Part 1 (1/2)
The Lady and Her Horse.
by T. A. Jenkins.
EQUITATION.
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS.
”What delight To back the flying Steed, that challenges The wind for speed! Seems native more of Air, Than Earth! Whose burden only lends him fire!
Whose soul is in his task, turns labour into sport And makes your pastime his!”
'_Love Chase._'
”The chief point in Horsemans.h.i.+p”, Colonel GREENWOOD observes in his ”Hints on Horsemans.h.i.+p” ”is to get your horse to be of your party; and not only to obey, but to obey willingly,”--”Good riding as a whole is indeed no trifle, and is worth acquiring by those whose pleasure or business it is to ride, because it is soon, and easily acquired, and when acquired it becomes habitual, and is as easy, nay much more so; and infinitely more safe, than bad riding. Good riding is an affair of skill, but bad riding is an affair of courage.” Yet, in no other art, are there so many self-thought Amateurs. Many ladies have a decided objection to going through the ordeal of a riding school; others have no opportunity of obtaining instructions, and the generality consider, that they are in possession of all that can be acquired upon the subject, when they have discovered a mode of retaining the seat, and guiding the horse; but to those who wish to sit a horse through all his paces, firmly, yet gracefully, to have the animal entirely under command, and as if imbued with one intelligence, to unite boldness, with modesty, and employ energy, without losing delicacy, these hints are addressed.
PREPARATORY REMARKS.
_A lady's riding dress_, should be neat, and compact, at the same time she should carefully avoid the slightest approach to a _mannish_ appearance; she may study the becoming, provided there be nothing in her whole toilette likely to become disarranged or loosened by wind, or violent exercise. The hair should be so arranged that it cannot be blown about the eyes, and the hat should be perfectly secured on the head. So much for outward appearance, in other respects comfort alone should be studied.
_The whip_, should be light, and stiff. When too pliable, a lady frequently touches her horse with it unintentionally, thereby teasing and exciting him, and moreover such a whip is useless as an ”aid.”
_The lady's bridle_, should be, what is called a double bitted bridle, consisting of a bit with a curb-chain; and a snaffle, two separate head-stalls, united by one brow-band, each, with a separate rein.
The _curb-bit_ is a very powerful implement, the best for all purposes is a light one; in choosing a bit for a horse, the distance between the cheeks, should accord with the width of the horse's mouth; they should be of an average length, and the mouth-piece should be only sufficiently arched, to admit of the horse's tongue pa.s.sing freely underneath it. The bit should be placed in the horse's mouth, so that the mouth-piece be one inch above the lower tusk, the curb chain should be laid flat, and smooth under the jaw, and so loose, as to allow a finger to pa.s.s freely inside of it.
The _snaffle_ acts as an auxiliary to the curb-bit, and is placed above it in the horse's mouth, it should bear slightly upon the corners of the mouth, but not so as to wrinkle the cheeks.
For a person who has not a light hand, the curb-bit may, with advantage, be placed a little higher in the horse's mouth; and when the mouth may be wanting in delicacy, it may be lowered a little, but it should never touch the tusk, or it will fret the horse.
The _reins_ should be soft, flexible, and of a good quality, the rein which is attached to the curb-bit is usually fastened in the centre by a sewing, while that attached to the snaffle may be known, by its having a small buckle in the centre.
_Throat-strap_ should not be buckled too tightly, but only sufficiently so, to prevent the headstalls of the bridle, from getting out of place.
_Martingales_, though frequently used, are very seldom necessary if the horse has been educated, and taught to carry his head properly, and to be _obedient to the bit_; but if a horse carries his head high, or be unsteady and fretful, then a light running martingale will be found of service; it must however be attached to the snaffle reins, and never to the curb-bit reins.
The _saddle_ should be roomy, but not too large, it should in short, be made to fit the person. The third crutch is indispensable, as it renders the seat so much more secure, and if properly fitted, it never incommodes the rider. The saddle should be placed on the horse's back, so as not in the least to interfere with the action of the horse's shoulder, and care must be taken that the pad, or stuffing, only rests on the horse's ribs, leaving in the centre a thorough channel, over the spine.
_The lady's horse_ should be good tempered, free and willing, for a sluggish horse is the most unpleasant of any to a lady; but he must not be restless, nor impatient in company: he should be steady, and safe on the roads, smooth in all his paces; and with these natural qualifications which are essential, he must be properly broken, and taught to go collectedly in all his paces; and particularly to lead off in a canter with the right leg; to arch his neck on the reins being felt, to be obedient, and light in hand; it is further desirable that the horse should possess elegance of figure, power, and action, with speed in all his paces. However, much will depend upon the person, for whom he is intended, as a timid rider would be alarmed by the sprightliness of a free going horse, which might perfectly suit a lady with a light hand, and a steady seat. A young horse is naturally unsteady, the beau ideal of a lady's horse, is an officer's charger, about ten years old, as he still possesses life and spirit, without the freshness of a colt.
DIRECTIONS FOR MOUNTING.
The lady holding the falling folds of her habit in both hands, walks up to the horse's head, or side; but never behind him, lest he should kick at her.
There should be two persons in attendance, the groom should stand before the horse's head, with a hand on each side of the bridle, close to his mouth, to keep him steady; the gentleman takes the reins in his left hand, separating them with his forefingers, the lady receives them in her right hand, in like manner, and lets them glide gently and evenly through her fingers, until her hand reaches the near crutch, which she takes hold of; and having pa.s.sed the whip over the saddle, she holds it also in her right hand. Standing close to the near side of the saddle, and facing the gentleman who has taken a lock of the mane in his left hand, the lady places her left foot, which he stoops to receive, full in his right hand, lets the habit fall from her left hand, which she places upon his right shoulder, leaning thereon, and a.s.sisted by her hold on the crutch, she springs up from her right instep, as uprightly as possible, having been careful not to place her left foot too far forward, but keeping it directly under her, she straightens her left knee and a.s.sumes an upright position; the gentleman, when he feels her spring, accelerates the movement, by simultaneously lifting his hand high enough, to place the lady on the saddle, she steadying herself, by the hold she has with her right hand, seats herself, and places her right leg between the two outward pommels, the gentleman places her foot in the stirrup, and she takes the reins in her left hand. To adjust the habit, the lady raises herself by placing her right hand on the off pommel and standing in her stirrup, the gentleman shakes the back part of the skirt into its place, she re-seats herself, and raising her right knee to free the habit, the gentleman a.s.sists to adjust the front part of the skirt by gently drawing it forward.
THE SEAT AND BALANCE.
A lady seldom appears to greater advantage than when mounted on a fine horse, that is, if her deportment be graceful; and her position corresponds with his paces and att.i.tudes; but the reverse is the case, if, instead of acting with, and influencing the movements of, the horse, she appears to be tossed to and fro, and overcome by them. She should rise, and descend, advance, and stop with, and not after the animal.