goe backe carrie his head steadie to raine wel which is the chiefe principle and foundation of making of your horse for an horse which is perfect in these foresaid lessons vpon his trot you shall â—astly make him a perfect readie horse within the â—pace of foure or sixe moneths if so be he be of age and strength agréeable Kingdon I can not denie but that you haue tâ—ughâ—â—ne sufficiently howe to make my horse to do al these lessons vpon the trot but as touching his gallop you haue taught â—e nothing that I can remember Clifford I graunt but now I will teach you vpon this condition that you shall seldome or neuer gallop any horse till he be almost sixe yeares of age then when you haue trotted your horse as you shal thinke sufficient you may gallop him two or thrée turnes vpon ech hand and then ride foorth right in some furrow if he be a young horse of good mouth but if he be an olde horse and harde of mouth stop him in your ring and make him go backe fiue or sixe paces which done light from him flatter him giue him grasse to eate as is aforesaide and do no more with him that day Kingdon I maruaile not a little why you haue with such diligence taught mée all other lessons and would séeme â—â— hightly to passe ouer this of learning my horse how to gallop Clifford It is néedelesse to teach you any more for that euerie horse will take it too fast of himselfe and I neuer sawe in my life any rider that woulde not both gallop his horse too yong and also too too much Hovve to teach an horse to turne readily on both handes Chap. 5. Kingdon Hâ—â—ing alreadie taught my horse to raine wel carie his head steadie beare light on the hand trot stoppe goe backe and tread his rings vppon pasâ— trot and gallop both orderly and iustly and that he is of age and strength sufficient to make a mannage I would desire you to teach me howe and in what order I shall make my horse to turne readily on both hands without straining his backe and loinâ—s or otherwise disordering or weakning him for the I haue hard you saâ—e that the furrow turnes by Gryson taught doth greatly weaken the backe and loines of anie horse and also that diuers horses thereby are vtterly marred and made restie And also I haue often heard you saâ—e that you haue had good experience thereof in a bay horse of sir Thomas Scots in Kent and also in a roaâ—e horse of M. Gregorie Prises of Hereforâ— East and likewise in a grey gelding of sir Iohn Tracies in Gloucester shire and a dapple grey horse of Nassaws base sonne to the prince of Orange All which foure horses were disordered by turning them too short and that you reformed these two last named by causing them to make their mannage in a couple of large rings And afterwards hauing made them perfect therein then you caused them to make their turnes in lesse and lesse roomes in such sort that they were throughly reformed by meanes therof Wherfore I pray you to shew me in what order you did the same Clifford When thy horse is of age and can do al those lessons by thée aboue recited then thou shalt vse him to one ring and giuing him fiue or sixe turnes on the right hand vpon his trot then shall you turne out of the foresaide ring vpon your left hand as though you woulde marke out an other ring but you must not take one quarter so much compasse as your ring is in greatnesse And hauing brought your horse about enter into your foresaid ring on the left hand and hauing giuen him 6. turnes then shall you ride out of your rinâ— and change hands as before sée that always wheÌ„ you change hands you turne him as short as may be and also help him with your voice and contrarie calue of legge and with your 〈◊〉 by lâ—tting the point fall towardes his contrarie shoulder And when your horse can in this sorte gallop the foresaide ring and change from hand to hand in this order then shall you treade out a ring something lesser And hauing made him perfect in the same then shall you also make your third ring lesser than the second and so shall you by little and little make your horse turne so readily and perfectly as is possible without anie disorder for by your changing from hand to hand you shall teach him howe to make his mannaging turnes so readily and short as anie horse taught in a furrow did euer make noting alwaies that when you chaunge handes you helpe him in such sorte that you make him to turne in verie short roome and also with greater swiftnesse than when you gallop or trot aboute your ring Also it is verie good to change hands within your ring in this sort hauing giuen your horse sixe turnes on your right hand then shall you turne him so short vpon the same hand that you may ride to the other side of your ring right through the middle thereof where you shall cause your horse to turne on the left haÌ„d into the same ring this is a good waie to change hands but the former is much better for that in the first you turne your horse whole about in a verie narrow compas and in this you giue him but a quarter of a turne but it is verie good to make your horse perfect in them both Kingdon Hauing thus brought my horse to turne readily on both hands both vpon pase trot and gallop and that he wil change from hand to hand alwaies kéeping his gallop in one selfe ring which shall not exceede aboue the greatnesse of eight or ten paces about then woulde I desire you to teach me howe to acquaint my horse first wish his mannage without disordering him Clifford When he is perfect in trotting and gallopping the foresaide little ring then shall you make two rings of the selfe bignesse as before which woulde be distant one from an other thirtie or fortie paces That done make a right furrow or path betwéene them entring into one end of the same and ride to the other where you shal make two turns on your right hand on the foresaid ring that done you shall ride back againe in the self furrow to the other ring and giue him two turnes on your left hand this being done you shall ride againe to your right ring and giue him two turnes as at the first then shall you ride him backe againe almost to your left ring where you must stoppe him Thus shall you haue made foure turnes on your right hand and but two on the left which order you must obserue in al your doings to beginne with the right hand and ende with the same this shall be inough for the first time remembring that in giuing your horse anie lesson whatsoeuer till such time as he be a perfect readie horse that you neuer offer him it but
places of stop and turne where you shall turne your horse first vppon a soft pase in somewhat narrower compasse than you did before and hauing so giuen him sixe or eight turnes stop him and make him goe backe a little then giue him as many turnes on your left hand without once going out of the foresaid place and when your horse is thus perfect vpon his pase then may you offer it him vpon his trot and also change him from hand to hand sodainely without anie staying And when you will gallop him giue him but two turnes on an hand and then stop him and make much of him which being done giue him two on your left hand and then returne to your right hand as before and when he can do it verie perfectlie in this sorte then maie you vppon his galloppe cause him to make two turnes on your right hand and two on your left which being done yet giue him two more on your right hand then stop him and make him go backe and light from him euen in that place without doing anie more with him that daie Kingdon Sithence you haue taught me howe to make my horse to mannage vppon large turnes and also to turne readily on bothe handes as well on his gallop as trot nowe would I desire you also to teach me how to make my horse to manage perfectly in so braue and readie maner as is possible Clifford After he can turne as before vpon his gallop you shal-begin but to giue him one turne on an hand noting that you take not so much roome as when you gaue him two turnes hauing a special regard that you make him cloase his turne at your departure out of your place of stop and turne Kingdon What meane you by cloasing of his turne and by taking lesse roome than when I gaue mine horse two turnes I praie you teach me more plainlie for I doe not vnderstand your meaning therein Clifford I meane by taking lesse roome that you shoulde ride somewhat within the circle of your former ring that you should make your horse turne in lesse compasse or roome by one quarter than when you gaue him two turnes of an hand which you must do by a litle at once making him at euerie time you manage him to turne in something lesse roome according as you finde the disposition and aptenesse of your horse But if you will follow my counsell turne not your horse to short nor giue him to many managing turnes for that they wil greatly weaken the back and loines of the horse of the which thing you must haue a speciall care that you make him turne somewhat large and also when you manage him giue him not aboue sixe or eight of these turnes on an hand at once and as touching closing of his turne I meane that you shal not let him come out of the place that he turnes in till he haue brought his fore féete iust in the middle of the path by the which he did enter Kingdon What do you meane by turning of my horse somewhat large Clifford I meane by turning your horse somewhat large that you should giue him so much compasse in his turning as the largenesse of a cart or wagon whéele is in roundnes and that you make your path to come iust vpon the midle of his foresaide round place of stop and turne where you must cause your horse to stop turne when you wil manage him in forme as followeth When you haue marked out two such round places of stop and turne as hath béene before specified then shall you enter at one end of the path or furrow and ride to the other ende therof and when you enter into the foresaid round place to make a turne on your right hand sée that you turne first on your left hand so much as you may ride round about your circle before you come out of the foresaide place on your right hand and hauing walked your horse fiue or sixe turnes to acquaint him or put him in remembraunce what he shall doe Then may you comming out of the places of stop and turne put your horse into a soft gallop and ride therevppon to the other end and when you come to enter your place of stop turne sée that you staie your horse somewhat more vpon the bit than before to the ende you maie make him lift his féet the better and go the vprighter in his turning And in going about your foresaid circle sée that you kéepe him in his gallop and that you staie so much vpon the hand that he maie not go halfe so fast in his turning as when he gallops right forth and that you help him with your voice calues of your legs with your rod vpon the contrary shoulder and with the contrary spurre also if néed be but I haue euer found the inside of my foote to be much better to strike him withal than to giue him the spurre when I haue managed my horse for I will not giue a strawe for that manage that â—he inside of the foote and the sight of the rod with the point toward the contrarie shoulder is not sufficient to make him turne so readilie and swiftly as is possible And when your horse is thorowlie acquainted with his manage in this sorte you shall see him beginne to turne euen of him selfe so short as if he had béen taught two yeares in a furrow or ditch But in anie case sée that you take such compasse in turning of him as hath béen before taught for feare of straining your horses backe and loines when you shal chance to ride him vpon naughtie ground Kingdon And why I praie you is this called a mannage Clifford I knowe not whie it is called a maâ—nage but that it is vsuallie so called that am I sure of whensoeuer a horse doth vpon his gallop stoppe and turne in two such narrow places as hath béene before mentioned being distant the one from the other thirtie or fortie pases as this figure doth most plainlie represent vnto you the right fashion and true manner of the mannaging place vsed of all the best horsemen in Christendome at this daie Kingdon Whereas you saie I must enter into one ende of my managing place and when I come to the other to giue mine horse a tuâ—ne on the right hand I must first turne on my left so much as I may ride roâ—â—de about a circle in largenesse and fashion of a cart or wagon wheele and that I shal not enter within the compasse of the foresaide whéele or péece of ground of that largenesse but ride rounde about the same surely I doe not perfectly vnderstand your meaning therein Clifford But this figure shal most plainly make thée vnderstand my meaning herein and how thou shouldest doe the same for thou shalt finde the place where thou must enter first into the managing place marked with the figure of 1. and the furrowe also in the which thou shalt passe thy
taken in hand anie restiâ— or runawaie iades but that I haue perfectly reformed them whereas if I had offered diuers of them to turne in a furrowe it had béene vnpossible to remedie them nay rather I should haue made them ten times worse I crie you mercie poore horses for that I haue called you iades which is a name more proper to those beasts which do so beastlie misuse you Kingdon Now do I vnderstand howe to make a horse of good disposition to turne readily on both handes by riding him in a ring and changing him from hand to hand within and without the same and as hée is perfect in the large ring to cause him to treade out an other a little lesser and so still as he is perfect in the one to cause him to make an other lesser till I haue brought him to turne in so narrowe roome as is possible the which I must néeds confesse to be the most excellentest waie of all other for that hereby I shall neither hurt my horses mouth nor haue anie néede to pull him about with the one raine wherewith I might make him become weake necked to runne backward or to reare on end yea by turning my horse too short at the first I may not onely disorder him but also vtterly spoile his back loines and mouth and besides I may make him so restie that he will not do anie thing but it remaineth that you shew me how I shall make my ring in a pit or vppon a hilles side to reforme those horses that are strong of bodie lustie and wel able to endure trauaile and those that are hard of mouth and vnnimble of foote and that will leane on the one side in their turning and that are very stubborn and vntractable Clifford The ring which thou must make in a pit or vpon a hilles side differeth nothing in fashion from the other ring but in qualitie there is great difference for that the one in fiue times more painful thaÌ„ the other bicause in treading the one halfe of this ring you must ride vphill and the other halfe your horse goeth downehill which will make anie horse were he neuer so hard of mouth or vnnimble of foote or subiect to leane on the one side in his turning wonderfully mend his faults by oftentimes pasing him in the same and trotting him and sometimes gallopping him thrée or foure times about on a hand and then stopping him and making him goe backe which being done you must walke him in the selfe ring till he be in breath againe and then giue him his lesson as before so often as shall be agréeable with his strength and to take great héede that alwaies you giue him fiue times as manie turnes vpon his pase as you do either vpon his trot or gallop and when you chaunge handes you must obserue the selfe same order as hath béene before taught in all points and as touching the ring in a pit which is best of all other if the pit be little inough you may make your ring round about vpon the bankes thereof so high as your horse may get good footing but if the pit be bigger than you would haue the ring then may you tread it out vpon one side of the pit and make one part of your ring so high vppon the banke or side of your foresaid pit as your horse can get good holde with his féete and obserue the same order as in the ring vpon the hilles side these two last rings are not onelie sufficient to reforme al the forenamed faults but thou shalt also tenne times sooner haue made thy horse readie in these rings than in the rings vpon plaine ground besides that when thy horse is made he shall be so sure of foote that thou shalt hardly euer haue occasion to ride him on such ground but that vpon his gallop he will kéepe his féete sure without anie danger of falling Kingdon It resteth that you shew mâ— the rest of the 〈…〉 ing places with the vse thereof according â—â— y 〈…〉 pr 〈…〉 made before Clifford I haue shewed thée the best but bicause I haue taken so much paines to teach thée I would now for my credits sake be verie sorie not to make thée a good horsman in respect whereof I will shew thée another kind of managing place not vnproperly inuented and vsed of skilfull riders and also I will shew thée an other fashion riding place which is not amisse to be vsed at sometimes to recreate your horse with change of lessons which riding place I call a double S. which being ioined together is not much vnlike the figure of eight And the place where thou shalt first enter is marked with the figure 1. and where thou shalt beginne to turne thy horse on the right hand marked with the figure 2. and where thou shalt beginne to turne on thy left hand marked with the figure 3. here most plainly to be séene and where thou shalt enter this managing place at the first is marked with the figure 4. and where thou shalt beginne to turne thy horse first vppon the right hand is marked with the figure 5. and where thou shalt cloase thy turne when thou hast ridden aâ—â—ute the halfe circle is marked with the figure 6. and where thou must stop thy horse when he hath managed is marked with this figure 7. And when thou hast made a turne on thy right hand then maist thou ride to the other end and make an other on thy left beginning thy turne at this figure 8. which shal be closed when thou commest to the figure 9. Then maiest thou ride againe through thy managing â—urrow and giue thy horse an other turne on his right hand as at the first thus maiest thou change from hand to hand so often as thou shalt thinke requisite And when thy horse is perfect in managing in these two halfe circles vppon his gallop in such order as hath béene here taught then maiest thou by a little aâ—â—nce acquaint him to beginne to turne about thy halfe circle the other waie so that in processe of time you make him turne perfectly both the one way and the other about the foresaide halfe circle Friend Kingdon thy negligencâ— or lacke of remembraunce to demaunde those things in their proper places hath béene cause of some disorder for that the large rings which should haue béene in the beginning of this Booke in the chapter of treading the great ring are here placed out of al order Kingdon It is no matter in what order they be placed in the Booke for the diligent reader that will take paines to reade the whole worke shall here finde a most excellent order to make anie horse readie of what nature or disposition soeuer he be and also howe to reforme anie restife or run awaie horse perfectly Of the Bit and Cauison Kingdon HAuing made mine horse perfectly readie vppon the trench or brake with a mousroll and martingale I would desire you to
teach me what bit I shall giue at the first Clifford You shal giue him a plaine canon without any playing rings or roughnesse in his mouth and let the esses of your curbe be verie great to the end that it may not gall the horses chin for the small curbe shall gall him much sooner than the great besides that you may hold him tenne times better with the great curbe than with the small Also take héede that you take the chéekes of your canon long rather than short for with the long chéekes and great curbe you shall be able to holde your horse not onelie from going away but also from casting vp of his head if you holde your bridle hand close vpon the mane and as touching the hand vppon the bit I woulde haue you beare it so light as is possible so that you kéepe your horse from going away and that he raine with his head in due place without casting his head vp or ducking it downe and I woulde haue you also take great héed that you neuer chocke your horse in the mouth therewith nor pull your hand sodainely at anie time but softly and leasurely for feare of making him to checke vpon the bit which is a most vile vice and commeth most commonly either by plucking your hand too sodainely or by letting the bit hang too side in his mouth or for that the bit is too rough it may come also by holding too hard an hand vpon him which is one of the worst properties that may be in anie horseman for it is not good to let him hang vpon your hand or bridle but also that you feede him with the bit and oftentimes that you let it go so loose the he may rest his necke and mouth Kingdon What meane you by holding his head in his due place Clifford I meane that he should carrie his head in such sorte that when you would make him stand against a wall he may touch the same with his forehead and nose both iust togither Kingdon But by holding mine hand close vppon the mane I shall not be able to féede my horse with the bit nor giue him anie more libertie when he doth well than when he doth ill Clifford By slacking your bridle hande holding the endes of the raines in your right hand you may let your rains go when he doth yéelde to the bit and when he doth offer to cast vp his nose or to go faster than you would haue him then drawe the raines softlie through your left hand so much as shall be requisite And as touching the cauison I would not haue you to put your cordes crosse wise through the rings thereof in such sorte that you may strain it straight to your horses head least you be not able to let it looser when he doth well than when hée doth offend for that shall greatly discourage him for both the godlie and wisest trauaile with greatest pleasure where they gains glorie and praise and so an horse where he findeth most ease after he doth vnderstād what he shall do vnder such a riders hands can as wel I say consider these things and vse them in time and order accordingly Thus you shal hardly euer sée or perceiue any contrarietie of wil betwixt these two bodies although the one be reasonable and the other vnreasonable but that a man would thinke when he shall sée such an horse man ride that both they had but one wil and one mind But to our purpose you shall make fast a strap of leather to the right ring of your cauison and a buckle to the left ring thereof in such sort that you may buckle it so straight as you shall thinke méete but I would aduise you to let it be rather an inch too wide than one wheate corne length too straight for there is not anye thing the doth more disorder an horse than needlesse paine and correction or rather as I may terme it foolish torment procéeding through ignorance of a more presumptuous beast than the horse himselfe for whatsoeuer he is that lacketh reason he differeth nothing from a beast but in name Kingdon Why shall I buckle my cauison with a strap of leather and not rather put the cordes through the rings thereof with the which I may straine it close to his head and also giue him ease inough by letting mine hand go when he doth well Clifford As touching thy demaund I answeare that by meanes of the strap thou maiest make thy cauison serue thée to double vse by putting thy martingall thereon it shall serue thée in steade of a musroll and as touching that which thou saiest thou canst giue him ease inough I answere that that ease which thou shalt giue hym by letting thine hand goe shall be no other than that thou giuest vnto thine owne legge thy boote being too straight gartered by pulling vp thine hose with thine hand But by the vse of the foresaid strappe and buckle it is farre otherwise for that thereby thy cauison shall hang so loose that it shall not gréeue thy horse at anie time but when he doth offend onelie Kingdon By this meanes my cauison shal hang so loose that it shall be readie to fal off my horses nose and also when I would straine the raines thereof it shal come vp so high behind that it shall serue me to small purpose Clifford Thou maiest remedie it for hanging ouer his nose with a small strap of leather made fast at the one end to the middest thereof and the other ende to the headstall betwirt his eares and as touching that which thou saiest it wil vse it is easily remedied by making a little short chaine fast to the two nether sides thereof of such length as the cauison being on the horses head and the chaine in his mouth it may keep it in his due place Kingdon I must néedes confesse that this is the best waie to make a cauison for my horse that euer I did sée or heare of for that it shall not gréeue him but when he doth offend nor shall be able to stirre out of his due place but I woulde desire you to teach me how to vse mine hand vpon the same also whether it be good to ride an horse therewith or not Clifford As touching thy demaund I answere that thou shalt take the left raine thereof so short in thy bridle hand that thou maiest staie thine horse something more therewith than vpon the bit then shalt thou take the right raine in thy right hand and the end of the left also in such sort as thou maiest drawe the left raine with the right hand shorter at thy pleasure without letting thy bridle raines go or opening of either of thy handes noting that thou straine thy right raine equally as much as the left but I would aduise thée to carrie a maruelous temperate hand vpon thy cauison for feare of offending thy horse to◠much therewith vnlesse it be vpon great occasion then
shal it be tolerable to draw thy left rain shorter through thy hand also the raines of thy bit so short the thou giue him no libertie to cast vp his head but thou must vse such discretion therin that thou staiâ— thy horse more vpon thy cauison then vpon thy bit hauing in this sort taken a due measure of thy raines thou maist vpon anie occasion offered by thy horse correct him by plucking thy right raine a little slaking it againe so often as thou shalt thinke néedfull And as touching thy demaund if the cauison be good I answere that it is excellent good if it be in his handes the vnderstandeth the true vse thereof but otherwise it is most vile By this that I haue sayd I would saie that thou shouldest staie thy horse vpon thy cauison altogether and notwithstanding thou must holde the raines of thy bit so short that thou giue him no libertie to cast vp or ducke downe his head Kingdon What meane you by this occasion offered and by plucking your raines a little and then to let them goe I sée no reason why I should not hold my right raine as hard as the left Clifford As touching the first demaund I answere that occasion is offered at anie such time as your horse will not goe backe nor kéep his ground but will presse forward when you would haue him stand still or when in his trotting or galloping he will go farther then you would haue him or that when you stoppe him he will force too much vpon your hand and also occasion is offered when he will not turne on your right or left hand in such sort as you would haue him But you must note the when he will not turne on your left hand that you draw the raine on that side a good deale straighter then the raines of your bridle for feare least that when you woulde straine your rains you force him too much with your right raines of the bit which is a most notable error and yet verie little considered of a number of vnskilfull men that doe not perceiue how that when they would bring their horse about on the left hand with the raine of their cauison by pulling their hand on that side of his manâ— they straine the right raine of the bit so as the horse cannot turne with his head but begins to goe backe to reare an end or to fall into one disorder or other and the rider not vnderstanding the cause doth fall to rating correcting his horse so long til he brings him home with such bloudy sides his mouth so brokeÌ„ his nose so mangled as would moue anie man of reason to pittie to sée that most noble beast of all other most commodious for the case of man to be misused by him that hath so much reason as to ouer master him but lackes that grace of temperance how to vse him thereby doth most shamefullie abuse him Thus much as touching your first demand and to your second I answere that you must hold your raines both a like straight saue when you turne your horse short then it shall be tollerable to holde your contrarie raine so short that you giue him no libertie to turne with his head that you drawe the other so much that he may vnderstand that you would haue him turne on that side But to the purpose I meane by pulling your hand or letting it goe that you should checke your horse vpon his nose wheÌ„ by temperate carrying of your hand you cannot rule him But in this aboue al other things you must vse great temperaunce which if you doe it is excellent good Also you must haue a speciall care when you holde your contrarie raine that you giue the horse so much libertie therewith that he may turne for by holding it too straight you shall vtterlie disorder him And furthermore as touching the right raine of your bridle when you turne on the left hand you may helpe him to turne as well with the bit as with the cauison by putting your forefinger of the right hande ouer the right raine of your bit and drawing it therewith two or thrée inches longer then the other raine which you must holde fast with the other raine of your cauison without opening of either of your handes and when you will turne on your right hand you may let the right raine of your cauison go and take holde of your raines aboue your left hand where you shall drawe your right raine some thing shorter then your left without opening your bridle hand in which instant you must holde your right raine stiffe till you haue drawen it some thing shorter then the left and then close your hand fast and take hold on the right raine of your cauison and the end of it also wherewith you maye drawe your contrarie raine so short as you shall thinke good thus turning on your right hande you may drawe the right raine of your cauison so much as shall bée néedfull to cause your horse to come about so often as you shall thinke méete but sée that you doe it verie gentlie Kingdon You haue héere vsed one tearme that I vnderstand not and that is when you saie I shall not checke my horse in the mouth with his bit that on the other side you saie I may checke him with the cauison when anie such occasion is offered as hath bene aboue by you recited therfore I praie you teach me what you meane therby Clifford By checking with the bit I meane that you should neâ—er plucke your hand sodainly but rather in all your doings draw it softly leasurely as is possible so that you may make your horse therby do your will and presentlie therevpon sée that 〈◊〉 slake it a little to the end that he may finde ease when he doth well which is the best meane to maintainâ— him in well dooing and by checking him with the Cauison I meane that you shoulde plucke your right raine in such sorte as you would plucke your friend by the cloake lap whom you are loth to offend at such time as you would speak with him And also you must note by the waie that at such time as you would thus checks your horse with your right raine you must holde the left raine so short the you cannot pluck your horses head aside if it chance at anie time that you finde it néedfull to checke your horse first with the one raine and then with the other you must take great héede that you let the raines of your bit go of such length that you checks him not with his bit in anie case and take great care that you checke your horse in this sort so many times as shall bée néedfull to make him vnderstand your minde and when he will yéeld in such sort as you would haue him then let your hand goe and torment him no more then you are forced of necessitie Kingdon You haue taught me
that it is good to beare a temperate hand both vpon my bit and cauison and also how much I should force him with the raines thereof but there yet remaines two things that I had almost forgotten and the first is the due place of the bit the other is how and in what order I shall take the raines of my bit and cauison both in one hand at once and also how I shall hold my hands vpon the raines of my bit when I ride without a cauison what you meane by drawing the raines of my bit softlie and letting it goe againe Clifford To thy first demaund I answere that the due place of the bit is that it hang halfe a â—ingers breadth higher then the tuskes of your horse and to some horses it is not amisse to hang it an inch higher then the tuskes or fanges of his mouth but the generall rule that thou shalt obserue héerein is that thou neuer let it hang so a side that it touch the fore named tuske for if it doe touch his tuske it shall cause him to checke vppon the bit and hurt his mouth so as it shall bleede And as touching thy second demaund thou shalt first take both the raines of thy cauison in thy left hand so close vnder the neather part or roote of your thumbe as you may holde him fast with your little finger and thumbe then shall you take the end of your bridle raines in your right hand betwixt your bodie and your bridle hand then shal you put your ring finger betwixt the raines of your bit without letting your little finger goe which you must holde fast vppon your cauison raines and the neathermost part of your thumbe also Then shall you cloase your thrée fingers so close as you can and hauing turned your bridle raines with your right hande ouer the middle ioynt of the fore finger of your left hande you shall holde your thumbe close vppon the Bridle raines so as you giue them no libertie to slippe through your hande hauing thus taken your bridle raines of a iust length and place the raines of your cauison aboue or ouer them I meane déeper in your fist then the raines of your bit for that you holde the raines of your Cauison in your full fist and the raines of your Bit but in the middle of thrée of your fingers Then shall you let the end of your bridle raines fall out of your right hande take hold of the right raine of your cauison and the end of the left also in your right hand then if your left raine bée too long you may draw it shorter by holding your right hande fast and slaking your left hand a little to let the raines of your cauison passe til you haue drawen it of such length as you may holde him therewith in such order as hath bene before taught Kingdon You teach mée héere how I should holde my right hande fast vpon the raines of my cauison and howe I shall slacke my left hand till I haue let the raines passe through so farre as they come to their iust length which iust length is when I may beare my horse altogether vppon the cauison and yet holde the raines of my bit so short that if I let slippe the lefte raine of my cauison but one inch I must staie my horse altogether vppon the bit but it resteth howe I shall drawe the raines of my cauison shorter at my pleasure without loosing my right hand or letting the raines of my bridle goe Clifford If thou bée not more sencelesse then a beast or more negligent then a Newter that will take neither parte till such time as hée sées which of them will profit him most I haue taught thée sufficientlie But because thou shalt knowe that I had rather loose my life then take in hand anie matter of importaunce and not bée able to ende or bring the same to perfection though not for thy sake who hath negligentlie lefte mining with thy penne whiles the golden vaine of my experience was most ripe and readie by riding into Sommerset shéere to make good chéere when in déede thou mightest haue béene tenne times better occupied in writing of this woorke which I haue begonne with the same purpose of minde that hath made mée patientlie to â—eare all these troubles and miseries as thou maiest read in the tenth part of my life which shall héereafter followe God willing which minde and purpose in mée was is and I trust in Gods grace shall continue so long as the breath is in my bodie onelie to profit my Countrie the true professours of Gods truth and aduauncement of his holie lawe But thou shalt nowe knowe that God whome I haue alwaies serued according to the grace which I haue receiued of him without the which I am not able to thinke one good thought of my selfe hath sent mée helpe where I least looked for it that is to saie by the meanes of that godlie man maister Anthonie Mooreland and by that good and learned man Ioseph Hynxman the one of them béeing Parson of Tortworth the other Butler to Maister Throckmorton which is a verie lowe preferment for a Batcheler of Art in my iudgement who besides his learning is also verie patient in taking paines Also little Anthonie Bowser I cannot héere forget sithence hée hath stoode so manie daies with mée vpon the cold stones in Maister Throckmortons Stable at Tortworth to drawe out the first draught or coppie of this my worke for the which mée thinkes hee deserues praise But to our purpose thou must drawe the raine of thy cauison through thy lefte hande without letting the raines of thy bit goe by letting all thy foure fingers goe loose and by holding thy bridle raines with the ende of thy thumbe and middle of the fore finger and then pulling thy right hand awaie from thy lefte hande that is to saie of greater distaunce in such sorte as thou séest a showmaker draw his thréede with his right hande when he holdes the left hand vppon the shâ—e which thou maiest imitate by holding thy lefte hand fast in his due place without mouing it either when thou drawest thy raines shorter or let them goe longer Kingdon Which call you the due place of the Bridle hand Clifford The due place of thy bridle hande is riâ—â—â— ouer thy horses crest and so high aboue the saddle â—â— thou maiest holde thy elbowe almost as farre backe as the huckle bone and holde it close against thy side without letting thy hand rest or staie vppon the saddle bowe If thy Horse bee readie that hée can raine well and carrie his head steadie this is the best waie but if it be a young or olde horse that wil cast vp his head then I haue taught thée before that thou shalt carrie thy hande close vppon thy horse his crest Kingdon Yet there resteth one thing that I would request at your hands and that is how I shoulde holde the raines
of my bit in my hande when I ride without a cauison and also howe I shall vnderstand what you meane by drawing my hande softlie and letting it goe againe Clifford As touching thy first demaund thou shalt holde thy raines in all pointes as thou doest when thou ridest with thy cauison sauing that thou must put thy little finger and ring finger betwixt the raines and then holde the ende thereof in thy right hande with thy rodde so as thou mayest draw them shorter or let them longer as hath béen before taught And as touching thy second demaund when thou wouldest stoppe thy horse whether vppon pass trot galloppe or câ—riere I would haue thée drawe thy hand softlie till thou hast brought it so hard or straight as thou maiest stoppe thy Horse and euen in the same instant that he is so stopped as thou wouldest haue him and beginnes to aduance or yéeldes to the bit by going back or other wise thou shalt presentlie let thy hand flacke a little and take so much againe as shall be requisite yea I would aduise thée to haue so great a care not to plucke thy hand sodainely nor to drawe it too straight nor carrie it too hard in trauailing or otherwise exercising thy horse as thou wouldest haue to thine owne féete when thou passest on a narrow foote bridge which lieth ouer a déepe ditch or hollowe gulfe in rainie and foule weather Kingdon Séeing that you now giue me occasion to demaunde you a question of the rod I desire you to shew me whether it is better to carrie the point thereof forward right ouer my horses creast and eares or to turne the point thereof backward towards my right shoulder Clifford It is much better to carrie thy rod with the point forward ouer thy horses creast than with the point vpward toward thy right shoulder for when thou carriest the point forward thou holdest thy rod in thy ful fist readie to strike thy horse withall and when thou carriest it with the point vpward towards thy right shoulder thou hast no more but thy forefinger ouer it by meanes whereof thou canst not so readily helpe thy horse vppon his left shoulder to the end that he shoulde do well nor correct him when he doth offend Kingdon I can verie well both help and correct my horse vpon the right and left shoulder when I haue no cauison or false raines but when I haue a cauison or false raines then can I correct my horse vppon his left shoulder as before but on his right shoulder I can doe no more but helpe him vnlesse I will let the right raine of my cauison fall out of my right hand Clifford But thou maiest correct him aswell not onelie vpon his right shoulder but also vpon his right side or buttock without letting the right raine of thy cauison goe if thou wilt but 〈◊〉 the point of thy rod downeward Of Vices Kingdon SIthence you haue heretofore taught mée howe to make a horse of good disposition readie I woulde also haue you to teach me howe to reforme those horses that are euill giuen to anie vice and first of the horse that ducketh downe his head Clifford I neuer found anie horse hauing that vice but that I could reforme him by striking him vpoÌ„ the left shoulder with the rod not failing to answere him at euerie time at the same instant that hée doth offend till hée leaue his fault thou maiest also correct him with the bit by chocking him therewith in the mouth and by giuing him the spurre but these two last corrections are not halfe so good as the first for that if he be tender of mouth by chocking him with the bit thou shalt make him learn that vile vice of checking or casting vp his head if he be hard of mouth and light of spurre thou shalt vtterly marre his mouth and force him to runne awaie Note that in reforming all vicious horses thou must haue a speciall care to search and to finde out the nature and disposition of euerie of them which when thou hast found thou must vse that temperaunce that a wise captaine should in gouerning his souldiors which consisteth not in forcing them to doe his wil but with skill and order in making theÌ„ do as much therof as is possible for them to be brought vnto without disorder or discontentment Kingdon It séemeth me your comparison is verie grosse to compare the gouernement or 〈…〉 rance that shoulde be vsed vnto men to horses Clifford In respect of the beast I graunt but if thou well consider what the reason of man is and howe farre the vnderstanding of the brute beast is inferiour vnto him thou shalt easily perceiue that it is more requisite for him that shall take vpon him to teach a horse to be far more patient and temperate for him than that gouerneth men for that man doth far surpasse the beast in vnderstanding what is taught him But in the rider it is requisite he haue patience and can well dissemble which if he haue and can vse in his due time and place he shall hardly euer find anie horse of good disposition but hée shall make him continue the same or anie so euil but that he shall easily reforme them in short space Hovv to remedie that horse that checketh and casteth vp his head Kingdon YOu haue giuen me good instructions alreadie but yet by the waie I pray you shew me howe to reforme that fault in a horse that checketh or casteth vp his head with the bit when you offer to do any thing with him vpon the same Clifford First giue him a plaine canon without plaiers or water chaine in the mouth then buckle it fast with two porchmouthes to the two rings of your cauison that done take a strappe of leather with a buckle vppon the same put it through the foresaide two rings then buckle it and therewith straine the cauison something close to the horse his head then take away the curbe from the canon for the strap and porchmouths is sufficient to serue your turne as well as the curbe and be farre more better in respect of the fault I haue manie times ridden with the same a runawaie or hard mouthed horse and more easily haue gouerned him therewith than with the curbe and also haue diuers times trotted young horses that haue béene tender or delicate of mouth in the same order which if I had first giuen them the curbe they woulde haue taken the vice of checking or casting vp the head but by obseruing this order and after by giuing them a curbe of double leather haue preuented the aforesaid vice Kingdon But if my cauison be long it will holde the head of the bit so farre backeward that the chéekes thereof cannot be brought to their due place which will be verie troublesome and vnséemely and the raines of the bit being strained the cauison wil be readie to fall down ouer the horses nose Clifford If thou be so ignorant
legge or shinne beneath his knée with your right hand and leane your right shoulder close to the horse his left shoulder and with your left hand pull downe his head as hard as you can speaking to him gently saying to him couch couch and if he profer as though he would lie downe make much of him and let him rest a while then beginne to beate him softly againe till he lie downe Thus may you teach anie young horse to lie downe in the space of thrée houres so that with a little exercise the first and second day you shall make him so perfect that he shal lie downe at the first time that you profer your red to his forelegs But if you will teach an olde horse to lie downe that is stubborne and froward of nature then must you put a sharp pricke in the end of your foresaid cudgell and let it not excéede the length of a wheate corne without the cudgel and when with soft striking you can not make him lie downe then may you pricke him in the legge with the foresaid pricke and you shal see him presently fall down vpon his knées you sée that he will not lie downe with his hinder partes then holde the bridle fast and holâ—â— your shoulder close to the horse then shal you strike him faire and softly vpon the elbow of his fore left legge so long til you make him lie down with his hinder parts which when he doth vnbuckle your surcingle take off his bridle and giue him grasse or prouender to eate and flatter him and make much of him but if he start vppâ— sodainely before you would haue him then it shall be good to giue him two or thrée strokes with your rod and presently to force him to lie downe as at the first but if he rise not till you woulde haue him then make maruelous much of him and giue him such things to eate as he most desireth and when you haue made him rise claw and rub him and profer it him no more in the space of an houre In this order haue I neuer failed to make anie horse lie down at my pleasure of what age nature or disposition soeuer he was Kingdon But what if my horse wil start vp sodainely when I would take his backe in the field Clifford Then take him fast by the chéeke of the bridle with your left hand and whip him wel with your right hand behind the saddle and cause him to lie downe presently and by this meanes you shal reforme him Of a horse that yarketh behinde in his gallopping AT euerie time he yarketh in his gallopping whip him well behinde vpon his flancke as néere his coddes as is possible and so continue the correction as often as the horse shall make this fault thus you shall quickly recouer him Kingdon But I did demaund of you in the beginning how I should dresse mine horse after that he was ridden therefore I praie you teach me what order I shall obserue therin Clifford That was wel remembred of thée I giue thée thanks for I had almost forgotten that but now I shall most willinglie shew thée of all the waies that I tried which is best Thine horse béeing walked as before till hée bée thorow colde thou shalt shake litter inough vnder him with the which thou must rub his legges well and also betwixt his fore bowes and hinder legges that béeing done vnbridle him and rubbe his head well and also his necke and brest then may you giue him some hay or strawe to eate Kingdon But were it not good to let him stand halfe an houre on the bit and not to rubbe his legges till he be thorow colde and drie and also to take off his saddle and to put a cloth on him and also stuffe him rounde about with strawe Clifford As touching thy first demaund I answere not with opinion but with experience that it is much better thy horse being colde as hath béene before taught to vnbridle him and let him eate his meate than to stand still vâ—on the bit And as touching thy second demand I answere it is naught to let thine horse stand vnrubbed for that the mire drying on his legges shall not onelie make him stiffe but also cause his skinne to be so drie that it will chap and bréede scabbie and mouldie héeles yea I doe assure thée I haue throughlie tried this waie but I could neuer find anie so good as to rub mine horse till he be drie as touching the vnsadling of him I haue also tried it by the space of tenne yeares together in all which time I could neuer be without the horse léeches helpe but in twelue yeares that I haue obserued this order héere following I haue not had néed of the horse-leech to drench my horse at anie time for anie disease comming of colde no nor seldome of anie other Take had thou vnsaddle him not nor so much as slacke one of his girses but hauing rubbed him well thou shalt couer him with a single cloth making the corners therof fast vnder his girses and take héede thou neuer giue him water nor prouender vntill such time as thou hast dined although thou ride him earlie in the morning but if it be in winter put a good handfull of haie in it to the end it may hinder him and make him drinke leasurelie which also shall some thing abate the coldnesse of the water And it shall not be amisse in colde and extreame wether to let thy horse drinke but halfe his fil and often times to beate him awaie suffering him to take but a little and a little at once by meanes whereof he shall not sodainlie coole his stomacke wherwith he might fall into some extreame feauer and when thou hast done giue him his wet haie in the manger to eate Kingdon I shall marre my horse if I let him not drinke his fill Clifford Thou shalt not hurt him I warrant thée for that at night thou mayest giue him inough without anie daunger Kingdon But at what time I praie you shall I vnsaddle him and dresse him Clifford By that that I haue sayd I would haue taught thée the after thou hast watered thy horse thou shalt first rub well his head and then his bodie and legges first with strawe and then with haire cloth that done combe his mane and put on his coller which thou must alwayes take off when thou rubbest his head the béeing done giue him his prouender and vnsaddle him not till night that the doores windowes of the stable be shut then mayest thou currie and dresse him without anie danger By obseruing this order giuing my horse fenegreke in his Oates after his iourney and not letting him rest but by walking him abroad euerie daie or euerie other day easilie softlie without heating him I haue in thrée yeres and thrée moneths wherein I had charge of Monsieur Villiers horses not giuen one drench or medicine to so much as one of
if thou take vp thy horse in the beginning of winter before he haue tasted of anie hardnesse thou shalt neuer make him a good stable horse for whiles the grasse is better then haie it is not possible that he should eat haie well but after the substance of the grasse is gone so that it nourishes so little as good strawe or chaffe that the horse will féed therevpon verie well then it is time to take him vp not before for there is no other reason to be found why our horses shuld not eate straw but that we take them vp while they are so greasie fat idle by féeding them in déep pasturs where they may fill their bellies in two or thrée houres féeding whereas in deed it were a great deale better after they be two yeres of age to let them go in such pasture as they must trauaile almost halfe the daie before they can fill their bellies And whereas thou saiest they shall become leane I warrant thée they shall become neuer a whit the worse therfore for although thou ride him euerie second daie gentlie so that he sweat not thou shalt within one moneth after he comes to the house by féeding him with good straw and reasonable store of prouender haue fullie recouered the former losse which shal redound to thy double gain for that he shall euer after be a good stable horse that if he lacke meate at anie time ye shall sée him eate his litter with greater appetite than our daintie dieted iades bred as we vsuallie doe héere in England shall eate the best haie that you can giue them The first Chapter of this Booke of the Schoole of Horsemanship treateth how to backe a yong horse at the first Kingdon I Pray you teach me in what order I shall saddle bridle and backe my horse at the first Clifford AS soone as he is gentle to be dressed saddle him and leade him to the water and so being sadled with the styrrops beating loose on his sides and when hée will goe gently therewith leade him to the Smithes and shoe him before you doe anie thing with him That being done bridle him with a snaffle brake or trench which would not be rough and also without players for feare of hurting his mouth Then may you bring him to a blocke and offer to take his backe which if he refuse then tye a long pole staffe or pike faste to the â—ies of your brake which would haue a hole in the end for that purpose make also a hole in the other ende in the which you 〈◊〉 put a strong péece of cord for to holde him by This being done get thée in some good ground and let a footeman or two if nâ—â—de be set handes in the cord which you may make fast in the end of the foresaid staffe which being done let them stand stil and let a footeman leade the horse close by the head round about the foresaid two footmen fiue or sixe times first on the one hand and then on the other to the end you may marke out a ring vnto him which you may do by reason of the staffe which will kéepe him of a iust distaunce from your foresaide two footemen who must alwaies stand still without moouing out of their places That being done let the footeman goe from him and force him to trot first on the one hand and then on the other vntil such time as he will be content to let you take his backe Then shal you take his back if he be foure yeares and a halfe of age if he be but foure then shall you exercise him in this sorte twice in the wéeke for the space of sixe moneths without anie man on his backe with the which exercise you shall not onelie make your horse strong and disposed but also by raining him on the saddle bowe and by tying two cordes to the buckles of his fore girt and to the eies of his watring bit or brake you shall make him raine well and carrie his head steadie and also trotte so brauely as though he were ridden by this meanes you shall make your horse to trot your ring your sixe moneths being expired euen the first day that you backe him so perfectly as though he had béene ridden euerie daie yea and he shall be so well acquainted with this lesson that you shall sée him gallop it both pleasauntly and brauely euen of him selfe yea and by that time your horse comes to be six yeares of age you shall haue made him as readie as though you had begun to ride him at thrée yeares and the vauntage and hée shall be better than thrée of those which shall be marred by riding them too young for in thâ— world it is not possible to finde a better horse than ours if they were not marred by riding them to young of the which thing I haue had good experience in a bay horse which her Maiestie gaue to Mounsieur at his being in England which horse I haue séene march from morning til night with a man on his backe with such courage and countenaunce that all the men of armes the King of France being there with their Turkie horses Hungarians Poles Frisons and Flaunders horses and also with their Coursers and Ienets could neuer doe the like which foresaid horse I haue séene far to surpasse them all in anie trauaile or exercise the he might be put vnto which is not onlie my iudgement and opinion but also I heard all the Captaines and Riders to affirme the same and they would oftentimes say vnto me that we EnglishmeÌ„ knew not howe good our horses were for if we did we would neuer seeke horses of Spaine and Italie Kingdon Why shall I thus trot my horse with a pole rather than with a corde Clifford Because that hée may hang him selfe by his legges sooner in the cord than in the pole besides that you cannot holde him from comming vpon you nor guide him so right in his rings yea I haue diuers times trotted a young horse in this order without any man on his back til he hath béen so perfect that at the first backing he hath trotted his ring so orderly as though he had béene ridden halfe a yeare by the which meanes I did much strengthen my horse of the which thing thou must haue a speciall care if thou wilt be a good horseman not to decrease his strength but rather increase the same Kingdon This by the way but to the purpose my horse being foure yéeres of age a halfe and I being mounted what lesson shall I giue him first Clifford First you shal ride him forth right in some lane or déep high way so far as shal be agréeable with his streÌ„gth And riding him once euerie daie in this sort so long til he wil let you mount and descend gently and also take his waie readily which when he will do it shall be inough to ride him once in two daies for the space
he comes without he wil be as farre to séeke as euer he was Clifford Canst thou not remember him in some déep way with thy voice and also by helping him with the calues of thy legs and strike him with thy stirrops vpon the points of his shoulders and with thy rod vpon the right shoulder if néede require and if he will not for all these then vse a footeman standing before him as thou hast beene taught before and when he shall heare and sée the rodde comming towards his breast he shall aduaunce without anie beating at all Kingdon But I haue founde some horses so stubborne that they would not aduance neither for spurre nor rod nor hand neither for footeman nor rider Clifford Marke that when you teach your horse any thing in the stable you giue him litter ynough vnder his féete for with one daungerous slippe or flide you shal vtterly his foolish kéeper or anie other that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the horse causing him to leape and cornet in his roome yet the rider shall beare the blame But to the purpose your horse being tied as before in his roome take â— sticke of â— yard or an ell long with a sharâ—e pricke therin which must â—â— appeare aboue the length oâ— a wheat corne without the end of the cudgell and pricke him in the breast therewith so long til he offer to lift his féete which when he doth make as much of him as thoughe hée had aduanced to the end that you may make him vnderstand your mind with as little correction as is possible and let him rest one halfe houre at the least tâ—en shal you offer it him againe as before which if you find he doth it but vntowardly yet make much of him and let him alone for that daie for the next morning his breast being sore with yesterdaies pricking you shall sée him aduance euen the first time you offer him thâ— cudgell In this sort I made an horse of â—â—r Iohn Tracieâ— to aduaunce which neither he nor I could do by anie beating possible nor whipping vntil such time as I found out this inuention which is most notable for since that time I haue tried it vpon diuers horses Now when you are mounted it the horse refuse to aduance then let the footeman remember him with the cudgâ—â— in some ditch or déepe high way with high â—anâ—es â—â— euery side to holde him in such sort that he can not start out nor leaâ—e aside This is a much better waiâ— than the straining of your hand beating of your horse vpon the shoulders or striking him with your spurres for that to an horse of great courage it is verie dangerous for you may thereby distemper his mouth or cause him take some euill tache or other yet I doe not denie but that it is good to offer your horse to aduance by helping him with the calues of your legges and with your stirrops vpon the points of his shoulders 〈◊〉 with the rod on the right shoulder Hovve and at what time you shal learne your horse to gallop the great ring Chap. 4. Kingdon AFter my horse can do al these lessons before taught I would haue you to shew me in what order and at what age it is best to learne him the field gallop Clifford First as touching his age I would not haue you to gallop anie horse vntill he be fiue yeares olde and the vantage no nor vntill he be fixe if it be possible and as touching the maner that you must obserue in teaching him the same when he can trot his ring perfectly as hath beene before taught then may ye offer to gallop him sometimes a quarter or halfe way about the ring and in his gallop you shall helpe him with your voice and the casues of your legges at which time you must â—earâ— your hand harder than when you trotted him to the end you may make him lift his feete the better and make him goe vpright in his gallop which order obserued you shall most easely teach your horse to gallop Kingdon But in what thâ—e may I touch him to gallop in â—his sorte Clifford You shall most easily doe it in the space of two or three moneths Kingdon But my horse will gallop of himselfe being perfect in trotting the ring in the space of thirtie daies Clifford Yea but if you put your horse to euery lesson as soâ—e as he wil learne it you shal vtterly spâ—ile a youÌ„g horse yea and you shal also by that meanes greatly weaken anie olde horse you must as well in this as in aâ— other your doings haue patience and take great leasure for if thou wilt vse and obserue these rules alreadie by me taught and shall hereafter follow thou shalt finde it but a play to make anie horse readie in comparison of the great tâ—ilâ— that our common riders do take in making of their horses or rather in marring of them Kingdon I pray you tel me what you meane by this patience Clifford I meane thou shouldest spend one whole yeare to learne thy horse to raiâ—â— well to carrie his head steadie to beare light on the hand to trot well to stoppe and to aduance Kingdon Wherefore should I spend a yeare in teaching him these lessons â—â—th I may teach him them in the space of three or foure moneths although I ride mine horse but twice a wéeke Clifford I graunt but one of these horses that thou shalt taâ—e a yeares leasurâ— with in teaching the foresaid lessons shall be more worth than fiue of those which thou shalt marre with sodaine teaching them yea and hâ— shall be at sâ—â—tâ—enâ— yeares of age a more lustie and seruiceable horse than thine shall be of twelue Kingdon If I shall but onelie ride my horse twice in a wéeke in the ring he will become so lustie and perfecte in that lesson that he will gallop whether I will or not Clifford I neuer said vnto you that you should ride your horse but twice a wéeke but that you should rather ride him thrice a wéeke 〈…〉 ing but verie fewe ring turnes after he beginnes to be perfect but rather ride him foorth right in some high way a soft trot two or thrée miles at euerie time by which meanes you shall make your horse not onelie to raine well beare light on the hand and to trot well but you shall also make him strong and disposed to do al lessons that you shall put him to noting alwaies that you giue not the horse such t 〈…〉 ell as may decrease his strength but rather increase the same as is before taught Kingdon By this accompt you will haue me to take vppe my horse at foure yeares and the 〈…〉 tage and not teach him anie thing vntill he be fiue yeares of age and the vantage Clifford Nay in saying so you doe â—e wrong for I haue taught you how to make your horse to trot and to gallop your ring and the field gallop to stoppe and to aduaunce to
that thou canst not make thy cauison of fit length for that purpose and also putte a strappe of leather to the middle of the cauison and make it fast to the headstall betwixt the horses eares in such order that the cauison cannot fall then thou shalt shewâ— thy selfe to be more fitter to kéepe horses than come to me to learne to ride Hovve to correct a Horse that will reare and fall backe vpon a man Clifford THat comes through the fault of the rider for that he curbeth his horse too straight or giues him too hard a bit or stops him too sodainely or by checking him with the bit or by letting it hang too low in his mouth or by bearing too hard a hand vpon him or by giuing him too cruell correction in teaching him to aduaunce or by putting him to too much trauell at one time Kingdon I graunt it may come by anie of all these foresaide ways or meanes but I had rather you woulde teach me how to remedie it then shew me how it comes Clifford I wil teach thée how it comes to the ende that thou maiest take héede that thou commit not anie such fault by the which thou maiest bring thy horse to disorder And as touching the remedie first ride him without a curbe as hath béene before taught or else with a trench mousroll and martingale and take héed you tie not your martingale too short at the first and when you will ride him leade him foorth of the stable into some déepe marrish or rotten ground with a couple of footemen each of them hauing a corde in his hand made fast to the brake and when you are come into the foresaide place raine your horse first to the saddle bowe that done let the two footemen offer to leade him foorth gently and if he will not goe foorth but offer to reare an end then let the two footemen strike him on the fore legs with their cudgels which they must carrie in their right hands for that purpose holding the cordes in their left handes it shall be requisite also to haue one behinde him that may at the same instant whip him wel vpon the two flanckes and when you haue made him go gently being rained on the saddle then may the rider take his backe and when he is vp take awaie your two cords and offer to put him forward noting that at the same instant that he offers to stand still to reare an end you strike him on the fore legges and let the footeman whip him on the flanks as before And this order being obserued you shall within the space of fiftéene daies make him leaue his fault so cleane as though he had neuer had it remembring alwaies that when he beginnes to reare you let your bridle go and take holde on his mane with your left hand and when he goes without rearing make much of him and torment him not Kingdon With what shall I strike my horse on the fore legs and why shall I ride him in a marish ground Clifford With a good cudgell beating him therewith ouer the shinnes beneath his knées it were better if thou haue store of rods to take fiue or sixe vnder thy girdle with their points hanging downeward to the end that when thou hast broken one thou maiest draw out an other for that he feareth a rod more than he doth a cudgell And as touching the marrish ground he shal haue more mind to saue himself from sincking in it than to reare an end in the which passing to and fro you shal verie wel tame him and acquaint him with the correction by striking him sometimes on the legges And afterward being come to the firme ground carrie your rod or cudgell alwaies in such sort that it may almost touch his knées and you may also touch him a little therewith in going by meanes whereof he shall haue more minde to knéele than to reare Kingdon By riding my horse in a marrish or rotten ground I shal not onlie tyre him but also stand in doubt to leaue him behind me as I haue known diuers ignoraÌ„t souldiors to do in Ireland by means of their brainsick hastines Clifford If thou be so ignorant that thou canst not choose thy ground of a reasonable déepnesse and also to ride so few turnes therein as thou maiest leaue thy horse both in strength and courage it shall be more reason that thy Horse ride thée then thou him note that when the horse is acquainted with this correction you may always afterward ride him on the hard ground the footeman following him as before and forget not to carrie your cudgell also in the selfe sorte as you did at the first Hovve to correct that horse that will not go from the stable or when he meets any other horses vpon the way wil sodainly stand stil and not go from them and also being in company with other horses wil not depart the same Clifford I Haue diuers times holpen such a horse by riding him without spurres with a short whip onelie whipping him therewith vpon his cods neuer ceasing til I haue made him to go forwarde and also by striking him with the great end of my foresaide whip staffe betwéene his two eares if néede so require for this is a verie good correction but verie dangerous for the poll â—uill I haue also ridden vpon a horse in Flaunders that had this fault which being afore the 〈…〉 nie I vpon him haue offered to play his pageant so that not hauing leasure to tâ—kâ— my whip I haue béene forced to strike him 〈◊〉 the two eares with the pommell of my sword wherâ—with I haue made him gallop more than foure English miles you may also haue two footemen the one with â— whip and the other with a goâ—de and when he beginnes his pageant let them come behinde him and correct him in the tenderest places of his body as hath béene before taught Kingdon I haue séene some horses that would not stirre for anie correction Clifford But if thou do but onelie pricke him with the goade about his nose and mouth thou shalt quickly make him stirre though he be neuer so vile of nature Kingdon How shall I remedie that horse I praie you that wil lie downe when he is corrected Clifford Throw water vppon his head and into his eares then shalt thou quicklie sée him rise thou maiest also cause a cloth to be cast vpon his head and thrée or foure footmen to holde it down close about him kéeping down his head till he be almost smothered to death and when he riseth let the footemen beate and rate him with a terrible noise but sée that thou neither spur nor strike him but let him go gently at his owne ease Hovve to correct that horse which is hard of mouth and will run awaie with his rider Kingdon I Praie you before you depart teach mée howe I shall reforme that horse which is hard of mouth and will neither stop nor do
may know himselfe to be throughly maistred by this inuention Hauing vsed him in this sorte so much as reason requireth to whose rule I woulde haue thée haue a speciall regarde in such extremities as those be thou maiest somewhat slacke thy cordes in such sort that thou straine not thy horses head therewith Then take his backe and offer him gently to tread out a ring in the selfe place In doing whereof I woulde haue you to speake him faire flattering and vsing him gently to the ende he may finde ease in obeying your will and also that he may perceiue the better wheresore he is corrected And afterwarde when hée shall offer to run awaie or malitiously refuse to doe his lessons let your bridle go and drawe the ende of your corde so much as shall be requisite By this meanes you may easily staie your horse from going awaie euen with the strength of one of your fingers which being done correct him sharpely with the spurrâ— on the contrarie shoulder as before taught and the rod also that being done slacke the corde and offer hym his lesson againe and faile not that at euerie time he doth erre to correct him in this order by meanes whereof you shall in shorte time haue him as obedient as euer was scholler to his schoolemaister Kingdon But were it not better to ride him in some déep way and hauing footmen with staues and burning strawe in the endes thereof to put it in his nose or to runne him in the fielde till he be wearie Clifford It were verie good for a foole or madman Kingdon Wherfore both learned wisemen haue so taught me Clifford I graunt them to be both learned and wise but in teaching such bables they bewray their want of skill in this art for consider I praie thée howe that horse is reformed that the rider can not commaunde when it shall please him without the helpe of anie footeman but by this last remedie by me taught thou shalt maister anie horse without helpe and make him that he shall not once dare offer to run awaie Hovv to remedie that Horse that will turne but on the one hand Clifford YOU shall remedie him in this sorte following put a false raine on the side the he wil not turne on if you ride him with a bit for if you ride him with a trench you shall not néede of a false raine This béeing done turne him on that hand in some large ring and giue him at the least tenne or twelue turnes at a time then giue him two or thrée on the other hand afterwarde turne him on the other hande againe as before for in obseruing this order and by holding your false or trench raine on that side so short that he can haue no libertie with his head you shall quicklie remedie him if you giue him no short nor narow turnes till he be perfect in the large and that you bring him not sodainlie from a large ring to a little but as he is perfect in the large ring so euer must you make him tread his ring lesse lesse by a little at once til you haue brought him to tread his rings in as small compasse as shall bée requisite Kingdon But I haue knowen some horses that when you would offer to turne them they will turne on the contrarie side in despite of your téeth Clifford Haue I not taught thée in the last Chapter with a strap of leather to turne a runawaie horse by the which thou maist remedie this fault easilie if thou wilt take héede thou turne him not too short at the first but orderlie and leasurelie as hath bene before taught Kingdon But I haue séene you to a horse of maister Throckmortons vse a more easier waie in my iudgement and a farre more readier Clifford I praie you tell me in what order was that for I haue now cleane forgotten it Kingdon I sawe you vnbuckle the raines of the brake take the right raine thereof and put it through a ring that was made fast to your saddle with a double péece of leather that went twice about the fore point of your saddle trée and hauing past it through the foresayde ring you did also put it through the eie of your brake where the other end thereof was first made fast and I sawe you with drawing the end thereof holde your horse in such sort that he was not able to goe awaie but onelie to turne on the right hande notwithstanding you dyd breake your rodde on him and spurred him till he bled and afterward hauing loosed the foresayd raine buckled it in his former place then offered him his lesson which he did before stubburnlie refuse to do I then saw him do it with such willingnesse that in my iudgement the horse made a double amends for his former falt yea and though you did prouoke him by riding him till hée was almost wearie yet did he not dare once offer to goe awaie at the which I did not a little mâ—ruaile knowing him to be so stubburne a horse and so notable a runawaie that in the space of halfe a â—ere and more before your comming he stoode still because no man was willing to ride him Clifford Thou sayest troth thou maiest also in like manner take a cord of two fathome of length nesse the two ends thereof first through the greate eyeâ— of your bit or brake and afterward passe them through the two patterell buckles of your saddle and then make fast the side of the cord so the eie of your braue and when your â—â—rse doth offer to runne awaâ—e you may drawe one side of the foresayd cordes by meanes whereof you shall most â—astlie staie him as before but in correcting him if hée turne so fast and many times that you cannot endure the same then may you let that â—aine goe and pull the other by meanes whereof you shalt not onely correct your horse but also be well able to endure his turning Hovve to remedie a horse that will lie downe in the water Clifford AT what instant he lies downe in the water cause thrée or foure foot men to leaps â—n his head and keepe him downe vnder water till he be almost drowned Hovv to correct the horse that will not carrie his head right Clifford HOlde your spurre close in his side till hée looke that waie which when he doth take awaie your spurre and make much of him as soone as he forgets that correction see that you remember him as before till he leaue his fault Kingdon I haue knowen diuerse of those horses verie well reformed in their going but afterward when you would giue them a managing turne they will dowe their heads on the one side Clifford Take a strap of leather with a button at each end â—ut full of slits to the end you may shorten and lengthen it at your pleasure passe the one end therof through the eie of your cauison bit or brake the other end
knot the turning wil kéep it so close that it is not possible for your horse to vndo the same Kingdon I grant that this forenamed langall is very good to let mine horse that hée shall not strike his kéeper with his fore or hinder féete nor to leape into his manger nor hang himselfe in his halter nor to strike any other horse but yet I haue séene diuers horses will turne their tailes and dung in their fellows roome by meanes whereof the other horse coulde not lie cleane which is a filthie thing therefore I pray you shewe mâ— what I shall do to kéepe him right in his roome Clifford Take the said langall from his foreféete and tie a péece of cord therevnto then make an hole in his taile tree or else must you driue a stake into the ground and make fast the langall thereto This is not onelie good to holde your horse right in his roome but also it is sufficient to kéepe him from striking his fellowes and to let him from leaping into the manger and hanging himselfe in his halter Kingdon How shall I leade such a diuellish horse when I shal bring him foorth to the rider and how shall I take his backe that he hurt neither him nor me Clifford Take a cudgell of thrée or foure foote of length make an holow in each end thereof then sowe a buckle vpon a péece of leather a spanne long with the which thou must buckle the one ende of thy staffe to the eie of thy bit and passe a cord through the other end and make it so fast as you may hold your horse therewith Kingdon I graunt that this is sufficient to holde anie horse if he be neuer so diuelish that he cannot bite me but what shall I doe that hee leape not on me with his forefâ—ete Clifford Take a péece of strong leather hunger two inches broad two foote and a quarter of length or two foote and an halfe if your horse be verie great then make fast to ech end thereof a round ring of yron so big as shall be requisite to serue the foresaide péece of leather then cut two other péeces of leather hunger of like breadth and let one of them be two foote of length and the other two foote and an halfe and make them fast at the one end in the foresaid ring cut the points of the two foresaid péeces of leather so narrow that you may set a stirrop leather buckle on the shorter and that the other end may easily passe the foresaid buckle wheÌ„ it must be made fast And when you would leade foorth your horse put one of your foresaid péeces of leather about his foreleg and then passe the point thereof through the great ring and draw it close to his leg and put the other end thereof about his hinder leg of the same side through the other ring and drawe it close as before which being done buckle the two endes thereof fast with the saide buckle Thus may you leade your horse with your staffe and side langall get vpon him and light from him and the rider being vp you may loose awaie your staffe and also loosing your buckle of the foresaide side langall it will flée all loose without lifting vp one foot of the horse either when you put it on or take it off With this inuention haue I neuer failed to maister anie horse how diuelish soeuer he was and by continuall vsing of the same I haue made them that being in seruice I might at my pleasure get vp or downe hauing one to staie him by the head while I did alight on the one side and make an other leape vp on the other side at the same instant Thou maiest also make two holow péeces of leather much like vnto two great bosses to the which thou maiest fasten a litle strap of leather of such length that it being put ouer the horses head in the place of the headstall the two forenamed bosses may fall iust ouer the horses eies Then take an other peece of leather of such length as the horses forehead is of breadth and make it fast to the fore part of the two forenamed bosses and make other two straps fast so that you buckle them vnder the horses iawes or throat and before his rider get vppe make the same fast that he can not see and after he is mounted take it away and when he hath ridden him and wil alight you must put it on as before vntill such time as you haue brought him into the stable and this is a very good way but nothing comparable to the first for that with the one he is but deceiued but with the other he is ouer maistred Hovv to teach a horse to lie downe flat vpon his bellie that he shal not rise till you bid him Kingdon I Haue forgotten one thing which aboue all things I haue desired to learne that is to teach a horse to lie downe close vppon his bellie for that it is not onelie good in seruice when a man is armed but also it is excellent when you are hurt or maimed and haue not anie bodie to helpe you vp also it is good when you will lay horsemen in an ambuskado I haue long desired that you should teach me the same for that at sir Ihon Tracies in Gloucester shire you did once learne a horse to lie downe in the space of halfe an houre and so that he neuer forgote the same but woulde at all times doe it when his rider should take his backe verie gently euen with the profering of your hand to his legges by vsing this voice Couch couch Clifford You shall teach your horse to lie downe in this sort first shake litter inough vnder him and tread it down or beate it fast so as the horse may not driue it vppon heapes with his féete then put on his head a watring bit and hauing tide him with two cordes to the postes of his roome so low that he may easily put his head to the ground then shall you put a paire of soft pasturnes the one on his hinder foote and the other on his fore foot on the further side and let the cord go betwixt them of a sufficient length to kéepe him that he shal not reare then may you tie a long corde to the foote of your manger on the right side of your horse and make the other end fast to the pasturne of his right hinder foot then shal you put a third pasturne on his néere fore foote and hauing passed a surcingle about his bodie and through the foresaid pasturne then shall you buckle vp his néere foote so neare his bellie as you shall thinke necessarie you must sée that the buckle lie néere to the midle of the horses backe to the end that when he is laid downe you may â—astly loose the surcingle hauing thus tied your horse you shall beginne to strike him faire and softly with a little cudgel vpon his right
them for anie disease Kingdon But how long and how many daies shall I giue my horse his fenegreke shall it not be requisite for me to beate it into pouder Clifford No but in the same sort that thou buiest it of the Pothecarie so giue it vnto thy horse let him eate thereof as often as thou giuest him prouender for the space of fiftéene daies at the least Kingdon But I haue knowen some horses when you put fenegreke in his Oates he will not eate it Clifford Thou mayst easilie remedie that by letting him fast till he be verie hungrie and by giuing him a little at once till he be throughlie acquainted therewith which when he is and will eate it well then mayest thou giue him thy handfull at a time as before VVhat vvater is best for an Horse to drinke Kingdon I Praie you teach me what water is best to giue minâ— horse to drinke for that some are of opinion that standing water will fat a horse much more then the riuer or running water Clifford But if thou wouldest follow my counsell thou shouldest leaue all their opinions and hearken vnto reason which I am sure will teach thée that the purer the water is the more wholesome for thy horse it is the more healthier shall he be yea I would not aduise thée to giue thine horse at anie time anie such water as thou wouldest not willinglie drinke thy selfe for by séeking to fat thy horse with filthie standing water thou shalt bréede him full of diseases of the which thing I haue had good experience at sir Iohn Tracies in Gloucester shéere where watering my horses at a standing moate for that the horse kéepers were so lazie that they would not goe to a faire brooke that dyd runne a little farther off by meanes thereof I had alwayes some of my horses sicke or diseased Of the horses forrage and prouender Kingdon I Beséech you shew me what forrage and prouender is best for mine horse to eat and what quantitie of prouender is sufficient Clifford As touching thy first demaund thou must giue him haie and all kinde of strawe that he will eate séeing alwaies that they be swéete and not mouldie nor foistie noting also the what forrage so euer you giue your horse you dust it well with your handes or forke before you giue it vnto him and that you giue it him in a small quantitie at once to the end he may eate it cleane for by filling your racke alwaies full of haie or strawe before your horse you shall make him to loath the same wheras if you giue it him by handfâ—lles he shall eate with greate appetite and neither wast the forrage nor loath his stomacke Kingdon I graunt I may féede my horse thus all the daie but what shall I doe at night Clifford Fill thy racke and the next morrow so much as remaines in it pul it out and strawe it in the manger before thy horses if it be but a little if it be much take the most parte thereof awaie bée sure thou make cleane thy racke once a daie in the same sorte and also let thine horses stand two houres at the least without anie meate before them And as touching his prouender twelue times as much Oates as you can take vp in your two handes is sufficient to giue him a daie féeding him therewith in this sorte foure after water in the morning as many after dinner the rest at night Kingdon I haue séene diuerse men would giue their horses foure handfulls in the morning and eight at night Clifford I graunt that thou hast séene it so haue I and also haue proued it for I haue made mine horses therewith not vnlie take the laske but it hath passed whole through euen as they did eate it And I haue also so cloied or glutted diuerse horses therewith that they haue vtterly abhorred their prouender Therefore I would wish you to giue your horse his prouender often and by little at once Kingdon But I haue knowen diuerse worshipfull men in England giue their horses but eight handfulles a daie that is to saie foure in the morning and foure at night Clifford I graunt that diuerse doth so and a number of horses will like better therewith than if you gaue them twelue but you must haue a speciall regard that when your horse eates good haie you giue him a quarter the lesse prouender then when hée eates strawe also that you giue him more when hée is trauailed than when he standes still for when hée rests verie little prouender will serue noting aboue all thinges that what prouender so euer your horse eates that you giue him rather halfe a pecke too little then one graine too much for there is not a more vile thing then to giue an horse too much prouender Beanes or peason mingled with bran is also verie good prouender Kingdon What saie you of horse bread Clifford That is good to trauaile with but I neuer saw anie beyond the seas neither could I finde anie man or woman there that could make it Kingdon How shall I prepare mine horse to trauaile a iourney and what saddle and bridle is best and also with what shooes shall I shooe mine horse Clifford First as touching thy saddle and bridle let it bée as light as may be as touching the shooes of thine horse let them also be light and verie narrow of webbe with two calcons and sée that you make your shoo somewhat thicke in the toe and also strong rising with a welt or creast round in the edge thereof and hollow your shooe verie little and take heede that you make it somewhat straight so farre as your nailes goe and from the talent naile backward let your shooe appeare a little without the houe otherwise it will sinke into his héeles that it shall not onelie lame your horse but also spoile his héels that he shall therewith become flat footed And as touching the paring of his foote cut awaie as little as is possible at the héeles but pare him wel from the quarter or the talent naile forward to the tee and that you also not onelie in paring fauour the héele of the fore foote so much as is possible and the toe on the hinder foote for I neuer sawe horse pricked at the toe on the fore foote nor in the héele of the hinder foote Kingdon But how shall I diet and dresse mine horse in the morning Clifford Two houres or an houre and a halfe at the least before you will ride sée that you let him drinke that done let him eate hay the space of halfe an houre then giue him his prouender which being eaten you may bridle him let him stand till you be readie to take his backe and take héede you ride him verie gentlie for the space of thrée or foure miles in which time thy horses bellie and stomacke will beginne to be somewhat swaged then maye you mende your pase
I graunt that these cauisons are good but I would faine haue you to tell me which is the best Clifford That made of foure péeces of yron is best of all other that euer I tried Kingdon You haue taught me of what length I should make my péeces of yron and also how I should make them fast but I knowe not of what fashion I shoulde make them Clifford You must make them of such fashion as you do your cauison turned hollow and filed with téeth and turne it a little crooked noting that you make it not halfe so great as your ordinarie cauison nor so hollowe by two partes Kingdon I haue often heard you saie that while you were with Monsieur Villiers in Flaunders you inuented how to make your headstall to serue for two purposes that is to saie both for a collar and for a headstal which thing is verie commodious vpon great iourneis and in a campe for souldiers therefore I praie you teach me of what fashion I shall make the same Clifford This kinde of headstall is verie commodious in déed for the you shall not be troubled to carrie a collar at your saddle â— hauing néed to ride your horse with false raines you may make the raines therof with buttons that you may both button it to your bit when you ride comming into the stable you may buâ—â— on the same to the rings of your headstall yet I haue often in the campâ— made one of my raines to serue me for a martingale the other of them for a paire of fâ—lse raines by tying a knot on each end thereof and cutting it full of slits But to the purpose Thou shalt onelie make thy throat band and thy nose band of thy headstall double and put theron a couple of rings and let these two ringes be made fast one to the other with a couple of linkes two inches and a halfe or thrée inches long and to the neathermost of those rings you may fasten your coller raines at such time as you will vnbridle your horse Thus shall you haue no néede to take off your headstall but onelie to vnbuckle the two porchmouths of your bit Kingdon This is a verie good waie for a souldier but I think for a Gentleman it is verie vnséemelie to ride with a paire of yron rings at his headstall and with one of his coller raines made in a martingale and the other in a paire of false raines Clifford Whereas thou saiest it shall be vnséemelie for a Gentleman I answere thée it shall not be vnséemlie neither for Gentleman nor noble man if thou wilt leaue vaine pride foolishnesse a mome For I haue séene Monsieur Villiers who is a noble gentleman also a man of great credit and authoritie not to ride héere with onelie in the campe but also both in Cities and townes and I haue seâ—ne him ride therewith amongst all the braue French men that Monsieur had then in his armie when he was first Duke of Brabont and gouerneur of the low Countries yea and he woulde often saie that he woulde not chaunge his headstall for a waggen full of their taâ—fata bridles But for such as are better thou maiest vnbuckle thy nose and throat hand and take off thy rings which béeing done no man shall perceiue this heedstall to differ anie thing in fashion from our ordinarie heâ—dstalls And whereas thou sayest it is vnséemelie to ride with thy coller raines made in a martingale and false raines thou mayest choâ—se whether thou wilt vse it so or no. Kingdon If I vse not my coller raines to a martingale and false raines as is before taught I shall be troubled with carrying them almost as badde as if I had a collar Clifford This shall not trouble halfe so much as a coller for thou mayest make it fast vnder thy saddle couer or skirt so as no man can perceiue it for I haue made Monsieur Villiers often times carrie his raines in this sorte and yet neither he nor anie other could perceiue it You must doe it in this sorte cut a thong of leather of two foote and a halfe of length in which you must passe through the couer of the saddle fast by the edge of your hinder boulster so high as you can reach with your hands to take holde of the pointes of the foresaydâ— thong and hauing thus passed it through make a knot in each ende thereof then may you tie your raines fast in the one ende of the sayd thong béeing first doubled a fâ—â—te long then may you drawe the other end and make it fast to your girse by meanes whereof your raines shall lie so high vnder the hinder boulster of your saddle that no man can perceiue it if your collar bée not â—erie great you maye also carrie it in this sort Kingdon I graunt that this is a good fashioned headstall noâ— oneliâ— for souldiers in the campe but also for Gentlemen whâ—n they will ride anie great iourney for that they shall not néede to charge their kéeper with a wallet full of collars nor haue them tyed at their saddles which is a verie vnséemelie fashion and also you shall bée sure that you shall not leaue your collar behinde But now I would desire you to teach mée how I may make the raines of my bit in such sorte that I shall not haue néed with my sweord hand when I am in seruice at anie time to touch the same for that with our ordinarie raines wee are much troubled when wée are forced to ride with our swordes drawen or our launces in our right hands by reason that if wée let our raines at anie time goe too long or the one shorter then the other wée haue no other remedie but to vse the helpe of our right hand and to redresse the same which is not onelie dangerous in time of necessitie but also it is vneasie and incommodious in colde weather for that wée must be forced to weare a gloue or a gauntlet with fingers for that we cannot be able to hold our raines right and orderlie either in mitten or plaine gauntlet and if I shoulde for remedie héereof tie a knot on my bridlâ— raine I should thereby not onelie holde my raines vneuen but it would be painfull to carrie such a great knot in my hande wherefore I praie you heartelie to shew me if euer you haue found anie other fashion that is better Clifford Yes I haue séene the Germaines vse a much better fashion in making of their bridle raines and I haue also proued it farre to excell the fashion which we commonlie vse for that you may holde your raines right without the helpe of your right hande and you may boldlie let them goe at your pleasure vppon anie occasion and take them againe so right without the helpe of your right hand as is possible you may also 〈◊〉 a mitten cuffe or close gauntlet that it shall not let you anie thing at all and the
doe him more harme than your medicine hath done hym good in sixe wéekes before And it shall be good once in fiue or sixe daies to ride him into the water and walke him â—n houre at the least And as soone as hée comes in and that his legge is well rubbed with strawe and hauing first warmed your seare cloth ouer a fewe coales which you must haue on a fire shoouell for that purpose before you doe laie it vnto the sore but if it chaunce the griefe be in such parte of the legge as your roll and plaister will alwaies settle downewardes then must you make a long rounde roll of woollen cloth as bigge as a thumb rope and you must sowe at eache ende thereof a péece of strong canuas a hand broade and two foote long and made sharpe at the two endes and when you will roll his legge set one ende of the canuas vnder your foote and then hauing rolled his legge somewhat aboue the vpper edge of his plaister then shall you bring the two endes togither vppon the middle of the roll so as you may tie them bothe togither in sâ—â—he sorte as the knotte may not touch the horses legge for if you shoulde not tie the two endes togither the roll woulde winde loose about his legge This will holde your plaister in the due place without being able to sincke or settle downe and you may roll his legge a great deale more easier therewith than with anie other Of the scabbe or manginesse in a horse THis cruell kinde of scabbe scurffe or itch bréeding ouer all the horses bodie and most commonlye beginnes in his mane and taile it commeth of a corrupt bloud and nâ—â—deth no other signes The cure Let him bloud the first daie on one side of his neâ—ke and wash all his bodie with hote brine or else with béefe broâ—h pisse and salt mingled together rubbing him with rough waddes of strawe till he be readie â—o bléede then shall you let him alone till the second â—nie and then shall you let him bloud on the other side of his necke which being done and all his bodie rubbed with rough waddes and made cleane you shall take of Swines greacâ— a pound of blacke Sope as much of Rape oile a pinte of brimstone sixe ounces finely beaten into powder and hauing first killed your Nuicke siluer mingle all these thinges togither vppon a soft fire without letting it boile being so warme as you can suffer your hand in it annoint all the sore places therewith and rubbe and chasâ— it well with your handes to make it sincke into the skiâ—me And if you sée the horse rubbe or bite him selfe in anie place of his bodie you may wash it as before and annoint it with some of the foresaid medicine I haue cured diuers horses herewith without ointing them thâ—ice but you must duâ—ing this cure diet your horse veri◠〈…〉 rly and let him haue so little rest as may be Of the griefe in the eies and first of him that hath receiued a blowe IF your horse haue receiued a blowe in or vppon his eie so that he can not holde open the same and that there is no blemish nor white â—â—lme doth appeare vpon his eie then shall you remedie him in this sorte Take faire water and salt and with your mouth spâ—â—t his eie full thereof and if his eie be not verie sore this shall remedie him it is good also to wette a cloth therein so bigge as will fill the horses eare on the gréeued side Then chasing it thrust it in so fast as is possible you must tie his eare fast so as the cloth may not fall out and let it remainâ— therein the space of a whole daie at the least honie also warmed a little and put in his eie is not onelie good to make him open hiâ— eie but wil also preuent anie other gréefe that might bréede vpon the horses eie by meanes if the foresaide stripe Of the white filme pearle or web that may breed on the sight of a horses eie TAke honie as before and put it in his eie with a feather if the filme be but thinne that wil remedie him or else take the iuice of Salandine and put to a spoonefull thereof halfe a spoonefull of womans milke but if the filme be olde so that it will not breake then take the powder of burned Allume being well burned and surely beaten blowe a little thereof with a â—â—ill into his eie and take héede when you will dresse him in this sort that you tie his head fast to some post in such sorte that hée can not stirre for by dressing your horse when he is loose hée may strike his eye vppon the ende of your quill in such sorte that you shall doe him more harme in one moment than your medicine shall doe him good in a moneth this is an approoued medicine not onelie for the foresaide gréefe but also for anie other that shall bréede in the horses eie but if so be that your horse haue a filme ouer his eie so thicke that it will not breake with blowing this powder in his eie then must you cast your powder in and fill his eie full thereof once a daie and hauing filled it let him â—e still holding his eie open with your two thumbs by the space of one halfe houre till the allume be melted then let him rise and dresse him in this sort but once a daie for the space of two or thrée daies and then blowe it in his eie as before And if at anie time you sée the inside of his eie liddes to be red then shall you dresse him with honie for the space of two or thrée daies and then dresse him again with your allum til he be whole Of the canker in the eie TAke of Woodbine leaues of Primrose leaues of Sage leaues of Violet leaues and of Rosemarie each one a handfull and of Allume halfe a pound boile all those things togither in thrée gallons of faire water till two partes thereof be consumed and when it is boiled inough straine it through a cloth into a faire vessel and adde thereunto half a pinte of honie and then shall you boile it againe the space of one quarter of an houre vpon a softe fire Then adde thereunto halfe a pinte of strong Vineger The signes to knowe it be these his eie will be redde and round about the same it will be full of little knots or buttons as bigge as the heads of pins and also it wil runne of filthie stinking matter The cure Let him bloud in the vaine beneath his eie and also in his necke vaine on the gréeued side and then wash him twice a daie with this water héere following and with a fine linnen cloth dip it therin it being first made bloud or milke warme Another for the same TAke Sage Fennell Rosemarie of each a handfull of Allome two ounces boile all these things together in two gallons of faire water till
through the buckle of your fore girse and make it of such length as your horse may haue no libertie to turne his head This is much better than to holde the contrarie raine of your cauison fast and a couple of these raines is the best remedie that euer I found for a weak necked horse Hovv to correct that horse that will not bring downe his mosell neither for bit nor musroll and being tied in with the martingale will continuallie straine the same and holde his nose fast on the musroll and his mouth on the bit and will not yeeld for anie of them Clifford YOu shall cléeue the end of your martingale and hauing made two buttons thereon button it fast to the two chéekes of your bit and buckle it not too short at the first but after when your horse is acquainted therewith you may make it so short as shal be requisite to kéepe his head in his due place Kingdon To what place of the chéeks of my bit shall I make this martingale fast for it seemeth me it were a greate deale better to make it fast in the great eies of my bit Clifford That shall neuer correct your horse but as touching the making it fast if your bit chéekes be turned at the ends you may put it into the same but if they be not turned at the ends then make fast a ring to each chéeke thereof néere to the neather ends with a packe thréed or shoomakers end by putting it through the one ring half a doosen times and about the chéeke of the bit and through the other ring also as before Kingdon It séemeth to me that a shoomakers end or pack-thréed should not holde my horse and also I thinke this waie to be verie daungerous for that my horse shall learne to checke vpon the bit by reason that the curbe shall piâ—ch him to sore Clifford The doubt which thou hast for breaking thy thréed is more then néedeth for that he shall neuer breake being tied in this order nor the strength of a good codpéece point although he be verie hard of mouth And as touching the vice of checking I grant it to be verie daungerous if thou vse it to a horse that is verie tender of mouth but thou must neuer vse it but wheÌ„ all other remedies faile shée for if thou vse it to a horse as before it shall worke to most excellent effect For the horse that is verie tender of mouth GIue him a bit made with two smooth Oliues or else in place of the Oliues fill all the ieues with plaine smooth rings and make him a curbe of leather in this sort Take away the thrée esses of the curbe from the rings thereof then take a péece of leather some thing more then twice the length of the foresayd Esses then passe that foresayde péece of leather thorough the ring the shal remaine at the hooke or long Ess that is fastned on the right chéeke of the bit then passe the other end thereof through one of the foresaide thrée rings that you fasten the curbe with all vpon the hooke and let the two ends of the foresaid péece of leather méet on the out side turning from the horses â—hin on the middle thereof making it fast with a causiers end For the horse that is some thing hard of mouth GIue him a plaine scatch or else two millions ioyned with a péece and put a whole barre or trench therein full of plaine rings Kingdon But what if my horse will not beare light vppon these two bits Clifford Then take your former cannon which would haue his chéekes long and his curbe great for I haue séene diuerse horses after they haue ben ridden with one of these foresayd bits one moneth and afterward giuing them their Cannon they haue become a great deale lighter thereon then at the first Kingdon But diuerse skilfull horse men are of the opinion that it is not good to chaunge a horses bridle if he be once well bitted Clifford I graunt neither would I wish you to change your cannon in anie case so long as it is possible to gouerne your horse with him but I haue found diuerse horses the could hardlie be gouerned with the cannon by reason of the hardnesse of their mouths but by changing them from the canon to one of the forsaid bits and afterward to the canon they become so light there vpon in processe of time that I haue bene able to gouerne them vppon a canon so easilie as though they had neuer béene harde mouthed Kingdon Then it should séeme that often chaunging a horses bit is good to him that is hard of mouth Clifford Yea if thou chaunge him vpon one of the foresayde thrée bits and that thou take héede thou giue him not anie other rough bit thou maist also vse the scatch with the vpâ—â—r mouth or the whole port with two round rowles which would not be rough nor great and fill the rest of the ieue with smooth playing rings on the out side therof These aforenamed bits are sufficient to frame anie horse of what nature or disposition so euer he be of not hauing his mouth marred before with euill riding and rough bits if so be thou haue the true art of riding in the which if thou be ignoraunt neither shall all the dronken fashions which thou maist sée in Flaunders nor the new sangles or light inuentions which thou mayest also sée in Paris nor all the moderate fashions inuented by the discréet Italians profit thée anie thing The end of the second booke The third booke of the keepers Office The first Chapter of the keepers Office Kingdon YOu haue taught me sufficiently as touching the art of riding now I praie you let it not be grieuous vnto you to teach mée after my horse is ridden how and in what order I shal walke and dresse him to the end that he may not take colde for that I haue often heard you saie that you account your horse halfe marred after that he hath once taken an extreame cold for that he shall be the more subiect not onlie to take that but also most perillous diseases death may happen vnto him by 〈◊〉 of extreme heat cold Clifford Thy horse being ridden cause him to be walked in the same place where thou geuest him some lesson in a great ring or right forth with a man on his back till he be thorough colde Kingdon Why shall I walke my horse with a man on his back and not in my hand and also why shal I walke him in a ring Clifford By walking him in a ring thou maiest sée him as the ridest thy other horses by him Also the man the shall ride him being ignorant how to vse his hand vpon the bridle shal then haue no néed to check him with the bit for he being well acquainted with that path will goe himselfe as touching thy walking of him in thy hand it is very dangerous for the the weather
being verie cold the aire wil vtterly spoile thy horse which can haue no power on him so long as he is going with a man on his backe Also if your horse be stubburne or giuen to reare on end or leap on his kéeper with his fore féete it shal be very perillous to walk such horses in your hand not onely in respect of the kéeper but also of the horse who hauing once beaten his kéeper or broken froÌ„ him he shall therby become so stubburne the no man shall be able to lead him without great danger of the which horses I haue had good experience in Flanders with Monsieur Villiers with Monsieur De la Roshpo one of them being marshal of the camp as aforesaid the other general of the Infancie the army theÌ„ being at Eclow the Erle De la Roshpo had a bayhorse which slew two of his grooms wherwith he became so cruell fiercâ— not only in biting striking but with rearing on end the he would dash out their brains and break their bones whosoeuer he could take hold on Also Monsieur Villiers had a bay horse named Souldier which horse when I had ridden him one daie lighted to make much of him which hath alwaies â—â—n my coÌ„mon vse when my horse hath done wel the horse did leape vpon me rend almost all my clothes of my backe bit off my fore finger to my great griefe feare of the beholders who all ran awaie for feare of the furie of the horse which was so great that not one of them was so hardie as once to help me Kingdon I pray you before I go anie further teach me howe I may without perill kéepe or dresse any such horse for that you told me Monsieur Villiers gaue two horses to MoÌ„sieur de la Roshpo for the same horse and afterward hauing doth the foresaide ill conditioned horses vnder your hands the space of thrée yeares you had neuer anie groome hurt nor your selfe put in hazard with either of them which can hardly sincke into my head for that an horse beginning to bite and leape on his kéeper with his foreféete is hardly or neuer to be reformed Clifford I graunt they are not to be reformed but thou shalt easily maister them with these inueÌ„tions here folowing in such sort that a boy of sixtéene yeres of age may dresse them saddle them bridle them leade them in the hand leape on them and light from them without anie perill either to kéeper or rider First when you woulde bridle your horse you must make fast a strong cord to the noseâ—and of his collar in this sort Goe to the horse on the one side of the barre and drawe his head to you so farre as the contrarie raine will giue you leaue then make fast the forenamed cord which you may easily do without anie daunger then tie him therewith to the racke and then you may bridle him with your watering bit or false trench which false trench is a most necessarie thing for such an horse for that he being brâ—deled therewith you may not onelie dresse your horse without danger but also if occasion serue you may put on your bridle without danger and let the trench remaine on his head noting that you leaue the rains of the foresaid trench so long as you may tie him therewith to the two postes of his roome being turned about Kingdon I graunt that I may thus kéepe mine horse from biting me but what shal I do that he strike me not with his foreféete whiles I thus bridle him Clifford If he be so froward that he will not let thée handle his head then take a good whip and whip him well and hauing so whipped him offer to touch him as before which if he refuse then whip him againe obserue this order so long till he be glad to let you handle his mouth which when he will doe make much of him and bridle him in suffering whereof sée that thou vse him gently if he offer to bite thy hand take a left hand gantlet and dash him in the mouth when he offers to bite thine hand that being done take a long rudgell and begin to touch him therewith vpon his hinder legges and if he strike whip him as before so long till he endure to haue both his legges and féete easily rubbed and touched with the same then begin to rubbe him gently with your hands and after put foure pasturnâ— on his feete and let a cord passe on ech side from the hind foot to the fore foot which would be of a sufficient length by this moâ—ns may you dresse your horse saddle and bridle him without danger either of biting or striking and also your horse may both lie downe rise with the same so easily as though he had nothing on for I haue alwaies vsed in the camp when I must make my stable in a â—â—rne or great house where I had no bars betwixt them to tie all their legs with side langalls made of great haie roapes which I did alwaies carrie with me for that purpose Kingdon I pray you teach me what those side langals are for I know not what you meane therby for that I haue neuer séene any of them Clifford In the north part of England they are coÌ„mon also in Scotland and it is made in this sort first take a péece of a cord of fiue foot of length and make a knot on ech ende thereof then passe the said knot through the two eies of your cord which must be on the ends of the same for the purpose theÌ„ may you shift your knot backward or forward so long til you make the two ends therof fit for your horses féet then put one on his hind foote the other on his forefoot noting that daily you change the foresaid langal putting it one daie on the one side another day on the other for feare of galling him it shal not be amis at the first to line it with cotton or cloth after he is acquainted therwith he wil not hurt himselfe though you make it of rough or hard cord I haue also séene the Albanians vse a much more easier fashion for the euerie kéeper may make it himselfe Cut a péece of cord of such length aâ— may come froÌ„ the hinder foot to the forefoot of your horse a knot being made on ech end therof then take two péeces of smal cord double theÌ„ make a great one make knots vpon both ends thereof let it be of such length as it may méet iust about the horses féet as your pasturn doth then with a great cudgel sharped at the end opeÌ„ the forenamed great cord passe the small cord through the same behind the knot and when you shal put it on your horse wind the loup that wil remaine of your foresaide small double cord til you make the end therof so strait the you can no more but passe the forenamed