the raynes Béeing seated in your Saddle as is before mencioned take the rayne of your bridle and folde the one side ouer the other making each side both of an euen length so short that you may haue the Colts head at commaundment then lay on both your hands the one a handfull distant from the other and doo not draw your hands to the Saddle pomell or plucke them close in to your body but place them ouer the midst of his crest pulling his head still vpwarde and aloft not drawing it in as to bring him to an vniformitie of rayne for that shal be but a marring of his mouth and the first rule to bring a comely fore-hand to an euill show but as I said lift your hands still vpwarde suffering them alwaies to goe and come with easie motions onely to thys end that you may gather vppe his necke to the vttermost height that arte or nature wil by any meanes suffer it Nowe forasmuch as some Horses haue naturallie such good fore-hands and such comely raynes that the Ryder néedeth little labour and lesse arte as for example hee that hath a long large vpright necke a wide chaule and a daintie mouth othersome so imperfectly framde by nature that though the Ryder vse extreame industry and much arte yet if he haue not the very ground and absolute knowledge of horsemanship he shall neuer bring him to staiednes comlinesse or good show as those which be short neckt narrowe chauld thicke headed and deade mouthed And sith these contraries must haue contrary meanes to bring them to theyr perfections because lenity to him that is dul and stubberne will from a little bring him to iust nothing dooing and cruelty to him that is frée apt and couragious is the hie way not onely to marre him but also to kill him and because the onely arte of ryding consisteth in the making of a comely staied and well fashiond rayne I will héere set downe the manner howe they ought both kindes of them to be trayned and taught drawing all the natures dispositions and vmors of Horses into these two heades or branches Dulnesse and Freenesse Under thys worde dulnesse I conclude such as be heauie naturd slow vnapt churlish alwaies crauing correction restie and forgetfull vnder this worde fréenes I conclude those that be light nimble couragious apt that wil catch a lesson from his Rider ere it be fully taught him and is alwaies readie for more then can be put vnto him therefore I will beginne first because they aske more labour and arte with those kinde of Horses which I tearmed dul Hauing backt your Horse as is before prescribed and made him to receiue you off and on at your pleasure which may be doone in a day or two then enter into the nature and disposition of the Horse which who so cannot finde let hym neyther professe nor expect to be a Horseman then finding him to be of nature dull and vntowarde neyther apt to proude pace nor rayne in any case neyther offer him lesson nor Ring but beeing mounted on his backe and hauing pausde setled your selfe thrust him out into a good round trotte the length of twenty or forty score all the way with your hands working vp his heade aloft and then offer to stoppe hym by drawing in your hand more firme and hard then you were wont in the working vppe of his heade at which if he offer to thrust downe his head and wil not stay thrust him forward as farre againe and then offer him the stoppe prouided alwaies you keepe him in a swift trotte in which if he prooue slothfull as no doubt but he will then reuiue hym with a sharpe rodde with your voyce and with the ierting of your legges and bodie forward at once If at the second offer he refuse to yéeld in his heade or stoppe then at hym the thirde tyme the fourth and the fift till you haue trotted him a myle or somewhat more then turne him homeward and exercise him after the same maner which peraduenture will the first day nothing at all preuaile with him but be you carelesse in any case stryue not with hym or séeke by strong hand to ouercome him for so you shall marre hys mouth teache hym manie knauish qualities and no more make his heade mooue then a great Oake but take hym out the second day and then trot hym foorth two miles and alwaies in twelue score sixe score or twenty score as you find your grounde or féele your Horse offer him the stop which if he refuse meruaile not but take him out the third day the 4. and 5. increasing his trauel as his daies increase And if you find in him an ability of body and strength to which you must haue great respect onely an vntoward stubbernes and vnaptnes hinders what you goe about then spare not to labor him two or thrée houres together about the fieldes til by this your labor toyle you make him yéeld to your hand which you shal no sooner perceiue but immediatly make much of him cherrish him light from his back and giue him grasse or greene corne if there be any néere you and faile not but exercise him thus for a weeke or a fortnight in which space you may make him so well acquainted with your hand that when soeuer you shal but straine your bridle rayne he will yéeld and stop at your pleasure It may be the first day you trot him forth you shal finde him of such a gentle mouth that at the first proffer hee will stop yet couet to haue his head betwéene his legs and trot but slouenly and like a Iade which if he doo thē looke what trauell I prescribed you for the stop imploy the selfe same onely to the raysing vp of his head to the bringing of him to lightnes to a fayre trotte and forwardnesse of way which no meane that euer I tryed or saw wil so soone bring to passe as thys Thys doone then walke about your large Ring thrée tymes on your left hand then change within your Ring as you did before obseruing for your left hande your left rayne and your right leg then will your large Ring haue two whole Ringes within the same as thys figure following sheweth Nowe when by this your trauaile you haue brought your Horse that he will willingly pace this Ring make his change within on both hands without compulsion thē may you well aduenture to trotte him in the same making him doo it with spirite and nimblenes prouided alwaies that if you find him vnwilling to make his changes on both hands within the Ring and that he rather couets to mooue his necke and heade then his body all which shoulde goe euen equally together then make your changes in this manner When you would haue him turne on your right hand draw your left rayne straight and so hold it then moouing gently your right hand rayne lay the calue of your left
when he shall leade him nor indanger his Ryder with that villainous quallity of running away Moreouer this manner of conquering him with the haulter 〈◊〉 bring him to such a sencible féeling of correction that when hée shall come to weare Musrole Chaine or Cauezan al which be many degrees beyond the haulter in crueltie and terror hys Ryder shall finde him so obedient to his hande that hée shall place his head where he list and in one wéekes trayning rule the Colt how he list But if he be a sullen Iade that wil neither run nor leape but onely hang backe then let some standers by with long poles or goades beate him and prick him till you make him leade vppe and downe gently not forgetting but to make much and cherrish him when you shall finde him obedient and plyant to your will This doone let him be sette vp in the stable and pull off his chase haulter for feare of galling his head too much and put on a flatte coller of double Leather Let his Keeper be alwaies trifling and dâ—â—ing somewhat about him eyther rubbing or clawing him in one place or other where he shall find him most ticklish or daintie still giuing him kinde words as ho boy ho boy or hollâ— loue so my nagge and such like tearmes till he haue won him to his will that hee will suffer him to dresse him take vppe his legges and picke him in euery place prouided alwaies and let both his Rider and Kéeper hold it as an especiall rule of good horsmanship neuer to doo any thing about a Colte eyther suddainly hastily or rudely but come to him softly doo euery thing about him leysurely and be carefull not to fright him with so much as an euill worde for wheÌ„ vnskilfull Horsmen wil come to their Horses with suddaine motions and violent furies that makes Horses learne to strike to byte to starte at the saddle to refuse the bridle and to finde boggards at mens faces Therefore let all things be doone with lenitie and discretion and yet not so voyde of correction but that if hee be a stubberne Iade which through will churlishnes will withstande hys Ryder you may with a sharp rodde correct him making him as well vnderstand when hee offendeth as when hée pleaseth When your Colt is thus in the stable made gentile that hée will be curried rubd pickt cold clothed scopt shodde and leade vp and downe eyther to the water or from the water all which a painfull man will easily performe in 〈◊〉 Moneth then would I haue a saddle brought to him in the gentlest manner that may be First let him smell to it then let it rubbe his shoulder then his side then his buttocke and so by degrées set it on his backe not failing to set it on and take it off many times ere you let it rest alwaies cherishing him When it is so seated on his backe then let one on the further side of the Horse deliuer you the garthes and gyrde it on first so flacke as he may scarce féele them then by littlâ— and little draw them straiter and straiter till you féele the saddle so firme that it cannot stirre then with your hande clappe vppon the saddle at which if he startle with fayre words encourage him and clappe harder not deâ—â—ting but one while clapping another while shaking the saddle tyll you finde in the Colte a carelesse regard of the noyse that he wil neither shrinke nor stirre for any thing you doo about him Then take a Trench or watring Snaffle but the Trench I rather preferre and annoynt it with Honny and Salte then put it in the Coltes mouth casting the raynes thereof ouer the Saddle pomell yet in any case not so strait as eyther it may draw in the Colts heade or force hym to striue against it but let it lye in his mouth that hee may worke and play vpon it at his pleasure In this sort let him be trimd euery day for the space of a weeke and so walkt abroade in his Keepers hand that hee may be acquainted with the Saddle with the bridle â—â—yrrops and other implements about him which being doâ—ne effectually his Ryder may with more suretie and boldnesse venture to backe him which I would wish and haue followed in this order Let him be sadled as I haue before sette downe but with great care so that the saddle may neyther slyppe side-waies forwarde or backwarde but stand firme in his place Let the one end théereof be buckled to the garthes betweene the Horses legges the other ende to the leather of the Musrole but yet so slacke that the Horse may haue no more 〈…〉 feeling of the Musrole wheÌ„ he shall iert or throw his 〈◊〉 aloâ—t then put on his Trench and let his Kéeper walkâ— him faire and softly foorth to some new plâ—wed péecs of grounde where after you haue pausd a space cherrisht the Colte make â—ffer to put your foote into the â—â—â—iâ—rop at 〈…〉 fault and refuse to abide then chase hym awhile 〈◊〉 his Keeper on that new plowed grounde and then cherish him and come to him againe and offer the like which if he refuse then chase him againe and leaue him not till 〈…〉 as he stand quietly and suffer you to put your 〈…〉 〈…〉 time gette gently into the Saddle and seate your selfe quietly without moouing or stirring Place your body vpright your eyes betwéene his eares your legs straight out without spurres and your rodde vpright by your shoulder least if you should hold it low before his eyes it might breede in him some affright or amazement which were a grosse error in a Horses first backing Beeing thus mounted well placed let his Kéeper offer to leade him forward gently which if hee doe quietly as there is no doubt but he will then let the Kéeper lay off his hand and let his Rider mildly put him forward not coueting to haue him kéepe any one way or forrowe but suffering the Colte to goe as himselfe shall best like sometimes ouer-thwart some-times endwaies or as hee shall bée disposed obseruing this rule alwaies to carry a gentle vpright hand of the Colte neither so hard that it may by anie meanes either mooue stay in hym or force him to finde faulte at the correction or writhe his mouth or necke neyther so slacke that he may eyther winne the head of you to put it betwéene his fore-legges which they will most commonly couet or make proffer to runne away by reason of too great libertie which to the best Horses is most natural Therefore I say carry a gentle hande so as you may haue a féeling of the Colte and the Colte no more but a perfect say of your hand vnlesse extreamity compel you And because the hand is the onely instrument and chiefe guide to bring a Horse to his perfection I will before I goe anie further shew both the vse of the hande in the first backing and also the carrying of
all to be referd to the Ryders discretion Therefore the Ryder must haue a great regard that in this lesson hee put not the Horse beyonde hys strength or force him to gallop longer then he shall find the Horse of himselfe willing to presse forward for if he be ouer-toyld and brought to a wearinâ—s and sloth he will not onely learne to prooue restie but also béeing young and tender put foorth splynts spauens ring-bones and such lyke foule diseases to bring him to lamenes Note that for any vice incident to this lesson if the Rider haue him perfect in the former there is none because in effect these Rings and the former Ring is all one saue that these be in a larger manner which is more easie and in the first is a certaine order and method to be vsed and in these none but onely a confusion yet a care of true tyme keeping Note that when your Horse can perfectly wel gallop the fielde that then you shall not neede to exercise him in it aboue once in a wéeke Now hauing thus farre continued my purpose I will consequently forward to the other lessons in which there is more arte and greatâ—r curioâ—â—tie And first of all hauing your Horse perfect in these lessons before prescribed you shall then teach him to turne readily on both hands and for that there be sundry manner of turnes as some strayte 〈◊〉 large some close some loftie I will shew you howe to bring your Horse to doo them all perfectly First therfore you shall teach your Horse to make that turne which wée tearme not hauing any apt English word â—ncauallare to lappe one thing ouer another Thys kinde of turne is the ground of all other turnes and by it the rest are attained to with more ease this maner of turne is to kéepe your Horses hinder parts firme in a place and make him come about with his fore-partes lapping his 〈◊〉 fore-legge ouer his inmost as hee turneth in this sort Trotte your Horse straight downe some euen furrow and there stoppe him and stande still awhile then drawing vp your bridle rayne somewhat firme yéelde your bridle hand a little but so little as may be towardes your right side then with the calue of your legge on his left side and your rodde on his left shoulder make him so standing without any larger compasse to turne his fore-parts that way which his hinder parts were which if he doo willingly cherrish him and then making that halfe cirkle a complete round one sette him as hee stoode before Thus as you did on your right hande doo so likewise on your left vsing the like helpes with your right legge and your râ—dde on his right shoulder then cherrish him and so dooing the like on your right hand againe that you may ende where you begunne light from his backe and giue him a handfull of grasse if there be any neere you So walking him vp and downe a while for his ease you may take his backe againe and doo as you did before increasing still his turnes as you see him increase in perfectnesse and willingnes till such time as you haue him so readie as vpon the motion of your legge and hand he will flie about so swiftly so oft as you shall eyther offer or desire Now for obseruations and notes in this lesson these be they first you shall vnderstande when you offer hym thys lesson if he refuse vpon the moouing of your legge and hand to turne and will couet to reare or doo such like dysorderly acts that then vpon the first proffer of such disorder you doo but slacke the raynes of your bridle and with your hande vppon his crest kéepe him downe offering him againe to turne which if neuerthelesse hee will not then drawe the right side raine somewhat straiter then the left yet in any case not so much that his head may goe a hayre breadth before his body but moue altogether at which if he make any stick theÌ„ with your rod on his left shoulder giue him a good iert that may make him stir and doubt not but he will then turne which when he offers immediatly followe him with your hand and leg til he haue gone halfe about where you may then pause to cherrish him Note furthermore that if hee refuse to mooue his fore-partes and offer to come about with his hinder that then you méete his hinder parts so moouing with your rodde and vpon his buttocke correct him making him keepe his hinder parts firme and fast if your rodde be not a correction sufficient then may you vse sometimes your spurre in his flancke both which if you finde preuaile not then must you cause him to pace out a little narrow ring not aboue a yarde or a yard and a halfe ouer-thwarte which you must make him treade one while on one hand another while on another sometimes by the space of a quarter of an houre sometimes more and lette him doo it continually on his foote-pace and not on his trot Thys shall bring him to great lightnes on his fore-parts and make him repose such trust to his hinder that you shal bring him vnto the incauallare as your selfe would wish or desire Note that if he doo it willingly on the right hand and not without compulsion on the left that then you alwaies beginne and end on your left hand as you did before on your right Note that when you turne him on your right hand if he doo not bring his left legge ouer his right but bringes it sometimes short sometimes vnder and so foorth ilfauouredly that for such offence you vse no other correction but still to labour him the more in this lesson for by such labor he shall come to vnderstand his faulte and by the knocking of one of his legges vppon another correct himselfe enough for that vice Note that the more hee lappeth his outmost legge ouer his inmost the better and more comely shall his turne be Note that the more you follow him in his turne with your hand and legge the further you compell him to lap hys legs one ouer another When therefore your Horse can set thys close turne vpon the ground both swiftly and in perfection then shal you procéede to teach him beate a large ring turne loftily which at this day amongst our English Horsemen is most in vse and it is to be doone in this manner following You must pace out a little narrow Ring some 4. yardes or there abouts in compasse and vse to walke your Horse in the same vntill such time that you perceiue him so readie that he will pace it willingly carrying his head and bodie both firme together not offering to flie out or vse any disorderly motion which when you find then shal you as you walke him about the Ring on your right hande with your voyce and calue of your left legge and with drawing your bridle rayne a little more firme cause him to aduaunce which so soone as
and toughnes Secondly the heate a Horse taketh after the dogges hée taketh kindlie and in good sort for if the dogges runne a myle without default stoppe stay or double it is verie much nay you shall haue them in twelue score sixe score and lesse make stops and defaults all which giue vnto your horse new breath strength and courage so that hee will be more willing to run then you wil be to haue him wheras if you shold giue him his heate all in a maine chase it wold be both wearisome painful and vnwholsome to the Horse for suddaine heates are alwaies perrilous and in stedde of incouraging your horse to take pleasure in his galloppe and to increase in toughnes you shal discourage him and make him faint and tyre and peraduenture vnlesse hee be verie cleane hazard the breaking of his winde Thirdly the cry of the dogges is pleasant vnto the horse and he will of himselfe couet to follow them beeing in full cry And lastlie the seeing of other Horses to skope and gallop with him will be an encouragement and an encreasing of your Horses willingnes Now by that time this thyrd Month is thus spent your horse will be cleane in his bodie wel winded and in good strength so that you shal both haue an insight what hee is able to performe and also adiudge rightly of his truth which when you are acertaind of then you may according as your fancie discretion serues you eyther hunt him priuatly or match him for some great wager publiquely If you doo match him for any great wager and thereby doe ouer-match him though no body can be blamed but your owne folly or fortune yet since there be many helpes in matching which may much auaile I wil as neere as I can bréefely set them down First vnderstand it is not good to let your horse ride any match til he be past 6. yeres olde and ful 7. for till then he commeth not to his full strength growth and perfection Secondly note that according as your horses disposition is so make your match or els wilfully be a looser wherfore if you find him dead slow that is of little spéede yet wonderfull true tough then make your match to follow the dogs so long as you can as till 3. or 4. of the clock that in that space you may with earnest riding and hauing good tryers to keepe your aduersarie within his law which commonly is a horse length or two or as you agrée so foile the horse that rydes against you that wheÌ„ you come to run the Wild-goose chase you may haue as much speede as he which if you perceiue and know your Horse to be true if then you loose impute the faulte eyther to bad ryding or to a false iudgement in your horses disposition Also in thys match gette your law in the Wild-goose chase which is most vsually twelue score to bee twentie score that if your aduersary chaunce to haue more spéede then you yet with your truth and toughnes you may recouer him for that Horse that lets another ouer-runne hym twenty score at the first in a wild-goose chase it is pyttie he should euer be hunter If you find your Horse to be wonderfull arrand swift yet not so tough that hee will endure to toyle out a dayes work with extreamity then woulde I aduise you not to make your match to hunt the Hare after the dogges but rather to runne trayne sents made with a Catte in which strong sente a dogge will seldome be at defaulte and the longer you conclude such traynes to be the better for you Also the shorter lawe you make for the winning or loosing the match the better hope you shall haue of winning and withall see you conclude to haue the leading of the first trayne all which when you haue agreed vppon then chusing such earth as your Horse may shew his speede vppon and hauing the swiftest and best sented dogs you can gette gyuing them as much space before you as you can trye if you can winne the match with a winde of which if you fayle then is your match in great doubt if your aduersarie be tough Wherefore séeing that your speede fayles then loyter after and keepe your Horse as fresh as you can that comming to the Wild-goose chase taking the leading sée if with slyppes and turnes you can foyle him that rydes against you In which slyppes the cunning of the Horseman must as much auayle as the goodnes of the horse and for that those slyppes shew both a ready Horse and an artificiall Ryder I will teache you héere how to doo them The Wild-goose chase being started in which the hindmost Horse is bound to follow the formost and you hauing the leading hold a hard hand of your Horse and make hym gallop softly at great ease insomuch that perceiuing your aduersarie striue to take the leading from you suffer him to come so néere you that his Horses head may wel nye touch your Horses buttocke which when you sée clappe your left spurre in your horses side and wheele him suddainlie halfe about on your right hand and then take him vp againe till such time that he be come to you againe thus may you doo of eyther hand which you will and in neuer a one of these turnes but you shall throw him that rides against you at least twenty or thirtie yardes behind you so that whilst you ride at your ease he shal be forst continually to come vp to you vpon the spurâ—es which must wearie the best Horse in the world If your Horse be both swift and tough yet thicke winded that is that he cannot runne long with a winde but if he want staies or sobbes that he will fainte and yeeld then your best play is vtterlie to refuse the Wild-goose chase and onelie to make your triall after the dogges tho such tryals be the longer in making These necessarie helpes in matching béeing dulie considered and hauing made your match with good discretion prouiding alwaies to haue a moneth for the kéeping of your Horse you shall then thus order and diet him First beholding your horse to be lustie and full of lyfe hauing a cheerefull countenaunce willing to play in your hand and perceiuing by your former labour that hee is in reasonable case for ordinarie hunting yet not so verie purâ— and cleane as he should be for a match for the least imperfection that may be in his bodie is the losse of the wager and for a man to keepe him in y â— temper all the yeere were but too costlie and to little purpose sith a man may alwaies in a monethes space if he be any thing cleane make him fitte for a match then for the first wéeke féede him most what vpon that breade before prescribed and let hym haue Oates but now and then for change of meate yet let him haue such store of them both that he may alwaies haue the one or the other lying
he dooth immediatly by the thrusting of both your legs forward againe make him pace forward as he did before and in his pacing cherrish him that hee may vnderstand he did your will then hauing so paced awhile make him aduaunce againe doe in all thinges as you dyd before Thus may you doo thrée or 4. times on your right hand and then make the like Ring on your left hande and with the helpe of your right leg doo in this as in the other not forgetting to make your ending on your right hand as you did in other lessons But by the way note this that in any case you doo not end vpon your aduauncement but vppon his pace or trotte for if you doe you shall bring him to a restie qualitie that vpon his aduauncement he will stand still whether you will or no. When he will therefore pace this Ring and with the helpe of your legge aduaunce and goe forward then shall you as soone as he hath aduaunced and gone a steppe forward make him aduaunce again and so pace the Ring about and doo the like at your second going about which if he doo in good order you shal then cherish him but not stand still for in this lesson horses wil couet to stand be slothful When this is perfect then make him aduance and goe a step or two forwarde three or foure times together increasing this lesson still by degrées till through your daily labor vse you bring your horse to that perfection that as you couch your leg to his side so wil he aduance and as you thrust forwarde your legges so will he follow with hys hynder legges euen together beating the Ring with such aduauncements round about both so oft so large and so straite as your selfe wil still kéeping that tyme with his legges and body that you doo with your legs and hand And this knowe that the chéefest arte and grace in horsemanship is true time kéeping Note that in this lesson if the Ryder be discréete and will take time and leysure with his Horse there will happen no vice vnlesse it be such as are before specified in the former lessons together with corrections due to the same But if the Ryder be an vnskilfull man which will force his Horse to doe that in a day which shoulde aske a fortnights labour then be you sure there will happen more mischiefes in this one lesson then in all the other mencioned before as restinesse running away writhing his heade awry checking at the bridle and such like the least of which will aske a Monethes worke to reclaime them And sith they come rather through the vnkâ—lfulnes of the man then eyther the vntowardnesse or badde disposition of the beast I will heere omit them meaning to treate thereof in another place Note that this turne of all other turnes is most beautifull most gallant and most assured and strong both for man Horse it is most in vse in seruice especially in that manner of fight which our Englishe Souldiers tearme fighting at the croope Note that if in thys turne you finde your Horse at any time slothfull or that he wil leaue before you would haue him that for such offence you â—se the euen stroke of both your spurres and a little to checke him in the mouth with your bridle hand which is a present helpe yet would I not haue you vse it oft but at some speciall tymes when other corrections faile Héere could I spende a great deale of wast paper and more idle time in telling you of sundry other turnes and in distinguishing of halfe turnes from whole turnes whole turnes from double turnes héere could I speake of y â— turne which Grison calleth Volta raddoppiata also of that which he calleth Lacrambetta and our English Riders Chambetta and when I haue doone conclude of nothing els but that which I haue before sette downe for why all commeth but to that end and perfection Therefore sith they be so needlesse I will let them passe and come to those other lessons which are fit for a Horse to learne and are founde most necessary in seruice Hauing your Horse perfect in what is before expressed you shall then teach him to manage truly iust and well I neede not héere to interprete vnto you the signification of this worde manage neither howe néedfull a lesson it is in seruice because both are sufficiently doone in another more absolute Author Of manages there he thrée kindes manage with halfe rest manage with whole rest manage without rest for the two former kindes of manages I find no reason why a man should bestow any particuler labour to traine his Horse onely vnto them sith they be of no such vse as the last is neither doo they carry the like grace that it doth And for mine owne part sith I vse them but as introductions or guides to the latter and sith euery Horse that can manage without rest can manage eyther wyth halfe rest or whole rest I will heere conclude them all three in one vnder the tytle of managing without rest To make your Horse therefore to manage perfectly and well you shall take thys order beeing come into some graueld hie way of breadth sufficient for a large Ring and long enough for a managing course you shall first on your right hande pace out a Ring containing the circuite of ten or twelue yardes compasse hauing markt that out so as you may sufficiently discerne it pace then your Horse straight forward some fortie or fiftie yardes and there on your left hande marke out another Ring of lyke compasse to the first according to the manner and order of thys figure following In this sorte exercise your Horse two or thrée dayes after which time I woulde haue you when your horse hath trotted your Ring about to put him into a gentle galloppe and to gallop down the straight furrow to the other Ring where vpon your gallop make him stop and aduance and then trot the other Ring about and to gallop backe againe stopping aduauncing and trotting about the Ring After he will doe this perfectly you shall then make him hauing gallopt downe the furrow and made his stop and aduancement to gallop the Ringes also in which I woulde haue you exercise him a weeke at the least Thys weekes exercise will bring your Horse to such perfectnes that he wil doo all this of himselfe without any helpe of his Rider that beeing perceiued by you you may then safely aduenture to bring those your Ringes into a more straite and narrowe compasse according to the forme of thys figure following Note that in this lesson aboue all other your Horse must vse the least disorder with his head or body but in it kéepe hys rayne most perfect and gallant therefore during the tyme that your Horse doth manage be sure to carry a more strong and sure hand then in any other lesson Note that in managing you must kéepe as iust
time in your gallop as in your turne and that the time you kéepe in each be all one Note that as in your turne you draw vp you bridle hande to make your horse stop and ease it again to make him goe forward in his turne so in his galloppe you must drawe vp your hand to kéepe his head in his true place and also ease it again to swéeten his mouth and make him to ryde with more pleasure whereas if you holde your hande awaies in one stay you wil not onely dull and make dead his mouth but also make him ride vnpleasantly and when you offer to stop him make proffer to breake away with you Note that in this lesson you carry your body straight vpright your legges in their true place your rodde as it were your sword on the right side of your heade and be carefull that you vse no vncomly motion for any vnséemelinesse in the man is a disgrace to the Horses dooing When your Horse can make this manage you may then if you please make him manage in a larger sort which is very comely in this manner Pace out a Ring of fiue or sixe yardes compasse on your right hande and then pacing downe the furrow as is before saide marke out another on your left hand of the same compasse then put your Horse into a gentle galloppe and beeing come to your right hande Ring there making a slight kind of stop and aduancement force your Horse to beate the Ring about in such sort as I showd you before where I tell you how to make your horse to beate a large turne loftily helping him with the calues of your legs your hande and your rodde then gallopping downe to your left Ring doo the like there This kinde of manage though it be some-what more painefull then the other yet if the Horse be of mettall that dooth it it carrieth such a good grace that to the standers by which shall behold it it will be wonderful pleasing Nowe when this is perfected it resteth that you teache your Horse to passe a swift and strong cariere which you shall doo in this manner Béeing come into some graueld hie way the length of a good cariere which shoulde be measured according to the disposition of the Horse yet sith it shall not be amisse to sette downe some certaintie I thinke sixe score yardes a very fitte cariere as well for the heauie slugge Horse as also for the puissant and fine mettald beast for as the one may runne it without wearines so the other may show in it his puissaunce and swiftnes Beeing come as I said into such a place first pace your Horse twice or thrice about a small Ring and then trotte him forward sixe score yardes at the ende whereof pace another Ring and then setting your Horses heade straight downe the way hée came make him stand still a good space during which time looke that his body stand straight and firme which wheÌ„ you haue found it dooth then giuing him your bridle hande bending your body a little forward and thrusting out both your legges with a good strength force him suddainly with a good courage to enter into a swift gallop which with the euen stroke of your spurres encrease till hee be at the verie vttermost spéede hee can runne in which continue him till he come to your first Ring where by drawing vppe your hand hard and firme make him stoppe vpon his buttockes and then with the helpe of your legges make him aduance twice or thrice then trotte him about the Ring and stande still a good space cherishing him and no more Note that when you starte your cariere to make your Horse dâ—o it with greater life and courage you may vse the helpe of your voyce by crying how or hey very loud Note that when you starte your cariere it is not good to spurre your Horse for feare you make him yarke out behinde plunge or vse other disorder which such violent corrections doone suddainly will bring a Horse vnto Note that the cariere would not be past aboue once in a fortnight at y â— most nor so oft neither if your Horse bee not come to his full growth Thus much haue I thought good to write as touching the instructing of Horses to matters of seruice for more theÌ„ I haue before sette downe is néedlesse in seruice and if hee doo any thing lesse hee is not fitte to serue vpon Heere I could trouble you with a long discourse of other Rings and other manages as namely the Caragolo the manage resembled to the letter S. or that called Serpeggiare with diuers others yet sith there is no Horse but if hee be perfect in what is before written must of force doo theÌ„ at his pleasure because there is no alteration of arte but only change of forme I meane héere therefore to omitte them wishing those that are desirous to vnderstande them to looke into Maister Claudio Corte his workes a man péerelesse in the arte of horsemanshippe who of those matters hath written absolutely Yet by the way note that according as your Horse is of fashion so must the cheeke of your Bytte carry his preportion if your Horse be in shape grosse that is shortnecked thicke chauld and harde mouthed you shall then haue the cheeke of your Bytte made vppon three degrees according to thys figure following The difference and nature of these two cheekes is this the first which standeth vpon thrée degrées bringeth in the musell of the Horse and maketh him perforce rayne well that otherwise would thrust out his nose ilfauouredly the reason whereof is because it carrieth a greater compasse then any other Bytte insomuch that a Horse cannot rest vpon it vnlesse hee drawe in the nether parte of his heade whereas the second that standeth but vpon one degrée keepeth a Horses head vpright and aloft neither dooth it suffer him to thrust out his nose but correcteth him if at any time he couet to put his head downeward A Horse that is short neckt and narrow chaulde reason telleth yoâ— cannot couch his head in so good a place as hée that hath a long necke and a wide chaule because alwaies in a good rayne he must hide his thropell or weison within his chaule therefore if you shall sette him vpon a byt that dooth not carry great compasse in the chéeke as of three degrees at the least you shall neuer place his head well because the straight cheeke wil keepe vp his necke and thrust out his nose and he should haue his necke forced to yeelde and his nose kept in So on the contrary sort if to a Horse of large long forehand you put a Bytte of much compasse you then bring downe his necke and put out his nose by reason of the compasse of the cheeke which he cannot chuse but folow wheras he should haue his necke kept vp straight and stiffe and onely his head brought downe to answere it Therefore as I said