GENERAL REMARKS

I am convinced that nothing has been recommended in this work that is not absolutely requisite in the proper training of the saddle-horse; for the same general principles are observed in what are considered the simplest permissible military methods, although they are not always attempted in the manner I have followed. But even admitting that some of the work is useful only for its discipline, to which I do not consent, that would in itself be a sufficient reason for retaining it.

I have been told very frequently, by readers, that they have had no difficulty in understanding the instructions I have offered, and I know that they should be easily carried out, seeing that even now I train my own horses without assistance.

It is advisable for the man who wishes to train his own horse during rough weather, to have it ready for the pleasant season, to keep the animal in some public riding-school, where he will have the use of "the ring," until his work is finished, unless, what is better, he has some barn or other covered area where he may carry on its education in spite of frosts and storms. It is important that, once the work is begun, there should be no interruption; and in our climate I should say that April is the best month in which to begin with a young horse in the open. During the summer, the flies are so annoying that it is difficult to keep the attention of the animal; and neither man nor horse is fitted in the extremely cold weather of winter for the work of training.

Too much stress cannot be laid upon the importance of sufficient and frequent exercise for the avoidance of that nervous and excitable condition in the horse known as "freshness." Of course, a horse that has been thoroughly disciplined is much more readily brought under control than a young animal that has not yet been taught to obey hand and heel instinctively, but even the old, well-drilled horse may lose much of its training if it be not very carefully handled after a long rest with high feeding, and it is far better to run no risk of insubordination. The fresh horse may be considered as hysterical and sometimes temporarily mad; even those which are most docile when in proper work become flighty with "stall-courage," and may bite, kick, or plunge when first brought into the open air after some days of idleness. These freaks do not indicate a vicious disposition, but vice may grow out of them through injudicious treatment. Longeing on the cavesson, a run in the paddock, or a brisk trot under the saddle will soon relieve this condition, but when the fresh horse is ridden, it should not be called upon for anything beyond a good, steady pace until it becomes composed.

Some jealous-minded horses are easily spoiled by petting, and from too frequent indulgences at improper times in sugar and in such dainties, and show a nasty temper when disappointed in their expectations. These animals should be treated with uniform kindness, but should not be taught to look for such favors every time the rider dismounts or approaches. At regular feeding times the one who is to ride the horse may give it an occasional treat, never when the animal is bridled, for the bit must always be clean and smooth. A kind word or a caress is sufficient reward for good behavior, and a harsh word is the most effective correction that can be given. The whip and the spur must be employed to enforce demands, but these instruments should be used promptly and for reasons, never for punishment. For example, if a horse hangs back, or shows a disinclination to pass an object, a smart rap of the rod will usually send it along; but if there is a positive refusal, repeated applications of the whip or spur will work great harm, and the rider should obtain the desired obedience by some ruse which will have a lasting good effect upon the animal.

A moment's reflection should show the reader that a "combined horse" (that is, one suited for harness and riding) is an anomaly, for the first requisite in a saddle-horse is that it should have a carriage that is inconsistent with that to which it is accustomed in drawing loads. There would be no great harm in putting a young horse in light harness for a short time to steady it, but after its training for the saddle has been undertaken it should never bear a collar. A horse that is habituated to harness cannot have light and balanced action under the rider. The animal that is taught to throw its weight against the traces will travel upon its shoulders and be apt to trip when the weight of a man augments the defects of that mode of moving. The day before this page was written a friend of the author remarked that a "combined horse" which had never made a mistake in harness had just given him a fall; and a great number of such instances might be cited. A poor rider may throw any horse, and in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred a fall is the fault of the rider, but it requires a good and careful horseman to keep old Dobbin on his feet when the animal is taken out of the shafts and put under the saddle.

266a

266b

The only certain method of correcting the faults of a spoiled horse is to retrain the animal from the very first lessons in the cavesson. In this manner discipline may be reËstablished, but the animal will nearly always be disposed to revert to old tricks, particularly so if it remains in the hands of him who has permitted the liberties which grew into vice. Some horses are ever on the lookout for opportunities of taking advantage of a timid or irresolute rider, and such are out of place with him who lacks nerve, and should be turned over to better horsemen. When faults are due to incurable physical or mental defects, it is useless to attempt to remedy them. That much may be done by skilful work to render such animals less dangerous is true, but the game is not worth the candle. A horse that is ground-shy, that is, one which sees objects at its feet in a distorted form, or that is subject to fits of terror or excitement, is not suited to the saddle. On the other hand, it will not be difficult to find horses that will prove perfectly tractable and steady as long as they have regular work. For years I made a study of the vices of the horse by taking such as had proved troublesome to see what could be done in the way of correcting various faults. From my experience I think it may be said that all horses are amenable to discipline except those that are foolish or of such nervous conditions that they are in effect unmanageable. The bolter was stopped by the spurs; the rearing horse was cured by suppling; the restive horse was confused and conquered; the bully yielded to bullying; but the fool horse took no degree.

The growing fancy for saddle-horses of large size, because, perhaps, they are more effective to the eye, is an evil, for breeders will undertake to furnish such animals as are in demand at the expense of far more valuable qualities, and the rearing of medium-sized, active horses will be largely discontinued, for the market rules the stock farm. It is the experience of all horsemen that 15½ hands is the limit of height for a perfect saddle-horse, except under very exceptional circumstances. When the would-be seller of a leggy horse asserts that "it rides like a pony," he recognizes the general superiority of the smaller animal and probably is in error regarding his own. As a rule, a horse under 15¾ is more active, hardier, and with greater stamina than one above that height. It is quality that gives value to the horse, and this is usually found to deteriorate in those of excessive bulk. Did not Dickens remark that giants are weak in the knees?

In a previous chapter I have said that casting a horse by the so-called Rarey system is not a sovereign cure for all vices, and that I usually taught my horses to lie down without using any apparatus. When a horse is so vicious that a man may not approach him without being attacked, some artificial restraint must be resorted to and straps used to confine and throw the horse. But with steady horses there are several modes for casting them without the employment of anything beyond the snaffle-bridle. Of course, it is not necessary for an ordinary saddle-horse to be taught to lie down, but a good horseman should know how to demand anything, and a little superfluous knowledge may be handed over to some one who may have use for it.

A very easy way of casting a horse is for the man to stand on the off or right side of the animal and pick up its right fore leg in his left hand; this he will carry back and at the same time draw the snaffle-reins, held in the right hand, to the rear, until the horse comes down upon the knee of the right fore leg; a pull upon the left snaffle-rein will then bring the horse over on its right side. After some lessons given in this manner, the horse will carry back the right fore leg at the application of the whip and be brought to the ground by the same use of the snaffle-reins as above described. After a few such lessons the rider should get into the saddle, and between the taps of the whip on the right shoulder and bending the head of the horse sharply to the left he can bring the horse to ground while he is mounted.

It is better for the trainer to avoid working the young horse when exposed to high winds, as the animal is then so disturbed and easily irritated that it is difficult to engage its attention, and good progress can hardly be obtained. If on any occasion the young horse persists in refusing obedience, the trainer will do well to obtain something resembling discipline and return the horse to the stable rather than enter into a contest which may be the source of much future trouble. Of course, if an old horse is mutinous, it should be at once controlled and brought to reason; but except an occasional lark due to excessive high spirits from want of work, a trained horse will not often be guilty of misconduct, and even then it may be checked by hand and heel.

No one should ride a horse that has the habit of stumbling, but sometimes the most agile of animals will step on a rolling stone or make a mistake through carelessness. When a good horse trips and falls, the rider is almost always in fault; in the first place, for letting the horse grow careless, and secondly, for permitting the animal to go down. An active horse should never stumble badly when ridden in hand; and if the rider leans back and supports the forehand until a bearer is carried under the centre of gravity, it is seldom that the horse will fall. Many falls are occasioned by the horse being leg weary through overwork or from being ridden too rapidly at turns; so that, however the mark comes, a broken knee is taken as a sign of poor or careless riding.

271a

271b

271c

Doubtless, instruction was given in the art of riding by amateurs or by professed teachers, from the time the horse came into use. The earliest existing work on horsemanship is that of Xenophon (born 430 b.c.); then there is a hiatus until the Italian Renaissance, since which epoch we have had many works on the subject; but before Xenophon's time, and between that and the appearance of Grisone's printed work in 1550 (my copy, apparently a first edition, was dated 1560), we may be sure that there was no lack of writings upon the subject, lost through the perishable nature of the form in which an author's labors were presented. Of the early works of this second appearance the best known are those of Antoine de Pluvinel, equerry to Louis XIII. of France,—a splendid effort, published in Paris in 1619,—and that of the Duke of Newcastle, published in Antwerp in 1651. But none of the works on horsemanship which appeared previously to that of Baucher are now of any real value, and the method described by the French master is the foundation of all that is good in any modern system.

[156]
[157]