Samuel C. Wayte

“ The Turks prefer the Turkman horse to the pure-blooded, slender Arabian. In fact, from their trying mode of riding, the fine limbs of the Arab could not stand the shock upon them, their favourite manœuvre being to make a dead stop when galloping at full speed. To accomplish this feat, they use a very severe bit, which, of course, destroys the sensibility of their horses’ mouths; while, on the contrary, the Arabs use only a plain snaffle, which preserves all the sensitiveness of the animals’ mouths. ”

“ Let the rider take up his horse at an animated pace, halt him with a light hand upon his haunches; when rising at the leap, the rider should only just feel the reins, so as to prevent them becoming slack, when he springs forward, yielding them without reserve; as, at the time, the horse must be left quite at liberty. As the horse’s hind feet come to the ground, the rider must again collect him, resume his usual position, and move on at the same pace. His body must be inclined forward as the horse rises, and backwards as he alights. ”

“ Speaking in soothing terms to a horse, so that he may become familiar to the voice, gives him confidence in his rider, which is of the utmost importance. At all times more is to be accomplished with the animal by gentle means than could possibly be done by harsh ones: kindness, or its opposite, is speedily conveyed to and retained in his memory, which is remarkably retentive. This mutual confidence is perfectly appreciated by the Arabs. They invariably treat their horses with the greatest kindness and affection ”

“ How often, in our experience through life, have we met with a lovely face and perfect figure,—everything that could constitute the perfection of [61] female beauty, while at rest!—but once in motion, the illusion is dispelled from a bad carriage and shuffling gait, the perfect form becomes quite common-place. ”

“ The author most particularly wishes to impress upon his readers the value of riding with DOUBLE REINS for safety sake, and in order to avoid the numerous accidents arising from reins breaking, the tongues of buckles giving way, and the sewing of the reins to their bits coming undone. When there is but one rein, the rider is left quite at the mercy of an affrighted and infuriated animal ”

“ In the lady’s endeavours to retain her foot in the stirrup, her weight must preponderate on the left side; if the stirrup be too short, it necessarily gives a rolling motion to her body, destructive alike to grace, elegance, and security of seat, and will prevent her seating herself sufficiently back in her saddle. ”

“ The trot is allowed, by professionals, to be the only just basis upon which equestrians can ever [38] attain a secure and graceful seat, combined with confidence and firmness. The rider has more control over the motions of his body in this pace than any other: in this the body is well brought down into the saddle by its own weight, and finds its true equilibrium. When the rider wishes to make his horse trot, let him ease his reins and press the calves of his legs gently; when his horse is at a trot, let him feel both his reins, raise his horse’s forehand, and keep his haunches well under him. ”

“ The instructions in the proper seat and carriage on horseback, the management of the whip and rein, are minutely explained, and of the greatest utility. He is particularly attentive to the ladies, and admitting the power they lose by their peculiar seat, he gives the best recommendations for remedying the evil, as far as possible, by securing an exactly central fix upon the saddle, the best form of which he learnedly discusses. Speaking seriously, all fair riders ought, for their own sake, to profit by his advice, the result of long experience. ”

“ The right leg from the hip to the knee should be kept down in the saddle, and, as much as the rider possibly can, without moving. The lady will materially assist herself in this object by drawing the heel backwards. The left leg must hang steady, yet not, by any means, rest its weight in the stirrup, for in consequence of the muscles of the leg being round, the foot will naturally turn outward, thus causing a wavering, tottering seat, inclining the body too much out of balance, and giving a disunited motion to the horse, and an ungraceful and deformed appearance to the rider. ”

“ The saddle should be wide, and roomy. The length of the stirrups should be such as to give ease to both horse and rider; the latter ought at all times to assimilate his movements in the saddle to those of the horse in his stride.
A tight rein should always be avoided, because, if he carries his head low, it tends to deaden his mouth, and teaches him the bad habit of depending upon the bridle for support; in which case, he always goes heavily in hand, and on his shoulders. The horse should at all times be taught to go on his haunches. ”

“ The rider must have a light and firm feeling of both reins to raise his horse’s forehand; at the same time, with a pressure of both calves, to bring the animal’s quarters well under him, having a double feeling of the inward rein, and a strong pressure of the outward leg, to cause him to strike off in unison.
At all times the horse should be taught to lead off with EITHER fore leg; by doing so his legs will not be so much shaken, especially the off fore leg, which is the one he most generally leads off on. ”

“ The nature of the animal will occasion this; changing the scene of every-day objects in the school, for the great variety he must meet on the road, gives an impetus to his hitherto dormant spirit; then the rider will find that he must exert all the skill and judgment he possesses to keep his horse under the proper control indispensable to his safe guidance. ”

“ In nine cases out of ten they arise from the stupidity, joined to the brutality, of an idle, drunken, ill-tempered groom; who, when out of temper, invariably vents his rage upon the unoffending animal, which, at last, to protect (or revenge) itself from the besotted tormentor, acquires a habit of kicking and biting at every person and thing coming within its reach, fearing that they are about to maltreat it.
Many horses are condemned as vicious, and actually are rendered so through timidity on the part of the rider. ”

“ The whip being a requisite aid in the management and guidance of the horse, should be used as an instrument of correction, and by no means to be played with, nor flourished about. When using the whip for punishment, scold at the same time; by this means, with a cross word will be associated the idea of chastisement. However, far more can be achieved by kindness than by any harsh measure; but when such instances occur that it is absolutely necessary, never hesitate to punish well, so that the animal may thoroughly understand that it is punishment that is meant for his fault—not play. ”

“ There is another equally urgent reason for riding with double reins, viz., the continual use of the curb materially tends to deaden the sensitiveness of the horse’s mouth; from the constant and unavoidable drag upon the single rein, especially if tender-mouthed, he is made uneasy and fidgetty, causing him to throw his head about, and go extremely heavy in hand, and frequently rear or run back, to the very great danger and annoyance of his rider, particularly when happening in a crowded drive. ”

“ There are those who say no, to the off-head being cut away, “for should a lady become nervous, she could not steady herself so well as if the head had been left on;” here I fully agree, but beg to say in reply, that before a lady attempts the road or anywhere where she might be placed in such a critical position, she must have her nerves so strengthened through her equestrian education, that she need not look to the off-head of her saddle for safety; her point d’appui is the leaping-head. When holding on by the off-head, the lady of course loses the use of one hand. ”

“ Before the author concludes, he begs to be allowed to impress upon his fair readers, that an elegant and accomplished equestrian becomes an equally graceful pedestrian, from the improved carriage acquired from proficiency in the former accomplishment.
To become an elegant pedestrian is no mean task, nor is it an easy one to accomplish. Yet it is of the utmost importance to a lady, in particular, to master it. ”

“ When the upper portion of the body regulates itself by its elasticity to the paces of the horse, there is this additional advantage,—let the animal plunge or struggle as it may, if the rider keeps her knee immovable in its place, her left foot in the stirrup (with the toe turned in, which eminently assists her seat and balance) , and preserves her presence of mind, and overcomes any approach to nervousness, she cannot be unseated. ”

“ The animal may be playful from rest, or a lively temper by nature; the rider, whose judgment may not enable him to discriminate between playfulness, nervousness, or vice, becomes alarmed, and, consequently, loses his self-command; and, perhaps, [13] not having learned the correct mode of using his hands and reins, in his boisterous endeavours to save himself from falling, imparts fear to his horse. The animal naturally imagines he has been guilty of some great fault, and is fearful of punishment ”

“ The method of gracefully holding and using the reins is very important, although but little understood or attended to; in fact, it seems but a secondary consideration with Riding-masters, where it should be a SINE QUA NON. One person may pull at a runaway horse with all his strength, but to no purpose; another possessing that knowledge shall be able to manage, and hold him with a pack-thread.
Runaway horses are most frequently made so by bad and timid riders, who make use of a whip and spurs without having a firm seat. ”

“ This dangerous habit is to be found very generally in nervous and young horses, who at the least noise, become alarmed, and try to escape; quickening their pace, they break from a trot to a gallop, until terrified with the impotent struggles of their riders to stop them, or the sound of wheels behind them, they become maddened, and dash on in their perilous career. ”

“ Rearing is very dangerous, and most difficult to break. It is often caused by the bit being too sharp for the horse, his mouth being tender, or perhaps sore.
When rearing, the whole weight of horse and rider being thrown perpendicularly on the animal’s hind legs, the most trifling check from the rider’s hand would cause him to fall backwards; the rider must drop his hand as before, loosen the reins, and throw his whole weight on his shoulders, at the same time catching him ’round the neck with his right hand. ”

“ A word, half-scolding, half-encouraging, with a gentle pressure of the heel, or a slight touch of the spur or whip, will convince him there is nothing to fear; and, further, will give the animal confidence in his rider on future occasions.
Kicking is a dangerous vice, and generally the result of an idle groom or stable-boy playing with the horse, and pinching him on the loins ”

“ When a lady has her habit drawn over the crutch of her saddle, and tucked tightly in under her leg (for the purpose of keeping the skirt in its proper position) , she denies herself the full liberty of her knee, and in case of accident, to be off the horse. ”

“ Lessons in the school alone can seldom make a good rider. In it the horse and the pupil become accustomed to the same monotonous routine day after day; but when they emerge on the road it is found that the expert rider of the school is deficient in tact and skill ”

“ To illustrate this:—The position of a lady on horseback is greatly limited, when compared to that of a gentleman; necessarily then, when her skirt is confined by a “Habit Brooch,” all power must be taken away, and all chance of escape, when an accident occurs. A very slight fall to the lady may be fatal, where, had she had the full liberty of her skirt, it would have been very trivial. The proper arrangement of the skirt of the riding-dress, to prevent its flying about, entirely depends on the lady herself. ”

“ The rider must sit upright, and equally balanced in the middle of his saddle, head erect, and his shoulders well thrown back, his chest advanced, the small of his back bent forward, but without stiffness. The hollow part of the arm should hang down straight from the shoulder, the lower part square to the upper, the thighs well stretched down, the flat part to the saddle, so that the fore part of the knees may press and grasp it. Let the legs hang down easily and naturally, close to the horse’s sides, with the feet parallel to the same, and the heels well depressed ”

“ Be careful to keep the hand active, and watch the movements of the horse; by this means the rider will never be thrown off her guard, and will be prepared for every emergency.
Keep the horse’s mouth always in play, so as to keep up its fine feeling, indispensable to his correct guidance.
Never allow the reins to hang loosely on the horse’s neck, crutch, or pummel of the saddle. This oversight frequently causes serious and fatal accidents.
Always use double reins. Should one become useless, there is still another to rely upon. ”