like to a snaffle and hauing the mouth of a cannon bit so as he might hold the reines of the same one with the one hand and the other with the other as he dooth the reines of the Cauezzan whose iust and due place is to be borne low euen with the point of the shoulders and not aboue the mane of the horsse as one must carrie them if he will vse them in one hand with the reines of the bridle What must be doone in riding a horsse with bit and Cauezzan togither But if they will needes ride with bit and Cauezzan togither then to auoid the fault before remembred I thinke this the best waie in mine opinion Let them learne to change the reines of the bridle out of one hand into the other after this manner when they turne the horsse on the right side let them drawe the right reine of the Cauezzan lowe to the point of his shoulder with the said hand as afore said then hold the reines of the bridle which you haue in the left hand with the reines of the Cauezzan right ouer the crest and the necke of the horsse so as you presse his mouth nothing at all therewith So likewise when you turne him on the left side change the reines of the bridle out of the left hand into the right and then hold him with the right hand euen as you did before with the left and vse the left reine with your left hand as you did also with your right Admonishing you by the waie that in any wise in all your horsses lessons whatsoeuer you shunne making of ouermuch haste with him for that is as great an error and ouersight as a rider may commit and dooth as much hinder your horsses profiting in that you would teach him as anie one thing So must you be likewise heedfull to giue your horsse breath in all his dooings And thus much for the Gauezzan The vse of the hand vpon the bit more speciallie declared with diuers circumstances incident to this discourse Cap. 5. NOw to begin with Xenophon The vse of the hand vpon the bit c. as touching the right vse of the hand vpon the bit after he hath spoken of diuers kinds of bits wherwith he would haue horsses ridden he endeth thus What kind of bit so euer it be saith he with the same must he be made to performe all those things that be requisite to shew himselfe comelie and in such sort as we haue prescribed And therefore the horsses mouth may not be so pressed therewith that thereby he be put to despaire of libertie neither so easie or soft that he contemne or despise it Now then after you haue somewhat pressed him with the bridle so as he carrieth his necke well then must you by and by ease your bridle hand and make much of him assoone as he sheweth himselfe obedient vnto you Further he saith that when you shall perceiue that the horsse is delighted and hath a certeine pride in the raising vp of his neck and that he is well pleased with the easing of the bridle you must take heed least anie thing at that present be offered him which beside may then vex and greeue him as though you would driue him to a perpetuall paine But then you must winne him with gentle and curteous dealing whereby he may hope for rest and quietnesse for by that meanes he will be more readie and willing to doo whatsoeuer you will haue him In another place he willeth How to staie a fierce and stubborne horsse in riding that if you will staie a fierce and stubborne horsse you may not pull him with the bridle vpon a sudden but quietlie and patientlie pull it in by little and little whereby you may allure and intice him and not compell him by force to staie and stand still Last of all he sheweth that gentle This place therefore is diligentlie to be noted and heedilie to be considered and warilie to be practised But hitherto yet in these things there hath beene rather noted what should be doone than taught how they should be doone And therefore in the 44. page he dooth not onelie treate of the matter againe but teacheth also how it should be doone and saith How to make an horsse vnderstand your meaning in actions incident to riding If you will know how to cause a horsse not onelie to vnderstand the bridle or to make him go backe therevpon but also that he may go in a due measure and temper without bearing vpon the hand tenerete quest ordine doo you keepe this order Assoone as you haue staied your horsse draw with a staied hand the bridle temperatlie as his resistance or he by defending his mouth shall require not giuing him anie libertie at all and with the rod strike him vpon the bowing of his neck faire and gentlie and so for a while prouoke him with the spurre from time to time one while with the one an other while with the other but most on that side where he most wrieth his buttocke to the end he may go iust with diuers other meanes as in those places you may see vntill at least he draw back one of his forefeete and dooing but so much by and by take heed that therewith you make much of him as I haue often told you saith Gryson and then staie him quietlie a little while and after assaie againe to do the like drawing onlie the bridle For the horsse by reason of the cherishing you gaue him shall vnderstand you and will go backe both with the one and with the other forelegge and that verie light vpon the hand How to make an horsse go as farre as one would haue him Also when you shall offer him that signe to touch him with halfe the rod vpon the necke you shall with a lowd voice saie Backe for he assoone as afterward he shall heare that manner of voice and feele that signe of the rod or if you doo but draw a little the bridle he will go as farre backe as one will haue him and euer when he shall be out of the due and true staie vpon the bridle you shall still make him to doo the like that is to go backe in forme aforesaid And to incourage all men to practise this rule in the latter end thereof he writeth thus Et non â—i disperate se quando se gli insegna questo facesse qual che disordine perche all vltimo tanto maggiormente si trouera in meno spatio di vn bora castigato et vinto et assai facile which is to saie in English Doo you not despaire though when you teach him this he make some disorder for by so much the more at the last one shall find him in lesse space than an houre chastised and wonne verie easilie These places thus recited bicause they be the principall places that I can find that is for this purpose to haue a horsse to
not from these naturall grounds that the hand keepe his appointed place and that the motion therof be such as when one dooth turne a horsse on anie side he should staie or straine him with the reine on that side And the lacke of the knowledge in this point is the cause that maketh our horsses forsake the tilt oftentimes The cause whi horsses doo oftentimes forsake the tilt for it is well neere a common thing that when a horsse dooth passe along the tilt to see him carie his head rather from than toward the same The reason is bicause he that passeth him draweth his bridle hand toward the tilt thinking therby to cause the horsse to yeeld his head and bodie toward the same and dooth not perceiue how by that motion of the hand hee streineth the right reine which is on the right side of the horsse that is from the tilt and slacketh the left reine next vnto the tilt so as the horsse cannot for his life keepe his head towards the same And thus haue I made this matter as plaine as my skill or wit will serue and as I haue conceiued it in mine opinion the which I leaue to the iudgement of others And heerewithall yet one may see now how plaine it is when the reason is added to the rule What the Author once purposed touching the bookes of Gryson and Xenophon treating of the Art of riding And in this maner was I once minded to haue gone through the whole booke of Gryson with verie short notes and to haue added thervnto Xenophons booke of the Art of riding But now I meane to staie and expect what will be the iudgement of this my first labour and how it will be allowed among the skilfull sort of them that professe this Art to whose reasonable correction fauourable interpretation this worke dooth offer it selfe ¶ The commodities that may be found by the vsing of the hand in this maner in practising of Gryson his rules and his order of teaching be these Cap. 9. FIrst Particular commodities possible to be attained by practising the rules and order set downe by Gryson you shall neuer put your horsse in danger of winde and limme or other deformitie of his bodie in which if nature hath made anie default it may greatlie be helped thereby Next your horsse shall neuer put your person in perill by rearing or running awaie if you haue the said true vse of the hand Againe he shall neuer greeue his rider with heauie bearing vpon his hand but shall beare light reine well and keepe his head steddie and haue a perfect mouth taking pleasure vpon the bit with a cheerefull pace vnder him vnlesse he be too too dull of nature Moreouer to bring these things to passe you shall not need to bestow your monie vpon Cauezzans chaines musrolles or martingales or anie such instruments but of a cannon bit onelie with false reines vntill he come to some towardnes and then to bit him as ye shall see cause For these things aforesaid were deuised by men of art To what end Cauezzan◠chains musrolles c. were deuised not for their owne vse but for to traine vp yoong beginners and to bring them thereby to the knowledge of the hand their seate and when and how they should aid an horsse cherish and correct him before they would trust them to ride him with the bit onelie And so Gryson affirmeth Che il caualiero fondato in buona doctrina senza di cio lo togliera non solo di questo ma d'ogn ' altro vitio that is That the rider grounded in the right order of teaching without it meaning the Cauezzan or such like instruments shall take awaie not onlie this fault treating in that place of the fault which the horsse committeth when he holdeth his head awrie from him but also euerie other whatsoeuer Finallie by this you shall know to whom you may commit your horsse safelie and assuredlie to be taught thereby to haue him in all his assaies to serue your turne and of whom you may be assured to find the contrarie For he that hath an horsse which by nature beareth heauie vpon the hand whereof there be but few if there be anie at all or be brought thereto for lacke of skill in the rider of which there be too manie and suffreth such an horsse to go out of his hand vnrecouered of the said fault so as the horsse doo not all his actions vpon a light and staied hand with pleasure and comelines and that with a cannon bit onelie as is aforesaid he is not to be trusted with a horsse of anie value Note without the knowledge of what point in the Art of riding all the rest in comparison is but vaine For without the knowledge of this point of riding all the rest in comparison is but vaine Neither shall anie man euer be able without it to bring a horsse to that lustines of courage and comelinesse of shape that Xenophon requireth in all his dooings which he himselfe dooth represent and expresse when he would appeare most beautifull But he that can saith he bring that to passe shall cause not onelie the rider but also the horsse to take great pleasure in the riding so as therein he shall appeare verie noble terrible and beautifull to behold yea and so delight the eies of the beholders with maruelling thereat that neither yoong nor old will be willing to depart so long as he is a riding Thus saith Xenophon The Author concludeth this treatise with Gryson Therefore with the last sentence of Grysons booke I conclude thus Questa e quell'arte laqual si segne da molti e tanta la difficolta che vn solo sara colui che al fui compitamente arriuera al suo vero segno FINIS ¶ This discourse following of the Chaine or Cauezzan and likewise of the Trench Martingale is not the Authors worke but the experience of another Gentleman verie skilfull and long practised in the same Art which he hath briefelie written at the request of his inward freend THe chaine or Cauezzan How the Cauezzan is to be carried in the riders hands when a horsse is come to were a cannon would be caried in both hands in such sort as the rider may alwaies haue power to commaund his horsse And therefore you are to carie the chaine at the first lower than the pomell of the saddle euen and somewhat short for so shall you be euer readie to helpe your horsse vpon anie occasion But beware that you doo not hale or hang vpon the chaine continuallie with a hard and cruell hand for thereby you may make your horsse so dull thereof as he will not care for it Wherefore in mine opinion to make a horsse vnderstand and know the chaine and to be light thereof it were not amisse to trot him out in some faire peece of ground where you may haue roome inough to trot and
stop at your will there trot your horsse right out a good long carrires length and in his trot carie the reines of the chaine in your hands as aforesaid euer regarding your horsses head that he carie the same iust and in a good place not more of the oneside than of the other and high enough at the first though he carie his nose out But in anie wise doo not suffer him to sinke with his head or carie it downewards A fowle fault in the horsse to sinke with his head c and no lesse in the rider to suffer it for besides that it is a fowle fault in the horsse to doo it it is no lesse in the rider to suffer it if small and gentle helpes and corrections may reforme it for at the first extreame corrections are not in anie wise to be vsed for they will doo more harme than good Therefore let your hand vpon the reine of the chaine be euer readie as you be trotting your horsse to the place of stop to giue him a little nippe or warning patientlie and at the same instant put him forwards with your legs or voice gentlie shaking your rod withall to the end he may go franklie vnder you keeping the reine of the chaine still at one staie vnles you find in your discretion he deserue to haue some libertie and so suffer him alwaīes to go forwards at his owne ease but take heede that the gripes and pinches which you giue your horsse with the chaine make him not fearfull to go forwards or to offer to stop before you come to the place where you intend to haue him stop Wherefore as you shall keepe your chaine in one place and at one staie for a conuenient time as aforesaid vntill he waxe humble therof that by his yeelding he maie winne his owne ease and keepe his head where you would haue it so must you carie it with so temperate a hand as you maie rather seeme to threaten with the chaine than to punish that the horsse be not made hard therof neither so slacke as he maie contemne or not care for the same For auoiding whereof A remedie for auoiding of the former fault you must euer take heede to keepe him sensible vpon the chaine and light withall so as by your discreete vsing thereof he maie know and vnderstand your meaning which through your diligence he will doo in short time if in trotting him you obserue the maner aforesaid and comming to the place of stop pull in the reines of the chaine and bridle but not cruellie nor vpon the sudden but by a little forewarning of him and presentlie with a more force make his stop good by pulling in your hands and keeping them at one staie putting forwards your legges a little and bearing your bodie somewhat backward vntill he hath made his stop which would not be short and after a little pawse or staie retired therevpon with obedience if there be cause to retire him which when you perceiue keepe your left hand vpon the bridle steddie and make much of him with your right hand wherein you carie the chaine so pace him after his stop in a large compasse at the first once or twice about vpon the right hand and so back againe gentlie to the place from whence you came keeping your hand vpon the chaine steddie and then trot him to the place of stop in the same maner as you did before for it is good to vse him for a time to one place of stop still hauing an eie to his head that he carie it in the same place that you would haue him which you shall make him doo by keeping your hand short vpon the chaine yet light withall so as he looke for smart if he offer to carie his head otherwise than you would haue him Also What is to be done if the horsse in trotting carrie not his bodie streight if your horsse carrie not his bodie streight in his trotting but more on the one side than on the other then obserue Grysons rule set downe in the fourth chapter of his second booke of the Art of riding where he willeth that if your horsse stop wrong you make him go two or three yardes further in the same path and there stop him holding the reine of the chaine streighter on that side whereon he most forceth your hand than on the other What is to be gathered vpon Grysons words So we may gather by this that Gryson would wish at the first we should forbeare to reforme our horsse either with heele or rod when he stoppeth awrie and help him with the chaine in this maner as for example If your horsse in his trotting will not go straight but carie his head towards the left side and his buttockes towards the right then by pulling the reine of the chaine on the right side you shall make him yeeld his buttockes the contrarie waie and go streight if you carie such a temperate hand vpon the chaine as the horsse maie be made obedient thereto with a fresh and sensible feeling thereof And seeing that you must vse the chaine for the making of your horsse iust both of head bodie you ought to haue this consideration that your horsse with great extremitie be not in anie wise made hard or dull thereof as is aforesaid Wherfore it were good sometimes to carie your horsse vpon the cannon onelie and ease him vpon the chaine taking heede of giuing him too much libertie either of chaine or cannon other than by his humilitie and submission he shall get of himselfe for you shall seldome giue a horsse anie libertie but he will seeke more Therfore as you haue consideration of the chaine The nature and disposition of a horsse is discreetlie to be considered of the rider note the horsses of Sardinia Corsica so must you be well aduised of the nature and disposition of your horsse For Gryson saith that the horsses of Sardinia and Corsica are of a fierce and hote chollerike complexion and therefore those horsses and such like would be discretlie and patientlie ridden as a horsse of a dull and slow mettall would be franklie ridden with good life and spirit and to such a horsse as is firie there would be litle correction vsed either with spurre or rod. For I hold it better that the rider by his discreete and skilfull foresight should keepe his horsse from errour than correct him when he hath made a fault For all corrections are vnpleasant to a horsse yet sometime to be vsed but then the rider must haue a iudgement to discerne whence the cause of his error proceedeth whether it commeth of the malice and euill disposition of the horsse or for that he knoweth not the riders mind or at his first breaking hath beene euill taught and handled with such other like And hauing respect to these things you may the better vse your discretion so you take time with a moderate
of the rider not forseeing at anie time how hee hath made his horsse his Lacert bowed on the one side and firme on the other The nature of a vermine in Italie called Lacerto as though he had beene foaled with that deformitie This word Lacerto is the name of a vermine or creeping worme like to a Newght with foure feet which in Jtalie be common and haue this propertie by nature neuer to looke directlie vpon a man but alwaies with his head awrie And this hapneth as he affirmeth for lacke of taking heed of the vse of the hand at the beginning that guideth the Cauezzan For euen as by violent haling thereof they marre the naturall forme of their noses so by vnskilfull vsing of it in teaching them the furrow turne as some call it they set their heads and neckes awrie which is now commonlie seene For if a horsse be turned on the one hand you shall see him carie his head on the contrarie side Of what error the fault in a horsse of holding his necke and head awrie doth grow This vice groweth of this error that when the horsse dooth not yeeld quicklie to the motion made with the reine of the Cauezzan to turne on that side his rider would haue him then he plucketh it harder and harder and therewith peraduenture his head yealdeth but his bodie stirreth not at all The Rider then perceiuing that disorder letteth that reine go and bicause he shall not wrie his head in that sort he staieth the reine on the contrarie side so as his head cannot follow his bodie and by this vse and custome of teaching he is brought to the said fault and vice aforesaid But the true vse of the hand in this point is How to handle a horsse in teaching him the furrow turne and how that turne is made that when the horsse is brought to the place where he must be taught this furrow turne that is in a new deepe ploughed ground into a troden path betweene two furrowes and therein standeth strait and iust with his bodie as Gryson appointeth mooue him gentlie to go forward and in the verie motion turne him first on the right hand thus Drawe the right reine faire and softlie vnto you taking the same with your right hand low vnder the pomell of the saddle well neare halfe a foote towards the middle of the reine whervnto if he yeeld neuer so little then make much of him and staie that hand with that reine so as you neither draw it anie further nor slacke it anie thing at all and with your left hand let the left reine slacke so farre as his head may turne and haue libertie to go and follow his bodie and no further But if you perceaue with that little yeelding What helps must be vsed in this kind of training his bodie mooueth not with his head then helpe him gentlie with your left leg but let not your hand stirre If this will not serue let his keeper or some other that hath skill be with you that may faire and quietlie come on his left side to his foreshoulder and thrust him by little and little to cause him mooue the fore part of his bodie But if the horsses resistance be much let him vse his force and thrust the horsse from him as he seeth cause Then in this meane time let the rider also helpe him with the calfe of his leg as is before mentioned striking him therewith as neere the shoulder as he may and to make that sound of the mouth or voice that Xenophon speaketh of which hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is made by putting the tip of ones toong into the roofe of his mouth and smartlie to loose it by opening thereof But in all this time he must keepe his hand firme and staied not slacking nor drawing the same by anie meanes And assoone as he shall perceaue that the horsse mooueth the forepart of his bodie be it neuer so little let him staie and make much of him but suffer him not to turne backe againe to the path which peraduenture he will offer to doo and in that manner bring his forepart about vntill he come into the path againe so that his head stand where his hinder part stood and there setting all his foure feet right in the said path let him stand with his head and bodie as strait as you can deuise and so let him rest and make much of him see that both the reines be of equall length and stand with him in that sort a pretie while and that doone turne him on that hand still in such order as before vntill he be come about into the path and that his head stand that waie therein as it stood at the first when he began to turne and alwaies when you offer him the turne you must first put him forward and in that verie motion drawe the reine with your hand as before thus as you haue doone with your right hand so must you order your left hand also when you turne him on the left side Heere I haue touched diuers circumstances without the which I could not well shew that which is speciallie purposed that was the true vse of the hand vpon the Cauezzan in teaching the horsse to turne But if you will haue a perfect view of the misuse of the Cauezzan A perfect view of the misuse of the Cauezzan then marke when a horsse is ridden with the bit and Cauezzan togither and you shall see manifestlie and that speciallie when they be turned vpon the left hand the misuse thereof For then the rider hauing both the reines of the bridle and the left reine of the Cauezzan altogither in his left hand thinking to helpe the horsve to turne on the left side drawing all the reines toward the said side with the which draught he draweth also the right reine of the bridle with the rest supposing thereby to helpe the horsse and dooth not perceiue how therewith the cheeke of the bit on the right side is so pulled vp as thereby the mouth of the bit dooth so presse the horsse on that side that his head cannot follow his bodie towards the left side that he is offered to turne vpon cleane contrarie to the order that he was taught or ought to haue beene taught when he was ridden onlie with the Cauezzan for then hauing the right reine in the right hand and the left reine in the left hand they may be drawne on either side in reasonable manner But I doo not see how it is possible in reason to teach a horsse to turne on both hands and keepe that forme and shape that nature hath giuen him holding the reines of the bridle with the reines of the Cauezzan in one hand Lessons for yoong beginners in this Art or exercise And therefore I would wish that yoong beginners should not ride with the Cauezzan and bit togither but rather with a watering bit made
horsse and howto be remedied by the rider If by the waie he make anie disorder by thrusting out of his head or waxe heauie vpon the hand or leaue champing vpon the bit the which you must note diligentlie assoone as you perceiue it by and by staie faire and gentlie and make him go backe as you did before For in the going backe he will bring himselfe in his right forme and order wherein as soone as you find him make much of him and mooue him forward foorthwith faire and gentlie and after this maner vse him still till he come to the place of stop And as he must be vsed thus in going right forward so likewise must he be vsed in treading of the rings first gentlie vpon the pace and so likewise vpon the trot and last of all vpon the gallop And in the practising heereof you must verie preciselie note these kinds of speeches that in making of a horsse to go backe A temperate staied and firme hand required in making a horsse retire or go backe and that manie professed riders misse the due vse thereof it should be doone with a temperate a staied and a firme hand But what the temperate staied and firme hand meaneth and how it is vnderstood and vsed of the most part that take vpon them to professe this art when they will at the beginning make their horsses go backe I know not But you shall see them draw the reines with a forced hand rather than with a temperate hand whereby they so presse the horsses mouth that they put it cleane out of order which may be perceiued either by gaping or thrusting his toong vpon the bit to defend himselfe from the same or els ouer the bit chopping his head out suddenlie and plucking it in disdainefullie seeking by moouing his head this waie and that waie to be deliuered of the said pressing which be all signes of an vntemperate hand inclining to violence and contrarie to nature which to content and please is the end of the whole art And therefore one should practise this rule in such sort as the standers by should scarse perceiue whether he draweth the reines therwith or no and that in this manner First A forme of practising the former rule and what things are well to be marked as soone as he is setled in the sadle as aforesaid let him not draw the reines of the bridle vnto him before he haue made them equall so that one be no longer than the other And if it be a horsse that knoweth not well the bit then let the bit be as slacke as he can and let him settle his left hand wherein he holdeth the reines with his little finger betweene vnder the pomell of the saddle as neere the withers as he can so as he touch them not and then with his right hand draw the reines faire and softlie and equallie togither through his left hand the which he may neuer remooue vntill he feele that the horsse begin to staie vpon the bit then let him hold the reines there neither slacking them nor drawing them anie further vntill he doo looke in what forme his head standeth the which if it be not in such due forme as before is described then let him giue him his left hand againe a little and standing so with him a pretie while let him bring his left hand to his former place againe whereas he found the horsse to make his first staie vpon the bit and there if he stand without making anie motion either with his mouth vpon the bit or with his head which if you note well you shall perceiue that he will stand therewith as it were doubting or in a mammering whether he should put it out or bring it in as though he were troubled with the palsie which you shall scarse perceiue by the motion then draw the reines with your right hand through your left hand somewhat more but let it be so little and in such gentle sort as the standers by may scarse perceiue it for so must all the motions of the hand be at that time Motions of the riders hand in ruling the reines c. if you will make the horsse know the bit and so keepe it firme and staied there a pretie while wherevpon if he yeeld anie thing be it neuer so little vnto your hand keepe your hand still at one staie neither slacking it nor drawing it anie further that he may feele the ease gotten by that his yeelding and vpon his so yeelding make much of him And if with that yeelding the reines fall slacke remooue not your left hand but draw the reines with your right hand through your left as you did before for they may not lie slacke vntill he staie againe vpon your hand wherevnto if he doo yeeld by anie of those motions aforementioned then make much of him and so after this sort sollicite him vntill you haue brought his head into his due place that is that his nose lie iust vnder his forehead neither too much out nor too much in but so as he may see where he may set his feete When you haue brought him to this To make your horsse offer to go backe with other actions if then he beare not light vpon the hand let his keeper or some other strike him faire and gentlie vpon the knees of his forelegs for that will make him offer to go backe and in that offering he will a little raise and bring in his head in the which motion the bit will mooue so as both he and you shall feele some ease thereof But at that instant take great heed that you keepe your hand so firme that you neither slacke it nor in anie wise drawe it vnto you to the end that he may feele the ease that he found by the same motion the which he will not with his good will lose againe and therevpon he will take such pleasure as peraduenture he will both stir the bit quietlie in his mouth and go backe withall likewise either of the which motions ought diligentlie to be noted for they be tokens of the present winning of his mouth the which once woon in this order you shall by continuance thereof bring it to be perfect and iust A continuation of the matter discoursed vpon in the former chapter Cap. 7. BVt aboue all things you must take heed What is to be auoided in teaching a horsse c. that in the present time of the teaching of him this you vexe not nor trouble him with anie other thing nor that in this dailie exercising of him heerevnto you suffer none other to ride him vntill his mouth be made perfect least by feeling the diuersitie of hands before he be assured of anie one he be so confused with the diuersitie as he shall neuer be able to attaine to a certeine and sure conceipt of the riders meaning and then shall he neuer willinglie obey vnto the will and meaning of his
rider The end of the whole art of riding is that the horsse do willinglie obey his rider which is the end of the whole Art And when by these meanes he is brought to know the iust staie of his head and assured of the bit then to mainteine him therein in all his dooings vntill he may come vnto his full perfection is first to pace him in this forme and order in rings that be large for one weeke at the least and alwaies when you find him out of order staie him and make him go backe as is before mentioned And when he is in order staie him not long but making much of him keepe your hand firme and put him faire and gentlie into his pace againe and then if he continue in his good order with making much of him moue him quietlie to go faster vpon the pace with giuing him your bodie and touching him softlie with the calfes of your legs but neither slacke nor drawe your hand to you for that is the firmnes that is meant and hast him so vntill he fall into a trot of himselfe that he will doo verie light vpon your hand the which you must alwaies keep in such temper as was last remembred vnles by bringing in his head the reines fall slacke for then they must be drawne with the right hand as you haue heard before What is to be doone to the horsse when he continueth not light vpon your hand in trot But if he doo not vpon the trot continue light vpon your hand then staie him and cause him to go back wherby you shall bring him in order and that doon put him gentlie into his pace againe and so bring him into his trot as before And though you find him in the beginning verie vntoward yet within an houres exercising of him in this gentle maner you shall find him toward inough as by proofe you shall perceiue Diuers waies to cherish your horsse And then assoone as you shall find him so cherish him with some little tickling or some scratching with the end of your rod or with your fingers vpon the withers or thereabouts in the necke and trauell him for that time but verie little more and so leaue him and alight off from him euen there and let him be lead home by some leading reine rather than by the reines of the bridle or headstall as manie vse to doo and at your next riding you shall find him better disposed and by exercising of him thus but a fornight together you shall find by experience great good hope of your trauell And when he will in this quiet sort pace and trot in good order then may you put him to trot with as much speed as you will haue him both the rings or in anie kind of manage When to put your horsse to the gallop and what is to be obserued in his speedie trot and in his gallop But let him not gallop vntill he be fullie perfect vpon the trot and in his speedie trot you must keepe your seate and hand firme so as he may not leese his orderlie and comelie forme before prescribed But if you will put him to gallop you must doo it out of the trot as you be taught to put him into the trot out of the pace and so to keepe him in a quiet gallop in the large rings euen to the stop at the which you must not drawe your hand hastilie to you but euen with a little swaie of your bodie backe and your hand togither Staie your hand there till he come backe a step or twoo and there staie him and let him not go forward and there withall if he doo well make much of him and let your hand with your bodie go to their place againe But if he offer to go forward then with the like swaie staie him and so let him stand still a pretie while making much of him and then alight there and let him be lead home or else faire and softlie pace him home from thence after you haue staied there with him a good pretie while But now if you will be assured How to be assured whether you haue the right vse and temper of the hand and that the horsse be well assured of the bit whether you haue the right vse and temper of the hand and that the horse be well assured of the bit pace your horse ouerthwart the fallow of a new ploughed land that is deepe and of a light mould as fast as you can so that he trot not halfe an houre togither and keepe your hand in the firme and temperate staie as is before prescribed If in this time and in your so dooing the horsse keepe his head in his due place beare light vpon your hand and take pleasure of the bit you may assure your selfe that you haue then obteined the right knowledge of the vse of the hand wherein the cheefe substance of this Art dooth consist By this exercise also To bring a horsse to a iust trot is verie hard you shall bring your horsse to trot iust which Gryson thinketh to be the hardest thing to bring a horsse vnto by the meanes of which saith he the horsse shall come vnto the perfection of all his other iust dooings But my purpose is not to treate of anie other thing at this time The Authors purpose in this treatise but onelie of the right vse of the hand which hitherto hath beene treated of as concerning the teaching and making of a horsse And now we are to treate of the vse of the hand vpon a horsse alreadie taught and fit for the seruice wherein we haue but the vse of the left hand onelie for the other must serue vs for our weapon whatsoeuer it be But least that some may thinke that Gryson and Xenophon for the vse of the hand be of contrarie minds as it is somewhat touched before I thinke good before I proceed anie further in this to shew mine opinion of their difference The contrary minds of Gryson Xenophon touching the vse of the hand c. Gryson affirmeth constantlie that vpon the horsses yeelding vnto the hand wee should giue him no libertie at all and that in diuers places he affirmeth And Xenophon cleane contrarie saith that assoone as he bringeth in his head and boweth in the necke you should by and by slacke and ease your hand His words be these The horsses mouth may not bee so pressed with the bit that thereby he be put in despaire of libertie nor yet so easilie and soft that he should contemne the same Note well therefore the proportion of this measure and so he goeth on saith When you haue somewhat pressed him with the bridle so as he carieth his necke in good order then must you by and by ease your bridle make much of him assoone as he sheweth himselfe obedient vnto you And a little after If the horsse seeme to be well pleased with the
he intituleth it for the placing of the hand and the reines agreeth fullie with Gryson but is somewhat more liberall in declaring the maner of the motion of the fist when one shuld turne him of anie side For saith he if you will turne him on the right hand then bow your fist so as your thombe maie turne downe toward the mane of the horsse as therby you may see the full backe of your hand with your little finger vppermost And when you will turne him on the left hand then contrariwise turne your fist so as the thombe may go backe from you toward the head of the horsse and that you may see all your fingers in the inside of your fist so that your little finger and ring finger may appeere more fullie vnto you than your thombe but yet no more nor lesse than need shall require but so as your hand remooue verie little from the appointed place either of the one side of the necke or the other and that according to euerie mans skill that vseth it But I know well saith he that verie few haue the true vse of it And heere doubting as it seemeth whether his meaning should be vnderstood in this point addeth M. Claudio Corte doubteth that his meaning will be vnderstood but of a few And peraduenture there be few that vnderstand me saith he though I haue set it downe verie plaine And so surelie to doubt he had great reason For truelie I feare that to the most part this which hath hitherto beene said of either of them will seeme but a riddle and therefore had need of further explanation There is no doubt but that these excellent persons vnderstood some grounded reason of this precept if it had pleased them as well to haue set downe the reason as the rule for that being knowne the rule will easilie be vnderstood Let vs endeuor our selues therefore to seeke it out The authors opinion gathered out of the verie forme of Grysons and Claudios rule touching the turning of the fist c. What mine opinion is thereof and vpon the which I rest vntill I haue others to perswade me otherwise is this which I gather out of the verie forme of the said rule and that is of the placing of the hand and reines and of the motion of the fist as you haue read before as the hand not to remooue from the crest of the horsse the little finger and the ring finger if your will be placed betweene the reines c. Gryson biddeth vs turne our fist after a certeine maner but sheweth not how Claudio goeth further and sheweth how one should turne his fist but no cause whie hee should so turne it and therefore in mine opinion to make it plaine this I adde vnto it and would haue all men note that when I find the fingers thus placed betweene the reines and find also that the left reine lieth close and remaineth in the inside of the fingers and the right reine vpon the outside of those fingers this being well noted you shall straight see the reason whie or to what end that motion of the fist that Claudio dooth shew tendeth vnto For saith he when you will turne the horsse on the right hand turne your fist so as your thombe may go downeward to the horsses mane that your little finger may rise vp on the outside of the which the right reine lieth and by the reason of that motion is raised vp and the left falleth By what accustomed signes the horsse knoweth when his rider would haue him turne on the right side and when on the left and therewith the horsse feeleth the right reine straighted and the left slacked which he knoweth by custome to be the signe to haue him turne on the right side And so likewise when you would haue him turne on the left hand he turneth his fist so that his thombe goeth backe toward the necke of the horsse as he may see all his fingers in the inside of his hand By the which motion he raiseth the left reine which is in the inside of his hand and the right also falleth with the which the horsse feeling himselfe neuer so little streined on the left side knoweth by that signe that he should turne on the left side Now whether that this be the forme and maner of turning of the hand that Gryson meaneth I know not but in effect certeinelie they meane all one as I gather by Gryson in the 69. page where he teacheth how one should correct a horsse with the bit that holdeth his necke awrie beginning thus Oude similmente c. If saith Gryson he hold it awrie on the left side hold your bridle in the woonted place that is right ouer the crest and take the right reine vp with the forefinger of the bridle hand the which reine you shall hold betweene the said finger and your thombe and if you see cause you may ioine your middle finger therewith also But if it be too plieng on the right side and stiffe on the left then hold not onelie the little finger in his due place betweene both the reines but also the ring finger and middlemost too so as on what side soeuer his fault be by this meanes you shall force him by little and little to yeeld vnto that part of the necke that is stiffe What he meaneth by vsing the reines in this maner for the correction of this fault euerie child may conceiue the reason And herevpon I gather How to signifie on which side the rider would haue his horsse to turne that in what maner so euer he mooueth his hand to signifie on which side he would haue the horsse to turne it is by staieng the reine on that side and slacking it on the other as I haue shewed before And therefore for mine owne part I vse in practising therof to take part with them both so farre foorth as I find it most handsome for my hand as thus When I turne him on the left hand I vse Claudio his motion to bow my fist so as my thombe may go backward toward the horsses head whereby I raise the left reine that lieth in the inside of my little finger by raising that part of my hand wherein that reine lieth and when I turne him on the right side then I take vp the right reine with my fore-finger as Gryson teacheth in the place before recited though it perteine not properlie to this and leaue the turning of my fist as Claudio teacheth with my thombe downe and my little finger vppermost on the outside whereof the right reine lieth which I find oftentimes to slip from the place but so I am sure the other waie if I take it with my forefinger or middle finger it cannot and so vnto me I find it more handsome But yet I leaue both these or anie other to euerie person to vse as he findeth it most fittest for him so that they swarue
THE Art of Riding set foorth in a breefe treatise with a due interpretation of certeine places alledged out of Xenophon and Gryson verie expert and excellent Horssemen Wherein also the true vse of the hand by the said Grysons rules and precepts is speciallie touched and how the Author of this present worke hath put the same in practise also what profit men maie reape thereby without the knowledge whereof all the residue of the order of Riding is but vaine Lastlie is added a short discourse of the Chaine or Cauezzan the Trench and the Martingale written by a Gentleman of great skill and long experience in the said Art Jmprinted at London by Henrie Denham 1584. To the Right worshipfull Gentlemen Pensioners M. Henrie Mackwilliam and M. William Firâ—â—â—â—ams WHen as it pleas'd the right worshipfull M. Alley M. of the lewell house earnestlie to desire me to satisfle you right worthie Gentlemen his verie good freends as touching the right vse of the Canezzan first mooued vnto him by you Maister Mackwilliam as afterward for the like vse also of the Bit by you M. Fitzwilliams and that in writing the which things both doo speciallie rest in the true vse of the hand wherein the chiefe substance of the whole Art of Riding standeth I was in great doubt what answere to make For as I was verie loath to denie the earnest request of such a person to whom I thought my self so greatlie bound so doo I feare to fall into the iust blame that they deserue which take vpon them the thing that is aboue their power or so presume to put themselues in prease among so manie as haue so well written of the said Art alreadie But herevnto he as one more desirous to satisfie you than willing to vnburden me answered and said Though it be true in deede that diuerse haue so doone yet euerie one that is desirous to be a professor or at least a practiser of this Art as the whole companie of valorous yoong Gentlemen ought to be doo not conceiue the true meaning of the said Authors rules or can iudge of the errors of ill teachers by whom they be deceiued otherwhiles rather than taught as by the dailie practising of them one may easilie perceiue The true vse of the which are not gotten at the first assaie but by long experience and dailie conference with such as haue had long practise in the said Art as he supposeth I haue had and here vpon makes me beleeue I may doo somewhat to the great profit of such yong beginners though not by giuing of new or altering the old but by the way of interpreting explaning or shewing the reasons of such rules as speciallie in this point which is cheeflie purposed to be treated of at this time that is concerning the true vse of the hand a thing not easie but very hard to be vnderstood and fewest rules be giuen therof and commonlie most vnskilfullie vsed so as thereby they maie the better vnderstand the meanings of those Authors also iudge of others doings and be more warie in their owne practisings And by this meanes also he persuadeth me that I shall auoid the dangers which I before so greatlie doubted of and thus hath he coniured me as it were to take this matter vpon me as he saieth you haue doone him M. Mackwilliam verie oftentimes to haue it doone In this maner therefore thus moued therevnto I shal be content to doo my best to satisfie you all yet letting you vnderstand therwith that as the shame is like to fall on me if through mine vnablenes anie fault be iustlie found so will the blame be common to vs all but most to him that hath been the chiefest procurer thereof and least to me I hope that was so loath to take this enterprise vpon me Now then I haue first to consider in what order I shall proceed therein For how shall one make another vnderstand to what purpose the pomell of a sword serueth if he shew him not first what a sword it selfe is euen so how shal a man make another know what the true vse of the hand is in the Art of Riding if first he dooth him not to vnderstand in generall what the verie Art it selfe in nature is I therefore haue thought good to proceed in this maner First to shew what this Art is and out of that to draw the right vse of the hand The first part I will passe ouer with a short discourse and confirme the same with approued authorities The other as touching the true vse of the hand I meane to shew by telling in what sort I haue practised those Authors rules and what profit I haue found thereby and therein by the waie to interpret and explane where neede shall so require such places as maie seeme in them anie thing hard or vneasie to be vnderstood And so I will leaue it to your considerations require you both most earnestlie before you make it common that you will cause it to be perused priuatlie by some particular freends skilfull in that Art according to your promise M. Mackwilliam when you first motioned the matter vnto the M. of the Iewell house as he hath often told me among the which I wold most gladlie that M. Th. Blundeuile speciallie should haue a vew thereof who hath alreadie gathered verie diligentlie the whole substance of that booke of the order of Riding which was written by that excellent M. in that Art Frederike Gryson a noble Gentleman of the citie of Naples and hath verie skilfullie put it in such order as if men take good heed wil be diligent they cannot but greatlie profit thereby to the great benefit of themselues and the seruice of their countrie For the which and manie other his good abilities if this time were not too much vnkind and forgetfull he could not lie thus hidden as he dooth And this doone then my request is that it maie be returned to me againe before you proceed anie further and therevpon I will not faile foorthwith to send it you againe And thus I leaue it to your fauorable interpretation and to your wise and freendly protection wishing you both that you most defire The last of September 1583. By yours to command G. B. To our verie louing Companions and fellowes in Armes hir Maiesties Gentlemen Pensioners and to the gentle Reader whosoeuer IT hath beene practised by many excellent men in sundrie professions to forbeare the publishing of their owne names with such workes as they haue set foorth with singular skill for the benefit of their cuntrie Their intent wherein as we conceiue hath beene onelie this to profit and benefit others without regarding anie waie to purchase praise or commendation vnto themselues VVhich franke and liberall kind of dealing as it proceedeth doubtles of a noble disposition of mind which seeketh rather to doo than to be seene in doing and passeth not for so meane a reward as is commonlie due for speach or
in Gryson litle or nothing to the purpose as in diuers places heere alledged out of him one may perceiue as in the last line saue one of the ninth page before recited he first maketh mention thereof saieng Come egli ander á sicüro et solo in Cauezzana senzache altro il tiri and in the thirtenth page whereas hee treateth of making the horsse to stoppe iust and also in the foureteenth where he sheweth what maner of bit he would haue the horsse weare first and likewise in the sixteenth when hee would haue the Cauezzan taken from him and againe in the 23. page the fourth line wherein he warneth the rider when he mannageth the horsse vpon the halfe time to take heed that he wrie not his necke but to helpe him skilfullie with the Cauezzan and so againe for the said fault he maketh mention thereof in the latter end of the 79. page and last of all in the 82. treating still of correction for the said fault he concludeth thus Caualiero fondato in buona dottrina senza di ciolo togliera non solo di questo ma d'ogn ' altro vitio that is that the Rider grounded in the right order of teaching without it shall take away not onlie this fault from him but euery other whatsoeuer Who is best grounded in the Art of riding And who is best grounded in this skill he sheweth in the 106. page at the 33. line begining thus Et vi fo noto c. I doo you to know that euerie one which shall know how to correct to aid and to cherrish a horsse according as it behooueth him in time may be called the most grounded in this skill And a little after he saith thus Ma par arriuare a tal virtu in oqui sua bonta dico c. But to come to such goodnes and perfection I saie saith Gryson that euen as the ship is guided by the steeres man by meane of a stearne so a horsse should be gouerned according as his stearne is mooued which is the bridle and the reines thereof and that he termeth Il manico del timone the handle of the stearne the which be holden in the left hand and guided by reason and discourse so as it behooueth that in all his motions and actions he answer to that motion which the hand mooueth that holdeth the bridle Now seeing then the ground of all the Art as he often affirmeth resteth wholie vpon the true vse and iust gouernment of the hand let vs of this most cheefe and necessarie point therefore see what these authours saie therevnto For in treating hereof will appeare not onelie the true vse of the hand vpon the bit but also vpon the Cauezzan and the whole secret also of this Art to them that with reasonable discourse and heedfull diligence doo consider thereof and that doone I for my part will shew the experience with the profit that I haue found by practising of them And yet of one thing by the waie A fault in saddles hindering the right vse of the hand in riding I must put you in remembrance most contrarie to the right vse of the hand and therefore in no wise to be vsed and that is your new deuised saddles of late that haue their pomels too much bending forward with a buttresse as it were vnderneath it of an handfull thicke and more so as no man can draw his hand toward him low vnder the pomell to stop or gouerne the horsse as Gryson teacheth Vicino al garrese that is neere to the withers but must of force keepe it forward and when he should stoppe his horsse to heaue it vpward for to draw it to him he cannot vnlesse he doo it aboue the pomell and in so dooing may chance to knocke his knuckles therevpon except he keepe his hand verie much forward which to doo at the stoppe is against all reason and besides it is cause of manie disgraces as well to the rider as to the horsse himselfe the which to shew I meane not now to trouble you withall and therefore to the matter purposed The vse of the hand vpon the Cauezzan more speciallie touched and how diuerslie it is misvsed for want of skill a lesson for yoong beginners in the Art of riding Cap. 4. NOw to speake somewhat of the Cauezzan The vse of the hand vpon the Cauezzan c. thogh Gryson for his own part seemeth to make no great matter thereof yet he alloweth that others shuld vse it when he maketh mention of the same in diuers places as I haue before remembred and exhorteth men to vse it skilfullie as in the 23. page the third line there treating of the mannage with the half rest he vseth these words Adiutāndolo maestreuolmente conta Cauezzana that is To aid him skilfullie with the Cauezzan So as it appeareth in these words that there is a skill or cunning in the vse thereof leauing it euen so to the discretion of him that vseth it thinking peraduenture that those rules which he hath giuen for the vse of the hand vpon the bit might serue also for the Cauezzan to him that hath anie reasonable discourse So as in mine opinion if we would but consider the generall ground verie diligentlie that is that we doo not so presse the place whereon it lieth with ouer hard a hand as therby the sense may be dulled but so temperatelie vsed as the feeling may alwaies be fresh the which I feare is smallie considered of manie that vse it at this daie as farre as I can see we should see better effect follow thereof than we see oftentimes there dooth I thinke therefore the best waie to make men to vnderstand the true vse of the same How the Cauezzan by diuers is misvsed is first to let them know how by diuers it is misvsed and that it is misvsed whatgreater proofe can there be more manifest than to see how miserablie the sillie horsses be tormented and mangled therewith about their noses so as the skinne and flesh is worne to the bones and where it should lie flat by nature Come vn muttone as Gryson saith like to the nose of a sheepe they by their violence make it arise in the middestlike to the beake of a hawke How doo we see their heads also set out of frame by reason of the misuse thereof when the horsse is taught to turne therewith and as Gryson noteth to their great scorne that so teach them in the 82. page of his booke whereas he speaketh of some horsse that hath been taught from the beginning vnto the end to turne with his nose and necke awrie saieng thus Per colpa del ' caualiero non vi fu mai prouisto tal che egli ha fatto il suo lacerto inar cato da vna banda dalto altra fermo sano dimostrer à che vi sia nato di quel garbo torto And thus in english Through the fault
haue a perfect good mouth by meane of the true vse of the hand I meane for the better keeping of them in remembrance breefelie to gather the whole effect of this that hath beene said Wherein first I would haue one note the comparison of a bridle with the stearne of a ship What things the author would haue noted touching the praemisses appertaining to this Art which is placed in the horsses mouth and fastned to the reines that are holden in the left hand and likened also to the handle of the stearne which in his owne toong he calleth Il manico del timone and must be guided by reason and discourse and that all the horsses motions and actions must be made to answer therevnto And then more particularlie Gryson saith that we should make him know the bit with a temperate and firme hand and that doone to beare it vpon a sweete staie which he calleth Dolce appoggio for therevpon he will waxe verie light vpon the hand and haue a sweete mouth champing the bit with great pleasure for that is the point wherein consisteth saith he one of the greatest matters and greatest substance to staie the head of the horsse and to settle it in his due place and there in that manner with all the circumstances as is before mentioned to mainteine him without giuing him anie libertie at all as Gryson saith though it seeme otherwise to Xenophon And then how he may be taught to be brought to this he hath set downe the order verie excellentlie and plainelie But heerein note aboue all how warilie he speaketh of the restraint of libertie vpon the horsses yeelding to the hand What is to be doone touching the restraint of libertie in an horsse For there he putteth in a caue at as it were that the staiednes or restraint of libertie should not be such as it should exceed the due temperature of the hand the true tokens of the which be if the horsse reine well and beare his head iust staied and light therevpon and take pleasure of the bit These properties must ioine so togither as there may not want anie one of them to what action so euer the horsse is put For if there doo then is there some imperfection wheresoeuer it is And therefore I saie with Gryson againe and againe that you may not thinke slightlie thereof that heerein standeth cheeflie the whole substance of the Art But now though he hath heere plainlie set downe how it may be obteined yet in practising the same I feare we shall be verie often to seeke For it is not inough as it seemeth by Gryson that when he dooth go backe vpon the hand lightlie and settleth his head in his due place and taketh pleasure vpon his bit vnlesse hee doo the same also vpon euerie other act when he shall be put therevnto For commonlie vpon the stoppe or when they stand still they will be in good order but if you mooue him forward yea but vpon the pace he will perhaps leaue plaieng with the bit and beare somewhat vpon the hand or thrust out his head and so likewise vpon the trot and more vpon the gallop but most of all vpon the maine carrire A fault in riding committed for want of knowledge how to mainteine and continue the hand iust firme c. For how manie shall you see yea euen at these daies that in passing of the carrire holdeth his head in and keepeth himselfe in that forme that is before appointed And this commeth for want of the knowledge how to mainteine and continue the hand iust and firme with a sweete staie vpon the horsse as is before remembred in all his actions whatsoeuer so as he may take pleasure of the bit And therefore how we shall mainteine an horsse being once brought to know the hand and in this sort before mentioned that he in all his dooings whether they be doone furiouslie or quietlie may keepe himselfe in his due forme and comelines and to take pleasure therein is now to be considered and last of all of Gryson required and hath set downe his opinion thereof as you haue read And for my part although I may be as farre to seeke as anie other The authors long practise of certeine rules appertaining to this art as followeth yet for that I haue preciselie practised these rules these twentie yeres I dare be the bolder to set downe in what manner I haue practised the same and how much I haue profited thereby which may stand for the explanation or interpretation of the places afore promised leauing the iudgement and choise of euerie one to doo therein as he liketh For as I haue no power to binde anie to like of mine so I haue good will to follow others that will with reason in like maner giue me like occasion to follow them How these rules haue beene practised by this Author Cap. 6. SVch therefore as shall haue desire to practise these rules as I haue doone let them not forget this that Xenophon and Gryson agree both that assoone as one is mounted on horsebacke he must sit quietlie there a while especiallie if he be to be taught Xenophon sheweth the reason why The inconueniences of sudden motions procured in a horsse by the rider for saith he all sudden motions breed perturbations in the mind of an horsse and whiles he is in that case he cannot well learne For he is not assured of himselfe nor of that which his rider would haue him do for as we saie he is not himselfe that is troubled in mind And therefore he willeth when the horsse is first moued that it should be doon as softlie and quietlie as one could deuise to what action so euer you meane to put him And seeing that Gryson would that all his dooings should be doone vpon a staied hand a iust placed and setled head with a pleasant mouth vpon the bit which he accompteth to be the cheefe point and whole substance of horssemanship Therefore I haue beene verie precise in practising the making of his mouth to that effect and to mainteine him in the perfection thereof the which if anie will follow he must after he hath sitten quietlie a while first cause the horsse to go backe according to the order appointed For vpon that motion he will bring in his head and settle himselfe as is aforesaid in euerie respect and in that order then stand still a while and make much of him and in that meane while if he continue not in the said order then make him go a little backe againe as before But if he continue still in the said good order and forme then mooue him faire and gentlie forward vpon the pace with the calues of your legges keeping your hand staied so as you neither draw it nor slack it offering your bodie somewhat forward withall and so go foorth right in a strait path betweene two furrowes so farre as Gryson dooth appoint Defaults of disorder in an
easing of your hand and taketh a pride as it were in raising of his neck and crest take heed then euen at that present least anie thing doo vex or greeue him but with gentle dealing he must be vsed as he may hope for rest How the head and necke of a horsse should be placed In the beginning of his booke he sheweth how he would haue the head and necke should be placed not rising out of the breast inclining downeward as it is in a goate or hog but rising vpward toward the crowne like a cocke somewhat bending in the middest so as the eie of the horsse may see his owne feet This is the summe of Xenophons opinion Now let vs see what Gryson saith to the end we may know wherein they agree and disagree and whether the same be in word or meaning For the placing of the head and framing and fashioning of the necke they agree and both they would haue his head so placed as he may see where to set his feete and when he sheweth himselfe obedient to be much made of What waie is best to make a a horsse vnderstand when he dooth well and how Xenophon and Gryson differ in the maner thereof For the horsse can no better waie be made to vnderstand when he dooth well than by ease and rest and much making of wherein he may take some pleasure But in the manner how he should be made to vnderstand this ease and much making of standeth the diuersitie For the one would haue him vnderstand it by slacking the hand and the other as it seemeth would not haue him haue anie libertie at all For saith he when you haue brought the head of the horsse in his due place with those signes before remembred giue him then no libertie at all But straitwaies he putteth as it were a caueat Let the staiednesse be such that it be not out of his due temperance For therevpon he will take great pleasure champing the bit and be maruellous light vpon the hand c. Now therefore if we consider Xenophons proportion in slacking of the hand with Grysons restraint and caueat thereto added we shall find that they differ nothing in meaning howsoeuer they differ in words The opinion of Xenophon and Gryson seeming repugnant or different reconciled For the slacking of the hand on the one side and the straining thereof on the other side should be such as the horsse might find ease and take pleasure therof For as there is no pleasure in ouerstraining no more is there in ouerslacking and therefore he that can find the iust meane betwixt these two extreames dooth happen vpon the true meaning of these two excellent persons which in mine opinion differ not in meaning but in word A reason drawne from the art of musicke for the better explaining of the authors purpose As we perceiue in the Art of musicke vpon instruments with strings if any one string be strained or slacked more than his due measure the pleasure of the whole musicke is lost euen so the vntuned or vntemperate hand dooth marre the plesantnes of the horses mouth neither can anie with reason thinke that he which would haue the string slacked when it is too much strained neither the other which would haue it strained when it is too slacke that they be contrarie in meaning seeing they both would that the instrument should be so tuned as the musicke might yeeld the pleasant effect But see I praie you diligentlie how nice and warie these two excellent persons be in this most skilfull point of Horssemanship without the true knowledge of which all the reast in comparison is but vaine You see they deuise no hard or sharpe bits no pricking musrolles or Cauezzans or such other like instruments of violence whereby the sense in continuance is either made dull or dead but rather how they may delight and please them as nature and art requireth But this mine interpretation of this place and all the rest which I haue vsed by shewing in what sort I haue practised them I leaue to the iudgement of others and now go on with that which was purposed that is to shew the right vse of the hand vpon horses that be alreadie made perfect and iust The right vse of the hand vpon a horsse alreadie made perfect and iust Cap. 8. NOw then What is to be doone when a horsse is perfected according to the Authors rules when a horsse is thus taught and brought to perfection as Gryson saith in the 107. page we shall not need to vse the rod or anie other helpe but to keepe our bodie hands thighes knees and legs iust in such sort as I haue told you before that is which is set foorth in his owne booke Mutuall consent of the horsse and the horsseman by what meanes procured For the horsse with euerie little token by aide of the bridle and of the spurre will vnderstand your meaning and in euerie act that you shall doo he will accompanie you and you shall accompanie him in time and measure so as to the beholders it shall appeare that he and you be one bodie of one mind and of one will In this point therefore first there is to be considered how in the left hand the reines be placed and how they are then to be vsed for therein most cheefelie standeth the whole gouernement which Gryson likeneth to the handle of the stearne that gouerneth the ship and these reines as he sheweth in the 109. page which he willeth to note beginning at these words Notateche must alwaies be placed in this maner M. Blundeuiles rule for the holding of the reines which Maister Blundeuile hath remembred in the tenth chapter of his first booke thus As touching the reines you must hold them in your left hand so as the little singer and ring finger too if you will may alwaies be placed betweene the twoo reines and the thombe close vpon the reines with the brawne thereof turned toward the pomell of the saddle and being thus closed togither in your fist Gryson in the 39. page beginning at Quando volterete c sheweth how the fist must then be vsed when you will turne your horsse in whatsoeuer kind of manage it be after this maner Doo not saith he remoue your arme or hand but keepe it firme and staied right ouer the crest or mane of the horsse and with a little signe or token giuen after a certeine manner by turning your fist onelie make him to know on whatside you would haue him turne but yet so as your fist in anie wise keepe the appointed place right ouer the mane neither remoouing it of the one side nor the other to the end he may go firme and iust Thus farre Gryson Maister Claudio Corte What maner of motion of the fist M. Claudio Corte requireth of the rider when he should turne his horsse on anie fide in the second booke of his Cauallarizzo as
patience Follie of ignorant riders in correcting their horsses I saie a moderate patience bicause I haue seene some horsses ridden without all order so long and with such extremitie of spurs and rod and for want of breath togither that they haue committed fowle faults for which faults they haue euen at that present by the rider been cruellie tormented Which is none other thing than to ride a horsse without discretion and after beat him without reason So he that findeth faults in his horsse and thinketh to reforme him at once by the violence of his correction dooth none other than make one fault to be yet manie where if he would vse patience take time and doo it by little and little he should performe more in one weeke than otherwise in a moneth So mine opinion is that our first care ought to be that it be well iust and in good order that we doo and afterwards to trauell that it be franklie nimblie and with good spirit and courage both in the man and horsse whatsoeuer they shall doo And it shall not be amisse by the waie to aduise you Note as touching a horsse before he carie light of the hand be iust and steddie of head and bodie c. that before your horsse carie light of the hand and be iust and steddie of head and bodie both in his trot and gallop and in all his other doings so as he be both readie on the ground and seruiceable you doo not once put him to anie thing aboue the ground For when he is made firme and iust vpon the ground you shall not so soone proffer him anie thing aboue the ground but he will verie aptlie and readilie learne the fame aduising you likewise vnlesse you haue manie horsses and of them find some one aboue the rest that is light and nimble and apt for such exercise aboue the ground that you should neuer put your horsse to anie other dooings than on the ground as is before mentioned for manie respects which by experience you shall find verie profitable and were here superfluous to trouble you withall bicause in truth in this discourse I haue but onlie sought to giue you a tast of my owne experience therein to satisfie his request who maie command me Wishing that either time had serued me to haue written more amplie thereof or that some other more able than my selfe may take encouragement hereby to set it foorth hereafter more exactlie The trench and martingale are not alwaies to be vsed nor yet with euerie horsse When how in what cases and with what horsses the trench and martingale are to be vsed but for reformation of some fault or vice that either by nature or otherwise by euill custome is growne in him as principallie if he be hard of the chaine and cannon and humble not himselfe to your hand in his stop as you would haue him Then put on the trench and martingale which at the first should not be buckled too short in anie wise neither would the trench be vsed with anie extremitie or crueltie but at the first for six or seuen daies your horsse vsed verie courteouslie therwith vntill he be well acquainted with the same and then according to your owne discretion and as your horsses disobedience shall moue you vse the same more or lesse in his ordinarie lessons And when those faults be reformed for which you did vse the trench and martingale and your horsse brought to such perfection therewith as you maie thinke he is made obedient trie him againe with the chaine and cannon temperatelie and discreetlie And then if you find him inclined or disposed to the same fault still for which you vsed the trench and martingale leaue off onlie the chaine againe and vse this helpe Put a musroll vpon your horsse and buckle the same as you see cause not too streight but so as the horsse maie haue libertie to plaie on the cannon and put a paire of false reines to the cannon and so ride him vnlesse you doo see your horsse disposed to be vnsteddie with his head for which fault you maie then buckle a martingale to the musroll to keepe him steddie taking heed you buckle it not too short and exercise him diligentlie in his ordinarie lessons in that sort which by your good and discreete handling will serue to as good purpose for a time as if you did vse anie of the other before mentioned carieng the false reines in both your hands to the end you maie let him take pleasure vpon the cannon and sometimes as occasion shall serue carie him on the ordinarie reines and other sometimes on the false reines and all is but to the end to make him go light of your hand and take pleasure of the cannon A chiefe principall point of horssemanship For it is a chiefe principall point of horssemanship to make your horsse alwaies carie light on the hand Also on the other side when you vse the trench and martingale if your horsse be made too humble or slacke vpon your hand as somtimes horsses wil be with the sharpnesse and crueltie of the trench and hardnesse of the musroll so as you cannot make him firme to your hand you maie put on a smooth trench and more gentle musroll and embolden him therewith making him go forwards with all gentlenesse vpon the trench A caueat for the auoiding of extremitie in correcting a horsse but beware that in your exercising of him you vse no extremitie with your rod or spurres for it will rather put furie into him than embolden him Of which fault though I often admonish you in this discourse let it not seeme strange for in mine opinion that Horsseman which neglecteth to vse temperance and to minister his correction with iudgement and patience or omitteth likewise to cherrish his horsse vpon his weldoing shall marre more horsses than he shall make readie or seruiceable FINIS