Hand-book for Horsewomen Part 4

2. _Half-volte in file._

The next order should be:

1. _Prepare for the reversed half-volte in file._

The leaders must execute diagonals proportional to the lengths of their respective columns, in such a manner as will enable them to begin their half-circles when about thirty feet down the long sides, and thirty-five or forty feet before the turn or corner, followed in turn by the other pupils, as in the foregoing movements.

As soon as the leaders are on the long sides, having pa.s.sed the second corners, the teacher will order:

2. _Reversed half-volte in file._

The columns being on the long sides, and on the right hand, the next order should be:

1. _Prepare to back._--2. _Back._

And, to execute this movement correctly, each pupil will make her horse back as she would in a private lesson, being careful to keep in a line with her companions.

When the cla.s.s can execute these movements correctly at a walk, the teacher will allow them to be practiced at a trot, insisting, however, that the pupils shall stop rising as soon as the preparatory order is given, not to begin again until they have returned to the side of the school at the end of the movement. When there is a full cla.s.s, it is better not to allow turns to the right or left to be attempted at a trot, as the riders may strike one another's knees in crossing.

When these movements in file, at the walk and the trot, have given the pupils the habit of controlling their horses with decision and regularity, the teacher should explain to them the difference between these and individual movements. The column being at a walk, and on the right hand, the teacher will say:

1. _Prepare to volte singly._

Each pupil leaves the line at the same moment as the others, executes a circular line of twelve steps as in a private lesson, and takes her place in the line again.

2. _Volte singly._

Next in order comes:

1. _Prepare to half-volte singly._

This is done exactly as in a private lesson, the pupils taking care to do it in time with one another, in order to reach their places at the same moment.

2. _Half-volte singly._

1. _Prepare for the reversed half-volte singly._

The pupils leave their places simultaneously by a diagonal line, and return to the same track; but, on the other hand, by a circular line of six steps.

2. _Reversed half-volte singly._

These movements are here given on the right hand; but they may, of course, be done equally well on the left hand by reversing the terms.

I recommend teachers not to keep their pupils too long on the left hand, but to seize that opportunity to rectify any incorrect positions of the feet.

When the cla.s.s can execute the foregoing movements correctly at the walk and the trot, the teacher may explain to them the canter or gallop.

A horse is said to "lead" at a canter with his right foot when the lateral movement of his right foot is more marked than that of his left.

This causes a reaction from left to right, which makes this lead easier for a lady, who sits on the left side, than that of the left foot, where the reaction is from right to left. When a horse who is leading with his right foot turns to the left, he must change his lead, and _vice versa_.

To make her horse lead at a canter with his right foot, the rider must put her left leg very far back to act in opposition with her whip, which should make very light attacks, incline the upper part of her body forward, and lift her hands, without, however, drawing them nearer her body. When the horse has obeyed, she will resume the normal position for hands and body, renewing the pressure of her whip and leg from time to time to keep the gait regular. During the canter or gallop the right foot should be held well back, close to the saddle, without rigidity, and the rider should sit firm in her saddle, while allowing the upper part of her body to give freely to the motion of the horse, in order to neutralize any shock. To change his lead from right to left at a gallop, the horse pauses for an imperceptible s.p.a.ce of time, immediately puts his left hind leg in front of his right, and, by the contraction of the muscles of his left leg, projects his body forward to the left, his equilibrium being again disturbed, but in a new direction; to compensate which, his left fore leg comes at the first step to support the weight by putting itself before the right, which, until then, has been carrying it all.

It requires a great deal of tact, the result of long practice, to make a horse change his feet when he is galloping in a straight line, and I therefore recommend teachers to proceed with their cla.s.ses in the following manner:

The column being at a gallop, each pupil should execute a half-volte in file, turning at the gallop, coming down to a trot on the diagonal, and resuming the gallop when she is on the opposite track and on the other hand. As the horse is galloping with his right foot, the rider will calculate the movement of his right shoulder by watching it without lowering her head, and, when she sees that shoulder move to put down the right leg, she must instantly change her effects of leg and whip, and lift her hands, the right rather more than the left, to support the horse while he pauses with his right shoulder, while an energetic action of her leg will make him bring his left hind leg under him and put it in front of the right; and, if she holds her left hand low, the left fore leg will be free to take its place in front of the right. Care must be taken not to throw a horse while he is changing his feet, that is to say, he must not be turned suddenly to the right in order to be jerked suddenly to the left; and, during the short time which it takes him to change his feet, the rider should sit close in order not to disturb him by a shifting weight.

When the pupils can make their horses change their feet by changing their gait, they should be made to execute half-voltes and reversed half-voltes in file, at a gallop, without changing to a trot; and, when they can do this, they may execute them individually, according to the rules already prescribed.

I must again recommend great prudence, that accidents may be avoided, and plenty of pauses for rest, that the horses may not become discouraged.

A lady's equestrian education can not be considered complete until she can make her horse leap any obstacle which is reasonable, considering her age and experience and the capacity of her horse. When her seat has become flexible and firm at the walk, trot, and gallop, when she is mistress of her horse in changes of direction, of gait, and of feet, the teacher should allow her to leap a hurdle not less than two nor more than three feet high.

The cla.s.s being formed into a single column, close together, each rider should make an individual turn to the right on the long side of the school opposite where the hurdle is to be placed, as she can thus see for herself any faults which may be committed by her companions. Leaping should be practiced by the pupils one at a time, at a walk, a trot, and, finally, a gallop. The cla.s.s being drawn up in line, the teacher will proceed to explain to them the animal mechanism of the leap.

If a horse is at a walk, and wishes to jump over an obstacle, he draws his hind legs under him to support his weight, pauses for an instant, then lifts his fore legs from the ground, thus throwing all his weight upon his hind legs; whereupon, by a powerful contraction of the muscles, these latter project his body forward and upward, and it describes a curve through the air, alighting on the fore legs, braced to receive the shock, the hind legs dropping on the ground in their turn, only to contract again sufficiently to form a forward motion.

The pause before a leap is more noticeable at a walk than at a trot, and least of all at a gallop. The most favorable gait for leaping is what is known as a hand-gallop, which is an intermediate pace between a riding-school canter and the full gallop of the race-track, as, while he is at this gait, the horse is impelled forward with his hind legs constantly under him.

In order to aid and support her horse at a leap, the rider should bring him straight up to the obstacle at a slow and regular gait, and should put her own right foot very far back, that she may make her seat as firm as possible; at the moment when he pauses she should lean back and lift both of her hands a little, in order to enter into the slight approach to rearing, without encouraging it too much; then, as soon as she feels the horse project himself forward, she must give her hand, straighten herself, and lean back as the horse goes over, lifting her wrists with energy as soon as he touches the ground. When he has begun the motion of rearing, a simultaneous action of the whip and leg will help to determine his leap.

It may be noticed that I use the words "aid" and "support" instead of "_make_," and also that I indicate first the positions of the body, next of the hands, and last the effects of the leg and whip, to the end that the pupil may not be confused as to the very short time in which these latter may be rightly used. Before leaping, the teacher may allow the pupils to practice their positions in the following manner:

He should make them count one, leaning the body and drawing the wrists backward; two, the body and wrists forward; three, the body and wrists backward again. This series, slow in the beginning, may be quickened little by little until it is as near as may be to the speed necessary in these movements during the short duration of a leap.

When the pupils have gone through these motions intelligently, the teacher will take his place in front and to the right of the hurdle, facing the wall. The hurdle should always be placed in the middle of one of the long sides; and ladies prefer to jump on the left hand, in order to avoid touching the wall with their legs if the horse should go too near it. Notwithstanding this, if the horses are free jumpers, and the school well arranged, I prefer the right hand, because a fall to the right is then clear of the wall. This is a case in which an instructor must depend upon his own judgment.

The teacher stands as I have indicated above, holding a whip with a long lash, not to strike the horses, but to prevent refusals.

One after another the pupils should leave the line, and advance at a walk, until they get on the side of the school where the hurdle has been placed, when they will canter, but without any excitement; and they will find it useful to count one, two, three, until the three movements of the body have become mechanical from practice.

During the course of the more advanced lessons, it will still be useful to practice some flexions, in order to be sure that pupils keep supple.

They should also learn to take the foot out of the stirrup at any gait, and replace it without stopping, and to rise at the trot, the foot being out of the stirrup, which is not so difficult as it appears. They should also be drilled to walk, trot, or gallop by twos and threes, to learn to accommodate their horses' gait to that of a companion. The teacher should be sure that, at the end of their lessons, the pupils can trot or gallop for at least a mile without stopping; and, to gain this result, he must proceed by degrees, with the object of developing the lungs and giving a freer respiration. Nothing is more ridiculous than to see a rider, who has proposed a trot or canter to her companion, obliged to pull up after a few steps, puffing and panting for breath. She is apt to ruin her own horse; and gentlemen who have spirited animals are likely to avoid riding with her. Except in the prescribed effects of the whip and leg, there is no definite position in which a lady is obliged to hold her whip, and she should learn to carry it as suits her best. She should be able to arrange her skirt while at a walk, without a.s.sistance, and also to shorten or lengthen her stirrup by the strap on the right side of the saddle, without taking her foot out.

From the very beginning of the lessons the teacher should suppress all the little chirpings and clackings of the tongue, which, however useful they may be to a coachman or a horse-trainer, are out of place in the mouth of a lady. I was once invited to accompany a lady in Central Park, in New York; and, as I had been told that she rode very well, I did not hesitate to ride General, a n.o.ble animal, whose education in the _haute ecole_ I was just finishing. We started. She managed her horse with her tongue as an effect on the right side, instead of using her whip. The consequence was, that my horse, hearing these appeals, and not knowing whether they were meant for him or not, remained at the _pa.s.sage_ all the way from the gate to the reservoir, where I took it upon myself to beg her to do as she chose with her own horse, but to allow mine to be under my own control.

I recommend not giving dainties to horses before mounting, unless they are allowed time to eat them. If a horse has a piece of sugar or apple in his mouth, the bit will be worse than useless; it will irritate him, as he can not open his mouth without dropping the delicacy, and he can not swallow it if he gives his head properly.

I have noticed that most gentlemen riding with ladies place themselves on the right side; but this seems to me a mistake, where the rule of the road is to pa.s.s to the right, because it is the lady who protects her companion, and not he who shields her. Besides, he takes the place where his horse is most likely to be quiet, as no one has the right to pa.s.s inside him. Still further, should the lady's horse become frightened, he will be seriously embarra.s.sed on the right side, with the reins in his left hand; and, if she should fall, what can he do? He can only transfer his reins to the right hand, and endeavor to push her into her saddle with his left; and, if they are going fast, this will not be easy.

I may say here, that in ninety-five cases out of a hundred the lady falls to the right. If the gentleman is riding on her left, he gives up to her the best place, and protects her legs; she can use her whip more freely; he has the use of his right hand to stop or quiet her horse; he can arrange her skirt, should she need his help; if she falls, he has but to seize her left arm, and draw her toward him, calculating the strength which he employs, and he may even lift her from the saddle.

CHAPTER IV.

Resistances of the horse.