there is no proportion betwixt a crooked line and a straight for compare a parrallel line to a Cilander there is no affinity betwixt them but ioyne two parrallel lines together they make a true consonant euen so compare the better going horse with the worse then hee is said to goe well but if to the best then hee goeth not well except hee parrallel him Wherefore if a man will haue a true instance to know a well going horse by I must referre him to the creation in regard all mens workes are fraught with errors for then God made all things very good and perfect and let him there imagine so well as he can how he was before mans fall and at that marke let him aime so neere as is possible and then the nearer his horse doth goe to that perfection the better hee goeth and nearer the truth For the cause of inuention of Arts is to no other end Theo. 1. e but onely a desire of some though not a perfect restitution to the primary creation therefore the absolute truth cannot be had from the knowledge of man in regard it is so ouershadowed with ignorance as I haue said before for that which is reueled Theo. 1. b euen to the wisest is nothing to that which is concealed But yet I will so well as I can define what a true going Horse is that you may the better conceiue when you haue â— The definition of a tâ—ue and perfect going Horse gotten the period of your desire Therefore a true and well going Horse is a certaine free and easie obedience in his going not onely of the will or appetite but also of the body with a durable and comely carriage of the same and neate handling of the other members By which definition it doth appeare that a true pacer doth not consist in the exterior parts only as some hold but in the 1 Pract. 27. d â— The 〈◊〉 of a Horse is accidentall and noâ—â—â—bstantiall Theo. 37. â— interior also for as the schooles hold a Horse being a sensitiue creature onely his soule is no substance but composed of the temperature of the body which is the naturall vigour or quality thereof and hath no being wâ—â—hout the body vpon which it wholy dependeth Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bâ—bâ—cause the soule of a Horse is an accident insepeâ—able and that it cannot be from the body without the abolishment of the whole creature they Woolter de immortalitate animae must both worke together and rest together now I say there must be a certaine and free obedience of the will or affection which is a quality of the soule because aequus mentem non habet in regard he is but a sensitiue creature ioyned with the like obedience of the body I adde further it must be certaine because if his obedience should be variable then it is no true obedience Logicke de qualiâ—a for truth is not subiect to mutabilitie for whatsoeuer is truth is constant but here must be excepted patibilis qualitas which proceed from the corruption of nature as lamenesse sicknesse death c. for verba in definitionibus posita non actum sed potentiam significant in the definition of things it is not to be vnderstood of the Act but of the power and inclination thereof Againe it must be certaine and sure in regard of his rider that whensoeuer he shall desire to make the Horse shew himselfe for g How it must be free certaine any grace he must be so obedient that he will show his indeauour to the vtmost of his power both to content the eyes of the behoulders and the seat of his rider Further hee must be free so that what hee doth hee doth it willingly both in will and body without forcing or vrging but vpon the least and couert motions that can bee hee obey with what nimblenesse and alacritie may bee wished likewise hee must be free from by-thoughts for when his rider would haue him doe one thing then he must not thinke to doe another but his will must alwaies attend on the motions of his rider which is all the guide the horse hath to the vnderstanding of his minde to know what he would haue him to obey h A Horse knoweth his riders minde by nothing but by his motions now mad freenesse which is an extreame is here exempted because he must haue true obedience which is the meane Againe it must be easie for if a Horse goe neuer so willingly yet if by any meanes hee shake a man in his going so that hee doth but trouble the minde neuer so little then it is not true obedience therefore if a Horse doth not carry an easie body i He must be easie going for himselfe hee cannot carry a man easily neither if a Horse bee giuen to stumble doth hee carry a man handsomely k He must goe comely nor easily now in all these he must behaue himselfe comely therefore if he shake with his hinder parts it is no comâ—â—ndable going neither if he roule in his pace that is if his body be not set vpright for an apt motion of going but that he moue first on one side then on the other Now whereas many hold that a horse which paceth cannot moue except he moue first on one side and then on the other they are much deceiued in a true going Horse for if it were so then the comelines of going should be in the extreames because the sides of the Horse is the extreamitie of the subiect in regard the motion on the one l The true motion is not in 〈◊〉 extreame 〈◊〉 side is one extreame the motion on the other side the other therefore vpon necessity the meane true motion must be in the middle of the horse and the brest of the horse must deuide the ayre so smoothly if he goe truely as the brest of a ship doth the waues and then the motion of his body being giuen in the right place as before is said he doth carry a man so easily as if â— The inconâ—â—â—nce of im 〈◊〉 motions Theo. 26. c he were in a Caruell and vpon necessity in like manner he must lift his leges so truely that he shal be nothing apt to stumble but goe very comely but contrarily if hee moue first behind then he beareth vpon the hand and listeth vp his hinder parts shaking therewith very vnseemely and much stradleth and commeth on faster with his hinder parts then hee setteth forward n The cause of stumbling with his fore parts so that he cannot haue time to raise his forefeete orderly but through the low motion of them he is subject to stumbling and likewise if he moue faster before then behind he doth fret and chase and is so tender mouthed that he will not indure to feele the snaffle all which is no part of a well going Horse Further he must handle his legges neatly lifting all his feet of an
cariage of his body he will vpon necessity handle his feete so orderly that hee will be free from stumbling and many other Vices Fiftly it will quicken vp his spirits so that though hee 5 be of a very sad disposition hee will goe the more freely and willingly which also I haue had sufficient experience of For I b haue not had a Colt at the least this dosen yeare how sad soeuer he was iudged by his shape and disposition that proued sad in Theo. 19. â— riding and one chiefe cause of that preuention was by this meanes Sixtly if he be a mad fiery Colt he may farre more easily 6 Theo. 20. â— be brought to command by this meanes rather then by any 7 Theo. 34. a. other when he commeth to be backt Seuenthly it will cause him to rake his winde to moue with his body more easily and so finde the better â—light in his mouing if he be not so furiously e 1. Pr. 14. e 18. g. dealt withall but that he may ease himselfe when he doth first yeeld for the effect of rebellion is the stopping of the winde and the effect of obedience is the free raking thereof And lastly 8 the true vse of the Chase halter is as an index to the Horse whereby he may the sooner come to vnderstand the mind of his rider for if he be brought to such true subiection by it that he will stand when he doth feele the strayning thereof neuer so little and that hee is brought to lead and turne on both hands â— Pr. 16. a. b The application of the chase halter to the head straine by it he will be more easily taught to take his way if to his trench there be added a head straine with plated cordes to go ouer his nose like a musrole when he shall come to be ridden whereby he may be gouerned till he find the vse of the trench by which his mouth will be kept from galling and he preserued from restiffe qualities and so saue labour and charge either to get tormenting chaines and Cauizans or hard trenches and bits to bring him to obedience But what neede I to spend any longer time to set forth the c excellency hereof seeing that this if there were no more were sufficient to cause it to be of more regard then as yet it hath 1. Pr. 13. q beene that is it will giue a Horse such a true ground that all those sixe qualities which Maister Morgan doth speake of that should be in a good Horse may be the farre more easily increased and maintained in him But yet I would not haue the reader to vnderstand me so that this halter hath power to worke Note the sequel all these things to their perfection but onely as I say it doth but lay the foundation of the worke which must be built vp afterward by the rule or line of reason and likewise this may be abused for it is but an instrument and therefore man must make d All instruâ—ents may be abused the application which must depend vpon true iudgement to apprehend the first motion of yeelding And likewise he must not thinke that he vnderstandeth it when as he hath read it for the true application is to learne to â— Pr. 14. x. 24. â— iudge of the inward disposition of the Horse by his outward actions these pointing as truely to them as the index of a e Theo. 35. a Clocke to the houre which must be gained by obseruation in practise for the eye may be deceiued but the hand vpon the straine of the halter will not And whereas this manner of vsing a young Colt at the first may be held too violent for heating him too much before his Obiection flesh be fully hardned because it is holden the glut of the body will fall into the legges and so is the cause of many diseases thereof I answere the violence will not be so great as is imagined Answer if as I haue said you can conceiue of the first motion of obedience for by the instinct of nature euery thing doth desire to flee from that which may hurt it and therefore they will yeeld before they wrong themselues if then they may be suffred and the cause of such violence commeth rather through indiscretion then by this order And for their sweating if it fall out so it doth not necessarily f Euery sweate doth not surfeit follow that euery sweat doth surfet for then those Horses which haue their heates giuen them in such sort that they are all on a foame would be in the same predicament which thing experience will deny And I see no reason wherefore the sweating of a young Colt should more ingender such surrances in him then in any other if he be moderatly cooled for age doth free neither Man nor Horse from diseases And where it may be said that they are the more foggy and so sooner caused to sweate so likewise they are more pursye and so for want of winde they will sooner obey for the raking of the winde is the onely marke to ayme at for the knowledge of gayning obedience And againe sweat doth not so much hurt if it proceed not Theo. 34.b. from the vitall parts but from the animall for this sweate is nothing but the dissolution of humors in the body and so is driuen into the outward parts through the pores by the violence g The cause of sweating of heate caused by labour and so that which is without the skin doth dry and bark outwardly but that which is within the skinne disolued by moderate exercise will disperse it selfe into all the naturall parts againe without preiudice of the subiect And therefore the cause of surfets is the obstruction of bloud through the negligence of the man either in suffering the horse to coole faster then the blood can haue its naturall concourse to the proper vse or else in washing him before he be cold â— The cause of surfets 1. Pra. 7.n. 14.b. whereby the veines are sodainely coold and the blood stopt and so grosse humors doe abound which causeth swelling of the legges paines scratches and such like therefore I would wish all that doe tender the soundnesse of their horses limmes to eschew washing after labour as an vtter enemy thereto howsoeuer it is generally vsed for sauing labour in dressing But if your Colt be of such a stubborne dogged disposition that he will not yeeld to obedience till he be so laboured that he is all of a sweate then let him be kept in exercise by teaching i Theo. 9. â— to lead as afore I haue showne till he be cold and his sweating will hurt him no more then those Horses which are of greater age And herein many doe deceiue themselues through curiosity for whereas they thinke to free their Colt from such dangers by not heating him so much at the first they are faine to
directory Needles inclinatory Needles Sea Compasses and such like to aspect the Poles and so vnite themselues in all corespondency at conuenient angles and positions by a constant and certaine apprehension of the same and so become as guides to direct men in doubtfull and vncertaine passages Euen so your Grace being so truely and firmely touched with the Vertue Power and Potency of so High and Precious a Magneticall Body will site your selfe Parallel to his Axis and when you shall approach neare his Articke Pole you will ioyne and make a straight line with the same to whose Poles all mens indeauours doe attract and conforme themselues in all doubtfull causes because that if a Magnet be taken from the whole rocke whence it was vnited and did grow in the bowels of the Earth although before he was taken away he was but a part of the whole body yet after it is seperated will then become a perfect complete and sole Magneticall body retayning all the proprieties and vertues of the whole nature But I insist too much to proue that which no man can or once dare to deny wherefore assuredly knowing your Highnesse is so richly endowed with all Heroicall Vertues I am also imboldned to Dedicate these my rude and vndigested Labours vnto your most Excellent Fauour being as yet of such tender yeares as your prosperous time may quicken and reuiue this low and debased Art of Horsemanship and by whom these low shrubbs may spread and grow vp like Oliue plants so as this Realme shall not neede to dull the eares of any other strange countries by petition for assistance if you will but vouchsafe to countenance the Fauorits thereof with your Smyling Grace For I haue planted this Vineyard vpon a firme and true ground and haue fenced it about in such sort by Reason and weeded and pruned it by Practise that there is no Impe if conceipt hinder not but may keepe it from such weeds and rauenous beasts as would deuour or choke him whereby these excellent and so necessary Creatures may be brought to such obedience and subjection as shall be needfull for the vse and seruice of Man for whom they were created as his hereditary possession Although my Artlesse pen hath not made it so delightfull as to reuiue the dead senses of all scrutenous braines which no Tullies Eloquence as yet could euer perswade And therefore I most submissiuely intreate that it would please you to accept of this my first and new born Infant being but as yet in the swadling Clothes which desireth to be Fostred vnder your wings and to be protected vnder your Fethers and I hope it will proue such a thankefull Orphan as it will also nourish many Impes and cause them to flourish so in this plantation as they shall bring forth such pleasant grapes as will relish the Pallat and delight the eye And so with my vnfeigned prayers to Almighty God for your Excellencies most prosperous successe and endlesse happinesse I rest deuoted as vnworthy of your least Fauours Your Excellencies most lowly and poore Seruant MICHAELL BARET THE PREFACE TO THE READER WEre it not most courteous Reader that the great desire I haue to doe somthing that might either profit my Countrey or the Common-weale did vrge mee forward to the publishing and setting forth this Treatise intituled the Vineyard of Horsemanship both the insufficiency of my selfe through the imbecillity of knowledge and also the intricacie obsourenesse of the Art being so much darkened through the abuse thereof might haue disswaded me from so bold an enterprise but more especially knowing that it cannot bee without scandalous taunts For so much as it shall come to a publike view of Momus and his Associates For neither is my wit so finely filed as to proue my assertions by strong reasons and inuincible Arguments nor yet my learning so largely lettered as to â—ecke and garnish it with Rhethoricall amplifications and flowing speeches But onely to set it forth in such plaine and simple manner aâ— shall be fit for the instruction of the meanest hoping that the meekest will take it in the best sence and according to my goodwill for it being wrought in plano hath no curiosity to delight the eares of the curious but yet it is supported with a strong Piller which is the truth Trusting you wil not esteeme it to be any deale defaced in being set forth without any painted attire and by one of so weake performance for gold is nothing the worse if it be found on the dunghill nor poyson any deale the better being drunke forth of a guilded cup. But rather as Seneca saith Seneca Non quis sed quid dicit attendite rather respect what is deliuered then who or in what manner it is deliuered For in regard that I haue neither the Art of dâ—lighting nor perswading yet if I haue any part of teaching it shall not grieue me to bestow my small talent into the Treasury of the World hauing proued it onely by practise to be perfect Knowing that a little water being cast into the Sea is preserued but being kept by it selfe is soone dryed vp Euen so this little Treatise being committed to the World will bee preserued by some but being kept close it will soone dâ—cay But it is Obiection obiected by some that this part of Horsemanship is so easie that there need little instruction for the teaching thereof and also it is holden by other some and some of them reputed good Horsemen Theo. 3.d. that to bring a Horse to his pace is not onely idle but also to spoyle his Answer other pace To whom I answer for the first if they rightly consider the stayd seating of the Horses body and also the true placing of his Idem 1. head with the easie cariage of his reine and the proper motion of his going forward with the easinesse of his going and moreouer the iust and true handling of his legges they shall finde that the Art hath such obscurity and intricatenesse that it would require a whole Volume for the explayning thereof rather then a small Treatise And as for the second which hold it to be idle Is that an idle thing that â—s necessary for all sorts of people for if a man haue occasion to trauaile but two or three miles from the towne will not hee be desirous to be carted both freely easily and safely which cannot be so truely done by any Horse as vpon a pacer much more then necessary â—f hee be to trauaile two hundred or three hundred miles Therefore I could wish that they should ride vpon Trotting Asses all their liues for penance to keeâ— tâ—em from idlenesse till they endeauoâ—r themselues to search moâ—e diligentâ—y into the trueth of this Art to teach them to giue sentence in that thing they haue such small experience in But it is the nature of a great number to enuy that in others which they cannot attaine vnto themselues
where the Horse should be commanded n The discoÌ„modities that insue by the abuses of the hand thereby the more hee feeleth the hand the more hee rests vpon it and is the cause of so many run-awayes and further tireth a man more to hold him to his pace then the hardest trotter and causeth a Horse not to stumble only but also breaketh the largenesse of his stroake for his pace in regard he is so terrified in the mouth that he dare not set his forefeet forth which makes him fret and chafe and shake his hinder parts very vnseemely and to conclude quid non Wherefore I could wish that all such professors were weeded out of the Vineyard of Horsemanship as not worthy of growing there because they bring such fruit as doth more distast the sences then giue any odoriferous smell to the vnderstanding of this Art By this time I hope their mindes are somwhat altered which hold this Art so easie that any one may vndertake it without any great doubt of performance which if they are not I would know what o Errors the cause of varieties Theo. 36. should moue so many seuerall opinions and variable inuentions for the performing thereof if there were not some intricatenesse therein And what should bee the reason that so few Horses amongst many goe well but onely the Art being so obseure that they cannot see the way how to effect it For though mens opinions are variable yet there is but one truth and although there be many great diuersities in Horses going Theo. 4. Ch. yet there is but one kind of well going Horses And yet although they will grant some difficulty in it yet by the abbreuiation of time they will hold it more easie then other trades Mechanicall for hee is accompted an expert and cunning Workeman that can learne his occupation in seauen or p Men iudge according to their knowledge eight yeares and yet they thinke that this Art of pacing may be learned in seauen or eight Monthes But the reason heereof is this Art hath a cloake to couer their ignorance which is the nature of the Horse but the other hath none For in other Trades they are very desirous to obtaine both the intellectiue part by learning and also the practicke by exercise and so to get a habit of cunning that when they come to work vpon the subiect they may make it formall the facilitie of the hand being q Where there is no excuse there men take paines to preserue their own credit directed onely by the Iudgement of the eye and then being proportionably made the worke doth continue as it seemeth to be and after they haue the knowledge thereof they can make a hundred as good But if it bee not so fitly wrought nor so curiously set forth then the fault is not attributed to the matter because it would worke no better but to the man because he did worke no better and therefore in regard they would not be accompted Coblers nor Botchers they take great paines to keepe their reputation because they haue none other excuse But in this Art it is otherwise for whereas those worke vpon bodies inanimata hauing neither life nor sence so that whatsoeuer r The cause of intricatnesse in this Art their hands doe it is so the Horseman worketh vpon bodies animata which haue both life and sence and though he worke neuer so exquisitely yet if the intellectiue part of the Horse be not agreeing to the minde of the man it is a shadow of the thing but not the thing it selfe howsoeuer it doth show to the eye for when the Horse commeth to be made vse of then he sheweth the truth and as a dog to his vomit so goeth he to his former disorderly will for as Aristotle saith quales sunt actus tales habitus fiunt as is the teaching so is the learning Ethick 2. li. 2. Chap. perfected But for their excuse then they affirme vno voce that it is the nature of the Horse and so they attribute that to the efficient cause which is in the materiall and by that meanes neuer take any paines to find out their ignorance whereby that if by chance they make one good Horse they for the most part misse in ten CHAP. 4. The Description of a true and well going Horse HAuing heeretofore showne in some sort the difficulty of this Art of pacing and also layd open the errors of them which iudge the performance thereof to be so easie now I thinke it will not be amisse to discribe and set forth what a true and well pacing horse is not onely because I would avoide the scandall of them which should thinke I vndertooke that which I knew not and speake that which I doe not vnderstand but also to shunne confusion in my proiect because it is the subuersion of all things For order being the onely a Confusion subuerteth all things but order establisheth thing whereby nothing is made something so contrarily confusion doth make something nothing For the world before the creation was a Chaos that is a confused thing without order but God by order brought it to proportion Theo. 38. â— and forme and by that meanes came to be something and so receiued a name according to the excellent forme and order thereof which is Mundus Wherefore I doe desire so much as in mee lyeth to lay the foundation of this Art in the best order that I can that it may receiue the perfecter forme and be the longer without confusion Now therefore because confusion is such a pestiferous disease Application that it impoysoneth the whole subject which it doth possesse I would desire all young fauorites of this art or which meaneth b A man must first learne before he can teach to be laborers in the Vineyard of Horsemanship to beware of that infection and for order sake first to learne a thing themselues before they doe teach it to any other for as Aristotle saith prius sunt Artes postea operationes knowledge goeth before Ethic. 2. li. 4. chap. and practice followeth after Wherefore it is fit that a man should first know what a true going horse is before hee vndertake by practice to make one for how should a man worke truely not knowing what hee worketh or giue iudgement of that thing wherein he hath no good knowledge now as I said before there can be but one manner of an absolute and true going horse and yet there are many horses that may be said to goe well but that is in respect of another that goeth â— There is but one truth and is not found by comparing one error with another but by it selfe â—eason giuing euidence A simile worse and yet if that horse be compared with his better then he is said not to goe so well but this is no true ground of knowledge for as it is a principle in the grantable requests of Geometry that
of Babell A simile by the confusion of Babell was built when one called for one thing there was another brought by which the building was dispoliated euen so if the man doth vse no decorum in helpes it must needs make a confusion in his workes for when he would haue his horse to doe one thing then begineth hee to doe another because he doth not rightly vnderstand his minde by his motions for although the truth of a mans heart is not altogether knowne by his speech for he in pollicy will oftentimes speake on thing and thinke another either for feare or affection yet there is no such deceipt in the horse for he doth show truely the effects of euery mans knowledge he not respecting one man more then another but as the knowledge is in the man for commanding euen so is his horses obedience in performing b A horse doth not respect any man for credit Preface Now therefore that a man may the more truely know how he should helpe his horse he must obserue foure chiefe helpes in working the horse to his perfection the first is the body of the man to cause the motion in the horse the second is his c How to help the horse with his body legges to helpe the motion the third is his hand both to guide the motion and cherish and the last is his tongue to helpe to quicken the motion and to cherish Now because the motion of the man is the cause of the motion of the horse he must obserue that it may cheifly be in those parts of his body that the horse may haue the best feeling thereof and yet that it may be the least apparant to the eye which are those parts that are next to the horse and that is from the middle to the knees in regard those are the aptest parts for the ministring feeling to the horse and therefore if he would haue his horse turne on the right Note this absurdity hand let him thrust his left knee close to his saddle point but if on the left hand then his right knee and if to goe forward then to yeeld his thighes a little forward but not to raise himselfe vpon his stirrops as many reputed horsemen doe so that a man may see clearely betwixt his seate and the saddle for so he doth stretch his stirrops so straight that it doth rather cause stay in the horse then helpe forward because it is a helpe to cause a horse stop and againe if he would haue him stop then let him seate himselfe more firme in the hinder part of his seate and thrust his feet more straight in his stirrops then vsually d The true vse of the stirrop leathers 1. Pra. 29. a he doth whereby his stirrop leathers may be the more stiffe and that will make his horse keep a firme body But if he would serue his horse for any other motion as to helpe his horse in his trot pace or any other assault for delight then let him clap both his knees close to the points of the saddle and onely keepe time with his seate to moue the better spirit to the horse and not to sit as some doe which are not esteemed the worst horsemen Theo. 13. â— without any motion like logges on their horse backes with their legges stretched out in their stirrops as if they were on the racke but as their horse causeth them they forcing him by extremities hauing no agility to helpe him therefore as I haue said it is meete that the man should haue an apt body to help his horse Againe he must helpe his horse with his legges for they are in like manner meanes for motion forward by ierting them quickly forward in the stirrops without staying them at that e He must help with the leg stresse and likewise for turning of either hand as I haue showne in the last Chapter but these helpes in regard they are so apparant are not to be vsed continually but onely at the first beginning and euer as the horse doth grow in perfectnesse so to mitigate them till they be reduced to the true helpes of the seat as afore said Now the man must also helpe his horse with his hand carrying it as before I haue showne in his turning laying the g The application of the hand contrary reyne close to his necke for weakning of it and for dislocating his head also it doth helpe in his stop with holding his hands a little more firme and for the better preseruing of his mouth when he would haue him to stop let him iert his body backe and his feete forward and with a little vse that will make him stop the more willingly if he hold a while so till hee feele his horse to yeeld but these helpes in like manner are but for the first which afterward must be left by degrees as the horse waxeth cunning And the hand is also to cherish either with the great end of the switch with clawing the horse betwixt the eares holding the rest of his body firme without motion or with clapping or clawing the Horse on the necke or shoulder which will much fortifie his well doing And lastly the tongue is to quicken the motions with chearing him vp with the helpe thereof as hey hey or howe howe h The helpe of the tongue or such like and likewise with vsing some inarticulate voyce as by closing his lippes and opening them sodainely which may sound as paw or else by laying the tongue flat to the roofe of the mouth letting it depart from thence at the instant opening of the neither chappe or by some such like meanes which may stirre vp the horses alacrety And also the tongue is to cherish whilst the hand doth clappe or rubbe in saying So my roague there my boy holow my wench or such like Now the reason of that is because the mind of the man is as it were the primum mobile and the action of the mans body i The motions of the man is an index to the horse doth show as an index to the Horse the intention of his will and the horse being brought to true obedience doth yeeld the agitation of his powers to the commaund of the actions of the mans body they being perceiued by the tactible sence of the horse and so the man and the horse may be said as they ought to be one subiect through the mutuall concord that is betwixt them Therefore the man ought to be very carefull to leuell all his motions by reason least the wild beasts aforesaid should breake into the Vineyard for want of knowledge how to vse these helpes for if they bring disorder with them then the worke a contrariety and two contraries can neuer be at one and the selfe same time in one subiect for if the horse cannot perceiue the mans mind by his helps then doth hee fall to k Disorder bringeth a contrariety Theo. 3. â— rebell and when
he would haue him to stand his desire is to go and when to goe he coueteth to runne and thereby commeth such a confusion that the fence is layde open for the deuouring beastes to breake downe the Vines and then it will be hard to expell them till they haue made hauocke of the whole worke CHAP. 16. How the Man should know where to help his horse IT is needfull also that the man should haue knowledge in this predicament vbi because that when the horse doth commit a fault the man may the better know how to help it if he can tell where to helpe him But for the truer knowledge thereof he must first know the chiefe meanes by which he shall perceiue from whence the fault doth proceed least in not knowing the right cause thereof he should resemble some Farrier as I haue both seene and knowne which hath applyed cuâ—es to a horse for the staggers thinking his paine to be in the head when the poore Horse hath beene so foundred that he could a A lamentable ignorance not stand and also like others who haue roweled the shoulder and the cause of his halting hath beene vpon a cloyde in the foote But for the preuenting of such grosse absurdities hee must obserue that the fault is not alwaies to be reformed in that Theo. 7. â— place where it is seene for an error as it is said is not an error simply of it selfe but it is the cause also of other errors Therefore hee which will helpe his Horse aright must resemble the cunning Chirurgion when he doth desire to heale an old running A Simile Vlcer doth not presently apply to heale the sore at first till hee hath considered from whence that flux doth proceed which doth feed it and so stop it and then the soare is soone healed afterward euen so when a horse doth commit a fault and that hee doth stand need of helpe he must not thinke to helpe him there where it is seene but he must expostulate what Theo. 3. b the cause is of that cause and by the staying of that flux the other effect will be soone reformed Now the seat of the man is a more sure meanes to giue notice of the cause if it be right or true then the Vrine of a man to shew the disease of him for by the seate if it be perfect hee may distinguish of euery fault from whence it doth proceed if he obserue the true cariage of the Horses body for if his hand be holden in the true place it will tell him the least disorder of b A true seate iudgeth of the cause of errors the head the action of his body will feele the willingnesse of the horses motion his legges will shew the obedience of the Horse in yeelding to his helps and by his seat he may iudge of the true cariage of his body Now when the man doth feele a non-obedience in any of these he must not thinke to reforme it in the same place where he doth feele the defect but he must consult with himselfe from whence the cause thereof doth come and take that away and then the effect of the other will decay For instance if the horse leane so hard vpon the hand so that he cannot easely be gouerned Theo. 10. b but either with paine or else with loosing some grace of his seate then if he thinke to reforme that fault with the bridle Note onely he shall vtterly fayle of his expectation for so he shall make his mouth the more hard and insensible for the 1. Pra. 23.d. c Of a dead mouthd horse 1. Pr. 24. P. cause doth proceede from the idle cariage of his body and the slow comming after of his hinder parts therefore he must be reformed by giuing his body a quicker motion and by trussing his hinder parts more round Againe if the horse be any thing free and stirring so that he will not endure to rest vpon the bridle he must not seeke a d Of a tickle-mouthed Horse reformation therefore by forcing him vpon the hand for that will make him trusse vp his body the more and make him more bedlam-like because the cause doth proceed from the eagernesse of his inward agitation and so desireth to goe according to his appetite but being terrified with the bridle he dareth not to stretch his feete forth and so dare not rest vpon the hand wherby he might range his body to his proportionate length and therefore the man must helpe him by his patience and giue him leaue to goe mildly till he hath gotten a habit of stretching forth his legges and then as he is bold to rake at length he will relye the more vpon the hand And further by the action of the body may bee perceiued â— The obedience of the Horse is known by the action of his body Theo. 39. â— the obedience of the motion of the Horse for if his body will not yeeld to the helpes of the man then hee must not thinke to helpe that by forcing of the exterior parts for the cause doth proceed from the interior because hee is not brought to perfect obedience And therefore he must helpe that in commanding his disposition for as the action of the man doth worke according to the agitation of his mind so the motion of the Horse doth worke according to the willingnes of the agitation of his powers and therefore the cause of the disobedience of the body must be helped by reforming the disobedience of his appetite And likewise by the helpes of his legges hee may iudge the tractablenes of the horse for if he will not turne on either hand Note at the motion of them then the cause doth proceed from the hastinesse of the man in that hee put him to that lesson before he was ready for it because the horses body is gouerned by the hand and therefore if he will not obey without force hee must helpe that in quickening of his mouth as before I haue showne for if he be truly mouthed he will obey the least motion that he can vse And in like maner by his seat he may perceiue the true carriage f The true carriage of the Horses body is knowne by the Mans seat of the horses body for if it be perfectly stayed then hee shall find great ease in the horses motion but if he be lash bodied then he will shake him and keepe false time there with and therefore if he lift his fore feet ouer high and worke too much with his shoulders it is because his hinder parts doe not come after fast enough to set his foreparts foreward and so hee must helpe that by helping on his hinder parts with his body But if he lift and shake behind then the cause is that hee doth desire to goe faster on with them then the foreparts will make way therefore he must help that by raysing vp of his parts before g If an
as many seuerall dispositions as there are Horses more generall in the workes of nature then diuersity because there are no two thinges that are absolute like or dislike one another for as it iâ— quot homines tot sensus so many men so many mindes euen so it is quot aequi tot sunt disposiciones that there are as many dispositions as there are horses Therefore I will not speak thereof any more but only of the two extreames which is dulnesse and freenesse because that all the other are participating of either of them more or lesse but the difference must be iudged according as the man shall find the inclination of the Horse by working for by practise it may bee better perceiued then by prescribing But yet there are foure cheife obseruations whereby the man may haue the better ground how to iudge of his disposition of which the first is his will as it is termed for he hath sponte although improperly because it is per appetitum but not consultationem the second his wind the third the aptnes of the cariage g How to know the horses disposition by 4. charaters Theo. 6. â— of his body and the last is easie command of his mouth all which if they be rightly obserued will giue a sufficient instance of the horses inclination Wherefore for the better conceiuing of them I will speake more thereof in their proper places because I will not confuse the vnderstanding of the desirous practitioner by degression least he should be discouraged thereby and so trodden downe that he should not delight to grow in this Vineyard whereby he might yeeld fruite both pleasant and profitable CHAP. 19. Of the Dulnesse in the horse BEcause those horses which are said to be sadde or dull doe desire the greatest iudgement and depth of this Art therefore it is needfull for the man to know the cause of the same 1. Pra. 24.k. that he may the easilier conceiue how to reforme them for the cause doth not proceed from the imbecillity of nature as it is imagined but from the dogednesse and stubornenesse of his appetite or desire and therefore they will aske both the greater 1. Pr. 15.b. a The appetite of the horse is the cause of any disobedience paines and the longer time for their reforming then those which are more apt and tractable for the proofe whereof I for my part haue not had any colte these many yeares howseeuer his shape hath beene if I haue had the first backing of him that hath proued dull by the which I haue obserued that the cause thereof is more from the ignorance of the man in regard he could not tell how to vse him according to his disposition Theo. 24. e then through any defect in the nature of the horse for if nature should be condemned for all those horses which proue sad in their trayning then it might be said that it framed more to be without vse then for vse because there are more sadde and vnwilling horses by many then there are free and gentle which thing for to hold is very absurd because Natura nihil Theo. 2. o agit frustra Nature neuer made any thing in vaine Now for the better illustrating hereof I will vse this simile suppose two men of what stature soeuer whether equall or vnequall if one of them be willing and the other vnwilling Note a good â—â—rule he that is the more willing will tyre two such as the other of the aduerse part and yet the cause is not through the inbecility of nature for it may be that the vnwillinger is of a farre more able body then the other but it is rather through the idlenesse and slothfulnesse of the mind in that hee hath more delight in taking ease then desire of paines Euen so the cause of those horses which are accounted sad doth not proceed from the weakenesse of nature for many of them are of a stronger body then the other but from the stubbornenesse of his desire or lust in that he taketh more delight to follow his appetite then obedient actions so that he will doe no more then he is forced vnto and that also which he doth will be very vnhandsome and vnseemelily done And further they obiect that those horses which are of a thicke forehand short necked dead mouthed and vnnimble bodied will very hardly or neuer be brought to any good riding and verifie it also by my A retortion of the simile simile for those men many of them which are of such an idle disposition had rather starue or bee hanged as dayly experience doth show then to take any diligent or painefull labour To which I answer I confesse they will be the harder to be brought to good riding in regard they must both haue greater paines and longer time bestowed vpon them and also they must haue the greater iudgement both in helpes and corrections for their perfection but yet to say that they will neuer be subdued it doth argue more their idle minds then any impossibility in the horse For instance if a man haue two peeces of wood to worke vpon the one smooth easie the other knotty hard it is no consequence to say that the knotty peece will A Similâ— neuer be brought to any good perfection because it requires more paines then the other for it may be made formall as well b Ignorance holdeth an imposibility but it must be both with greater paines and more care so for one of those afore said horses it is no consequence to say they will neuer be brought to any good perfection because they will neither so soone or easily be brought to good riding as the other which are of a more mild inclination and perfecter â— Idlenesse the nurse of ignorance making for so they condemne themselues both of slothfulnesse and ignorance in the Art For it may be said the Horse will neuer be brought to true riding because the man will not take the paines to bring him thereto for if he doth not take the greater delight in his profession so that his desire may be more then ordinary the paines will so discomfort him that he will thrust himselfe into the former ranke and had rather be starued in the frost of ignorance then hee will take the paines to thaw himselfe with such a laborious reformation And likewise they show their ignorance in that they cannot d That is no Art that is knowne to all men tell how to reforme such horses more then euery ordinary professor for euery one almost can tell how to ride those horses which will come to riding of themselues and therefore he that would be held worthy to be grafted in this Vineyard must be industrious and painefull to consider the cause wherefore the Art was inuented and so to weed out such weeds as might smother and choake him before he can grow to such perfection as to bring forth any fruit And
this Art Now the first of these is the consent of his appetite or desire a Of the Characters to know the Horses disposition secondly the free passage of his winde thirdly the orderly and easie command of his mouth and head and lastly the apt and comely carriage of his body And although there may and haue beene other obseruations set downe for a man to worke vpon for iudgement in the Horse yet because I doe not intend to set downe any thing but that which I haue found by experience Theo. 34. a. I omit to speake of them in regard I finde that all other are springing from these as the branches thereof as heereafter shall be showne and also the first is the cause of the second b The first is the chiefe cause of all the other Theo. 35. a. and both the first and the second the cause of the third and the fourth which are the euent of the two first for all other kinde of restiffenesse which may proceed from the exterior actions of the body as standing still running away lying downe going back yerking and plunging c. And therefore they grope in the darke that did seeke and inuent so many kindes of corrections to reforme such variable restiffenesse and so little time to consult with themselues what the cause thereof was or whether it did chiefly proceed from the man or the Horse But because Mr. Markham hath so sufficiently laid open those inuentions with their inconueniences in his second Worke of Cauallarice Horsemanship therefore I will not spend any time therein but onely referre them that are desirous to know those inuented tortures to those places wishing them seriously to consider by the seueralty of inuentions what euent of truth they doe produce c The euent sheweth the cause in regard the euent of the effect in any thing doth demonstrate the true Iudgement of the cause And therefore when they see that they found so small effect was wrought vpon the first inuention they needed not haue sought for a second if they had considered rightly whether the cause issued from the horse in part or in whole but they being partiall in d Partiall iudgement is the cause or error iudging themselues as the natures of most men are sought wholly for reformation in the horse by further violence as if Art did depend vpon extremities and so inuented sharper tortures further to persecute so famous a subiect euer ayming at the finall cause but not at the efficient As when a Stadium or Image is made if there be any error the fault should be attributed to the matter but not to the workeman But heerein they resemble the whore of Babilon which hold e A fit application all her counsells and decrees to bee perfect and without error and therefore those which are repugnant thereto are accounted prepostrous Heretickes and therefore vse violence rather then truth in inflicting seuere torments one exceeding another in extremities and euer fayled of their expectation in regard they followed their damnable blindnesse In like manner they thinking their corrupt wills were faultlesse and free from f The cause of so many tortures inuented error when they found such contrariety to intercept them thought it to bee solely in the dogged nature of the horse and therefore they inuented such violent torments one exceeding another to worke their desire and yet could neuer finde any to worke true effect because they followed their blind ignorance For when one had inuented one kinde of torment for they cannot rightly be termed corrections then another seeing so small reformation thereby not thinking that sharpe enough inuented a second more sharpe and likewise the third inuented a correction exceeding the second c. but yet neuer could finde that kind of correction which would show the true euent because those did proceed rather from their blinded will then any lightened truth for the euent doth alwaies show the g An euil Crow bringeth forth an euill egge effect of the cause For an euill Crow doth bring forth an euill egge and false grounds of truth produce false conclusions Wherefore if you be desirous to worke commendably and to free your Horse from such despicable afflictions you must diligently obserue these Characters aforesaid and when any error doth arise examine and reforme your selfe as well as your horse and you shall finde him far more capable to yeeld to obedience in any other lesson withuot much resistance and thereby you shall keepe him free from all restiffenesse and finde many things easie to be done which before were held impossible CHAP. 33. Of the appetite or desire of the Horse BVt now of all the obseruations whereby you may iudge of the Horses disposition this of his desire is the chiefe proiect for you to worke vpon because all the other are gouerned by it For as the Sunne receiueth his light immediately A Simile from GOD and thereby doeth inlighten both the Moone Starres and the Ayre euen so the Horse receiueth the first command of his desire from Man and so giueth motion to his Winde action to his Body and gouernment by the Head And Another Simile as the Schooles hold memory was first created of GOD immediately and from that commeth reason and from thence proceedeth Will By the which Will we may inferre we desire any thing good or bad as it is effected for if good then it doth ascend and is gouerned by reason and strenthened by memory being the roote of knowledge but if euill then it doth descend and giueth place to his passions and so is become rebellious it being the fruit of ignorance euen so the Horse receiueth his obedience from man from which proceedeth his wil or desire to doe what the man requireth which if it be according to Art then hee doth effect whatsoeuer is consonant to reason but if to violence then he worketh by the fruits of extremities Wherefore seeing all things except man worke by the instinct â— The knowledge of man is supernaturall 1. ' Pr. 31. n b Reasonable creatures must gouerne vnreasonable of Nature and hee onely hath a supernaturall will more diuinâ—ly illuminated it is required that you should so command your selfe by these supernaturall faculties that you may be able to gouerne those naturall qualities which both your selfe and the Horse is prone vnto For you being rationall should gouerne the naturall disposition of the Horse being onely sensitiue and the agitation of his powers Which thing cannot be done except you conioyne so aptly that you may Theo. 1.g. be said both to be but one subiect which must not be vnderstood substantially but intellectiuely for although it cannot be said that a Horse hath any intellectiue part properly in respect of himselfe in regard he hath no memory to helpe vnderstanding but whatsoeuer hee is capable of is as it were a reminiscere moued by his sences and so prouoketh the appetite but yet he
may be said to haue it by accident and therefore improperly The. 2.o. being brought vnto him by Art and maintained by vigour for as Aristotle saith accidens in corpore nullum pars est corporis naturalis that is no accident happening to the body is any part of the naturall body Now therefore when you shall thinke to bring your Horse and your selfe to seeme but one body you must be carefull to c Theo. 18. a. conforme the desire of the Horse to your desire being allowed by reason and then the action of the body will be brought to yeeld very pleasingly and delightfully Now for the effecting whereof you must direct your whole proceedings by the disposition of the Horse as I haue said and chiefely by his appetite d Theo. 18.c. because it is the ground of all the rest and therefore if it be willing to obey by gentle and easie motions then he may be said to be of a free and willing disposition but if he be more stubborne and disobedient so that he will not yeeld but by greater extremities then he may be said to be of a dogged and e True reformation beginneth first at a mans selfe Theo. 29. d sad disposition But in reducing any extreame that may be found in a horse to the meane there ought to be a double caueat which is that you seeke to subdue your owne passions by reason as well as by your will you desiring the obedience of the horses passions for they are as forward to rebell as these and therefore if you cannot confine them within the limits of reason it being in your owne subiect you shall neuer command your Horses by the same obiect being in a diuers species And further seeing all Sublunary things are apprehended A simile by man first by his sensitiue parts and so are conueyed to the common place where there is election of them by consultation â— All sublunary things are first apprehended by the sense and after committed to Memory and there reserued as in a treasury till Reason command Will to dispose of them as occasion shal be offered either for pleasure or profit in like manner the inclination of the Horse is first demonstrated to the Theo. 32.c. 35.b. senses by the aforesaid Characters and after disperced into the other faculties whereby there is a knowledge thereof grounded vpon iudgement and likewise the Horse doth by his senses conceiue whether his actions are a greeing to the mans g Theo. 29. d 5. a minde by his motions and corrections and so bringeth forth either ioy or feare as they are repugnant or agreeing to his will And therefore you must be very carefull to obserue an orderly proceeding in all your actions that the Horse may more easily conceiue your will thereby and also to proportionate your corrections according to the quality of his rebellion for in the which if you exceed instead of building by order you shall destroy by confusion because you moue the passions to an excesse and thereby produce vnapt motions both of his interior and Theo. 11. d h Violence causeth restiffenesse exterior parts whereby is increased all kind of restiffenesse through the abuse of the Art in regard it tendeth onely to reduce obedience and not to stirre vp violence For seeing all things are changed in their nature from that Theo. 1. f they were at the first creation therefore was Art inuented to bring in some sort a restitution thereof as I haue said in the First Chapter for though many things are now become nocent and hurtfull to man which at the first was procint and seruiceable to him yet by Art the worst may be brought to serue for vse and releife againe for though there be many differences Note h 1. Pra. 4. g of vegitatiue and reptall things and many of them if they be simply taken not being delayd by Art doe poyson and vtterly depriue man of life yet the cunning Phisitian by extracting them proportionably and so infuse with them other simples of contrary operation can reduce them to soueraigne and preseruatiue potions Euen so in horses though there be many differences of the indiuiduums and also many of them being vsed Application simply according to their naturall inclination not being delayd or reformed by Art doe become very rebellious and troublesome to man yet the expert Horseman by infusing in them proportionably such things as work contrary effect can reforme their rebellion and so bring them to an obedient and seruiceable command Wherefore seeing the reducing of all things to vse doth depend â— Art cannot stand without proportion Theo. 38. a. vpon Art and Art worketh by proportion where the forme of the subiect is brought forth neuer thinke to reforme any Horse much lesse euery Horse except you by your knowledge bee able to proportionate all your proceedings acding as you shall finde your Horses appetite or desire for else you shall be sure to come short of your expectation and whilst you looke for fame you shall receiue great shame and so be cast out of this vineyard as a weed not worthy of a roome to grow there because it is the ground of all other obseruations they all whatsoeuer growing out of it as their Mother or Nurse CHAP. 34. Of the free passage of the Winde THe second Charact which you must obserue is the free passage of the Winde which as I haue said doth spring from the former for if at any time his desire be to resist he will a Stopping the winde giueth force to resist stop his Winde whereby he may haue the greater force withall his other powers to withstand obedience For as a man when he is forced to goe any way that is not pleasing vnto him whilst he is so puld or thrust will stop his winde to encrease his strength that he may be the more able to withstand them but if he be willing to goe then he giueth it the freer passage to adde alacrity to his body that thereby he may show the willingnesse of his minde Euen so a horse if he be forced to doe that which is displeasing to his appetite he will withhold his Theo. 32.b. Winde to giue a further strength to his body for rebellion but if his desire be to yeeld such obedience as you would haue him then doth he ioyne the free passage of his Wind thereto whereby he may show his willingnesse to obey you And so the first is the cause of this cause and this is the cause of the effect of the other Now for the further knowledge how these two Characters are to be obserued because they consist of the interior parts b How to know the Horses inclination obserue the saying of the wiseman The heart of man doth change his face whether it be in good or euill by which may be gathered that the inward disposition may be knowne by the outward gesture For if his
coole the heart and giue agility and strength to the other parts for no horse is able to do more then his winde can maintaine Wherefore neuer thinke you can ride a Horse to his true disposition in the Art except you can tell how to reduce the motion of his winde to agree with his appetite or desire CHAP. 35. Of the carriage of the Body THus hauing set forth the two inward Characters which is most needfull to bee obserued for the reducing of this worke to perfection it now resteth to speake of the two outward 1. Prac. 15e. a The outward carriage is as an Index to giue iudgement 1. Pr. 26. a. Theo. 32.b. signes which are the apt carriage of the Body and the true command of the mouth for they are as an index to a Dial whereby the man may haue the surer iudgement of the other inward disposition For as it hath been often said whatsoeuer is the cause of a cause the same is the cause of the thing caused now the first is the cause of the second and the second is the cause of the two last wherefore the first is the cause of the two last which are caused they being the euent of the former Because as the desire is affected so the body doth obey By the which the man may obserue that as the exterior parts of the horse doe demonstrate the disposition of the interior b Theo. 33.f. 32. c they being apprehended by the mans outward senses and so conueyed into the inward apprehensiue senses whereby the faculties do iudge whether the inward motion be through delight or feare Euen so the outward motions of the man doe giue notice vnto the horse of the intention of his minde they in like manner being first perceiued by his outward senses and c How the mans will is conueyed into the horses inward senses after conueyed into his inward apprehensiue senses by the which he doth know whether he doth obey or rebell And so the Horse being but sensitiue by nature may by Art bee said in some sort to be reasonable for there being such a true combination betwixt the man and him that all their doings will shew both delightfull and commendable Now for the better obseruation to know how the appetite is affected by the carriage of the body there must bee a regard x Note 1. Pr. 30. â— giuen vn to all the parts thereof for if it be quicke and nimble and moue easily and willingly and carry himselfe comely then you may assure your selfe that the Horses desire is answerable thereto But contrarily if any of these be wanting although not all as if he goe vnhandsomely or rowle in his going or set hard or striue and labour too much with his fore parts and The application shake and wallow with his hinde parts then you may be assured that those doe proceed from the maleuolence of his desire or likewise in the handling of his feete if hee goe either d The combining of the inward and outward motions together Theo. 59. d broad before or behinde or beat himselfe with lifting his forefeete too hye or if he be subiect to stumble through low going or any such then you may resolue that there is a contrariety betwixt the inward and the outward motions either that the appetite doth couet to goe faster then the slight of body can maintaine or else the body being vnapt to goe is violently forced on faster then the desire is willing to goe Now therefore when any of these adiacents doe intercept your expectation you may conclude that the cause thereof doth come cheifly from your weake iudgement in regard you went more eagerly then orderly about your worke neither knowing how to ioyne the whole subiect to agree in a true motion nor e Theo. 15.k. letting the horse haue liberty to ease himselfe through which extremities he was driuen to such disorderly actions you neuer ayming at the reducement of his appetite which is the cheifest thing to be regarded For till it be reformed all the paines that you shall take to reforme the outward cariage of the body is altogether without profit for as Aristotle saith si sit impeditus Ethick 3. li. cha 1. appetitus facit per vim if the desire be vnwilling whatsoeuer is done is by violence which is one cheife beast of the rauenous rancke which doth breake into this Vineyard whereby it is brought to such ruine that it doth bring forth almost nothing but weedes Further you may obserue the disposition of the Horse by â— For as the Horses motions are as an index to the Man where by he may iudge of his inclination so is the mans motions to the Horse whereby hee may know how to obey the concord of the motion of his wind and his body for if that be hindred then both his going and standing will be resisting because they are non sponte and then he doth not any thing but violently in regard it is onely in the exterior parts For as Arist saith Violentum est id cuius principium est foris in quod nihil patiens et a gens confert violence is that whose beginning proceedeth from the outward parts the which worketh nothing with patience and willingnesse And againe hee saith Quod principium quod mouet non sit internum et rei quod mouetur violenter sed externa that beginning that doth moue violently is not moued from the interior but the exterior parts By the which their ignorance in this Art is layd open who altogether g Meaning of pacing regard the outward action of the Horse by forcing him to set so far ouer his hinder feete and doe neuer respect the motiof his body to agree aptly with his appetite his winde which is the cause of so many bad going Horses and of their falling so soone from their pace all their actions being inuite and so neither delightfull nor durable they not knowing how to obey the will of the Man nor to frame their inward and outward motions together For as there can be no temporary motion that hath time for his limits can make his true reuolution except there bee a iust g All motions must begin and end in a true proportion of time Theo. 38. â— Theo. 31. â— proportion betwixt the teeth of the wheeles and the teeth of the nuts And also the center of the axeltrees to be equidistant one from another according to the proportion of both their semidiamiters and likewise the waights proportionable to the manner of mouing Euen so there cannot be any apt motion in the Horse except all his parts haue a proportionall mouing one to another and his desire which doth yeeld the motion be brought to the same limit of time and likewise your selfe which as the waights doth cause the motion must be proportionate accordingly to finish all those motions in one period CHAP. 36. Of the true order of the head and
easie command of the mouth THe fourth and last obseruation to know the horses disposition is the true order and easie command of the head and mouth and this also as the other doth depend outwardly being the euent of the former for if there bee any resisting in any of the other it will bee apparant in this For if either the Theo. 32. â— 35. a appetite bee euill affected or the winde distasted or the body any way resisting the head and mouth will neuer bee easily commanded and therefore they are farre deceiued which when they could not bring a gentle obedience to the hand a The inuention of hard bits and snaffle condemned Theo. 2. l. 1. Pr. 22.d. haue inuented hard chaines and tormenting cauezans and so many varieties of sharp and vneasie bittes and trenches to force obedience euer imagining the cause thereof to proceed from the deadnesse and hardnesse of the mouth whereas it did arise from the other partes of the body and brake out there as the issue thereof But thereby they expresse their ignorance in seeking to reduce Art by violence For as Aristotle saith Si impedita sit Ethic. 3. li. 1. chap. cognitio facit per ignorantiam If knowledge of the cause bee hindred whatsoeuer is wrought is done by ignorance for for want of knowledge in the cause they haue wrought vpon the euent and so when they felt a disobedience in the mouth haue sought for reformation there as if that had beene the cause of the error because it is there perceiued But although b Theo. 14.f. 27.c. all errors doe extend to the mouth yet they are not to be corrected in the mouth because the vse of the mouth as I haue said in the 27. Chapter is onely to gouerne the other parts according to the discretion of the man as the Pilot doth rule the Ship by the sterne c How a Horse may be said to be a Ship For the Horse may bee said to bee the Ship his appetite the waues his wind the gale that doth force it forward his head the helme by which it is guided and the man the Pilot to direct the voyage and if the Pilot want knowledge to steare the The Application the Helme truely the ship is in danger of Ship-wrack euen so if the Man haue not iudgement to gouerne his Horse truely by the head all his labours are in danger of confusion Now therefore as I haue placed it as the last Character in order by the which the disposition of the horse may be knowne so is it the last obseruation that you shall haue for your refuge For if there be a defect in any of the other it may be perceiued in this when it is obscured in them For if either of the interior d A true hand giueth certaine euidence notes be maleuolent then he doth show it in the exterior parts as if he be vnwilling to goe then doth hee rest too much vpon the hand or if hee desire to goe faster then hee should hee will beare too much therevpon or if hee will not turne readily nor goe backe willingly c. then all these will bee felt by the hand Or if he be loose-bodied and trifle in his going hee shall feele the loosenes thereof by the hand in regard hee is so tickle mouthed that he will not rest vpon the snaffle as hee should to stretch his body forth to make a true and apt way Wherefore when you shall finde any of these to intercept your expectation doe but examine these foure seuerall obseruations and you shall finde the cause to proceed from some one of them and especially from the two former it happening from the rebellion of the horses disposition or else from your selfe through ignorance of the Art by the which abuse it is Theo 2. l. ingrafted in the Horse and so is become habituall Which cause when you haue found if you be desirous to bee a flourishing impe and bring forth fruit in this Vineyard you must take paines to purge and clense it from such weeds as may spring vp therein and hinder the Vine from growing because they will so ouershadow it that the truth cannot giue any nourishing heat to ripen the fruit whereby it may be either delightfull or profitable Now for the preuention heereof worke after the receipt which is heere set downe for I dare boldly affirme hauing proued it by experience there is not any weed of error that shall spring vp in this Vineyard whether it be naturall or contingent e A true Application workes the best effect but here are remedies set downe to kill the vigor thereof if you haue but knowledge how where and when to vse them And although it may seeme to the most sort of people that this is a raw and vndigested erudition in regard that all vices are not so precisely set downe with their remedies as they would desire let them know that one reason is to quell the f This Art is most abused by calumniators Theo. 28.m. selfe conceipted knowledge of those which disgrace this Art through the volubility of their tongues and will speake more in an houre then they can performe in all their life time and therefore if I should or rather could haue made it so easie that they might easily haue vnderstood the applications onely by reading then the practitioners should liue continually in disgrace and bee subiect to the scandall of euery insinuating tongue as they are too much already for they hauing a partiall knowledge thinke that to parallel the best in regard they can talke a little of horses but cannot giue any reason of the cause and yet make an approbation of their iudgement for â—â— there are some Colts that will venture to swim in waters wherin A fit simile they cannot liue in like manner they will censure of things they cannot enter into Wherefore if I should haue set forth all vices and their remedies in an easie apprehension they would haue vsurped too much knowledge therein so would condemne others for practise when themselues can neither tell what a wel-going horse is nor where to help the reformation of any error so they resemble the Germane clowne who as one â— A Germane Clowne saith vndertooke to be ready in the ten Commandements and being asked by a Minister which was the first he said Thou shalt not eat But I could wish that these should be sent againe vnto the Schoole to learne to spell before they presume to read and vnderstand booke-cases in Law before they be admitted for Iudges in regard it is more easie to finde a fault then it is to amend it For as Thales when he was asked what was Thales the hardest thing he answered for a man to know and reforme himselfe and what was the easiest he said for a Man to admonish and reproue others And another reason is that it is a ground too hard for
their water and their vsing therein 2. Prac. 10. â— mile or two for their exercise obseruing to warme them a little after their water not suffering them to drinke their fill at the first but after they haue taken their first draught gallop them a little to warme it and then let them drinke againe and after that gallop them as you did before neuer letting them depart till they will drinke no more and so by this order you shall free the stomack from such raw crudities as the coldnesse of the water would incite if they did drinke their fill at the first and further in letting them haue their fill it will keepe their bodies from drying too fast because Nature it selfe is the best director for the expelling of her enemies especially in these creatures where she can command the apetite But whereas Mr. Morgan doth wish to put wine into their 2. Pra. 22. h Wine is no naturall drinke for a Horse water to qualifie the heate thereof I hold it not proper feeding for a horse in regard they naturally desire to drinke water and when a horse is in perfect state of body as it is to bee supposed these must be nature doth awayes desire that which will preserue 1. Pra. 12. â— Theo. 37.n. 1. Pra. 8. g. it to flye from that which wil hurt it in that euery thing is maintained by the like and destroyed by the contrary and so their owne naturall heat for warming their water is better then that which proceedeth from any other Now when you haue brought them home either from their water or any other excercise as occasion shall be offered let them be had presently into the stable it being made cleane 1 How to vse them after they come from their water and sweet and rub them cleane and dry letting them be round stopt with great waddes of straw and good store of litter vnder them to keepe them warme that they coole no faster then nature is able to expell such grosse humors as otherwise would n congeale by cooling faster then the bloud can haue its naturall course to nourish all the parts of the body which is the cause of 2. Pr. 10. â— all sicknesse and diseases Which done let them stand vpon the snaffle an houre or more till they bee through coold without any meat except a little hay in the rack to chaw vpon for 1. Pra. 9. a k Cooling too fast or eating too hot will corrupt the bloud if you should giue them meat before they bee through cold it will concoct sooner then nature doth desire by reason of the exterior heat which was prouoked by labour and so will inflame the naturall heat which is the cause of imperfect digestion Then when they are cold let their bridles be drawne and their bodies and legges well chafed and rubd letting them haue such a quantity of bread or other prouender as in your Theo. 18.f. discretion you finde their apetite to serue but seeing no certaine thing can limit an vncertaine therefore no man can describe such a certaine quantity of meat as shall satisfie the appetite of euery horse And heerein I differ againe from Mr. Morgan who doth wish that there should bee a spare diet both in meat and water for the perfecting of digestion and refining the seed And my reason is they being only sensitiue their appetite is serued according to the plenosity of the receptacle parts For when they haue receiued or eaten so much as nature cay digest into good nutriment then if a man would knock A reason l A horse will eat no more after nature bee satisfied 1. Pr. 10. a. them in the head he can neither cause them to eat one bit or drinke one sup more And heerein they are farre more temperate then Man for they feeding their appetite sensitiuely they being sensitiue Creatures cannot consult with themselues to draw on their appetite by expostulating of the goodnes or rarenesse of the meat But they onely feed their stomacke for the present and doe eat so much as is sufficient neuer regarding what they shall eat the next neither for the goodnesse not quantity Now therefore in regard Nature is the best director what quantity will best satisfie their appetite I thinke it best to let them be their owne caruers for if they bee restrayned and haue not enough then it will bee a meanes indeed for them to cloy their stomacks with feeding if at any time they may haue it according to the old Prouerbe two hungry meales will make m Nature abhorreth emptinesse the third a glutton Or else if they be continually kept with a spare diet then nature not beeing sufficiently satisfied there will be neither such store of good blood nor such aboundance of seed as otherwise there would and then if there be a defect in the materiall substance the formall cannot be perfect And againe if there be want of food the stomack will be empty and then seeing nature abhorreth emptinesse what should supply 1. Pr. 12. a that want but moyst ayre whose nature is to penetrate into all places of vacuity by reason of its tenuity which will much hinder concoction through the moistnesse thereof for that nature cannot turne that food which was receiued into such perfect bloud as otherwise it would if there were the whole heat and strength of nature And as for surfets and diseases they doe not come to these 1. Pr. 14.b. n Surfets doe not altogether proceed from full feeding 1. Pr. 15.k. i Spare dyet is Phisicall 1. Pr. 12.b. Creatures by fulnesse of feeding but by the abuse in eyther of the excesses of too much or two little exercise from whence commeth inflamation of the blood or else by a negligent care after labour which causeth an obstruction of blood by too fast cooling For the which causes spare dyet is to be vsed to refell such corrupt and grosse humors as doth destroy nature it being medicinall and therefore it cannot bee good for a perfect strong body for to it medicines doth weaken nature But to conclude hauing kept them in such sort as I haue said for some twelue or fourteene daies for by that time their bloud and seed will bee sufficiently purged from grosse humors you may then put them together for generation referring the end of your proceeding to Gods good blessing But this I would haue you to obserue that you doe not labour either of them for three dayes at the least before you put them together more then the fetching of their water least it cause too hasty Note digestion by causing a greater heat then nature would effect for concoction for when the state of the body is perfect then the naturall heat doth worke the best temperature both so blood and seed during which time let them be fed very well ' for thereby they will be very lusty and haue great plenty of seed so that they will performe
nature and so as many natures as there are horses for that were absurd and to hold another Creation for if it were any k Marke this so there iâ— no change of nature but a reducement other then it might haue another beginning and so receiue another forme But the forme and shape of all horses whatsoeuer were created by God at the first and so by generation is deriued into all the species whereby it is plaine that the vniuersall nature is perfect as it is the Creature of God but yet the qualities of them was corrupted and so did increase corruption successiâ—ely in all ages which cannot be purged without Art no more then gold without fire For as gold cannot A simile bee purged from the drosse without the Art of fire so a Horse cannot bee purged from his grosse qualities but by Art of riding And whereas hee further insisteth heerein that indiuidua l As a generall cannot bee applied to a particular so neither contra but one pâ—rticular may apply to another sunt remota ab Arte that indiuiduums are exempted from Art thaâ— is in regard Art cannot make an vniuersall receipt for a particular cure For whatsoeuer is spoken vniuersally is not spoken to any particularly but yet to make particular application a particular man being a particular agent may bring his horse to a particular perfection vsing Art according to those meanes which he findeth hath the best operation in his disposition and so though indiuiduums are remote from generall Art yet it is helped by particular Science And further hee proueth his assertion that euery nature by working doth declare of what quality it is by the Sunne which giueth light to the world because it is his nature and so hee doth it not with euill will or by motion of others but easily and voluntary whereby it is perpetuall But neither can there bee a fit Application in this simile by reason that it is not sublunary m The Sunne is not corrupted and so not changeable and so is not subiect to transmutation and corruption as they be for hee doth retaine that glory and light which hee had at the first and likewise is as durable and as free in his motions in as much as he is not weakened with any other accident but hath his whole force of nature still residing whereas the sublunary 1. Pra. 4. â— bodies are continually subiect to corruption as hath beene often said insomuch that that which is now said to bee naturall was not so from the beginning but it came accidentally afterward so that as concerning the actions of a horse being rebellious to man was not naturall but accidentall and therefore his working cannot shew his true quality by reason both of his disobedience and mans ignorance And therefore seeing their corruption of disobedience is not n Theo. 37.r. Theo. 1. g. 33. a. naturall but accidentall their qualities may bee reformed by Art God â—auing left that knowledge in man as a helpe to reduce things towards their primary estate But to persist to any more of his assertions or â—o insist any further vpon this I shall be held ouer-tedious and therefore I will restraine my pen for insulting any further although I had thought to haue lopt many more of his branches Wherefore seeing by these which hath beene said that the Art of riding hath a farre greater extent then the Art of breeding to make a horse more seruiceable for the vse and delight of men I would wish all fauourites of this Art not to bee discouraged to enter into the secrets thereof sith that if they bee not able to breed according to the truth thereof nor yet cannot get a horse of such perfect shape as is prescribed yet if hee haue the true vnderstanding in this Art hee may make a horse o of as good performance as the other if they haue not the like managing but if they haue then I must needs confesse there is both greater hope and also they will aske much lesse time and labour for the rider then others not so perfectly bred and Chap. b shaped Yet this doe I hold and will answer it with the hazard of my life hauing had sufficient experience thereof that many horses that want diuers of Mr. Morgans curious obseruations may be brought to a superlatiue check with the best that they shall p encounter withall by his order of teaching For though true breeding helpe the perfection of shape and causeth a nimble Chap. c body and a quick and stout courage yet if all these haue not true Art to cause obedience they will bee as gold mixt with drosse And albe it cannot helpe the shape if it bee defectiue yet it will reforme his disposition For this I doe further â—uerre that if a horse bee defectiue in M. Morgan Theo. 37. q q Disobedience increased through ignorance Theo. 37. h any of those sixe qualities which he setteth forth as true marks of a good horse they may bee repayred by the Art of Horsemanship for though many horses bee either fearfull dogged stumbling hard going subiect to tire and sad or dull by any inclination of their disposition they may bee further increased by disobedience and the ignorance of the man in not knowing how to subdue his rebellion and likewise the cause of boldnesse 1. Pra. 15. â— toughnesse sure going easie going durablenesse and free going which are his sixe marks doe not altogether proceed from breeding as he holdeth sith they are increased or diminished r The Art of riding tenderh onely to obedience according to that knowledge which the rider hath in this Art For there was neuer any horse from the beginning that had perfection of all these by breeding except they had obedience by Art for their vse Nay Art is of such operation that if hee hath an inclination to any of these contraries by his disposition it will purge him thereof which I haue proued by experience For if a horse s Theo. 11.d. 33.e. 29d. bee fearfull or dogged he may bee made bold and louing by true subiection and kind vsing euer obseruing his interior disposition by his outward action and acquainting him by degrees with such things as hee is most fearefull of And likewise if he be vnnimble footed and subiect to stumble or hard going the cause thereof is in his exterior parts through improper motions and so may bee reformed by giuing the body a more apt and quicke motion And further if he be subiect to tire or bee sad or heauy the cause thereof proceedeth both Theo. 4.m. 26.c. 19. a. from the interior and exterior parts being alwayes iarring in their motions which causeth a faintnesse and wearinesse in the horse he neuer finding ease and so it is to bee reformed by stirring vp quicker motions of his desire and thâ—n â—o ioyne the motions of his body thereto whereby he will goe with such sleight
abused they worke many absurdities euen in the best Horses as here-after I will show in that he must goe as he is tyed vpon necessity But if he be a free Horse that is to be put into them except there be a great care had at the first he will spoyle himselfe by c The inconuenience they bring to a free horse striuing and so get some lamenesse by chafing and brusing his legges which will cause them to swell or breed the scratches or such like or if not so they will cause him to tread short in that his desire is to goe through his freenesse that when hee feeleth himselfe restrained that hee cannot tread so large as hee would he will get an vse of trifling and also they will make him subiect to stumble his fore-legges being kept backe that they cannot goe orderly with his body or if none these as it is very hard to keepe him from some of them yet they will pull on his hinder legges so fast that hee will goe broade and very ill fauouredly which vpon necessity must needs loose the rellish of of his mouth and the placing of his head or else he will shake with the hinder parts or beat too much with his fore-parts hauing too much liberty or else keepe false time with his hinder parts and so seeme to halt of his hinder legge any of all which if hee once get as it is not almost possible to keepe him free from them all they can neuer be reformed by any meanes except the hand And againe if he be a sad Horse in regard he hath not a free motion of his body they will bring on his hinder legges so fast d What inconuenience to a sad Horse through the slow mouing of his body that hee will be subiect to roule in his going and so set hard yea I haue seene many of them haue such vnapt carriage that they haue wallowed like a Beare and further in regard that hee cannot be quickned vp with his hinder parts no faster then the Tramelles will suffer him he will loose the sence of his mouth and haue no agility of body so that in his going he will neither show grace nor spirit Theo. 35.g. 1. Pr. 31.b. â— A slow motion the cause of a dead mouth the slow motion being the chiefe cause of a dead mouth because the truth of Art is to bring all the parts of the body to one and the selfe-same proportion of quicknesse besides they will bring him to many of the other vices afore-named in a free Horse All which inconueniences I haue obserued both from my owne experience and also by othermens workes haue insued by this order which I could neuer reforme by any means but the hand and in reforming whereof I haue spent as much time to gaine that which was lost by them as I haue spent in bringing another to his true pace by the hand without any other helpes But admit it were so that they would produce none of these disorders as it is not possible to the contrary yet let the best f The vse of tramels is violence and therefore no Art Practitioners vse them in the best manner that can be it is no Art as I haue said but violence for they force the Horse to goe as he is tyed if he goe at all for they worke vpon the exterior Theo. 3.e. parts continually and so he is compeld to yeeld in them although his lust and desire be still repugnant by which meanes 33.h. that which is the effect is made the cause Whereby when he ibid. a. is taken out of them he falleth cleane from his pace after hee feele himselfe at liberty that he can resist especially if you goe about to bring him to further command to purge him from any error he hath gotten by them For in regard his body is not made subiect by his will but his will by his body when that violence is taken away that his body may follow his will the Horse will goe after his naturall inclination hee not knowing Theo. 33.g. how to helpe himselfe not feeling those meanes by which hee was taught neither can the man command him in that his body 1 Pra. 28.e. had not liberty afore to fall off whereby he might be taught the true vse of the hand Wherefore seeing all these inconueniences may and doe arise from the Tramels and many other which I omit for breuity sake and after cannot be reformed but onely by the hand and further hee that worketh the best by them can neuer conclude without the hand therefore not onely these but all the other inuersions are not worthy to bee accepted as labourers in this Vineyarde in respect of the true vse of the hand in so much that they cannot stand without it but it will both begin worke These cannot conclude without the hand and effect without them for by it the interior parts are first brought to obedience and so the outward parts agree in their action accordingly whereby the pace is made both easie and delightfull to the Horse and also durable and pleasant to the man CHAP. 31. Of the abuse of heauy shoes pasternes of lead wispes and shoes of aduantage OThers not finding any good effect by the Tramels haue vsed heauy shooes behind to keepe the hinder parts of the Horse downe to cause his hinder feete strike further forward within his fore parts Which although I doe not allow them excellent yet they are more tollerable for a learner to vse till hee come to haue his helpes and corrections perfect then the former in a Heauy shoes to be preferred before trammells that they are not so much differing from the Art as the other for by that meanes the Horse is still gouerned by the hand and the apt motions of the body whereby hee may after be kept in command But yet though they doe good in some Horses 1. Pr. 28. d. it doth not follow they doe so in all for if hee be of free and quicke disposition they will make him to goe stuntly and harsh with his body and so set hard by reason his desire is to goe forward and then the waight of those shooes doe so hinder or load his heeles that hee is forced to vse more strength to goe with his hinder parts and thrust on his fore-parts by reaching so farre forward whereby the body is caused to rocke and set b The abuse of them for a Free Horse hard by reason of that conflict betwixt his fore and hinder parts whereas there should be a concorde in all motions otherwise there is a repugnancy to Art when one part is stirred by a greater violence then another And likewise if he be a sad horse his hinder parts of themselues Theo. 35.g. are slow and therefore those shooes will doe much hurt 1. Pr. 30. â— to him for they will make as the Prouerbe is him haue such leaden heeles
obseruations herein you must note all what hath Pr. 25. beene said afore but these further that of what age soeuer your Horse is you must imagine him to be as a Colt that cannot tell how to take his way in regard he is put to that Pace he Note was neuer vsed to before and therefore you must let him goe after what manner he will till hee can strike truely and then reforme him to his perfection as in the other Note that you must consider whether the cause of your horses Note broken pace came from too much lenity or cruelty for it Of a broken pace proceedeth from either of these two extreames which may be The cause of a bad pace is the abuse of the man by one of these extreames as Theo. 10. 11. perceiued either by his negligent care or by his busie and eager desire in going and then you shall reforme them by the contrary meanes vsing the gesture of your body to the intention of your mind that the horse may the better distinguish thereof For set apart the vnderstanding of the minde and no man hath fruit or profit of that thing hee perceiueth not so set apart the sensitiue apprehension of the horse how he should obey by motions Sonus enim cordiâ— intellectus est and hee will shew small fruit of all your labours Now these cautions being truly weighd are sufficient for instruction to the ingenious if he can apply them to the former But yet to him that is but a Scholler himselfe and is not so expert as to haue such facility of hand and foote as hee should the seuerall grounds are very profitable to helpe him in the bringing his horse to obedience if hee vse either deepe or ascending Of deep earths earths vp a hill especially for high spirited horses but they are very hurtfull for heauy and dull horses the causes Theo. 28.b. being showne afore where I haue spoken sufficiently how c 32.c. they should bee applyed for the reformation of seuerall errors which must bee tempered by the mans discretion and so they will take away the cause of all other needlesse inuentions for as I haue said all errors are acted by the body and the body is gouerned by the winde and it is ruled by the affection or Ignorance the cause of all the other inuentions desire and this by the motions of the man and he is or should bee directed by reason the which being director of all his proceedings to apply his helps and proportionate all his corrections according to the necessity of the crime the manner Knowledge best gotten by practise Theo. 5. Chap. how must bee gained by practise more then by reading hee shall much fructifie in this Vineyard for that there will no weedes grow therein to choake the Vine but it will flourish being nourished with the heat of truth But if there be a preiudicated opinion and so giue Will the reynes then the whole fence will bee broken downe and all this planting layd wast for that no admonitions can preuaile with a stiffe-necked opinion because that if men will frame distinctions at their pleasures there is no truth set forth but it may be ouerthrowne and defaced CHAP. 37. How to reforme a naturall hard-going horse THere are many which are swallowed vp in this gulfe in that they haue not directed their course by the true poynts of this carde what are the causes of things but haue sailed af-the Theo. 7. â— Chap. compasse of windy and ayery opinions whereby their braines are made the more shallow and barren for that they Theo. 3. a. are not watered with the dew of consultation For as Schooles hold the very marrow of knowledge doth proceed from the cause to the effect and again from the euent to get the knowledge of the cause For the cause of these hard and vneasie going horses is not in the nature of the horse but in the ignorance of the man But this I hope is layd so naked already that all the World may see its shame Wherefore this error is not so much in the horse as some Morg. 52. Chap. Theo. 4.h. affirme but in the man because hee knoweth not how to reduce himselfe and his horse to an vnity but hee vseth such improper motions and helps as the horse hath no certaine knowledge what to doe For instance in warre let a drum which is vsed to signifie A Simile vnto Soldiers when and how to prepare themselues to battell giue an vncertaine sound there is no preparation made in that they know not the meaning thereof Euen so if the man doth not vse his helps and corrections so as the horse can conceiue his minde there is no obedience but a continuall resistance Note in that hee feeleth them but wanteth true distinction to giue Quid opus est iubell are et non intellegere iubellationem notice what hee would haue done But this is the fruits of yeelding to authority desiring to eloke themselues with costly and gorgeous ignorance rather then to cloath themselues with plaine and homely trueth But as Austin saith Quid prodest clauis aurea si aperire quid volumus non potest aut quid obest lignea si haec potest c. What Preface auaileth a golden key if it cannot open what we would haue opened or what hurteth a woodden key if it bee able to open seeing our desire is or should bee to haue that thing opened which is shut but our desire thus haunting after ambition reapeth Our desire haunteth ambition Sodomes Apples no better fruit then Sodomes-Apples that are delightfull to the eye but touch them and presently they go to ashes wherby they ayme at Narcissus shadow till they be drowned in their owne conceipted labour But because I would not haue them still to grope in the dark at noone day let them assuredly know that the cause of any naturall The cause of a hard going horse hard-going horse is for that he was not brought to true obedience at the first but going after his owne will hath gotten Theo. 1. Chap. a habit of improper motions both in his interior and exterior parts And so cannot tell how to behaue himselfe to Pra. 26.b. goe better because hee was neuer taught after the grounds Chap. of Art Wherefore whosoeuer is desirous to reforme any of these Theo. 4.e. to an easier and better pace let him neuer thinke to effect it Theo. 31. except hee reforme all those foure chiefe heads which I haue 32. 33. 34. Chap. set forth in the Theoricke for if any one of them be vnreformed that will ouerthrow all the rest the vse whereof I haue showne Pr. 20. 21. 22. 23. Chap. in the handling of a young Colt because that hee must begin to reforme where the first error was begun for first his desire must be stirred vp to goe
reformation hereof you shall as afore Theo. 15. â— let a Foote-man be by that assoone as euer you doe but begin to feele him nestle with his feet that then he may be ready to Continual motion the preuenting of by-thoughts take him by the head presently and pull him on hastily giuing him reuiling termes and your selfe doing nothing but helpe him by thrusting him forward with you motions and so vse him till you feele a willingnes to yeeld to them and then to preuent him the better you shall haue a care to keepe his legs alwaies in motion when he standeth till you can command him your self The cause of striking Now if hee hath gotten that iadish tricke of striking the cause thereof may be as well from too little correction as too much whereby he is not brought to true obedience or that it Not the correction it selfe but the manner thereof preuaileth is increased by too much and so will answere one blow for another And for this the chase-halter is very good for if he be chased about in it letting one follow him with a long pole euer as he shall resist double his stroks what with the correction and The reformation the labour in running about hee will presently be reformed And likewise if hee be subiect to rise before or plunge the The cause of rearing and plunging cause of these also is in the abuse of the hand as well as in correction for when they feele correction so sharpe and cannot free them-selues by any meanes they presently fall to these disorders by the helpe of a heauy hand thinking thereby to ease To reclaime rearing themselues Wherefore if hee be apt to Reare you may assay to keepe him downe by the head-straine for that will make his fore parts more heauy and so hee will be the more willing to presse forward or if that preuaile not euer as hee riseth beate him downe with your sticke betwixt his eares or by striking him vpon the knees and that will cause him to keepe them downe or else when you beginne to feele him rise keepe your hands firme vpon the head-straine and with your whole body turne him about thrusting him forward with your legges for this will reclaime him if the other fayle if you be also carefull to keepe his body mouing that hee hath not time to stand till you feele his desire somewhat abated And for plundging let To reforme plunging him haue his head that hee hath no stay to rest vpon you hand and keepe him also in motion for then he cannot haue time nor leasure to frame his body thereto for the letting him stay vpon your hand giueth strength to his fore-parts whereby his body hath the more help to rayse his hinder parts And further the cause of running away and skittishnesse is for want of true obedience of the hand and winde and therefore The cause of running away skittishnesse when hee is either displeased or seeth any thing that is strange he is ready to runne away or fly on the one side in that hee goeth not freely but vnwillingly for his winde is kept to resist vpon the least occasion and then not hauing a perfect mouth hee will runne away or skew more through stubbornnesse How to reclaime skittishnesse then timerity And therefore to reclaime skewing or starting is to stirre him to a more quick going and correct him on that side hee flyeth on without partiality and cause him to goe to that which he fleeth from and then cherish him when he approcheth thereto which will fortifie his bouldnesse And for a runaway though there hath beene many waies How to reforme a run-away approued yet the best that I euer could finde and the least danger is to let one haue him in the Chase-halter and your selfe being on his backe thrust him into his galloppe and when he desireth to breake off let him giue him a sound twitch with the halter and your selfe at the instant cause him to stoppe as afore Pr. 18.d. is showne at which if he will not yeeld vse him so the second or third time or till you feele him let his wind passe and then let him stand and cherish him and thus you shall vse him Note till you feele him yeeld to your hand which he will doe in short time for this quality is most incident to hot fiery Horses which are neuer taught the true vse of the hand at first because most A lame knowledge think that when a Horse goeth forward freely they are perfect although otherwise they be most lame And further the cause of stumbling is in the vnapt handling The cause of stumbling of his body in going so that he hath not time to handle his feet in such order as he should in regard his hinder parts follow faster then his foreparts can make way with true order and then The habit of stumbling gotten he stumbleth which commeth to a habit by the abuse of the hand for if when you feele him apt to stumble you for feare hold in his head thinking thereby to preuent it then you Note shall increase it because you giue him a helpe to support his body more then nature hath ordayned whereby he will rely the Nature the best supporter more vpon the hand and when you slacke it neuer so little that stay vpon which he trusteth fayleth him and then he stumbleth Stumbling is not reformed by spurring the more Now this is not to be reformed by spurring as most thinke for if hee shall be but twise or thrise corrected therewith so soone as he shall but trippe neuer so little he will runne head-long forward and thereby stumble more dangerously But How to reforme stumbling it must be reformed by changing the carriage of his body and letting him haue his head for he is as fearefull of falling as your No horse willing to fall selfe is to haue him and when his body is set for a true motion and his lust stirred vp more quicke hee will take vp his legges more loftily and set them forward orderly if you temper your Theo. 15. 16. 17. hand and helps accordingly And for enterfeiring the cause thereof is not altogether in The cause of enterfeiring nature as is thought but through the restraint of the hand that hee cannot haue liberty to moue his legges directly forward by two straight lines as he should but crosseth his feet The reformation whereby one striketh against another And therefore you may reforme this except nature be imperfect in shape by giuing him his motion in the true place of his body and letting him goe direct vpon a pleasing hand for then he will handle them Theo. 4. l. so that they shall not strike one against another for he may goe narrow yet not enterfeire if his body be firmely knit as well as our selues doe and
yet strike not one ancle against another And lastly if a Horse goe broad either before or behind the The cause of broad going cause is still in the abuse of the hand and miscariage of his body because that if it be afore the foreparts are holden backe by the slownesse of the hinder so that they both agree not truely in moueing and that his mouth was so terrified at the first that he durst not dare to vse his fore-feete rightly but stradleth with How to reforme stradling before them and this may be reformed also by the pleasant touch of the hand letting him rest vpon the head-straine to cause him stretch his legges forward if you be not too hasty with him till hee haue knowledge how to reach them out most largely helping him with the motions of your body to his true time And Theo. 12. a. likewise if he goe broad behind then the hind feet were forced on faster then he could tell how to frame his foreparts to go The cause of going broad behind so fast for want of which aptnesse hee was driuen on by force and so caused that disorder Which must be remedied by the meanes afore said and by letting him haue time whereby hee may come to moue all his parts alike and then as hee groweth The remedy cunning so to quicken vp his motions And this obserue for a certainty that whether this fault be behind or before or both Note that the further he striketh and setteth forward with his legges they must vpon necessity goe the narower For instance suppose A Simile Euclide 1. li. a quadrant as a and let it resemble the wide going Horse and the foure angles his foure feete then suppose another a longer square as b and let it be of the same quantity and stand for the euen going Horse now you see that b although it be of the same quantity to a yet it is narrower being further extended So likewise a Horse the further he stretcheth his feete forward in going the narrower they must needs goe and yet their distance at the setting on of his body is still of the same quantity Now for the further helpe to reforme these and so the most of the former deepe earths is much auayleable for a young practitioner Theo. 28.d. vsing still the former helpes and also to bring your Pra. 32.b. Horse backe to his Chase-halter as if he were a young Colt Pra. 13. will help much to gaine obedience wherby you shall saue great labour in toyling both your selfe and him for there can neuer be sure building vpon false foundations and I see no reason that it should be any disgrace to the Art or professor to bring a false In teaching a Horse hath the like relation to the man as the Scholler hath to his Maister grounded Horse backe to proceed orderly then it is for a Schoole-maister to bring a Scholler that hath beene rudely taught backe to learne him sillable truly seeing there is the like relation to them both And whereas it may be obiected that it is doubtfull whether these two that is the trench and musrole will reforme all restife Obiection Horses seeing there are so many differences of Horses and varieties of restifnesse I answere that that point is cleared afore Answer for restisnesse of what kind soeuer it is doth not proceed from the Horse but as a materiall cause and not as the efficient and 1. Pra. 20. â— so the man being the efficient these errors are increased by him Man the cause of any restifenesse in a horse by abuse and there are as many meanes to reforme by them in their true vse as there are meanes to increase them by the abuse and therefore if they be applied according to the quality of restiuenesse and of the Horse in whom it is residing there neede For the end of Art is to preserue the meane be no more doubt of their reclayming then of heat and moysture to preserue the vitall powers for as by these two life is preserued so by those two obedience is maintayned one maintayning orderly motion and the other correcting disorderly if hepes and corrections be aptly adioyned FINIS Aut face aut tace THE TABLE OF THE second BOOKE CHAP. Fol. 1 HOw long Horses haue beene in vse 1 3 How to choose your Stallions and Mares 4 4 Of the courage of the Stallions and Mares 6 5 Of their colours 8 6 At what yeares they are aptest for generation 13 7 How they should bee kept with food for the increase of good seede 16 8 When to put them together for generation 22 9 How and where to put them together for action 28 10 How to know whether the Mare hath conceiued or no. 31 11 How to vse her after her conception till her foaling 32 12 When and how to waine your Foales 36 13 A Corollary to the Art of breeding 40 14 Of the first haltring a young Colt 48 15 Of the excellent vse of the chase-halter 53 16 Of a young Colts first bridling and sadling 56 17 How to prepare a young Colt to suffer you to take his backe wâ—thoâ—t violâ—nce 61 18 How to take his backe at the first 64 19 Of baâ—king a young Colt after other horses 68 20 The Commendation of the Head-straine and the vses 70 21 How to make your Colt take his way without resistance 75 22 How to make him rest vpon the Trench 77 23 How to learne him to stoppe 80 24 How to bring his head to its true place 83 25 How to teach your Colt to turne 89 26 Of causing your Colt to retire backe 94 27 The vse of obedience 96 28 How to bring your Colt to a true trot 99 29 How to make him trotte sidewayes 105 30 Of Ampling or Pacing 108 31 Of the abuse of heauie shooes pasternes of lead wispes and shooes of aduantage 112 32 Of the abuse of waights and deepe earths 114 33 Of the abuse of the hand 117 34 Obseruations for the bringing your Colt to his pace by the hand 120 35 How to bring your Colt to his pace by the hand onely 122 36 How to bring an imperfect mouthed Horse to his pace 127 37 How to reforme a hard naturall going horse 131 38 Of restiffenesse 133 FINIS THE TIHRD BOOKE OF THE VINEYARD of HORSEMANSHIP WHEREIN IS PLAINELY SET FORTH HOW to apply both Hunting and Running Horses to the true grounds of this Art both in Trayning Dieting and Riding Being more truely purged from errors then any heretofore published hath beene By MICHAEL BARET Practitioner in the same Art Cicero Falsa veritatis colore tincta tanto nequiora Sunt quanto esse falsa minime cognoscuntur LONDON Printed by GEORGE ELD 1618. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE VERTVOVS AND WORTHY SIR FRANCIS FAYEN Knight of the BATH and his Honourable Brother Sr. GEORGE FAYEN Knight M. B. prayeth for increase of Honor and
l. 30. re Colt will be more pa. 48. l. 31. re whereas pa. 71. l. 15. dele as pa. 83. l. 21. re â—uddenly pa. 87. l. 22. râ— and a pretty p. 103. l. 21. re legges pa. 104. l. 20. dele and. pa. 109. l. 12. it is ibid. l. 38. dele but. pa. 119. l. 29. re truth is pa. 122. l. 14. re slow Errors of the third Booke Page 6. l. 12. re opprobrious pa. 12. l. 32. re diuide pa. 14. l. 21. re if he haue p. 15. l. 16. re perfect rake pa. 20. l. 16. re heart whereby he and l. 30. re meditate pa. 29. l. 2. dele not pa. 35. l. 25. and 28. re picking pa. 58. l. 16. re daies of rest pa. 79. l. 37. re of his body pa. 81. l. 21. re that it will THE FIRST BOOKE OF the Vineyard of Horsemanship Being the Theoricke part thereof intreating of the inward knowledge of the man CHAP. 1. The Originall Cause of Arts in generall WHen I consider with my selfe of the excellent knowlege and obedience that God vouchsafed to bestow on Man at his Creation I cannot but admire at the goodnesse a Gen. 2. 7. 19. of God that he should so much dignifie him aboue all other his Creatures For he did not only make his Soule like to himselfe immortall but also gaue him such Knowledge that he b Gen 3. 6. could call all other Creatures by their right Names although Theo. 39. d before he neuer had seene them and also gaue him such Soueraignty c We are depriued of our primary knowledge and obedience and cannot bee resâ—ored againe but by vigour of Art rule ouer them that they were all obedient vnto him But Man being ingratefull was not contented with that estate thought not that glory sufficient except hee were as God knowing good and euill For the desire of which knowledge he reapt to himselfe and all his posterity vtter ignorance and likewise all other Creatures which before were louing and obedient to Man became both so fearefull that nothing doth now more deterre and feare them then the face of Man which before was most delightfull to them and also so disobedient that looke what obedience was giuen them before by nature to obey whatsoeuer man would command without any labour or paine now is turned to Rebellion insomuch that all our liues practise and experience is nothing else but a desire so neere as we can of a restitution of our Primary Creation Therefore now we are depriued of all Knowledge but what is gained by Art and maintained by vigour and practise and yet that knowledge euen in the best is but as a shaddow d 1. Cor. 13. 12. or glasse wherein we may see our own imperfections in regard of that knowledge which God infused in Man at his Creation But now in regard that Reason was not vtterly taken from Man hee consulting with himselfe what ignorance hee was indued withall through the inordinate desire of knowledge by our first Parents hath endeauoured himselfe so farre as is in his power to gaine that againe by Art which was lost at first by iust desert For as Aristotle saith Omne ens appetit suam â— The cause of the first inuention of Art Theo. 33. h perfectionem The scope and drift of Art is to desire his perfection Yet heereby is the mercifulnesse of God further showne in that he did not then vtterly take away all the faculties of the minde as Reason Knowledge Will and Affection but left them still in vs although much obscured that we might g Wee are not vtterly depriued of naturall faculties ponder know wish and affect that which might in some sort helpe to a reducement of our former estate But these hath hee left in vs that wee might bee inexcusable of ignorance for though true knowledge was taken away yet there was left meanes of restoring for whereas Man had this punishment inflicted vpon him for the breach of the Commandement that in the sweat of his browes hee should eat his bread It is â— Gen. 3. ver 19. not to be vnderstood of the toyle of the body only but of the labour of the minde Therefore there are many deceiued which employ all their wits and indeauours to gather riches for themselues only whereas indeed they should vse them to the setting k Worldly men abuse their time in desiring Wealth mâ—â—e then Knowledge forth of Gods Glory But such is the miserable estate of those that are so blinded with the World that they doe not regard now how wisely they liue but how wealthily thinking that if they get Wealth enough then they haue wit enough And so Camelion-like they Metamorphose themselues from reasonable to vnreasonable Creatures resembling Swine which goe vnder Trees to gather the fruits that are fallen but neuer looke vp to the tops from whence they are fallen and as Swine l Desire of pelfe blindeth the minde goe all the day rooting in the earth euen so these men giue themselues wholly to gaine the earth For for it they rise vp early and watch late for it they carke and care for it they chide braule for it they quarrel and fight for it they hazard life and limbe and at length when they thinke that they haue gotten the earth then the earth hath gotten them and so are deuoured of the earth when they thinke themselues full Maisters of it But doth not these proceed from ignorance for if they would m Ignorance nourisheth vice addresse their mindes to gather knowledge as they doe both body and minde to gather pelfe then they should see their wretched blindnes and the inconueniences which doe ensue thereby For first it doth banish them out of all other Countries for they are so tyed to the loue of it that they cannot liue in any place from their God as they make them for where their treasure is there is their heart Secondly it maketh them vnfit n Math. 1. 31. for Death For what man is so madde that if he be to trauell a great iourney will load himselfe with such a waighty burthen as hee cannot well beare Euen so Riches doe so clogge and tye men to the World through the loue of them that like Lots wife they looke backe grieuing their hearts to forsake o Gen. 19. 26. them And lastly which is the worst of all they make a partition wall betwixt Gods presence and them For as Christ saith It is as easie for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle as for the Mat. 29. ver 24. Rich to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Now therefore what shall it profit a man to gaine the whole World and loose his Mark 8. ver 36. owne Soule Yet if all these Obiections will not deterre and change the minds of men from such an extraordinary delight of the world the very heathen men which knew not God aright in regard
all and also had gotten a perfect knowledge in stumbling But I would haue them know that these absurdities do nothing at all proceed from the Art but from the abuse in teaching for it is holden so easie a thing to make a Horse pace that almost euery one will assume it and so like blind Byards â—un headlong into the gulfe of confusion because they know not how to keepe any order or decorum in their teaching for if they by any extremity can make a Horse pâ—ce they hold their knowledge equall with the best But let them assuredly know that whatsoeuer is forced by extremity â— Extremâ—â—y â— no Art 1. Pra. 17.c. is no part of Art for after the disposition of the Horse is changed that is his disobedience brought to obedience then Art doth work by gentle and easy but yet quick motions ser by that meanes the vnderstanding of the Horse is more confirmed then by any extremities which in regard they are violent and omne violens nunquam est perpetuum whatsoeuer is violenâ— is neuer permanent and therefore that Horse which is brought to his pace by extremity cannot hold it because his motion is not giuen him by reason which is gentle but by will which is cruell for when they see that they faile in their expectation â— Will 〈◊〉 extremity and that they cannot make a Horse pace in so short a time as they doe desire then presently they fall to any extremities because they will haue him doe it and thus the poore Horse is thrust into such torments that where his appetite and his action should agree in one they are now contrary for as his Rider doth force the motion of his body which is action to pace the motion of his appetite which is lust being altogether remote from it there doe continually be-thoughts arise g The cauâ—e of by thoughts how he should ease himselfe from such torments For hee neither hauing leasure to vnderstand what he should learne nor finding ease in his teaching thereby to take delight they agree as well together as fire and water and his pace as durable as flaxe on fire Yet I would not haue them heere to vnderstand me so that a Horse may be brought to his pace with lenity onely for so in shunning one extreame they fall into the other and quicquid h Art depeneth vpon one true proportion moderamine caret id in pessimam degenerat speciem what passeth the limits of the meane doth fall into the confines of the extreame For there must bee both helpes and corrections vsed till he be brought to obedience but they must bee tempered with such discretion according to the disposition of the Horse that through too much rigor hee bee made neither restiffe nor madde nor through too much lenity he be made carelesse and sadde but so indifferently mixed sometimes with cherishments and sometimes with chastisements that the Horse may perfectly vnderstand his well doing by the one and his offending by the other The maner how shall heereafter bee showne Againe there are others which hold that a Horse may bee brought to a good pace in ten or fourteene dayes at the furthest as well as in all his life time But by that assertion they shew both their knowledge in the Art and their iudgement in â— Art abused by shortnesse of time a well going Horse for if they did truely know the one and vnderstand the other they would alienate their simple ignorance by their rash iudgement For first there must be a time to reforme the will of the Horse and after that to giue him a stayed body and an euen carriage of the same and then a true handling of his legges and also a comely and easie reyne with Note a reforming of other vices which may ensue during the time of teaching and when they haue considered of all these I hope they will change their mindes and allow as great fauour to this part of Horsemanship as any other in regard there must be a time to teach then another time to vnderstand what is taught and also a third to gaine a habite to his vnderstanding For he is accompted a good Horse-man in other parts thereof if he can but mouth a Horse make him take his way willingly trot handsomely and turne readily in a yeare although to his trot hee hath a naturall inclination and yet they doe expect that a Horse should be brought to his pace with the reforming k The inconuenience of hast of all things aforesaid in such a short time albeit hee thereto hath no inclination But the effect of this hast is showne by the euent for what doth follow but an vtter dislike of the art and a generall inueying against the professors not regarding 1. Pra. 17. a. the inconuenience of hast for in the true order of Art that is the best hast which worketh the best euent Now there are others which allow the Art but disallow the meanes of working by the hand some allowing trammels l Ignorance the cause of these Prac. 1. lib. 30. 31. 32 Chap. Theo. 36. a. 1. Pr. 31. a. others shooes of aduantage with long plates before some heauy shooes some waights vnder the fetterlocks and wispes and others sand-bagges behind on the fillits of the Horse all which inuentions doe rather shew the delight that men take in nouelties then the desire they haue to the truth for the best of all these is but as a shaddow to a substance in respect of true Art by the hand But if they had spent as much time in reforming their owne ignorance as they did in inuenting these indirect meanes they would confesse that there were no such want in the Art as to vse any vsurping meanes but rather in their idle mindes in not taking paines to finde out the true causes For I see no reason but this part of Horsemanship may bee as well taught by true helps and corrections as any other part if they will but afford the like time Also there are others which like the hand but dislike as they may very well the abuse of it for they haue seene so many m. Pract. 1. li. 32. Chap. Horses so lacerated and torne in the mouth through the disorder of the hand and rough snaffles and also carry their heads so disorderly continually looking to the Heauens as though they were either deuout or else Astrologers or Astronomers obseruing the starres that they waxe weary of it and so preferre such inuented meanes as aforesaid before the true Art thinking there were no other way to bring a Horse to his true pace by the hand but by such extremities But these professors are the worst of all the rest and their wayes to bee eschewed as a path that leadeth to the vtter ruine both of the subiect and disgrace of the Art for through their distastfull hand they vtterly destroy where they should build and make his mouth so insensible that
weeds do grow and prosper without setting and dressing better then other herbes and flowers did with both answered because that the earth was but the stepmother to these and to the weedes a naturall mother Euen so that as it was a curse giuen of God to the earth for mans disobedience that it should nourish thornes and â—â—stles naturally without any Art where before it should haue brought forth Deut. 11. 15. grasse for cattell and herbes for the seruice of men by the same instinct it is become quite contrary for now no Art no hearbs but no dressing all weeds In like maner the knowledge of man Application doth hold the same proportion with the earth for there was likewise a curse laid vpon man for his disobedience that his reason should feed and nourish ignorance as a naturall mother without any Art where before it should by the like meanes The. 1. Ch. m haue fed and cherished knowledge for obscurata est ratio naturalis per inobedientiam primi parentis our naturall reason is obscured d Reason nourisheth ignorance except it be inlightened by Art with ignorance by the disobedience of our first Parents And therefore now it is also become contrary for no Art no knowledge but no knowledge all ignorance wherefore in regard ignorance is nourished with so much ease and knowledge gotten by such paines it must necessarily follow that those professors which are but as weedes grow both greater and more then those which are nourished by knowledge being fed by â— Similis similem sibi gaudet their naturall mother ignorance and so choake and keepe downe the true practitioners which are both few and weake in regard of the other because they are nourished by their step-mother knowledge for knowledge hath no greater enemy then ignorance being contraries and two contraries cannot be in one subiect now therefore seeing ignorance is so naturally fed and nourished in the subiect of this world knowledge must needs pine and wither Therefore Aristippus perceiuing how the world was benumd d The answere of Aristippus to Dionisius with this impoysoned disease being asked of Dionisius what was the cause that the Philosophers did fret and weare the Thresholds of rich mens houses and not contrariwise He answered because the Philosophers did know and feele what they wanted and the Rich doe not Demonstrating that there could not be a want of worldly necessaries but it should be felt being â— The pouerty of the mind far more miserable then that of the body for manintenance of life and therefore they went to those places for releife but if the other did rightly conceiue that the pouerty of the minde was so much the more miserable then of the body by how much it is the more excellent part of man they would in like manner frequent the houses of knowledge and esteeme all worldly wealth but drosse to the wealth of the minde and soule for it is the onely way to the truth and then the nearer the truth the nearer the primary creation And therefore he which wil be grafted into the Vineyard of this Art must endeauour himselfe to take paines for knowledge â— The way to knowledge is painfull therein For hee which will be cunning must bee painefull For as Mr. Morgan saith Ars infaecunda est sine vsu et usus timerarius sine arte and so by vse and practice hee shall get some knowledge of truth But here my meaning must not be so vnderstood that I speake of the knowledge of truth in genus which is the absolute truth for no man is able to attaine to that perfection or of species subalterna but onely species infinit which if a man hath any lesse howsoeuer hee doth conceipt himselfe hee hath not the truth but the shadow thereof CHAP. 6. Of the Office and duty of the Horseman MAny may thinke that I exaggerate and insist too much vpon the difficulty of this art because it is accounted a thing that is both common and apparant already especially by them which sectaririuulos et non petere fontes which iudge that the little riuers are as deepe as the great Fountaines and therefore are contented onely with washing their feete though all the other parts of the body be foule But when I did consider Theo. 3. l with my selfe what abuse was sprung vp into this Art by such shallow censurers and what number they were multiplied vnto I thought if I had the wisdome and learning of the Sages to write a whole booke of their abuses would be little enough to reproue their opinionated knowledge and to let them vnderstand how farre they are from the truth thereof and also to shew them the cause that doth hinder them for seeking any further before I come to teach the manner of working because the spring of the Theorick part must first be clensed before it doth runne into the riuer of he Practicke for infecting it with the dregges therof For when a Chirurgion doth vndertake the cure of an old Vlcer it is fitting that he should first know those humors which doe feed the sore and then know the cause and from whence they proceed that they may be clensed and kept backe for poysoning the sore before he can come to cure the same all which to doe is more hard then the cure it selfe Euen a Error hardly purged from Art Theo. 22. d so it is more hard to know the cause of error and from whence it doth spring and so to purge error from Art then to teach the ground of the true Art But there are many which are so deadly wounded with an obstinate will that it is impossible that euer they should be b Obstinacy is a baâ— to knowledge cured For as I my selfe haue heard some say that they haue so much knowledge therein as they would desire no more for it hath serued their turne all their liues they being gray headed yea and men in great places and they would not learne more of any man which when I heard I was desirous to make triall of their knowledge and so to ride some of those horses which they accounted to be well going but in tryall I found them so farre from the truth that I could not but laugh at their knowledge although I lamented their ignorance And then c Moâ— Deui medita I thought vpon the saying of Maister Hall how that it was fitter for young men to learne then to teach and for old men to teach then to learne and yet fitter for old men to learne then to be ignorant but there is no man that can learne so much that he shall need to learne no more and I hope I shall not liue so long that I shal be too old to learne Where I leaue them wallowing in their owne conceit and betake mee to them which feele their sore and find their ignorance and desire to be cured of those griefes and also to
vs by Art let vs seeke to reforme our rebellious will and affections that we may cloath our selues more decently with fig-leaues of knowledge without which man is onely most miserable for though God gaue him possession of all his dignity at the first minute he came into the world yet through the relapse hee was depriued of all for now what thing commeth into the world so naked as man and those things which should haue beene for his preseruation doe often times worke his destruction as wee see many men killed or lamed with Horses and also deuoured by other rauenous beasts And besides this outward miserablenesse there is with vs such a little world of rebellion amongst the faculties of the soule and also amongst the other sences that all the Art that man can vse is not able to suppresse and keepe them downe thereby to hould them in subiection for our reason by which we should haue guided and gouerned all other creatures is so obscured with ignorance that wee could not know how to gouerne our selues if we should follow our inelination and corruption Now therefore hee that will haue a command of himselfe e How a man should command himselfe must seeke to reforme the disposition of his corrupt minde by deliberating and consulting whether that bee well or euill which he hath in action and so make election according to the Aristo eth 3. li. 3. goodnes or badnesse of the Art for election must not be made without consultation and consultation must not be made from affection but sana mente from a perfect and sound minde Therefore he that will gouerne himselfe must haue a perfect mind and must consult of all his actions by reason how they are done if well then to make his election thereof if euill then Theo. 3. b to consider the cause and take that away and then from whence it doth proceed and stop that flux so shall he know the better how to gouerne his Horse For the errors in Horsemanship doe not alwaies proceede from the Horse neither from â— The cause of 16.c. Theo. 16 a. 1. Pra. 24.n. 27.d. g An apt sâ—mile that place in the Horse where it is first decerned as it is for the most part holden but the cause of most errors howsoeuer they are iudged in the Horse doe chiefely first proceede from the man though vnknowne vnto him when it was committed anâ— although at the first it might seeme a very small escape yet being vnreformed by much vse and practise it will grow very grosse and palpable For instance as by multiplication in Arithmeticke a figure being mistaken though it be in the first place which is the least in valew yet by often multiplying it wil be a great error in the product and also though the error be first perceiued in the product yet the cause doth not proceed from thence nor altogether from the figures of the multiplier but chiefely in him that multiplied it Wherefore seeing that when there is an error in worke committed the fault is not alway attributed to the thing in which it is first found but where it is first acted I would desire all those which loue this Art not to thinke to excuse their errors by the nature of the horse for so might a man that hath â— To excuse a mans ignoâ—ance by the nature of the horse is no true excuse a bad visage excuse it when he looketh in a glasse and say it is the falsenesse of the glasse But I hould this paradox that it is the ignorance of the man to thinke that a Horse being irrationall should learne more then a man that is rationall can teach him and so impute a greater fault to the materiall cause then to the efficient therefore those who are desirous to keepe this Vineyard from spoyling must be carefull to keepe the fences strong and raile them about with reason and then they shall more easily bring their Horse to the gouernment which they desire CHAP. 8. How the Horseman may subdue his will HAuing before showne how a man may gouerne both himselfe and his Horse I will now also so briefely as I can declare how hee may subdue his will but this is so difficult a thing to effect because it is so inherent to man that in the subduing thereof is as great a conquest as to ouercome a strong a It is a hard thing to bring our will to subiection hold For men are so farre led captiue vnder the seruitude thereof that it hath almost vsurped the place of reason and most men follow it euen as their onely guide insomuch as if a question be asked them their will is the chiefe reason in their answere whereby it is fistulated so deepe in most men that if I should vndertake to make an incision to the bottome both my memory to so short and my knowledge so weake that I feare my strength would faile mee before I could launch it to the halfe therefore I will but onely scarifie it that the corruption may the sooner breake through The Cinicke Diogenes perceiuing how seruile they b The answere of Diogenes to Alexander the Great were which did onely giue themselues as seruants to obey it answered Alexander the Great his messenger when hee sent to him to know the cause wherefore hee would not come to doe homage to him as well as all other why saith he thy maister serueth my man for what I thinke good that my will doth obey but what his will commandeth that he indeuoreth to performe with all diligence declaring thereby that hee which hath brought himselfe to that gouernment that hee can command his will is greater then any Monarch of the world that is subiect vnto it Therefore of all other enemies this is the most Theo. 37. m daungerous and a Horseman ought to haue the chiefest regard to keepe it from rebelling least it should breake into this Vineyard for if it once get in as a Maister it will be a very hard conquest to expell it out againe till it hath trodden downe the c Will is so ranenous that it spoylâ—th the whole planting whole planting For the refelling of which enemy he that will suppresse it must keepe a strong fence of reason continually leuelled against it the better to defend the force thereof and therefore he that desireth to take away the sting of the venemous d How to subdue it infection least it should pollute the whole Vine must imitate the naturall loue of Parents towards an vnnaturall child which through their tender affection towards him haue yeelded so long to his content that hee hath wrought their discontent through his disobedience insomuch that they are driuen to put him to seruice whereby he may the better be brought againe to his dutyfull obedience Euen so when a man hath yeelded to his will so long that it â— Reason is the best controuler of a mans will is become his Maister the
shoulders straight not lurking downe as if he were to carry a lackanapes which grosse error I haue seene many reputed horsemen commit and his armes kept close to his sides from the shoulder to his elbow both to strengthen his body to keepe it more firme and also to keepe his hands i How to carry his armâ—s so stayed that they flye not vp and downe as birds winges doe that beat the ayre which if they should doe it is not onely an euill show in the man but also his hands being alwaies chocking vpon the snaffle through the instablenesse of them will so dull the horses mouth that he shall neuer haue a commendable feeling thereof Likewise his legges must be pendant of an equall distance from the horses sides his feete so leuell in the stirrops as they k How to carry his legs in the stirrops are when he walketh on the ground neither must his stirrop lethers be so long that his chiefest labour shal be to keepe his feet in them for so a man shall loose his true seat by stretching his legges as if they were on the tenters nor so short that he shal be raysed from his true seate the pitch of his knees being dislocated from the points of the saddle nor ought one stirrop to be longer then the other in my iudgement although many worthy men haue set that order downe My reason is in regard the man must haue a true and vpright seate and nature hath l Why one stirrop should not be longer then another made his legges which are the supporters thereof one not longer then another but of an equall length therefore I cannot see how the body should be kept direct the legges one of them hanging sider then another For as it is a conclusion in Geometry put euen things to vneuen and that which remaineth will be vneuen euen so put the equality of the legges to the vnequality of the stirrops the â— The grantable request one being longer then the other then the seat must needs be vnequall therefore they ought to be of equall length to the proportion of his legges in such sort as the feete may onely haue a sure stay vpon them that the body may bee kept the more firme and so the more able to serue the Horse Further he must carry his feet in such proportion to the Horses sides as they may make two parrallel lines with them neither m How to carry his feet carrying his toes so farrâ— forth that hee can hardly keepe his spurres out of his Horse sides nor so farre in that whensoeuer he shall need to vse the spurre he shall be faine to turne his legges about as if one would wrest a scrue but cary them in such sort as when he is truely placed in his saddle as before I haue showne hee then looking downe first on one side then on the other without bending his necke hee may see both his toes in like equality All which obseruations being truely kept in the Horses standing and also held in his mouing then he may be assured that hee doth grace his Horse by his gesture so much as is possible and therefore needeth not be daunted for the taunts of any Zoylous beholders and further hee shall haue much condigne prayse for the same And then if he in like maner be carefull to be gouerned in all his other proceeding by his chiefe Captaine Reason he shall flourish in this Vineyard with glory and his branches shall so spread ouer the frame that for his performance hee shall merit great fame CHAP. 14. The Horseman must haue true vse both of hand and Foot NOw that I haue set forth how a man should seat himselfe truely for the best grace both of himselfe and his Horse it resteth likewise to show how he should vse himselfe in his actions least that he should worke per deceptionem visus and so doe but onely make a shew of knowledge as a shadow without a substance like those who are desirous to bee esteemed iudicious in the Mathematickes carry an instrument about with them but cannot tell the vse thereof But there are ouer-many already of that ranke which are the cause that Horse-men who a The cause of the contempt of this Art are of performance in some equality are in so much contempt by their abuse who make but only a show of the Art but when they come to the touchstone they proue meere counterfait by which meanes are increased the number of Iades the cause proceeding from ignorance for they doe not know the true vse neither of hand nor foot either to amend the Horses reyne or quicken his mouth if it be dead as they terme it nor to place their Horses body truely neither can tell how to make him turne and goe back but onely by haling and pulling the Horses mouth all which are as possible to be done without the true vse of the hand and foot as for a Scholler to learne to read without spelling or for one to suruey without knowledge either of the scale or Station Therefore let them thinke that they are as farre from the truth heerein as they are from perceiuing their owne ignorance But because it is so difficult a thing to cure this venomous disease I will leaue them and returne to those which feele their own ignorance and desire some instruction to remedy the same Therefore it is requisite that a man should learne the vse both of hand and foot that he may the better know how to help and serue his Horse as occasion shall be offered for the better vnderstanding b A man must learne the true vse both of hand and foot 1. Pr. 18. c whereof he must obserue that the vse of the hand is not to cut and teare the Horses mouth vp to the mid-cheeke as many heauy hands doe by chocking gagging and sawing too and fro with their handes no nor yet to breake the skinne thereof by any of the aforeaid meanes when he will not obey nor bring in his reyne for so his mouth shall be more dead neither yet to hold so hard vpon the hand as to make their armes and shoulders ake when they â— doe either feare stumbling or running away for that is a meanes rather to encrease those faults then to reforme them because they giue to the Horse no stay to support his body more then nature hath ordained For â— Feare is the cause of error Theo. 9.d. whereas nature hath giuen him onely foure legges to support and carry his body they through the abuse thereof haue added a fift for whereas the vse of the bridle is onely to guide the Horse it is now changed in the vse is made a stay for the Horse to rest vpon and so by the abuse thereof it tendeth more to rebellion then obedience by reason the Horse when d The abuse of the bridle he foeleth such a stay he relyeth the most vpon it and then
if their hands chance to slack neuer so little through wearinesse when he feeleth his stay fayle him wherein he did trust then he presently stumbleth if he bee thereto inclined hee trusting so Theo. 4. â— much to the hand that hee regardeth not the lifting vp of his fore-legges but if to the other then so soone as hee feeleth any liberty he falleth presently to runne away because his lust or Theo. 3.e. desire is not reclaimed by art but by violence for as I haue said vse a Horse to extremities and he will not doe any thing but 1. Prac. 14.i. by extremities And therefore Horseman-ship may be resembled to Warre for it is sooner gained by pollicy and reason then by e Horsemanship compared to Warre strength and will For let a man hold in a Horse which is subiect to runne away neuer so hard yet when hee is neuer so little disquieted it is not the strength of the man that can command him for his mouth is so horned with continuall vse that it is become sencelesse and then hee may as well hold a Bull by the head as hold his Horse by strength Now therefore the true vse of the hand is onely to guide the f The true vse of the hand Theo. 36.b. 27.c. Horse by sweet and gentle motions neither carrying it so hard that it shall make his mouth more dull nor so slack that he shall loose the true and stayed carriage thereof but only to hold his reynes of such an equall length to his seat that he may keep his armes close to his sides to stay his hands the more firmely for disturbing the Horse in his mouth that whensoeuer his Horse shall assay to thrust his head or nose forth the stay of his hands will not giue him liberty and also when hee commeth in with his head that then his hands doe not follow but onely keepe their true place and so by vse when the Horse shall feele more ease with the bringing in of his head then with casting it vp he will delight the greatest ease if he may be suffered thereto Now for the better working thereof the vse of the foot is very g The vse of the foot pertinent because it hath a relation to the hand for they must both bee combined together for to gaine the true command of the horses mouth For if he work vpon the mouth only with the hand he shall neuer obtaine his desire and againe if he vse the foot and the horse will not obey the hand vpon the least discontent he will run away or else shew some other Iadish tricke Therfore a Horseman ought chiefly to haue true knowledge in the vse of them for they are the onely keyes which doe open to the secrets of this Art in regard they are relatiues that cannot be seperated because a man shall neuer find the true vse of the hand without the foot nor of the foot without the hand for their true vses are the one to helpe the other For instance if 1 How to preserue the strength of a Horses necke a man would haue his horse to make a turne on the right hand if he vse the hand only then he shal displace his horses head and bend his neck like a Seale and so cause him to be weak necked which thing he should be very careful to eschew by forcing altogether vpon the reynes Therefore for the preuenting thereof he must hold both his reynes firme and with the moouing of his hand very little to the right side of his maine he must lay the left reyne close to his necke and follow after with his body laying the calfe of his left legge close to his Horses left side and that will make him fold his left legge ouer his right and with a little vse cause him to turne very gracefully and willingly so soone as he shall but feele the motion of his legge And againe if he would haue him to turne on the left hand then he must vse the like helps with the right legge not suffering his bridle hand to passe the left side of his maine and so the like vse of helps for all other reformations which heere I will omit because I intend to speak of them in the Practick part being 2 Of helping a Horse with the body appertinent vnto it Only I giue instance heerof to shew how necessary and what relation the vse of the foote hath to the hand Againe there are some which vse to helpe their horse with their body bending it that way and holding their contrary legge forth which they would haue their horse to turne But mee thinketh it is nothing so effectuall nor commendable because the legge is as well to correct as to helpe and when it is holden from his horse side if he proue slow vpon the motion hee cannot correct him so instantly as hee may with his legge being close therevnto nor so couertly as the Art doth desire and likewise a man cannot make the least motion with the body but it will be very decerneable to the spectators which opertnesse is nothing commendable in a Horseman Therefore let all those who are desirous to bee labourers in this Vineyard couet to help their horse so couertly as they can and then they shall both gaine to themselues exceeding glory delight and to their horse great admiration fame for seeing that the hand and the foot are the chiefe tooles by which the frame of this Vinieyard is made if a man can learne to vse them exquisitely then he shall be sure his branches will flourish and so spread the better wherby his fruit shall be more delightfull and pleasant CHAP. 15. That a Horseman should know how to helpe his Horse BEcause as I haue said a horse is altogether gouerned by feeling therfore a man must be careful to carry his body so that hee doth not vse any idle motions but onely such as may tend either to the helping or correcting of his horse in regard the effect of a thing is alwaies taken from the cause for if a man â— Idle motions procure idle effects vse the gesture of his body idly without need it must needs produce idle effects Therfore a man ought first to learn how to help his horse before the horse can learne to vnderstand his mind by his motions for if a horse cannot rightly conceiue the minde of Theo. 4.h. his rider by his motions hee vsing ambiguity or aequiuocation which is one motion for diuers things then doth he straight fall into some disaster by thoughts and so doth bring a rebellion instead of an vnition For if one man cannot know the intention of anothers mind except that hee speake significantly Note vnto him that he may conceiue his will neither can a horse now hope to dispose himselfe to satisfie his riders desire except he know the right vse of his helps For as in the confusion of tongues when the tower
error be in the fore parts the cause therof comes from the hinder and contrarily to make them set foreward that the hinder parts may haue liberty to follow after and the cause of this operation in the contrary is that if the Horse be lighter before then behinde then the working vpon his hinder parts doth keep downe the fore because that whereas before the hinder parts were made the more heauy in regard he did repose the most strength in them to striue with his fore parts now the other shall beare a proportionate waight whereby they shall be made the heauier and the other more light and so for the hinder parts if they be the more light as most Horses are through the abuse of the hand the like reason for the foreparts And in like manner the cause of all other errors may be iudged of by the like obseruations which for to speake of would be infinite and therefore these shall onely suffice to giue a ground for the rest with taking paines to consult from whence the cause of other errors doe arise and also they may be better perceiued by practise then by reading CHAP. 17. How the Man should know when to helpe his Horse AMongst all the worldly gifts that are bestowed on man there is none more precious then Time for it is both the Procreatrix and deuourer of all sublunary things in regard that as in time they flourish so in time they fade againe and as those that are vegetatiue in time doe grow so contrarily in time they are cut downe and againe as there are but foure irreuocable things as Tempus Iuuentus Verbum dictum et Virginitas so this of time is the chiefe of all the rest because they are a Time the worker of all things all comprehended in it for without it there is not any thing can haue perfection Now therefore in regard it is such a necessary thing that all other things are concluded by it it is requisite that a Horseman should haue knowledge how to vse it and also how to distingush of this predicament quando least in not knowing when to helpe hee should sooner spoyle then b There are three chiefe parts of time repayre Wherefore that hee may the better answere to this interrogation when let him obserue the three chiefe parts of time which is the preter the present and the future now the preter time being lost wil be a good caueat for him to beware of the present that in making true vse of it it may bring profit to the future Now for the better Iudgement how to vse c The distinction of time is the ground of horsemanship the present time he must abreuiate it till hee come to the punctum temporis which is nunc because the horse is onely sensitiue and hath his chiefe apprehension by feeling and therefore if he doth not helpe in the very instant he cannot conceiue the mind of the man by his helpes the which that the horse may the better apprehend the man must be carefull to obserue as well the first motion of the inward disposition as of the outward action for the horse doth not commit any outward action d Caracters to know the horses disposition Theo. 34.b. but it doth first proceed from the inward desire which the man may very well perceiue by some of these characters as either by standing or by the casting of his eye backe so that the white thereof may be seene in the fore parts or by the laying of his eares either one or both in his necke or by the holding of his wind or else by the trussing vp of his body any of all which so soone as he shall perceiue let him help him instantly vpon the first show of any of the foresaid notes least if it come to the action of the body it will not be reformed without corrections Therefore he must obserue that if he be desirous to haue him stoppe if in his stopping hee desireth to stand so firme with his body that it is not apt to moue againe at a Obseruations for his stop the first motion then hee must helpe him at the very instant with the ierting of his feete forward sodainely vpon the stirrops for that will helpe to set vp his body more roundly together whereby he shall be more ready to obey the next motion And if he looke either doggedly with his eyes or else lay his eares in his necke it argueth an intention of some rebellion in his desire and therefore he must refell such perturbations by the sound of his voyce And againe if hee feele his wind to stoppe or that he trusse vp his body more then ordinarily he should then it is a signe of further disobedience and therefore vpon the first feeling of which the man must thrust him forward in his seate to help his horse in his motion that it may be the more quicke and so cause him to bestow that strength of wind and body in the quicknesse of his motion which he would haue kept otherwise for the working of his desire But if these helpes will not be sufficient for the preuention of such qualities as are intended by the show of the said characters and that either through the sullennesse of the f When helpâ— faile correction must preuaile horse or the negligence of the man they must needs become to the action of the body then they must be reformed by the helpes of correction in the which he must be very carefull to proportionate it according to the quality of the offence and the disposition of the horse which I meane not here to speake of till I come to intreate of their vse And lastly time is a great fortifier of the horses memory not onely by the continuing of his labour and abreuiating it but g He ought to distinguish time by rest and labour also by the continuing and abreuating of rest for if the man cannot distinguish betwixt labour and exercise to change the one into the other as occasion shall bee offered there will bee great errors committed through his ignorance for if he be any thing prone to obey the helpes then he must exercise him by a little at once and often till hee hath gotten some habit by practise but if he be of any rebellious disposition then he must put both himselfe and his Horse to greater labour till hee hath gained some obedience in yeelding to his helpes and euer as he findeth willingnesse so let him abreuiate his labour till it come vnto a gentle exercise to delight the horse in his well doing And heere in my iudgement they are much deceiued Theo. 9. â— which fall into the extreame of lenity as hath been said that will not put a Horse to any thing more at the first then he will willingly doe of himselfe whereby he doth get such a habit of selfe-will as it may be termed that when he shall be wrought vpon to be
your selfe more strictly in yoâ— proceedings and you shall finde that you were deceiued in you iudgement thinking the Horse was more fit to haue the spurrâ— giuen him then indeed he was and so you shall finde by some other error in the cariage of his body that he was not truely Theo. 16.g. mouthed before for a fault doth not consist alwaies in the part where it is perceiued as I haue said before because onâ— error is not an error simply of it selfe but it is the cause of otheâ— errors And therefore if the Horse will not stop nor goe backe willingly nor turne on either hand as you would desire if you thief to make him doe any of all these by the correction of the bridle because you feele the resistance there you shall as soone preuaile of this desire as a Chirurgion shall in curing an old vlcâ— by healing vp the vpper part for thereby you shall both spoyâ— your Horses reyne dull his mouth and also weaken his necke therefore for the reforming of these errors you must haue respect to the carriage of his body and the manner of his staâ—ding with the free passage of his winde and the willingnesâ— of his going all which if they be truely gained the command of the mouth will be gotten very easily without much need of correction by the bridle CHAP. 28. Of Correcting vpon seuerall grounds BEcause many doe vse the seuerall kinds of earth as a correction for the conformity of a horse his disobedience therefore it shall not be amisse for to speake somewhat of them heere in this place to ioyne them to the vse of all the other corrections that the learner may in like manner know how to vse them for gayning of obedience and when to refuse them that the Horse may take the more delight in his well doâ—ng For many Horses courage and strength hath beene much a The abuse of deepe earths â—bated and spoyled through the abuse thereof and also their â—imbs much weakned Wherefore it is very requisite that you should haue great iudgement to distinguish thereof and also â—o enter into the Horses disposition least that by correction you bring subuersion and so where you should bring an obedience Theo. 29. â— you produce a further resistance And Further because all grounds are not alike in all places for some are Champion grounds as they are termed hauing â—illes and dayles and some of those also plowed grounds and other are more plaine and leuell some of them being also plowâ—d and for the most part more deepe and tough then the former therefore you must haue a great care to know how and b You must know how and when to vse deepe earths when to vse them according to the disposition of the horse But because I haue spoken thereof in the eighteenth Chapter I doe not minde to spend any thime in repetition here and because also I purpose to speake more of the dispositions in the Practicke part of this booke Wherefore I will but onely apply â—he two chiefe extreames of Horses to the two chiefe extreames of grounds Now for the grounds I call that one extreame â— What the extreames of grounds are which causeth the greatest toyle and that the other extreame which bringeth the least labour But for the better vse thereof you must first know what errors the changing of grounds doe reforme least you cause a confusion thereof by the abuse as too many haue done And secondly what Horses are most needfull to be taught vpon what grounds Now for the first if d What grounds reforme what errors you finde that your Horse is lash bodied so that you cannot cause him to carry it firme then take him gently vpon the deepe earths not vsing any violence vnto him in any case but 1 onely let him take his owne leasure for thereby the carriage of his body will be so confirmed that you may with farre more ease keepe it in obedience or if he be cold and tickle mouthed so that he will not rest vpon the snaffle as he ought the deepe 2 earths will cause him to rest more staydly there vpon being vsed in the aforesaid manner And againe if he carry a low forefoote so that he is much subiect to stumble if you vse to ride 3 him vpon some assâ—nt so that it be not too steepe or vpon plowed 1. Pra. 28.d. grounds it will helpe the same mightily but in this there must be vsed more quicke motions then in the former and also x there must be great care that he be not ouer long kept thereon least he be made weary for then his courage will be much abated and his stumbling the more encreased through the toylesomnesse thereof in regard hee must not be suffered to goe continually after his owne will Likewise if he goe broad either before or behind deepe grounds will reforme that if he 4 be not forced too much vpon the hand And lastly if he be so hard borne that vpon the least discontent he will runne away 5 then when you feele him begin to thrust vpon the hand put him presently vpon those earths and in three or foure times so correcting it will make him more obedient But herein also there must be great care had to apprehend the first show of obedience or else this causeth many absurdities as either breaking â— The danger oâ— deepe 〈◊〉 the wind hearing him within if he be foule and so endanger life or else the vtter deâ—ecting and casting downe his courage through the sore labour thereof and also the Horse may get a straine by running feircely therevpon especially if thereto be any violence vsed Now secondly the deepe earths are apâ—est to reforme those Horses which are of a feirce and hot disposition because they are most subiect to all those vices afore said except that of stumbling But contrariwise if a horse of a sad and dull disposition should be vsed vpon the said earths vnlesse it be vpon great â—ecessity for the reforming of some of those afore said vices which may chance to him through the ignorance of the rider â—hey would greatly encrease his slownesse and dulnesse both â—y reason of his dogged and sullen nature and also through the â—reat toyle he should sustaine hee being desirous to free himâ—elfe from such violence And therefore the leuell and lighâ—st earths are best for his vse both to bring delight in his teachâ—g and also to encrease his mettal courage til he hath gotten further habit of well doing But I would not haue you heere vnderstand me so that I speake of these grounds as a finall â—use of the perfection but onely as a correction to bee vsed â—hen the man for want of further knowledge cannot tell how reduce obedience any other wayes But heere it may be obiected that herein I doe much deceiue Obiection â—y selfe for it is generally holden and likewise experience â—th approue it
that slow horses are best vpon deepe eatths and â—t Horses vpon light To which I answer it is true in some Answer â—rt if they onely respect the time of their comming to perâ—ction but I speake heere onely of learning which is the part a Scholler and not of a Professor And yet I hold this Paraâ—xe that a hot running Horse if the man be of gouernement â—d vnderstand himselfe may be brought in his training to true and more willing riding vpon deepe earths then a sad â—rse and my reason is that the non-performance thereof doth Theo 2. â— â—t proceed from the imbecility of nature as some doe falsly â—ject but for want of proportionable gouernment for as â—ristotle saith natura nihil habet vitij there is no defect in naâ—e wherefore if nature bee perfect it must needes necessarily low that the difference of these two kinde of horses must be Note this the accidents and then it must be seperable or inseperable â—t it is not inseperable for then those horses which are holden be best for deepe earths should be the furthest from true riâ—g by all the Characters of a perfect horse and also those f 〈◊〉 which are the strongest composed should bee the duraâ—st and so euery strong Cart-lade and Coach-Horse should Theo. 2. s 37.k. the best for those grounds which how true that is let any â—n of sence iudge and I haue seene many horses whose lineâ—ents hath not beene so strongly composed as the aduerse horses and yet they haue made Iades in triall of the other g Wherein the chiefe difference of Horses consist 1. Pr. 4.b. h The cause of those differences Wherefore this difference must needs bee in the accidents seperable and chiefly in the interior part because it doth gouerne and command the exterior as heretofore I haue showne Buâ— yet the cause of this contrariety doth chiefly proceed from the corruption of mans nature hee being more prone to follow his will to persecute and torment when he is angry then to arme himselfe with patience by the which those sadde horses are brought to ride more toughly they being forced by anger â— being more coherent to our nature not willing to do any thing but by violence in regard that what they doe it is inuite and the other which are more hot and fierce are brought to a raâ—â— furious prodigality spending all their substance at once for they being thrust into extremities doe spend all their strength 1. Pr. 5.m. â— From contrary causes proceed contrary effects at the first and when their fury is ouer they are become Iades being so soone weakened through the abuse of the man â— being more easie for him to follow his will in fiercenesse theâ— to restraine his affections to mildnesse which must not bee â— they think to work the contrary effect for Ex contrarijs causâ— contrarij effectus producuntur contrary causes doe produce contrary effects But to returne from whence I did digresse let a man froâ— these two extreames reduce the proportion of his labour anâ— ease as he in his iudgement shall find the proportion of the hoâ—ses quality inclining to either of them and he shall find greaâ— ease and helps by this kind of correction for the effecting â— his desire But this branch of the Vine must be well fenced about with reason otherwise this rauenous beast Will wilâ— breake in and spoyle all CHAP. 29. That the Man must learne to know how to correct NOw that I haue set downe the vses of the corrections â— their particulars it remaineth that I should also shew hoâ— where and when to vse them least through the abuse thereoâ— â—ou passe the meane and so fall into either of the extreames But because as I haue said no particular or certaine thing can a No certaine thing can limit an vncertaine 1. Prac. 25. c â—imit a generall or vncertaine in regard there are so many seueâ—all dispositions as there are Horses Therfore I will as it were â—estringere and onely shew how you may the best apprehend â—he same for the enlarging of your iudgement because you Ethic. 2. 4. â—re the efficient cause in their vses for as Aristotle saith Nullae â—perationes precedunt Artibus No action doth goe before â—nowledge Now for the first how you should correct I answer it must b How correction is to be vsed Theo. 28. a. 1. Pra. 25. â— â—e both with discretion and reason for you must haue such disâ—retion as to proportionate your correction according to the quality of the horse as I haue often showne And therefore â—ou must imitate the Magistrates who hauing the sword of â—ustice in their hands doe not punish all offenders alike but as â—he quality of the crime doth desire or the stubbornnesse of â—he party doth rebell For they in their iustice doe make a way to mercy and so puâ—ish c as there may be a reformation of the person for when the â—ffence is small or the first then they reproue him secretly or â—nflict some small punishment vpon him but if yet the party â—oth rebell then to admonish him in the face of two or three Math. 18. 16. 17. witnesses or increase his punishment then if none of these produce amendement then reueale him to the Church or else commit him to the last extremity of the Executioner Euen so â—ou must correct your horse at the first in such sort as you would onely desire a restitution to obedience with the least corrections as the Voyce the Calfe of the Legge c. But if yet hee c Correction must be according to the stubbornenesse of the horse Theo. 5. â— â—e so dogged that those will not serue then you may vse the Switch it being a sharper correction but if still hee continue rebellious then to vse the last and cruellest correction which is the Spurre And in all these you must haue a respect to reason that it may be your guide especially in this last correction for if it doth not gouerne your will but your will rule it then you shall vtterly make hauocke of all the Vine in regard that rauenous Beasts doe breake downe the fence whereby it is laid open to all the other outragious passions and therfore you must expostulate with your selfe that your corrections should tend no further but onely to the reforming of errors and not to satisfie your corrupt and inordinate Note will But heere it may be objected that I prescribe a harder taske Obiection then either my selfe or others is able to imitate To the which I answer it is true that it is very hard for a man to bridle his will Answer so farre that it shall neuer exeed the limits of reason because it hath ruled so long as maister that it will bee very hardly brought to subiection But of that I haue spoken sufficiently in the S. Chapter and therefore I speake heâ—re but onely that which
receiue his complection according to the nature of that Element which is most predominate in him and also his colour according to his complection vpon which I will not insist but sleight it ouer with a swift foot First because it is a rocke too hard for me to penetrate there being such diuersities of opinions that the discussing thereof would rather require a whole volume then a part of a Chapter Secondly because the approbation thereof doth not appertaine to this Treatise therefore I referre it to those Arts to which it doth appertaine And lastly seeing there are said to bee but foure Elements and so successiuely foure complections from h The reason why it is doubtfull whether the cause of colours proceed from the Elements Theo. 18. â— which all colours and dispositions are said to proceed yet there are so many seuerall diuersities of these that if all the Artists in the world should proportionate the least excessiue quality in euery particuler element gradatim one in another yet they could not prescribe so many dispositions as there are Horses in proportion as one to a thousand because there is no two but there is a dissimilitude betwixt them But because I would not seeme to make my doubt vpon a preiudicated opinion without reason I will only touch the two excesse colours which doe not consist of any other and the Metaphisicks 1 White and blacke are said to bee the essence of the other colours opinion for the cause of them Now they doe define white thus Albedo est color simplex in corpore teniore multa luminositate constans Whitenesse is a simple colour consisting in a thinner body with much light But whitenesse is also found in a body of more density as in Marble and therefore that cannot be a true definition And againe they define blacke thus Nigredo autem est color in corpore crassiore exiguae luminositatis particeps But blacknes is a colour participating in a more thick body of a smaller light Now there being wordes of the comparatiue degree vsed in both the definitions cannot stand with the Logical proposition of the essence for it is the nature of the essence not to admit more or lesse but heere it is said more of the light to bee in k A simple colour cannot be without an Essence whitenes as though that light should participate with the genus more then other colours and likewise lesse of the light to bee in blacknes which if it bee the light is more proper to the colour then the quality the which the genus doth constitute to the colours For the genus is communicated equally to all the species otherwise blackenes were a lesse colour then whitenes huc vsque Doct. Bright And againe this haue I found by experience that although blacke and white be opposite in sight yet those horses which are so coloured are not so in quality for I haue seene two horses the one white and the other black and yet they haue ioyned l Two Horses of contrary colours may bee of equall goodnesse so like in goodnesse as it was hard to iudge which were the better which could not bee if the cause did proceed from the contrariety of the Elements for then they would worke a contrary effect And where it is aforesaid showne that blacke Theo. 28. l. m Contrary causes produce contrary effects is of a more thick substance if one should goe to the difference of Climes and so to the complection of men in those Climes I cannot see how it should be of any such density for the Ethiopians are all black and yet they are ayrier then wee that are more white by reason of the adustion of their bodies the moisture thereof being exhald by the heat of the reuerberation of the Sunnebeames And Staeflerus doth affirme that the Staeflerus Moores liuing in the torrid Zone about the equinoctiall are more agility but of lesse permanancy then wee and their wiues doe bring forth more speedily and with more facility then our Women dâ—e and all is through the rarity of their bodyes Wherefore to conclude this poynt not insisting any further heerein hauing prosecuted it further then I did intend I cannot hold but that the colours of Horses are of greater esteeme then a feather in a mans hat neyther that the cause of their diuersity doth proceed either from the Elements or complections but as I haue said partly from the nature of the seed of generation but especially from the continuall mutability of the Signes and Planets euery one of them hauing such differing 1. Pr. 8.d. motions by force of the primâ—m mobile that not any two times they equally agree in all aspects and places but they vary â— The chiefe cause of difference is from the continuall mutability of the Heauens reuolution 1. Pr. 4.h. either in their houses triplicities termes faces exaltations retrogradations by combustion or aspect of one beneuolent Planet with a maleuolent meeting in some disaster house or by a maleuolent aspect of two beneuolent Planets and many such like too tedious to rehearse any of which doth hinder Natures workes they being the chiefe Gouernours of all sublunary bodies and therefore although Man may endeuour by Art of breeding to helpe some reasonable restitution yet the effect must bee referred to Gods secret will because no Man can tell the time when any Mare shall conceiue CHAP. 6. At what yeares Horses and Mares are aptest for generation THere is nothing that doth more captiuate or make men a Custome the Nurse of opinionated errors Theo. 10. â— seruile to the yoke of ignorance then Custome the Nurse and damme of all opinionated errors For Time which is both the increaser and diminisher of all things humane hath made our vnderstanding so blinde and impotent in this part also through the deceiueable opinions and erronious practise of former times whereby they are swallowed so deep and diued so farre in the maine Sea of traditions that our old iron Age is not sufficient to plunge them out of that gulfe of ignorance to keepe them from drowning therein for the most going like blind men neuer going any way but as they are led suffer themselues to be led by that deceiueable conceit till they bee swallowed vp so deepe in the riuer of differences that they are neuer able to find the truth by any rule of reason And so they resemble sheepe which desire to feed vpon the greene downes till they get the rot For although they are desirous to haue comely Stallions and b Many desire old Horses to breed vpon Mares to breed vpon yet they deceiue themselues in their age for the maintenance of that courage and comlines that should be in the species in that they doe not rightly consider Natures workes nor the cause thereof For it is so commonly frequented euen as a custome that the Horse which they desire to breed by must bee an old horse so that
when hee is past any other vse by reason of weakenesse and decrepit old age then hee is good enough to breed vpon as though weake and Note feeble age which hath not lust and strength to preserue it selfe had sufficient nature to beget another more strong and lusty But for the reforming of which traditionall error to the good of the future age of my Country whose happinesse I and euery one is bound to preserue I haue endeauoured my selfe so much as in me lieth to purge the truth from the dregges of this imperfection Wherefore they are desirous to ioyne the Art of breeding with Nature in such sort as they would receiue the Period of their wishes in the superlatiue degree I hold Mr. Morgan his opinion that whosoeuer will lay a sure foundation to build high vpon this subiect he must look back to the first Creation if hee desire a restitution to that perfection For when God had created all things and gaue them that blessing to increase and c God gaue the power of begetting to all Creatures in their best perfection multiply it was in their greatest and highest degree of their perfection and strength and not in their imperfection for els Nature might seeme to be vnperfect in not producing such naturall effects as might preserue that necessary good for the ends they were ordayned But because heat and moysture are the onely instrumentall meanes whereby all the faculties of any genus are maintained in their greatest strength there must bee an equall commixture in the same Therefore neither a Colt that is not come to his perfection of strength nor an old horse that is declining and past the same are fittest to breed vpon nor likewise Mares when they are in either of the said excesses For a Colt that is d A young Colt is not fit to beget and why but in his increasing and growing facultie being but the vegetatiue part his seed is not apt for generation hee being not come to his materiall perfection and strength for by reason of the excessiue moysture that is in him for want of yeares his seed cannot be of a perfect temperature for generation because all perfect seede for procreation must bee hot and dry and plenty thereof full concocted to temper the coldnesse and moysture of the seed of the Mare And likewise if the Mare be young also her seede will be the more cold and moyst especially it not being full concocted by the strength of Nature by reason her seed in the hyest perfection is cold and moyst and so it must necessarily follow that those Colts so begotten must for the most part proue Fillies or if they be Colt Foales yet they will be much fleshy ioynted great limmed thicke Boned Heauy and Dull according to the naturall operation of cold and moysture whose propertie is to conioyne and knit into a Massie lumpe without proportion And againe if a Colt should be begotten of an old Horse e An old Horse is not good to breed on and why and an old Mare in regard they want the power and efficacy of their naturall heate vigor and spirit hee will be ouer cold and dry through the predominancy of coldnesse and drynesse that doth raigne in them and then that Colt that is so begotten will be as the common prouerbe is soone ripe soone rotten of little Strength short liued of small spirit and courage and of a badde shape for that it wanteth that heate and perfect moysture I meane an oylye substance which are the cheife preseruers of life and good spirit And so the like by proportion may be applied to an old Horse and a young Mare and also to a young Horse and an old Mare by reason that the like causes doe alwaies produce the like effects Wherefore the Middle age of them both I meane from sixe f Horses and Mares of the middle age are best to breed vpon yeares till twelue or if it be foureteene it is not much amisse in such Horses as are of a more hot spirity disposition is the best to breed vpon they being of equall temperatures For the Horse being of middle age and in his best lust hath his seede hot and dry and the Mare being in like manner hath her seede cold and moyst hauing plenty on both parts and that in the greatest perfection of heate and naturall strength of body doe make a temperature of such a high degree of perfection that the Colt will be full of vitall spirit of high courage and pride thinne and dry bones great sinnewes and arteries and of such a most beautifull and perfect shape through the naturall quality of heate which doth refine the whole body from drosse in such manner as if Art and Nature did striue for supremacy in their workes But to make this more plaine by a simily As the light of a g A simile of a Lampe 1. Pra. 8.b. candle is maintayned by heate and moysture if there be a true proportion betwixt the substance of the weike and the quantity of tallow or oylie substance the splendor or light is the more perfect and durable but if either of them be more predominate or tending to either excesse of too much or too little that is if the weike bee so bigge as there is not moysture enough to qualifie the heate thereof the light will be very violent for the time but it will be soone spent or likewise if the oyle or Moysture be more then the strength of the fire can dry through the smalnesse of the weike then is the light so very small and imbecile that it giueth a very weake light and is alwaies in going out Euen so a Colt if the seede whereof hee is framed be of a perfect temperature both in heate and moysture his actions will h Application to the seede be of great splendor delight and very permanent but if either of the two qualities be predominate then will he either be too prodigall and free and so soone decay himselfe or else so slow and weake that it will much darken his glory But yet that the cause of these two qualities doth proceed 1. Pr. 8. c d. â— The Sunne is the cause of all vitall heat and the Moone the cause of the moysture from the elements I dare not say for the cause of the heate doth proceed from the Sunne it causing a heate in all Sublunary bodies which is the vitall part and the moystnesse from the Moone by reason of her humidity and so it is the vigetatiue part for although we liue in the ayre yet we are composed of the elements for as a child is nourished in the wombe but yet not made of the wombe so are we nourished by the ayre but not made of it CHAP. 7. How the Stallion and Mare should be kept with foode for the increase of good seede THe next thing that is to be obserued for helping to reduce breeding to his highest perfection
the action with such lust and courage that the Colt will be of such perfection as you shall thinke your charges and paines sufficiently satisfied CHAP. 8. When to put your Horse and Mare together for generation AFter that you haue brought your Horse and Mare to such perfect state of body that their seede is in perfect temperature then you may put them together to copulate but likewise the time of the yeare is to be respected for the effecting of perfect generation Of the which proiect sith so many in former ages haue set forth their imitated opinions which haue carried the most away with a successiue authority I craue pardon least my differing iudgement shall be read with scurrillity for my bould attempt in regard I set downe nothing as carried away with authority but onely that which reason and experience hath made probable Now the antients haue holden it as a maxime that there is no time of the yeare fit for to haue their Mares couered in but a The antients opinion of the Vernall moneths onely the Vernall Moneths as March Aprill and May because as they say in those Moneths the bloud which is the Principall humour doth then raigne and so fittest for generation through that abundance of blood which causeth them to haue the greatest desire for copulation for authority of which their assertion they bring instance from the earth which at that time onely doth bring forth its blossomes and fruits And againe they bring forth the antients of former times and many other instances which I omit to rehearse because to answere to them all would be tedious to the reader and so discourage the young practitioners with too many ambiguities and confuse their memory with too many degressions and therefore so briefly as I can I will touch these as the chiefe heads And first whereas they say that those three Moneths are the aptest to beget because of the abundance of bloud that b Why these three moneths are not the best doth then predominate I conclude my answere with Maister Morgan that where there is any predominate excesse there is not a perfect and sound body and therefore not fit for generation for any intemperate excesse is the cause of sicknesse and so not to be admitted in those indiuiduums which should beget and bring forth for if the blood doth exceed in heat as it must needs if it abound then it will soone consume and dry vp the radicall moysture and so destroy himselfe as my former instance of a Lampe or Candle doth approue and therefore b 1 Pra. 6. g perfect generation is not to be referred so much vnto any particuler time as to the perfect temperature of the body wherby is made pure seede And secondly whereas they bring a strong implication thereof from the Earth because it doth bring forth its blossomes and This implication cannot stand good fruits at that time of the yeare onely it doth not follow that Mares therefore should be couered at that time onely and not else for by that application that time is best to couer Mares in The reason which they may quicken at the spring bring forth at Michaelmas as the earth doth her fruits for though fruit doth then form yet is it not then at perfection till it hath the benefit of the Summer to be ripened with the heate of the Sunne And further if there were an apt resemblance to the Earth then those Mares which were about the Equinoctiall should bring forth twice in one yeare as the Earth doth yeeld her fruits they hauing The second reason two springs and two Summers the Sunne making his course twise ouer their heads in one yeare which to grant were very grosse seeing a Mare goeth twelue Moneths after she conceiue before she bring forth And againe although the Earth retaine her Vigetatiue vertue which is the sappe yet by reason The third reason of the Winters cold it is so imprisoned within her that it cannot come forth till it receiue a nourishing heate from the Sunne 1 Pra. 6.i. c A proofe that all vigetatiue things haue their nourishment from the Sunne which in Winter it cannot not that it is further distant from vs at that time then it is in Summer as many suppose because in a circle euery part of the circumference is equally distant from from the Center but in regard the Sunne is not hot of it selfe but by coaction as the Philosophers hold and so when the Sunne is in our winter solstice hee sending his beames Diamiterly that is by a straight line they glance into the ayre without any strong reflection and so doth yeeld small comfortable heate but as it riseth higher so his beames descend more perpendicular which more and more doth reuerberate vpon the Earth whereby the superficies is comforted and so the inward naturall heate of the Earth doth ioyne with that heate which is the cause that the Earth doth bud forth her blossomes and fruites at that time more then another But a Mare though she doth not receiue the like comfortable heate in Winter as in Summer no more then the Earth yet by reason of that naturall heat which remaineth in her shee doth nourish and bring forth in Winter as well as in Summer according to the determinate time of her conceiuing Wherefore seeing God hath giuen them such naturall faculties as to beget and bring forth a There was no time limited for procreation at the beginning at all times of the yeare I thinke it meere simplenesse being carried away with the ayrye force of Antiquity to prescribe that to a particuler where there is a generall power for when God said increase and multiply he gaue no limitation of time for else nature could not exceed those limits And againe they haue set downe times in those Moneths as the full of the Moone to be the best for action because that Of the time of the Moone then the Mare hath great store of menstruall blood for composition of the Colt and then is the greatest store of blood in them both But here Maister Morgan may seeme to make a contradiction with himselfe for when they are come to a perfect habit of body then nature cannot be defectiue in any part and therefore to encrease any moyst or Flegmaticke substance will cause a ruine of the indiuiduum in abating the vigor of heat which should keepe all the members from grosse composition For I grant that all Sublunary bodies are gouerned by the d 1 Pra. 6. i. Moone but yet I doe not hold that at such times they are the best for perfect generation because they doe then abound with Cold and Moystnesse according to the quality of the Moone by which they are gouerned But admit it should be best as it is doudtfull yet the operation might be hindered by 1. Pr. 5.n. reason of some other disaster Aspect of other Planets more Maleuolent and Predominating in a
her food in the winter when it shall stand the most need and the greatest store in Summer when it shall stand the lesse need whereby it shall bee forced in Winter to feed on such food as then it can get for want of milke to suffice nature And againe those Colts which are foaled after Martinmas Of Martinmas Foales though their milke be good yet by the extremity of cold in the long nights their limbes being weake and grisles will be congealed too grossly and their courage much abated So that they will hardly be brought to such strength and courage afterward as otherwise nature would effect they being stockt at the first for there is no greater enemy to a horse then cold â— Cold nights are hurtfull for a Horse Otherwise what is the cause that they prosper not in Winter as well as in Summer if they bee not housed and also that late ayring takes so much of them But as for the time of the Moone and day when they should bee couered I stand not so much vpon such precisenesse referring that to God which is the disposer of times and of all other things But yet because he hath giuen the fruition of food as a secondary meanes to maintaine the species there ought a care to bee had for the preseruation thereof whereby it may increase the best nourishment by such good digestion as humane reason can inuent before they come to performe the action But I am not minding to spend any more time vpon those points I hauing partly touched them before least that I should offend the gentle Reader with too tedious assertions for although I haue beene prolixe heerein yet I am more concise then I would hauing much to doe to end so briefly this being so large a field to walke in for the confuting of antient traditions CHAP. 9. How and where to put your Horse and Mare together for generation THe last thing that is to bee obserued for the perfecting of this generation is to know where and how they should performe the action but because there are so many diuersities of opinions in this as well as in the former there may bee a doubt of a certainty thereof For some doe wish that the Horse and Mare should go abroad together in some inclosd grounds and likewise if there be more Mares to bee serued to let him goâ— at liberty amongst them all And againe others would haue them to be put together at their owne liberty in some spacious house or barne and there to be serued as chance shall alot And further others hold that to haue the Mare couered in hand is the best Now to show all the inconueniences that may arise through these diuersities would be too tedious to make accompt of euery particuler therefore I will briefly touch them and onely set downe that which is the most approued knowing that all Iudgements will not subscribe to my senses although I haue beene very carefull to select the most probable by reason and experience not often dissenting from all but alwayes from the vnlikeliest But howsoeuer some censures be I hope the wise will bee fauourable for mine is in loue and duty Now if to haue the horse and Mare or Mares to runne together 1. Pr. 7.b. a The inconuenience of letting the horsâ— run at grasse amongst your Mares 1. Pr. 4. a. at grasse I hold of all others it is the worst because their food then is the worst and so cannot produce a perfect temperature of bloud and seed And againe if the horse be at liberty he may come to some mishap either by his owne vnrulinesse oâ— by some stroake of the Mares And further their seeds cannot be perfect although they had the best food because the Horse will cause both himselfe and the Mares to bee of an excessiue heat by fretting and chafing so that their courage a 1. Pra. 7.k. and strength will be much weakened and their seed much dissolued by the violence of heat Moreouer as Mr. Markham saith the horse being at liberty and of courage will so spend The cause of Filly Foales himselfe at the first by disorder that the Mares pride will bee too strong for his in conception and the Foales for the most part will proue Fillies And lastly running amongst the Mares some will be ready and some vnready and then he will serue the readiest first he being in courage and then those which shall be ready after shall be in danger of not holding or else bring forth weake and vncomely foales Neither doe I greatly allow to haue them goe at liberty in a house for so he is also in danger of receiuing some stroke by the Mare and further he may couer the Mare at the first before b The discommoditie of couering the Mares at liberty in the house she be ready and then the next couering will not bee so good because his seed will not be so strong whereby the Colt if she hold will not bee of such comely shape and very like to proue a Filly And likewise hee will spend himselfe too fast being in lust and courage through his disorder and cause her to loose her seed which otherwise she might haue kept Wherefore for the avoyding of all these discommodities the c The surest way is to haue him couer her in your hand best and surest way in my iudgement is to haue the Mare couered in hand for thereby both the Horse and Mare may be gouerned by Mans reason for they being led by their appetite do naturally desire to be get and bring forth not obseruing any order in begetting nor the difference in Colts that are brought forth but according to the old prouerbe they thinke with the Crow that their owne Bird is the fairest But being ruled by Man they shall not spend their seed by any disorder for they may both of them be brought to the height of lust before they How to make your Mare ready for the horse come together For when as you haue refined their seed to a perfect temperature by the order set downe in the sixt Chapter then for the better stirring vp the lust of the Mare let a little stoned Nagge wooe her two or three daies if need be till that you see her haue a desire to take the Horse then take him away hauing a care that hee neuer couer her Then feed them both well some fiue or sixe houres before night that they come together and that the food may haue time to concoct and nourish all the parts of the body whereby they will haue the greater store of seede Then haue the Mare into some close place and let the said Nagge wooe her againe in the sight of the Horse which will greatly prouoke both their lusts Then let the Mare stand so that if it bee possible the horse may haue the heigher ground that he may couer her the more closly and assoone as he commeth How to vse
head and also to learne him the vse of the trench with the least offence But heere I may seeme to dissent from all the former Authors in that I allow no sharper instruments for taming and subduing any Colt then the smooth trench and the Head-straine sith there hath beene and is still in all ages seuerall inuentions some of greater torture then other to be applyed according to the nature of the Horse as musrolles chaynes and cauezans and likewise great varieties of bits snaffles of seuerall hardnes and sharpnes yet sith I haue found by experience reason that that Head-straine onely with the trench will bringany Colt to subiection I omit the other as superfluous and speake onely of those which worke neerest the truth crauing leaue to set forth my experience as well as they doe their collections But whereas some who haue deserued condigne praise in Obiection taking paines to set forth their workes for the good of their Country hold that the Head-straine hath beene a sufficient correction in times past to bring a Colt to obedience whilst they were of a more pure maturity but since being composed of a more grosse substance a man cannot subdue their rebellion Answer with such soft and mild corrections I answer if the cause of rebellion did consist in the outward parts it were true but Theo. 3. â— as I haue often said it is in the inward parts and therefore to 35. â— vse cruelty in such sort as to cause a reformation altogether Et multis locis by the outward parts is as if a Phisitian should launce the outward parts of the body to cure the inward fluxe of a Consumption And therefore these varieties of cruelties doe Theo. 10.d. rather argue the miserable condition of our age which doth more affect imitation then an vrgent necessity For if any man comming from a strange Countrey vse any new fashioned inuention though neuer so cruell then are wâ— ready to imitate him in the like thinking that nouelties doe produce perfect on Whereby like sheepe we are led to the slaughter of ignorance in that wee will neuer take paines to Theo. 19. â— consult with reason what digression such Crueltie doth make from the truth For when Signior Prospero first came into England he flourished in fame for a time through that affectionated blindnes we are vailed withall in exalting strangers for their strange fashions and so though hee vsed such tormenting Cauezans as were more fit for a massacring butcher then a Horseman yet for all that well was he that could goe neerest him in such Turkish tortures And besides those hee would Theo. 16. a. haue a thicke truncheon to beat those Cauezans into his nose the further to torment him as if Art had consisted in cruell torturing poore horses And yet for all this our eager desire did so hunt after nouelties a Imitation leades vs into wilfull ignorance that we neuer regarded whither we went in following the chase till time the searcher of truth gaue euidence of his knowledge and then a definitiue sentence was giuen against him as a iust desert that he was not worthy to bee marched in the reare ward of the meanest professors Neither do I much allow Mr. Blundeuills opinion although famous with the most who being led too much by authority b Varieties of bittes or snaffles distemper the hand in following other Authors hath spent a great time in setting forth such diuersities of bittes to distort the silly Horses that the varieties of them were able to confuse both man and horse for no man can haue such a temperate hand as to carry it as hee should vpon seuerall bittes nor no horse can conceiue how to carry and behaue himselfe as hee ought finding such alteration in his mouth But if he had taken as great paines to make tryall of such varieties by experience as he did to collect and set them forth and also to search the causes of rebellion he would haue turned his pen from the horse to the man for reformation in as much as hee hauing reason should worke by such order as is best agreeing to the same But heere I may bee held very peremptorious to speake against Obiection the ancients heerein as though they had not taken as great paines to scarch the truth and likewise could not haue seene if they had brought such absurdities as well as my selfe I answer there is nothing that increaseth ignorance more then partiality and negligence for when as a man hath set forth some Answer things that are probable then if he commit many grosse errors â— A partiall iudge neuer a true Iudge especially being led by Authority after yet hauing a fame there is a partiall censure of him that all his rules are absolute and so those errors are reformed if they once say it is his opinion Whereby being negligent they will not take paines to examine the truth thereof but tread still the tract of the ancients it being more easie to go to the mine where there is a pit digged already then to worke anew out of the earth Which Lethargy I my selfe was also benummed a d For wee hauing the benefit of their times and our owne it were a shame if we did not purge this Art from some of her errors great while withall for louing imitation I practis'd as well vpon those cruelties as vpon the milder but yet I could neuer find so good effect in them as in the Head-straine and trench which made me thinke that men were but men and that error hath intruded it selfe in all ages and therefore resolued to follow them no further then they followed the truth But in regard that my selfe onely is of this opinion my words cannot bee so well credited that they should bee beleeued therefore for the further proofe of these my assertions I will frame one Sillogisme as well as I can in regard I am no Logitian thus Nothing that doth tend to violence doth worke according Celarent to the true Art of Horsemanship But all hard Cauezans Bittes and snaffles doe tend to violence Ergo no hard Cauezans Biittes and Snaffles doe tend to the true Art of Horsemanship The Maior is proued by Aristotle where he saith that whatsoeuer Ethick 3. li. Chap. 1. is done by violence is no Art in that it is done vnwillingly whose beginning is in the outward parts contrary to nature and Art doth tend to helpe nature so that whatsoeuer is so done bringeth no delight and therefore not durable And likewise the Minor is proued by the same place for those instruments are the executioners of a Tyrant which forceth by feare of a greater euill so that if they will not presently obey according to his will they shall bee lacerated and tortur'd whereby they are forced to yeeld sodainely with the outward 1. Pra. 14.i. parts although the inward parts bee still rebelling By which
Theo. 3. â— proofes it is plaine that violence is no true Art so that the conclusion must necessarily follow But whereas it may be obiected that heerein I deny my selfe Obiection for I spake of vsing violence in the first haltring of a Colt in that he should be forced till he sweat so much I answer they Answer which vnderstand mee so deceiue themselues for whereas I speake of chasing a Colt till hee sweat is no violence for many will chase themselues in playing till they sweat which is not violent but voluntary for hee hath liberty to ease himselfe as soone as he yeeldeth but that which is brought by violence is forced with griefe because he can find no ease Wherfore to infer by induction seeing those Instruments do work by violence and violence is such an enemy to this Art and Art is wrought by the softest and gentlest means to gaine obedience therfore I commend this head-straine and trench aboue all the other in that they are sufficient to command either young Colt or any other Horse whatsoeuer if they bee rightly vsed which I proue thus Whatsoeuer things will reforme any one euill quality in all Darij Horses will reforme all euill qualities in any one Horse But this Head-straine and trench in their right vses will reforme any one euill quality in all horses Ergo this Head-straine and trench in their right vses will reforme all euill qualities in any one Horse The Maior is proued by the Metaph for nature hath giuen Meta. vnto all horses one and the selfe same materiall substance and nature so as there is no new thing in any indiuiduum that there should need any new inuentions for seuerall qualities in as much as euery single body doth participate of the vniuersall nature 1. Pr. 13.h. and so all restiffe qualities proceed from one roote and one cause which is disobedience and therefore no seuerall natures although they vary in disposition which is increased by rebellion through abuse by mans ignorance in not knowing how to apply his Corrections accordingly For to reforme any one euill qualitie in all horses doth require as many seuerall applications as to reforme all in any one for if there were a Horse that might bee said had any naturall euill quality more then any other horse then he might bee said to be a more horse then another which is grosse to conceipt The Minor is proued in as much as this Art doth tend to reduce all to a meane therfore whatsoeuer is differing therefrom doth decline to either of the extreames and so repugnant to Art And therefore seeing in all the actions of a Horse there is 2. Pr. 36. a. but two chiefe things to be respected as obedience or disobedience and so in his mouings they are either orderly or disorderly fast or slow dead-mouthed or tickle mouthed c. Euen so in like manner these two I meane the Head-straine and trench being also two will reforme any restiffe or euill quality in what horse soeuer if they be truly applyed for though there be as many seuerall dispositions as there are horses yet all restiffe qualities that concurre as I say proceed all from one Theo. 32. a cause and so may bee reformed by these instrument if they bee rightly vsed for as one horse is a particulars horse and yet may haue many restiffe qualities by disorder and abuse so these haue manifold operations and yet the same and therfore if any 2 Pra. 37. haue them and cannot find such effect by them as to reforme any quality in all horses that shall come vnto him he must condemne himselfe either for negligence or ignorance for not either applying or not knowing how to apply the ingredients thereto belonging the trench seruing to quicken the mouth when it is dead and the Head-straine to stay his head that so hee may rest vpon the trench if hee bee tickle-mouthed for when the head and mouth is perfect there can bee no restiffe quality working and so the conclusion also must needs stand good Wherefore seeing these two with their vses are sufficient to bring a horse to an obedient and true riding let all those that mind to plant in this Vineyard make much of these Labourers which will keepe the weedes from growing therein And suffer Theo. 5. no other idle and vaine loyterers to dwell lest they nourish such weeds as the other hath pluckt vp CHAP. 21. How to make your Colt take his way without resistance VVHen you haue sadled your horse the second time and made him ready let his keeper lead him forth into 1. Pr. 18. â— the field and there vse him in all things as at the first day especially if you find him to be any thing stirring suffering him to goe which way he lusteth obseruing nothing but onely to carry a firme hand and after you haue trotted him halfe a mile or there about so that he will suffer you to make a gentle motion of your body you shall straine your hand a little to make him a Your motions must direct him to know your mind haue more feeling thereof and with the helpe of your legge assay to guide him in the right way to which if you feele any towardnesse cherish him with your voyce and make a large turne and trot him home to the stable letting his keeper hold Theo. 14. â— him till you light then after he is cold giue him some meat to comfort and cherish him Note that if at your first offer to guide him he refuse that then Note you doe not in any case force him for making him thrust out his contrary shoulder and weaken his necke for preseruation whereof you must haue a great care for many inconueniences will insue thereby besides it will aske a great time to b You must obserue that hee carry a firme body in all his proceedings Theo. 15.c. cause him haue a true cariage of his body being once dislocated Therefore let him goe on still as himselfe lusteth halfe as farre againe and euer as hee is going forward assay the like and so the thirde or fourth time by which time I am sure hee will yeeld though he be very stubborne if to the vse of your hand you vse the help of the legge by laying the calfe close to that side of your Colte which is contrary to that hand you minde to turne on and so haue him home as before Likewise haue him into the field in the afternoone your selfe for then Theo. 15.d. you may be bould to get vpon his Backe if before you haue not vsed any sharpe correction to terrifie him and being seated gently putting him forward by easing your hand to giue him liberty to goe and helping him with the motion of your body forward and euer as he goeth seeke to gouerne with your helpes by degrees as you shall find his towardnesse but if hee be slow of apprehension so
as he will not conceiue your minde so soone as you would be not dismayd but labour him still as is said and arme your selfe with patience for if then you fall to correcting you vtterly spoyle all for order doth not allow correction â— Art doth not commend correction for ignorance but for negligence for ignorance when he knoweth not what to doe nor wherefore he is corrected but for negligence when hee hath learned a thing and doth forget it againe or else through selfe-will doe it but when him lusteth Thus you may vse him for two or three daies by which time hee will suffer you to take his backe gently to goe forward willingly and to be guided easily Note that if in this time he chance to show any iadish tricks as Plunging Reareing Running-backe and such like that then you must examine your Note owne proceedings for the cause is in your selfe for if you vnderstand this Methode and worke accordingly I am sure there wil insue no disorder for the head-straine is so pleasing and gentle that the Colt will presse forward very willingly vpon it and will easily be gouerned thereby in that it is the same with the chase-halter wherewith at the first he was commanded and therefore you must obserue to guide him chiefly by it till hee hath further vse of the trench CHAP. 22. How to make your Colt rest vpon the trench VVHen you haue brought your Colt to take his way willingly forward and that he will be guided by your hand which way you will then you may be bould to seeke to bring his mouth to the vse of the trench that so you may come to learne him to stop But thought I cannot make this so plaine as I would in that there is such ambiguity in the hand which must be gouerned according to the shape and disposition of the Horse yet I will demonstrate it so plainely as I can in treating cheifly of those Horses vpon whom the depth of Art doth depend a VVhat sort of Horses the depth of Art doth depend vpon which are such as are of a thicke and short necke dead mouthed and of a heauy and sadde disposition Now because the true mouthing of a Horse to cause him to stop close and to place his head orderly are the grounds of this Art you must haue a great regard that you fayle not in any of 1. Pra. 22. a. 25. a. them for if you doe you shall fayle of your desire for the neglect whereof and of their true vse is the generall cause of all euill quallities which may insue in riding And therefore if these b Markes to know when the Colt is brought to true obedience be once truely gained then is your Colt brought to true obedience but not before and then he may be put to other lessons which depend vpon further command and moreouer by their vses you may haue knowledge whether he is perfect in them or no for it is not his doing but his manner of doing that you c The cause of rebellion is in the selfe must regard And so the application of the triall of your owne iudgement Theo. 21.d. is in the proceedings of your own workes for if in teaching any other lesson he proue rebellious then you erred in your iudgement in these for howsoeuer you may thinke that he is perfect in them yet I dare assure you he is not so according to Art till he be obedient to your helpes and corrections and know the vse both of hand and foot To which command of the head he must vpon necessity bee brought vnto before hee can bee commanded Theo. 36. a. 32.b. 35.d. in the other parts of his body for a Horse cannot bee mouthed well except hee carry his head orderly and stoppe closely neither can hee be caused to carry his head orderly except hee haue a sweet mouth and his hinder parts so roundly trust to stoppe truely neither can hee be brought to stoppe truely except hee be well mouthed and his head firmely placed howsoeuer the ignorant in the true knowledge of this Art may thinke the contrary And yet further you must obserue if truely you thinke to worke that these must not consist in the outward parts but also his desire must be agreeing to doe them willingly or else they d Theo. 36. a. 2. will not continue and this is the point that many hath fayled in which hath beene the cause of so many torturing inuentions as afore said for when they haue brought their Colt to doe these well as they thinke then when he beginneth to be weary or else any thing disturbed hee will either beare hard vpon the hand or seeke to free himselfe by desiring to runne away and so they presently sought sharper instruments for his head thinking the other to be too gentle iudging the cause to bee in too much lenity of the hand whereas it was in his disobedience for that his desire was not agreeing to those outward motions And likewise it is the cause of rebellion in those Horses which are ridden for the Buffe saddle for many if they be ridden longer then ordinary or by long marching forward if they begin to be weary they will rely too much vpon the hand e whereby their mouth will become dead and therefore they inuented Theo. 10. a. strange causes from the cause for it was that their hinder parts were not firmly knit but come slowly after and so they Theo. 35.d. presse vpon the hand In like manner it is with hunting and f running Horses for when they are holden hard to the height of The like cause is in hunting and running Horses their speed many of them will play the Iade because the hinder parts are not trust together roundlie but launcheth themselues to such length that they are not able to bring them after Wherefore to keepe your Colt free from such disorders whereby you shall not neede to seeke any other sinister meanes you shall obserue thus When your Colt is made so gentle that he will suffer you to take his backe abroad in the field then you shall vse him to come to the blocke by letting his keeper leade him to it and there cause him to stand by the gentlest g meanes you can then you shall come to him gently with your 1. Pra. 17.c. switch in your right hand holding it vp close by your shoulder as afore and going to his head make much of him and so goe vpon the blocke very softly for too much stirring may affright him when hee seeth you stand so high aboue him then cherish him and when you haue clapt your hand twice or thrice vpon the Saddle to imbolden him get into it and let his keeper put your foote into the stirrops and lead him gently from the blocke and so let him goe Now when you haue trotted him forward some twelue or twenty score you shall make your bridle reynes
of an 15.d. arch or circle below as your head doth aboue your seate being the center For the lash carriage of your body will cause the like in the Colts Now the vse hereof is that the falling of your body backe will raise the Colts fore-parts and your feet mouing forward will cause his hinder parts to follow so close that hee will the sooner be brought to stop vpon his buttocks Note further that if the Colt be of any quicke and free spirit Note that when you offer to stoppe him at the first you vse no violent or suddaine motions with your body for that will so disturbe Theo. 12. â— him that it will make him halfe franticke and fretting as I haue 26.e. said in the 20 Chapter of this first part but when you stop him vse such gentle and easie motions as will be scarce discernable e A small motion for a free will serue for the first to the eye for that wil be a sufficient proportion of help for him in that the cause of a dead mouth proceedeth from the doggednesse and vnapt carriage of the Colt which such Colts for the most part are free from Note againe that if your Colt be of such a stubborne and Note vnwilling disposition that he will not goe forward as you would haue him to carrie a straight and vpright bodie that then at Theo. 25. a. the verie instant when you giue him the switch you accompapany it with the euen stroke of the calues of your legges which will be a meane to cause him to gather vp his hinder parts more roundly and also it will be a preparatiue to bring him to the Theo. 26.e. vse of the spurre the which when you are driuen to vse let it 31. a. be ioyned with other corrections in such sort as I haue said asore Note yet that if you see your Colt to be of such an vntoward Note stubbornenesse that for all this hee will not obye to your hand then you shall haue him into the field and there labour f 1. Pr. 28.d. him for two or three houres together till by this your labour and toyle you cause him to obey which so soone as hee doth alight from his backe and cherish him for this will make him yeeld if he be neuer so stubborne for the cause of all resistance is the vnwillingnes of his desire and it is fortified by the keeping of his winde which this labour will force to let passe and assoone as it raketh freely the body will yeeld instantly But heerein you must bee very cautious to giue him ease at his first yeelding least in seeking obedience you find rebellion Note and so dant the Courage and spirit of your Colt and thereby stirre vp perturbations in that he obeyeth and cannot find ease And this is a weed that doth flourish mightily in this Vineyard which hath smothered a great part of the planting for that men measure time more by their will then reason and seeke for more at one time then the Colt hath ability to performe or capacity to apprehend at sixe But of this I haue spoken more largely in the eight ninth and tenth Chapters of the Theoricke Part. But to couclude note that if in his stopping hee stand so stifly with his feet vpon the ground that he is not apt for a new motion see then you iert your feet so daintily forward in your stirrops and yeeld your body foreward in the small of your back or wast vsing the clacking of you tongue or such like sounds of encouragement which will stirre him vp and cause him to stand so aptly that he will be ready to moue whensoeuer you would haue him CHAP. 24. How to bring his head to its true place AS there is an orderly proceeding in all Arts and Sciences so likewise in this for when your Colt is brought to goe orderly forward and to stoppe iustly then you must also goe about to place his head which if you should desire before it 1. Pra. 25. a. be brought to its full height and hee haue the true feeling of the trench hee would loose his grace in the carriage and it would dead his mouth by much tempering with it whereby he will fall into many absurdities And therefore the want of due consideration of this predicament quando as a shower of raine hath sprung vp so many weeds in this Vineyard that they ouer-grow and choake the Theo. 17. a. true stemmes But to leaue these and come to the subiect how to worke the Colts head to its true place In which you ought a This Tractate is a true ground of all the parts of Horsemanship to consider whether hee is trained for seruice or for pacing trotting hunting or coursing for although this Booke doth treat most of pacing yet all this which I haue as yet spoken of is a true generall ground for all the parts of Horsemanshippe Theo. 37. â— And likewise you must consider whether he be of a large vpright Ibid. â— neck wide iawed and so of a free spirit or that he be of â— thicke fore hand short neck't and so heauy and sad and after as you see his shape and finde his disposition so you shall worke Theo. 3. i for the command of his head But because this doth belong to 32. 33. 34. the Theorie of a mans knowledge and that I haue spoken 35. 37. thereof more largely in the Theoricke Part I will not make any repetition heere againe but referre you to those places where you may know how to finde a horses disposition by those foure Characters there set forth and how to vse him accordingly Wherefore if you intend to traine your Horse to the buffe Saddle for seruice you shall take a Martingale to place his â— How to mouth a Horse for the Buffe saddle head which hee shall we are till hee come to bee bitted because those Horses must haue a precise stayednesse in the carriage of their heads Which Martingale let it bee made of a long peice of leather such a one as I wisht your Crooper to 1. Pr. 16.x. bee of and to one end thereof you shall sow a buckle then put it first vnder his Girths and so let it bee brought betwixt his fore legges and put it vnder his chappes betwixt them and the leather of the Head-straine then buckle the ends together but yet so slack that it pull not downe his head till hee be acquainted therewith c The chiefe grace of a horse is his raine Now because there is nothing that graceth a horse so much in all his actions as a comely and stayed reyne it behoueth you Theo. 4.q. 14.b. to be very carefull to place his head in the best and easiest manner that may be that hee may take delight therein otherwise hee will hold it no longer then extremity doth compell him Theo. 37.e. Wherefore if
if it bee behind 25. â— then to correct him first with the single stroke of your legge on the same side he doth offend which if he neglect vse the rodde but if hee be carelesse still then vse the spurre or if hee vse any miscarriage of his head that hee will not carry it Theo. 23.b. straight then you shal also vse the stirrop on the contrary shoulder and that will make him looke the contrary way Now whereas some againe doe wish to correct the colt with the bridle when â—e writheth or gapeth with his chappes they are deceiued Chap. h for that cause is in his hinder parts and therefore reforme them and those faults will be amended Note that when you put your Colt to gallop your changes in Note the ring if he bee for seruice that then you hold the reynes of your trench more firme to straiten his liberty and pulling the calues of your legges close to his sides iert them sodainly k The motion of your time must direct the time of his motion forward neuer ceasing so to doe till you come to the large ring for the firme holding of his head and the bringing in your legges will raise his fore parts and the thrusting them forth againe will bring after his hinder parts and giue him such a stayed body that he will turne so loftily and with such a grace that he will greatly delight all the beholders if you obserue true time with your owne body And also it wil make him so agile as he shall farre more easily bee brought to bound or any other salt for seruice But if hee bee either for hunting or running then you shall l A firme seat causeth a firme and low motion in the horse keepe your legges stayed and helpe him in his turning onely with your hand and body for the smoother and lower hee galloppeth in his turne it is the more easie and looseth the lesse time Many other obseruations for errors might bee set forth for the better confirming this point but because both these and m many other which I haue set downe when they chance doe Theo. 7.f. come through the indiscretion of the man rather then the 1. Pr. 16.e. horse I haue passed them ouer concisely because I haue written largely of the helps and corrections with theâ—r vses and abuses in many places of the Theorick from the fourteenth to the twenty sixt Chapters therein Onely these haue I set downe for a reliefe if you transgresse the limits of a mediocrity which n Whatsoeuer passeth the meane is an error is the cause of all errors And further I omit them in that they are more appertinent to the Buffe saddle in seruice then to the designes of this worke but the vse of the ring thus farre is very profitable for the snaffle horse for it will make him haue such a constant Note and firme body that hee will not lash it out to any disorder whereby he will gallop truely roundly and smoothly so that deepe and skâ—lping earths will be both alike to him And further it will make him so well acquainted with his helps and corrections that he will not mispend his strength after o What profit the vse of the ring turne bringeth to a snaffle horse his owne lust but will bee gouerned by them and likewise be at such command that hee will answer them so long as hee is able to ride Againe it is very auayleable if hee shall bee put to the wild goose chase or runne any race to and againâ— for if in that you get but once the leading it is not possible the other should euer get it from you for hee will haue such a perfect mouth that he will stop suddenly at either hedge or ditch and turne presently another way or he will be so ready to giue by-slippes with such ease that hee will beat the other euen in his windings And likwise in running a race back and againe he will bee so ready to turne at the post to his best aduantage that hee will ouer-slippe no ground so that heerein you shall gain more ground of your aduersary if his be a roauing horse then he shall euer be able to redeeme till the wager be lost how purely soeuer he may be fed CHAP. 26. Of causing your Colt to retire backe VVHen your Colt will stoppe and turne on both hands orderly and willingly then you shall cause him also to retire backe easily but because it is so coherent to the Lessons afore set downe that if hee bee brought to true command a both of head and body in them he must needs be willing to go Theo. 36.d. back therefore I thinke it needlesse to spend any time in demonstrating 35.b. how to effect it since it is wrought in the former because it is gained if when you teach your horse to stoppe you cause him to stand with such an vpright body as he should then he will bee ready to goe backe at your pleasure so soone as you shall but straiten your hand Yet in regard many haue Theo. 36.f. set forth such irregular meanes being violent to cause him to goe backe if he be stubborne I will onely show wherein they erre and so passe from this lesson Now the meanes that they wish should bee vsed to cause b A violent forcing a horse to retire him goe backe is that if hee will not retire with your hand that then you should with your rodde strike him sharpely vpon his brest or fore legges vsing rating termes to force him thereto by terror But if that will not serue then to haue a footman to put him backe with his hand or with a cudgell to strike him on the legges or nose and so by greater terror to force him yeeld back which violent termes I wish to bee neglected for as I haue said it differeth from the Art being forced and 1 Pra. 14. i. againe they apply to an improper place being deceiued in the Theo. 33.c. cause as well in this as in other errors iudging the cause to be where they feele the effect and so if hee resist vpon the hand Theo. 35. a. by the like they inuented sharpe bittes and other tortureâ— as if there were the cause where it is perceiued but of this I haue 16. g. said more in the 16. Chapter of this first part Therefore know that when your Colt will not goe backe willingly the cause is in setting his body so that his hinde c How to make your Horse retire vpon an easie hand legges doe keepe backe his fore-parts from yeelding And therefore if he will not retire by the strayning of your hand you shall set it vp by mouing your body in your seat and thrusting your feet forward sodainly in your stirrops but if that preuaile not giue him an euen stroke with both your spurres which in twice or thrice vsing will so quicken
that they will very hardly bee caused to follow roundly after whereby will follow many of the former inconueniences And therefore whosoeuer is desirous to practise by them for a helpe till hee haue knowledge to keepe his horses body in â— Their abuse in dull horses command by his seat and hand hee must bee carefull not to haue them stand on one day longer then is needfull for else they will so ground the horse in such a slow motion and long stroke that he will go very hard vnwillingly and disgracefully Theo. 4.e. which will aske long time and deepe iudgement to amend if hee bee desirous to haue him goe as well and easie as hee should And as for the pasternes of lead and wreathes of hay or such like they are both of one operation but yet the pasternes are The abuse by pasternes of lead or wiâ—pes the worst of two they will so bruise and chafe him about the fetlocks neuerthelesse I cannot commend either of them for working any good effect for a pace in that they are worse then heauie shooes to encrease any of the former errors and besides they will cause him to goe filthily and broad stradling behinde in that he will bee desirous to moue first there where hee feeleth himselfe most troubled neither can hee bend in his fetlock ioynts as hee should so that hee cannot vse them nimbly to stand to his mouth but will rest much vpon the hand And for the shooes of aduantage they are worse then any of Of shooes of aduantage the former for they doe not onely bring forth all the aforesaid errors but also are in danger of laming him before by beating him of the back sinewes on the fore-legges with the plates as hee bringeth his hinder legges after or either stifle him or wrest him in the fetlocke-ioynt behind they forcing him to lift his legges so vnnaturally being so combersome that hee cannot helpe himselfe if at any time hee tread awry or vpon any vncertaine grounds And further I haue seene them cause a horse to creepe so low with his hinder parts as it hath beene an vtter disgrace for him so long as hee was a horse for that by these howsoeuer hee went he felt no comfort but they were alwayes as a clogge to annoy him But the cause of all these inuentions procedeth for want of The cause of all these erronious inuentions knowledge in the true motion of a well going horse for first his inward parts as I haue showne must bee obedient to the man and then if his body be once set vpright as it should be to moue properly then all his members will moue answerably for a true pace doth not depend vpon the bringing after his hinde legges as these inuentions doe tend and as most suppose but in setting his body so that all the parts moue orderly together and so begin and end in one and the selfe same time Theo. 3.c. by which if the fore-parts goe forward orderly and easily and 4. a. take a large stroke then the hinder parts beginning and ending with them must needs doe the like but of this I haue said more in the Theorie the fourth Chapter Now therefore seeing there must be no vnequall motion in any part there must be no vnequall hinderance to cause it for Art doth worke onely to preserue nature in its best but nature vseth an equall order in all things and therefore where there is a let of motion by any 1. Pr. 30. â— of these indirect meanes so that the horse cannot vse all his 31.b. parts as nature hath framed those which are at liberty and can yeeld will sooner bee brought to obserue that slow time Note with the members letted then they can be brought to obserue that orderly time with those which are at liberty for when as one member is troubled all the body doth participate with the same and therefore much lesse can they bee brought to the other when they are more troubled CHAP. 32. Of the abuse of waights and deepe earths BEsides these inuentions before rehearsed there are others which haue vsed to bring horses to their pace by waights of sand or some such like ponderous thing laying it behind their saddle vpon his fillets to keep downe his hinder parts Wherein I can but wonder to see the blindnesse of such as cannot see their owne ignorance but will enterprise that wherein they Theo. 20.d. haue such slender knowledge to effect the meanes according to Art For this is so preposterous and differeth so farre from the truth thereof that they who haue no better knowledge to bring a horse to his pace but by this are more fit to ride vpon Asses that are to no other vse but to beare waights then to haue that dignity either to lead a Horse-mans Horse to the blocke or euer to come a Horse-backe whereby they should A deserued esteeme haue the benefit of such worthy Creatures that doth seeke to violate them by such meanes as is the hazard of their vtter ruine for there can no good come therevpon but euill altogether For if hee bee a stirring horse what with those waights behind The abuse by bringing a horse to his pace by Waâ—ghts and his owne waight which is too heauy of it selfe being so blockish and the striuing with him for his pace vpon any slippe hee will indanger the swaying or breaking his backe or else stifling and generally if not these whether he be a free or sad horse or what disposition soeuer it will vtterly deiect his courage and giue him such a filthy carriage that hee will bee apt neither for good reyne nor any other gesture to grace himselfe by reason that those waights load him so behind continually that he cannot vse his body as hee should besides many other grosse errors it doth breed which I omit because it is so absolute euill that it is not worthy of bestowing time to particularize them for the vsing of waights is a discredit to the man by ignorance a disgrace to this Art by abusance and a wronging of the horse by violence For if that Art is most agreeing Theo. 4.d. 32.c. to nature that doth worke the best perfection and doth preserue the integrum or whole horse both inward and outward in the best lust and grace then that is most disagreeing to them both that doth ouerthrow the whole integrall in all the parts But as for deep earths although some also hold them to be c The vse of deepe earths a spoyling of a young Colt in that it toyleth him too sore and therby weakneth his limbs so causeth him to put forth splints spauens and such like and also abateth his courage and so make him subiect to tire c. Yet I say that these extremities are the abuse of them for their vse is not so euill as is imagined for they are better to bring him to
they can vse are not able to make him yeeld his body for that one man is not able by strength to deale with a Horse which abuse is the cause of all other inuentions besides the torturing Theo. 3. of his mouth with hayling and gagging it and yet if hee be caused to Pace by this it is so vgely that it much darkeneth Theo. 4. the Art and disgraceth the Horse for as a Child that learneth to write can neuer write well though neuer so fast except A Simile he can tell how to hold his pen breake his letters and Ioyne distinctly so a Horse can neuer Pace well except his body be truely placed to goe orderly and vse his legges truely Thirdly it is abused by shortnesse of time for when they see 3 that hee will not come to his Pace so speedely as they expect then passion doth stirre vp their will and so force him to Theo. 3. p. that in three daies which would aske three weekes nay in some Theo. 8 9. 10 Horses very neare three months whereby the Horse is driuen into such amazement by torturing of the mouth and massacaring him with corrections that it increaseth by-thoughts in his Theo. 11.d. minde and so seeketh to ease and free him-selfe by some restife qualitie not hauing time either to conceiue what hee should doe or to haue liberty to goe as he should but such teachers are more fit for bedlam to bee gouerned themselues then to haue the tuition and gouernment of others And lastly the abuse hereof is in not proportionating of helpes and corrections according to the disposition of the 4 Horse for if through anger he exceed in correcting more then the quallity of the offence then the Horse will become senselesse Theo. 38. ◠in the mouth the corrections being sharper then the trench and so fall to runne away or show other iadish tricke and this point is the hardest but yet the very sinewes of all the parts of Horsemanshippe for if a man can truely iudge of Note here the onely glory of a Horseman the disposition of the Horse whether he be gentle or dogged sadde or free and so from those two extreames to know how much he doth participate of either of thē for euery horse doth vary one from another more or lesse therein and after their inclinations Theo. 29. a. vse the like proportion in his helpes and corrections without doubt hee may bee bould to effect any lesson by the hand better then by any other meanes whatsoeuer and so Theo. 10. ◠consequently bring a Horse to a far more excellent Pace And therefore the want of knowledge of this true ground hath made such an inundation of errors that the most haue drowned themselues in the waues of imitation whereby they haue made Shipwracke of the poore Horse to the great disgrace of the Art for by these meanes ariseth such a mutiny within themselues that the strong hold of truth it beat downe whereby vsurped inuentions doe raigne as tirants and so they change Art in making the subiect an adiunct in that they hold it cannot worke of it selfe except it be supported with some other lesse needfull coniunct CHAP. 34. Obseruations for the bringing your Colt to his Pace by the Hand THus hauing gone through the laboriousest part of this Art which is to detect and lay open the errors which are crept into it through the abuse and ignorance of men and in producing Read the Theo Part. the causes thereof I will now likewise set forth how you may bring your Horse to a faire and commendable Pace by the hand and keepe him free from any disaster or euill quality But because your selfe must be the chiefe efficient herein I will first prescribe what you must obserue whereby you may the more truely and easiy effect what you desire And therefore first obserue to carry your body very steddily 1 Theo. 12. and firme from your middle vpward with your elbowes close to your sides both to helpe to keepe your owne body steddy your hands firme for checking his mouth too much for deading it holding them a full handfull distance and also it will help mightily in the knitting your Horses body Secondly you 2 must obserue to helpe him in his stroke by keeping the same time of mouing in your seate as you would haue your Horse to keepe in his going but this must be limited according to your Theo. 13. discretion for words cannot expresse it neither must it be according to the Horses desire altogether for then it will cause Theo. 19. 20. some to be too slow whereby they will goe hard and in other some too quicke whereby they will make many feete but yet make no way Now because there is a two-fould motion in the seat vsed Of motion in the seate being of two sorts the one direct forward and the other indirect as mouing first from one buttocke and then to the other and so in like manner the whole body correcting the Horse first on one side in the The direct motion mouth and then on the other I will show which of them I haue found best by my experience and how they may be both applied And first of the direct motion I hold it is the best for most Horses but especiallie for those which are more sadde and dull for the euen mouing forward of your body and the ierting forward of your feet in the stirrops will cause all the parts of his body to goe so euen and iustlie together that hee shall feele farre the more sleight and easie in his going if he be not daunted too much with the hand But the indirect motion I The indirect motion cannot approue so well except it be at the first entring of horses to their stroke which are so forward in going that they will not take time to moue their bodies orderly and that are such strict Trotters that they haue no inclination to moue their fall Theo. 4. ◠side aptly for a Pace and then for such if you vse the mouing first of one buttocke and then of the other to cause them moue their sides by the like time it will make them sooner finde the sleight of that manner in going but then you must be carefull to vse your hands still to helpe him forward in the euen motion for that will make him carrie his fore-parts more comely which so soone as you feele him to set close then you must leaue Note that motion and vse the former to make him strike forward orderly with his whole bodie for if you should vse that as a continuall motion and vse all your bodie in like manner and your hands to correct him in the mouth first on one side and then Theo. 36 ◠27. a. on the other it will spoile his mouth displace his head and cause him to carrie it very vncertainlie first on one side
true grounds of hand and foote aforesaid For I haue had hardly one horse in a yeare though hee were void of any good gouernment but I could make him strike within that time to which so soone as you feele any inclination alight from his backe and haue him home for that will make him goe the more cheerefully the next time Note that when hee beginneth to set close you make not aboue two or three turnes at a time least you take too much of Note him before hee finde ease in his going and thereby hee get a haunt to fall from his pace through dislike whereby you shall Theo. 9. â— bee driuen to striue too much with him neither shall you suffer him to leaue his pace voluntary for his ease howsoeuer it hath beene vsed heeretofore in that it should bee kept constant to make his body firmer for if he bee suffered to trot for ease it That is bad ease which bringeth greater paines will increase the greater paines and thereby get such an vse thereof that you shall haue more to doe to make him hold his pace when he should then to bring another horse thereto Note that if hee proue sad vpon your motions that you quicken him vp with your voyce or if that preuaile not then correct him with the rodde vpon the farre buttocke or shoulder Theo. 25. â— for there and those are all the kindes of corrections you shall vse till hee can tell how to behaue himselfe vpon his pace Note that if in your fauouring him at the first for his well This is worthy of noting doing hee proue negligent and idle and so fall from his pace that then you doe not hold him to it by force but thrusting him vp to goe faster by quickening of your motions for that will make him hold it more willingly in that it will confirme the carriage of his body if you presse him not too farre at once For Art of it selfe dependeth vpon voluntary actions till hee be cunning in the handling of his legges and will yeeld to your seruing him with your seat but euer as hee increaseth in cunning so you may increase his labour leaning him alwayes in his wel-doing Note that when hee is come to such perfection that you may trauell him forwards that then you begin to leaue your apparant Theo. 15.i. motions and carry your selfe more firme in your seat and vse onely a couert motion of your legges and a sweet relish of your hand sometimes vpon the head-straine and sometimes vpon the trench to bring him to the vse thereof as your discretion shall direct you which will be done in three weeks at the most if the error be not in your selfe When hee is brought to such cunning that he will obey your Theo. 32. 33. motions and if he doth not carry himselfe as hee should nor keepe his pace willingly then the cause thereof is in that his winde doth not agree with his body in equall motions for reformation whereof if the Switch preuaile not then you may giue him two or three sound strokes with both your Being applyed to the quality of the offence spuâ—res seruing him still with your helpes letting him haue liberty of his head to goe forward so soone as you feele him consent thereto which in twice or thrice vsing will make him frame himselfe orderly vpon the least motion you can vse Note that if hee keep not the like time of motion with both his sides but that he make a false time with his farre side for Note a generall rule that as the side that euery horse will desire to mistime and therby get a halting stroke which of many is called the hitchcocke being indeed the fault of the man that then you holde your hands a little harder and thrust him forward more violently Of a false stroke or hitchcocke with your legges which will cause him moue his sides equally to which if hee will not yeeld his hinder legge but keepe it still backe to resist then let him feele your spurres sharply and hold hard vpon your head-straine for that will make him stretch his far fore-foot and then his far hinde foot must needs follow keeping time in its motion but if this preuaile not at twice or thrise offring doe not persecute him too much therewith Violence of the hand is to be avoyded for so you shall be driuen to vse violence with your hand which your cheifest care must be to auoyde but you shall put him forth to his full pace almost to his gallop euer working 1. Pra. 24.e. your hands to and fro to keepe his body within the limits of your motions for if the former corrections will not preuayle through his stubbornnesse to cause his farre side to come to the like time of the largenesse of the stroke with the nar-side k Idlenesse is the cause of all errors yet this will so quicken him vp that hee shall haue no leasure to keepe false and idle time for it will force his winde whereby either his farre side will be brought to keepe time with the narre or else of the contrary either of which so soone as hee doth suffer him to goe more easily to conceiue your mind and then by seruing him with your seate you may bring them in the true distance of time Note that this false stroke is a mischeife the hardest to reforme of any error that shall oppose and therefore in all your The false stroke hardest to be reformed proceedings from the beginning to the end you must obserue that he take vp his far-fore-leg which is the leading leg and Theo. 30. c. set it forward with the like time distance to his neare-leg for that will make him haue the fairer forefoote which you must helpe onely with quicke motions and a gentle touch vpon the trench letting him play easily forward vpon the head-straine Note that if hee desire to goe faster then you would haue Theo. 27. c. him so soone as you feele him presse forward let him goe for the space of foure or fiue score and then stoppe him and withall hold your feete out straight in your stirrops to keepe his hinder Theo. 23. c. parts round and so hold him seruing him with the motion of your body till you feele him come in to your hand and then let him go forward gently which in few times â—sing will bring him to find the sleight how to let his wind and body goe together Note that the Spurre is the cheifest correction to conclude Theo. 11. â— 26.b. and shut vp all other corrections and that no Horse can be brought to his high perfection and grace without the true vse thereof for as too little will neuer bring him to such excellency as Art can effect for although hee may be said to goe well yet there is an aliquâ—t part reciding which would giue him a further grace in
like manner if you torture him too much Theo. 20.d. therewith it will bring him to such distemperature that hee will refringe the limits of your command and so breake out into grosse absurdities wherefore you must vse a proportionable meane therein according to his inclination When your Colt is thus freed from all abuses and that hee Theo. 4. will take his Pace fast or softly in good order without rocking or shaking then to bring him to know how to behaue himselfe as occasion shall be offred you shall vse him vpon deepe and vneuen grounds letting him haue time to reforme himselfe and force him not on too fast nor toyle him too long thereon but let him goe at his pleasure your selfe doing nothing to him but keepe him in his true time by help of your motions sometimes changing him from deepe to light earths and againe from light to deepe which will bring him in the whole Colt to such agilitie courage and nimblenesse as hee will seeme to flye vpon the earth through his alacrity and thus by vsing him after this manner in sixe or eight weekes you shall bring your Colt to such an excellent and comely Pace as if Art and Nature had conioyned to extirpe and deuoure the errors of old Adams transgression CHAP. 36. How to bring an imperfect mouthed Horse to his Pace BEcause it is holden an impossible thing to reduce a horse to his Pace which is spoyled afore by disorder or those either which are come to many yeares before they be brought to it The man is the onely obstacle herein therefore it may be there will be expected great secrets to be reuealed for the performance thereof But the causes being considered in the one and an orderly proceeding obserued in 1. Pra. 13. â— the other there is no such ambiguity therein but if the truth be rightly vnderstood as I haue said the cheife cause of these and of all other Vices doe consist in the want of true knowledge how to bring his desire or affection to obedience and his outward gesture to agree therwith for the want of which concord hee doth first resist with his winde and that giueth strength to Theo. 34. a. his outward parts whereby he maketh improper motions of the body which bringeth a dead and rebellious mouth Wherefore whensoeuer your haue a Horse that hath a broken Pace assure your selfe that if you obserue these causes you a Of a broken paced Horse shall bring him to his perfect Pace by reforming of them to an vnity without any other sinister or indirect meanes which to performe you shall vse but onely the head-straine as afore in 1. Pr. 30. 31. 32. 33. stead of any of them for the vse of it with the trench will worke a better effect then them all for a Horses mouings are either orderly or disorderly fast or slow dead mouthed or tickle mouthed Pr. 20. c. so these two to wit the headstrain trench will bring any of thefe extreames to the mean in their right application For looke what is said for the ordering of a young Colt vse but the same order to him for the reformation of his disorderly Pr. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. motions and then when hee is brought to true obedience in that sort you may command him with the helpes of you body to giue him his Pace truely and largely as you shall wish Onely Pr. 35. a. this obserue that whereas I wish to bring a young Colt to a perfect vnderstanding of all your helpes and corrections before you goe about his Pace that in this you may abbreuiate a great time that would be spent therein in that hee hath beene vsed afore to Trauayle whereby hee can tell how to take his way though not as he should For if you should goe about to refine his mouth and to confirme his body neuer so precisely before yet when you shall goe about to hold him to that Pace wherein he had his former qualities that motion would put him in mind againe of such errors as he had gotten a habit of afore Custome bringeth a habit as well in euill as good in that manner of going and will be hard to reforme in a strict carriage without increasing of them or worse as I haue found by experience to no small trouble and toyle in that hee can tell how to frame his body to resist Wherefore for the surest and speediest expedition you shall worke to reforme those faults vpon that broken Pace he hath The cause of a horse not pacing truely is in the abuse of his head and body and not in his legges and as he is purged of them so hee will better and better mend his Pace for those disorders are the cause that hee cannot tell how to handle his feet as he should for his Pace In which looke what order I set forth for the bringing of a slouingly Colt to a strict and true Trot in like manner vse him for reformation of his Pace keeping his body in continuall action to cause him Pra. 27.c. that he shall not haue time to hold his winde to worke his froward Cap. 1 For to force him vpon the hand will make him striue the more will but if he will not fall to your hand gently thrust him forward to a good round Pace almost to his galloppe without much regard of the truenesse of his stroke foure or fiue times vp and downe your roade and that will make him fall to your hand which so soone as you feele let him ease himselfe and then you shall feele his hinder parts yeeld to the motions of your owne body And likewise if hee be an old Horse and yet hath neither Of an old horse good carriage nor any steppe to his Pace you shall vse him in all respects as the former but onely in that he cannot tell how to behaue him-selfe any thing for his Pace you must helpe him into his stroke by the gentlest meanes you can by the helpes and motions of your seate as in the young Colt and if he be 1. Pra. 35.b. ibid. k a heauy headed Horse so that you cannot command his head to cause him bring in his hinder parts thrust him vp as afore to quicken his motions vpon which if he desire to goe faster then he should correct him with the trench twice or thrice together and then giue your hand liberty for as in the former so you must obserue in this not to worke for his grace in carriage till That cannot be taken away which one neuer had he can tell how to goe vpon his Pace for you cannot spoile his reine because he neuer had it But if he be a free and hot horse so that hee will not rest vpon the hand then you shall fauour the trench and let him rest more vpon the head-straine for that will make him presse more orderlie vpon the hand forward Now for
more freely and his winde caused to passe more willingly and so his body must bee placed to goe answerably his mouth quickened and his head placed truely and then you may be sure to bring him to a delightfull pace very easily Now although this may seeme but a hard and harsh document for the reforming of such an intricate taske I stand the lesse therevpon because I haue touched euery branch sufficiently afore for the effecting thereof and therefore I need not spend any time of repetition againe sith heere is no more to be No errors can come but from those causes said then the afore related causes being also the cause of this naturall hard goer which being truely considered will reforme him better then the extremities of any hard or tormenting snaffle or bitte Onely this obserue that when you put him to Note his full pace if hee desire to take such a large stroke that hee Note roule and set hard that then you restraine your hand and fit loose in your seat for what with his owne vneasie going and your selfe shaking on his backe will make him seeke meanes to set more easily for there is neuer a step that hee setteth which â— His own paine will make him seeke for ease if you regard his first yeelding is vneasie for you but it grieueth him as much or more then your selfe his vneasie going being increased with your owne waight and so his owne torment will cause him to seeke ease when his body is so placed that hee can tell how to finde it and that you giue him liberty to goe softly when you feele him begin to yeeld and withall if you keepe your seate more firme for that will helpe to keepe his body stayed till by custome he get a habit of himselfe And further note that he in his going moue his body equally Theo. 35. â— in euery part thereof so as the fore-part seeme not to moue before his hinder nor it afore the former likewise to haue them more quick and free without intermission except it bee when you let him stand to breath and then be sure to haue his desire to be ready to goe at your first motion which you may perceiue by his winde CHAP. 38. Of Restiffenesse REstiffenesse is also another weede that is sprung vp in this Vineyard which doth mightily hinder the Vines from Theo. 8. a. flourishing being nourished by will and so spred into the more branches for there hath beene such small care to plucke it vp Pra. 20.b. by the rootes that it hath beene nourished by inuention of so many seuerall sharpe Cauezans and Bittes to make them yeeld by violence when they found according to their vsing lenity would not preuaile And likewise there hath beene as many The further a man goeth in a false path the further from his iournies end seuerall inuentions to reforme these as they found restiffe qualities and yet not being grounded vpon truth they haue still failed of their purpose whereby these are increased in number and cruelty as there are horses to inflict or matter to inuent still feeling themselues as farre from working reformation by such cruelties as to bring a Lion to subiection by force But because Maister Markham hath touched them sufficiently in his Cauallarice I will referre those which are desirous to be further resolued therein to that place for sith their inconueniences are there so indifferently portratured I think it needlesse to spend any time in the displaying of them here they being so farre degressing from the true Art for by their sharpe and durable tortures they make the Horse as it were mad and senselesse because he cannot feele ease when he yeeldeth But here I will leaue these and goe to the causes of restifenesse The cause of restifenesse wherein I shall vary from the opinion of Maister Markham for he houldeth that they are both naturall and accidentall in the Horse but I say they are onely accidentall to the Horse by the mans abuse of the Art for I neuer saw any Colt or Foale which had any naturall restifenesse of himselfe except it be nourished by abuse for by his naturall inclination he will neither goe backe stand still lye downe strike rise a fore plunge or any such like excepr he be made sullen or dogged by restrayning him of his liberty And further hauing Theo. 18.b. experience my refuge I dare maintaine that any Colt may be kept free from any restifnesse at the first nay further Theo. 35.d. that they may be kept free from the Vice of Stumbling enterfeiring going broad either before or behind for the cause of The cause not naturall of stumbling these is not naturall as some imagine but accidentall comming from the abuse of the hand and the vnapt motion of the body for there are none subiect to these till they be handled and I also haue amended many Horses of those faults being put into my hands only for that end And therefore whatsoeuer restiffe quality may spring vp in Restifenesse is sowen by neglect and conceipt this Vineyard is sowne there by the hands either of mans ignorance or negligence in either not obseruing or else not knowing how to order his proceedings in such sort as the Horse might conceiue how to obey his mind but because I would not Restifenesse in standing still or going backe haue you ignorant altogether herein I will show briefely how these causes come from the man and where to reforme them Now the chiefe cause of standing still or going backe is that he is corrected too much with the hand or bridle that he dare not presse forward and thereby when hee feeleth that hee cannot free himselfe from the correction of the body he standeth still to get breath to resist and so hauing ease becommeth 1. Pra. 23.b. restife or else he goeth backe thinking to free him-selfe thereby How to reforme them sith he cannot haue libertie to goe forward But you may reforme these faults by letting a Foot-man lead Pr. 21. a. him gently forward as you did a Colt at his first backing till he be set on going and let him goe which way hee will letting him rest most vpon the head-straine onely vsing at the very instant the helpe of your bodies motion to let him know the vse Theo. 29.d. thereof Which when hee conceiueth you may then adioyne The cause of lying downe your corrections to make him goe forward at your pleasure Now the cause of those Horses which are subiect to lye downe is by the extremities of correction also whereby he is made so Theo. 29.d. stubborne hee will lye downe vpon the least discontent for that at the first his correction not being proportionated according to his disposition in striuing to resist he by some accident chanceth The reformation to fall whereby he dismounteth the man and so getteth a habit thereof And for
which he hath said And yet the excellency thereof doth so stirre vp my affection that I cannot chuse but speake a little therein For the pleasure thereof in my affection is so great that it exceedeth all other The pleasure of Hunting so much that if it brought no other profit then the delight to follow a packe of good dogges hauing a good Horse that were enough to counter-vaile the surcharge for a generous minde for I esteeme it aboue all other earthly pleasures whatsoeuer But it addeth also a further profit for the exercise maintaineth health and causeth an agile and apt body and increaseth knowledge how to helpe and correct his Horse as occasion The profit of Hunting shall be offred whereby if hee should goe vpon any Martiall seruice he will be ready to performe any desperate exployt with great scelerity and quicknesse Besides the vse of riding vp and downe steep places and deepe earths will so fortifie and imboulden his courage that he will very valiantly dispatch A Hunting Horse seruiceable for warre any occuret or discouery in seruice And so for that vse also one hunting Horse may be made more seruiceable for warre then foure other through his toughnesse and speed if the man haue likewise skill to keepe his body cleane by good feeding and true dyet But leauing to speake any more hereof because my Artlesse The shap of a Hunting Horse Pen would but ouer vayle its worthinesse I will deliuer how you shall chuse your Horse for that vse and which by all probability are most like to yeeld the best content both to the eye and in the field if Art be thereto assisting First therefore let Theo. 37.d. him be of a meane stature that is some sixteene hand of height or thereabout his head also of a meane bignesse his chaule 1. Pra. 3.f. if it may be let it be thin and wide and his care not too little if he be somewhat bangled or wide eared so they be sharp it is a signe of toughnesse his forehead broad hauing a bunch standing out in the middest like a Hare his eye full and large his nostrell wide with a deepe mouth all his head leane a long and straight necke a firme and thinne crest well reared a wide throple a broad brest deepe chested his body large his ribbes round and close shut vp to his huckle bone a good fillet long buttocke but not very broad being well let downe in the gascoyne and many that are a little sickle hought are very tough and swift his limmes would be cleane flat and straight but not very bigge his ioynts short especially betwixt the pasterne and hoofe hauing little haire on his fetlocks a straight foot and a blacke hollow hoofe not ouer bigge and if it be somewhat long it argueth speed which Horse when you haue gotten assure your selfe that for the outward shape you haue as good as nature can promise And for the shape of a running horse there is not so much difference betwixt the shape of him the hunter as there is in their ends of trayning for the hunting Horse must endure long and Note the ends and shape laboursome toyle with heates and colds but the running Horse must dispatch his businesse in a moment of time in respect of the other shewing swiftnesse and speed Wherefore you shall so neare as you can haue him in all proportion as in the former onely there may be a dispensation with these few The shape of a running horse things as if he haue a longer chine so that his side be longer streaked he will take the larger stroke especially vpon light earths and if his limmes be more sleuder and his ioynts more loose if that they be not so short in the pasterne he may be very excellent and swift for a course And as for their colours although there be most men that obserue Of their colours them as a signe of goodnesse yet as I haue said I differ in that and esteeme of them no further then as indifferent and to 1. Pra. 5.b. beautifie the other parts to giue content and delight to the eie And those are either the browne Bay Dapple Bay Blacke a Sad Chesnut with Flaxen Maine and Tayle so that they haue white Star Snip or white rach with a white foot Dapple gray Cap. f or white Lyard with blacke Musle Eye and Eare any of which colours will giue a great grace to the former shape although they be no perfect fignes of their goodnesse for as the goodnesse A Simile or badnesse of a man doth not consist in his complexion but in his inward vertues neither doe these demonstrate the The inward parts the cause of good or bad goodnesse or badnesse of the Horse for that proceedeth from his disposition And for his inward parts if he be not of such a perfect composition as is desired yet if he be reformed according to Art may proue exceeding good for if you should so curiously desire to haue a Horse so compleate in shape colour and Hard to finde a compleate Horse quality by a naturall composition as some doe prescribe you should spend the most of your life before you should achiue your expectation for there are many horses which are defectiue of such a perfect shape in many parts and also in colour and yet 1. Pr. 8. â— by Art haue beene brought to great performance And therefore seeing Art was inuented to perfect nature indeuour your selfe to search into the bowles of it and you shall finde that the vnlikeliest Horse will oftentimes worse the more likely CHAP. 2. The Authors Apology THe whole Pilgrimage of former ages and also of our times Theo. 1. The miserable estate of man hath beene and is hurried on the sands of error ignorance being the coatch tradition custome obstinacy and selfe-conceit the wheeles contention and emulation the Horses and negligence the Coatch-man which doth carry vs into the gulfe of confusion wherein we are so congealed with the Ice of opinion that no reflect of the beames of truth hath power to Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit thawe it through which partiall conceipt there was rieuer any as yet that taught the truth could receiue loue or credit if they did not alledge proofes from the Antients and Elders for their better approbation but were esteemed Hereticall and sowers of Sects and dissentions thinking all truth to be included in the apprehention of former-times And to reward their The preface to the Second Booke paines and good will in setting forth the truth they persecute them with malice and enuy as false seducers in teaching new doctrine contrary to their Antient imitation Wherefore seeing he that walketh amongst or vpon Pikes had need to foot charily and he that goeth an vnbeat path in Although here sie is not a proper terme yet by application the desarts and craggy waies amongst Wilde-Beasts
disposition in them successiuely by generation by reason of the transgression Theo. 1. 2. 3. 5. they will not frame themselues of their owne accord freely and obediently to doe that which remaineth in them but 1. Pr. 23. 24 25. 26. 27. 28. 37. they will still retaine something for their ease except they be reduced to obedience by Art without which the whole subiect 2. li. 1. et alijs locit cannot be brought to such a concord in carriage and motions as shall yeeld the best aduantage both for speed and toughnes The Minor proued And the Minor is proued by the vncertaine carriage of those Horses bodies which goe after their naturall inclination for a Horse hauing no intelligence but sensitiuely if he be suffered A Horse hath no intellectiue mind to goe after his voluntary motions he not hauing any inorganical actions intellectiue of the mind to giue him notices of any thing without some organicall instrument will not performe what his ability is able as man will doe because of his ingendred and bred notices which are the organs of Arts and therefore whosoeuer thinketh to bring his Horse to perfection by An apt Simily trayning him after his owne will is like to haue as good successe as he which thinketh to direct a shippe to any port by stearing the helme without knowledge or help of the compasse or card For the apprehensiue faculties are the difference of man The difference betwixt man beasts from brute beasts he hauing notice of many things in his organicall or spirituall actions which are ingendred and bred in the heart he apprehendeth vnderstanding knoweth and iudgeth of things as well vniuersall as singular by reflexion that is by Theo. 4. ibid. 4. considering and examining things done or deuised Whereas brute Beasts in which species are Horses doe onely apprehend by the sensitiue intelligence of singular and simple obiects Wherefore seeing man hath primary knowledge in the minde immediatly being inorganicall therefore he must by his experience Mans knowledge is confirmed by experience in externall things gotten by externall things perceiued by the exterior senses bring the Horse to such obedience in apprehending the desire of his minde that he will voluntarily yeeld thereto for the body of the man working according to the desire of his minde it must conuay that intention to the Horse by his helps The conclusion perfect without proofe and corrections which are as organes to confirme the sensitiue intelligence of the Horse that thereby he may know what to doe he not doing any thing aptly but by immediate or secondary causes Which propositions being cleare the conclusion standeth good By all which it is apparent that not any Horse what Pace soeuer Sab Foxde Arist et Plato consention li. 5. 2. he hath whether he be a naturall Trotter or Ambler can goe truely indeed except he be reduced from his naturall disobedience by Art howsoeuer he may be iudged to goe well but this fallacy in iudgment proceedeth in that the soule iudgeth not of externall things but by the interior or exterior senses and so if these haue knowledge to giue sentence of things aright then the soule pronounceth senceerly but if they erre then the soule giueth sentence according to their information Intellectiue and sensitiue senses obserued by the distemperature of the braine not that the mind doth erre of it selfe or primarily but by accidence being obscured by the thicke mist of ignorance by corruption Which Sabious Foxe maketh manifest by an example of Aiax whose interior senses being moued by the braine erred and were not able to discerne betwixt externall obiects through the braines distemperature and therefore hee ranne vpon herds of sheepe which hee thought to be Vlisses Souldiers and killed a Ramme supposing that hee had shine Vlisses And yet notwithstanding all this his soule iudgeth vprightly that manifest iniuries is to be reuenged but his interior senses erred and were deceiued by meanes of obiects of the exterior senses in that they attracted vnto the mind colourable similitudes and images And the like instance may be giuen by the blind man in the Gospell that Christ restored to sight For at the first he saw men walking like trees which error was not Mark 8. 24. in his mind for if it had not been hindred by the exterior senses it would haue censured truely but the cause was that the optick The minde doth iudge according as the sensitiue part apprehendeth nerue was not yet perfect which is the origanicall instrument whereby the exterior obiect is conueyed to the interior senses and thereby his mind erred in iudgement he giuing sentence according to that euidence the interior senses did receiue And in like manner those Horses that are said to goe well of A thing oftentimes is not so indeed as it seemeth their owne naturall voluntarinesse the mind iudgeth it so not because it is so but in that the interior senses are obscured with ignorance whereby there is an impediment or let that the Theo 4. 1. Pra. 27. minde cannot iudge rightly of the Horses going as it would if better notices were giuen by the intelligence sensitiue to see and apprehend when a Horse runs well indeed for this I know No Horse hath true riding except the answere the spurre by experience that I had rather bring a Colt that cannot tell how to goe at all to goe well then one of those which are accounted to goe well for as much as they haue but a voluntary command and therefore they haue neither apt carriage nor any true obedience so that they haue neither numblenes for speed nor sensitiue obedience to increase toughnesse whereby in that they cannot tell how to demeane themselues for swiftnesse nor in this they will runne no longer then they shall feele ease for if they be ouertopt with speed they will sattle suddenly because they were not brought to true obedience by Art and therefore I conclude that a true artificiall Pace is the best for Obiection either hunter or courser both for sleight toughnesse and speed But whereas it may be obiected that the Pace is not so appertinent to these Horses especially for coursers for that many running Horses are voyde of any good Pace either for Trot or Answer Amble and yet so speedy that they can hardly be bettered I answere it is true in some sort that is being compared with Theo. 4.e. those Horses which are trayned as they are vpon false grounds being iudged by the deception of sensitiue apprehension and n Incontrarijs contraria magis elucescunt not by the inorganicall operation of the minde and so it is holden that one Horse cannot haue both speed and toughnesse but if they would yeeld to reason that they haue a relation one to another and so seeke a reducement by Art they should finde the contrary for that one Horse so trayned will make
there be an intermission in their proceedings that they bee not followed according to their inclination it will cause a losse of time if they should bee neglected till the accustomed time whereby their towardnesse will bee hindred through a soueraigne liberty they not being suffered to goe forward There is no stay in the agitation of the interior powers but are still kept in a stay get such an idle habit that they decline from their towardnesse to a wilfull stubbornnesse through this restraint in that they are thought too young for seeing they are letted in going forward they must needs goe backe for it is a Maxime that not to goe forward is to decline d The senses iudge according to the kind of action so that they will hardly be brought after to their best perfection in as much as their apprehension is intelligence sensitiue they feeling ease so long together thinke that to be the perfection of their labour and when they shall be put to more then they were vsed vnto they will presently giue it ouer in the plaine Idle trayning causeth falâ—e hearted horses field not being vsed to sore labour before which is the cause of so many trayterous and false hearted Horses And further it is a great darkning of their glory for if they which are so prone by nature were well followed by true Art without question they would sooner come to commendable performance then they which haue not such naturall towardnesse An Allegory and then when Art and Nature had displayed the glory of their lights the splendor thereof would be so glorious that all other would be combust that came within the reflect of their beames and in that respect would farre exceed the other both for time and goodnesse But contrariwise if those which haue not such gifts of nature be not protracted but reduced without intermission by Art Theo. 2. they may come to better these which are neclcted at the first for it is often seene the most vnlikely Horse to beate the more likely but if not yet they may be brought to that height in as short time as the ability of their bodies can maintaine hauing a willingnesse to doe that they are able both for speed and toughnesse And againe I would know whether there hath not beene Whether sore labour be the onely cause of those infirmities many Horses which were neuer strayned young by sore riding which haue beene subiect to splints spauens curbes and such like which if they haue then that is not the cause of such infirmities as there are many but the cause of them naturally is through the impurity of the seed whereof they were generated and therefore being so subiect to them their griefe will increase by labour of what age soeuer And likewise the same demand may bee whether that straynings are onely Whether yong horses are onely subiect to straines proper to young Horses or no which if not denayed as experience maketh plaine then the cause thereof is not onely in sore labour but rather through the improper cariage of their body and the vnapt gouernment of the head so that they cannot Theo. 35. 36. handle their legges nimbly Wherefore these opinions are but inordinate affections Note that many carry to their horses in suffering them so long at the first both in their first backing and afterward in their trayning The Earle of Northumberlands Horseman that some haue lost their liues which I speake to my hearts griefe being them whom I heartily affected rather then they would seek to displease their colt to gaine obedience And others haue hazarded their whole estate to the great losse both of them-selues and their friends rather then they No good conclusion can follow vpon false grounds would put their Horse to any thing more then hee would doe of him-selfe following vncertaine grounds of time and the Horses nature so long that they haue had issue of their certaine estate being conuicted by a certaine euidence which certaine time and truth did giue sentence In the which ranke Faelix quem faciunt aliena pâ—ricula cautum I my selfe haue formerly marched till experience did sound a retreate being maymed with the shot of foolish had-I-wist which I will set downe as a caueate for future impes that shall flourish in this Vineyard least they fall in the like relapse and likewise buy their experience too deare Which though it be rude I hope it will not be distastfull to such as are willing to be Young riding not the cause of slownesse or lamenesse instructed in that they make profit by mine many moe losses For in running a Bell match I was neuer more shamefully beat in my life both for speede and toughnesse then I was with a foure yeares old nagge which was hunted very sore all that Winter and yet was sound in euery part of the whole One of maister Launcelot Carletons race Horse which was the first instance I had to awake me from the slumber of this Sirennicall opinion And afterward it was my happe to runne a match against a fiue yeare old nagge of a midle sise being almost but now backt which had such an exceeding naturall speed that if Art had beene ioyned answerably to his inclination he could hardly haue beene paralleld betwixt the North and South of which Horse I did afterward note his proceedings being much conuersant with the Gentleman that did owe him and so I found by the euent that his naturall procliuity was much hindered by his trayning For there were three other young Colts trayned vp with him which at the first not any of them was able to command him to ride he being so very swift by the which they were continually True trayning causeth good wind held to the height of their winde and speed whilest hee ranne euery breathing course within himselfe by reason of of which sore labour although they were but Colts they be came so well winded that in one Winter they all would beate him in that he ranne alwaies within himselfe so that hee lost the aduantage of his body whereby his speed was abated and he became so thicke winded that when he felt it once nip he would giue it ouer and when he was put to the spurre the more he was spurred the more he setled and yet at the first he would haue answered the spurre very obediently through which liberty he became so idle that he would not stretch forth his body but lost three or foure foot at euery stroke Feeding doth not make a good Horse except Art be assisting Which when I saw I was desirous to examine the cause for my further experience but when I had approued I found it to be in the manner of his trayning for as the prouerbe is he was better fed then taught although the Gentleman was reputed an excellent horseman for he had neither carriage of body nor rellish of mouth fit for
I cannot greatly commend that custome except it bee vpon necessity that nature is opprest or hindred by sicknesse for nature hath strength enough of her selfe to expell her enemies so long as the body is perfect and sound and therefore scourings to such horses will doe more hurt then good for they are Phisicall and so weaken the body and are as needlesse to a horse that is sound as to a man Note that when you come from hunting you wash not your 2. Pra. 10. Chap. horse that night but rubbe him exceeding well and the next morning after he is drest or after he is come in from his water take a peale of water and wash all the grauell and filth from vnder his fetlocks very cleane for that will coole his legges and preserue them from foule surrances Theo. 8. 33. Chap. Note that if you haue good store of game that you bee carefull not to take too much of your horse to feed your owne Et alijs loâ—is delight till hee bee come to haue a stayed and firme body so causing him to ouer-reach and daunt his spirit nor giue him liberty to goe as him lusteth but bee ready vpon any disorder to helpe him with your motions or to correct him if need require 2. Pra. 6. Chap. And for that cause I do not greatly approue that one should goe into the field without spurres for if a horse commit a fault either through neglect or doggednesse if hee bee suffered at that time the next time hee will bee the worse and I hold hee A Horseman is maimed if hee be vnfurnished is not meet to bee an Horseman that cannot weare them except hee abuse them for hee is like a mad man that must haue his knife taken from him else hee will doe mischiefe with it And note that if your horse bee so hot and free that hee will not easily be commanded but will put himselfe more fiercely forward vpon deepe earths then he should and so snapper and falter with his legges or his body or beare so high that hee choake himselfe with his winde or such like that then you vse 2. Pr. 6. Chap. to hunt him with the head-straine for it will amend such faults through the gentlenesse thereof whereby hee will vse his fore-parts more orderly and rest so stayedly vpon his head that you thereby may helpe to gouerne his legges so that you may cause him to strike a furrow or gallop vpon any earths as your selfe would wish CHAP. 12. Of the manner of food and time of feeding SOme may thinke because I haue spoken of no other food for the hunting horse in these last Chapters but oates and hay that I allow no other feeding for them but to cleare that supposition the cause that I haue omitted to speake of the diuersities of foodes till now was to auoyd digression for confusing of order and obstupidating the memory of young impes that Theo. 4. Chap. desire to grow in this Vineyard And therefore I did deferre the touching of them there being minded to speake of them more conueniently which being knowne may bee vsed as necessity requireth And againe it may bee thought that 2. Pr. 3. Chap. this food which I shall prescribe is not sufficient to bring a horse to his strength and purity of winde because it is not so Nothing of esteeme except it be curious costly and curious as formerly hath beene set forth for many thinke that nothing can bee good except it bee costly but howsoeuer it may be iudged yet I am sure hauing had experience thereof that this food will be sufficient for the feeding and dieting of any hunting horse for giuing him strength and sound nutriment for the maintenance of his great toyle and the nearest to the helpe of nature and so the rest to bee superfluous being inuented by some preiudicated fantasies that would be held singular through too precise curiosity or else Generous minds wronged by Parasites soysted in by some Belialls that would bring in great billes of charges and reserue the surplus for themselues to spend vpon their lasciuity But howsoeuer such inuentions first sprung whosoeuer shall vse them by true examination shall find them enemies both to Art and Nature as heereafter shall appeare Wherefore if you will maintaine your horse in his best strength and lust after he is â—nseamed you shall to his oats put a third part of beanes being spelt vpon a Mill because hee will eat them better then if Of Beanes and Oates they were whole for then they will sooner weary his chappes and the strength of the beanes will bee more in his tast for that they are so great they cannot bee so well mixed amongst the oates but some horses will couet to weed the oates from them But if to auoyd this any thinke that Pease are better to mixe Of Pease with Oates in regard they are smaller and so need no spelting I answer that as they are the smaller so they haue the more store of huskes and the meale is not of such strength and nutriment as that is of Beanes and so more faint and pursiue And as for Fetches and Tares which many vse to sow onely for horse Of Fetches and Tares Prouender they are altogether the worst for they are no perfect graine but a kind of weed that is increased by reason that the land hath no better lust nor strength to yeeld better fruit and therefore that must needs be a weake effect that proceedeth from so weake a cause Wherefore as I say you shall at his first taking vp for the space of a fortnight or thereabouts giue him onely Oates Note and hay till the grosse humors be something dryed in his body and that his flesh begin to harden for if you should feed him with such strong food before hee were in some case to abide exercise then it would increase those grosse humors which are reciding in him rather then conuert into good blood for that by reason of corruption they doe naturally abound and will bee chiefly fed as the earth doth naturally feed weeds before Theo. 5.b. good corne if by art and dyet they be not first represt and so will inflame the body and cause diuers diseases Therefore as I say when you perceiue that he beginneth to 2. Pr. 11. haue good flesh to preserue it the better you shall adde to his Oates Beanes for they will increase strength and lust and so Being well dryed keepe him till you intend to hunt him and for the better increasing of his courage and winde you shall make him bread after this manner You shall take foure pecks of Beanesâ— and two pecks of wheat and grinde them together and sift the meale Of Bread for hunting through a temmes of an indifferent finenesse and kneade it with warme water and good store of barme and let it lye an x 1 Pra. 7. â— houre
or more to swell for so it will bee the lighter and haue the quicker digestion then work it exceeding wel with a brake or tread it well with your feet being cleane washed and bake it in great houshold loaues as a pecke in a loafe for so it will haue the lesse crust and not dry so soone with which bread you shall feed your horse after it is a day old being well chipt sometimes giuing him Bread sometimes Oates as you see his stomacke best liketh for this feeding increaseth good blood and giueth strength and lust sufficient for any ordinary hunting But if you thinke to hunt him vpon a match then let the one g Of Bread for a match halfe of the corne bee Wheat and the other halfe Beanes and let it not be ground too fine for so there will bee the lesse bran in the bread and dresse the meale through a boulter and knead it with new Ale and Barme beat together but let there bee good store of barme and vse it in all other things as the former Now this bread is more healthfull and yeeldeth as much strength courage and winde as any other whatsoeuer That is the best that agreeth the best with nature if there be true labour adioyned although many vse drugges and diuers other graines to increase winde But whereas many vse to put a proportion of Rye into the 2. Pr. 13.d. e Of Rye Bread I hold it not so good for the former is sufficient for strengrh and nutriment and if the horse haue such plenty of that as nature doth desire his body will continue in perfect state without it yet because a horse is hot of himselfe and his heat may bee aggrauated by his labour so that hee may come to 1. Pr. 7. Chap. be bound in his body Therefore seeing Rye is cold and moyst I wish that you should grind the quantity of a pecke by it selfe and so bake it in a great loafe and vse it as Phisicke giuing him a quantity thereof when you first draw his bridle to coole his body after his heats or otherwise as you perceiue his body f Phisicall things are to bee vsed sparingly costiue Whereas if it should bee ground among the other graines then in what state soeuer your horse were hee must feed thereon and so if he were loose in his body the Rye would increase it Now for the quantity that you should giue your Horse at one Of the quantity of food time there cannot be any certaine limitation thereof but it must bee proportionated according to his appetite onely be sure to giue him his full feeding for that will keepe his body in better temper and in greater strength and lust And then if vpon such store of meat you perceiue he feed too fast do not therfore scant him but giue him the greater labour for that will helpe both his strength and winde And for the manner of feeding let him eat one meale of Of the manner of feeding Beanes and Oates and another of bread for so his stomacke will continue the better for variety will sharpen it whereas if hee should feed long vpon one kind it would cause a loathing and let him eat the oftnest of that hee best liketh or if you please you may giue him both at one meale especially if hee bee of a dainty feeding alwayes giuing him that the last which hee eateth the best and hath the best digestion otherwise 2. Pra. 6. Chap. hee will not feed so well and his stomacke would bee more opprest And againe if he be a small feeder giue him a little at once Of a dainty feeding horse often for fresh meat will draw on his appetite but giue him so that hee may haue a little left in the manger to eat at his owne leasure betwixt the times of his feeding Now for the times of feeding foure times of full feeding in The time of feeding twenty foure houres is sufficient that is after his morning watering then at one or two of the clocke in the after noone or as the dayes are in length to giue time for digestion before he 2. Pr. 6. Chap. be watred at night else if hee bee full fed and put to exercise before it is very dangerous likewise after his euening watring and about nine of the clocke at night And as for that you giue him in the morning when you come first into the stable 2. Pra. 11. Chap. it must bee but a little to preserue his stomacke from cold humors that might oppresse it by drinking fasting and also to make him drinke the better CHAP. 13. Of Scowrings and their vses SCowrings are also another thing wherein this Art is abused and the horses glory much darkened for thereby his body is made an Apothecaries Shop to receiue such vnnaturall drugs as doth weaken it and deject his courage which Art doth chiefly tend to maintaine And also it is a further abuse by those which assume to apply a The cause of the abuse of Scowrings scowrings to a horse that neither know his disposition nor the operation of them no nor yet the cause and time wherefore and when they should be ministred And yet they thinke that if they can but talke of giuing a scowring they should bee esteemed with the best and so indeed many are but their 2. Pra. 9. esteeme is farre aboue their deserts for through such ignorance they make horses that are sound and of an able body by The euent of the abuse nature to bee weake tender and apt to take surfets vpon the least occasion as heereafter shall be showne for they conceit their knowledge so much as they thinke to make him sounder b Thinking is no knowledge 2. Pr. 11. then nature can worke but by such vncertaine grounds they hinder the strength of it Like those men that if they doe but feare a sicknesse presently betake them to Phisicke though Nature had strength enough to preuent it whereby they are Note made the sooner sicke and makes their bodies more subiect to diseases their pores being opened by it But I would not be so vnderstood that though I speake of the abuses of Phisick I vtterly disallow therof for it is a most excellent iudicious Art that iudgeth of the nature operation of simples which receiue their vertues from the heauenly powers so are to be esteemed as Gods instruments whom he hath ordayned for the preseruation of bodily health and the wiseman sayth Honor the Phisitian with that honor that is due vnto him because Eccle. 28. 1. 3. 4. 7. of necessity for the Lord hath created him And the knowledge of the Phisitian lifteth vp his head and in the sight of great men he c Scowrings are good in their true vse shall be in admiration for the Lord hath created Medicines of the eaâ—th and he that is wise will not abhor them For with such doth
he heale men and â—aketh away their paines Neither that I disallow of scowrings for Horses for they are Of the abuse of diet also needfull and necessary but I speake against the abuse of them being vsed without necessity and practised by those that haue no knowledge but vse their fancy without feare or wit Scowrings needfull through scantenesse of meate But through their ignorance they are caused to be more necessary the horses body being distempered by them and againe they are caused to be more needfull through the scanting him of his food in that they will not giue him enough to 1. Pra. 6. satisfie nature and so the retentiue part not hauing sufficient substance after the meaâ—e is concocted the expulsiue part doth d deny its office to expell the excrements whereby it is retained They are vrged also through hot spices so long within the body that it doth heate and dry and so the body is made costiue Or else there is the greater necessity of them by ouerheating the body in giuing him Anise-seeds liquoras and such like to cause him haue as they say long 1. Pra. 12. â— 6. wind that so also the body is bound and becommeth euil affected being food contrary to a Horses nature The effect of abuse of diet And then forsooth to excuse their ignorance affirme the cause thereof to be the hot disposition of the Horse and therefore must haue a scowring the more to afflict and punish The reasons him so that this order of dieting if it be rightly considered is not preseruatiue but rather destructiue For first it hindereth nature by restraining him of his food 1 that it cannot receiue that strength and nourishment it should Secondly it is hindered in that he cannot haue that rest and 2 full feeding the day after his labour which is a meanes to help his strength and lust but he is distempered by scowrings and disquieted of his rest which is worse vnto him then his former daies labour Thirdly it weakneth the Horse for there is no scowring but 3 If it worke vpon the body it is Phisicall and should bee ioyned with rest but here is a double persecution one day to labour and another to take scowrings Fourthly it openeth the pores and his interior organs that he 4 is more apt the next day to take cold going abroad before he get strength and his body be perfect And lastly it is opposite to Art for if the Horse be sound as 5 this must be supposed it weakneth nature by violence not giuing her liberty and time to free her selfe but will force a dissolution before there be any and so hindereth nature which Art tendeth to maintaine for so long as a Horse is strong and lusty Theo. 1. nature hath ability of it selfe to expell her enemies after they be once dissolued Wherefore to leaue these and such like grosse errors to those which doe affect them I would counsell those that wil be counselled to vse such diet as shall keepe their Horses in the best state and health for by that meanes Nature will haue the greater power ouer her enemies which is such feeding as I haue formerly set forth For as Kitching Phisicke is best for a man In the last Chapter except he be dangerously sick so is this natural diet for a horse and vse no restraint but let him be his owne caruer for he will 1. Pr. 2. l eate no more then will suffice nature and it wil keep his body in good temper for I haue seldome seene that those horses which are full fed with such meate to be subiect to costiuenesse and therfore I conclude that those horses which are sound strong need little other scowrings then good meate and their fill of it if they be also ordered as they should when they come into the stable But because no man can treade a path so sure but his foote may He that is much in action shall sometimes miscarry sometimes slip because danger is a companion of labours and likewise no horse though he be neuer so sound but is naturally subiect to sicknesse and diseases and likewise disaster accidents may happen though the man bee neuer so circumspect for as oftentimes a man taketh a sickenesse or a cold which himselfe cannot tell how nor when euen so may a horse and yet the man not know till he perceiue it by some euent because the knowledge None but God knoweth things truely before they happen of man is comprehended in things after they chance and that the sight of his eyes is no substance of light whereby it might penetrate into other substances but onely a procliuity to receiue light from another by accident and so can see no further then the accidents of any thing Therefore because I will not passe from one extreame and goe to another but touch the meane I will not sleight them ouer The meane betwixt the extreames is the best as needlesse seeing they are good in their true vse but will set downe such scowrings as I haue found good by reason and experience and referre them that loues the multiplicity of them to Maister Markhams workes where they may satisfie their desires with variety Wherefore if at any time through a soaring conceipt you Which neglect is not greatly to be excused shall giue your Horse such a strong and sore heate that you finde it hath distempered his body and it becommeth hard and bound so that nature must haue reliefe or else it will turne to a greater euill you shall take Rye meale or the crummes of the A scowring made of Rye and Butter 2. Pra. 12.f. Rye-bread afore expressed in the last Chapter but the Rie crummes I rather preferre and worke it with as much fresh and sweet Butter as will make it like paste and make balls of it to the quantity of a Walnut and giue foure or fiue of them in the morning fasting and then hauing his clothes trust fast about him and wadded round with wispes get vpon his backe and gallop him gently in some greeue close or yard till he beginne to sweat vnder his eares then haue him into the Stable and rub him well and couer him warme letting him stand vpon the bridle an houre or more After giue him a quantity of your Rye bread and let him stand some two houres letting him haue a little hay in his Racke to chaw vpon as his stomacke shall serue then giue him a warme mash to drinke after feed him with prouender 2. Pra. 10. or bread as much as he will and so let him rest giuing him sufficient store of haye in his racke Now this scrowring is so gentle that it doth nothing abate the strength of the Horse and it hath that vertue and operation The vertue and profit of this scowring as it will coole his body and will scoure and purge him of all such glut and
bad humors as are disolued in him But if hee haue taken a cold through which or any other cause he begin to be sicke and forsake his meate then you shall take halfe an ounce of Diapente and brew it with a pint of the best Maligosacke A scowring of Diapente and Sacke and giue it him in the morning and vse him in his exercise as afore onely in stead of your Rye bread you shall giue him other bread or beanes and â—ates or cleane oates which he hath most desire to this scowring I haue found the best though there be many other for it will comfort his stomacke and sharpen his appetite and will purge him from what grease or humors The excellency of this scowring soeuer though it hath beene long in his body for I applyed it to a Horse that hath beene so farre spent as hee was almost without hope of recouery hauing forsaken all meate and could scarcely stand and yet in short time after he had it recouered his strength and appetite and it is so soueraigne and comfortable that you may vse it if necessity require two or three mornings together But because this Diapente is rare and not ordinary to be had in euery Apothecaries shoppe I will set downe in another place the making thereof that you may be sure to haue that which is good to vse at your owne pleasure There is also another scowring which is highly commended A scowring for him to be put to his water when he drinketh by Maister Markeham which although I haue had no experience of yet I will set it downe that others may vse it as they shall find the operation thereof Take of Anise-seeds three ounces of Cummin-seed sixe drammes of Carthamus a dramme and a halfe of Fenegreeke seed one â—unce two drammes of Brimstone one ounce and a halfe beate all these to a fine powder and searse them then take of Sallet oyle a pint and two ounces of Hunny a pound and a halfe and White wine foure pints make all into a strong stiffe past with as much wheat meale as shall suffice and worke it well keep this paste in a linnen cloath for it will last long and at night after you come from Hunting and your Horse is thirsty take a Ball thereof as bigge as a mans fift and dissolue it into a gallond or two of cold water which will turne the colour like Milke and offer it to your Horse in the darke least the colour displease him which if he refuse care not but let him fast till hee take it which hee will doe in twice or thrice offering and after hee hath once taken it hee will drinke it before any other water Thus farre Maister Markeham Which drinke as he saith your Horse can neuer take too much nor too oft of it if he haue exercise otherwise it feedes too fast and that it is a present remedy from all inward infirmities whatsoeuer and therefore wisheth no Horseman to be without it for it will last three or foure months CHAP. 14. Of Making a Match for Hunting BEcause there are many that take great delight in this noble sport of Hunting and for the loue and delight they take in their horses are desirous to defend their speed and valour with the price of their purses in making of matches for their glory I will as plainely as I can set downe the true grounds of making a match that they may haue the better assurance of their iudgement No truth can be gathered by vncertain ties For there are and hath beene so many deceiued herein for that they haue no certainty to worke vpon but relye vpon flying reports and conceited fantasies that this generous exercise is much darkened and is accounted but chance or fortune being as it were led in darkenesse by other mens ignorance whereby they haue receiued such damage and losse that they condemne all those that delight therein as prodigall and vaine to hazard so much vpon such vnstable delights But to purge this Art from the dregges of such false imputations All Arts of themselues are true know that the cause of such vncertaine grounds doth not proceed from the Art for all Arts simply of themselues are grounded on the truth but from the pretended knower The 3. Epist â—â— the Reader which will be a follower of his owne will without reason or premeditation and flatter his owne fantasie in thinking his Horse doth flye if he runne but vpon any reasonable speed and that he is whole running when hee will not runne a quarter of a mile at the height of his speed without a sob Wherefore to worke the more surely before you attempt to Obseruations in matching make any match obserue first that you traine your horse after such hounds as are very swift and speedy and then if you can 1 Traine after swift hounds at any time command them vpon deep or light earths then you shall the lesse doubt of his speed and toughnesse 2 Theo. 20. 33. 34 Secondly haue a care that hee carry a firme body and that hee handle his legges aptly vpon seuerall earths and that hee bee at such command of his mouth that hee will ride at what 1. Pra. 21. 2. Pr. 6. rate your discretion shall direct Thirdly that hee be whole running so that hee will runne a 3 Of whole running traine-sent or a feure miles course without slacking his speed to sobbe which he will doe if he be so truly trayned as he should for then the motion of his wind will agree so reciprocally with Thâ—o 31. 32. the motion of his body that hee will runne so slightly that his winde will answer to euery stroke hee striketh with his legges without iarre though he be at his full speed whereas if hee The cause of false running 2. Pr. 8.d. bee vsed to slacke his speed whilst hee lets his winde rake he will looke for it and then if hee bee ouertopt with speed and cannot haue that liberty hee will settle suddainly like a Iade But whereas it is holden that one horse cannot both bee Obiection swift and tough and therefore not possible by Art to reduce a 2. Pr. 7.n. horse to both those qualities I answer that opinion is crept Answer in for want of knowledge in the Art for it being inuented to support and maintaine nature if a horse haue any naturall inclination to speed it doth not onely helpe to increase but also to husband it so as hee will spend no more of it then shall be necessary 2. Pr. 7. p. and then hee will stil reserue some till the time that hee Theo. 20. 34. Chap. should most vse it which thing I dare confidently affirme this Tractate rightly vnderstood will effect Now of matches in hunting they are either traine-sents and Of hunting matches the Wild-goose-chase or else traine-sents and a Bell-course either single or double that
quantity of Rye bread to coole his body and to keep it in temper And for his daies rest vse him in all things as is said afore onely Pra. ibid. 10. 11. if he be somewhat longer abroad euening and morning to ayre it will sharpen his appetite by reason his vitall heate will be the more retayned in his body to cause concoction but let 1. Pra. 6. him not goe forth too early nor stay forth too late but so as he may haue benefit of the Sunne morning and euening to refresh Of the last fortnight and comfort him And for the last fortnight let him be vsed for his daies both of labour and rest as in the former sauing that his exercise must be more moderate and therefore to increase both his spirit and winde let him haue of the best bread and feed him there with exceedingly euen as much as hee will eate for if hee be in any good case afore this will make his winde more pure and quicken his courage and for change of meate giue him of the best white or cut oates for they haue the most substance to giue strength for the skegge oate is so light The difference in oates that they yeeld no such strength and are so full of hulles and chaffe that they oppidate or hinder his winde And let them be dryed in the Sunne and beat in a cleane bagge and then winnoâ—ed and picked from all dust and filth and for variety if you wash them sometimes in strong Ale they will be very comfortable Ale is comfortable for though it is holden that it causeth pursiuenesse yet such a quantity doth no hurt but good for it will reuiue his spirits and cause him to sleepe the better Thus you shall feed him to as great lust as you can letting him haue haye in his racke till a day before his Match and then giue him no more that he may haue time to digest it that so it may be auoyded with the excrements except it be a little in your hand to scowre his teeth after you haue fed him with bread with which you shall feed him very well the day before he runne and giue him a reasonable supper that he goe not too empty into the field for such a daies worke will aske substance to maintaine strength Likewise giue him a quantity of bread in a little ale before he goe into the field for that will make him chearefull and so let him be led into the field referring the successe to Gods good blessing CHAP. 16. Obseruations in running VVHen as you are come into the place where you are to 1 His hoofes would be pickt beginne your Traine-sents you shall first picke his feete that there be no grauell nor stones to annoy him betwixt his hoofes and the shoes and scrape all the dirt or clay round 2 His legges chafed about the vpper part of his hoofes off and wipe them cleane then chafe his legges very well and for his saddle and bridle they would be made fit before hee come to the field being a 3 The saddle furniture answerable light saddle well sinewed stand sure on his back without hurting with a couple of wollen girths because they will not be so subiect to chafe as if they were of girth-webbe and they will giue more liberty to his body for his wind to passe more easily the stirrops and lethers strong and sure but yet so light as is possible being let forth to the iust length of your seat that you may behaue your selfe more artificially for the ease both of your selfe and your Horse For if they be too short you can neuer Theo. 13. hold a firme seat your kees being kept from their true place so that if you leape you wil either be in hazard of dismounting or else sit so loose that the vncertainty of your body will be more Theo. 14. trouble and hinderance to him then his leape if you serued him accordingly And surther you cannot haue liberty to spurre when and as occasion shall be offered And againe if they be too long you cannot haue any stay of them to helpe your horse when he beginneth Theo. 24. to be weake and likewise it will be hard for you to Theo. 15. 17. keepe your stirrops which to loose is disgracefull Likewise that the reines and head-stall of the bridle be made sure to the snaffle that there be no miscariage through neglect and that the snaffle hang in the true place of his mouth then he 1. Pra. 15. being vncloathed mount vpon him and seat your selfe truely in your seat and take your reines to such a proportionate length as you may command your Horse without mouing your seat holding your switch downe by your right fide with the poynt backe-ward like a sword and with your elbowes close to your 1. Pr. 17. sides yeeld your body somewhat forward houlding your feet straight in your stirrops and so beginne your businesse chearefully Note that when you switch or spurre your Horse you haue a Theo. 6. care to keepe your seate firme for a little disorder in your selfe will cause a greater in the Horse especially when his strength is weakened and therefore when you switch doe not fetch your hand so farre as to remoue your elbow much from your side but lifting your hand vp towards your eare bring it suddenly How to switch downe and strike him with a short iert for that will be shâ—rper then if it were further fetched and strike him in the flancke for there the skinne is tenderst and thinnest Neither when you spurre doe not fetch your legges farre to strike him on the side How to spurre like a mallet for then the calues of your legges will so beat him on the sides that they will force his winde as if they would driue it out of his body And beside you shall in so doing loose your seate But when you spurre you shall fetch your legge no Theo. 6. further then your ordinary seating and bring your spurres quick to his sides with the strength of your legges from the knees downeward for I am sure it will be so sharpe as to draw blood and then also you will spurre so couertly as your aduersary will hardly perceiue and spurre him not vnder the fore ribs neare his heart till you be driuen to the last refuge Note that if there be any forceable wind that ye be mindfull to ride for the best aduantage of your Horse that is if the winde be on your face when your aduersary leadeth then to Aduantage taken by the winde blowing ride so close to him that his Horses bodie may breake the force of it from yours and yeeld your selfe so low that his body also may shelter your body which will greatly helpe the strength of your horse And likewise if it bee on your backe ride so behind him that your Horse may haue the force of
wished to giue him a quantity of prouender in the morning before his water you shall giue this nothing except it be a new layd egge or two downe his throat before he goe forth to be ayred at the end of which fortnight if you perceiue that hee hath gotten an able and strong body and that the beanes cause pursiuenesse so that he sweateth too much in his breathing courses you shall for the last fortnight take the beanes cleane away except he be a dainty feeder which then you shall vse sometimes still to stirre 2. Pr. 12. vp his appetite and feed him with the best bread prescribed for the hunter very soundly for it is very strong and of good digestion and helpeth the winde But whereas before you needed but to chip the bread you shall this fortnight cut the crusts cleane away and giue them to some other horse for they are hard of digestion and will heate and dry his body too much And for change of meate instead of beanes and oates you shall giue him cleane oates but let them be of the best and Oates well dusted and washt with whites of egges are excellent feeding well dried first in the Sunne and put into a cleane cloath or bag and batte them throughly with a cudgell then fanne or winnow the hulles and dust away that is raysed by beating after take the whites of so many new layd egges as you shall thinke good for the quantity of Oates as if two pecks then halfe a score or a dozen and wash the oates therein and dry them in the Sunne againe and giue them your horse as you shall see best for this is both a light feeding and most soueraigne for his Of moist washt meats winde And giue him also oates washt in two or three whites of egges at a time and Ale beat together for that wil coole his 2. Pra. 15. body and keepe it moyst and is also good for the wind though some hold it a pursiue feeding With these meates you shall feede him the last fortnight sometimes with one and sometimes with another but let bread be 2. Pra. 12. his cheife feeding giuing him euery meale so much as he will but onely the night before you intend to giue him his breathing course in the morning when you shall feede him more sparingly that his stomacke may be empty lest if you giue him Note his heate before his meate be concocted the excesse of heate cause too sudden digestion and so oppresse the stomacke with raw crudities and cause sickenesse or loathing the meat either of which is sufficient for the losse of a match And for that fortnight also you shall the day before his breathing When to musle your horse day put a musle of Canuas vpon his mouth hauing two holes before his nostrells to receiue winde and let it not be too straite but that he may haue liberty to open his mouth freely and let it haue two strings to reach to the top of his head and tye behind his eares to keepe him for rubbing it off But if hee be a sore and grosse feeder that he will eare his litter or gnaw the racke or walles let him weare it the whole fortnight except When to mussle a ketty feeder it be the night after his breathing course which then howsoeuer he is let him feed at his owne pleasure both of haye and bread that night for the haye will doe him no harme so it be sweet and cleane dusted for it will be cleane digested out of his body before the next breathing day through which liberty he will so fill his belly and take his rest so kindly not hauing any thing to disquiet him that he will be so fresh and lusty the next day as if he had done nothing the day before but after you shal let him haue no more hay but onely a little which he shall pull 2. Pr. 15. out of your hand to clense his teeth after his feeding And thus you shall continue in all things till the match day without altring or changing any thing lest likewise you alter and change his body by vnacquainted and strange foode for you shall finde by his heates that hee will make a true course vpon this feeding But for putting oatemeale butter or Anise-seeds in the bread I hold they may be better spared then vsed for any good or profit they yeeld for though oatemeale be strong yet it is so Oatemeale is a solid substance and a drier solide that it is not so quick of digestion nor so sprity as wheate and it is also a great drier vp of bloud so that the bread will be too much costiue hauing a double proportion of dry food to that of moyst for there will be both it and wheate drying and but onely beanes moystniâ—g and likewise there will be a double proportion of a densit or solide quality to one of Asper or light for both it and beanes are heauy and onely wheat Phisi de materialis light through which it will be so ponderous that it will lye Vnumquodque enim natura et suasponte in suo simile gaudet in his stomacke and not digest so soone as it would doe if wheat had the predominant quality as it should indeed because it giueth more quicknesse and spirit agreeing the nearest to the horses disposition And for butter I see no reason why there should be any put Butter will make bread heauy in for though it may be held soluble yet it is an vnnaturall â—â—ssoluter and besides it will make the bread heauy and sad and so hinder digestion as afore as the experience of such cakes and crusts which haue it put into them doe approue And for 1. Pr. 6. 2. Pr. 13. 22. Anise-seeds I haue spoken sufficiently already working more damage by ouer heating the body and drying it then they doe good in helping the winde And likewise there is a pretended curiosity in dressing the meale so often till it be refined to the purest substance thinking by such pure foode to bring him to his superlatiue excellency but in this they passe the limits of reason in following a conceipted curiosity rather them conducted by a carefull aduise to consider what hinderance it might bring For herein they stray What damage meale too fine dressed bringeth also out of the true path for when the meale is so very fine dressed there remaineth nothing but the chiefe and pure substance which though it may be made very light by putting good store of barme in it yet when it is once aboue a day old it will dry and harden extremely as may be seene by manchet or fine white bread for that the greatest part thereof must be 2. Pra. 12. wheate and if oatemeale be in it it will dry and cake the more by reason of its density and aridity whereby it will be compact so close for want of asperity that the heate
is preseribed according to your owne discretion CHAP. 25. How to iudge of the state of a Horses body BEcause no man can tell how to worke truely vpon any subject except hee haue a iudiciall and good ground and that no horseman can tell how to bring his horse to his best actions and keepe him in health except he haue iudgement in the state of his body thereby to square all his proceedings Theo. 30. Therefore I will giue you some light how to haue the surer iudgement thereof to peirce the thicke mist that might seeme to infect it by the contrary surmising breathings of such as are swallowed in the gulfe of conceipt being driuen therein by the waues of their ouerflowing opinions For there are many of this rancke so soone as they come into the stable and doe but feele vpon the outward parts as the ribbe flancke and â—aw Rash iudgement reproued will in a rash iudgement giue verdict vpon the state of a horses body and so assume to themselues more firme knowledge therevpon then hee that hath both the feeding and training him But how deceiptfull the euidence is that is giuen by the meere tactiue senses is briefly touched already for the taâ—â—able 2. Pr. 7. sense can giue no further euidence then onely of the outward superficies for no quality of the senses can goe but to the surface of any thing and therefore cannot show the disposition of his inward state Wherefore when you your selfe haue the whole managing of Theo. 7. the horse and know that you doe nothing without reasonable consultation assure your selfe that your Iudgement will weigh How to know his state of body 2. Pra. 18. 24. against a thousand other Which that you may haue the better ground examine your selfe whether you haue proceeded truely in his training and so whether you finde him to haue strength and lust to performe his breathing courses and whether you haue fed him full and home as you should likewise whether you haue not abated his strength by too great toyle 2. Pr. 12. 15. 23. 24. or increased pursiuenesse by too little which things are the true grounds being examined by reason and yet they are hid from many that may come into the stable as strangers you only hauing euidence by action But yet vnderstand mee so as not vtterly to condemne the former Characters for they are true sometimes though not alwayes One thing doth not proue another reciprocally except they bee contradictories and so no sure proofe of his estate but a signe thereof for hee may feele cleane in those places and yet not cleane otherwise within but if hee be cleane within then it doth necessarily follow hee will bee cleane there for the grosse fat and glut may be dissolued from the outward parts by gentle breathings and warme cloathing or by a spare and scant feeding which are deceitfull but then when he shall come to be tryed indeed hee will bee so pursiue and thicke winded that he cannot maintaine and hold his speed for want of true labour and so the manner of clensing is knowne to your selfe but hid from them and so they may be deceiued for though he feele cleane yet they cannot tell how he was clensed And in like manner the dung being simply respected may The dung is a meritrix as the vrine of a man is be said to be a Meritrix for the knowledge of the state of his body as well as the water of a man to know his state of body by for it will alter according to his diet and as hee feedeth much or little or by the alteration of the ayre and yet continue in good state of body for I haue seene it alter vpon the alteration of weather which being temperate hee being in good state hath also dunged very good but the ayre changing from that disposition his dung hath also changed to bee It is the nature of heat to shrink from cold and so contra whether of them is predominant drye and hard and yet no change of meate nor exercise in the interim nor change of countenance to show any male-affect in the body which made me iudge the cause to be in the coldnesse of the ayre that did imprison his naturall heat within him and so dryed and made his body costiue And further I haue seene a horse that when he was led for his course which hath dunged so hard that all the field hath past a definitiue iudgement against him and yet he hath returned conquerer though he was thought ouer-hard matched and a man may be bound in his body but feele no impediment thereby Wherefore if your horse chance to be bound if you know it is not vpon any doubtfull cause and that he hath not beene long so or that his Of two euills the least is to be chosen countenance is not cast downe or his belly not shrunke vp in the wast yet hee may make a good course for of the two it is better he should be hard then soft and therefore as it is so it is doubtfull to be iudged of But if his body be laxatiue and his dung soft then it is an infallible Soft dung argueth weakenesse signe of weaknesse because nature is hindred by purging howsoeuer others hold and therefore whether the cause thereof bee knowne or vnknowne to you it will soone weaken and therefore preuent it so soone as is possible as an enemy to nature And also if it bee greasie and slimy after his heat it is a signe of foulenes and here it bringeth into my mind to answer a doubt which I heard opposed betwixt two and Obiection the question was because that a horses dung is greasie after his heat whether there were any fat growing on the inside where the excrements are or no To which I answer briefly no for Answer if it were so the expulsiue part could not haue force to expell the excrements because they would be hindred from passage by the roughnesse of the knots and thereby retained so long therein as it would burne and scald the body and when the horse were fatte hee could not auoyd his excrements at all by reason it would grow so much as it would stop the passage and so cause an vtter subuersion Obiection And againe it was objected if it were so how commeth that glut into the inner part which auoydes amongst the excrements Answer I answere that as nature hath giuen an attractiue faculty to disperse the nutriment of the food from the retentiue part into euery part of the body to nourish and maintaine the same passing through the arteries veynes and pores euen so likewise hath it giuen an expulsiue faculty to expell from euery part any excrement that might offend or hurt it by thâ— same meanes and so that fat when it is dissolued is but an excrement which nature expelleth by those organes in that place to bee expelled with
case I would not wish you should giue him this kinde of sweate after the last fortnight for it will weaken him so much as that will be time little enough to recouer himselfe But for the last manner of sweating I will spend no time about it because I would not wish any to vse it for that horse which is so lame that he will not indure to gallop in his cloaths till hee sweat is not fit for any man to hazard money on except hee haue so much hee careth not what becommeth of it CHAP. 27. The applying of Scowrings to a running Horse IN regard I haue spoken sufficiently of the abuses and inconueinences of needles Scowrings where I intreated of the hunting Horse likewise haue set downe those which I haue found 2. Pr. 13. by experience to be most auayleable to clense him from such glut or grease that might be caused by grosse feeding or excesse of labour I will not here recapitulate them againe but onely show how those may be applyed in like manner to the Courser Wherefore vnderstand that in this aswell as in the other if you giue him his naturall feeding with true riding and also 2. Pr. 22. 15. 18. 23. 13. haue care to vse him orderly after his heates and to keepe his body from distemperature by drugges or spices then hee will be the lesse needfull of Scowrings But yet if you perceiue by any of the afore said characters that his body is foule costiue or euill affected and that you conceiue Idem 15. Nature is not able of herselfe to ouer-come the same but that they still continue and increase then for the preuenting of a further mischiefe you may giue him such a Scowring as the necessity of the cause requireth Therefore if it be onely The application of scowrings the binding in the body then you may giue him that Scowring of Rye crummes and butter and likewise if you perceiue that the cause ariseth from some glut that was dissolued but not expelled 2. Pra. 18. Idem 25. then you shall giue him another heate to dissolue it anew and giue him an ounce of Diapente brewd in a quart of Ale warme but if it be a cold then giue him two mornings together halfe an ounce of Diapente brewed in a pint of Mallago-Sacke each morning warme or if he be low of flesh and a small feeder you may if you please giue him a ball the quantity of your fist of that past there prescribed dissoluing it into 2. Pra. 18. his water Any of which you shall apply to your Horse the next morning after his breathing course fasting and after vse him in all respects as is there set downe But giue it him so as he may haue two whole daies to feed and rest to recouer his strength before the next breathing day Many other scowrings I might set downe that are in vse amongst good Horsemen and I my selfe haue also vsed but because Many other scowrings good which are nor here expressed I would not haue you vse any but vpon necessity and that I will not trouble you with such varieties although many of them are good I haue contented my selfe with these few hauing found them of sufficient operation referring them to Maister Markhams first treatise and his Cauallarice which delight in varieties Or if any be so curious as to thinke that Nature is not prouident enough for preseruing of health without their assistance thinking by drugges and drenches to preuent sicknesse before there be any appearance of it let them repayre to Maister Morgans Morgan 41. 58. 59. 60 61 62. ca. workes where they may haue such varieties as they shall neuer neede to be out of Action for preuenting of diseases from the time of their foaling till they be dead but by such meanes they shall finde by experience that in shunning of Silla they will fall into Charibdis for in seeking to preuent one mischiefe that is doubtfull or long in conceiuing they will cause many more certaine and sooner by diuerting his body from its naturall constitution in hindring Nature with such Phisicall potions CHAP. 28. Generall Rules to be noted before you runne YOur last fortnight being expired and the appointed time come wherein you are to try the euent of your successe you shall some two dayes before the race day wash his mane and taile very cleane with warme water and sope and plate them in small plates against the race day and the day before the race let your horse bee shod that hee be not disquieted in the morning before he runne and that hee may bee the better acquainted with them before the race but let them bee such shooes as shall be best agreeing to the race which if it bee a How to shooe your Horse for a race soft moore or swarth let them be but thinne plates or halfe shooes like a halfe Moone but if it bee hard and grauelly let them bee whole shooes but yet so light as is possible to haue strength to support his body and see you giue him his full feeding that day till night which when after hee is come from ayring after you haue rubd his legges well you shall annoynt them with Sheepes-foot oyle Linseed-oyle What Oyles are best to supple his legges or Whale-oyle and giue him an indifferent supper of bread but no more that night and the next morning haue him out to ayre somewhat earlier then you were accustomed that he may empty his body of that which is digested and to refresh 2. Pra. 21. his spirits then after he is come in giue him a little quantity more the value of a two penny wheaten loafe steeping it in Ale or Beere for as if he be too full it will hinder and endanger his winde so if hee bee too long fasting and empty his stomacke will be opprest with moistnesse and so cause faintnesse in his labour which after hee hath eaten musle him and shake vp his litter and shut your stable close letting him take his rest till the time come that he is to be led into the field At which time after he is drest and his legges well chaft take How to prepare your horse for the field his Saddle and pitch the pannell and girths with shoomakers waxe to preuent all dangers by the loosenesse hauing a care that the stirrops be fit for you and the bridle for his head then take a cleane linnen sheete and lay it handsomely next his body for neatnesse then lay on the rest of his cloathes and fasten 2. Pra. 20. them on with the sursingle and wadde him round as afore and if you haue not a cloth for the purpose take a couering and throw aboue all for decentnesse and make it fast before his brest and vnder his belly Then vnplate his mane and tayle and frisle them for that will bee a great beauty to him then giue 2. Pra. 24. him a mouthfull or
two of bread and Ale againe and so lead him to the course with all gentlenesse euer prouoking him to empty his body so much as you can Then when you are come to the place of start rub his legges very well and vse him in all things as you did the hunter Then 2. Pr. 16. hauing a bottle of Ale or Beere take some in your mouth and spirt some into his mouth and nostrills for that will make him cheerefull and strike into his head to make him sneese and open his pipes for receipt of winde And if you haue any Vinegar in the field throw some vpon his coddes if he bee stoned for that will coole them and make him gather them into his body then put backe his cloathes and mount your selfe and set Eadem forward as is said performing your Course with iudgement and discretion CHAP. 29. The Epilogue THus gentle Reader I haue at last finished the plantation of this Vineyard of Horsemanshippe wherein I haue taken the greater paines so to pare and dresse it that the weedes should not grow therein to choke those impes that are nourished in it and to pluck vp those which had so ouer-growne it that there could bee no tract found to giue delight to such as desire to walke and recreate themselues in that pleasant groue And for thy good I haue made that common which might haue withered in the graue being at the first selected to my selfe for my owne priuate meditation In which Tractate as thou maist see the cause of all restiffe qualities that are found in any horse is disobedience and the 1. Pra. 26. cause of that was mans transgression at the beginning and so they would haue beene altogether without vse if there were Theo. 1. not some meanes of restitution to their primary estate by Art the desire of which was the cause that this Art was inuented Theo. 26. Theo. 3. Pr. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. Theo. 8. 2. Pr. 7. And the cause of the intricatenesse of this Art is ignorance wherewith all man was also inuested that the first which did so obscure his knowledge that he could not see how to worke directly by gentlenes but sought indirect meanes by violence and the cause of that is because man is led after his owne will which worketh according as the exterior senses doe giue euidence by the exterior parts And also that the cause of reducing a horse to his best obedience is the reforming of mans corrupt qualities by subjecting Theo. 8. 9. Theo. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. Et multis alijs his will and all his passions to be gouerned by reason to make the whole horse agree both in action and motion together in his interior and exterior parts being gouerned by the man that both man and horse may be said to bee but one body because the man is a reasonable creature and hath the gouernment of the horse and the faculty of discipline to bring a reciprocall concord All which I haue indeuored to explaine as methodically and as plainely as I can for I confesse that my imperfections are so great for wit learning and wririting that I am farre vnable to discharge and performe such an intricate enterprise as my good intension hath vndertaken yet I had rather vtter my barbarous A good intension excuseth Barbarisme rudenesse to lay open the abuses thereof then with a fearfull silence to haue the truth defaced wherein though sometimes I may misse the marke yet I haue not shot so farre as to be condemned of detestable error Therefore I desire thee learned and iudicious Reader that if I haue past any thing obscurely that may seeme doubtfull vnto Nature hath not giuen excellency in all things to one man the weak and simple Reader through the harshnesse of method for I oftentimes conceited more then I could well vtter to assist him with thy vnderstanding and knowledge least being in doubt hee take the wrong path and wander out of the way But for Calumnies which wound and diminish others fame by words and strikes and peirces through other mens workes by the all peircing darts of their venomous tongues I aske neither ayd nor fauour of such a filthy and pernicious sect which cannot be auoyded Of the which Viperous kind Iustus Lipsius hath very worthily painted out whereby they may be discerned in their colours Iustus Lips de oratione calum for he holdeth them filthy and loathsome filthy in that they are base idle and pratling and so loathsome hauing the name of filthinesse base for that no generous and good spirit hath euer How Calumnies are said to be base beene stained with that spot but onely sad and maligne natures that enuy others and distrust themselues and so like little dogges barke at guestes which free minds commanded entertainment Secondly they are idle for no man hath leasure to enter into How they are said to bee idle other mens affaires that hath imployment of his own businesse but for want of that all their whole imployments are in walking and talking so that no report of any man can stand before them vnblemished or vnslandered but what should I repine at these seing neither King nor Counsel can be free from their idle braines for whatsoeuer is done by them either publike or priuate is by these censured and scourged And lastly they are pratlers for as they speake much so they speake much euill and all their talke is not only of some body How they are pratlers but against some body mingling things true and certaine with things vaine and vncertaine for they being ignorant busie themselues with those things to whose height their sense and vnderstanding cannot reach Now this Sect must needs be wicked and prodigious seeing they are begotten by such viperous monsters for Lying and The Parents of Calumniators Enuy are their Parents and Curiosity their Nurse for Lying aspires and animates Calumny without which it languisheth Lying their father for what Backbiter was there euer that contented himselfe with the truth in regard that so he hath no power to hurt for so hee should faile of his purposed end and therefore that they may wound the sorer they will not sticke to adde and attract others fame so that if there be any doubtfull speech or sentence they wil choose the worst sense and therefore as the Phisitions say of their cupping glasses that they draw out nothing but impure blood so I may truely say of a slanderer that hee neither attracts A Simile nor receiues any thing into him that is not euill And againe Enuy is their mother who in the malignant wombe of her wit conceiues and brings forth those impious infants Enuy their mother for they neuer seeke to defame meane and simple people but such as they see eminent in some extraordinary vertue or qualitie or in some other thing worthy of admiration And lastly Curiosity is their Nurse
to obedience And although it may be said that many such like horses haue beene approued iades I answere the cause thereof doth not arise from the horse but accidentally from the abuse of the Art through ignorance of the Man 1. Pr. 13.q. they hauing higher spirits then his apprehension could reach to command And for the other sort of Horses whose shape is in another kinde being aduersa for if it were contraria then it should be a 1 These Horses are of a more improper temper Monster cleane degenerating from nature if they be flat Ribd weake Fillited being very Spatious betwixt the short Ribs and the Huckle bone pinne Rumpt thin in the Gasking place narrow Brested shallow Chested short Necked thicke Crested cubbe Headded it being stuntly set on bangle Eard narrow Iawed pincke Eyed thin Faced little Nostrelles and a narrow Mouth or if his body and all his other parts be thicke and strongly set together then the man may Imagine that he is of a sad and dogged disposition Now although it is holden of most that these Horses thus shaped will neuer be brought to any good seruiceable vse for as it is said distortum vultum sequitur distortio morum Whereby many of curious spirits that take great delight both in these excellent subiects and also in this famous Art are mightily discouraged through the generall iudgement of the one and the abuse of the other that if they get not such a shaped horse all their labour and charge will be k Theo. 2. r s 28.f. lost Wherefore for the better incouragement if they seriously obserue in euery triall how many of such excellent proportionated Horses haue come to the worse they may easily alternate their minde and thinke that what defects may interpose nature in her worke by any accident except it be depriuation Art may helpe to make restitution which is the cause that the more vnlikely Horse doth oftentimes worse the more likely But it may be obiected that herein I make a contradiction in the Obiection proiect of this Chapter for how can a man know the goodnesse of the Horse by his shape seeing those which are esteemed of the best oftentimes proue the more Iades To the which I answere it is true if nature were as perfect now as at the first Answer then those Horses would be brought to perfecter obedience of themselues without any art but els if man had knowledge how to reduce them according to Art but since then all they as well as others are become disobedient and rebellious so that they Theo â— c l 1. Pr. 4. â— will neuer come to the height of their glory without true knowledge in the Art for want of which they suffer greatiniury and disgrace for I confesse that if Art were ioyned to nature they would far exceed the other for I hold it better that â— A horse must haue some thing ase as wel as in se a Horse hath something ase as well as in se for they would not onely please the eye for beauty more then the other but also giue better content to the minde when their goodnesse should be put to the touch-stone Now the cause that those horses which are defectiue are brought to better perfection then the other is this that they are more consonant to the nature of man then the other for man which should repaire this decay is likewise obscured in m Theo. 8.c. knowledge so that when any contrariety doth happen contrary to his expectation he following his will falleth into extreame passions whereby those horses which seeme to be more doggedly disposed by their shape are sometimes made more durable and pleasing then the other by violent correction but yet n Whatsoeuer is by chance is no Art and so one is no proofe herein they are not reformed by Art but by chance for if it happen that one proue to be good they fayle of their expectation in a dosen wherfore the approbation of some few of these may not applaud their knowledge in the Art that they haue more knowledge then they which fayleth in those sort which Aristotle are said to be of the best shape for it doth rather intimate their greater ignorance for as it is holden euery thing is destroyed by 1. Pra. 7. h his contrary and maintained by his like euen so although the better sort of Horses are disgraced by the contrariety of the Man yet his knowledge in this Art may parallel or exceed the other though hee by chance may bring that Horse being of such a disposition as is fitting for his cholerick nature to a better effect because violence not Art doth gaine the one it being agreeing to mans nature and patience with Art doth worke the other it being more repugnant thereto For as one of them o Art tendeâ— â— to the meane doth exeed in one extreame so doth the other sort in the other and it is the end of Art to bring both these excesses to a meane But if they obiect seeing those horses which are of grosser composition be more coherent to mans nature why are they Obiection not preferred before the other the answer is twofold the first is Man hauing an intellectiue knowledge by the instinct of nature Answer although much obscured knoweth that all things were made perfect at the first and so thâ—se horses which are Gen. 1. 31. p 1. Pra. 3.e. 1. Pr. 5.f. p All men are giuen to please the eye 2 of the beautifullest shape reason doth tell them that they are the nearest to the Creation and so chuseth them as they being most likely to proue the best and delightfullest to the eye most men desiring to please that sense in all things and so doe preferre them before the other they being more delightfull to the eye and more probable to yeeld content although very few know how to bring them to their perfection The second reason is that the nature of men is to desire to seeme wise and therefore will seeme to finde fault where they cannot amend and to shew their iudgement in chusing and not their knowledge in vsing to blind their owne ignorance q Ignorant men condemne nature for to excuse theÌ„selues for though they obserue a difference yet they know not the reason thereof And so generally condemne nature for making more horses without vse then with vse and likewise disgraceth the Art for want of know edge in her vse and so hold that those horses which are of this distorted composition are not confined within the compasse of Arts limitation because the concauity thereof doth ouerthrow the conuexity of their superficiall braine But to resolue the cause of this difference of their compositions is as I haue said from the temperature of the seed of which these sorts were generated for the food vpon which the indiuidium did feed being grosse made the seed so subtill that it could not
concurre so proportionably into euery part as the other which was more pure did in giuing shape and nutriment to the other sort and yet nature heerein is not imperfect but that she worketh not immediately as at r Nature is not imperfect but by accidents 1. Pr. 13.n. the first for then the food was naturally good and needed no Art for nourishment but now she worketh mediately from secondary causes and therefore if there bee not a reducement by Art nature will be defectiue in many things through the repugnancy of accidents but not so abortiue as Art cannot helpe to 1. Pr. 13.d. â— The earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pr. 4. â— reformation For though the earth at the first brought forth such fruites as would giue perfect nourishment of it selfe yet now through the curse it waxeth old and barren so that there must be Art for repayâ—ing by sowing and planting whereby it may bring forth better fruites for nutriment both to man The Application and beast then it of its owne nature would yeeld and therefore those horses which are begotten with such seed as is increased of that food the earth doth bring forth of it selfe can t Which Art is to gaine a restitution of obedience Theo. 20. â— Obiection Answer u Breeding doth not take away the knowledge of riding neuer bee of such excellent shape nor haue that courage of themselues as those which are repayred by Art Yet if any will further obiect that if the goodnesse of a horse doth consist so much in breeding then if they bee well bred they need lesse knowledge in the Art To which I answere it is true if they would worke obediently of themselues for though a man hath two pieces of wood to worke on if the one bee knotty and the other smooth if he choose the smooth for ease yet he must vse Art to bring it to proportion and so no horse whatsoeuer but hee must haue Art to gaine obedience And therefore against such curious inquisitors I conclude with the saying of Diogenes who being demanded why the charity of x Diogenes answer people extended towards the lame and blind and not to Philosophers because saith hee their doubt is as strong that they themselues may one day bee lame and blind as their hope is weake that they shall euer proue Philosophers So their doubt is strong to make obiections that they may the more cloake their owne ignorance by finding fault because their hope is weake that they shall euer attaine such knowledge to bee good Horsemen CHAP. 38. The necessity of Proportion BEcause I haue spoken so much of Proportion in this Theoricke Part of Horsemanship I will now shew the necessity thereof lest it may be thought a friuolous speech in this Art Theo 4. â— a No Art can stand without Proportion Theo 33. i because it neuer hath heretofore beene handled by any that hath as yet treated of this subiect But whether it be friuolous or no let any except he be wilfully blind iudge in regard that not onely this but also all other Arts and Sciences cannot stand without it For at the first Creation nothing was made something by proportion for thereby it receiued a forme or simile And the whole Fabrike of the world was composed altogether by iust proportion and euery one of the celestiall orbes the concaue of the vppermost including the conâ—exe of the innermost by such iust proportion that the cunning Astronomer can easily measure the true distance of euery Spheare by their Semidiamiters And further how could the Astronomers and Astrologers know the Apogeon and Perogeon of the Sunne and Moone and so the difference of their slow and swift motions with b Astronomers and Astrologers worke by Proportion their reuolutions periods coniunctions oppositions and the seuerall aspects of the Starres and Planets with their stations retrogradations exaltations detriments combustions c. And the time of the Ecclipse both of the Sunne and the moone by their reuolution concurring iustly in the two opposite Sections of Caâ—da and Caput Draconis and the difference of the Moones latitude with her Epicicle and many other obseruations were it not they obserued a proportion in their reuolutions and so made instruments and tables in iust proportion to the same And further to find the variable motions of the Moone with her full change and quarters and also the flowing and reflowing of the Seas if they did not find a proportionall course of them according to the Moones motion obserued by the like Tables in regard it is said to bee the Waters Paramore And againe for Horologie if the Gnomen be not made in true â— Of Horologie proportion to the eleuation of the Pole and the distance of houre lines drawne according to the obliquity of the Horizon and the Meridian so drawne that it may cut the Equinoctiall at right angles perpendicularly and then to take the substile according to the inclination declination or reclination of the murall the Diall will be very ridiculous and idle And further for a Clock if the plumbe of the minutes be not of such an equall c Theo. 35. g proportion that it doth ballance the reuolution of the houre wheele with the terme of time and the teeth of the nuts to bee in true proportion to the teeth of the wheeles and the center of the Axletrees to be equally distant to the Semidiamiters the clock will neither goe truely or run stedily Now although heere is sufficient demonstration for the necessary vse of Proportion yet I will a little further illustrate the excellency thereof it being that no Art nor Science can worke without it all which for to rehearse would be too tedious my Theo. 4. a. 33. â— memory too short but I will briefly touch some particulars and by the like all the rest may be imagined Now all Proportions of Arts and Sciences as Doctor Dee affirmeth doe arise from The Preface in Euclid Arithmeticke and Geometry as being inseperable twinnes and the head from whence all other doe flow and therefore d The Root from whence all Arts doe spring no man can shew the reason of any error in what Art soeuer except he haue vnderstanding in their principles For though a man may learne a trade by a liuely teacher yet if he be ignorant in them his knowledge is but blind in regard he goeth by directions And so hee differeth as Marcus Aurelius saith â— Prac. 5. a. â— Tradition is a Bestuall knowledge very little from a beast for that which they doe they doe as they were taught and cannot yeelde a reason for the same But for to show more plainely how all other Arts doe arise from these two it is either simple or mixt that is either by Arithmeticall or Geometricall proportion simply or else by them both coniunct for if it be vpon Arithmeticke simple Doct. d ee Euclid then it dealeth with numbers only so far as
the Spanish Iennet the Irish hobby and Arabian Couser is held both by Maister Blundeuill and Maister Markham to be the cheife for pacing And the next vnto them is the d A Bastard Stallion is very good bastard Stallion begotten by one of them on our English Mares which doth exceed either of them in toughnesse by reason of the apt composition of the purity of their substance in respect of their hot clime and the humidity of our more temperate zone Which my assertion the Lord of Northumberland for a pure Turke can approue the one and that Noble and famous Knight Sir Anthony Mildmay both for pure and Bastard Barbaries can witnesse the other for strength courage beauty and touchnesse out of which race I had rather haue a Horse for the effecting of any part of Horsemanship either vpon pawne of my life or reputation then of any other in this Kingdome hauing had such full experience of them Now when you haue gotten a Stallion of some of these races and would haue Mares also to cohere with them for to bring the perfectest Colts let them be of our â—nglish breed because they will adde a more firme knitting of all the parts of the colts but yet there ought to be a care that their shape should be as neare to the true shape as is possible because it is both the most beautifull and also the nearest by all probability to the primary e Theo. 33. p. creation to the restitution whereof all Arts were inuented Which should be of stature some-what large but not very high a small Head full Eye wide Nostrell a prick Eare though somewhat Long a firme and thinne Crest with a long and straight Necke being well compast in the cragge at the setting on of f Theo. 37.d. the Head a broad Brest deepe Chested a round Backe being Barrell-Ribde and the short ribs shut vp somewhat close to the Hucklebone the Buttocke somewhat long so it be proportionable a flat Legge and straight Foote and a hollow Hoofe to which proportion both for Sallions and Mares when you haue obtained you may resolue your selfe that you haue the perfection of nature and then if in proofe you faile of your expectation there is no fault in nature but in the abuse CHAP. 4. Of the courage of the Stallions and Mares BVt as for the courage of the Stallion if I shall any deale dissent in my iudgement from the opinion of others doe not vtterly condemne mee but weigh the differences and then I hope my opinion will be held the more tollerable with some for where as it is holden that those horses which wil be conteyned either within payle rayle or quickset especially if he haue any prospect are not sit for Stallions because they are not held to be of any great courage or gentle and good disposition but are reputed to bee of a fearefull and heauy weake nature which position I cannot hold good although set downe by one whom I much reuâ—rence First in regard of the great danger 1 â— What danger such Horses are in they are in for sticking or laming through their vnrulinesse And secondly it is not altogether a necessity of nature for it doth not frame euery indiuiduum either in the extreame of freenesse 2 An instance or dulnesse but some are composed in the meane difference or temperance as for example in colours it is not vpon necessity that there must be either white or blacke sith there may be either blew or greene or such like And lastly it is not consonant to reason for it doth teach that 3 b The meane is the best Theo. 28. g. c The best bred horses are soonest spoyled for want of knowledge Theo. 37. l the meane in all things is the best therefore those Stallions which are of such a feirce spirit and hot disposition are worse to breed vpon then a more temperate nature because those Colts that are so bred are more of them spoyled for want of knowledge in the Art then those which are held more dull they requiring greater iudgement to bring them to a gentle coÌ„mand of riding which thing grosse ignorance doth make too apparent for where one of those Horses is brought to his perfection there is twenty that are either spoyled or at the least a great deale of their beauty and valour darkned And againe if they be of such a dogged and cruell disposition that they will bite or strike â— A Stallion of a dogged disposition is not the best to breed on being of such a high spirit they are not to be so much commended for Stallions although in courage they be exalted in the Suparlatiue degree because of the great danger that may happen to a man by a horse of such an euill disposition in regard a mans life is to be held farre more pretious then the delight of many horses And therefore I commend the Barbary and the Turke aboue all other because they are for the most part of a milde and gentle disposition and of a meane temperature being refined by a porportionate heate of the Sunne to their f A Horse is naturally hot nature which maketh them of a good courage and apt to be brought to any reasonable obedience if the man hath knowledge in this Art to ioyne it to nature But if it be so that you cannot get a Stallion of such a temperate disposition as you desire as for the most part it happeneth for want of true obseruation in former races then for the better knowledge how you may bring your race of Colts to a meane courage which is the best you must obserue that if your g How to haue your Colts of a meane temperature Stallion be of a high spirit fierce then to chuse your Mares so neare as you can of the shape aforesaid but yet of a more milde and soft disposition but if hee bee more sober and not so full of spirit as you desire then haue a greater care that your Mares may be of a more free and quicke disposition g A simile Theo. 33.h. for as poyson of it selfe if it be not delayd will cause a confusion of the substance but if infused with other simples of contrary quality it is made restoratiue Euen so if both the indiuiduums be hot and fiery the Species must needes according to reason be more fierce for if two fires be added together they will h The Signes Planets haue operation in all sublunary bodies 1. Pr. 5. â— cause the greater heat But if the one be of one excesse and the other of another then it is likely the Species will participate the nearer to the meane whereby you shall receiue your hopefull expectation if it be not intercepted by the seuerall Aspects of the Signes and Planets which haue a continuall operation in all sublunary bodies at the time of their begetting by the 1. Cor. 3. 9. prouidence of God is the secondary
cause of the seuerall diuersities of euery indiuiduum and therefore Though Paul plant and Apollo water yet it is God that must giue the increase h 1. Pra. 13. â— Theo. 37. â— For although breeding by Art may helpe something towards the primary creation yet it can neuer make it perfect both for want of strength of the earth it waxing old and also through notious Aspects of the superior Orbes appoynted of God to worke Fatall ends to all liuing creatures for a punishment of mans disobedience CHAP. 5. Of the colour of the Stallions and Mares NOw because there is and hath beene so much diuersity of opinions touching the colours and markes of Horses some commending one colour and some another as characters whereby the goodnesse of a Horse may be knowne some affirming that the cause thereof proceeds from the complexions other some from the Elements and so are wedded to a traditionall opinion still desiring to retaine the first liquor their knowledge a Tradition is an enemy to knowledge Theo. 38. e was seasoned withall esteeming those Horses which are either Browne Daple-Bayes Daple-grayes White-lyards or Iet-blackes hauing their whites are holden the best Horses and so haue a strong implication of the goodnesse of the Horse by his colour And againe others seeing the former so drowned in the Whirle-poole of this erronious conceipt fearing least they should be ouerthrowne with the same waues haue split themselues vpon the rocke holding that the colour and markes of a Horse are of no greater note to iudge of his goodnesse then to M. Morgan iudge the goodnesse of a man by the wearing a Fether in his Hat and so would make naturall colours of no greater eminency then those that may be taken and left ad placitum at a Man 's owne pleasure Wherefore for the vnfoulding of these ambiguities and diuers opinions giue me leaue gentle Reader to set downe my opinion which I haue collected by experience for the enlightning b The Horses colour is to be respected as indifferent of the mindes of them which desire the knowledge of the truth For although the horses colour doth not absolutely giue testimony vnto vs of his goodnesse yet I say that it doth intimate vnto vs his disposition in some part as well as his shape doth For nature hauing no defect God being the Author thereof by his prouidence it doth frame euery part of the Metap same matter whereof the whole is formed and therefore the Colt being formed of the copulatiue seed of its Sire and Dam receiueth the same quality so farre as reason can teach of the foode that they did eate which did produce the seed wherefore e How the haire doth demonstrate the horses quality the hayre being an excrement doth receiue colour of that quality also participating of the same subiect and doth demonstrate partly the disposition of the Horse as the leaues of a tree doth the nature of it they being also its excrements For vpon this I dare pawne my credit if you haue a Colt either Bay Blacke Darke or Iron-gray Glead-hued-gray or Sorrell if they haue no whites especially in their forehead one may boldly say that Horse to be of a dogged and sullen disposition and the rather if he haue a small pincke eye and a narrow face with his nose bending like a haukes bill But yet I will d There are horses good of all colours not say that all those Horses which are of the best reputed colours doe proue the best because I haue seene to the contrary for some Horses which haue beene of such colours as haue been accoumpted the worst as bright Sorrell and Mouse-blacke with Bald faces and all the legges White aboue the knee that haue made Iades of the other But I iugde the cause hereof doth rather arise from the ignorance of the Rider then from any imbecility of nature for nature is no counterfeiter to gild a leaden cup with gold or to make a thing to shew to the eye any other then it is indeed And therefore as I would not wish that men should be too e The iudgement by colour is not vtterly to be reiected confident in colours so I would not they should esteeme them so lightly as that they should hold them of no greater validity then a fether in a mans hat for that is a thing inherent to nature for them to haue hayre growing because it is all the Garments that Nature hath giuen them to keepe them warme and if it be taken away it will grow againe but a Fether may be put to or taken from a mans Hat at his pleasure And as it seemeth to keepe them warme it doth set forth the beauty of the horse and doth in some sort demonstrate his disposition for as the Schooles hold Omnis rei pars eandem naturam cum toto participat Euery part of the thing doth participate of the same nature with the whole But howsoeuer the colour may be changed either by the Sunne or the Ayre that is but an exterior accident but the markes which they haue at their first foaling is to bee of more accompt then a feather in a â— For a Feather may bee taken away or put to at pleasure mans hat both for the speciall obseruation of Natures works and also for the more beautifying of so famous a Creature For although it cannot simply and absolutely demonstrate as the root of the horses quality because it hath a more obscure beginning from the first qualities yet as the Metaphisicks define Metaph. de colâ—ribus it Color est splendor corporis lumine illustrati colour is a splendor or light of the body to garnish or beautifie it And heere in is the fauour and mercy of God showne to man that he doth not onely giue vs things for necessity but euen for delight also for hee sendeth things as well to please the sense as for vse Therefore seeing Man is so much subiect to serue his eye the dapple gray the white Liard hauing a black Mussell black f Theo. 37. p eye-lids and the inside of his eares blacke the dapple bay the Iet blacke and a perfect Chestnut hauing his mane and taile flaxen if they haue their whites in their foreheads white snips and white feet answerable with a true proportion they giue as great content to the beholders as can bee wished for such â— A beautifull Horse is as delightfull as any vnreasonable Creature a horse which hath one of these colours and an equall shape is as delightfull an obiect for an irrationall Creature as Man can behold and as perfect as Nature can worke and consequently if such a horse proue bad I dare say the cause doth not proceed from him but from the man Furthermore whether the causes of such variety of colours in horses doe proceed first from the elements and so from the complections I make a doubt Although it is holden that euery horse doth