Lectures on Horsemanship Part 2

_Now in regard to the Seat for a Lady_, I sincerely wish I was able to prescribe a more firm _one_ than the present fashion will admit of, however I will do my endeavour to handle it in the best manner I can; and first let the whole weight of the body rest firmly upon the center of the saddle, leaning nei her[+] to one side or the other, with the shoulders easily back, and the chest presented well forward; a lady cannot be too nice and circ.u.mspect, in accustoming herself to sit upright, without contraction, in any part, _nothing so graceful, nothing so safe as ease_ of _action_; do not let the stirrup carry more than the weight of the leg, except in case of the Swing Trot, or when a.s.sisting to keep the Ballance,[+]

Two material disadvantages arise from Ladies accustoming themselves to bear heavy in the stirrup, and loll about, constantly twisting themselves to the near or left side of the horse: first it destroys their whole figure, making the same appear deformed and crooked; and if they were to continue in the habit of riding would confirm them in such deformed att.i.tude, in its becoming second nature, by constant use; this is a truth too frequently witnessed, by practising without the right method.

Secondly, the other disadvantage most materially affects the horse; for by their so constantly leaning themselves to the near side, the side-saddle being so pulled and pressed against the withers or shoulder of the horse on the off side, keeping up a continual friction, and this being the case, I defy all the Sadlers in the kingdom to prevent the saddle from wringing and galling the poor beast, especially in the heat of the summer; the only remedy is to take away the cause, by sitting properly, and the effect ceases of course.

The notions which some Ladies have entertained, as to fear to let their daughters be taught to Ride, least it should make them grow crooked and awry, I insist that they are false, and quite the reverse; the cause is, as before observed, by their contracting bad habits of their own, and not being instructed on approved principles, so that the effect is caught hold of, while the cause lies unsought for; from my own knowledge and experience I could relate several instances wherein young Ladies instead of growing crooked by learning to ride, have been greatly relieved from those complaints, and even quite eradicated by the practice of riding, I will here beg leave to mention an instance or two which will serve to prove what good effects may arise from this pleasant and healthful exercise.

A young Lady about Seventeen years of age who had been afflicted for twelve months with a stiffness in her neck and shoulders, and it was observable that the right shoulder was grown much larger than the left.

She on coming to the riding house to observe her fellow scholars take their lessons, of which she became much pleased, and wished much to learn to ride.--The governess consulted me on the matter, but said she feared it might make her grow worse as she had been told that riding sometimes caused Ladies to become crooked, however, by my reasoning the matter with her she was convinced in her own opinion and caused the young Lady to write to her parents in Jamaica, and had permission by return of packet to ride according to my directions, which were briefly as follows, being in the month of March, and of course rather a cold piercing air, I advised new unwashed flannel every time she took a lesson to be worn next the skin on the part affected, _she rode_, of course a strong perspiration took place, she was much fatigued for the first six or seven Lessons, however after then as she began to be acquainted with the use of her bridle hands, as I made her use both; and give great part of the Lessons, in small circles to right and left; the consequence was that by persevering in this method for two successive months the parts became naturally relaxed and pliable, and by continuing to practice she entirely recovered her alacrity and spirits, and also became acquainted with the art of Riding, which I hope she may long live to practice with ease and safety to herself in her native country.

Another young Lady from the same school had a particular habit of leaning her shoulders and neck forward, I have frequently heard it called pokeing, and all the dancing-master's instructions had for years been ineffectual. I believe she was more fond of riding than dancing instructions, for the governess of the young lady before-mentioned often a.s.serted that the Riding Master had done more in setting her scholar upright and keeping her shoulders easily back, in the s.p.a.ce only of two months, than the Dancing Master, though capable in his profession, had been able to accomplish in three years.

I hope to be pardoned for this little digression, not doubting but those Ladies who will give themselves time to consider the foregoing, will be convinced that it is agreeable to reason and nature.

Now to say some little more of the SEAT, which cannot be too much attended to, being in a great measure the foundation of safety to a lady when on horseback, and as such I would strongly recommend the lady being in the menage, or in any proper place, the horse being very quiet and to be trusted to; then let the lady seat herself properly on the saddle as before directed, _only_ without the stirrup, and not to take the reins, leaving the direction of the horse to the Riding Master, or to whoever she can with safety trust the government to; and in this manner take half an hour's practice every day, as nothing will so greatly a.s.sist in acquiring a good and just balance.

I do not advise this method to be gone rapidly about, as she may make use both of stirrup and reins at first, and when she has acquired a firmness and ballance in some degree, may first quit the stirrup, and in a lesson or two, the reins.[+] remembering to go to right and left circle alternately and progressively.[+] viz. from _Walk_ to Trot and Gallop; I hope I need not say that the horse should be remarkably steady, and properly broke to go in circles to right and left by the longeing rein.

I say this method will settle and give the scholar a firmness not to be acquired by any other means, will teach them to unite themselves with their horse, and go along with him, it will bring about that confidence, firmness, ease, and just poize of body which serves to const.i.tute what is called a perfect _Seat_, acquired by the rules of art, and agreeable to nature, and I here beg leave to quote a few lines which the great Berringer observes applicable to this subject, "It is astonishing to think how this work so immediately necessary could have been deferred so long, that while rewards were given, public trials appointed, and laws enacted to promote an useful and generous breed of horses, no step should have been taken on the other hand to qualify and instruct the youth of the kingdom, of both s.e.x in the superior art of riding; for the getting on the back of an horse to be conveyed from one place to another without knowing what the animal is enabled by nature, art and practice to perform, is not _Riding_, the knowledge and utility of which consists in being able to discern and dexterous to employ the means by which the horse may be brought to execute what the rider requires of him with propriety, readiness and safety, and this knowledge in the rider and obedience in the horse should be so intimately connected as to form one _perfect whole_, this union being so indispensably necessary that where it is not, there is no meaning, the rider and horse talk different languages, and all is confusion, while many and fatal mischiefs may ensue, the rider may be wedged in the timber which he strives to rend, and fall the victim of his own ignorance and rashness."

I have now observed such rules which with practice will form as good and perfect a _Seat_ as the customary mode of riding will admit of. It remains now with practice and perseverance to make perfect.

WHEN RIDING ON THE ROAD.

When a lady has taken sufficient practice in the menage or elsewhere, so as to be able to steer and guide her horse, and particularly can stop him firm and well upon his haunches, and also knows by practice how to unite herself to the horse, provided he should stop suddenly by his own will, an instance which frequently happens, therefore it is essential that the rider should become sensible of every action of the horse by that kind of sympathy of feeling which should subsist between them, so as to know his intentions as quick as thought, in this and all other actions he may be inclined to, which are likely to offend and endanger the rider, or himself; I would earnestly recommend the lady to make herself acquainted with every help so as to gaurd[+] and defend herself on all occasions, such as her horse stumbling, shying, starting, running away, running back, rearing, kicking, and plunging; yet horses addicted to any of those vices are by no means fit, or should have ladies set upon knowingly, but as a lady cannot always be so fortunate as to get the possession of one of those hackneys we call a nonpareil, tho' every dealer you enquire of for one will say he can sell it you, therefore place not too much confidence in him you purchase your horse from, or the horse himself, even after you have rode him some time, for you scarce ever can be certain but he may play you some of those tricks, especially if his keep is above his work, as I have always found the best lady's hackneys require constant practice to keep them in tune.

It is necessary the lady should have a sharp eye upon the road she is travelling, taking care by the gentle a.s.sistance of the bridle hand to steer and guide her horse into the best, to avoid all stones and uneven places, and never to ride near the edge of any deep ditch or sudden precipice, for altho, heaven be praised, accidents very seldom happen, yet if for the want of a little care and due management one should happen in one hundred years, that one would be one too many: the lady should pay great attention to the horse when going down a steep hill, and endeavour to put him together and upon his haunches, and to perform this, she must feel his mouth lightly and firmly with the bridle hand, at the same time making use of some of the helps used to force him to go forward, such as clicking with your voice, a gentle touch with the whip, or the heel, so she stays him a little by the bridle hand at the same time he is forced forwards by the other helps or aids and if properly timed, by doing enough without over doing, he will be put together, and of course kept on a light proper action which must be in the real action of a trot, that is with his two corner legs in the air at one time and two on the ground, by such means the horse will always be kept on a sure ballance and never be in danger of falling, on the other hand if the horse is sufferd to go loose and unasisted[+] by the bridle hand, and the other aids as before described, when going down a steep hill he will most commonly go into that unnatural pace called the amble which is moving his side legs together instead of his corner legs, this pace is very unsafe notwithstanding the ancients used arts in breaking the horse to the amble, on account of its being so much easier than the trot, but as it is a known maxim in physic that giving ease and performing a cure are two different things, so here an easy pace and a safe one are as diametrically opposite, and that the amble is an unsafe pace is easy to be conceived by the horse losing so large a portion of his ballance, to prove which only try these simple experiments. Take a wooden horse[+]

let his two corner legs be taken away and he will stand, but take away his two sides leg and he falls, again one often sees at a farrier's shop when a horse is wanted to be shod in haste, two smiths can work at the same time, by taking each of them a corner leg, therefore how careful should we be to keep our hackneys on a safe action, and awake under us on all occasions.

The lady should endeavour to make herself acquainted with those objects which horses are most subject to be alarmed at, and first of all is a windmill in full sail, next some can never be brought to go comfortably by a tilted waggon, especially if meeting it, others dislike a.s.ses very much, some dislike to face a man wheeling a barrow or an umbrella extended, an arch drain which is frequently seen to carry the water away thro the banks in a turnpike road, its laying low and of course presents itself very suddenly, will sadly alarm some, and any object suddenly presenting itself is almost sure to affright and alarm any horse in spirits,[+] I once saw a lady get a fall, by a cow suddenly presenting its head over a hedge, yet a more steady animal never was, as I used her four years and never knew her start either before or after; let it be remembered that horses are more apt to be shy or start in the dusk of the evening than in broad day light, horses with bad eyes are almost sure to start, yet starting is not a sure sign of bad eyes, as many imagine it, I mention these few observations in regard to starting because horses which are most free from those faults, it may happen to some times; as horses like men are not alway in the same temper: never ride on a fast pace by any lane's end, or in turning any sudden or short turn, for two reasons; first, that it is unsafe as the horse might be subject to fall for want of being supported, and put together by shortening his pace, and secondly by your not being able to discern the objects which might present themselves to you so as to disturb and alarm your horse: these little hints kept well in mind may be the means of preventing many accidents.

FINIS.

FOOTNOTES:

[3-*] Such as the Wild Arabs, Indians, &c.

[24-*] Used by Sir Sidney Meadows.