The Barb and the Bridle Part 3

Q. How many lines of action should the little finger of the bridle hand move on?--A. Four. First, towards the waist; second, towards the horse's neck; third, towards the right shoulder; fourth, towards the left.

Q. What are the objects of these motions?--A. First, to collect, halt, or rein back the horse. Second, to give him facility of moving forward.

Third, to turn him to the left. Fourth, to turn him to the right. The upper part of the rider's figure to be slightly turned from the waist, by bringing forward the right shoulder when turning to the left and _vice versa_, in order to enable her to move exactly on the same line as the horse, and so to preserve completely her due _aplomb_ or balance in the saddle. The above, in a slightly modified form, is the instruction laid down in the "Military Aid Book," as is the following.

Q. What is meant by a light hand?--A. An almost imperceptible easing and feeling of the bridle hand, so as to preserve the natural delicacy of the horse's mouth.

The foregoing, however, while it indicates correctly and concisely what a light hand is, is scarcely explicit enough for a beginner. I believe the best definition to be this: when a horse is "light in hand,"

according to the technical meaning, it should by no means be understood that he has so delicate a mouth that he fears the action of the bit in it. On the contrary, having in his breaking been fairly balanced, the greater part of the weight on his haunches, and ridden well up to his bridle, he should admit of a steady _appui_ between his mouth and the rider's hand, while he bends in the poll of the neck.

Thoroughly balanced, and bending as above described, his mouth yields to the action of the rider's hand, and is "light" in the true sense of the principles of equitation.

A great deal of nonsense is talked about ladies' hands being so much more light and delicate than those of a man. The truth is, that, a.s.suming both male and female rider to be equally practised in the saddle, there is no difference whatever in the feeling or _appui_ given by the horse.

Thoroughly habituated to obey certain indications conveyed to him through the medium of the bridle reins and leg or other aid of the rider, he will answer to them precisely in the same manner to a lady as he would to a man; while, on the other hand, if these indications are not given with well-defined clearness and precision, he will not answer to anybody's riding.

There is a point, however, as regards the action of the hands, to which I beg to call the particular attention both of young ladies commencing their lessons in equitation and of gentlemen (non-professional) who may undertake the task of teaching riding.

A great difference of opinion exists as to whether the action of the bridle hand should be from the wrist only, or whether (spring like, if I may use the expression) the "give and take" action should be conveyed by the upper part of the arm being quite mobile at the shoulder joint and in conjunction with the forearm, the latter kept, however, close to the side, and moving easily and freely to the horse's action. The latter theory is warmly advocated by many thoroughly experienced hors.e.m.e.n and professors of female equitation, who maintain that to teach a young lady to keep the arm firm to the side, in the manner adopted in the military riding school, is not only to give her a rigid wooden appearance on her horse, but also to destroy the proper flexibility of her figure.

On the other hand, some instructors--those especially who are veterans of the cavalry _manege_--insist that firmness of the arm should in all cases be rigidly demanded.

My experience induces me to come to a conclusion which is midway between these opposing theories.

In the first lessons given to a lady on horseback it is well to insist upon her keeping the arm steady, because otherwise she is ready not only to yield her hand to every movement of the horse, be that yielding right or wrong, but gradually and imperceptibly to herself her hands will steal forward until they are eight or ten inches in front of her, the consequence being that the muscles of the waist become rigid, and the flexibility of her figure at its most important point, as regards riding, is lost, while the hands remain in the awkward and ungainly position I allude to.

For the above reason, therefore, it is desirable to inculcate firmness of the lower part of the arm to the side in the early lessons; the hands drawn back close to the waist. And, in order to make this form of riding more easily comprehensible to the pupil at her first essay, the following will be found highly effective:

Let the instructor stand in front of the horse, and taking the bridle reins one in each hand, let him caution the pupil _not_ to yield to him if he pulls against her. Let him then take a quick, sharp pull at the reins in the same way as a horse would when trying to get his head free from the rider's control. The master will find that, despite the caution, both the pupil's hands will come forward at once; and if this action on the bridle had been executed by the horse instead of his master, the former would have gained his first step in having his own way, and, for instance, from a collected canter could increase his pace at his own will. Now, there is nothing more important in the action of the hand in controlling the horse than firmness and instantaneous decision in yielding or maintaining the _appui_.

"If" (say some theorists) "a horse pulls against you, drop your hand to him." This is rather a vague expression, which, in fact, conveys no real meaning to an inexperienced person; among hors.e.m.e.n it is intended to convey that you should yield to the horse whenever he pulls or takes a liberty with the hand. Now, the direct reverse of this is the course to be adopted by all riders who wish to acquire good hands. When a horse endeavours to forereach upon the rider, the latter, instead of yielding, should close his hands firmly on the reins, and keep the arms perfectly steady, _without pulling an ounce_ against the horse; at the same time closing his leg with equal firmness. In the next stride or two the horse will yield to the hand, which should instantly yield to him; and thus he learns that you are master of him, and goes well together, or, as it is technically called, collectedly and within himself; whereas if the hand is freely yielded whenever he takes a liberty or romps for his head, in a very brief time he will be all abroad, and going in any form but that best for himself or his rider.

To ensure firmness and steadiness of the hands, however, equal firmness and steadiness are requisite in the arms, and, for that reason, the pupil should be taught to keep them close to the side; an additional reason being that, if this is neglected, a beginner, as it were, disconnects the figure from the waist upwards, and loses her true balance. When the pupil has had sufficient practice to ensure steadiness in the saddle, the injunction as to arms perfectly steady may be relaxed; and gradually, while there is no lateral motion of the arm from the side or sticking out of the elbows, the lady will learn to give easy play to the shoulder joint without destroying the neatness of her riding or her power to fix her arms for a moment if the horse tries to get his head away. In short, my theory is that it is impossible for the pupil to learn the true _appui_, or acquire what is usually called a light hand, until she has acquired a steady one. It is easy enough to tell her to "give and take" to the cadence of the horse's action; but the precise moment at which to do this must be made clear to the learner by some well defined and easily comprehensible rule. I submit that the readiest way of defining it is that I have attempted in the foregoing.

Having carefully given the above instruction, see that the pupil is sitting fair and true in the saddle, and be careful to correct any tendency to throwing forward the right shoulder, which is both inelegant and destructive of balance. See that the right knee is in a firm, but still flexible form on the upper pannels. Caution the pupil while she draws her figure well up from the waist to stretch the left heel well down; and let her then, keeping her hands perfectly quiet, press the horse forward into a walk with the leg, while she yields the little finger from the wrist only. Let her make the horse walk freely out, but up to his bridle, the whip being applied, if necessary, on the off shoulder if he hangs back behind his work.

Nearly all young people, when first put on horseback, are anxious to be off in a canter at once, and it is a sore trial to their patience to be kept at a walk. But there can be no greater mistake than to allow them to canter a horse until they have learnt the "alpha" of their business--that important lesson, how to make a horse walk true and fair.

This accomplished, "going large" round school or paddock, the pupil should be carefully instructed how to turn her horse square to the right or left, and to rein him back. And in order to make the instruction as clear and concise as possible, again, in a modified form, the "Book of Aids" may be called upon. The formula there laid down, in the shape of question and answer, is as follows:--

Q. How do you turn a horse to the right or left?--A. By a double feeling of the inward rein, retaining a steady feeling of the outward. The horse kept up to the hand by pressure of both legs. The outward by the strongest. Now, as in the case of a lady, there is no right leg to support the horse, in turning, he is liable to lean upon the hand; the rider should close the left leg firmly, and touch him lightly on the off-side with her whip, which will at once cause him to keep his forehand up and his haunches under him. After being once or twice so corrected he will turn carefully, without hurry or coming on his shoulder.

The pupil should then be taught to turn her horse right and left about in the centre of the _manege_, the aids being simply continued until the animal faces the reverse way, the pupil turning her horse upon his centre in the middle of the _manege_, instead of his haunches, as at the side. Plenty of practice should be given in making these turns, because by them the pupil learns to bring up the right or left shoulder according to the hand turned to, the right shoulder in turning to the left, and _vice versa_; and this should be most carefully attended to by the master, otherwise the body of the pupil is moving on one line and the horse on another, and in case of his flirting the pupil is already half-way out of her saddle. Too much attention therefore cannot be given to this vital point in the _aplomb_ for this obvious reason--if a lady once acquires the habit (which unfortunately too many do) of allowing the horse to turn without "going with him," it is quite on the cards that some day a horse, a trifle too fresh, may jump round with her. If the above principle of "going" with the horse has been thoroughly well taught her in her early lessons she will have no difficulty in accompanying the action of the horse, if she even fail in checking it; but if she is permitted so to sit as to be looking over her horse's left ear when she turns him to the right, she is leaving the question of her seat entirely to the generosity of the steed. And it may be as well to say at once that, with the best intentioned, broken, or mannered horse, it may be laid down as a golden rule in riding to leave nothing to his generosity. Horses are very keen in their perceptions, and can detect in a manner little suspected by the inexperienced when they have one at a disadvantage.

Reining back may be practised from time to time. To do this well, again clearly defined instructions should be given. First the horse should be halted. Thus: A light _firm_ feeling of both reins, to check his forward movement; the leg closed tightly at the same time, to keep him up to the hand; the reins to be eased as soon as the horse is halted. The aids for reining back should then be explained as follows: Closing the hands firmly on the reins, the rider should feel the horse's mouth as though the reins were made of silken thread instead of leather, and close her leg quietly to keep him up to the hand. There should be no dead pull at the horse's mouth, but the reins should be eased at every step he takes backwards, which, if the aids are smoothly and truly applied, he will do without throwing his haunches either in or out. In the early lessons the pupil should not be allowed to rein her horse back more than two or three steps at a time. The use of reining back is to bring the greater weight from the horse's forehand to his haunches, to collect him and make him light in hand. (See "Aid Book.") It is also of great use in a.s.sisting the pupil to correct her own _aplomb_ in the saddle, and acquire a true _appui_ on the horse's mouth. Every movement of the hand of the rider, however, and every step of the horse, should be carefully watched by the instructor. The horse should never be allowed to _hurry_ back, as that will at once enable him to get behind his bridle.

These lessons at a walk, the turns to the right and left, turns about and reining back, should be continued until the pupil executes them with precision. Her position should be rigidly attended to, all stiffness avoided, and nothing in the shape of careless sitting allowed to pa.s.s unnoticed. I repeat, the early lessons should, if anything, be a little overdone in the way of exactness, because any careless habit acquired at such a stage is most difficult to get rid of afterwards. When the pupil is thoroughly _au fait_ at her walking lesson, she should commence the next important section, that, namely, of learning to trot, the formula of which I will endeavour to explain in my next chapter, concluding this with a description of the form in which a lady should dismount, and the a.s.sistance that should be afforded by the master.

Having halted the horse in the centre of the school, his head should be held by a steady groom. The lady should then pa.s.s the reins from the right hand to the left, and quietly lift her skirt with the right hand until she can easily disengage her right knee from the upper pommels. At the same moment her left foot should be disengaged by the a.s.sistant from the stirrup, and her skirt from the near-side pommel or third crutch.

The lady should then drop the reins on the horse's neck, and having disengaged her right knee, turn quietly to the left in her saddle, and face the a.s.sistant. She should then with both hands take up the slack of her habit until her feet are quite clear of it, otherwise, on alighting she is liable to trip and fall, possibly right into the arms of the a.s.sistant, which is not, by any means, according to rule.

Having gathered up the skirt, the lady should then carry her hands forward about eight or ten inches from her knees, and rest both her hands firmly on those of the a.s.sistant, who should raise them up well for the purpose. It remains only then for the lady to glide smoothly down from the saddle, and, slightly supported by the a.s.sistant, she will alight easily and gracefully on _terra firma_. Some riding masters have a fashion of taking a lady off her horse by placing both hands on her waist and allowing her to throw her weight forward upon them. Such a practice is _outre_, inelegant, and unsafe, because the lady is likely enough to throw more weight forward than the master antic.i.p.ated, in which case both may come to the ground, to the great discomfiture of the fair equestrian.

CHAPTER VII.

THE TROTTING LESSON.

This, once thoroughly mastered, gives the pupil confidence and security on her horse, and is the great inductive step by which she learns the value of balance. Some years ago it was considered that if a lady could sit her horse gracefully at a walk, and securely at a canter, she had accomplished all that was correct or necessary in female equitation.

Trotting was altogether ignored, for the simple reason that ladies found it extremely difficult to do, and impossible to find anybody who could help them out of their difficulty by teaching them the right way. In those days most of the riding masters were men who had been instructors in the cavalry. In that arm of the service, trotting according to regulation is quite a different thing to the easy rise and fall seat practised by civilians on horseback. It is a necessity in cavalry, in order to preserve the dressing in line, that a man should sit down in his saddle at a trot, and allow the horse to shake him fair up and down in it. If the rising seat were allowed, it would be impossible to preserve anything like dressing. This shake-up, or "b.u.mping" seat, however, as men out of the army call it, is by no means so distressing as some people imagine, unless the horse is unusually rough in his action.

The reason is that the military trot is taught upon the principle of balance. The man sits fair down on his seat, and, keeping his knee forward and his heel well down, does not cling to the horse by muscular grasp; consequently the b.u.mping, so terrific to the eye of the civilian, is scarcely felt by the soldier, and in continental armies, where rough trotting horses are exceptional, the motion or jolt is scarcely perceptible. There are a great many popular fallacies about military riding--as, for instance, that a dragoon rides with a very long stirrup; that his seat is insecure; that the b.u.mping gives a horse a sore back; and that, except a sailor and a tailor, a dragoon officer is about the worst horseman to be found. This is not exactly the place to enter into any controversy on the subject; but I may as well observe at once, and I do so because I am sure the old soldiers are not altogether despised by the ladies, even in this non-military country, that all the foregoing are so many mistakes. A dragoon, any time within my memory, rode just the same length as a man does over a country--that is to say that, measuring the cavalry man's leather and iron by the length of his arm and hand, which is the right length for a civilian, you have exactly the cavalry regulation length. The stirrup of a lancer indeed is somewhat shorter than that used by most hunting men. Finally, an acquaintance with the _habitues_ of such places as Melton would prove to unbelievers in the riding of cavalry officers that the names of most of the men who go to the front in the hunting-field, and keep there, are to be found in the "Army List." I have been tempted thus to digress by having referred to the military riding school, from which in former days, most, if not all, the riding masters who taught ladies came. Now, although I stand up (as in duty bound) for the military system of riding _per se_, it does not produce the right man to teach a woman to ride, if the experience of the preceptor has been acquired in the riding school only. Excellent as is our system (or, rather, the German system, for it is imported from the Prussian service), for making a man a first-cla.s.s dragoon, as regards anything connected with a lady's seat or the principle of her balance, it is useless.

As regards her hands, or the application of the "aids" of the _manege_, it is highly beneficial, because nothing can be more clear or concise than the simple rules laid down in military equitation for the application of the "helps," by which a horse's easy movement is controlled and regulated. It was princ.i.p.ally to the want of men who could teach a lady to ride, however, that the absence of a trotting in the side saddle was to be attributed "lang syne."

It is altogether different now. Riding masters took to riding across country, and their daughters took to it also, naturally. Awkward spills occurred; and long journeys home after hunting, all done at a canter, terribly shook the horse's legs and the temper of the head of the family. "Why the deuce can't you let your horse trot?" I once heard the worthy sire of a blooming girl of sixteen say to his daughter, who was pounding away on the hard road on the _retour de cha.s.se_. "For G.o.d's sake let him trot, Carry. You'll hammer his legs all to pieces. Why don't you let him trot?" "Because, pa, he won't let me trot," was the unanswerable reply. True enough; Carry knew nothing about it, and there was n.o.body to tell her. She was riding on a saddle that fitted neither her nor her horse. She had no third crutch, and she had a slipper stirrup (that worst of abominations in ladies' saddlery). Looking back at those days, the only wonder to me is, how ladies managed to ride at all. That they did ride is certainly proof (if any were wanting) of their courage and perseverance under difficulties.

The necessity for trotting having become apparent as ladies took more to riding, it at length called the attention of one or two thoroughly practical men to the subject. The first of these, I believe, was the celebrated steeple race jockey, Dan Seffert, who had been a riding master in his early days, and who was equally at home in the _manege_ or between the flags over a country.

The running made by Mr. Seffert was soon taken up by other first-cla.s.s hors.e.m.e.n, among whom were Mr. Oldacre, and Mr. Allen, of Seymour-place.

The third crutch was added to the side saddle, and numerous improvements effected in it, which rendered trotting not only practicable, but pleasant and easy to a lady, provided she was taught the right way. I believe we owe the third crutch and padded stirrup to Mr. Oldacre, a first-cla.s.s judge of female equitation; but I am not quite certain upon this point. The saddle having been rendered practicable for the purpose, the next thing requisite was a comprehensible and simple set of rules, by which the lady could be taught to trot, without distressing either her horse or herself. To whom these rules owe their origin is immaterial; as to their efficiency, such as they are, I have found them highly so, and therefore beg leave to submit them to your readers.

After the usual walking lesson (abridged, however, to allow more time for what is to follow), the pupil should ride her horse to the centre of the school, and halt him there, so that the instructor has perfect facility of getting at the horse on any side, and seeing the exact form in which his pupil moves. The lady should then be instructed to take a firm hold with the right knee on the upper pommel of the saddle, grasping it well between the thigh and the lower part of the leg, and carrying the latter well back, with the heel sunk as close as possible to the left leg. By sinking the heel well, she will give great firmness to her hold with the right leg upon the upper pommels. To accomplish this, however, she should get well forward in her saddle, and care should be taken that her stirrup is not too short, otherwise she will be thrown too far back to enable her to take the necessary grip with the upper leg. The left leg should then be well drawn back, the front of the thigh pressed firmly against the third crutch, the left heel well sunk, and the toe raised from the instep, because a firmness is thus given to the leg and thigh which would otherwise be wanting. The body, from the waist upwards, should be inclined slightly forward, and the angle at which the left foot is drawn back from the perpendicular line from the knee to the foot should be regulated by the inclination of the body forward, so as exactly to balance it.

Having placed his pupil in this position, and seen that her hands are well drawn back and arms firm, the instructor should then _take her foot out of the stirrup_, and give the following concise instructions: "On the word 'one,' raise the body slowly from the saddle as high as possible." Now, to do this without the aid of the stirrup can only be accomplished by keeping the heel well down and the leg back (in the first place, in order to balance the body), and then raising the figure by the action of the right knee and its grasp upon the upper pommel. At first the pupil will find this difficult, even when the horse is perfectly motionless, and when the riding master a.s.sists her by putting his left hand under her left elbow; but after a few efforts she will succeed. This is the first step in learning the rise with precision.

Having accomplished it, the pupil should not lower herself again to the saddle until the instructor gives her the word "two," when she should lower herself as slowly as she rose.

If she has been well tutored in the extension and suppling practices alluded to in my second chapter, she will understand what "one, two"

time means in this way as well as in dancing, and her knowledge of balance on foot will a.s.sist her on horseback. These rising and falling motions should be continued until the pupil executes them with precision, fair intervals of rest being allowed. The master should then place the lady's foot again in the stirrup.

The absence of this support in the previous lesson will have prevented the pupil from leaning to the near side, and throwing her weight out of the perpendicular--a most pernicious habit, which ladies who try to learn their trotting in one lesson are very apt to fall into, and it is a fault very difficult to correct. In fact, the main object in beginning without a stirrup is to avoid this error.

With the support of the stirrup the pupil will find the act of rising and maintaining an upright or slightly bent forward position (the figure raised well up from the saddle) a comparatively easy matter, and the lesson should be continued thus for a quarter of an hour longer. However trying to the patience this riding without gaining ground--"marking time" in the saddle--may be, the lady maybe a.s.sured, that it is by rigid attention to such minutiae only that she can become a first-cla.s.s horsewoman, and that she is in reality losing no time.

When we hear the singing of Mme. t.i.tiens, or recollect the unrivalled dancing of Taglioni, we are apt to forget that with all the natural talent of these great artistes, it was close attention to rudimentary elements that laid the foundations of their excellence. It is so in riding, to excel in which is far more difficult than in dancing. It is those only who are content with mediocrity who ignore detail. We come now to the second section of this lesson, in which the pupil will begin to find the first fruit of her previous exertion. The master having led her horse to the side of the school, should give her instruction to walk him freely out, riding him, however, well up against the snaffle, if necessary for this purpose using her whip sharply. The horse will then take fairly hold of her hand, and give her a good _appui_. The rising and falling should then be continued at a walk, and a.s.sisted by the impetus given by the horse's forward motion, and the stirrup, the pupil will find her work still easier than when the horse was at a standstill.

The instructor should now count his "one," "two," in different times, allowing a longer or shorter interval between each word, according to whether he means to convey to the pupil the notion of quick sharp action in the horse, or long dwelling action. Thus, when the horse trots, he will be able to count his time in exact accordance with the animal's movements. Be the time quick or slow that he counts, he should exact rigid conformity of action in the pupil; because this harmony of motion to the counting is as important to success in the riding master as it is to the music master. Time and cadence in action are vital points in equitation.

As soon as the instructor is satisfied that his pupil can easily accommodate her action to his word, he should prepare to test both in the trot. But if he takes a week to get the pupil to do the two previous lessons (one of them even) properly, they should be continued until she does it; n.o.body can spell until he knows the alphabet.

To carry on the lesson in the trot, the instructor should mount a cob or pony of such height as will admit of his easily placing his left hand under the right elbow of the pupil. He should ride with his reins in his right hand, and be sure that the horse he gets on is a perfectly steady one.

He should now put plenty of vivacity into his own manner; he will then easily impart it to his pupil and her horse. The latter should be smartly "woke up" if at all behind his work--pressed up to the bridle with whip and leg, and "made ready" to increase his pace at any moment.

The master should then caution his pupil that on the words "Prepare to trot," she should strengthen her grasp on the upper pommel, her pressure against the third crutch, and well stretch down the left heel, while she carries back the left leg, and inclines the body slightly forward from the waist, arms very firm, fingers shut tight on the reins; and while the body inclines forward there should be no outward or lateral curvature of the spine, nor should the head be dropped. The shoulders pressed well back, and the hands close to the waist, will give firmness and suppleness to the whole figure. Directly the master is satisfied with the pupil's position, he should place his left hand under her right elbow, urge his own horse smartly on, and give the word "Trot," on which the pupil should, without altering her position or yielding her hand, touch her horse smartly on the shoulder with the whip; he will then trot forward. At the first step he takes the master should help the pupil up with his left hand, and commence counting his "one," "two" in exact accordance with the horse's action. In nine cases out of ten the lady will succeed, with a fair stepping horse, in catching at the first attempt the rise at the right moment, and the increased impetus given by the horse will a.s.sist her, while her preparatory lessons in rising and falling will now prove their value.

Should any failure, however, attend the first effort, both horses should again be brought to the walk; the lady should be allowed to re-arrange her habit, and recover from the inevitable flurry which attends any failure of this sort. Patience, concise explanation, and cheerful manner on the part of the master will presently find their reward. All ladies do not possess great nerve, but most of them have great courage and perseverance, and after a false start or two they get on their mettle, and are sure to catch the true action. When once they have it, the master should make the pace sharp and active three or four times round the school, which is long enough for a first attempt. A couple more turns of equal duration should terminate the first trotting lesson. The lady should walk her horse round the school until both are cool, make much of him by patting him on the neck, and then be taken off. Day by day the instructor can slightly increase the length of the lesson, always beginning it, however, as above described, until the rise and fall of the pupil at a trot is perfectly true and fair. There should be no twist from the waist, the shoulders perfectly square, every movement in exact harmony with the horse's action. After the lady can rise and fall in the saddle unaided by the master, he is better on foot, because he can stand behind his pupil, and at once correct any fault in her position or riding; and no fault, be it remembered, however trivial, should be allowed to pa.s.s uncorrected.

For some time the lady should continue trotting out round the school, riding altogether upon the snaffle and sending her horse well up against it. There should be no "give-and-take" action in the hand in this case; but while she does not pull the weight of a feather against her horse, she should make him maintain the _appui_ by taking well hold of her hand; his trot will then be regular and fair.