The Young Lady's Equestrian Manual Part 4

EXERCISES IN THE PACES.

Although our limits will not permit us to enter into an elaborate detail of the lessons taken by a pupil in the riding school, it is right that we should give the learner a few useful hints on the rudiments of riding, and not devote our whole s.p.a.ce to the improvement of those who have made considerable progress. While we endeavour to correct bad habits in the self-taught artist,--in the pupil of a kind friend, an affectionate relative, or of a mere groom,--to confirm the regularly educated equestrian in the true principles and practice of the art,--to remind her of what she has forgotten, and to improve upon the knowledge she may have acquired,--we must not forget those among our young friends, who, having never mounted a horse, are desirous of learning how to ride with grace and propriety, and who dwell at a distance, or do not feel inclined to take lessons, from a master. To such, one-third, at least, of our preceding observations are applicable; and we recommend an attentive perusal of what we have said, as to Mounting, the Aids, &c., before they aspire to the saddle. Our other remarks they will find useful when they have acquired a little practice.

A quiet and well-trained horse, and a careful attendant, should, if possible, be procured. A horse, that knows his duty, will almost instruct his rider; and if a friend, who is accustomed to horses, or a careful servant, accompany the pupil, there is little or nothing to fear, even in the first attempts. The friend, or groom, may also, by his advice, materially a.s.sist the learner in her progress.

It would be needless for us to repeat our advice as to the manner of mounting, holding the reins, making the horse advance, stop, turn, &c., or the proper disposition of the body and limbs: all these, in her early lessons, the pupil should gradually practise.

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THE WALK.

Let the pupil walk the horse forward in a straight line, and at a slow rate, supporting his head in such a manner as to make him keep time in the beats of his pace; but not holding the reins so tight as to impede the measurement of his steps, or to make him break into a trot on being slightly animated. The hand should be so held, that it may delicately, but distinctly, feel, by the operation of the horse's mouth on the reins, every beat of his action. If he do not exert himself sufficiently, he should be somewhat animated. Should he break into a trot, he must be checked by the reins; but the pull must neither be so firm nor continued as to make him stop. The moment he obeys the rein and drops into a walk, the hand is to be relaxed. Should he require animating again, the movement for that purpose must be more gentle than before, lest he once more break into a trot.

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After walking in a straight line for a short time, the lady should practise the turn to the right and to the left; alternately using both hands in these operations, in the manner directed in a previous page.

She must observe, that when she pulls the right rein in order to turn the horse on that side, the other hand must be relaxed and lowered, or advanced, to slacken the left rein and ease the horse's mouth, and _vice versa_.

If the horse do not readily obey the hand in turning, or bring forward his croup sufficiently, he must be urged to throw himself more on the bit, by an animation of the leg or whip. The animations, during the first lessons, should be commenced with great gentleness, and the rider will easily discover, by a little experience, to what degree it is necessary to increase them, in order to procure obedience. This observation should be attended to, were it only for the pupil's safety; for, if she begin with her animations above the horse's spirit, his courage will be so raised as to endanger, or, at least, alarm her, and thus render what would otherwise be an agreeable exercise, unpleasant.

After the pupil has practised walking in a straight line, and turning on either side, for a few days, she may walk in a circle, and soon make her horse wheel, change, demi-volt, &c. The circle should be large at first; but when the pupil has acquired her proper equilibrium, &c., it must, day by day, be gradually contracted.

In riding round a circle, the inner rein should be rather lowered, and the body inclined inward. This inclination must be increased during succeeding lessons, as the circle is contracted, and the pupil quickens the pace of her horse. She must practise in the large circle, until she is able, by her hands and aids, to make the horse perform it correctly.

The inside rein must be delicately acted upon; if it be jerked, at distant intervals, or borne upon, without intermission, the horse, in the former case, will swerve in and out, and, in the latter, the rider's hand, and the animal's mouth, will both become, in some degree, deadened; and thus their correspondence will be decreased. In order to procure correct action, the inner rein should be alternately borne on in a very slight degree, and relaxed the next instant,--the hand keeping exact time in its operations with the cadence of the horse's feet. The direction is to be frequently changed; the pupil alternately working to the right and the left, so as to bring both her hands into practice.

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As soon as the rider becomes tolerably well confirmed in her seat and balance, and in the performance of the simple aids and animations, as well in large as small circles, she should begin to ride in double circles; at first of considerable diameter, but decreasing them, by degrees, as she improves. Riding in double circles, is guiding the horse to perform a figure of 8; and this, in the language of the riding-school, is effecting the large and narrow change, according to the size of the circles. The number of the circles may be increased, and the sizes varied, with great advantage both to the rider and the horse.

They may be at some distance from each other, and the horse be guided to work from one to the other diagonally. Thus, suppose he starts from _a_, he may be made to leave the upper circle at _e_, and enter the lower one at _d_; leave it at _c_, and enter the first again at _b_; and so continue for some time: then, beginning at _f_, to quit the lower circle at _c_, enter the upper one at _b_, leave it at _e_, and enter the lower circle again at _d_. Thus, the position of the rider and horse are alternately changed, from working from the right to a straight line, thence to the left, thence to a straight line, and thence again to the right. To give an instance of riding in a greater number of circles, of different diameters, let the horse start from _a_ (see figure, p. 77), and leave the upper circle at _b_, traversing to the outer small circle at _c_, pa.s.sing round, so as to enter the inner circle at _e_, and going round, by _f_, to _g_; quitting it at _g_, and entering the lower circle at _h_; quitting the latter again, after pa.s.sing round _i_, at _k_, and thence proceeding towards the outer small circle; entering at _l_, going round and entering the inner circle at _e_, pa.s.sing round, and quitting it at _f_, to return again to _a_, by entering the upper circle at _m_. These exercises may be diversified in various ways; the pupil, for instance, may perform the upper circle, and one or both of the pair below, return to the upper circle, cross from that, diagonally, to the lower circle, quit it, at _h_ or _k_, to perform one of the middle circles, return to the lower circle again, pa.s.s thence to the other middle circle, and quit it at _c_ or _f_ (as the case may happen), to return to the upper circle again. Nothing can be more beneficial than this variety of action; it tends at once to confirm the pupil in her seat; to exercise her in her balance and aids; and to render the horse obedient: while, if he be kept in only one direction, he will perform the figure mechanically, without either improving his own mouth and action, or the rider's hands, aids, or balance.

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In the art of riding, working on a circle is called a _volt_; in angles, or a zig-zag direction, _changes reverse_; and on half a circle from a line, a _demi-volt_. These figures may first be performed separately; but there can be no objection to the demi-volt and changes reverse being afterwards embodied in the exercises on circles. As in the last figure, the lady may work from _a_ in the mode directed, for some time; then perform the variations, by going across from _a_ to _b_, and describe a demi-volt round by _c_ _e_ to _a_; then return from _a_ to _b_, and work a demi-volt, in an opposite direction, from _b_ to _a_: thence, the lady may proceed in a line, enter the lower circle at _d_, and re-commence riding in circles. The change reverse may at any time be performed, by quitting the upper circle at _e_ or _f_, and working on the traversing lines, so as to cross the lower circle at _g_ or _h_, and enter it at _i_ or _k_. In fact, these exercises may be varied, _ad libitum_; and the more they are diversified, the greater advantage the lady will derive from them, provided she persevere until she can perform one figure with accuracy, before she enter upon another that is more complicated. Should the horse, in changing, yield his head, but withhold his croup so as to destroy the union of his action, or mar the perfection of the change, the rider should bring it to the proper position, or sequence, by an aid of the whip or leg, as the case may be.

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THE TROT.

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The lady should begin to practise this pace as soon as she is tolerably perfect in the walking lessons. It will be as well for her, at first, to trot in a straight line: she may then work in the large circle, and proceed, gradually, through most of the figures which she has performed in a walk. To make the horse advance from a walk to a trot, draw upwards the little finger of each hand (or that of the left hand only, when the pupil has advanced enough to hold the reins in one hand), and turn them towards the body: an animation of the leg or whip should accompany this motion. The trot should be commenced moderately: if the horse start off too rapidly, or increase the pace beyond the rider's inclination, she must check him by closing the hands firmly; and, if that will not suffice, by drawing the little fingers upwards and towards the body.

This must not be done by a jerk, but delicately and gradually; and, as soon as the proper effect is produced, the reins are again to be slackened. If the horse do not advance with sufficient speed, or do not bring up his haunches well, the animations used at starting him are to be repeated. When the horse proceeds to the trot, the lady must endeavour to preserve her balance, steadiness and pliancy, as in the walk. The rise in trotting is to be acquired by practice. When the horse, in his action, raises the rider from her seat, she should advance her body, and rest a considerable portion of her weight on the right knee; by means of which, and by bearing the left foot on the stirrup, she may return to her former position without being jerked; the right knee and the left foot, used in the same manner, will also aid her in the rise. Particular attention must be paid to the general position of the body while trotting: in this pace, ordinary riders frequently rise to the left, which is a very bad practice, and must positively be avoided. The lady should also take care not to raise herself too high; the closer she maintains her seat, consistently with her own comfort, the better.

THE CANTER.

The whole of the exercises on circles should next be performed in a canter; which may be commenced from a short but animated trot, a walk, or even a stop. If the horse be well trained, a slight pressure of the whip and leg, and an elevation of the horse's head, by means of the reins, will make him strike into a canter. Should he misunderstand, or disobey these indications of the rider's will, by merely increasing his walk or trot, or going into the trot from a walk, as the case may be, he is to be pressed forward on the bit by an increased animation of the leg and whip;--the reins, at the same time, being held more firmly, in order to restrain him from advancing too rapidly to bring his haunches well under him; for the support of which, in this position, he will keep both his hind feet for a moment on the ground, while he commences the canter by raising his fore feet together.

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The canter is by far the most elegant and agreeable of all the paces, when properly performed by the horse and rider: its perfection consists in its union and animation, rather than its speed. It is usual with learners who practise without a master, to begin the canter previously to the trot; but we are supported by good authority in recommending, that the lady should first practise the trot, as it is certainly much better calculated to strengthen and confirm her in the balance, seat &c.

than the canter.

The lady is advised, at this stage of her progress, to practise the paces, alternately, in the various combinations of the figures we have described; performing her aids with greater power and accuracy in turning and working in circles, when trotting or cantering, than when walking.

She should also perfect herself in her aids, the correspondence, and balance, by alternately increasing and diminishing the speed in each pace, until she attain a perfect mastery over herself and her horse, and can not only make him work in what direction, and at what pace, but, also, at what degree of speed in each pace, she pleases.

The horse ought to lead with the right foot: should he strike off with the left, the rider must either check him to a walk, and then make him commence the canter again, or induce him to advance the proper leg by acting on the near rein, pressing his side with the left leg, and touching his right shoulder with the whip. His hind legs should follow the direction of the fore legs, otherwise the pace will be untrue, disunited, and unpleasant, both to horse and rider: therefore, if the horse lead with his near fore leg (unless when cantering to the left--the only case when the near legs should be advanced), or with his near hind leg, except in the case just mentioned--although he may lead with the proper fore leg--the pace is false, and ought to be rectified.

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THE GALLOP.

No lady of taste ever gallops on the road. Into this pace, the lady's horse is never urged, or permitted to break, except in the field: and not above one among a thousand of our fair readers, it may be surmised, is likely to be endowed with sufficient ambition and boldness, to attempt "the following of hounds." Any remarks, on our part, with regard to this pace, would, therefore, be all but needless.

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STOPPING AND BACKING.

The lady must learn how to perform the perfect stop in all the paces.

The perfect stop in the walk, is a cessation of all action in the animal, produced instantaneously by the rider, without any previous intimation being given by her to the horse. The slovenly stop is gradual and uncertain. The incorrect stop is a momentary and violent check on the action in the middle, instead of the conclusion, of the cadence, while the fore legs are coming to the ground. The proper movements should be performed, by the rider, so that the stop may conclude correctly with the cadence. The firmness of the hand should be increased, the body be thrown back, the reins drawn to the body, and the horse's haunches pressed forward by the leg and whip, so that he may be brought to bear on the bit.

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The stop in the trot is performed as in the walk: the rider should operate when the advanced limbs of the animal, before and behind, respectively, have come to the ground, so that the stop may be perfected when the other fore leg and hind leg advance and complete the cadence.

The stop in the canter is performed by the rider in a similar manner: the time should be at the instant when the horse's fore feet are descending;--the hind feet will immediately follow, and at once conclude the cadence. In an extended canter, it is advisable to reduce the horse to a short trot, prior to stopping him, or to perform the stop by a _double arret_;--that is, in two cadences instead of one.

It is necessary that the lady should learn how to make a horse _back_, in walking: to do this, the reins must be drawn equally and steadily towards the body, and the croup of the horse kept in a proper direction by means of the leg and whip.