Squently go over more ground: in both, as likewise in all other lessons, the shoulders must go first. In riding-houses, the head to the wall is the easier lesson of the two at first, the line to be worked upon being marked by the wall, not far from his head.

The motion of the legs to the right, is the same as that of the epaule en dedant to the left, and so vice versa; but the head is always bent and turned differently: in the epaule en dedant, the horse looks the contrary way to that which he goes; in this he looks the way he is going.

In the beginning, very little bend must be required; too much at once would astonish the horse and make him defend himself: it is to be augmented by degrees. If the horse absolutely refuses to obey, it is a sign, that either he or his rider has not been sufficiently prepared by previous lessons. It may happen, that weaknesses or a hurt in some part of the body, or sometimes temper, though seldom, may be the cause of the horse's defending himself; it is the rider's business to find out from whence the obstacle arises; and if he finds it to be from the first mentioned cause, the previous lessons must be resumed again for some time; if from the second, proper remedies must be applied; and if from the last cause, when all fair means that can be tried have failed, proper corrections with coolness and judgment must be used.

In practising this lesson to the right, bend the horse to the right with the right rein; helping the left leg over the right (at the time when the right leg is just come to the ground,) with the left rein crossed towards the right, and keeping the right shoulder back with the right rein towards your body, in order to facilitate the left legs crossing over the right; and so likewise vice versa to the left, each rein helping the other by their properly mixed effects. In working to the right, the rider's left leg helps the hinder parts on to the right, and his right leg stops them, if they get too forwards; and so vice versa to the left; but neither ought to be used, till the hand being employed in a proper manner has failed, or finds that a greater force is necessary to bring what is required about than it can effect alone; for the legs should not only be corresponding with, but also subservient to the hand; and all unnecessary aids, as well as all force, ought always to be avoided, as much as possible.

In the execution of all lessons, the equilibrium of the rider's body is of great use to the horse: it ought always to go with and accompany every motion of the animal; when to the right, to the right; and when to the left, to the left.

Upon all horses, in every lesson and action, it must be observed, that there is no horse but has his own peculiar appui or degree of bearing, and also a sensibility of mouth, as likewise a rate of his own, which it is absolutely necessary for the rider to discover and make himself acquainted with. A bad rider always takes off at least the delicacy of both, if not absolutely destroys it. The horse will inform his rider when he has got his proper bearing in the mouth, by playing pleasantly and steadily with his bit, and by the spray about his chaps. A delicate and good hand will not only always preserve a light appui, or bearing, its sensibility; but also of a heavy one, whether naturally so or acquired, make a light one. The lighter this appui can be made, the better; provided that the rider's hand corresponds with it; if it does not, the more the horse is properly prepared, so much the worse. Instances of this inconvenience of the best of appuis, when the rider is not equally taught with the horse, may be seen every day in some gentlemen, who try to get their horses bitted as they call it, without being suitably prepared themselves for riding them: the consequence of which is, that they ride in danger of breaking their necks; till at length after much hauling about, and by the joint insensibility and ignorance of themselves and their grooms, the poor animals gradually become mere fenelefs, unfeeling posts; and thereby grow, what they call, settled. When the proper appui is found, and made of course as light as possible, it must not be kept duly fixed without any variation, but be played with; otherwise one equally continued tension of reins would render both the rider's hand and the horse's mouth very dull. The slightest, and frequent giving and taking, is therefore necessary to keep both perfect.

Whatever pace or degree of quickness you work in, (be it ever so fast, or ever so slow,) it must be cautioned; time is as necessary for an horseman as for a musician.

This lesson of the head and of the tail to the wall, must be taught every folder: scarce any manoeuvre can be well performed without it. In closing and opening of files, it is almost every moment wanted.

The method of teaching horses to stand fire, noises, alarms, fights, &c.

In order to make horses stand fire, the sound of drums, and all sorts of different noises, you must use them to it by degrees in the stable at feeding-time; and instead of being frightened at it, they will soon come to like it as a signal for eating.

With regard to such horses as are afraid of burning objects, begin by keeping them still at a certain distance from some lighted straw: carefs the horse; and in proportion as his fright diminishes, approach gradually the burning straw very gently, and increase the size of it. By this means he will very quickly be brought to be so familiar with it, as to walk undaunted even through it.

As to horses that are apt to lie down in the water, if animating them, and attacking them vigorously, should fail of the desired effect, then break a straw bottle full of water upon their heads, and let the water run into their ears, which is a thing they apprehend very much.

All troop-horses must be taught to stand quiet and still when they are shot off from, to stop the moment you present, and not to move after firing, till they are required to do it; this lesson ought especially to be observed in light-troops; in short, the horses must be taught to be so cool and undisturbed, as to suffer the rider to act upon him with the same freedom as if he was on foot. Patience, coolness, and temper, are the only means requisite for accomplishing this end. Begin by walking the horse gently, then stop and keep him from flirring for some time, so as to accustom him by degrees not to have the least idea of moving without orders: if he does, then back him; and and when you stop him, and he is quite still, leave the reins quite loose.

To use a horse to fire arms, first put a pistol or carbine in the manger with his feed; then use him to the sound of the lock and the pan; after which, when you are upon him, show the piece to him, prefacing it forwards, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other; when he is thus far reconciled, proceed to flash in the pan; after which, put a small charge into the piece, and so continue augmenting it by degrees to the quantity which is commonly used; if he seems uneasy, walk him forwards a few steps slowly; and then stop, back and caress him. Horses are often also disquieted and unsteady at the clash, and drawing, and returning of swords, all which they must be familiarized to by little and little, by frequency and gentleness.

It is very expedient for all cavalry in general, but particularly for light cavalry, that their horses should be very ready and expert in leaping over ditches, hedges, gates, &c. The leaps, of whatever sort they are, which the horses are brought to in the beginning, ought to be very small ones; the riders must keep their bodies back, raise their hands a little in order to help the foreparts of the horse up, and be very attentive to their equilibre. It is best to begin at a low bar covered with furze, which pricking the horse's legs, if he does not raise himself sufficiently, prevents his contracting a sluggish and dangerous habit of touching, as he goes over, which any thing yielding and not pricking would give him a custom of doing. Let the ditches you first bring horses to, be narrow; and in this, as in every thing else, let the increase be made by degrees. Accustom them to come up to everything which they are to leap over, and to stand coolly at it for some time; and then to raise themselves gently up in order to form to themselves an idea of the distance. When they leap well standing, then use them to walk gently up to the leap, and to go over it without first halting at it; and after that practice is familiar to them, repeat the like in a gentle trot, and so by degrees faster and faster, till at length it is as familiar to them to leap flying on a full gallop, as any other way: all which is to be acquired with great facility by calm and soft means without any hurry.

As horses are naturally apt to be frightened at the sight and smell of dead horses, it is advisable to habituate them to walk over, and leap over carcasses of dead horses; and as they are particularly terrified at this sight, the greater gentleness ought consequently to be used.

Horses should also be accustomed to swim, which often may be necessary upon service; and if the men and horses both are not used to it, both may be frequently liable to perish in the water. A very small portion of strength is sufficient to guide a horse, anywhere indeed, but particularly in the water, where they must be permitted to have their heads, and be no ways constrained in any shape.

The unreasonable rage in Britain of cutting off all extremities from horses, is in all cases a very pernicious custom. It is particularly so in regard to a troop horse's tail. It is almost incredible, how much they suffer at the picket for want of it; constantly fretting, and sweating,

kicking about and laming one another, tormented, and flung off their meat, miserable, and helpless; whilst other horses, with their tails on, brush off all flies, are cool and at their ease, and mend daily, whilst the docked ones grow every hour more and more out of condition.

The method of reining back,—and of moving forwards immediately after,—of piaffing,—of pillars, &c.

Never smite your work by reining back with horses that have any disposition towards retaining themselves; but always move them forwards and a little upon the haunches also after it, before you dismount. (unless they retain themselves very much indeed, in which case nothing at all must be demanded from the haunches.) This lesson of reining back, and piaffing, is excellent to conclude with, and puts an horse well and properly on the haunches: It may be done, according as horses are more or less supplied, either going forwards, backing, or in the same place: if it is done well advancing, or at most on the same spot, it is full sufficient for a soldier's horse: For to piaffe in backing, is rather too much to be expected in the hurry, which cannot but attend such numbers both of men and horses as must be taught together in regiments. This lesson must never be attempted at all, till horses are very well supplied, and somewhat accustomed to be put together; otherwise it will have very bad consequences, and create restiveness. If they refuse to back, and stand motionless, the rider's legs must be approached with the greatest gentleness to the horse's sides; at the same time as the hand is acting on the reins to solicit the horse's backing. This seldom fails of procuring the desired effect, by raising one of the horse's forelegs, which being in the air, has no weight upon it, and is consequently very easily brought backwards by a small degree of tension in the reins. When this lesson is well performed, it is very noble, and useful, and has a pleasing air; it is an excellent one to begin teaching scholars with.

The lesson is particularly serviceable in the pillars, for placing scholars well at first. Very few regimental riding-houses have pillars, and it is fortunate they have not; for though, when properly made use of with skill, they are one of the greatest and best discoveries in horsemanship; they must be allowed to be very dangerous and pernicious, when they are not under the direction of a very knowing person.

The method of curing restiveness, vices, defences, flaring, &c.

Whenever a horse makes resistance, one ought, before a remedy or correction is thought of, to examine very minutely all the tackle about him, if any thing hurts or tickles him, whether he has any natural or accidental weakness, or in short any the least impediment in any part. For want of this precaution, many fatal disasters happen; the poor dumb animal is frequently accused falsely of being restive and vicious; is used ill without reason, and, being forced into despair, is in a manner obliged to act accordingly, be his temper and inclination ever so well well disposed. It is very seldom the case, that a horse is really and by nature vicious; but if such be found, he will despise all cares, and then chastisements become necessary.

Correction, according as you use it, throws a horse into more or less violent action, which, if he be weak, he cannot support; but a vicious strong horse is to be considered in a very different light, being able both to undergo and consequently to profit by all lessons; and is far preferable to the best-natured weak one upon earth. Patience and science are never-failing means to reclaim such a horse: in whatsoever manner he defends himself, bring him back frequently with gentleness (not however without having given him proper chastisement, if necessary,) to the lesson which he seems most averse to. Horses are by degrees made obedient, through the hope of recompense and the fear of punishment: how to mix these two motives judiciously together, is a very difficult matter; it requires much thought and practice; and not only a good head, but a good heart likewise. The coolest, and best-natured rider, will always succeed best. By a dextrous use of the incitements above mentioned, you will gradually bring the horse to temper and obedience; mere force and want of skill and coolness, would only tend to confirm him in bad tricks. If he be impatient or choleric, never strike him, unless he absolutely refuses to go forwards; which you must resolutely oblige him to do, and which will be of itself a correction, by preventing his having time to meditate, and put in execution any defence by retaining himself. Restlessness in horses, you must consider, is sometimes a mark of strength and vigour, and proceeds from spirits, as well as sometimes from vice and weakness. Weakness frequently drives horses into viciousness, when any thing wherein strength is necessary is demanded from them; nay, it inevitably must: great care therefore should always be taken to distinguish from which of these two causes any remedy or punishment is thought of. It may sometimes be a bad sign, when horses do not at all defend themselves, and proceed from a sluggish disposition, a want of spirit, and of a proper sensibility. Whenever one is so fortunate as to meet with a horse of just the right spirit, activity, delicacy of feeling, with strength and good-nature, he cannot be cherished too much; for such a one is a rare and ineffable jewel, and, if properly treated, will in a manner do every thing of himself. Horses are oftener spoilt by having too much done to them, and by attempts to dress them in too great an hurry, than by any other treatment.

If after a horse has been well supplied, and there are no impediments, either natural or accidental, if he still persists to defend himself, chastisements then become necessary: but whenever this is the case, they must not be frequent, but always firm, though always as little violent as possible: for they are both dangerous and very prejudicial, when frequently or slightly played with; and still more so, when used too violently.

It is impossible, in general; to be too circumstantial in lessons of all kinds, in aids, chastisements, or cares. Some have quicker parts, and more cunning, than others. Many will imperceptibly gain a little every day on their rider. Various, in short, are their dispositions and capacities. It is the rider's business to find out their different qualities, and to make them sensible how much he loves them, and desires to be loved by them; but at the same time that he does not fear them, and will be master.

Plunging is a very common defense among restless and vicious horses: if they do it in the same place, or backing, they must, by the rider's legs and spurs firmly applied, be obliged to go forwards, and their heads kept up high. But if they do it flying forwards, keep them back, and ride them gently and very slow for a good while together. Of all bad tempers and qualities in horses, those which are occasioned by harsh treatment and ignorant riders, are the worst.

Rearing is a bad vice, and, in weak horses especially, a very dangerous one. Whilst the horse is up, the rider must yield his hand, and when the horse is descending, he must vigorously determine him forwards: if this be done at any other time but whilst the horse is coming down, it may add a spring to his rearing, and make him fall backwards. With a good hand on them, horses seldom persist in this vice; for they are themselves naturally much afraid of falling backwards. If this method fails, you must make the horse kick up behind, by getting somebody on foot to strike him behind with a whip; or, if that will not effect it, by pricking him with a goad.

Starting often proceeds from a defect in the sight; which therefore must be carefully looked into. Whatever the horse is afraid of, bring him up to it gently; if you cares him every step he advances, he will go quite up to it by degrees, and soon grow familiar with all sorts of objects. Nothing but great gentleness can correct this fault: for if you inflict punishment, the apprehension of chastisement becomes prevalent, and causes more starting than the fear of the object. If you let him go by the object, without bringing him up to it, you increase the fault, and confirm him in his fear: the consequence of which is, he takes his rider perhaps a quite contrary way from what he was going, becomes his master, and puts himself and the person upon him every moment in great danger.

With such horses as are to a very great degree fearful of any objects, make a quiet horse, by going before them, gradually entice them to approach nearer and nearer to the thing they are afraid of. If the horse, thus alarmed, be undisciplined and head-strong, he will probably run away with his rider; and if so, his head must be kept up high, and the snaffle sawed backwards and forwards from right to left, taking up and yielding the reins of it, as also the reins of the bit: but this latter must not be sawed backwards and forwards, like the snaffle, but only taken up, and yielded properly. No man ever yet did, or ever will stop a horse, or gain anyone point over him, by main force, or by pulling a dead weight against him.

Remarks and hints on Shoeing.

As feet differ, so should shoes accordingly. The only system of farriers, is to shoe in general with excessive heavy... and clumsy ill-shaped shoes, and very many nails, to the total destruction of the foot. The cramps they annex, tend to destroy the bullet; and the shoes made in the shape of a walnut-shell prevent the horse's walking upon the firm basis which God has given him for that end, and thereby oblige him to stumble and fall. They totally pare away also, and lay bare the inside of the animal's foot with their detestable butteris, and afterwards put on very long shoes, whereby the foot is hindered from having any pressure at all upon the heels, which pressure otherwise might still perchance, notwithstanding their dreadful cutting, keep the heels properly open, and the foot in good order. The frog should never be cut out; but as it will sometimes become ragged, it must be cleaned every now and then, and the ragged pieces cut off with a knife.

In one kind of foot indeed a considerable cutting away must be allowed of, but not of the frog; we mean that very high feet must be cut down to a proper height; because if they were not, the frog, though not cut, would still be so far above the ground, as not to have any bearing on it, whereby the great tendon must inevitably be damaged, and consequently the horse would go lame.

The weight of shoes must greatly depend on the quality and hardness of the iron. If the iron be very good, it will not bend; and in this case, the shoes cannot possibly be made too light: care however must be taken, that they be of a thickness so as not to bend; for bending would force out the nails, and ruin the hoof. That part of the shoe which is next the horse's heel, must be narrower than any other, (as is seen in the draught, plate 101. fig. 4.) that stones may be thereby prevented from getting under it, and sticking there; which otherwise would be the case; because the iron, when it advances inwardly beyond the bearing of the foot, forms a cavity, wherein stones being lodged would remain, and, by pressing against the foot, lame the horse. The part of the shoe, which the horse walks upon, should be quite flat, and the inside of it likewise; only just space enough being left next the foot, to put in a picker, (which ought to be used every time the horse comes into the stable,) and also to prevent the shoe's pressing upon the sole. Four nails on each side hold better than a greater number, and keep the hoof in a far better state. The toe of the horse must be cut short, and nearly square. (the angles only just rounded off,) nor must any nails be driven there; this method prevents much stumbling, especially in descents, and serves, by throwing nourishment to the heels, to strengthen them; on them the horse should in some measure walk, and the shoe be made of a proper length accordingly; by this means, narrow heels are prevented, and many other good effects produced. Many people drive a nail at the toe, but it is an absurd practice. Leaving room to drive one there causes the foot to be of an improper length; and moreover that part of the hoof is naturally so brittle, that even when it is kept well greased, the nail there seldom stays in, but tears out and damages the hoof. That the directions for shoeing a proper length may be the more clear and intelligible, we have annexed (plate 101.) a draught of a foot shod a proper length standing on a plain surface, and with it a draught of the right kind of shoe.

In wet, spongy, and soft ground, where the foot sinks in, the pressure upon the heels is of course greater, than on hard ground; and so indeed it should be upon all accounts. The hinder feet must be treated in the same manner as the fore ones; and the shoes the same: except in hilly and slippery countries, they may not improperly be turned up a little behind: but turning up the fore-shoes is of no service, and is certain ruin to the fore-legs, especially to the bullets. In descending hills, cramps are apt to throw horses down, by stopping the fore-legs, out of their proper basis and natural bearing, when the hinder ones are rapidly pressed; which unavoidably must be the case, and consequently cannot but push the horse upon his nose. With them on a plain surface, a horse's foot is always thrown forwards on the toe, out of its proper bearing, which is very liable to make the horse stumble. The notion of their utility in going up hills is a false one. In ascending, the toe is the first part of the foot, which bears on, takes hold of the ground, and whether the horse draws or carries, and consequently the business is done before the part where the cramps are comes to the ground. Ice nails are preferable to anything to prevent slipping, as also to help horses up hill, the most forward ones taking hold of the ground early, considerably before the heels touch the ground: they must be so made, as to be, when driven in, scarce half inch above the shoe, and also have four sides ending at the top in a point. They are of great service to prevent slipping on all kinds of places, and by means of them a horse is not thrown out of his proper basis. They must be made of very good iron. If they are not, the heads of them will be perpetually breaking off. From the race-horse to the cart-horse, the same system of shoeing should be observed. The size, thickness, and weight of them only should differ. The shoe of a race-horse must of course be lighter than that of a saddle horse; that of a saddle horse lighter than that of a coach or bat horse; and these last more so than a cart, waggon, or artillery horse. At present all shoes in general are too heavy; if the iron is good, shoes need not be so thick as they are now generally made. The utmost severity ought to be inflicted upon all those who clap shoes on hot: This unpardonable laziness of farriers in making feet thus fit shoes, instead of shoes fitting feet, dries up the hoof, and utterly destroys them. Frequent removals of shoes are detrimental and tear the foot, but sometimes they are very necessary: this is an inconvenience which half-shoes are liable to; for the end of the shoe, being very short, is apt to work soon into the foot, and consequently must then be moved.

For the Natural History and Treatment of the Diseases of Horses, see Equus, and Farriery.