xt7cz8928d8p https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7cz8928d8p/data/mets.xml Weir, Robert. 1891  books b98-49-42334846 English Longmans, Green, : London : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Horsemanship.Brown, J. Moray. Riding  / by Robert Weir ... ; Polo / by J. Moray Brown ; illustrated by G.D. Giles, Frank Dadd and J. Stuart Allan. text Riding  / by Robert Weir ... ; Polo / by J. Moray Brown ; illustrated by G.D. Giles, Frank Dadd and J. Stuart Allan. 1891 2002 true xt7cz8928d8p section xt7cz8928d8p 
























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I mi,  M,'

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THE BADMINTON LIBRARY.
                      EDITED BY THE
 DUKE OF BEAUFORT, K.G. AND A. E. T. WATSON.


HUNTING. By the DUKE OF BEAUFORT, K.G. and MOOWBRAY
     MORRIS. With Contributions by the EARL OF SUFFOLK AND BERK-
     SHIRE, Rev. E. NV. L. DAVIES, DIGBY COLLINS, and ALFRED E. T.
     WATSON. With 53 Illustrations. Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.

FISHING. By H. CHOLMONDELEY-PENNELL. With Contribu-
     tions by the MARQUIS OF EXETER, HENRY R. FRANCIS, M.A. Major
     JUHN P. TRAHERNE, FREDERIC M. HALFORD, G. CHRISTOPHER
     DAVIES, R. B. MARSTON, &C.
  Vol. I. Salmon and Trout. With 8 Full-page Illustrations and I50
     Woodcuts. Crown8vo. tos. 6d.
  Vol. II. Pike and other Coarse Fish. WVith Frontispiece, 6 Full-page
     Illustrations, and I26 Woodcuts. Crown 8vo. xos. 6d.

RACING AND STEEPLE-CHASING. Racing: By the EARL
     OF SUFFOLK AND BERKSHIRE and WV. G. CRAVEN. With a Contri-
     bution by the lion. F. LAWLEY.  Sieeple--hasing-: By ARTHUR
     COVENTRY and ALFRED E. T. VATSON.      With 56 Illustrations.
     Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.

SHOOTING.     By LORD WVALSINGHAm and Sir RALPH PAYNE-
     GALLWEY, Bart. With Contributions by LORD LOVAT, LORD
     CHARLES LENNOX KERR, the lIon. G. LASCELLES and A. J. STUART-
     WORTLEY. With 21 Full-page Illustrations and 149 Woodcuts.
          Vol. I. Field and Covert. Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.
          Vol. II. Moor and Marsh. Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.

CYCLING. By VISCOUNT BURY, K.C.M.G. (The Earl of
     Albemarle), and G. LACY HILLIER. With 19 Plates and 70 Wood-
     cuts. Crown Svo. ios. 6d.

ATHLETICS AND FOOTBALL.           By   IONTAGUE SHEARIrAN.
     With an Introduction by Sir RICHARD WEBSTER, Q.C. MI.P. With
     6 Full-page Illustrations and 45 Woodcuts. Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.

BOATING. By XV. B. WOODGATE. With an Introduction by
     the Rev. EDMOND WARRE, D. D. and a Chapter on ' Rowing at Eton,'
     by R. HARVEY MASON. With Io Full-page Illustrations and 39
     Woodcuts. Crown 8vo. Ios. 6d.              [CGontinued.



London: LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO.

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THE BADMINTON LIBRARY.
                     EDITED BY THE

 DUKE OF BEAUFORT, K.G. AND A. E. T. WATSON.



CRICKET. By A. G. STEEL and the Hon. R. H. LYTTELTON.
    With Contributions by ANDREW LANG, R. A. H. MITCHELL, W. G.
    GRACE, and F. GALE. With iI Full-page Illustrations and 52 Wood-
    cuts. Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.
DRIVING. By His Grace the DUKE OF BEAUFORT, K.G.
     With s I Full-page Illustrations and 54 W\oodcuts. Crown 8vo. Iof. 6d.
FENCING, BOXING, AND WRESTLING. By WALTER
     H. POLLOCK, F. C. GROVE, C. PREVOST, E. B. MICHELL, and
     WALTER ARMSTRONG. With 18 Intaglio Plates and 24 Woodcuts.
     Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.
GOLF. By HORACE G. HUTCHINSON, the Right Hon. A. J.
     BALFOUR, M.P. Sir WVALTER G. SiMpsoN, Bart. LORD WELLWOOD,
     H. S. C. EVERARD, ANDREW LANG, and other Writers. With
     22 Plates and 69 Illustrations in the Text. Crown Svo. ios. 6d.
TENNIS, LAWN TENNIS, RACKETS, AND FIVES. By
     J. M. and C. G. HEATHCOTE, E. 0. PLEYDELL-BOUVERIE, and
     A. C. AINGER. With Contributions by the Hon. A. LYTTELTON,
     W. C. MARSHALL, Miss L. DOD, H. WV. W. WILBERFORCE, II. F.
     LAWFORD, &c. With 12 Plates and 67 Illustrations in the Text.
     Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.
RIDING. By Captain ROBERT WEIR, Riding Master, R.H.G.
     With Contributions by the DUKE OF BEAUFORT, the EARL OF
     SUFFOLK AND BERKSHIRE, the EARL OF ONSLOW, E. L. ANDER-
     SON, and ALFRED E. T. WATSON. POLO, by J. MORAY BROWN.
     Wmith x8 Plates and 41 Illustrations in the Text, by G. D. GILES,
     FRANK DADD, and J. STUART ALLAN. Crown 8vo. ios. 6d.
BIG GAME SHOOTING. By C. PHILLIPPS-WOLLEY, W. G.
     LITTLEDALE, Major H. PERCY, Capt. C. MARKHAM, R.N. and
     W. A. BAILLIE GROHMAN. With Contributions by otherWriters. 2 vols.
SKATING, CURLING, TOBOGGANING, AND OTHER
     ICE SPORTS. By J. M. HEATHCOTE, C. G. TEBBUTT, T. MAXWELL
     WITHAM, H. M. GEPP, the Rev. JOHN KERR, and other Writers.
MOUNTAINEERING. By DOUGLAS NT. FRESHFIELD, and
     other WXriters.
COURSING AND FALCONRY. By the Hon. G. LASCELLES,
     and other Writers.
YACHTING.

         London: LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO.

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W he -abminton 4ibtrarg
                OF



SPORTS



AND PASTIMES



EDITED BY



HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT, K.G.
    ASSISTED BY ALFRED E. T. WATSON










         RIDING

 













































              rRINTED BY

SPOTTISWOODE AND3 CO., NEW -STREF:T SQUARE
                LO).NDON.

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'VI














                                                0
                             I l g g        I -  







                                              C 0

                                              EC  

                                              ;   _

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DEDICA TION



                        TO

   HR. H. THE PRINCE OF WALES




                             BADAIINTON: May [890.

HAVING received permission to dedicate these volumes,
the BADMINTON LIBRARY of SPORTS and PASTIMES,
to His ROYAL HIGHNESS THIE PRINCE OF WALES,
I do so feeling that I am dedicating them to one of the
best and keenest sportsmen of our time. I can say, from
personal observation, that there is no man who can
extricate himself from a bustling and pushing crowd of
horsemen, when a fox breaks covert, more dexterously
and quickly than His Royal Highness; and that when
hounds run hard over a big country, no man can take a
line of his own and live with them better. Also, when
the wind has been blowing hard, often have I seen
His Royal Highness knocking over driven grouse and
partridges and high-rocketing pheasants in first-rate

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v                    RIDINIG

workmanlike style. He is held to be a good yachtsman,
and as Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron is
looked up to by those who love that pleasant and
exhilarating pastime. His encouragement of racing is
well known, and his attendance at the University, Public
School, and other important Matches testifies to his
being, like most English gentlemen, fond of all manly
sports. I consider it a great privilege to be allowed to
dedicate these volumes to so eminent a sportsman as
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and I do
so with sincere feelings of respect and esteem and loyal
devotion.
                                     BEAUFORT.

 














BA DM1I NrON



               PREFACE



A FEW LINES only are necessary to explain the object
with which these volumes are put forth. There is no
modern encyclopedia to which the inexperienced man,
who seeks guidance in the practice of the various British
Sports and Pastimes, can turn for information. Some
books there are on Hunting, some on Racing, some
on Lawn Tennis, some on Fishing, and so on; but one
Library, or succession of volumes, which treats of the
Sports and Pastimes indulged in by Englishmen-and
women-is wanting. The Badminton Library is offered
to supply the want. Of the imperfections which must
be found in the execution of such a design we are

 
Viii                   RIDING

conscious. Experts often differ. But this we may say,
that those who are seeking for knowledge on any of the
subjects dealt with will find the results of many years'
experience written by men who are in every case adepts
at the Sport or Pastime of which they write. It is to
point the way to success to those who are ignorant of
the sciences they aspire to master, and who have no
friend to help or coach them, that these volumes are
written.

   To those who have worked hard to place simply and
clearly before the reader that which he will find within,
the best thanks of the Editor are due. That it has been
no slight labour to supervise all that has been written he
must acknowledge; but it has been a labour of love,
and very much lightened by the courtesy of the Publisher,
by the unflinching, indefatigable assistance of the Sub-
Editor, and by the intelligent and able arrangement
of each subject by the various writers, who are so
thoroughly masters of the subjects of which they treat.
The reward we all hope to reap is that our work may
prove useful to this and future generations.



THE EDITOR.

 














               CONTENTS





                      R-iDINAG
CHAPTER                                          P'AGE
       INTRODUCTION                   .             3
         By his Grace the Mik2, of Beaufart, K. . 2rc.

   I. RIDIN; TO HOUNS      .                      12
         By the Earl ofSuffolk and Berkshire

  II. THE SADDLE-HORSE .     .   .    .   .    . 43
         B' A/rf-ed E. 7T. 1Va/so,,

 III. TIRAINGi; THE YOUNG HORSE    .    .   . . 63
         By Rober/ W1'eir

  IV. HINTS ON HORSEIMANSHIP.     .    .   .   . 86
         By Robert IVeir

   V.  HANDS AND SEAT.     .    .   .    .       1 33
         By Robert IVei-

  VI. RACE RIDING    .   .    .   .   .    .   . 139
         By .4Alred E. 7T. Wi/so,,

 VII. THE COLONIAI HORSF     .          .   .    158
         By the Earl of Onslow, G. C. A. G. (Governor of Ne-w
            Zealand)

VIII. EARLY HISTORY OF HORSEMANSHIP .      .   . 211
         By E. L. .Anzdersoi

 


x                     RIDING


                       POLO
                  y j Aforay Bow;:
CHAPTER                                         PAGE
       INTRODUCTORY .    .   .                  235

   I. THE ANTIQUITY OF POLO    .                238

   II. POLO IN ENGLAND   .    .   .    .   .   . 254

 III. POLO IN INDIA   .   .                     266

 IV. RULES AND BY-LAWS OF POLO       .    .   . 287

 V. GROUND, BALLS, STICKS, GOAL-POSTS, &C. . . 299

 VI. BREEDS OF PONIES SUITABLE FOR POrO     .   . 306

 VII. THE TRAINING OF PONIES   .    .   .    . . 321

VIII. SO-mE FA.MOUS PLAYERS AND PONIES       .    332

IX. HOW A POLO MATCH SHOULD BE PLAYED      . . 355



                   APPEXDIX

      LESSONS IN RIDING   .    .   .    .       371
         By Roberi Weir

      BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RIDING     .    .   .    . 393



INDEX



. 405

 
















             ILL USTRA TIONS

REPRODUCED BY MESSRS. WALKER AND BoUTALL, J. D. COOPER, AND
   G. PEARSON, AFTER DRAWINGS BY G. D. GILES, F. DADD, ANI)
   J. STUART ALLAN.




          FULL-PA GE ILLUSTRATIO NS

                                        ARTIST
THE EARLI OF GLAMORGAN (AFTERWARDS 1 After an oil
   EiCGTiI DUKE OF BEAUFORT) AT TEN               Front.
   YEARS OF AGE                     J.a.nti.g  

A GOOD START.    .   .   .   .   . . C. D. Cites Tofac-p. i 6

STIRRUP NOWHERE TO BE SEEN  .  .     G. D. Giles  ,,18

JOINING THE ROAD RIDERS  .   .  . . C. D. Cites  ,, 22

His LAST FENCE .   .   .   .   .   . C. D. Ciles  ,, 38

'CORRECTION TO BE USED AGAINST RESTIFE- )  D. GCies  50
   NESS' !  .   .-J

DECLINE TO GO QUIETLY A DOZEN YARDS . C. D. Gites  ,, 58

HIGH COURAGEI) AND IN THE PLENITUDE  C G. Cites    142
   OF HEALTH AND SPIRITS  .    .   . f

A ' ROUND UP'    .   .   .   .     . J Stuart A4lan ,, i8o

A HUNTING JUMP IN NEW ZEALAND .   . J. Stuart .4Atan ,, 196

MAJOR-(;ENERAL J. F. SHERER -   THE.         .
   FATHER OF POI.O' .   .   .   . .                 233

EARLY POLO .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .    .   . ,, 240

POLO IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY: THE
   EmPEROR AKBAR PLAYING WITH HIS-                  246
   COURTIERS.       .   .   .   . . J

 



X  RIDI)NG



ARTIST



POLO IN THIBET (FROM  ' TRAVELS
   KASIIMIR, LADAKH, AND THl1JET,'
   VIGNE) .   .   .
A QUICK TURN    .

A SCRI.M.MAGE-'THE BALL HANGS'

A GOAL-' VHOO-XVHOOP!' .

'ARCADES AMIBO '--' RIDE H11M OFF'



1N 1
BY
. I



. Toface,. 266



 . E Daldd

  F. Dadd

 . F. )aldd

  , F. Daidd



,, 286

,, 326

,, 356

9, 362



ILL USTRAT1ON.S IAT TEXT



'IT CAN'T BE D)ONE!'

SIGNS OF DISTRESS .

'THE STREAM RUNS WIDE ON TIE
   OFF SIDE'   .

TATTERSALL'S .  .

FRESH FROM GRASS

LONGEING .

TAKE HOLD OF HIS SNAFFLE ANI)
   HIMSELF.   .

NOT BEEN JUICIOUSLY TREATED

OVER AN OBSTACLE BY HIMSELF

AvoII) GETTING IT CAUGHT

Our OF DOORS



  ARTIST
(7. D. Giles

7C. D. Gi/es



TAKE-1 C. D. (i7es
  - f
  C  (. 1. GiCes

     C.. D. Giles

  C     G. 1). Gi1es

MFOUTH 1 G. D. Giles
.      I

   . .  C. 1). Gi/es

     C.. D. Gi1es

   G.G. D. Giles

     .  . 1). Gil's



A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TROUBLE . . C. D). Gi/es

DEiENDI) MORE OR LESS ON THE HORSE'S 1. G. D. Gi/es
   MOUTH  .    .   .   .   .         J

PULLING AT THEIR HORSES' IIEAI)S AND) (7 D. .,les
   SAWIN; AT THEIR MOU-T HS  .       j G D

THE GRIEVANCE OF A LOST iBE-t .   .    . G. D. Giles

EARLY DAYS   .   .   .            . . G. D. Giles



I'AGE
  25

   27

   33

  40

  64

  73

  78

  84

 107

.109

 119

 122

 134


 143

149

I 157



Mli

 




ILL USTRA TIONS



ARTIST



HUNTIN(; IN AUSTRALASIA                  S.u. J.art A/lap

TIIE TOTALISATOR     .

STOCK SAIDDLE AND WHIP                 J. Stuart A//ai

11ORSE-SHIIPPIN(;             .   . . J. Stuart Al/a,

To USE IliS HINm LEGS     .   .    .   J. Stuart A//a;

THE FLEA       .   .    .   .     . . J. Stuart A//a;

CRASH IN THE NEXT STRIDE    .   .    . J. Stuart A//ai

TIlE VERY BABIES COULD JUMP ON IIIS BACK J. Stuart A/lai

PERSIAN CHAUGiN STICKS OF THE SEVENX1
   TEENTH CENTURY    .   .   .   . . .

POLO STICKS .

TIIImETAN POLO STICK OR 'BYNTU'

BARI I)ONY-AWFULLY JOLLY               F. Datd

SYRIAN IXONY-ALGIERS .   .   .    .    F. . Dadd

INI)IA.S COUNTRY-BREI) PON-Y-'A  BAD F. Dadad
   SORT'  .   .        .   .   .    . J

O0lium, euni digzitate. BROOD MARE AM)
    FOAL: AIiBESS, AND JOL.Y NUN BY - F. Dadd
    AWFULLY JOLLY    .   .   .

ARAB I'ONY-UMNIPIRE                    F.. .   . Dadd

A TIIOROUGIIIRED) PONY--DANCIN; GIRL, BY F DaI a
    SEITON   .   .    .   .   .    . . J



n.



I.


31.

I.

7.
'3
'3



A  MOIEi. TY1PE O1   PONY-- FRITZ, BY F L dd
   KINSsMN    .    .   .   .    .   . J

A 'NEAR-SII)E' STROKE.   .        . . F. Dadd

A ' BACK-ITANDER'    .   .      .   . F. Dada'

INI)IAN COUNTRY-BREI PONY, POLESTARI  F Dad. ,
    'A GOOD) SORT'.  .    .   .

WVITII A LEAD) OF THEM ALL .        . F. Dadd

I'UTTIN(; PLENTY OF POWDER   INTO  A F
    STROKE. ZVires acyuirit eundo .  J   D

MISSED   .   .   .   .    .     .   . F. Dadd

REMOUNTS                               F..   .    .   . .   . Dadd



xiii



PAGE
i6o

170

179

183

192

200

201

203

244



. 302

 304

 309

.  311

, 313


. 319


 340

  341



   344

  347

   349

  353

   359

. . 361

   365

. . 368

 














RIDING

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               R I D I N G



                    INTRODUCTION

        By His GRACE THE DuE-f.l OF BEAuIrour, K.G. &c.

                                             IVERSE are
                                             the opinions of
                                             experts in the
                                             art of riding,
                                             and   of   the
                                             teachers   of
            V    ' the                art, as to
                                              whether it is
                                              not easier to
                                              teach   youth
                                              of either sex
                                              in their teens,
                                              who      have
                                              never sat upon
                                              a horse pre-
                                              viously, than
-those who have lived in the saddle from their earliest child-
hood The advocates of early practice hold that early famili-
arity with ponies and horses, and the habit of riding them,
give advantages to the very youthful beginner that no teaching
or practice in after life can ever supply. It is chiefly from
instructors of the art that objection comes to these childish
                                                      B 2

 




riders, because, as they aver, they have first to break their pupils
of the bad habits they have learnt as children, before they can
put them properly on their horses, and make them use their
hands and legs as they should do. Which of these opinions
is right  After many years of experience of both classes of
riders, I really cannot decide, but I cannot help thinking that
the objection to very early riding can be entirely overcome by
the pupil being properly put on his or her horse, and properly
taught ab ini/io the use of hands and legs ; and, if this is done,
the chances of excelling in the art of riding should then be
very much in favour of the pupil who has begun as a child.
In a long experience of riders I have come across three or
four of both sexes who, though not such finished horsemen
or horsewomen as those who had ridden from childhood, were
hard to beat over a country, notwithstanding that they had
begun late in life. In some cases beginning to tumble about
very early makes some people over careful, on the principle of
the burnt child fearing the fire; and those who have not had
so much experience of falling have a certain advantage; but
this can only be considered as regards riding over a country.
and not in relation to sitting properly on and riding a horse
with hands and legs as he should be ridden.
    On the good old principle of place aux damzes, I will begin
with a few remarks on the way to put a little girl on her
saddle. Further on in this volume will be found full instruc-
tion in the art of riding, by one of the most highly trained and
finished masters now exercising that calling, and, this being the
case, I shall treat the subject as briefly as possible. The young
lady, aged from five to six years, must be, when put upon her
saddle, told that she can never become a good and graceful
horsewoman unless she sits with her shoulders perfectly square
to her pony's or horse's ears; that she must neither hang over
to the off (right hand) side of her pony, nor, doubling herself
up towards the left, incline to the near side. Fortunately,
vanity is a general attribute of womanhood, and, when not ex-
cessive, it often becomes a good quality. The excellence to



RIDIMVS



4

 


NINTRoDUCTION



which women attain in riding, and in many games of skill, even
in walking and dancing, takes its first growth from vanity-that
is to say, the desire to do whatever she does better than other
people; and to be admired when riding or walking, or whatever
she may be doing, is a great incentive to her to arrive at
excellence in any pursuits she takes up. The instructor has
only to show a little girl how ungraceful and ugly is a woman
sitting badly on her horse, and he may depend upon her doing
all she can to sit so that those who see her will express ad-
miration and approval.
   Having got our young friend into the saddle, we now come
to fitting her stirrup. Some ladies ride with a very short stirrup
and bend the left leg short back, so that the whole of the
sole of the boot is visible, if the habit flies up in the least, to
those behind her. This is very bad, and the greatest care must
be taken to avoid it, for fear it should become a rooted manner-
ism, all the more difficult to overcome afterwards. It is almost
-in absolute certainty that a lady who rides in this fashion will
give the horses she rides sore backs. The stirrup should be so
adjusted that the left leg should hang easily and nearly straight
down from the knee, being very slightly bent back, just enough
to allow the top of the knee to touch the under side of the
pommel, called by saddlers 'the leaping head.' The stirrup
should be under the ball of the fool, and should not touch the
ankle or leg. When so placed the lady sits with freedom and
strength combined, for she has the power to grip the two
pommels, and she is not cramped and stiff in position. She
is carried with greater ease by her horse, and she avoids the
risk of making a lump upon her ankle from the pressure of the
stirrup against it. Once she gets into the habit of this seat,
perfectly square to the front and quite perpendicular, and with
stirrup adjusted as described, she will not require the pad put
on the end of the stirrup leather and the top of the stirrup iron,
which of itself may produce the lump on the ankle, which is a
token of something being wrong.
   Before proceeding to the question of how to put the inferior



5

 




sex, the boy, on his saddle, I will digress for a moment to dis-
cuss the pony which either the boy or the girl should ride.
There is no doubt whatever that, as regards the boy, he will
either bully the pony, or the pony will bully him. The young
lady is of too kindly a nature to bully, and therefore she re-
quires a more docile animal to ride than the boy. It is far
better for the boy's future proficiency in riding that he should
bully his pony than that the reverse should be the case; but
when the boy has these inclinations he requires looking after
and repressing. There is no animal so artful as an old pony
that has carried several young beginners. His craftiness is re-
markable. He will pretend to be tired long before he really
is so. He will take his rider home against his will, or will
refuse a small fence, or go in the contrary direction to the one
he is directed to go; and therefore the boy must have sufficient
confidence in himself to coerce to a certain extent, but should
on no account ever be allowed to act cruelly to him. Bullying
is a vice that grows upon boys. If he can do it successfully
with his ponies, the lad will follow it up by bullying his sisters,
and other boys; and as he gets older will go on bullying every
one he can, till eventually he may come to bully his wife..
Therefore, though it is necessary that he should be master of
his pony, he should be carefully watched and prevented from
ill-using him. A nice docile pony is one of the most intelligent
and kindest creatures in the world, and should be cherished
and petted accordingly. One that carries a little girl well is
worth all the care and kindness that can be extended to him.
    We now come to putting the boy on his pony. Some people
like to put him up first of all without stirrups, and to make
him ride for a year or more before furnishing him with those
aids. I am decidedly against this system; there can be no
doubt that the effect of such practice is to make him cling on
and ride like a monkey on a dog, and to completely spoil his
hands. With a recruit joining a cavalry regiment it may be all
very well. He is from eighteen to twenty-three years of age,
and has strength enough in his thighs to grip the stuffed saddle



6



RIDING

 


INTRODUCTIO v



in which he is put; but it has always struck me that the reason
why so few cavalry privates have any hands at all on a horse is
on account of being taught on this system. To keep in the
saddle they must hold on by the horse's head, whereas I am
convinced that, if they were first taught to use the hand lightly,
and to sit well in the saddle, and then after three months were
taught to ride on the blanket with only a snaffle watering bridle,
they would be better horsemen and have better hands on a horse.
Now a boy has not the same grip of a horse as a young man,
and I am most strongly of opinion that he should be instructed
to ride in a saddle and with stirrups.
   The first thing to impress on the boy is that he should sit
square to his front, and very upright without stiffness. Dif-
ferent ponies, like different horses, require to be ridden with
stirrups of different lengths. A long-actioned horse or pony,
very strong in his hind quarters, will need to be ridden with
stirrups a hole shorter than a quick-stepping, short-actioned
animal. But a good rule which is generally applicable is to
make the boy quit his stirrups, and then to put them at such a
length that the bottom of the stirrup just touches the ankle-
bone ; then teach him to ride with the ball of his foot in the
stirrup and not to 'ride home,' which means not to thrust his
foot as far into the stirrup as he can. Above all things teach
him not to turn his feet out, and to sit as easily as possible.
The saddle should have no padding in front of the knees, and
the less padding there is under the flap the better. The rider,
with nothing between his legs and the horse's sides but the
leather flap, can sit much tighter and closer, and can grip his
horse much firmer, than he can if he has a quantity of stuff
under the flap between him and his horse. I strongly recom-
mend both for boys and men the perfectly plain-flapped saddle,
which gives so much more freedom to the rider's legs, and the
stuffless saddle invented by two first-class riders, Messrs. Mere-
dith Brown and William Harford.
   Having got both the girl and the boy into their saddles, we
now come to the handling of the bridle. Some people are



7

 




born with hands and some without, and to some all the teach-
ing in the world will not give hands. Those who are gifted
with natural good hands require no teaching. An apt pupil with
bad hands may acquire better. He may be taught that to keep
a constant firm pull at a horse's mouth both deadens it and tires
the rider. Many a fall over a fence, or even over a mole-hill
in the open in galloping, is due to the bad hands of the rider,
and not to the clumsiness of the horse. Explain to the boy
that when his pony pulls at him, and he is obliged to pull
against him, that by every now and then dropping his hands
and letting go of his pony's mouth he will ease his arms, and
at the same time relieve the deadness of the pony's mouth.
This advice is applicable to both girls and boys. Delicate as
girls' and women's hands are as a rule, I have known some with
very bad heavy hands, as on the contrary I have known many
strong men with very fine light hands. As remarked before,
the most difficult thing to teach a beginner is to ride with light
hands, but when the pupil is willing to learn bad hands can be
greatly improved.
   What has been written as instruction for boys and girls need
not be repeated for the benefit of adult beginners. As the boy
is said to be the father of the man, that which will instruct
him as a child is equally applicable to him if he begins to
learn when he is a man. Let him treat his pony or his horse
kindly, and never ill-use him. Let him establish an under-
standing between his hand and his horse's mouth, and he will
find that he can turn and twist him where he likes and when he
likes, without having to take two hands to him. A boy shou!d
be taught to use his legs as well as his hands, and by gentle,
or on occasion by forcible, pressure he will find that his horse
can be guided as much or more by the legs than by the hands.
When he arrives at combining the two he will have become a
proficient horseman. He will escape many collisions in a big
field of horsemen, he will avoid a tree in a fence, and he will
l)e able to open a gate in half the time, and save his knees
from many bumps by this means. A lady or girl is heavily



RIDS,\G



8

 


INTRODUCTION9



handicapped, sitting entirely on one side of a horse, but by
using her left leg on the near side, and by a dexterous use of
the whip, very gently applied, on the off, she can to a great
extent make up for the disadvantage of having no right leg to
apply to that side.
   There is a point of considerable importance in the teaching
young girls to ride on which we must touch. There is no
doubt that if they ride daily and for long hours, and always
ride on the near side of their ponies, it will not improbably
result that the right hip will get higher than the left one. No
doubt that it is less comfortable for a lady to sit on the off
than on the near side of a horse. Custom and habit, however,
reconcile people to many strange things, and young ladies may
be recommended to acquire the art of riding as well on one
side as on the other. I could name one family of ladies, all
celebrated horsewomen over a country, on Newmarket Heath,
or in Rotten Row, equally well known and admired as the best
specimens of English horsewomen, who certainly up to eighteen
years of age, if not later, used to ride alternately on the one side
or the other. I allude to the aunts of the present Earl of Craven,
Lady Elizabeth, Dowager Countess of Wilton, Lady Evelyn
Riddell, Lady Blanche, Countess of Coventry, Lady Beatrix,
Countess of Cadogan, and Lady Emily Vande Weyer; all of
them sit straight and well on their horses, and all were brought
up to ride equally well on either side. I have no doubt that
learning to ride on both sides tends to prevent the habit of
getting the right shoulder forward, and as a consequence facili-
tates the sitting perfectly square, which is such an essential
feature of perfect horsemanship in a lady. It also prevents the
medical attendant (if by chance he is rot a fox-hunter, which
most country doctors are) of the family from frightening mothers
by saying that young girls who ride much may grow up crooked.
   Whilst on the subject of hands it would be as well to make
some remarks upon horses' mouths.    Ninety-nine out of
every hundred men have bad hands of various degrees, and I
know several ladies similarly afflicted. Those bad hands are



9

 




the cause of most of the bad mouths in horses. In grooms,
and second horsemen bad hands are in some cases caused, in
many made worse, by the habit of taking horses to exercise
in a watering bridle; they have to pull at the snaffle as hard as.
they can, and they get such a habit of it that they fall off if they
cannot hang on to a horse's head. They then do just the same
when a horse has a double bridle on, and they bring up the
second horse, who may naturally have a light mouth, with a
mouth quite dead, and who, having had his head carried for
him by the man on his back all the morning, expects the other
man to carry it for him all the afternoon. I have had many
horses that were charming to ride and quite light in the mouth
as first horses, who if they happened to drop into being second
horses were detestable to ride, and hung and bored on your
hand all the rest of the day. It has already been said how
difficult, how almost impossible, it is to give a man good hands
or to improve them when really bad. Whatever may be done
with horses that have bad mouths, it will probably be found
that a constant change of bridle (both in riding and driving) is
the only real and effectual remedy. To change about con-
stantly during the day from the bridoon to the bit and back
again to the bridoon keeps the horse's mouth fresh. Often a
man cannot hold his horse on the bridoon, but there are
moments when he can do so, and if he drops the bit for ever
so short a time he will find it of benefit to himself and his horse's
mouth. If you ride a horse that pulls hard always in the same
bit, he gets a groove in his mouth and gets accustomed to it.
   For a puller you must have a strong bit, but change it often.
Sometimes a bit with a port--sometimes one that shifts up and
down on the cheek-sometimes one with playthings on the
tongue-sometimes with only just bend enough to allow of
the tongue passing comfortably under it, but always a good
long cheek. Unless absolutely necessary the curb should not be
tight; that deadens the mouth very much. With a nice-mouthed
horse a snaffle, or, better still, two snaffles; if he gets his head
down, a gag and snaffle. Many a hard puller in a bit will go



RIDING



o

 



INTRODUCTION



well in this bridle. A gag and curb is not a bad bit, and for a
light-mouthed horse that is rather too much for you in a snaffle,
a plain bridoon and Tom Thumb bit, with a very short cheek
to it, makes a good bridle. I am happy to think that the sharp
twisted bridoon of our youth has died out.