natural position by the side. 
 
190 PRINCIPLES OF P. VII. 
 
 Section VITI. —Of the Management of the Curb. 
 
 The Curb requires a light hand in the ma- 
 nagement. It is necessary to feel and ease 
 the reins in the degree suitable to the indivi- 
 dual horse. Some horses require rather a 
 firmer feel than others, and most have some 
 peculiarity, which experienced riders dis- 
 cover and turn to account. 
 
 The pupil cannot be too deeply impressed 
 with the necessity of a constant attention to the 
 proper management of the Curb, by means 
 of which a correspondence is kept up be- 
 tween the mouth of the horse and the hand of 
 the rider. When judiciously held, it occa- 
 sions a playful action of the horse's mouth. 
 It is by a firm, easy, and light hand only 
 that the sensibility and freshness of feeling 
 of the horse's mouth, so essential in riding, 
 can be preserved. 
 
MODERN RTDINC. IQl 
 
 CHAP. IL 
 
 OF THE STIRRUP. 
 
 The pupil having been instructed in the use 
 of the different aids, and how to maintain her 
 seat, and to ride with ease to herself in the 
 proper equilibrium without the Stirrup, may 
 be considered sufficiently advanced to be 
 permitted to ride with it. 
 
 The proper length of the Stirrup is, when 
 the upper edge of the bottom bar of the iron, 
 or of the slipper, reaches one finger's breadth 
 below the inner ankle bone. 
 
 The position on horseback with a Stirrup 
 differs in nothing from that described for the 
 position without a Stirrup ; except that, the 
 
192 MODERN RIDING. P. VIT. 
 
 thigh being relieved from the weight of the 
 leg and foot by their resting on the Stirrup, 
 the knee will be a little bent. 
 
 When the foot is in the Stirrup, the heel 
 should be lower than the toes ; and no more 
 than the natural weight of the limbs should 
 be borne in the Stirrup. 
 
 It is by an easy play of the ankle and 
 instep that the Stirrup is retained and the 
 position preserved. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 CD. $c &. Qgaijttttngfjam, CTollcgc l^ousc, ©l^istoitfe. 
 
.^' 
 
 
 \^:^-^ 
 
 tm 
 
 
 
 ,*.'^^ 
 
 ^*^ :^