hote dry but the heat is chiefest the propertie of which heaâ—e is to moue matter to generation and to disperse thinges of seuerall kindes and bind together things of one kind The Ayre is moyst and hote but the moistnes is chiefest the properties whereof is to make the matter apt to receiue forme to quicken and coole the hart and other such like offices The Water is cold and moyst but the coldnesse is chiefest whose property is to bind and mixe bodies together as flesh with bones and bones with sinnewes and such like The Earth is dry and cold but the drynesse is chiefest the propertie whereof is to hold together those formes which the Ayre Water through their fluxible natures would otherwise disolue Thus you may see that since in euery liuing creature there must be heate moysture coldnesse and drynesse theyr proper beginnings must come from the operation of these foure Elements For other more particular Elements as the seede or menstruall bloode in that they also depend vpon these former Elements I will not make any longer discourse vpon them Nowe for Temperatures they spring from the mixture of Elements and are in number nine that is hote cold moyst and dry which are vnequall simple then hote and moyst hote and dry cold and moyst cold dry which are vnequall and compound and the last is a generall mixture of all the foure Elements indifferently and is called equall because it hath not more of the one then of the other Now for the vse of these tempers in a Horse if he be equally compounded that is haue indifferent mixture of the Element then is he of the best temper as beeing light swift bold tractable louing and of long life but if he exceede in one quality more then in another as if he haue most of the heate then hee is furious mad and desperate if most of moysture then he is Apish fantasticall and forgetfull if most of cold then he is fearfull scyttish and subiect to tyring if most of drynes then he is dull slothfull rebellious and full of malitiousnesse all which tempers you may gesse at by the Horses colours but knowne assuredly by practise in riding or operation in medicine Now these tempers do alter as the powers of a horse either increase or diminish as thus a Foale is said to haue his temper from the Fire and Ayre a horse of middle age from the Fire and Earth and a horse of old age from the Earth and Water Horses likewise take their temperatures from the Clymbes where they are bredde as commonly those which are neerest the Sunne are euer of purest spirits longest liues and those which are farthest of are more dull and of lesse continuance And although one of our English Authors numbers our Nation of England for one of those colde countries yet by his patience hee is much deceiued for if hee will looke vpon the lyne vnder which we liue he shall finde we are vnder such a temperate height that neither Greece Affricke nor Spayne excels vs in goodnes Now for humors they also are deriued from the elements and are in number foure that is to say choller which is of the nature of fire blood which is of the Nature of ayre Flegme which is of the nature of water and melancholy which is of the Nature of Earth Choller is in tast bitter blood is in tast sweete Flegme is in tast waterish without tast and melancholy is in tast sower the places where these humours most abound is in the Liuer Choller in the hart Blood in the braine Flegme and in the spleene Melancholy from these humours also come horsses colours as from Choller comes bright Sorrels Cole-blacks and redde Chessenuts from Blood comes bright Bayes roans from Flegme Milke-whites and yellow Dunnes from Melancholy Iron-greys and Mouse-duns The Office of these humours is Choler to disgest and empty the guts Blood to nourish and warme the members Flegme to giue motion and Melancholy to procure appetite being all good in their temperate Natures but when they ouerflow then they are vilde and ingender sicknes Now for the members they are general and special general as flesh bone sinnew and veine speciall as head neck brest legge foot and such like which though they be knit together yet differ both in name and proportion and of these speciall Members the Braine the Heart the Liuer and the Stones are the cheefest from whom springe many other principall Members as Sinnewes from the Braine Arteries from the Heart Veynes from the Lyuer and Vessels of generation from the stones all which and the other inferiour Members it is most necessarie euery Farrier know and hee can by no meanes better attaine thereunto then by discerning or anotomizing horses when they are dead as for mine owne part it was my practise many yeeres togither Now for the powers which are in a horse principally they bee three the first the powre of feeling which comming like a great cundite in one maine sinew from the braine disperseth and deuideth it selfe into a multitude other smaller sinews giuing an vniuersal feeling ouer the whole body this power by Physitions is called Animall The second is the power of life and proceedeth from the heart conueying from thence in arteries a certaine vitall bloud of the nature of ayre ouer the whole body also it is called vital The third is the power of nourishment which proceedeth from the liuer carrying from thence in a number of smaller conduit pipes the bloud through the body which cherisheth and strengtheneth euery member and is called Naturall which naturall power hath also other foure offices as the receiuing of foode fit to nourish the houlding it that it may nourish the disgesting it after it hath nourisht and the expelling it away when it is turned to excrement Nowe for opparations they proceed from the powers as from feeling cometh motion of members from life motion of humors whether distempered or not distempered and may verie well bee felt by the beating of a horses pulse vppon the temples of his head close by his eares and not vppon his fore legges though some Authors write to such purpose from nourishment comes the motion of thought and the motion of generation with many other such like these opperations be otherwise two fould that is externall or internall externall as the motion of the limbes which mooue but when the horse pleaseth and internall as the motion of the heart brayne and pulses which moue continually whether the horse wake sleep goe stand or whatsoeuer he doth else Now lastly for the spirit it is the very quintessence of the blood and being conueyed in the Arteries giues the body a more liuely sprity heate and makes his feeling more quick and tender By some horsemen the spirit of a horse is taken to bee his breath but the former I take to be more substantiall but both haue their workings and may well bee termed spirits Now
which purpose each is best and for the breeders commoditie 4 Of the choice of Stallions and Mares the knowledge of their age by diuers obseruations and of the shapes 5 How and at what time of the yeare horses and Mares should ingender signes of a Mares desire how many Mares for one Stallion and how long hee shal continew with them 6 Of couering Mares in the house the dyeting of the Stallion the time of the day for the act and to know when she hath conceiued 7 That Mares may bee made to conceiue either horse-foales or Mare-foales at pleasure and of what colour the breeder will 8 If Mares should before'd to take the Horse and how to moue lust in horse and Mare and how to abate it 9 Which Mares should be couered which not which shall not goe barraine 10 The vse of Mares when they are with foale and of the casting of Foales 11 Helpe for a mare that is in danger in foaling other secrets 12 How to make a Mare cast her foale 13 The vse of mares when they haue foaled of the suckking of foales and other helpes 14 The knowledge of a Horses shape and how it is to be knowne when he is new foaled 15 How horse-foales and Mare-foales grow and how to knowe the continuance of their goodnes 16 Of the weaning of Colts of their ordering and seperating according to their ages 17 Of the gelding of Colts and Horses the cause the age the time of the yeare and manner 18 When and at what age to take vp Colts for the saddle and of the first vse and haltring 19 Of the cutting of Colts mouthes or tongues and of the drawing of teeth to help the byt to lie in his true place 20 Of the seperating of bad colts and mares from the good and which shall maintaine the race still The Table of the second Booke Chapters 1 OF the natures dispositions of horses how they are to be knowne by the collours of the horses other especiall markes 2 The vse and benefit of the Chaine Cauezan Head-straine Musrole and Martingale 3 Howe to make a colt gentle how to bring him to the blocke and of the first bridle and Saddle 4 Of helpes and corrections and of the vses and seueral kindes thereof 5 How to correct a horse that beareth his head or necke awrye and of all vices belonging to the head 6 How to correct a horse that doth ouer-reach or strike one foote vpon another 7 How to correct the euil motions in a horse which are shewed by the carriage of his head or eares or other outward signes 8 Corrections against restifenes and the seuerall kindes thereof 9 How to correct a horse that runneth away and the cause of such euill 10 How to corect a horse that will reare vpright or come ouer with his ryder 11 How to correct a horse that will lye downe in the water as he passeth thorow 12 How to correct a horse that is skittish and fearefull and findeth many boggards 13 How to correct a horse that is dull of spirit and slouenly in his trott 14 Of the treading of the large rings and their vse 15 Of stopping retiring aduancing and the vses 16 Of yarking behind and the vse 17 Of turning vpon both handes and the seuerall kinds of turnes 18 Of managing and the seuerall kindes 19 Of the passing of a Carrier 20 When and how to bytt horses and to make the heade constant 21 Of bounding aloft and the manner thereof 22 Of the Coruet Capriole gallop galliard and of going sidelong 23 Of running at the ring and the vse of the Launce 24 Of the teaching of young schollers and the ryding of a ridden horse to the best shew The Table of the third Booke Chapters 1 OF hunting horses in generall and of their chases 2 The chusing of the hunting horse of his shape 3 At what age horses should hunt of their first taking from grasse and of their housing 4 Of the first fortnights diet exercising and dressing 5 Of the ayring of hunting horses 6 The second fortnights diet and first hunting 7 Of hunting bread both ordinarie as for trayning of horses and extraordinarie for matches 8 Of all manner of purgations or scowrings that are fit for hunting horses and of their natures 9 The third fortnights diet and of sweating 10 Why horses should haue their sweates after the dogs and of their cloathing 11 Of making a hunting match the obseruations and aduauntages 12 The dietting of a hunting horse for a match 13 Of the ryding of a match and of the aduauntages in ryding 14 The Triers office and the aduantages he must obserue 51 The office of the Groome and helpes in rubbing of hunting horses The Table of the fourth Booke Chapters 1 OF ambling ingenerall and of the vse commoditie 2 Why foales amble from their dammes and how to make them amble if they doe not 3 How to teach a horse to amble by the helpe of a newe plowed field and the faults therein 4 Of making a horse amble from his gallop or by ouer-ryding 5 How to make horses amble by vse of weight 6 Of making a horse amble out of hand 7 Of making horses to amble with the help of the hand onely 8 Of making horses to amble by the help of shoes only 9 Of teaching horses to amble by the vse of the tramell The Table of the fift Booke Chapters 1 HOw a stable shal be made the seat and commodities 2 Of a trauelling horses meate and the seuerall kindes and vses 3 Of the seuerall kindes of waters which is best and which is worst 4 Of the dressing combing and currying of horses and of their diet in the time of rest 5 Of a horses labour or exercise and how he shall be ordered when he is iourneyed 6 Of sleeping waking fulnesse and emptinesse 7 Of the soile or scowring horses with grasie and of other foode 8 Of the passions which are in horses the loue which keepers should beare vnto them 9 The office of the Coachman and obseruations for his place The Table for the sixt Booke Chapters 1 OF running horses ingenerall and their choyce 2 How running horses shall bee first trayned vp and of their diet 3 Of the making of a match and the obseruations 4 Of the seuerall kindes of ayrings and foodes belonging to a running horse 5 Of he seuerall kindes of sweates and of their vses 6 Of the ordering and dieting a running horse for match or wager 7 Obseruations to bee vsed and inconueniences which happen during the dietting of running horses 8 Certaine helpes and rules for the ryder and howe hee shall runne his match to the best aduanntage 9 The office of the Sadler the shapes of his best commodities 10 The office of the Smith touching the shoing of horses The Table of the seuenth Booke Chapters 1 OF the composition of horses and the qualitie of the things they are compounded of 2 Of the
lightâ— and as it were an inward delight of his owne comâ—es and to preserue the mouth in sensible and tender â—ing which being either dul'd or hardned there â—ight followeth disobedience frenzie and disorder 〈◊〉 that it worketh all these I haue both seene the â—rarie in others and found it in mine owne practâ— for where a Horse is naturally light headed forgetâ— or fantasticall or where the Horse hath a thicke â—t necke and a strait narrowe chaule there a 〈◊〉 may with the Cauezan and plaine cannon bestow â—h arte and more labour but shall hardly eyther â—g the one to a stayednes or the other to any comeâ—s nature being a stronger Mistresse then art of such â—ke playnnes and I doe well remember a Gentleâ— who at this day in this kingdome is not reputed â—h inferior to the best Horse-men who rid a shortâ—kt courser aboue two yeares with the Cauezan and â—ine cannon yet brought him to little better perâ—ion then at the first day of his backing when the â—e Horse being brought to the moste famous â—leman worthy all praise-ful memorie Maister â—mas Story of Greenewich was by him in lesse then â—e halfe yeare made the moste principall best doing â—se which came vpon the Black-heath and myselfe at â—t instant riding with him did so diligently obserue â—th his art his reasons his practise that euen from â—t man and that Horse I drew the foundation and â—ound of my after practise Finding in the vse of the Cauezan so much insufficiencie losse of time and libertie to disorder that I dare confidently maintaine it is neither the best nor second way to bring a horse to perfection if theÌ„ I shal be questioned what I doe prefer before the CauezaÌ„ as the first instrumeÌ„t to bring a horse both to beauty obedieÌ„ce my answere absolutely is the Musrole and the Martingale which how euer it be either vnassayde or vnremembred in the Italian or French practise yet Iam well assured it is of much better effect hath brought foorth moe better examples of perfect arte then they haue either deliuered vs in their writinges or wee haue beheld in their practise But in asmuch as no man hath writ against it I will imagine all men hold with it and not goe about to defend what none in the Arte I think wil impugne The Musrole therefore would be made after the fashion of the writhen Cauezan onelye it should bee all of one peece after the fashion of this figure The Musrole This Musrole must be couered with strong leather and a buckle at one end to buckle vnder the Horses chaps like the nose-band of a brydle then must a â—s-stall be ioyned vnto it to goe ouer the Horses â—d As touching the Martingale it would be made â—verye stronge leather with two buckels a foote â—ant one from another after the fashion of this fiâ—e â—his Martingale must haue the shorter end thereof â—led to the Garthes vnder the Horses bodie and so â—ght betweene his fore-legges to his head and the â—er end buckled to the nose-band of the Musrole â—r the Horses neather chaps â—he vse of this Musrole and Martingale is to keepe â—ine and firme a Horses head from tossing shaking â—hing or such like Antick countenances it rayseth â—e necke bringeth in the head and fashioneth the â—e it keepeth a Horse from plunging rearing â—e or running away and to conclude doth 〈◊〉 good office and breedeth that tractabilitie in 〈◊〉 daies albe with a meane Horseman which the â—ezan or the Chayne will hardly effect though 〈◊〉 the best Artes-maister in two monthes so that I â—lude and dare without ostentation or ambition â—ose my selfe against any man of contrarie opiniâ— to make my Horse sooner and more certaine with Musrole Martingale then he with the Chaine or Cauezan how euer his estimation doe precede my fortune and obscuritie The place or seate for the Musrole is vppon the strength and midde part of the Horses nose vnder his eyes more then a handfull and aboue the tender grisle about some two inches or there abouts Grison from whome all Horse-men and all nations haue taken a greate light both of their Art and immitatioÌ„ seemeth to giue the least allowaÌ„ce to these chieflye the Martingale which hee esteemeth as a correction and therefore dooth limmite the vse to certaine perticular and necessarie times and not to anye generall benefit the reason whereof I holde onely to bee this Euangelista who was the first inuentor thereof vsing it alwaies to correct such horses as would reare vpright and flye ouer and ouer Grison not willing to bee beholden to any mans practise but his owne not proouing the other benefits was vtterlye ignorant of the vertues this for which it was inueÌ„ted being the least of al other so like one of our old Bel-founders that neuer knew how to melt his mettall but by the force of a payre of Belloweâ— thought it impossible that the new inuented furnaces should bring any profit but had our Maister Gryson once put it in practise I doe not thinke eyther chaine or Cauezan wold haue held with him any estimation Now for the Musrole that hee commendeth exceedingly and to speake truelie it deserueth all his commendations and this shall suffice touching the knowledge and vse of the cauezon CHAP. 3. How to make a Colt gentle how to bring him to the blocke and of the first Bridle and Saddle I Did in my first Treatise of hors-man-ship which I writ many yeares since for sleight tastes or essayes to season the knowledge of a young Gentleman my most especiall friend deer â—man set downe a method how to tame and make â—tle a Colt being come to full age fitte to weare a â—dle as namely of three yeares and seuen Moâ—s or at foure yeares at the most at which time his â—ts will be knit his strength compleate and his â—erstanding fit to intertaine instruction and both of â—phon Grison Baptista la Broue and all hors-men â—ght the time most conuenient and in the self same â—on I still confidently doe continue which was 〈◊〉 hauing housed your colt and with good strength 〈◊〉 helpe got a chase haltar made of strong Hempe 〈◊〉 the reine aboue three fadome long at the least 〈◊〉 the gentlest meanes that may be vpon his heade â—n you offer to lead him forth if he offer as it is â—st likely he will either to leape plunge or runne aâ— that then with strong and sharpe twitches you â—e his necke and maister his head in such sort that â—e ende the smallest straine of your hand may bee â—cient to bring him backe and inforce him to obeâ—e This mastring of his head with the halter brings him to feare and obey the man make him tender to all other corrections and assures his keeper when he shal leade him in his hand or bring him to his rider But if he be so stubborne that he refuse to leade and onely hangeth backe then let some standers by vrge
foote in the stirrop and to heaue your selfe from the ground three or foure times togither which effected you shall instantly cherrish him and then before you mount you shall look that the headstall both of the Trench the Musroll lie close behind his eares that the Musroll lie in his due place ouer the midst of his nose that the trench lie neither too hie nor too low but rest iust aboue his nether tush that the reynes of the trench be strong then you shal looke that the Saddle keepe his true place and that the gyrths be close and fast that the stirrops be not slipt and that the crooper be not too strait lastly and most principall according to the opinion of la Broue and for mine owne part I holde it one of the best notes amongst all his precepts you shall confidently and with a heedfull eye marke the countenance gesture of the horse which is euer the largest Index or Table for a man to finde out his secret disposition for if hee clap both his eares close to his necke or if hee clappe downe but one and pricke forward the other if hee turne the eye next to the man backward as if he would looke behinde him or if he snore or cracke in his nostrils all these are verie euill signes shewes that hee is displeased wrathfull and intendeth mischiefe which wicked purposes you may driue from him by vse of the former chasings but if you see his couÌ„tenance vntroubled his eye cheerfull and liuely and his eares carried in due comelinesse you may be well assured of his gentle disposition It is good also to haue a respect to his maner of standing for when a horse doth stand but firme vpon two feete or three feete heauing and fauoring the other it is an euill signe of a churlish disposition but when he standeth fast of all foure it is a signe of meeknesse Hauing satisfied your mind in all these caracters and found euerie thing to your contentment you shall then by rubbing the horses nose vppon the palme of your hande or by offring something to the horses nose to smell drawing your hande inward you shall see him pull in his heade and fashion his reyne to which proportion I would haue you buckle downe your Martingale so that carying his heade in that place he may haue no more but a feeling of the Martingale All these things obserued you shall then put your foote in the stirrop and after you haue heaued twice or thrice vp and downe from the ground and sometime brought your leg halfe way ouer the Saddle downe again at euery motion cherishing the horse exceedingly you shall at last put your legge cleane ouer seate your selfe fast in the saddle that is to say with your bodie straight vpright neither bending forward nor leaning backward your eyes fixt betwixt his eares and your nose directly ouer the pommell of the Saddle which shall euer be a rule for you to know if your seat be comely the chine of your backe must directly answer the chine of the horse your thighs and knees must be close and fast to the Saddle your legges hanging straight downe as when you stand vpon your feete the ball and heart of your feete must rest vpon the stirrops your toes and heeles must be so orderly placed that when you onely moue your head and not your body on the one side to looke to your stirrop your toe may answer with the tip of your nose Now for the cariage of your hands during the time you exercise your horse vpon the trench it must be thus 〈◊〉 you must take the reynes of the treÌ„ch fold the one side ouer the other making each side of an euen length somwhat short then laying both your hands vpon the reynes about an handfull one from another you shall neither draw your hands to the saddle pomell nor close to your bodie but placing them ouer the midst of the horses crest coÌ„tinually labor to bring vp his head which with a sweet hand comming and going with gentle motions you shall easily doe in your right hand you shall carry your rod with the point directly vpright by your right shoulder or if you carry it trauato crosse wise ouerthwart your brest and vp by your left shoulder it shall not bee vncomely Bâ—ing in this order mounted seated and accoutered after you haue paused and cherish your horse you shall by thrusting your feete forwarde somewhat stiffely vppon your stirrop-leathers moue your horse to goe forward which if he doe not because he vnderstands you not his keeper shall forthwith lead him some doozen paces forward where pawsing a while both your selfe and the keeper shall cherrish him Then shall you thrust him forward again and so continue till the horse finding your meaning will goe forward of himselfe which will be at the most not aboue an houres worke and note that in al his goings you respect not how he goes neither which way he goes so he goe at all but the first day suffer him to take the incertaintie of his owne pleasure Assoone as you haue brought him to go forward you shal then in the gentlest manner you can ride him home and light from his backe at the blocke where you must not light sodainly but with many heauings risings halfcommings off and on againe you must dally with him continually mingling with euerie motion store of cherishings If when you are lighted off he offer of himself to depart away and will not stay at the blocke you shal force him to come againe to the blocke where you shall mount vpon his backe againe and neuer leaue him till he stand still at the blocke whilest you ease his Martingall his gyrths and other implements which when he doth you shall giue him something to eat and so deliuer him to his keeper CHAP. 4. Of Helpes and Corrctions and of the vses and seuerall kindes thereof BEfore I proceede any further into the Horses lessons because it is reputed the moste substantiall part of Horse-manship to knowe when to helpe how to correct and at what time to cherrish I wil spend some little time therein And first for helpes in Horse-manship Gryson and the other Italians wil allowe but seauen that is the voice or tongue the rodde the brydle the calues of your legges the stirropes the spurres and the ground he aloweth also as many corrections which are likewise the voice the rod the brydle and so foorth as before is mentioned but for the cherishing he speakes but onely of two wayes which is either the voice or the hand now for that both helpes and corrections hold but in their doing this difference that to help goeth before as to preuent a fault and correcting comes after as punishment for a fault I will speake of them seuerally And first for the voice as it is the sound which naturallye all creatures moste feare so it is in disorders
neck to the right side then shall you trot him about in a swift trot on the left side some 20. or 30. times without intermission according to the strength ability of the horse as he trotteth labor his coÌ„trarie side with the calfe of your leg the reine of the cauezan and of the flying trench and if he bee come to that lessoÌ„ it shal be most good to labor him some quarter of an houre togither in the Incauallare there is no question but by these means and these corrections ioyned with a watchfull eie and minde to cherish him at euery well doing he will in very short space he brought both to the perfection of head and necke and to carry all his body in an euen proportion in all which corrections I would haue you mingle the vse of the spurre but now and then yet when you strike to strike freely souÌ„dly for the tickling or fridging of a horse with the spurre is a grosse fault and doth breed manifold disorders But if it be so that he wrieth onely his moozell that is his nose and mouth awry and vncomely except he haue taken it vp of a long custome the verie bearing of the contrarie reyne of the bytt shorter then the other will amende it but if it faile I would then haue you gyrde his chappes close together with a Musroll that hee may not mouth or writh them and then in stead of a rod ride with a good hand cudgel of that side which he wryeth his mouth beate him with your cudgell yet so moderately that you neyther bruse nor hurt his chappes And after such correction still to carrie your cudgell in his eye of that side which hee most writheth This meanes applyed but two or three dayes will without all faile helpe any horse from this fault I haue seene some horsemen vse another course but I stand doubtfull of the goodnesse yet this it is they haue put three or foure little sharpe nayles on the inside of the Ports-mouth of the contrarie side likewise three or foure nayles in his Musroll and as many in his headstall all of the contrarie side These nayles you may keepe hidde from sight at your pleasure eyther if your headstall be of double leather or if you set them in a thinne plate of Iron not so broade as the headstall with these ride your horse about some fortnight and it will reclaime him yet I am very doubtfull of this remedie because there is no end of the correction nor shall the horse when he obeyeth your pleasure find any ease of his punishment by which not knowing his fault from his well doing hee shall the longer continue in his euill But if your horse carrie out his nose and reyne not well how euer any man defend such carriage yet euen the iudgement of our sightes and a world of reasons purposeles to repeat assures vs of the coÌ„trary Wherfore when your horse hath taken vnto himself any such fault or vse you shall first draw in your bridle hande against which if hee rebell you shall then holde your hand at that certainty and with striking him with your spurres one after another giue him knowledge of correction if vpon the correction he offer to presse forward you shal clap your right hand vpoÌ„ the midle of his crest hold his neck down hard draw your left had vp a little straiter this doing 3. or 4 times togither you shall find he will bow his necke and a little put in his nose vpon the instant perseuerance whereof you must not forget to cherrish him but if out of his melancholly or flegmatique complexion he withstand and rebel against this correction you shall then compell him to go backe eight or ten paces and then trot him forward againe then backward againe and forward at the least a dozen paces together This is a moste readie remedie for this error but if stubbornenes haue taken away the benefit of this you must to these corrections adde the benefit of your bytt which must be made of more compasse as consisting of at least three broken descents all broken inward vpon which kinde of bytt it is impossible for a horse to stay or settle his head but he must needes bring in his nose and though at the first out of stubbornesse hee may seeme to carry his head of him â—elfe without the helpe of the bytt yet after long exerâ—ce and wearinesse he wil be forc'd perforce to bring in â—is nose and rest vpon the bytt But if contrarie to this â—ice he haue taken a custome to duck downe his head when he standeth stil which is a moste vncomely sight yet verie incident to diuers horses You shal then vpon your stop holde both the reines of your bytt of your Cauezan firme as at the stop by pressing your feete stifly forward vppon your stirrops holde him that hee retyre not backe and if then hee offer to ducke downe his head you shall then giue him a good chocke both with your brydell and Cauezan After which if hee offer the like againe you shall then giue him a stroake with your spurres one after another but if hee bee of a hot and chollericke nature mad and furious you shall â—hen vpon euerie correction instantlie cherrish him that he may vnderstad you correct him not for going but for some other disorder in his going and this shall not onely detaine him from stryuing against his bridle or running away but also giue him so easie an apprehension of his fault that hee will in verie short space amend it but if hee haue taken such a generall custome of ducking downe his head that euen in his ordinarye trotting or galloping or going he wil stil vse the same you must then leaue exercising him in any lesson whatsoeuer and onely pace or trott him fairely foorth right neuer giuing him the least taste or feeling of any correction til he ducke downe his head in the very motion wherof giue him the euen stroke with both your spurres a good chocke in the mouth with your brydle hand that he may vnderstand his fault proceedeth from his mouth which done pace him fairely forward againe and as oft as he shall offend vse this correction and feare not but within three or foure daies hee will be sufficently reclaimed Many other corrections I haue seene for this fault of much more cruelty but they haue neuer tasted well in mine experiences as for example I haue seene some that for this fault haue made the Kurbe of their bytt al of one peece of yron and the one end thereof fastned within the mouth of the bytt then haue they had that parte which lay without vppon the lip all full of sharpe prickes which when the horse hath offered to thrust downe his head by drawing or holding the reynes in one constant fashion the prickes haue run into his chaps by the sence of which torment the horse
beare vnto their riders will in these first lessons she we more aptnesse and strength then either their knowledge apprehends or their powers are able to maintaine you are therefore with great consideration to regard that you put not your horse to so much as he will of himself do but that you euer in all his doings much more in his beginning leaue him in his best strength with both an vnwearied bodie and an vntroubled mouth by which meanes you shall be assured hee will day by day both increase in his strength of teaching and in his willingnesse to be taught where being contrarily vsed hee will from doing a little come in the end to iust nothing labour bringing faintnesse faintnesse dispaire and desperation absolute restifnesse and rebellion When your horse can gallop these two rings perfitly you shall not by any meanes vse him thereuuto aboue twise or thrise in a weeke at the most and when you doe gallop him you shal not at the first gallop him aboue fiue or sixe times vpon one hand and as much vpon the other and after increasing as his strength shal increase till you find him of the abilitie that he is able to indure it for a whole mornings worke which when you perceiue you shall then leaue the vse of those two seuerall rings and onely trot out one single ring of not aboue thirtie paces in compasse which hauing trotted about vpō your right hand three or foure times so that you may descerne the ring perfitely you shall then by drawing your left reynes little more firme and laying it somwhat close to the horses necke and holding your left reyne no more but straite and laying the calfe of your left legge close to the horses side drawe him into the middest of the ring making a semi-circle from the verge of the ring to the center of the same according to the proportion of this figure Then changing your hande that is to say drawing your right reyne a little fyrmer and laying it closer to your horses necke and keeping your left reyne stiffe and laying the calfe of your right legge to the horses side you shall make another semi-circle on the left hand from the center of the ring to the opposite verge of the other side of the ring which two semi-circles will make within the ring a perfite Roman S. according to this figure When you haue thus done you shall trott your horse about the large ring vpon your left hand three or foure times and then in that maner and forme and with those obseruations before prescribed you shall make your changes againe in two other semi-circles which meeting euen in the center will make within the large ring two compleat rings or circles according to the forme of this figure In this ring you shall exercise your horse the space of three weekes or a month according to his strength and aptnesse making him pace it and doe his changes first vppon foote pace onely when he can pace them perfitely then you shall make him trot and make his changes vpon his trot both slow and swift and when hs is perfite vpon his trot then you shall as you did in the first rings by degrees and by little and little make him gallop it and make his changes vpon his gallop obseruing that in his changes vppon his gallop you make him take vp his forefeete a little more roundly and loftily togither then in his ordinary gallop that his hinder feete follow his fore-feete a little closer and swifter which you may doe if onely when you begiu to straiten your reynes you either thrust your feet forward hard vppon your stirrop leathers or shake your rodde ouer his heade that hee may heare the noyse thereof or els moue your body forward which motion must be so couert and close that all be the horse feele it yet no by stander may perceiue it Also that his head and necke as wel in the narrowe changes as in the largenes of the ring doe keepe the beautie and true proportion of a good reyne without either writhing bending thrusting out the nose or striuing for better liberty any of which faults whē you shall perceiue you shall instantly correct it before you proceed any further as eyther by drawing he martingale a little straiter or carrying the reyne of your trench a little straiter on that side from whence it bendeth also by carrying a tender and sweete hand vppon his mouth which being kept in good temper brings euerie other parte of his bodie into obedience This gallopping of these large rings is the first most constant ground-worke which sweetneth a horses mouth makes it tender and obedient certaine and immoueable stirreth vp life courage nimblenes and lightnesse in a horse with many other such like benefits When your horse is perfit vpon this ring and will both trott and gallop it lustelie and with a good courage you may then according as you feele his strength and abilitie to indure labour encrease his tournes and his exercise thereupon making it sometimes his whole mornings worke sometimes halfe sometimes more sometimes lesse at your pleasure prouided alwaies that the moste turnes you giue him at one time before he come to a full stop or rest bee not after hee haue pac'd the ring twice or thrice about aboue sixe time about on each hand vppon his trot and sixe times on each hand vpon his galloppe then stoppe retire cherrish and stand still a good space then as before walke him foote pace about the large ringe halfe a dozen times to get him breath then thrust him into his trot againe as you did before so now againe first trot him then galloppe him then stop retire cherrish and rest It may be your horse by long vse continuance vppon this ring as horses naturally are subiect to obserue olde customes will with all perfitnesse strength and liuelyhood both pace trot and galloppe it yet if you shall chance eyther vpon the correction of any fault or vpon the approbation of his credulitie to put him out of that ring and offer him another eyther in another place or after another fashion then I say it may chance that he wil not onely at first out of his ignorance strike and show vn willingnes to performe your will but also doe that he doth both with disorder and disobedience or it may be that when the horse is come to such a perfitnesse of this lesson that like a toward scoole-boy he can as it were say it without booke he will then growe so carelesse and negligent of what he dooth that out of the frenzie of his spirit and selfe trust in his owne dooings he wil exercise his lesson with such wantonnesse apish toyishnesse that he will blemish all that which in the beginning he did with best comelinesse Lastly it may be that out of the peruerssenes of his nature subiect to rebell against euerie new knowledge when you shall either alter his
they are in such generall vse and esteemed such a general good I thinke is not fit in this my generall booke of horsmanship to omit or forget some necessarie obseruatioÌ„s which are helping and needfull to be knowne vnto the skilfull Coatchman and the rather sith the commodities which redound thereby are chiefly imployed in the seruices of Ladies and Gentlewomen to whome both my selfe and euery honest man is in his first creation obliged yet I doe not meane here in to make any tedious or long discourse eyther of the benefites of Coatches the diuersities proportions shapes nor alterations because euerie vnderstanding Coach-maker and euery seruiceable Coatch-man can giue proofes and reasons of each difference neyther is my profession to meddle with the shapes of tymber but with the natures of horses nor will I speake of the seuerall customes or fashions of Italie or Fraunce because as farre as I can iudge whatsoeuer we practise in this arte of Coach-gouerning is but an immitation of the shapes and chaunges of those Kingdomes therefore for mine owne part I meane heere onelye to handle some fewe notes touching the choyce of Coatch-horses their keeping and apparaling First then to speake of the choyse of Coach-horses some are of the opinion that your Flemish Horse is the best for that purpose because hee is of strong limbes hath a full breast a good chyne and is naturallye trayned vppe more to draught then to burthen others doe preferre before these horses the Flemish Mares and I am of that opinion also both because of their more temperate and coole spirites their quiet socyablenes in companie and their bringings vppe which onely is in the wagon by which meanes trauelling with more patience they are euer of more strength and indurance yet both these horses and Mares haue their faults euer coupled to their vertues as first their paces are for the most part short trots which contain much labour in a little ground and so bring faintnesse of spirrit in little iourneys whereas indeede a Coach horse should stretch foorth his feete and the smoother and longer hee strides the more way he riddes and the sooner comes to his iourneis end without tyring Next their limbes from the knees and Cambrels downeward are so rough and hayrie and the horses naturally of themselues so subiect to sault and fâ—etting humors in those parts that neither can the coachman keepe them from the Paines scratches Mallanders Sellanders and such like diseases nor the Farryer oft times with his best skil cure them when they are diseased Lastly they are for the most part of restie hot spirrits so that albe they be excellent and forward in the draught yet in our English nation amongst our deepe clayes and myerie waies they are not able to continue but growe faint and wearie of their labour and it is euer a rule amongst them that after they haue beene once tyred there is no meanes againe to restore them to their first mettall or spirrit Now to tel you mine opinion which is the best Coach-horse either for streetes of Citties or iourneying vppon high waies I holde not any horse comparable eyther for strength courage or labour with the large shapt English Gelding for hee is as milde and sociable as the Flemish Mare more able to indure trauell better shapt and longer continues in seruice for the Mare if shee be proudly kept as of necessitie the Coach mare must be she wil then couet the horse and if she haue him and holde to him her yeres seruice is lost if she want him you shal either indanger her life with the corruption of her pride or else with Leprosie but if they be speade or gelte mares they be theÌ„ the worst of al for the body spirits being somuch ouercoold they are vtterly disabled for any violent extremity looke how much the Gelding is short of the stond-horse in courage somuch is the spead mare short of the gelding wherfore for the auoidance of all inconueniences the best for the coach is the large strong english gelding the next him is the Flemish mare and the last is the Flemish horse the Pollander is exceeding good but hee is somewhat too little too fierce of nature but for tyring that will he sildome or neuer doe with any indifferent order When you haue determined touching the breede or race of your coach-horses you shal then look to their shapes colors first for their colours I haue formerly showd you which is the best so that you shal obserue that in any case so nere as you caÌ„ chuse theÌ„ your coach-horses be al of one color without diuersitie that their marks or especial semblaÌ„ces be also alike as thus for exaÌ„ple if the one haue either white star or white rache bald face white foote or bee of pide color that theÌ„ the others haue the like also For their shapes you shal chuse a leane proportioned head a strong firme necke a ful broad round out-breast a limbe flat short ioynted leane and well hayred a good bending ribbe a strong backe and a round buttocke generally they would be of a broad strong making and of the tallest stature for such are moste seruiceable for the draught best able to indure the toile of deepe trauell Now for the properties they must be as nearely alyed in nature disposition as in colour shape and height for if the one be free the other dul then the free horse taking al the labour must necessarily ouertoile himselfe and soone both destroy his life courage so that they must be of alike spirit mettall also you must haue an especiall regard that their paces be alike that the one neither trot faster then the other nor take larger strides then the other for if their feet doe not rise from the ground tohether likewise fall to the ground together there can be no indifferencie or equality in their draught but the one must ouertoyle the other where as indeede they ought to bee of such equall strengthes paces spirits that as it were one body their labour shold be deuided equally amongst theÌ„ they ought also as neare as you can to bee of louing tractable and milde dispositions not giueÌ„ to bite strike especially not to yark strike with their hinder legges backward for it both doth indanger the life of the man and also doth hazard the spoyling of the horse by ouerthrowing himself in his harnes They shold also haue perfect good tender mouthes ought to haue their heads well setled vppon the bytt before they come into the Coach being learnt to turne readilie vpon eyther hand without discontentment or rebellyon to stop close and firme and to retire backe freelie with good spirrit and courage which are lessons fully sufficieÌ„t to make a compleate good coach-horse for although some coachmen more for brauery or pride theÌ„ either for arte or profit wil make their horse stand and coruet in their
a straight legge which in an ouer-curious eye might appeare a little too slender which is all the fault curiositie it selfe can finde They bee naturally of a loftie pace they bee louing to their rider easie to bee taught most strong in their exercise and to conclude so good in all poynts that no forraine race hath euer borne a tytle of so much excellencie The Horses of the Iles of Sardinia and Corsica are the nearest of all other horses to the Courser of Naples onely they bee somewhat shorter bodied and of somewhat a more fierce and fierie nature but that by the temperance of a good Rider is casie to be qualified and conuerted to an excellent vertue Gesner amongst his other absurdities saith they bee exceeding little horses whereas indeed they carry proportion with horses of the best stature Next these the Turkie horse is an excellent beast I doe not meane those horses which haue beene bred in the Turks first dominions as in the vpper parts of Scithia Tartaria Parthia Medea Armenia Capadocia other his Asian countries albe if we wil beleeue the report of old writers each of these Countries haue seuerall good races as Sithia and Tartaria for greatnesse of bodie Parthia for limbe and courage Media for beautie and comelinesse of shape Armenia and Capadocia for heauinesse of head and strength of body with many other such like descriptions but sith for mine owne part I haue neuer found grosser vntruthes I speake for horse-manshippe onelye then in the recordes of these olde Writers and for-as-much as mine experience and as I thinke the eye of our Nation hath had little dealing with Horses of these Countries I will omit theÌ„ referre the curious who only delight in nouelties to reade Absirtus Vegetius Gesner and such like who may happily please their eares but neuer better their experience and for mine owne part I will write of the horse of Greece which for as much as it is now vnder the Turkes gouernment the Horses that come from thence are called of vs Turkes of which I haue seene diuers ridden some and knowne them bred vppon in many parts of England but first to report what others write of the Horses of Greece One saith they haue good legges great bodies comely heades hie of stature and well made forward but not backeward because they are pinne buttockt they bee verie swift and of exceeding great courage Now another saith they be foule ill shaped rough ouer all their bodies great shoulders ill dispositions Camell-backt vnsure pac'd and crook'd legged Now how these contrarie descriptioÌ„s can agree I vnderstand not only they say the better horse is of Thessalie the other of Thracia but for mine owne part touching those Turks which I haue seene all which haue beene said to come from Constantinople which is a part of Thrace they haue beene Horses of most delicate shape pace and mettall they haue not beene of any monstrous greatnesse but inclining to a middle size or indifferencie of height they are finely headed almost as the Barbary they haue most excellent forehandes both for length depth and proportion their limbs are straight yet rather small then great their hoofes are long and narrow a great signe of swiftnesse their coats are smooth and short and all their members of sutable qualitie they are of great courage swiftnesse for I haue seene them vsed at our English Bell-courses Naturally they desire to amble and which is most strange their trot is full of pride and gracefulnesse Next the Turk I place the Barbarie which are horses bred either in one of the two Mauritanias or in Numidia or the lesser Affrick they are beyond all horses whatsoeuer for delicacie of shape and proportion insomuch that the most curious painter cannot with all his Art amend their naturall lineaments They are to be knowne before all horses by the finenesse of their proportions especially their heades and necks which Nature hath so well shap'd and plac'd that they commonly saue Art his greatest labour they are swift beyond other forraigne horses and to that vse in England we onely imploy them yet are their races onely vpon hard grounds for in soft or deepe grounds they haue neither strength nor delight they are exceeding well winded which breedes in them a continuance of their swiftnesse Their colours for the most part are gray or flea-bitten I haue seene blacke and bay but not so generally they seldome or neuer founder they aske lesse care then others in keeping beeing both of such temperate diet and such abilitie of body that they seldom surfeit onely they are especially such as I haue seene of such little and slender stature that they are vnfit for the warres or to support armes Next these horses of Barbarie I place the Iennet of Spain which albe Gesner in his ignorant discriptions reports to be a horse of great stature buttockes short weake and vncomely of bodie fat and bigge slow and cruell to his rider yet those which better know by their experience then he by his readings And for my selfe both those I haue seene here in England and also those I haue seene in Spaine and other places of the King of Spains dominioÌ„s assure me of the vntruth of such writings For the Iennet Indeed is a horse but of a middle stature finely made both head bodie and legges his buttocks though they be long yet are they well shap'd and strong but whereas some write they doe exceede al horses in swiftnes or for that Old wines tale of breeding with the west wind and ouer-running all winds I haue in them as little beleefe as there is in such tales little possibilltie onely this I thinke that the Ienes being a horse of great mettall and courage and therewithall of nimble light and actiue proportion may passe a carrere that is runne some twelue or twentie score with great puissance swiftnesse but for running our English courses which commonly are three or foure miles we haue not seene any such vertue or goodnesse in them their limbs for the most part are weake and slender yet in the warres they are esteemed to be of wonderfull prowesse and indurance they are coÌ„monly full six yeares old or more before they come to any perfection of shape for they grow one yeare before and another behind And the last thing which is complete in them is their crests they are many of them naturally giuen to bound to performe saluâ—s aboue ground but by reason of their weake lymbs they continue not long without lamenesse their trot is somewhat long and waueing but if at any time they be put to amble they it take naturally Next this I place the Polander or horse of Poland which is a beast but of a middle stature well composed and knit togither their limbs and ioynts are exceeding strong in all proportions like to our true bred English horses their heades are somewhat fine and slender verie
like in proportion to the Irish Hobbie their necks crests are well raised vpright and exceeding strong their eares are little and extraordinarily short they haue exceeding strong backs broade chines and the best hoofes of any horse liuing which is the reason that they are many times trained vp made stirrers as being horses which take an especial delight in bounding yarking and other strong saults aboue ground which most cōmonly they do with such couragious violence smartnes that they haue been seene many times to throw their shooes frō their fect with an almost incredible furie they are also exceeding good in trauell and will indure iourneying beyond many other horses they are also exceeding good in the coach as some of our English Nobilitie haue experience equall or beyond most of the best Flemmish races onely their generall fault is their littlenesse of stature Next the Pollander I place the high Almaine horse who is generally of an exceeding great and high stature And albe he haue neither neatnesse nor finenes in his shape yet is there great strength in all his proportions so that howsoeuer other men esteeme him for the shorke or the manage yet I account him best for draught or burthen they are much vsed in the warres but I thinke like their Country-men rather for a wall or defence then either for assault or action they are great slow and hard trotters Next them is the Hungarian horse who hath a great flat face crooked nose and thick head great eies narrow nostrils and broad iawes his maine rough thicke almost extending to the grounde a bushe tayle weake pasternes and a leane bodie generally his deformities are so well coupled together that they appeare comely hee is of a temperate courage and will abide much hardnesse by reason whereof they are of much vse in the warres Next the Hungarian I recken the Flemming who in most of his shapes differeth little from the Almaine His stature is tall his heade shorte and thicke his bodie long and deepe his buttocke round and flat his legges bigge and rough and his pace a short hard tro the principall vertue both of the Horses and Mares is in the draught in which they exceede all other horses otherwise for the Saddle they are both vneasie slothfull the Mares are tall large and wondrous fruitfull Next these I place the Friesland horse whose shape is like the Flemmings but not full so tall he is of a more fierce hot courage then the Flemming which makes him a little better for seruice as being able to passe a short carreire to manage beat a coruet and such like but for his inward disposition it is diuelish cruell and ful of al stubborne frowardnesse they are apt to all restiffe and malicious qualities if the discretion of the ryder preuent not their frenzie their pace is a short and hard trot Next them I place the Sweathland horse who is a horse of little stature lesser good shape but least vertue they are for the most part pied with white legges and wall eyes they want strength for the warres and courage for iourneying so that I conclude they are better to looke vpon then imploy Next and last I place the Irish Hobbie which is a horse of a reasonable good shape hauing a fine head a strong necke and a well cast bodie they haue quicke eyes good limbs and tollerable buttocks of all horses they are the surest of foote and nimblest in daungerous passages they are of liuely courage very tough in trauell onely they are much subiect to affrights and boggards They will hardly in any seruice ioyne with their enemies the reason I imagine to bee these first they are for the moste part bredde in wilde races and haue neyther communitie or fellowshippe with any man till they come to the Saddle which many times is not till they come to seauen eight nine or ten yeares olde at what time the countrie rysing doe forciblie driue the whole studd both Horses Mares Colts and Fyllies into some bogge where being layde fast they halter such as they please to take and let the rest goe This wilde bringing vp and this rude manner of handling doth in my conceite ingender this fearefulnesse in the Beast which those ruder people know not how to amend This Horse though he trot very wel yet he naturallie desireth to amble and thus much I thinke sufficient touching these seuerall kindes of Horses and their generations CHAP. 3. Of the mixture of these former races for which purpose each is best and for the breeders commoditie HAuing in the former Chapter declared the kindes Generations shapes and dispositions of all such Horses as eyther our nation hath been acquainted withall or my selfe hath tryd in mine owne experience it shall bee meete that now I mixe these races together showing which will agree best with our clymate for what purpose and howe they bring the best commoditie First for the agreeing with our clymate it is not vnknowne to all Horse-men and men either of greatnesse or experience that al those races of which I haue written haue beene and are daylie bred in this kingdome and that of so great vigor worth and goodnes that euen their owne nations haue not brought fourth anie of better estimation as by infinit instances I can approue were it not both teadious and needelesse Wherefore for me to enter into a Phylosophycall discourse touching the height of the Sunne the disposition of the ayre or the alteration of heats and coldes drawing from their effects the causes or hindrances of conception were to trouble my felfe to no purpose and to tyer others with idle ceremonies But for as much as diuers men compose their breeds to diuers purposes some for the wars seruice or pleasures of great Princes some for swiftnesse in running or toughnes in hunting some for easinesse of pace and the vse of trauell some for the draught and the portage of great burthens I will as plainelye as I can show how each race should become pounded First if you couet a race for the warres or the seruice of Kinges the Neapolitan courser is of all Stallions the best to whome I would haue ioyned the sayrest English Mares that can be gotten The next to him is the Turke who would bee mixt with the Neapolitan Mare whence springes a braue race next him the Horse of Sardinia or Corscica who begettes a braue race from the Turkie Mare lastly the Iennet of Spaine breeding vpon the fayrest Flaunders Mares To conclude any of these Horses vppon faire English Mares beget much brauer Horses then of their owne kindes and fayre English Horses vppon any of these countrie Mares doe begette moste seruiceable beasts but if you will breede onelie for swiftnesse then the Barbarie Horse is onelye best breeding eyther vppon a Mare of his owne countrie vppon Turkie Mare or English the Turkie Horse vpon the English Mare likewise doth
beget a swift beast But if you would breede onelie a tough hunting Horse there is none better as by daylie experience we finde then the fayre bred English Horse and the English Mare but if you would breede easie ambling Horses for trauell and the vse of Iourneying there is none better then the Turke or Irish Hobbie so they be mixed with either English ambling Mares or bastard Mares of their owne cuntrie that likewise amble perfectlie I haue seene many ambling Horses bredde from Ienets of Spaine yet by reason of his slendernesse of limbes and length of pasternes I esteemed him not altogether so good as the two former Now lastlye if you would breede Horses for the draught as eyther for Coach or Cart or Horses for the portage of great burthens as eyther for Sumpter or Packe man the Flaunders Friesland or Almaine Horse are your best stallyons the Flaunders or Friesland for the Coach or Cart and the Almaine for the burthen and for eyther of these purposes the Mares are in all parts as seruiceable as the Horses according to our present experience in England at this instant Now you are to vnderstand that as all these Horses in their seuerall fore named vses are most best so likewise their colts thus begotteÌ„ which of some Horse-men is called bastardie are likewise excellent Stallyons For mine owne part I wold to chuse breede sooner of a Bastard Courser bastard Ienet Turke or Barbary then of the naturall Horse of the owne countrie and my reason is by their mixture with our Mares all the imperfections of their owne Countries are amended as in the Courser his length of head and want of crest which many times is imperfect In the Ienet his weakenes of ioyntes and in the Turke and Barbarie their slendernes of limbes the Flaunders and Friesland which are so extreame rough and hayrie about their pasterns that the best keepers cannot preserue them from scratches paines and Mallanders are by mixture with our Mares brought to a cleane race of sufficient tollerable limbes so as they neede not be kept but will keepe themselues from sorâ—ances they also by mixing with our Mares haue their heads much amended their hoofes infinitely much better hardned which of all the partes of those countrie horses is the worst of least indurance all which me thinks when a perfect iudgement shall take into his consideration it shall appeare great honor to our nation and much shame to them who haue wrongd it with former misreportings and thus much for the mixing of races CHAP. 4. Of the choyce of Stallions and Mares the knowledge of their ages by diuers obseruations and of their shapes FOr as much as euery thing is made moste perfect sufficient and of longest continuanee by the strength and surety of his first ground work or foundation which indeede is the chiefe maister-peece of all that growes froÌ„ that beginning I therfore aduise al those worthy ones who wil be the breeders of the best Horses to haue an especiall care to the first choice creatioÌ„ of their studd sith if in the beginning there be either insufficieÌ„cie or blemish it is most likely such staines will by continuance grow to bee more more vilde vgly in this circuÌ„spection there is nothing of more importance then the well chusing of your Stallyons and Mares sith they are the liuing bodies from whence you are to deriue both your delight and profit he therefore that will chuse a perfect Stallion saith one writer must respect his beautie goodnes and age Another saith shape colour merrit and beautie which indeede is all one with the former and I holde them principall obseruations but I would likewise haue added vnto them his descent and generation for albe a Clowne may beget a beautifull Son yet shall he neuer begette an Heroyâ—call spirrit but it will euer haue some touch of basenesse and an ill bred Horse may beget a Colt which may haue saire colour shape which we cal beauty Toughnes which we cal goodnes youth which is few yeares yet stil his inward parts may retaine a secret vildnes of disposition which may be insufferable in breeding Now for his beauty which only is coÌ„tained in his colour shape al be I haue in the next book writ sufficieÌ„tly touching theÌ„ too yet I wil here a little glaunce at them by coÌ„paring with theÌ„ the opinions of some other writers First for the opinioÌ„ of Gesner which mearely is no good opinioÌ„ at al in horse-maÌ„ship but a collection of idle tales hee saies the best colours are bay white carnatioÌ„ golden russet mouse colour fleabitteÌ„ pide black pale pide blew gray had he put in also oreÌ„gtawny willow colour such like al the world could not haue gone beyoÌ„d him neither shold the Spaniards nor Italians haue need to haue dyed their horses maines tailes if horses could haue bin bred of such colors But to let passe such friuolous notes the best colour for a stallioÌ„ is browne bay dapled daple gray bright bay or white lyard the roane the pure black with white starre white foote or white rach or the black bay which hath neither mealy mouth norred flank is also sufferable A stallioÌ„ wold be al of one colour yet not according to the opinion of Gesner his main body of one colour for that is most vilde for a bright bay horse would haue a black mayne taile black out partes as the tips of his eares legs such like a dapple gray would haue white mayne taile so foorth of the rest but I would not haue a pide stallion except it be for him who esteeming more the straÌ„genes of colours theÌ„ the goodnesse of horses places his delight in motleye generations to such an one a pide Stallion is best and of pides the blacke and white bright bay white are most choice not blew carnatioÌ„ or goldeÌ„ pide For his shape in general I refer you to the next book where I haue not as I hope omitted the least tittle in preportions onely for some particular things which are to be most respected in a stallioÌ„ then in any other horse I wil giue my opinion First for his head it must be leane sleÌ„der smal about his mussell at the setting on of his head to his necke you must haue an especiall regard that his necke swell not vp about his chaules or that the kirnells which run betwixt his necke and his chaule bee thicke or big for it is a great signe of sloath and thicknesse of winde which is a great fault in the Stallion especiallye if his maister expect to breede froÌ„ him either running horse hunting horse or good traueller neither must hee haue wall eyes or white spects in his eyes you must haue care that your stallions yarde be al of one colour not pide or spotted for what stallioÌ„ hath such a falr begetteth weake foales or for the most part of flegmatick
could not chuse but at the first make the horse beare much more tenderly then with the close byt for what throgh the extream galling the horse vpon the roofe of the mouth or the bars and what through the pressing the tongue with the two sharpe corners of the neather ende of the Port albee the libertie of the tongue is all the reason men haue for these kind of bytts it did bewitch men with an imagination of some profite yet in the ende of the worke I neuer sawe it turne to any thing but disorder to these Portes were added by the Italians another mouth in steade of them much worse then they which are called vpset mouthes for they haue both sharpe corners aboue and belowe and carrying an euen breadth in the vpper part consisting of many foldings and peeces hurt not onely in one place but generally ouer all the mouth I haue seene both of these portes and vpser mouthes which to make them more cruel haue had in the tops of them high wheeles sometimes filed rough somtimes made like a spurre rowell bigger then in the Bastonet byt which hath made me admire how men for pittie could bee so tyrannous when the greatest fault in a horse is the soonest reclaimed with gentlenes others to these vpset mouthes haue added from the eye of the byt to the outside of the vpset a stâ—g â—nch which makes euerie crueltie in the byt grea◠〈◊〉 â—of it owne nature The fashion of which vpsetâ— for youâ— satisfaction you shall behold in these figures The 〈◊〉 mouth The vpset mouth and trench Both these ports and Vpset mouthes haue receiued alowance both from Grison and diuers other ancient Italian ryders and likewise in these daies not onely passe vnder the authoritie of La Broue but euen in our best nurceries or stables of England we shal see of theÌ„ put in vse dayly whence of necessitye it must come to passe that I shall bee infinetlie condemned so peremptorily to condemne that which so generally is allowed to which I must answere as our great Lawyers doe which holde contrarie opinion in manie cases how euer otherwise censured in the daies of their forefathers and I must say what euer other ryders haue done I haue found these bytts naught in my practise But they will say that was either mine abuse in prepounding false shapes or my mis-use in wanâ— of knowledge to both these allegations I will make no answer onely to show the euâ—nes of these mouthes I will propound my reasons First all the arguments of goodnes that Grison or any other can giue for them is the libertie of the tongue which absolutely I deny the port doth if it be made in his iust coÌ„pas for the two nether ends almost meeting together euen presse down the tongue hard to the chaule with more sharpnesse then any other bytt except you will haue a horses tongue to be no bigger then a mans finger but say you will not allow it that straitnesse but that the port shall be much wider I say if it be so wide as to giue libertie to the whole tongue the bytt shall then consist of little or no mouth but the porte onely which all Horsemen knowe would be an vnpleasant bytt Besides this all Horsemen knowe that the too greate libertie of the Horses tongue is the first occasion of a horses drawing vp his tongue seeking to swallow the bytt striuing to put his tong ouer the bytt such like wherefore it is not good too giue the tonge to great libertie But conclude they had this one vertue what were it to the many vices which follow first they gaule a horses bars make theÌ„ insensible they force a horse to gape the outward part of the bytt doth presse so sore vppon the horses chap that they either burse it or breede in it a nuÌ„nes which taketh away al feeling whence springeth incoÌ„stancy of head rebellioÌ„ flat running away But you wil answere me with Grison that these ports should not be so hie as to touch the roofe of the mouth theÌ„ not to accasioÌ„ gaping theÌ„ I say they cannot be ports at al nor carry any more compasse then the close bytt whose plights I wil staÌ„d to it whensoeuer the cheek of the byt is drawn inward do coÌ„tinually touch the bats to conclude there was neuer that horse made or corrected with these open mouthes I meane ports vpsets but may bee better made better corrected with one of the close byts before specified Some paraduenture wil aske me what can the ancient Italian riders err in their inuentioÌ„s O no men more grosely witnesse Prospero his schoolemaisters Besides I knew a Gentleman of great practise who being wholy brought vp in Italy to the art of ryding was mearely opposite to â—l Chaines Cauezans Snafles TreÌ„ches false reines only wold make his horse froÌ„ the first hower of his backing with the byt hauing byts of so many seuerall fashions as there be falts or disorders in a horse to his bytts I haue seene such rings mounted one aboue another that a Germain clocke hath not consisted of more confused peeces this GentlemaÌ„ did I neuer see bring forth an absolute perfect horse But for run awaies madde Iades I haue known him haue seauen or eight in his charge at an instant But now leauing the praise dispraise of these bytts to your experience in practise I will proceed to the cheekes of bytts their proportions First albe there be many fashions in vse sundrie figures set forth by La Broue some others yet I will only recoÌ„mend vnto you but three the first is a straight cheeke which indeed is the first cheek I would haue a Colt weare for it putteth vp the horses head giues him sence of the Kurbe breedes a constancy in the carryage of his fore parts the second is the broken châ—ek which is to be vsed wlth the flying Trench and when you lay aside your Chaine or CauezaÌ„ this cheeke as it holdeth vp the necke so it bringeth in the moosell and boweth the crest to the best fashioÌ„ of the reine the third is the perfect or trauelling cheeke which is to be vsed when a horse is at his ful perfectioÌ„ made complet so as he is either for trauel pleasure or seruice this cheeke carying a larger coÌ„passe then either of the other bringeth in the head more then any other giueth a more comely grace both to the horses reyne and the eye of the beholder for t is to be noted that the more coÌ„passe a byt carryeth the more it compasseth bringeth in the horses head the straighter the cheek is the more it putteth vp aduaunceth both the head necke and muzzel Now froÌ„ these three cheeks are deriued diuers other cheeks as the straight cheek broke in two parts sometimes three parts or the coÌ„passe cheek broken in 1. 2. or 3. parts al the breakings made inward contrary to
vniuersitie riding euer digging in a horses sides are the most preposterous motions that can be seene in a horseman and are with vs of too great vse here in England and chiefly with some who take vpon them the skill of instructing others Next this is the helpe of the stirrop and the stirrop leather which how euer it be neglected is yet doubtlesse exceeding good and helpeth a yong horse much ere hee come to knowledge for if by carelesnesse or neglect hee eyther carrie his necke or heade awry if you giue him a good clappe with your stirroppe behinde the foreshoulder on the contrarie side it will correct the fault and put him in remembrance of his lesson Againe if in any gallopping manage turne â—ault or carreire your horse begin to grow idle and doe â—ot pursue his lesson with spirite and agilitie if with â—our feete you doe but ierte out your stirroppes and â—athers stiffely and with a good strength it shall as â—uch auaile to his quickning as if you gaue him the eâ—en stroke with both your spurs and therein it is counâ—ed a great helpe againe those Iertings and thrustings â—orward with your legges stirrops leathers are and â—hould be the first motiues to make a horse go forward â—t his first backing The next helpe and correction is of the spurs which â—urs although some riders haue fixed a limitation or â—refixed time when they shall bee worne or vsed yet â—am of this opinioÌ„ that if he be a horsman which wears â—em can gouern both his body and legs and knowes â—hen to correct when to helpe and when to cherish â—at the spurs are to be worne euen from the first breaâ—ng of a colt for be wel assured that the sooner a horse 〈◊〉 made to knowe the vse and correction of the spurs â—e freer hee shall be from restiuenesse madnesse and other franticke qualities Now to knowe when you shall first correct a horse with the Spurres it must seldome be in the violence or chiefe exercise of any of his first lessons as in trotting the Ring fast or gallopping but rather in the beginning when you teach him to go or trot forwarde for if from the Stable you trot him through some towne where he finde scarres or frights seeming to be fearefull and loath to passe if after you haue violently thrust him forward with your feete stirrop-leathers yet notwithstanding he still stickes it shal then be good for you to giue him the euen stroak of your spurrs and thrust him into a swift trot for some twentie paces and then cherish him Thus you shall vse him at least a doozen times in a day till hee come to both a knowledge tendernesse and feare of the Spurre The Spurre of all other is the seuerest correction and is generally vsed in euery lesson wherein he sheweth extreame dulnesse too much apish wantonnesse too fierce couragiousnes or too dogged restines as shal be more amplie declared both in his lessons the particular corrections of vices it is a helpe in euery Manage salt and ayre aboue ground and makes them be done with more life and quicknesse as likewise shall hereafter be declared Lastly for the helpe or correction of the ground it consisteth in the vse and treading of the Rings for if the horse take not vp his feet nimbly and roundly then it shall be a good helpe for him to bee exercised vppon deepe newe plowed lands but if he be too fierce raging insomuch that he will not trot with any temperance or pacience then you shall correct him by exercising him likewise vppon deepe newe plowed landes whose softnesse and painfull labour will soone bring him to a calme and quiet riding with diuerse other such like helpes and corrections which shall bee more largely spoke of when we come to the horses lessons CHAP. 5. How to correct a horse that beareth his head or necke awry and of all vices belonging to the head DIuers horses partly through the badde complexions and constellation vnder which they are bred partly through the rude and vnskilful handling of most indiscreete Riders are many times cumbred with most foule and vnsufferable disorders such as are oft times difficult euen to the best riders to redresse nature begetting and custome fortifying their euils against the strength of all industrie wherfore that I may as well as I can dâ—rect such as are desirous of knowledge through these darke obscurities they shall vnderstand that faults ingendred by these two euils haue two seueral remedies for if they doe proceed from nature theÌ„ must art correcting the euilnesse of that nature instruct to a better dispositioÌ„ but if they proceede from custome licence to do euill then the liberty taken away the effect therof must needs perish wherfore to my purpose if your horse carry his heade and necke awry you shall first as he trotteth outright strike him with your contrarie spur on the contrarie side withall carry the reine of the bytt on the contrary side somwhat shorter then the other and if at first it auaile not you shall then carrie the calfe of your legge close to the contrarie side and at euerie foure or fiue steps let him feele the euen stroke of that Spurre At the vse of which if you finde he any thing amendeth foorthwith you shall take away your legge and begin to cherish him that knowing his euill he may eschue his euill for horses naturally are like schoole-children vnwilling to do shrewdly chiefly vnder their ryders It is verie good also on the contrarie side to giue him a good stroke with your stirrop neare the shoulder which will make him cast his head the other way to looke at the blow which assoone as he doth ease your bridle hand take away your foot and cherish him The vse of which correction ioyned with your cherishing will in time bring him to the knowledge of his error and when it is once known it is also reclaimed to these former correctioÌ„s wold also be added the correction of the rod vpon the contrary shoulder for to some horses both are little inough to awake their remeÌ„brance to these correctioÌ„s you shal also adde now then a sharp suddeÌ„ twitch or two with the coÌ„trary reine of the cauezan which wil bring him to as suddain an apprehensioÌ„ of that fault as any other correctioÌ„ before shewed euer obseruing vpoÌ„ the lest imagined amends not to forget to cherish him It is good now then also to giue him a twitch or two with the contrary reine of the flying trench which will awaken him if it be but only in a gaze yet it wil make him looke straight which you must carefully watch in the very instant of his straight looking not forget to cherish him But if nature vse haue so incorporated this vice in him that all the corrections auaile not then shall you carry him to his rings if it be so that he carrie his head
hath been reclaimed the reason I confesse is probable enough yet where more lenitie will serue with as little labour lesse cost there I wish rather the forgetfulnes then the vse of these cruelties for mine own part I haue neuer sound the horse which the former corrections would not order bring to a most setled constancie CHAP. 6 How to correct a Horse that doth ouer-reach or strike one foote vppon another OVerreaching is a fault incideÌ„t to yong horses weake horses and euil trotting horses it is also begotten by the vnskilfulnes of the rider when at the first handling hee will thrust the Colt into 〈◊〉 swift a trot as he can possible without respecting the â—orses strength or naturall skill in trotting by meanes â—hereof the Colt striuing to goe beyond his ordinarie â—anner is inforced to ouer-reach and clap his feete one â—on another which in small time growes to an euill â—stome wheeras euery horseman before hee backe a Colt should haue a diligent eye to his naturall pace â—it be comely short theÌ„ he may venture more boldâ—y to enter him into a swift trot which will but make â—im stretch out his legs bring lightnes to his body â—ut if his trot be long and weake then must he by any meanes keep him to a slow trot feeding him with â—is haÌ„d which euen in the instant that it giueth libertie it must restraine it againe bring the horse to a pride in himselfe a shortnesse of pace He must also refuse to â—et a weake or loose trotting horse come vppon deepe â—lowd lands til he haue attained his pace brought it â—o a conuenient shortnes but if it so happen the reason â—ot being to be disputed on that your horse doth ouer-â—each and it is now your office to redresse it you shall first hauing shodd him with shooes extraordinarilye short at the heeles bestowe some three or foure dayes labour in bringing him by the tendernesse and gentill vse of your hand to a soft and slow trot in with slowe trot you shal with the helpe of the calues of your leggs the sound of your voice shake of your rodde ouer his eares and now and then with the euen stroke of both your spurres so quicken and stirre him vp that partly out of courage partly out of feare he may gather vp his feete so thicke and set them downe also so thicke that he may seeme to trot as hee standeth and gayneth no ground which vse will bring him to such a shortnes of treading that within a little space he will cleane forget his ouerreaching and loose long trotting but if he bee of so dull and heauie a disposition that this agilitie quicknesse will not bee forc'd into him then it shall not bee amisse if you digge your large ringes full of stayres and degrees such as you shall see worne by tracke of horses in the foulest winter wayes and for a weeke or there abouts onely exercise him in the same and as hee growes conning in them so to increase the swiftnesse of his pace I haue not approued any correction better then this for this fault To ride your horse in a hard grouÌ„d that is verieful of thistles or amoÌ„gst short gorsse or whinnes is exceeding good both to remedie this euill and to make a horse â—rot loftilie and cleanely for it wil euen make a natural ambler to trot As touching the strowing of your tinges with stones of all sorts thereby to take from him his ouer-reaching I am much against it for there is no reason leades the vse and sure I am there be many euills which pursue it as namely the brusing or tearing of his hoofes the beaâ—ing him vppon the neather Ioyntes which will not onely bring foorth windgalles but also lamenesse and the incertaintie of his foote-holde which to the weakenes of his pace will bring not onely stumbling but also falling And thus much I thinke sufficient for the amendment of of this fault CHAP. 7. How to correct the euill motions in a horse which are shewed by the cariage of his head or eares or other outward signes DIuers horses when they are corrected for any fault and especially with the spurre will shake their heads which is a signe of much malitious doggednesse and desire of reuenge which when you shall perceiue immediately giue him the euen stroake of your spurres and if he double his offence doe you also double your correction not giuing ouer till you haue got the conquest and to that correction mingle two or three good strokes with the bigge end of your rodde vpon his head betweene his eares but if you perceiue that he pricketh forward one of his eares and clappeth the other close to his neck be then moste assured he intendeth some mischiefe as to plunge to byte to strike or to lye downe which to preuent omit not to interrupt him by giuing him a sound stroake on the contrarie side to that eare which hee most mooueth with your spurre and if hee instantlye rayse not both his eares together second that stroake with two or three moe that your correction going beyond his frenzie you may tourne his sullennes into fearefulnes it shall not be amisse if to these former corrections you adde the terrour of your voice by threatning him with a lowde voice and presently vpon his amendment both conuert your corrections to cherrishinges and your threatnings to sweete language Now you are to take this obseruation euer with you which is that you bee sure when hee vseth any of these motions that they doe proceede from the sullennesse and euill habyt of his disposition complexion or ill instruction and not from other second causes as if at the time of the yeare a horse be stung with flyes or a flye chance to get into the horses eares if it bee so that the headstall of the brydle shall hurt him about the top of the head or about the rootes of the eares or if the Saddle shall wring or pinch his backe or if you shall ride so close with your heeles that your spurres tickle him vpon the sides there is not any of these causes but will make a horse shake his head lay downe his eares and showe these frowning countenances of much sullennesse which if at any time you finde doe but remoue the cause and the effect will little or not at all trouble you which if it doe you may soone eyther by thrusting him roundly forward or with the euen strok of your spurres put such to yes out of his remembrance If either in your trauelling marching or consorting amongst other horses your horse shall be so rammege and vuruely that he will not indure their companie but fal a whynning byting striking you shal immediately vppon any of those offers giue him the euen stroke of your spursâ— doubling it so oft as his franticke disposition shall giue occasion to which correctioÌ„ you shall adde the terror of your voice and in great
minde and bee so vnrepressable in the violence of their furies that when they cannot preuaile by their plungings eyther to cast their Ryders or to gayne to themselues that ease which they couet they will after they haue plunged themselues wearie fall downe and in dispight of all strokes or ordinarie corrections not stirre from the ground till they haue gotten breath and then rise vp and plunge as before In this case I woulde haue you as soone as hee falleth downe as neare as you can possible to keepe your selfe in the Saddle and to lie with your horse for companie then you shall cause presently some stander by to take a Bottle of drie strawe and lay it round about the horse especially about and vnder his nose and face then instantly to set it on fire round about him at the sight wherof there is no question but he will rise vp and partly out of feare partly out of furie take his way forward which when hee doth forget not instantly to cherish him nay if he but rise vp onely although hee doe not presse forward yet forget not to cherish him By this course onely I haue reclaimed diuers and seene diuers reclaymed by others forget not then so oft as he thus offendeth but thus to torment him and I dare almost assure you this practise will not neede aboue twice or thrice for one horse at the most There are another sort of horses which hauing plunged and leapt disorderly whilest they haue either breath or strength and not beeing able to leape any more wil foorth with stande stone still and not stirre any foote how euer vrged by the violence of any correction Remedies for this fault I haue prescribed in the beginning of this Chapter where I speake of the basenesse of the horses nature for it proceeds but seldome of mettall or good courage yet forasmuch as euery one in such cases as these must inuent for himselfe new remedies where he findes olde precepts faile him for thence springs the proofe of his Arte and for that there be diuers practises at this day both amongst vs and strangers for the amending of these faultes some carrying in them apparance of reason some no similitude of sense yet because I will not be the onely peremptory Iudge that am the meanest of many schollers I will shew you both theirs and mine owne and referre the vse to the liking of best wisdomes It hath beene the practise of some Horse-men when they could not make their horse goe forwarde to tie a shrewd Cat to a Poale with her heade and feete at libertie and so thrusting it vnder the horses bellye or betwene his legges to make her scratch byte and clawe him by the Coddes and other tender partes of the bodye the strange torment and violence whereof will make any horse starte and runne away Others haue taken a Hedgehogge and tying it straite by the foot vnder the horses taile the Hidiousnesse of the crie of that little beast will make a Horse not onely goe forward but also run away violentlie The like wil the crie of a young whelpe doe and to say truth any suddaine or strange noyse or any instant affright or amazement wil make a horse runne away Others haue vsed a long peece of yron of a foot loÌ„g al ful of pricks like a Heckel which being fastned to the crooper and hanging down by the horses buttocks it must haue a long cord made fast to the other end which cord passing betweene the horses legges must come vp to the hand of the rider so that he may at his pleasure torment or ease the horse as he list and by this instrument some say horses haue beene reclaymed Others haue vsed to put a corde with a running knot about the horses stones and to take the other end of the cord into their hand and so at their pleasures to pull it straighter which torment being moste insufferable hath made a horse to goe forward violently This practise I finde allowed both for this and other purposes by La Broue some other horsemeÌ„ but as before I said so I say again that vnder the reformation of their better knowledges I neither like nor would haue anye man either practise this or any of the other experimeÌ„ts my reason being that they are al of that crueltie eyther in outwardly tormenting the bodye with extraordinarie paine or inwardly appalling the minde with affright and amazement that they do not so much good in redressing that one fault as hurt in breeding manye faultes of much more worse nature For a horse that is of good courage and mettall when hee eyther feeles any of these suddain torments or appreheÌ„ds affrights doth not instantlie goe forward for it is against his nature but first begins to leape plunge kicke with one legge or offer to byte or such like motions which wheÌ„ he findes not to auaile he falles euen out of desperation to runne violently away for when a Horse is payned and neither knowes from whence it proceeds nor for what offence hee is punished hee hath for himselfe no remedie but plunging byting and running away as for example I haue seene wise men as they haue beene ryding abroad to make themselues sport with Fooles haue made one put a nettle vnder the Fooles horses tayle but the horse hath not vpon the act runne away but first falne to plunging and leaping and in the end if the torment haue continued hee hath runne away euen of the selfe same nature that the nettle is the same is the scratching of cats the crying of hedgehogs the howling of whelpes the pricking of yrons and the pinching of the stones so that to conclude it is as good the horse should stand still as by teaching him to goe to learne him to plunge byte strike and runne away If then you demaund of me in this case what is to be done I answere if you haue a horse infected with this kinde of restifnesse of standing still which continually proceedes from folly you shal first when you take his backe after you are well setled and haue paused awhile first by thrusting foorth your feete hard and stiffe vpon your stirrops you shall offer to put forward your horse which motion if he wil not vnderstand after you haue done it twice or thrice euerie time stronger then other you shall make a stander by instâ—ntly take him by the head and leade him forward ad 〈◊〉 paces and more your selfe and the stander by also cherrishing him as hee goes and with putting your feete forward stiffe vppon your stirrops quicken him vp and make him goe chearefully which when hee doth the stander by may lay off his hand and you may make him goe three or foure steps of his own accord which when hee hath done immediatelye stop him cherrish him and giue him grasse or something else to eate In this sorte I would haue you to labour your horse three or foure times in a day for a
shall then as hee aduanceth with your rodde giue him a good ierte ouerthwart his knees and threaten him with your voice by saying wilt thou villaine wilt thou or such like and as oft as he aduaunceth so often strike him not ceasing till hee keepe his feete fast to the ground neither strike him in any place but ouerthwart his knees onely But if the violence of his naughtinesse be so great that hee not onelie aduaunceth contrarie to your minde but also in his aduauncing reareth vpright so hie that either hee commeth ouer backward or else is in great daunger of the same you shall then vpon the proffer of such wickednes and euen in his rising giue him the libertie of his head and with the euen stroke of both your spurs together make him leape forward This being done in due time so oft as occasion is ministred I haue many times seen to reclaime a horse from this fault but if he bee so infinitely desperate that it will not preuaile you shall then cause him to be ledde foorth into some plaine peece of ground hauing a long string fastned to the reyne of his brydel you shal as he trotteth before you force him to stop and rise vp before which if he dooth any thing extraordinarily hie you shal then with the strength of your own hands pull him quite backewards and assure your selfe after you haue but giuen him two or three such falles you shall neuer afterwards compell him to rise so hie that he will bring himselfe into like daunger For a horse naturallie is as much affraide of falling and as loath to hurt himselfe as any man is wherefore when by this meanes he commeth to the knowledge of his euill he will without any more warning eschue it and this course in all my practise I haue found most infallible yet forasmuch as the vse of the Musroll and Martingall is an ordinarie way to represse and keepe a horse from this fault I would wish euery horsman first therefore to make vse of them and where they faile then to make triall of those experiments which are before rehearsed And thus much for horses that will reare and come ouer with their riders CHAP. 11. How to correct a horse that will lie downe in the water as he passeth thorow OF this fault I haue had great experience and find it to be most incident to horses of chollericke complexions or to such as are foaled in the dogge dayes which is from the midst of Iuly till after the midst of August or to such horses as wee call Cades which are those that neuer sucke their dams but vpon their first foaling are put vp into a house and brought vp vpon the finger These horses haue many times this fault of lying downe in the water with which if at any time you shall encounter you shall thus seeke to reclaime him First you shall faire and softly pace him through some water not aboue knee deepe being hard and firme in the bottome and if you shall finde him offer to stande and draw in his hinder feete as if he would lie downe you shall immediately giue him the euen stroke of both your spurres three or foure times together and make him gallop thorow the water with all violence which done after you haue paused a while you shall pace him backe againe and if he offer to lie downe againe you shall as before make him gallop thorowe againe but if after you haue done thus twise or thrise together hee notwithstanding still proffereth to lye downe you shall then cause two or three footemen to follow you into the water who assoone as he profereth to lie downe shall suffer him but immediatlye when hee is downe they shall with all their strength holde him downe and ducke his head vnder the water holding it there a good space then letting him take breath ducke his head againe vnder the water and this they shall doe twice or thrice before they let him rise all the while rating him with their voyces and striking him with their handes but not by any meanes with any roddes or cudgels albe Grison commend them both for I haue seene that course bring a horse into great desperation After you haue vsed him thus twise or thrise with the helpe of footmen there is no doubt to be made but he will vtterly refuse to lie downe especially when he eyther seeth or heareth the footemen followe him you shall therefore then cause the footemen to forbeare and onely your selfe ride him into the water yet before you ride into the water you shall make fast with a strong thong of leather to each side of your Saddle-tree iust vnder both your knees two large and strong rings of Iron so that nothing but the rings may appeare without the pannell to these rings you must fasten two cordes that are plyant and will runne and goe easily These cords you shall passe from the rings thorow the eye of the bytt trench or snaffle then thorow the rings againe and thorow the eye of the bytt trench or snaffle and then winde the remainder of the cords about the pōmell of the saddle but in any case let that which passeth from the rings to the eye of the byt be so slacke that it may giue the horses head all the libertie possible then when you come into the water if the horse offer to lie downe you shall suffer him and with all nimblenesse you can auoiding his backe looke vpon what side he lyeth most and setting your foote against the saddle plucke the corde on that side it will immediatly not only pluck his head vnder the water but also keepe him that he cannot rise then at your pleasure you may let the cord goe and giue him breath If thus you shall but vse him twise I dare venture much of my reputation in horsemanship he will neuer need it the third time Now forasmuch as some authors giue aduise to put a cord with a running knot about the horses stones to crampe him therwith in the water I for mine owne part vtterly dislike it for I haue seene a horse so vsed who through his violence and strugling in the water hath so pincht himself that his stones haue not onely sweld but also impostumated and rotted so that there was no remedie but to geld him to the great blemish of the horsman and danger of the horses life wherefore I would aduise all yong riders to approue no more but the former practise til such time as their owne experience Art can createthem better knowledge If when you haue in maner aforesaid reclaimed your horse frō this vice he shall after eyther through the violence of nature or the forgetfulnesse of the correction begin to fall to it againe if vpon the first proffer thereof you doe but put him in remembrance and quicken him vp with your spurres and rate him with your voyce you shall soone perceiue he will amend and
the way where there bee manie Scarres and Boggards if when the olde horse taketh no affright but passeth quietlie on the following horse taketh Scarres almoste at euerie thing he heares seees both his eies and eares beeing the ministers of his feare when this you note be assured that horses feare proceedes from the cowardlines of his nature and complexion if hee followe the olde horse stoutly without any feare and onely when hee is alone apprehendeth all manner of feares then bee assured all his fearefullnesse proceedes onely from his youth and ignorance in those strange sights and noyses which he sees and heares but if hee passe stoutlie by many strange sights and stranger noyses onely at some particular sights and noyses paraduenture lesse feareful then those he stoutly endureth he finde Scarres and affrights then assure your selfe that his error comes from custome and that hee hath in former times beene affrighted with those thinges which then he feareth If he onelie take affright at what hee sees and not at what he heares starting at showes but not at noyses then you shall assure your selfe that all his feares proceede onely from the imperfectnesse of his sight and from no other cause But for as much as some horses may haue more then one nay all these imperfections as both being naturally fearefully yong formerly scard and imperfect of sight I would wish all horsmen to haue in their stables both Drums and Trumpets which beating and sounding continually in the horses eares will embolden them and make them hardie agaynst all soūds whatsoeuer yet you must not at the first let such soundes be hard in their full lowdnesse but making your Drumme first beate verie softly after increase the lowdnesse as the horse increases in boldnesse till in the ende you may beate the Drumme to his vttermost height And likewise for your Trumpet you shall at first make it sound verie lowe by stopping the great ende either with a Clarin or with a Gloue or such like till the horse bee acquainted there-withall and then you shall cause the Trumpet to sounde as lowde and shrill as is possible It is good also when your horse stands in the stable to fasten to the head-stall of his coller in stead of reynes two long Chaines of yron made with rounde long wrythen linkes which running to and fro through the Maunger may make a gingling and noyse when the horse mooueth you shall also sometime when you ride your horse cause his heade and necke to bee armed with a Shaferne and other peeces belonging to a horse and as you ride euer to be rapping vpon the armour with the great ende of your rodde that you may acquaint him with the noyse thereof you shall also at sometimes when the groome dresseth your horse cause him to bee armed at all peeces aboue the waste onely his face bare and being so accoutered to rubbe and dresse him which when the horse indureth with pacience then the groome shal put vpon his heade a close caske and with it couering his face goe to the horse and standing directly before his face rubbe the horses heade and necke all oner which done hee shall giue him bread oates or other prouender When hee is thus imboldned you shall arme your selfe at all peeces aboue the waste and then taking his backe you shall receyue into your hande a small long Poale no bigger then a Hawkes Poale and carrying it vpon your thigh like a Launce you shall ride him into some conuenient peece of ground and first vpon his trot charge it betwixt both his eares then on the one side of his head then on the other so as he may see it as it is charged on each side of his face then you shall do the like vpon his galloppe And lastly as he galloppeth you shall clappe the Poale ouerthwart your breast vnder your arme and so break it that your horse may heare the noyse thereof After you haue practised this a good space and that he shewes all liuelinesse and spirite in the action you shall then cause another man also to arme himselfe and beeing mounted vppon some olde ridden horse well vsed to such practise hee shall also take another such like Poale and beeing come into the fielde hee shall place himselfe threescore or fourescore yardes from you and directly opposite against you then shall you trott one against the other yet in pathes so different that you may passe by each other without touching or rushing one vppon another and when you come within twise the length of your Poales one of another you shall charge your Poales one agaynst another but not touching one the other with your Poales you shall passe by each other After you haue thus done fiue or sixe times together vppon a swift trott you shall then doe the same vppon an easie gallop and at the last as you come directly one by the other you shall each of yon breake your Poales vnder your armes so that your horses may heare the noyse or crash which done you shall alight cherish your horse giue him either grasse breade or some thing els to eate and so set him vp in the Stable for that time When your horse is thus perfite in the vse of armour and staffe you shall then in the stable drawe a bright sworde before your horses face and first making him smell to it you shall then rubbe him about the head face and necke with it then putting a Shaferne vppon the horses heade you shall softly and in gentle maner rappe him with the sworde vppon the Shaferne and vpon those peeces which are vppon his necke which when hee paciently indureth you shall then with your sworde in your-right hande mount vppon his backe and all the way as you trott to the riding place you shall brandish the sword about your horses face so as he may see the sworde and now and then with the pommell thereof knocke vpon the horses shaferne when you come to the riding place you shall there haue an Image made like a man and armed at all peeces from heade to foote To this Image you shall trott and first making your horse smell thereto you shall then trott about it and euer as you pace or trott about it you shall strike vpon it with your sworde making the armour sounde and ring in the horses eares your selfe euer cherishing and encouraging your horse in all his exercises This done you shall cause an other armed man to mount vppon an olde ridden horse who comming faire and lostlye towardes you as soone as you ioyne knee to knee you shall with each of your swordes rappe softly vpon each others armour and sometimes softly vpon your horses Shafferns and other armed peeces then you shal cause the other horseman to retyre backe from you whome you must pursue striking softly somtimes at the horse sometimes vpon the man in the ende you shall make him turne his backe vppon you and offer to trott away but
you shall followe him and strike him softly vppon the hinder parts which done you shall alight from your horses back cherish him and giue him something to eare and so set him vp After your horse is perfiâ—e in these incouragements you shal then begin to acquaint him with fire and gunshot after this maner When he standeth in the stable with his heade from the Manger you shal take Rosen beaten to fine powder lay a good deale in the palme of your hand then you shall take a little peece of a waxe candle and setting it betweene your great finger and your Ring finger you shall throw the powder thorow the blaze of the Candle and it will rayse vppe a greate flame which beeing done directly before the face of the horse may at first mooue amazement in him But beeing done fiue or sixe tymes together the Horse finding neyther annoyance by the flame nor mislike in the smell he will be carelesse and seeme to delight in the sight which as soone as you perceiue then you shall instead of the rozen take halfe a thimble full of Gunpowder laying it in the palme of your hand doe as you did with the rozen This is onely to acquaint the horse with the smell of gunpowder which being done you shall then take a pistoll which goes with a Snaphaunce and putting powder onelie in the pan and no where else you shall sâ—ute it off before the horses face halfe a dozen times together that he may be acquainted with the suddainenesse of that little noyse This done you shall then charge the pistoll and first shuting it off a preâ—ie distance from your horse you shall after discharge it nearer and nearer till in the ende hee will suffer you to discharge it close vnder his nose which done you shall then take his backe and ride him into the open fieldes where you shall cause some footeman hauing charg'd a haâ—quebushe with powder to meete you and discharge it a prettie distance from you yet iust before the horses face Then as soone as hee hath discharged the peece let him come to the horse and giue him eyther breade or other prouender to eate then let him charge the peece againe and discharge it somewhat nearer then he did before and euerie time he dischargeth the peece let him come and cherrish the horse and giue him something to eate till there bee such a familiaritie betwixt him and the horse that euen the horse will take a pride and delight in his shooting which so soone as you perceiue you shall vse him to the noyse of shot both in his trotting and gallopping making him charge the footeman home and to galloppe abouâ— him the Footeman euer obseâ—uing to discharge his peece in the face of the horse when your horse is thus made perfit for the indurance of the shot you shall then when you ride him abroad make some stander by to flourish an ensigne before him and then comming towards the horse set the ensigne so as the winde may blowe the silke about the horses face the ensigne bearer all the while with his hand cherrishing and fortefying the horse to indure the ratling and waueing of the silke about his eares which when constantlie hee doth then hee shall take vp the ensigne and flourish it both about the horse and your selfe then setting the staffe downe cherrish the horse againe and giue him somewhat to eate you shall also encourage your horse verie much both to this and many other such like strange sights if as you ride you doe but rattle papers about your horses eares or anie other stuffe which maketh the lowdest noyse And thus much for the correction of affrights and fearefulnesse CHAP. 13. How to correct a horse that is dull of spirit dull of the spurs and slouenly in his trott SO soone as you haue tamed your Colt made him that he will receiue with patience both the Saddle bridel and their ornaments and the Ryder his postures and that hee will onely walke forward as not knowing any other lesson you shall then enter into iudgement of his nature and condition which you may descerne in his first backing by these carracters If you finde him light of head so that hee will carrie it by his owne supporte and not by the assistance of your hand and that the tendernesse of his mouth disdaineth the touch or feeling of the Trench if hee bee more willing to trott then to walke to gallopp then to trot or more willing to bound and leape then either walke trott or gallop if you finde that the quicke motion of your bodie the stirring of your legge or the sound of your voice are as greate motiues as either spurre or rodde if this you finde you shall conclude in your iudgement that hee is a horse of good constitution of bodie light tractable valiant and of the worthiest disposition so that you are by your owne lenitie and temperate aâ—te onelie to seeke to moderate and keepe such good spirit in his height of goodnes by repressing it till age and strength shall affoard better abilitye and without further strife or toyle proceede to those lessons which are fit for a horse of his courage which are the large ringes and other lessons of such like qualitie But if you finde your Colte at first backing to be of a contrarie nature that is to say of heauie head and countenance such as your strength shall sooner bee wearie to lift vp then hee to ouer burthen and of a spirit so flemye or melancholly that hee will rather refuse to doe then want power to doe the sullennesse of his nature beeing a traytor both to arte and his beautie you shall then hauing backt him and taught him to goe forward according to the rules prescribed in the third Chapter ride him foorth either into some open hard hye way or into some playne fielde where hee may haue no treading but such as is light and easie and carrying your handes vppon the reynes of the trench as is taught in the third chapter You shall all the way as he goes with gentill motions easing your handes and drawing them softlie in againe by little and little worke vp his head to the full length of his necke not at any time suffering your handes to abide firme without motion But letting them goe come continuall with easie soft and vndisturbing mouings such as with their greatest straytnesse may not giue him any checke in the mouth to make him stop not with their largest libertie were he a horse of franck spirit giue him leaue to runne away This comming and going of your hand will force the dullest horse in the world to rayse vp his head of his owne accord it sweetens and makes tender his mouth and makes him plyant to a good rayne and countenance To this motion of your hands you must adde also the motion of your legges by thrusting theÌ„ earnestly forward with a good stiffe Ierte vppon
hoodwinckt but for mine owne part I much disalow it For besides that the depriuing of the sight taketh away from the horse both hope and delight it also stirreth in him that amazement and excesse of feare which many times robbeth him both of remembrance and attention to the businesse about which he goeth besides the blind-folding of him is such an actuall and grosse correction that what fault soeuer is by it reformed the libertie of the sight againe brings with it such delight and contentment that the former reformation is quite forgotten and he remaines the same horse hee was before both in disorder and faultinesse Many other deuises and compulsions there bee to amend these errors albe it be but for a short time which forasmuch as they haue onely beene brought forth by couetousnes practised by craft and credited by ignorance and folly I will banish them this place where nothing but Art should haue luster and referre them to the mystery of Horse-cosing wherein I will set them down in their true colours And thus much for the dulnesse of spirit sence or pace CHAP. 14. Of the treading of the large ringes and of their vse AFter your horse will with obedience patience receiue you and deliuer you both too from his backe when hee will with good courage sencible spirrit comelie light reyne and gallant pace trot forward with you which as it is the first lesson or A. B. C. of horsemanshippe so it is to bee regarded and lookt into with moste vigilant watchfulnesse because what sleight fault or omission you shall escape in that time of beginning will so strongly increase in his other lessoÌ„s that in the end they wil proue incurable when as I say you haue brought him to this first goodnesse you shall then proceed to the large ringes after this manner You shall trot your horse forth into some broad grauelly or sandy way where the print of your horses feet may the best be seene which hauing breadth enough for the largenesse of your ringes you shall first hauing trotted forward 50. or 60 paces pace out a large ring vppon your right hand at least fortie paces in compasse and hauing pac'd it three or foure times about so that your eye may wel descerne the compasse of your ring which if it carrie not the proportion of a true round then be assured there is a fault in the carriage of your hand which after you must indeauour to amend You shal then trot him straight forward fortie yardes or three abouts and then make out an other ring of the same largenesse compasse vpon your left hand by trotting it about three or foure times also so that both your rinâ— being ioyn'd together by the furrowe which passes bâ—weene them they will carrye this figure or proportion When thus you haue markt out both your ringes you shall then instantly enter into consideration vpon which hand your horse with the moste willingnesse nimblenesse and best grace couetteth to trott and on the contrarie hand on which he is onelie vnwilling you shall labour him at the least three or foure turnes more then on the other making both your begginning and your ending on that hand on which hee is moste imperfect as thus for example if your horse as for the moste part all horses are be more vnwilling to trotte vpon your right hand then on the left you shall then trot three or foure times about vppon your right hand againe so that beginning and ending vpon your right hand that hand may exceede the other by so many tournes as you made in your first beginning which done you shall then trott him downe the straight furâ—owe to the verdge of the left ring and thereby modeâ—ately drawing in your hand cause him to stop which done after a little pause you shal make him retire three or foure paces and then cherrishing him let him rest a good space then gently putting him forward againe walke him so softly as foote can fall about the left ring â—hen downe the straight furrowe to the right ring where you may beginne the lesson againe as before Now as I speak of the right hand so I meane likewise of the left hand if he be either harder or lesse nimble thereupon In this sort I would haue you exercise your horse dayly till he be so perfect that euen of himselfe he will trot these large ringes with such courage lightnesse arte and nimblenesse that he will neither stand in need of helpe or correction which when you perceiue you then shall trot him a dozen or fourteene times vppon that hand of which he is hardest then as oft on the other hand then as oft vpon the first hand againe then forthright then stop retire cherrish During the exercise of these large ringes you shall deligentlie keepe these obseruations first you shall be carefull with the gentill motions of your handes to keepe his mouth in sweetnes and tendernes neither pulling so hard at the trench as to make the horse gape nor giuing his head such libertie as to bring him to a loose reyne but to make him trot with all pride and comelines of countenance Next you must obserue that his head and necke stand streight looking directly forward not a wrie or inward to that hand of which he trotteth for suretie wherof you shal euer carry the outmost reine euer a listraiter then the inmoste holding it of the two more tollerable that the horse carrie his head rather from his ringe then inwarde towards his ring for the fâ—rst will shoe him firme and all of one peece which is the greatest beautie and glorie of a horse the latter shewes him weake neckt crookt and apt for disorder the bringing of his head into the ring beeing the first meanes that casts his hinder parts out of the ring Next you shall obserue that of what hand soeuer you trott your horse you shall for a helpe in his beginning vse the calue of your contrary legge or the thrusting forward of your contrarie foote and contrarie stirrop leather or your rodde vpon the horses contrarie shoulder or ells before the eye of the horse on the contrarie side as for example if you trott on your right hand you shall helpe your horse with the calue of your left legge with your left foot with your rod before his left eye and so on the left hand with the like helpes on the right side Your voice also is both a verie profitable helpe and a greate encouragement to a horse in the treading of these ringes as namelie either in his sloath or forgetfulnes to crie via via or how how with a shrill voice accompayning it now and then either with a lert of your rodde or the thrusting forward of your feete stiffe vpon your stirrop leathers I haue found it excellent good also and it is wel allowed of both by Grison and La Broue if in the beginning of the treading of these ringes
chiefly when your Colt is young and foolish you make an olde ridden horse to leade him the way and to treade out the rings before him for it will both giue him good encouragement and also keep him from amazement disorder yet your horse being brought to the carriage of his head to perfitnesse of his pace and readines of the way so that he will keepe an euen pathe before he come to the vse of these ringes this helpe of an old ridden horse will be a great deale the lesse needfull Some will wonder and happilie out of that wonder mightly condemne me because the fashion of my rings are different from all those showed by former authors for Grison and other writers would haue the first rings to be Ioyned together then as it were from betwixt them to goe the straight furrowe where they would haue the horse stoppe and turne about in a narrowe compasse These ringes they woulde haue to bee trodden out vppon newe plowed ground they woulde haue a certaine number of turnes to bee obserued of both handes with diuers other such like Cautions to which I am clearely opposite for first that the ringes should be ioyned together I dislike because the chang being so sodaine and vnexpected and a colt so Ignorant and vnnimble the sodainnes thereof cannot chuse but eyther breede disorder or make the colt weake neckt because such quicke changes doe euer compel the ryder to vse that reyne of the inside more then in arte it should be then when hee commeth at the ende of the straight furrowe where hee must stoppe that there he should turn about in any narrower compasse then the former ringes is against arte because a horse ought not to bee taught any straighter compasse till the larger be made perfit Next that they should be trodden out vppon new plowed ground that is no good generall rule For as before I saide It is onely but for such horses as out of the greatnesse of their courages are of such distempered humors that they will neither goe nor learne with patience which faults being as they ought to be reclaimed before hee bee brought to the vse of these ringes why after the fault is amended the horse should indure punishment I neither vnderstand nor allowe wherefore for mine owne part I would haue the ringes made on such ground as might bee most easie for the horse to treade vpon surest for soote-hold and moste pleasant for the horse to delight and continue vpon Lastly for the certaine number of turnes which they would haue obserued as so manie times two or so many times three and such like by no meanes either increasing or decreasing that I am as much against as anye of the rest for this Horsemen knowe there is no creature whatsoeuer which doth so much obserue custome or beares in his remembrance the forme and manner of thinges taught him as the horse dooth so that holding him to anye constant number or anye prescript forme when you shall eyther exceede or deminish what you haue accustomablye vsed you put such doubtfulnesse in his minde that from thence proceedeth disobedience and restifnesse wherefore for mine owne part I both haue and euer shall till I be controled by a much better master obserued neuer to obserue any certain number in my turnes but euer to proportion them according to the aptnesse strength and agilitie of my horse But leauing to discourse vppon other mens mistakings and to returne to my former purpose When your horse hath beene exercised so long vpon these two distinct and seuerall ringes that hee will pace or trot them either slowe or swiftlye with all comelines and perfitnes which commonly in a month or lesse you may bring to passe that you finde in his dooing thereof neither error nor disobedience you shall then begin by little little to make him galloppe those ringes as first in the swiftnes of his trot to gallop two or three stroakes then to trot againe then gallop fiue or sixe paces more then trot againe thus increasing by stroke and by stroke till in the endefinding in him both a willingnes an abilitie you make him gallop the wholering about taking into your minde this maxime which is allowed both by La Broue and others not by any meanes to let your horse galloppe till hee bee moste perfit in his trot least by making a confusion in his paces you vtterly disable him for any pace whatsoeuer during the time that you thus teach your horse to galloppe these ringes you shall diligentlie keepe this obseruation first not to correct him either with spur or rod for anye offence hee shall commit in galloping but vpon the appehension of any fault to stay him from gallopping and to put him into his ttott againe and in his trot to correct such ordinarie errors as shall happen as the writhing of his bodie bowing in of his necke inward or the casting out of his hinder partes Secondly you shall obserue that in his gallopping he carrie his head in as constant and firme a place and his necke with as comely and gracefull a reyne as when hee trotteth in his greatest pryde so that if eyther hee offer to thrust out his nose or topresse and hang his head vpon your handes you instantly stoppe him from gallopping and make him trot againe labouring him therein till out of the pride of his courage he will gallop and keepe his best beauty which when hee doth you shall not then continue him so long therein till he be wearie and so growe in dislik of his owne goodnes but after two or three stroakes performed to your contentment you shall put him againe into his trott and cherrish him This order obserued with care and diligence you shall make your horse take more delight in gallopping then trotting after hee feeles the ease which cōmeth by the constant carriage of his head hee will not disorder it or beare it in other place albe an ignorant ryder should thereto compell him Lastly you shall obserue in his gallopping that hee take vp his legges roundly and loftelie one after another that forelegge which is outmoste going euer as it were before the other and his hinher legges following the fore-legs one after another both closely roundly trogether the beating of his hoofes going so distinctly one after another that they make as it were a kinde of musique in their sounding To these obseruations you must accompany the helpe of your bodie which being as it were a fixt member with the horse must in euerie motion moue as he moueth without either disorder or contraritye You shall also to quick en him in his gallopping helpe him now and then with the calue of your leg or by letting him heare the noyse of your rodde ouer his head for other helpes of more violence I doe not allowe Now for as much as young horses partly out of their owne willingnesse partly out of a naturall feare they
lesson from the forme of his owne vnderstanding or bring him to any labour more then hee hath ordinaryly vsed hee will not onelie disorder but giue signes of plaine restifnesse any ofthese three errors when you shall by your owne iudgement perceiue in your horse which euer for the moste part are found in his gallopping you shall then without intermission thrust him out of this Ring and trotting him vpon a swift trot a dozen or twentie paces foorthright there treade out first a large Ring on the right hand then another on the left hand then a third on the right hand again which three rings when they are trodden out will carry the proportion of this figure following the straight lines markt with this letter A. being the marke of the euen furrowe where you shall both enter in and goe forth of the Ringes Vpon these three ringes I would haue you exercise your horse first in his trot and after in his galloppe for many daies together obseruing euer both to begin end vpon that hand of which you find him the harder and more vnwilling to goe yet not to keepe him onely to these three ringes but to mingle with them the other ringes before discribed as thus for example when you come first to your riding place you may beginne with the two distinct or seuerall ringes which after he haue pacd trotted gallopped then riding him forth-right in an euen furrow twentie or thirtie paces there stoppe retire cherrish and rest which done then you may treade out these three conioyned ringes which after you haue pac'd trotted and gallopped you may likewise ride foorth in an euen furrow there againe stop retyre cherrish and rest After which you may then treade out the single large ring containing the two smaller ringes and when you haue pac'd trotted and gallopped it you may then ride him foorth againe in an euen furrow and there stoppe retyre cherrish rest when you haue done all this if notwithstanding you finde this exercise not to be sufficiēt but that your horse is able to indure much more or that you finde he doth not treade them with that perfitnesse so that another repetition would be much auaileable for your horses vnderstanding in eyther of these cases you may beginne againe with one two or all of the aforesaide lessons continuing til you haue either giuen your horse exercise sufficient for his strength or your selfe a full contentment according to the proportion of Arte. If it so fall out that your horse in this lesson of these three conioyned ringes either amazedlye sticke as showing an vnwillingnes to the exercise or that hee be of so good a temper of mouth and nimblenesse of bodie that he craues no more helpe of one hand then of another that is if he turne of both handes with like cunning you shall then to these three ringes adde a fourth ring oflike compasse which being trodden out shall beare the fashion of this figure following the letter A showing the entring in and the going foorth of the ringe and the letter B the change or alteration of the hand as it appeareth After you haue excercised your horse vpon these foure rings so long that you finde in him besides a cōpleate perfitnes and skil an extraordinarie lightnes corage delight in the lesson you may thē cōclude that you haue done as much in these large and plaine compasses as Art desireth so that to proceed to any other confused rings such as some authors haue propounded only to amaze weake sences stir admiratiō in none but the ignorāt is both friuolous needles the rather sith the horse that is expert in these rings before mentioned cannot be ignorāt how to trot or gallop any ring of what shape or fashion so euer it be moulded for other rings thē such as are to be trotted gallopped as yet I write not of but preserue thē for their dew place The errors which most commonly pursue these large rings are onely the distemperatures of the horses head the weaknes or wrything of his necke the casting outward of his hinder parts the sloathfull and slouenly taking vp of his feet for all which I haue showed you former remedies in the foregoing chapters For the vses purposes wherfore these large ringes serue to speak generally as ofal rings you must vnderstand that the cheife part or soule of this art of horsemāship is but only to make a horse turne teadilie on both hands his best strength beauty and nimblenesse being both redoubled adorned by the power of art which no man can by any other meanes bring better to passe then by continually exercising a horse in these round circles these large ones being as it were the first letters or alphabet which makes him cunning in more curious lessons But to speake more particularly the first two distinct ringes before shewed are but onely to acquaint the horse with labour giuing him a glimpse or little light of cunning yet in such sort that it neither distemper his minde body nor pace but keepe them all in concord and albe he goe round yet he goes at as great ease as if hee went straight forward The second ring containing two smaller ringes that teaches the horse a little more cunning making him take vp his legs more roūdly nimbly together by meanes wherof when hee is brought to a straiter compasse hee will neither be amazed for want of knowledge or stagger or reele for want of skill or true vse of his feete the perfitnes of this ring being a good introduction to all other lessons how curious or how intrycate soeuer The last ringes which consist of three ringes foure ringes both bring to the horse breath and nimblenesse and are of great vse and seruice in the warres chieflie when a man is to charge vpon shot or to be imployed vppon discouerie or other light seruice so as hee neither may stand still neither keepe on euen and direct foorthright line in his passadges but first to gallop vppon one hand then on the other with such incertainty that it shall bee impossible for the best mark-man to take any constant ayme against him whereupon as I imagine it was termed of horsemen the gallopping of the field And thus much for large ringes and their vse CHAP. 15. Of stopping retyring aduauncing and the vses thereof ALthough I haue in diuers of the former Chapters spoken of stopping of the time and place moste meete when to vse it yet for as much as I haue not so plainelie explande it as is necessarie for euerie ignorant vnderstanding I wil heere somewhat more largely discourse of that lesson and first that you may knowe what stopping is it is a suddaine staying or distance from any motion which a horse vseth with his legs as namely when he either walketh galloppeth boundeth Coruetteth or such like and it is done by a suddaine firme setting downe of all his fore-legges together
hee tooke them vp wherefore the fittest time and place to make a horse aduance is at the stoppe onelie and you shall doe it in this manner After you haue trotted your horse in some grauelly or sandy way about a dozen or twentie yardes you shall there stop him and in the verie instant that you stop him that is euen as you drawe vp the reynes of your Trench you shall clap both the calues of your legges hard to his sides holding the reynes constant firme still but if at first he will not aduaunce as there is no likelihoode he should not yet vnderstanding your minde but rather offreth to retire backe you shal then by thrusting your feete forward stiffe vpon your stirrop leathers not onely keep him from retiring but also thrust him forward into his trot againe as far as before where stopping him and giuing him againe the same helpe with the calues of your legges it may bee then the horse perceyuing you will neither suffer him to goe forward nor backward neither yet to stand stil he wil out of the amazednesse of his owne coniectures shew some strange motions all which you shal diligently heede obseruing that if he take vp but one foot and set it downe againe that instantly you ease your hand and cherish him which done trott him forth againe and vpon the stoppe doe the like not ceasing vntill you haue inforst him to take both his fore-legges from the ground in a round and comely order and so set them downe againe But if you shall perceiue that in this lesson he sheweth exceeding slouth and dulnesse and out of the peeuishnesse of his nature albe hee vnderstand your will yet will not performe your will in this case you shall nowe and then in steade of the helpe of the calues of your legs giue him your spurres one after another but in any wise not both together for that will bring him not to aduauncing but to bounding an Arte yet too earely for his learning you may also for your better speede and to moue spirit and quicknesse in the horse now and then as you helpe him with the calues of your legges giue him a good iert or two with your rodde ouer the left shoulder To some horses of good mettall the shake of the rod wil be sufficient when you haue brought your horse that hee will aduance with the helpe of the calues of your legges only you shall then accustome him to doe it twice thrice or foure times togither euen so oft as it shall please you to giue him warning by the former helpes not forgetting to cherish him exceedingly so oft as he doth performe your pleasure Now for obseruations in this lesson first you shall obserue that you make him stoppe and aduaunce vpon his foote-pace then vppon his trott both slowe and swift and lastly vppon his galloppe yet let your greatest exercise at the first bee vppon a swift trott for it soonest brings a horse to lightnesse nimblenesse and vnderstanding Next you shall obserue that when you stop your horse and giue him the helpe of the calues of your legs that you carrie your leggs so euen and straight by your horses sides that as it were by an vnperceiued motion you may helpe your horse not be discerned by ignorant gazers which indeed is the true grace of horsmanship and not like our S. George riders carrie your leggs beyond the fore-shoulders of your horse so that euerie time you bring them to the horses sides you fetch a coÌ„passe as if you would strike your legs thorow him both to the scorne of Art and the dislike of all iudiciall spectators which fashion is by much too much practised here in England and makes many times our riders excellent inward knowledges to be vtterly condemned for their outward practise and for mine owne part I neuer saw either Italian Frenchman or other stranger equal some of our English riders in any thing but in the couertnesse of their motions which I must confesse is wondrous praise-worthie because by such Art a horse appeares to do what he doth rather by nature theÌ„ mans industrie where on the contrarie part when the mans motions are so grosse the horse how well spirited soeuer seemes to doe nothing but like a cart-â—ade which hath the whip euer vpon him Next you shall obserue that when your horse aduaunceth before that he couch his hinder loynes towards the gronud and that hee so conueniently trust vpon his hinder feete that he slide vpon them and as it were digge vp the ground before him which if he do not you shal then obserue euer to stop him vpon hanging or descending ground with his head downe the descent insomuch that vpon necessitie he cannot aduance but he must couch his hinder parts Then you shall obserue that your horse aduaunce not too hie or reare vpright or that raising vp his fore-leggs he cast them not out ill fauouredlie as if he wold spraule or strike with them any of these faults if you perceiue you shall vse those remedies formerly prescribed in the chapter against horses that will reare vpright Lastly you shal obserue that your horse do not aduaÌ„ce at any time no not so much as at his stopp except you giue him the helpe of the calues of your legs for auoidance whereof and for asmuch as horses naturally after they haue got the tricke of aduauncing will vpon any sleight correction or displeasure fall to aduaunce and rise before you shall therfore neuer but vpon great extremitie vse the help of your spur in aduancing nor to stop oft in a short course neither shall you although it be the rule of Grison teach your horse to aduaunce by the helpe of your voice as by crying Hup hup or such like nor with the sound of your rodde onely without the helpe of your legges for such customes doe bring disorders breeding in the horse such an extraordinarie lightnesse that he wil aduaunce when you would haue him goe forwarde and in his wanton or sullen motions be so contrarie to your will that he will fall in the ende to plaine restifenes Now for the vses and benefits of these three lessons there is none so ignorant that knowes not the necessity of stopping because it is the onely ground of order and obedience and also that it should be sudden and in an instant because in seruice the pressing forwarde of one yarde more then should bee is oft times the losse of both horse horsman with many other reasons both probable and effectuall which I will omit because I will not be too tedious Next for the vse of retiring or going back it is almost as necessarie as going forward for as it chargeth and annoyeth the enemie so this auoydeth and saueth the Rider giuing him leaue in his combate to take his best aduantage it maketh a man retreite honourablie from his foe both with his face vpon him and vnder the gard of his owne sword
which indeede importes a lapping or folding ouer of the outmost legge ouer the inmost yet is not done in any such straitnesse but that the horse hath libertie to vse his hinder legges as well as his fore-legges and so to goe as it were in a narrowe ring The next they call Ciambetta and that is when a horse turneth his whole bodie keeping firme vpon the ground but onely one hinder foote And this turne of al other is the straitest Thē is there another turn which they call Terra Terra and that is when the horse dooth with equall motions raise vp his fore-legges both togither and pursuing them after with his hinder leggs beates a ring round about either of large or strait compasse and this turne of all other turnes is of most vse best beautie and greatest profite From this turne is deriued diuers other turns as that which is called Carogola or snaile-turne or that which they call Serpegiare such like of all which wee will speake in their seuerall places for as touching that method which hath formerly beene prescribed of halfe turnes whole turnes double turnes although they in teaching be of good vse yet to the ignorant Reader they giue not a full satisfaction Wherefore first of all to begin with that turn which the Italians call Incauallare you shall thus instruct your horse first riding him in some grauellye or sandie way you shall gently walke out a straite rin g on your right hand beeing at the most not aboue eight yards in his greatest compasse and in the making therof you shall haue an especiall regard by the carriage of the left reyne of your Trench somewhat more straite then accustomably that your horse carrie his head and necke very iust and euen without bending or looking inward to your right side which done after a little pause you shal then walke him in an euenline about two yardes or two yardes and a halfe at the most forward and there by laying your left reyne close to his necke your left legge close to his side and your rodde vpon his left shoulder make him bring his body about and make iust one quarter of a compleate Circle vpon your right hand then walk him againe in an euen line as farre further and with the same helpes and on the same hand make another quarter of a circle doe thus the third time and the fourth time till the lines wherein you walke present vnto you this figure following In this figure you shall walke your horse about at least a dozen times vpon a hand making at euery point your quarter circles closer closer till you perceiue at last he lap throw his outmost legge ouer his inmost It may be that at the first practise of these square circulars the horse will bee so vnnimble that he wil knock one legge vpon another and not lap them ouer in order as becommeth but of that take you no respect for euen those knocks shall be corrections ynow to bring him vnto reformation let your care be only to preserue his reyne necke and head constant and firme and to take that leasure and time in this lesson that your horse by your haste may not be brought to any doubtfull thought or amazements when you haue walkt your horse thus a dozen times on the right hand you shall then make the like figure and doe as much vpon the left hand vsing euer the contrarie helps to the contrarie hand in these two figures you shall exercise your horse euerie day at least two or three houres together for the space of eight or ten daies at the least till he bee so perfit therein that you shall no sooner mooue your legge or stirre your hand but hee wil eftsoones lap his outmost legge ouer his inmoste and turne with all comelinesse which when he doth you shal then make those quarter circles full semycircles and so change your proportion to this figure In this figure you shal exercise him a week at the least till he be so perfect that by his nimblenes quicknes therevpon you find him both apt and cunning inough to make those semycircles whole rounds which the Italians call cōpleat single turnes or if you list he wil do them onelie with the helpe of your hand full twise about which is a iust double turne and as you finde him perfect vpon any hand so you shall alter the ring and practise him vpon the other till he be vpon both so cunning that neither hath aboue other any superioritie When your horse will thus doe this Incauallare in a ring which must bee from the center to the verdge but iust the horses length you shall then for a dozen turnes together nay sometimes twentie turnes exercise him onely therein making his hinder feete onelie moue in the center and his fore feet lapping the outmost ouer the inmoste to beate out the proportion of the outmoste ring In this sort after you haue laboured him and made him perfit you shall then after hee hath made two or three turnes on your right hand cause him to retire three or foure paces and then without any stay doe as many times on your left hand then retire as farre againe and doe as before on the right hand againe and thus till he be perfit you shall practise him onely helping him with your legge rodde and the motion of your bodie leauing a little on the contrarie side to that whereon he turneth till custom haue brought him to that cunning that your hand onelye shall be helpe sufficient for this motion Now for as much as some horses partlye out of folly partly out of vnnimblenesse and partly out of euill inclynation are many times more apt to turne vpon one hand then vpon another nay some so dogged that they will turne on one hand and not on the other at al I thinke it not amisse before I proceed any further to show you how you shal reclaime so foule an error first if it proceed from folly vnnimblenes thē onely custome and practise will amend it for the one brings knowledge the other agilitie but if it proceede from euill inclynation or stubbornnesse of will then must there be some more extraordinarie art vsed and in it many excellent horsemen haue laboured both their wits and bodies finding out remedies of sundrie natures all which though experience haue found them profitable in some Horses yet the same experience hath also found them vtterlye fruitlesse in horses of other conditions for there is nothing more hard to reclaime then this vice insomuch that I dare not confidentlie say this one practise shall reclaime this fault in anye horse whatsoeuer albe the goodnesse thereof haue beene esteemed neuer so generall but to returne to the fault it selfe if your horse will turne readilie on the right hand but moste vildelye or not at all vppon the left though in nature Horses euer doe turne more readilie on the left hand then the right you shall
not to vse any other till this faile thus it is If your horse be harder to turne on the right hand then on the left you shall take away the Musrole made of wrythen Iron and instead thereof put vpon him a Cauezan which hauing a short leather fastned to the two ringes whereto to put the Martingale it must also haue two raynes to runne crossewise thorowe the ringes which you must carrie in your hands with the raynes of your Trench This Cauezan must bee made smoothe without teeth or nickes but onely for the breadth of two or three inches on the left side which must not onely be full of sharpe teeth but also haue certaine sharpe punches or prickes to runne thorowe the Cauezan and stand euen with the teeth so that when you shall at any time draw the right reyne the teeth and prickes may both bite vppon the side of the horses face and when at anye time you ease your hand that then the Cauezan may carrie such compasse that it no longer presse or hurt the horse for you must euer obserue that your correction continew no longer then the reformation of the vice the fashion of the Cauezan is contained in this figure I haue seene this Cauezan made with a little stiffe plate of steele full of holes through which the prickes and teeth did passe so that when you doe drawe the reyne and presse the plate then the prickes would run into the horses cheeke and when you did ease your hand the plate of steele would thrust the prickes from the horses face this was not amisse but verie necessarie neuerthelesse if the Cauezan bee made in round and iust compasse it will hurt no more then it if had the plate of steele Now as these teeth and prickes being placd on the left side of the cauezan make a horse turne on the right hand so being placd on the right side they make him turne on the left side With this Cauezan and the helpes of the hand legge and rodde as aforesaid I would haue you exercise your horse first in the squares with quarter circles then in the long furrowe with semycircles after in whole circles and so foorth till he be so perfect in this straite turne that hee will double and redouble it at your pleasure obseruing euer that in this turne hee carrie his head and neck in euen and iust proportion that hee lappe his outmoste legge ouer his inmoste with all comelinesse and lastlye that hee keepe true time with his hinder legges and remoue them in equall proportion with his fore legges neither so swiftlye as if hee would playe Iacke ouer the Chaine with his hinder partes onelye which is the fashion of the Almaines nor so slowlye as if his hindder legges were glewed to the ground and would haue no motion When your horse is perfect in this turne the next strait turne is called Ciambetta and Grison writes therof a very teadious lōg discourse The maner of the turn is to make a horse take vp both his fore-leggs from the ground and not to set them downe till hee bring his head to the place where his buttocks stood which hee calles a halfe turne but if hee bring his heade to the place where before it stoode then it is a whole turne and if he doe it twise together then it is a double turne In this turne the horse must keepe firme vppon the ground but onely one hinder foote which makes the turne so weake incertaine and vncomely that as there is good cause it is meerely out of vse with all good horse-men for if a man shall come to ioyne with his enemie at the sworde if in euerie straite turne a horse take three of his feete from the ground howe easie a matter is it for the enemie by rushing in vpon him to ouerthrow both him and his horse to the ground yet in the dayes of Grison partly because of the straitnesse and curiositie thereof and partly for want of better experience it was thought the onely artificiall turne and questionlesse in his practise hee did approoue as appeares by his writings many wayes to bring his horse vnto it as namely by ryding him in a drie dyke made about nine ynches deepe and eighteene ynches broade wherein stopping him and making him aduaunce before in the verie instant of his aduauncing to make him turne about so that his forefeete may not touch the ground till they come where his hinder parts stood or by exercising the like in some narrowe way deepe worne with water or by teaching the horse in the stable by knocking him vnder the knee with a sticke to holde vp one of his legs as long as you list with many other such like experiments which because the turne is both naught dangerous and out of vse I wil not clogge your memories with the idle ceremonies thereof but thinke this I haue already spoken of to be with the most vnlesse the matter weare to better profite or purpose The next turne and of all the most artificiall and profitable turne is that which I tearme wanting a more proper name Terra Terra for there is in it both beautie arte strength and profite And albe it carrie a larger compasse then the former turnes yet when it is brought to perfitnesse you may make it as straite as any of the other and with a great deale of lesse danger The way to bring your horse vnto this turne is after you haue made him perfite vppon the Incaualare first in the square with quarter circles then in the semicirckles and lastly in the whole rounds you shal then in some grauelly or sandie way marke out a Ring vppon your right hande which must be at least a dozen yardes in compasse which done you shall pace another of the selfe same compasse vpon your left hand and ioyne it close to the first then you shall enter into the first Ring againe and after you haue trotted your horse once or twice about it you shall then vppon the trotting of three yards which is the ful quarter of your Ring by laying the calfe of your left legge close to the horses side and drawing your hand a little in make your horse aduaunce before and then instantly vppon his aduauncing thrust him forwarde againe into his trot not suffering him by any meanes to sticke or stay and so trotting him other three yardes make him aduaunce againe and then thrust him into his trott againe other three yards doing thus till you haue made him to aduaunce foure times in the whole compasse of the Ring that is to say once in euerie quarter of the Ring which done vpon the right hand you shall then make him doe as much vpon your left hand in the left ring and for a better explanation whereof looke vpon this figure following and where you see the small strokes there are the foure places where you shal make your horse aduance In these rings you shall exercise your
horse onely vpon a swift trot till he grow so light and nimble that vpon the least motion of your legge hee will presently aduaunce and away againe without any sticking neyther disordering his head reyne or any other part of his bodie but carrying euerie member in his place and comelinesse When your horse is thus made perfite vpon these foure aduauncements then you shall deuide the quarters of your ringes into halfe quarters And where before he did aduaunce at the end of euery three yards you shall make him aduaunce at euerie yard and a halfe so that then your whole ring shall carrie eight aduauncements according to the lines in this figure following in the next page Vpon this Ring and with these eight aduauncings you shall practise your horse so long till hee either grow to such perfitenesse that if as soone as hee hath aduaunced and set downe his fore-feete againe going but one foot forwarde you giue him the least helpe with the calue of your legge that may bee hee will presently aduaunce againe and then going againe but one steppe forwarde aduaunce againe doing thus till he growe so perfite that as he aduaunceth with the helpe of your legge so putting your feete forward hee will likewise followe with both his hinder feete euen together and set them down euer in the same place where he tooke vp his fore feete onely carrying his inmost fore-foote and his inmoste hinder foote a little more forwarde then his outmoste feete whilest hee doth any thing in circle but when hee doth it straight forward then to take vp his fore-feete euen together his hinder feete euen also first not aduauncing thus forward aboue twice or thrice together without cherishing till he come to that perfection and cunning that he wil with the helpe of your legge with these aduauncements beate the whole ring round about wherein you must obserue that besides the carriage of his head and reyne which must euer bee constant round and in the best grace he doe also follow his aduauncings with his hinder leggs so close and iust that by no meanes hee may seeme to sticke in his passage or appeare as if either his hinder parts were glewd to the ground or else too heauie for him to raise from the earth as in these dayes you shall see many horses doe yea euen sometimes vnder those who take vppon them to be as good as the best schoolmaisters but it is a fault vilde and insufferable springing euer from corruption in teaching as thus when a man will bring his horse to make his turne by forcing him to aduaunce three or foure times together in one place and then going a steppe or two forward to aduaunce as oft more And thus by continuance of these many aduauncings and few steps going at last the horse is brought to take vp both his hinder feete together and so to followe his fore-feet setting the turne round about but those many aduauncings together in one place is euer the cause of a horses slouthfull bringing on of his hinder partes because hee thinkes according to his first custome that he should not remooue vppon the first aduauncement or if he doe remooue it 〈◊〉 so little that it is almost as good as nothing at all wherefore if you will haue your horse cunning and gallant in this turne by no meanes let him aduaunce aboue once in his first teaching before he stoppe forwards You shall aâ—so obserue in this turne that your horse keepe true time and lesure that is that he aduaunce not faster nor slower at one time then at another neyther take greater strydes at one time then another but euer obserue that iust time and measure which he vndertakes at his first beginning the fault whereof when at any time it happens must euer consist more in the horsman then in the horse for the horse neuer aduauncing but when you giue your helps look what time you obserue in your helpes necessarily the same time hee must keepe in his motions and in this time keeping lieth much arte because euerie lesson that is rudely done without it is better vndone as hauing in it neither grace nor profite When your horse will with these aduancings beate this large ring about both strongly iustlye and with a good grace you may then drawe your ring to so small a compasse that with foure aduauncings you may make a compleate circkle according to the small ring in the center of the former ring obseruing this generall note that in your first teaching vppon euerie single turne setting that is vppon making one circle compleate you cherrish your horse but by no meanes suffer him to stand still but vpon the finishing of his turne to make him then trott about the ring that hee may recouer newe breath and in his trotting cherrish him and looke whatsoeuer you doe vppon the right hand forget not to doe the same vpon the left hand also or if he be apter to one hand then the other looke vpon which hand he is most vnapt and vpon that hand you must euer double his exercise After you haue once begunne with this turne you must not cease dayly to practise your horse therein till you haue brought him to that perfitenesse that with the least feeling you can possible giue with your legge he will both begin and contiuue his turne by meanes whereof you shall not be compelled to vse those grosse and farre fetched motions which many of our English Riders vse but performe your helpes so couertly that though they be felt yet they shall not be discerned You may then also double his turnes and where hee went but once about make him goe twise thrise or foure times according to his strength and courage you shall then also leaue these large double rings onely mark out one single ring bearing but halfe the compasse of the former And after you haue paced and trotted it about you shall then giue him the helpe of your leg and make him as was before shewed you beat the ring round about raysing vp his fore parts and following them swiftly with his hinder partes till hee haue gone twise thrise or foure times about according to your pleasure on your right hand which done you shall then trott him againe aboute the ring foure or fiue times to recouer his breath and then trotting him out of the ring take a little compasse about and turne him vpon your left hand on which hand you shall doe in all poynts as you did vpon your right hande the maner and proportion of your change you shal behold in this figure following When by exercise vppon this Ring you haue brought your horse both to perfitnesse and constancy insomuch that he performes euerie lesson with great Arte nimblenesse lightnesse you may then aduenture to proceede further and put him to the Caragolo or Snaile ring wherein you are to vse no other Art or helpes then were vsed in the former rings for the difference is
sweetnesse possible When you haue done thus two dayes together you shall then the third day put him to the same exercise and no other onely you shall beare his heade for the most part vpon the Cannon and little or nothing at all vpon the Cauezan except in time of necessitie as to helpe him in turning or to giue sweetnes to his mouth least in resting his heade too much vpon the bytt his mouth should loose some part of it's tendernesse by these three dayes exercises the horse will growe both to vnderstand the bytt and to take knowledge as well of the helpes as of the corrections he will find pleasure in the Kurbe and a constant rest in his mouth whereon to settle and firme his heade Now for the Cauezan this is the helpe that it bringeth it is in correction and vse of so neare an alliance with the Musroll and Martingall bindiug and loosing in the selfe sort that they doe so that the horse imagining he is within his former olde bandes he dare neyther tosse vp his heade nor ducke it downe but beares it in the same constaÌ„t maner which formerly he did til beine acquainted with the bytt and finding the ease and staidnesse thereof he will not then vse any of those vilde qualities albe he haue neuer so great libertie Againe the Cauezan is as readie a helpe in euerie turne as the Trench and puts into the horses vnderstanding the vse of the Kurbe which way it bindeth when it moues a horse to turne vpon the right hande when vpon the left and the reynes therof you shall vse as you vsed the reynes of your Trench as thus When you turne vppon your right hand you shall draw the left reyne of your Cauezan firme and lay it close to the left side of his necke to keepe his head and necke straight and the right reyne you shal draw a little more then ordinarie giuing him as it were a warning of his turne and so immediately ease it againe After these three daies exercises you shall then put your horse to the large ringes in the selfe same manner as you did at his first breaking as first pacing then trotting lastly gallopping yet so that he be perfit in euery one of them seuerally before he proceed to other not trot before he can pace readilie nor gallop till hee can trot most perfectly From two ringes you shall put him to three from three to foure and from foure to one large ring containing two smaller rings within it all which are in their figures formerly described and in all these ringes as you labour your horse you shall euer by little vse your Cauezan lesse and lesse and your byt more and more till you haue wrought in your horse this contrarietie that as at the first the Cauezan was of moste vse and the bytt but either a cipher or a verie small helpe so you must now bring your byt to be onlye of vse the CauezaÌ„ to lye vpon the horses face to little or no purpose by degrees long labouring and gentill motions bringing your horse to such a perfect knowledge and delight in the byt that when at any time you turne or change from hand to hand in your rings you shall if you turne vpon your right hand no more but turne the thumbe of your bridell hand which stands vpright but a little downewards toward the right shoulder of the horse and when you turne vppon your left hand you shall but turne your bridle haÌ„d a little backewards towards the left shoulder of the horse the knowledge of which two motioÌ„s the horse wil sodainly learne if at first teaching you euer accompany with them the vse of the Cauezan in the verie instant that you mooue your hands you shall also make your horse so perfit vpon the stop that if he bee in the fulnes of his cariere you shall not by any meanes draw your bridle hand aboue the height of your Saddle pommel nor when you make him retire you shal not draw your hande hygher then halfe so farre as at the stop for the bytt being an Engine of the greatest commaundment which rayseth vp a horse head and bodie both in pace and other motion with more ease then any other instrument if therefore your strayninges should bee as hard vppon it as vpon the Trench which hath no violence more then what it takes from your hand you could not chuse but disorder or else take from the horses mouth the best sence and feeling therefore in anye case let your straynings vppon the bytt bee tender and temperate yet not so verie soft but that both you and the Horse may haue a full constant feeling of one another Now for obseruations notes in this first bytting of a Horse there bee manye as first when you haue put the bytt on to looke within the mouth of your horse anâ— see whether your bytt lye in his due place then thaâ— the mouth of the bytt bee neither too bigge nor â—oo â—ittle for the Horses mouth but of a iust proportion and fulnesse for to bee too bigge makes a horse gape hurts his vpper barres and duls his mouth and to bee too little makes a horse drawe his tongue ouer the bytt thrust it out of his mouth either of one side or other and lastly giuing him no perfit feeling takes from him all perfit tendernesse For them and other faults whatsoeuer you may finde remedies and alteration of mouthes in the former chapter treating of bytts you shall also obserue that the Kurbe lye vpon the neather lip in his due place yet so loose and without pressing that albe your horse keepe his teeth fast together yet he may play with his neather lip vpon the Kurbe which is a great signe of a sweet tender mouth Next these you shal obserue the shape of your horse and if you finde he haue such a long large Swanne-like neck that not withstanding the straightnes of your byt cheeke which is onely to put vp his head he yet bringeth it somewhat rounder then you would haue him so looseth some parte of the beautie of his reyne you shall then ride him with the broken cheeke according to the second figure of cheekes where the neather parts are broke more outward theÌ„ the vpper if one breach bee not sufficent you may vse two if two faile three doubtles wil work your pleasure put vp his neck so hye as nature will giue it leaue but if contrarie to this shape a horse haue a short necke and a narrow chaule so that your straight cheek puts vp his head hie enough but yet it bringeth not in his mozell nor boweth his neck to anie proportion In this case you shal ride him with the broken cheek but the breach shal be made inward as the other was outward if one breach benot sufficient you shal make two or else three til you haue brought his head to the place you desire you shall also
obserue that by no meanes at the first byttting of a Horse you drawe your bytt râ—shlye or suddainely for that is the first occasion which makes a Horse thrust out his nose and rebell against the bytt but taking leasure and drawing the reynes gently giues him such a knowledge that hee will yeeld and follow the bytt which once vsed he will neuer after contend Now for the Cauezan you shal obserue that if your horse be of hard head and short neck so that he presses hangs vpoÌ„ this Cauezan of one peecc which is of all the gentlest you shal then instead therof vse the wrythen cauezan consisting of two peeces which binding somewhat straiter is of so much the more force in punishing and breedes a quicker obedience But if your horse haue been before time in some ignorant hors-mans haÌ„d who for want of art to vse gentil Cauezans hath so dulde and hardned your horses head that neither of these Cauezans will preuaile nor bring lightnesse to your horses head then in such extreamitie you may vse the other Cauezan consisting of two peeces with sharpe teeth or that which is of three peeces so you haue this diligent care that by no meanes you either fridge haire or take any skinne from the horses face which is a fault both disgracefull to the horse and man to the horse as taking away the beauty of his countenance and to the man in shewing the hard rudenesse of his hand without either moderation or temper The Chaine with teeth and the Chaine with teeth and ringes toothed are both more shaâ—he then the former Cauezans and may where the rider hath so lady-soft a hand as not to bruse or wound be vsed in case of great extremitie and not otherwise Now some that happily looke not into the true method of my precepts may taske me of some opposititions or contrarieties in my writings because in the second Chapter of this booke I there discommended all these sharpe Cauezans and yet in this Chapter doe after a certaine sort allow them but they must carrie in their memories these considerations that I discommended them vtterly as the first instruments or sternes wherwith to gouerne a Colt at his first backing without any other assistance and I allow them after a horse is readie in euerie lesson fit for seruice in the warres for the making him firme steddie and perfite vpon his bytt or where ignorance and a rude hand hath done hurt there with art and cunning to amend those faults with the helpe of these instruments Nowe when you haue vpon the smooth Cannon and Cauezan made your horse perfite and readie in all the lessons which are formerly taught so that hee will doe them with a good grace and a free spirit you shall then lay away the Cauezan and in steade thereof ride him with a smooth Cannon and a flying Trench according to the figure in the fourth Chapter putting to the rings of the flying Trench a paire of false reynes answerable to the perfite reynes of the Bridle the carriage of which reynes are also shewed in the same chapter and keeping the proportion of the châ—ek as before Vpon this bytt and with these false reynes you shall practise your horse both in large rings strait turns and all other lessons which are formerly taught in the selfe same maner as you did with the Cannon and Cauezan vsing the same helpes corrections and obseruations which you did in the vse of the Trench Musroll Martingall till your horse be so perfit that a curious eie shall not iudge he hath any other helpe in his motions then onely your imagination which lesse then two moneths will fully compleate and perfite At which time if your horse bee of full strength spirite and nimblenesse proceede to the other lessons which are ayres and saults aboue ground and though not fully so necessarie as the former for seruice in the warres yet are they such as not without profite may bee practised in those places And for the pleasure of Princes and health of a mans bodie are hoth delightfull and commodious CHAP. 21. Of bounding aloft and the manner thereof WHen you haue made your horse perfite in all the lessons before taught if then you finde in him a naturall iuclination to lightnesse and a spirit both apt to apprehend and execute any sault aboue ground as hauing both good limbs a cleane strength The next lesson you shall teach him shall be to bound or rise aboue ground with all his foure feeâ— euen and iust together carrying his heade in a iust and due place without loosing his reyne and gathering his bodie round and close together rising falling againe in one and the selfe same place which manner of bounding aloft is fittest and easiest to bee taught at such place as you stoppe your horse as thus for example When you haue trotted your horse a dozen or twentie yeards forward in a sandy way you shall there make him stoppe and aduaunce at least twise together obseruing euer that at his second aduauncing you giue him the euen stroake of both your spurres together close by the hindmost gyrth at which if at first he onely but shewe amazement or aduaunce higher as not yet vnderstanding your meaning you shall then trott him as farre forwarde againe and there as you did before at his seconde aduauncement giue him the euen stroake of your spurres a little harder then you did before at which if hee rise not you shall then not onely spurre him againe but also giue him a good iert with your rodde vnder his bellie which putting him into a little more amazement forth-with troâ—tforwarde againe and as you did the seconde time doe so nowe the thirde time onely forbeare your rodde as much as is possible because the correction thereof tendes to another purpose and it is your spurres which shoulde onely raise your Horse vppon all foure When you haue done thus three times togither doe it the fourth fift and sixt time eâ—etic time increasing your correction till hecraise all his foure feete from the grounde which when so euer hee dooth or howe euill fauouredlye soeuer hee dooth yet notwithstanding cherish him exceedingly and bee assured that in twise or thrise bounding hee will amende what fault soeuer was in his first beginning and surely except hee bee a verie dull Iade and so not fitte for such practise you shall not giue him this helpe of your spurre twice before hee will bounde from the grounde vppon all foure There be some Authors that would haue a horse to doe this bound or leape with the helpe of the calues of your legges and not with the spurres saying that the calues of the legges will make a horse rise higher then the spurres but the reason is neither good nor the practise to bee allowed For if you make your horse bound with the helpe of the calues of your legges then you make that helpe vselesse for all other purposes so that
to seruice and the encounter of your enemies Yet by the way I must giue you this one note more which is you must vnderstaÌ„d that the Cannon bytts formerly described being mouthes of such exceeding smoothenes and fulnesse if you shall either trauell your horse thereupon in long iorneyes or vse them in the trouble and turmoyle of the warres where the ouerplus of exercise brings a horse to a certaine faintnesse and wearinesse In any of these cases the horse being compeld to rest much vpon these full smoothe mouthes will in the end grow both dull insencible and hard of mouh wherefore as soone as you haue perfited your horse in all his lessons and brought his head and reyne to a setled constancie you shall then according as you finde the temper of the horses mouth bytt him with either Scatch Mellon Peare Campanell or some other mouthe formerlye described vnto you fashioning the cheeke thereof according to the third figure of cheekes formerly described onely the length thereof must be according to the proportion of the horses necke for if the horse haue along vpright necke and his head rest comelye vpon the same then the cheeke would bee two inches short of the highest part of his brest but if his necke bee short and vpright or long and round bending a little downeward then the neather part of your bytt checke must come full to the vpper part of his brest but no lower Your horse being thus bitted and well setled vppon this bytt if you haue a delight in the exercise of armes and the vse of the Launce it shall bee good for you to practise twice or thrice a weeke to run at the ring that is to set a small ring ofyron about eight inches in compasse at the moste either vpon the top of a tilt barre or vpon a staffe sixe foote from the ground close by the midst of the furrowe where you passe your Cariere then standing with your horse your Launce in your hand 45. paces or more from the ring trie how neare you can goe to runne your staffe thorow the ring as your horse passeth his Cariere Now for as much as in this lesson there be manye nice and curious obseruations and also great arte both in the gouerment of your horse and of your hand and for as much as this lesson being truely and artificially learnd containeth all other lessons whatsoeuer wherein the Launce is imployed I will according to mine own experience instruction shew the manner therof wherein if either I faile in arte or garbe I humbly submit to the correction of those of better iudgement hoping that albe I showe not all thinges in their best perfection yet I will show nothing which shal carrie in it any grosse absurditie Now therefore if you will practise to runne at the ring after you haue placd your ring in his due place which should euer bee â—the midst of your Cariere your horse then beeing brought to the fielde to the end of the Cariere As soone as you come vnto him you shall ere you mount looke that your bridle and bytt bee in their due places that your Saddle bee fast girt and your Crooper buckled at his iust length then taking the reynes of your Bridle into your left hand holding them as hath beene formerlie taught you you shall then mount vppon his backe and then placing your selfe iust euen and vpright in your Saddle with your feete firme vppon your Stirrops and your toes bending rather inward then outward Some by-stander shall then deliuer into your right hand a Launce which you shall receiue by no part but that which is purposelie made for your hand As soone as you haue receiued the Launce you shall place the butt ende thereof vppon the midst of your right thigh bearing the point thereof straight vpright so as the outside of your Launce may answere the out-side of your right eie onelie the point thereof must a little thought leane forward Being thus seated in your saddle your Launce thus truely placd you shal then put forth your horse and pace him to the end of the Cariere where you intend to start and there make him stand still and pause a good space during which rest you shall conceiue in your mind foure lines which you shall imagine to passe from your Launce to the ring The first an eueÌ„ straight line froÌ„ the neather end of your Launce or mid thigh which answering the height of your horse passes in one eueÌ„nes to the ring serues for a demonstration of the streightnes of the furrowe wherein you runne or the euennesse of the tilt barre in which furrowe or barre should there bee anie crookednes there could not chuse but in the running be disorder The second line you are to conceiue is from your right eye or thicke part of your Launce to the verie center of the ring from which your eye in running must not swarue The third line is a dyrect line downward from the point of your Launce to the center of the ring and your fourth line is from the point of your Launce also to the center of your ring but it is deuided into three partes the first third part which is at the starte of the Cariere being a straight euen line the length whereof you must carrie your Launce in an euen line without bending being from the taking your Launce from your thighe to the vttermost putting out of your haÌ„d it must contain a third part of your half Cariere the second third part is a line bending inward is from the putting out of your hand to the bringing of your haÌ„d to your Rest it containeth a secoÌ„d third part of your half Carier the last third part of this fourth line is a little more descending then the second and is froÌ„ the bringing of your Launce to the Rest to the verie touching or taking of the Ring The proportion and fashion of which lines for your better satisfaction you shall beholde in this figure following in the next page After you haue taken these lines into your consideration and from rhe leuell of your eie taken the direct line from your eie to the ring you shall then start your horse into his Cariere yet by no meanes suddainelie or with any furie but first putting him forward a step or two gentlie then thrust him fourth into his Cariere and as soone as hee is started you shall take your Launce from your thigh putting your arme outward bring your hand downe as lowe almoste as your midd thigh your arme beeing stretcht out to the vttermost length and held outward from your bodie the point of your Launce being stil kept in an euen line this being your first motion must continew doing the first third part of your course Then must you turne your hand from your wrist forward leasurelie inward and holding your elbowe outward bring in that part of your arme from the elbowe to the hand close
by the directions of the lines direct the motions of your Launce till by continuall vse and practise you become so cunning that you are able to doe euerie motion to a haire without anie assistance either of line or other modell more then the skill onelie of your hand and bodie which you shall doe much the better and sooner attaine vnto if you cause some man of good vnderstanding to whom you haue declared both the beauties faults of the course to stand by you in your first practice without flattering you to tell what faultes you commit in euerye course which when you knowe you must by labour and industrie reforme till you come to the full perfection you wish for And thus much for this warlike and noble practise CHAP. 24. Of the teaching of young schollers and the riding of a ridden horse to the best show ALthough the precepts and rudiments formerly expressed in this booke may bring a man if he bee of good courage witte memorie and actiuitie that was neuer trained vp in the rules of horsemanshippe to frame a horse to some indifferent fashion of good riding yet for asmuch as the rules are verie intricate horses natures and conditions exceeding various and the motions a man must vse full of arte and contrarietic so that it is impossible without some instruction into the arte some construction of the arte and some long practise howe to doe with arte but a man must spoile and marre manie horses ere hee attaine to the making of one which to eschew I would aduise euerie noble spirit of what qualitie soeuer hee bee not to meddle with the making of any young horse till hee haue from some good horsman learned how to ride a ridden horse wherefore to giue you some tast of the rules of a hors-schoole which like an A. B C. or Primmer not like a Grammer may prepare you and make you more capable of better demonstrations I will in this Chapter set you downe some principall obseruations First therefore whē you begin to learne to ride you must come to the Stable in such decent and fit apparel as is meet for such an exercise that is to say a hat which must sit close and firme vpon your heade with an indifferent narrow verge or brim so that in the saults or bounds of the horse it may neither through widenesse or vnweldinesse fall frō your head nor with the bredth of the brim fall into your eies and impeach your sight both which are verie grosse errors About your neeke you shall weare a falling band and no ruffe whose depth or thicknesse may either with the winde or motions of your horse ruffell about your face or according to the fashion of the Spaniards daunce Hobby-horse-like about your shoulders which though in them it is taken for a grace yet in true iudgement it is found an errour Your doublet shal be made close and hansome to your bodie large wasted so that you may euer be sure to ride with your points trussed for to ride otherwise is most vilde and in all parts so easye that it may not take from you the vse of anie part of your bodie About your waste you must haue euer your girdle and thereon a smal dagger or punniard which must be so fast in the sheath that no motion of the horse may cast it forth and yet so readie that vpon any occasion you may draw it Your hose would be large rounde and full so that they may fill your saddle which should it otherwise bee emptie and your bodie looke like a small substance in a great comasse it were wondrous vncomely Your bootes must be cleane blacke long and close to your legge comming almost vp to your midde thigh so that they may lie as a defence betwixt your knee and the tree of your saddle Your boote-hose must come some two inches higher then your bootes being hansomely tied vp with points Your spurres must be strong and flat inward bending with a compasse vnder your ancle the neck of your spurre must be long and straight and rowels thereof large and sharp the prickes thereof not standing thicke together nor being aboue fiue in number Vpon your handes you must weare a hansome paire of Gloues and in your right hande you must haue a long rodde finely rush-growne so that the small ende thereof bee hardly so great as a round packe-threed insomuch that when you moue or shake it the noyse thereof may be lowde and sharpe Being thus accoutred like a Gentleman and a horsman and the horse on which you are to ride should bee verie readie perfite and staid in all lessons whatsoeuer doing them with an extraordinarie pride and loftinesse being brought to the block where you shall get vppe you shall before you come to the blocke put off your spurres because hauing not learned the vse of your legges you cannot knowe the vse of your spurres and then mounting the blocke turning your left side close to the shoulder of your horse with your backe rowardes his heade and your face towardes his buttockes you shall take vppe the bytt reynes into your left hande and place your hande and fingers as is shewed you before in the fourth chapter of this Booke Which done you shall take the remainder of your reynes vp in the right hande which stretching out to their vttermost length you shall pull so euen that one of the cheekes of your bytt shall not hang sider then the other and withall drawe your bytt to such a limit that with the straitnesse thereof your horse shall not offer to goe backe nor with the loosenes offer to goe forward When you haue thus assured your bytt and the reynes thereof you shall with your left hand placed close vpon the Saddle pommell standing in the maner aforesaid lift vp your left foot and put it into the stirrop neither so farre that your stirrop may beat against your shinne not so little a way that you shall bee forced to get vp by the strength of your toes onely but indifferently a little short of the hollownesse of the soale of your foote which done you shall without any heauings or anticke showes as if you would leape ouer your horses backe gently and with an actiue nimblenesse raise vp your bodie by laying your right hand vpon the hinder croope of the saddle and bringing your right leg in an orderly circle or compasse set your whole bodie firme and iust in the middest of the Saddle where contrarilie shoulde you stand with your face and breast against the Saddle and so bring vp your bodie and right legge you would not onely with your waight and force hazard the pulling of the saddle vnder the horses bellie but also your motion would be so ill fauoured and slouenly that in appearance you woulde looke like a Thatcher that were climbing vp a Ladder When you are hansomly seated in your saddle that is when you haue placed the hinder parts
both to put on your spurres and to weare yout Stirrops the vses helps and corrections of both which and the times when you shall imploy them are alreadie sufficiently declared so that for any lesson you are to practise after you come to weare spurs and stirrops as namely Manages of all kindes the Coruett Caprioll and other ayres aboue ground I referre you to the former Chapters where the manner of doing them is amply ynough set downe so that this which I haue alreadie writ I thinke will bee sufficient to satisfie any ingenious scholler who desirous to be a Horseman is compeld to be his owne tutor Now when you finde that you are able to ride a riden horse both with good arte and comelinesse if then it shall bee your chance to ride either in any assemblie or in the presence of some great Potentate it is not vnnecessarie for you to knowe how in such a case to behaue your selfe and how to put your Horse to the best showe If therefore you shal come to ride your horse before a man of worth if you haue libertie to chuse your ground you shall chuse such a place as you may haue a prettie short managing furrowe in the same and the man of reputation to stand a little distant from the midst thereof Then you being mounted and seated in good fashion you shall trot foorth your horse in the verie pride and gallantrie of his pace and as you passe by the person of esteeme if he be either Prince Nobleman or a man of great place you shall as you trot by him with an humble bowing downe of your bodie towards the Crest of your horse doe him solemne reuerence and then raysing your bodie vp straight again you shall passe to the end of your short furrowe where you shal presentlie set the turn Terra Terra single once about and then putting your horse into the Capryol bring him in those hie faults downe the straight furrowe againe till you come against the person of note where presentlye by the stay of your hand you shall put your Horse into the Coruett and so as it were in slowe motions daunce before him a little space Then if he bee a Horse of greate courage put him into to the Galloppe Galliarde till he come to the other end of the furrowe and there setting another single turne Terra Terra at the closing vp thereof and when the Horses head is toward the great person you shall make him bound aloft vpon all foure and yarke out his hinder feet withall and so stand stil till he haue taken new breath your selfe rubbing him vpon the necke with the great end of your rod which a horse takes great delight in and is indeede a greate cherrishing This done if you bee assured of his strength and good winde you shall trot him towards the greate person there casting an indifferent ring about vpon your right hand you shal beate the Carogolo or Snaile-turne when you come into the center where the horse turnes vpon al soure you shall not there stay him or bring him fourth of the ring but changing your hād you shal cause him to make as many straight turns vpō your left hand and then as before you did by degrees straighten your rings on your right hand so you shall now inlarge them vpon your left hand keeping one due time measure till you come to the place where you first began your turne where for the finishing vp of the worke you shal make your horse bound aloft yarke with al then stand still with your face opposd against the great person This done after your horse hath taken breath you shall make him retire back very swiftly then you shal trot him forward again euen close to the great person then you shall make him goe verie swiftlie sidelong from him then you shall make him come sidelong almost to him againe When you haue done al this if in your horse stil remaine good strength it shall not be amisse if you manage him vp and downe for some two turnes at most vpon a hand vpon a loftie gallop in a furrow not aboue 16. yardes at the most then stopping him directly against the person of estate do him againe solemne reuerēce so depart for these lessons doe containe all lessons whatsoeuer how euer the face of them doe alter and al art skill that can possible be included in this maner of riding so far forth as either mine experience vnderstands or my wit is able to deliuer both which I will prostitute humbly yeelde to the controle and censure of our famous and well knowne horsemen but armed with all violence possible against fooles parasits and men of ostentation The end of the second Booke CAVELARICE OR That parte of Arte wherein is contayned the choice trayning and dyeting of hunting Horses whether it be for pleasure or for wager The third Booke LONDON Printed for Ed. White and are to be solde at his shop nere the little North doore of Saint Paules Church at the signe of the Gun 1607. TO THE MOSTE NOble and moste mightie Lord Lewes Duke of Lennox Earle of Darnley Baron of Tarbanton and Methuen great Chamberlaine and Admiral of Scotland Knight of the moste noble order of the Garter THe greatest and most excellent name which the famous Poet Virgil could finde out wherewith to adorne the most renown'd King Picus was to call him a horseman that the Pegasian horse was not onelie fayned to be begotten by the son of Neptune but also to be the first founder of the learned Wel and the arte of memorie then I doubt not but this famous Arte of horse manship which with my best indeuours I haue carefully collected wil in your graces moste noble thoughts finde both defence and acceptance and rather sith it is an Arte wherin I holde your grace as excellent as any prince in Christendome is such on ornament of state that there is no actiue greatnes vnblemished which pleadeth absolute ignorance in so royal a professiō Now albe this part of horsemā ship which I consecrate to your noble name be not contained within the rules or principles of the Iralian or french riders who albe they can ride wel yet are ignorant how to make a horse ride long yet your grace whose daylye experience and knowledge both of the worth and vse of these hunting horses can best iudge the profit of the art as wel in pleasure as in vrgent occasiōs wil I hope neither esteeme my labour vaine nor fruitlesse for the cuntrie wherin I liue strengthning that hope with the noble fauours which you extend to your admirers I liue to be commaunded by you Geruase Markham To all Hunts-men and louers of Hunting THere is not any pleasure Gentlemē in the iudgement of my sence which I can allow to be held equall with hunting both for the full satisfaction it giues to the minde and bodie and also
purpose And first for his breed if he be either bastard Courser bastard Ienet or bastard Pollander his breed is not amisse for I haue knowne of all these sortes of bastards excellent hunting horses Now if you demaund what I meane by this worde Bastard it is when a horse is begotten by any â—f these Countrie horses vpon a faire English Mare or by a faire bred English Horse vpon any of these Countrie Mares but neither to flatter other Countries nor to take from our owne that which is due vnto it the worlde dooth not affoorde in all poyntes both for toughnesse and swiftnesse being ioyned together a better Horse then the true bredde English Horse for hunting which assertion shoulde I maintaine by the best proofe which is example I coulde repeate so manye instances as were sufficient to fill vppe the rest of this volume but I will not at this instant bee so troublesome Next to his breede you are to respect his colour and markes which forasmuch as I haue most amplie set them downe in the first Chapter of the former booke of ryding I will referre you thereunto and not tyer your eare with oft repetitions your last obseruation is his shapes which although also I haue in the other booke set downe largelie yet I must here giue you other notes because a hunting Horse hath certaine proportions and secrete figures which doe more agree with goodnesse then beautie First therefore you shall looke to the shape and proportion of his minde obseruing that it be milde tractable louing and familiar with the man free from dogged maliciousnesse melancholie sullennesse or lunaticke frenzie but for wantonnesse running away leaping plunging or other apish trickes so they proceede not from hate or enuie neuer respect them for they are like the conditions of shrewed boyes which we say will make good men no other but the faces of good spirit and courage and beeing tempered with Arte make the Horse not worse but much better Now for his inwarde shape his head should be somewhat long leane and large with a spacious wide chaule both thinne and open his eare if it be short and sharpe it is best but if it bee long and vpright it is a signe of speede and good mettall His foreheade long and rysing in the middest the feather thereof standing aboue the toppe of his eye his eyes full and rounde his nostrils wyde and without rawnesse his mouth large and hairie his throppell within his chaule as much as a man can gripe by no means fleshly or so closed with fatnesse that a man can hardly finde it as many fine shaped Horses are the setting on of his heade to his necke woulde bee strong but thinne so as a man may put his hande betwixt his necke and his chaule and not Bull-cragge-like thicke and full that one cannot easilye discerne where his chappe lyeth his crest strong and well rysen his necke straight firme and as it were of one peece with his bodie and not as my countrey-men say withie craggd which is loose and plyant The throppellor nether part of the neck which goes from the vnder chaps to the brest should when the horse reyneth be straight and euen not bending like a bowe which is called cocke-throppled and is the greatest signe of an ill winde If the neather chaps and that neather part of the necke also bee full of long haire and bearded downe to the setting on of the breast it is a signe of much swiftnesse a broad strong brest a short chyne an out ribbe a well hidden bellie shorte and well knitte ioyntes flat legges exceeding shorte straight and vpright pasternes which is a member aboue all other to be noted his hoofes both blacke and strong yet long and narrow and for his maine and taile the thinner the more spirit the thicker the greater signe of dullnesse to bee as some tearme it sickle hought behinde that is somewhat crooked in the cambrell ioynt as Hares and Greyhounds are is not amisse though it bee a little eye-sore And for mine owne part I haue seene many good which haue borne that proportion And thus much for the choise of hunting horses their breedes colours and outward lineaments CHAP. 3. At what age Horses shauld hunt of their first taking from grasse and of their housing ALlthough I haue often seene and those which followe this pleasure doe dayly see Horses trayned vppe to hunting at foure yeares of age and some not so much yet for mine owne part I woulde haue no Horse trayned in that exercise till hee bee past fiue at the least as hauing changed all his teeth and his ioynts beeing come to their vttermost largenesse for to put him to the violence thereof in his former tendernesse doth not onely weaken his ioynts and makes him putt out sorances but also euen appaalls his minde and takes away much of his naturall courage bringing rhumes to the heade stiffenesse to the ioynts melancholy thoughts to the minde and all other effectes of olde age before those which shoulde bee his best dayes come to bee numbred Your horse therefore being full fiue yeares olde and the aduauntage you shall take him from grasse aboute Bartholmew tide or within a Weeke after at the furthest for then Frosts beginning to come in which nippe and kill the pride of grasse making it not so nourishing as before it was and the colde Deawes falling from aboue making the Horses haire beginne to stare which though but fewe Horse-men regarde yet is a rule as worthie as anie other to bee respected it is fitte that you suffer your Horse to runne no longer but in anie case take him into the Stable whilest his haire lyes smooth close to his necke and bodie and that his stomacke haue receyued no ill sustenance by the rawe coldnesse of the season When your horse is thus taken from grasse and set vp in the Stable the scituation fashion and commoditie of which Stable is shewed hereafter in the fift Booke You neede then but onely looke vppon him and your eye will tell you whether he be fatte or no if he be fatte as of necessitie hee must bee hauing runne all the former Summer vnlesse hee be vnsounde and diseased and so not fitte for your purpose you shall then let him stande all that night and the next day vncloathed and giue him no foode but a little Wheate strawe and water and two howers before you giue him anie water you shall giue him foure or fiue handfulls of Rie well sunn'd or dried This Rie will clense away his grasse emptie his great bagg and yet keepe him in good lust and spirit The seconde day at night you shall make a Groome rubbe him all ouer with a harde wispe and then girde about him with a Sursingle stopping it with soft wispes a single Canuasse cloath then if his Wheat strawe bee spent put more into his Racke and throwe some also vnder his bodie to lye vppon and so let him stande
a little beere and putting it in the horses mouth turne his head to that parte of the stalle where his hinder parts stood there hanging the reyne vpon some pinne or hooke placd for the purpose First let your Groome vncloath him then currie rubbe picke and dresse him in such sort as belongs to his place and office which manner of dressing of horses because it is at large prefigured in the fift booke where I onely write of those duties I wil in this place omit it and referre you to that place to beholde it When your Groome hath finished the dressing of your horse and onely gyrtt the cloath about him with a Sursingle without any wispes you shall then take him foorth and mounting vpon his backe ride him to some faire Riuer or Spring and there after he hath drunk you shall gallop him vpon an easie false gallop for fiue or sixe score yardes and then giue him winde then gallop him as much more then giue him winde againe thus you shall doe twice or thrice till you haue warmd the water in his belly but by no meanes so much that you may either chafe him or wet any one hayre about him with sweate which when you haue done you shall pace him fayre and softly home and when you haue brought him into the Stable you shall make the Groome first to rub and chafe his legs with hard wispes then to stop his Sursingle with soft wispes then to take halfe a peck of good white Oates which are killne dryd and sifting them well in a fine siue that there may bee no dust left in them assoone as you haue taken off his bridle and put on his coller making the maunger cleane put them therein that he may eate them then putting his litter downe round about him shutvp your Stable windowes close and so depart till one a clocke in the after noone at what time you shall come to him againe and first making your Groome put away his dung and what other filthynes shall bee about him then cause him to turne vp his cloath and eyther with a hayre cloath or with a wet hard wispe cause him to rubbe downe his necke buttocks and legges then let him sift another halfe pecke of Oates and giue them to the horse then putting downe his cloathes let him stand till it be betwixt three and foure a clocke in the after noon at what time let the Groome come to him as he did in the morning let him first put away his dūg then put vp his litter wash his snaffle as he did before put it vpon his head turn him about then vncloath him as he drest him in the morning so let him dresse him againe in the after noone and as soone as hee is drest and his cloathes gyrt about him you shall as you did before take his backe and ride him to the former drinking place when he hath drunke gallop him gently as you did before with as great care with not one iot of more toile to the horse then bring him home and as you did in the morning so now let the Groome rub his legs stop his sursingle put down his litter and giue him another halfe pecke of sifted Oates then let him stand till it be betwixt eight and nine a clocke at night at what time you must come to him againe make your Groome to put away his dung to rubbe his head necke legges and buttockes then to giue him new fresh litter and another halfe pecke of well sifted Oates and so to let him stand for all the night till the stext morning Thus as you haue done this day you shall not faile to doe euerie day for a fortnight together wherein you are to note your howers for dressing drinking and exercise are two Morning Euening For feeding foure Morning Noone Euening and Night Now during this first fortnights keeping you are to take into your minde diuers especiall obseruations as first you shall obserue the nature and condition of your horse whether hee bee louing or churlish fearefull or franticke and according to his nature so to behaue your selfe vnto him as if hee bee louing to requite him with loue againe and doe al things about him with gentlenes if he be churlish then to doe all thinges about him with a bold courage a threatning voice shewing your selfe to be a commaunder giuing him no good countenance but when he doth carry himselfe with obedience if he be feareful then you shall fortifie him with cherrishings and do nothing about him rashly if he be franticke you shal by your correctiō show yourselfe to be his master neither when you dresse him or doe any thing else vnto him shal you come to him but with a rod in your hand After this you shal obserue the strength of his bodie whether he be slowe at his meat or retaine a good stomack if you perceiue he be but of a quesie and daintie stomacke then you shall giue him the lesse at a time and bee feeding him the oftner but if his stomacke be strong good the proportion before set downe cannot be amended then you shal obserue the nature of his disgestion that is whether he holde his foode long in his bodye or disgest and put it out more speedilye which you shall knowe by his dunging for if hee dung oft and moyst then hee holdes not his foode long in his stomake if hee dung seldome and hard then hee keepes his foode and t is a signe of a drie bodie Now if hee doe holde his foode long you shall vse once or twice a weeke whether hee haue exercise or no exercise to giue him with his Oates a handfull or more of hempseede if hee doe not retaine his foode but haue a quicke disgestion hee is easier to worke vppon and you shall keepe him with drie prouender Lastly you shall obserue whether hee bee a grose and foule feeder or verie curious and daintie grose and foule that is when hee hath no other meate hee will eate his litter vnder him gnawe vppon the Maunger and boardes about him or eate mudd walles or Thatch if any be neare him and so feede as it were and be fat in despight both of labour his keeper Curious and Daintie that is though you giue him neuer so good meate keepe neuer so good howers and let him haue neuer so much rest or neuer so much abstinence yet he will not eate to fill his belly and when hee comes to labour hee will loose more flesh in a daies hunting then hee will get againe in a whole weekes resting Now if you doe finde your horse thus curious and daintie your best course is in his daies of rest to let him be his own dyeter that is you shall euer let meate lie in the maunger before him yet change it oft that is looke what you giue him in the morning if you finde any of it in the maunger at noone you shall
sweepe it away and sift him fresh then that which you take away after it be well ayred sunnd againe will be as good as it was before and looke howe you doe at noone so you may doe at euening and night also You must also change the nature of his meate and not keepe him to one kinde of foode but giue him sometimes Oates sometimes bread holding him most to that foode which hee best liketh you shall also in the time of his rest let a pale of water stand by him that hee may drinke at his pleasure for some horses haue such hot stomacks that if they may not almoste to euerie bit haue a supp they cannot possibly eate and yet for all this you shall obserue your ordinarie howers for watering him abroad also and vse the exercise as is aforesaid but if your horse be grosse fat and a foule feeder which is calld a kettie horse then after you haue done as much as is prescrybed for your daies labour you shall not faile morning and euening for this first fortnight to ayre him as is showed you in this next Chapter CHAP. 5. Of the ayring of hunting Horses THe ayring of Hunting Horses is but at three seasons onelie to be vsed that is eyther in the first fortnight when they are first taken from grasse at what time they are so fat and foule that they cannot bee put to any labour without dāger or when they are in dyet for some greate match or wager so that they must bee kept in good breath with moderate exercise preseruing their chiefe strength and powers till the time of their tryalls or when a horse hath got anye straine griefe or mischance so that you may not ride nor galloppe him yet you would keepe him in good breath till his sorance be amended vpon any of these occasions ayring is your onelie remedie and this it is and thus you are to vse it Earely in the morning a ful houre and a halfe before Sun rise you shall come to your stable and after you haue made your Groome to put away your horses dung and to rub his head necke legges buttocks and bodie all ouer with a hayrie cloath then girding his cloathes about him with a sursingle and making them fast and close before his brest you shal then washing his Snaffle in a little bear put it in his mouth then bringing him foorth take his backe and with a faire foote-pace ride him vp to the top of the knole of some hill and there walk him vp down no more but in a foote-pace till you see the sunne bee risen vp faire in your sight then walke him fairely home to the stable and there let your Groome dresse him as before then ride him to the water after his water galloppe him then bring him home rubbe him and giue him prouēder vse him in althings as is before taught you only whē the sun is as it were at the instant setting or but a litle before as you did in the morning so you shall do in the euening take him foorth ayre him but then you shall not goe to the hilles but downe to somefayre valley or medow through which some riuer runs and there alōgst the riuer side you shall ayre him at least for an houre and a halfe so bring him home cause him to be well rubd chaft giue him a handfull or two of prouender and then followe your former directions During the time of your ayring your horse thus you shall see him gape yawne as it were shrugg his bodie take a delight pleasure in it you shall in ayring when your horse will at anye time take occasion to stand still as it were to gaze about or to listen to any thing giue him good leaue and in al his ayring suffer him to take his pleasure The profitte which doth redoūd by this ayring is this it makes a ketty ful horse emptie both his belly bladder and the sharpe ayre which in the morning is the purest vpon the tops of hils most cold and subtill that which comes in the euening from the humiditie of the water will so pierce into the poets of the horses bodie that it wil euen clense expell manie grose and suffocating humors it doth also tēper and cleare the blood makes the flesh firme hard tēpers the fat with such good qualities that it is nothing neare so readie to be disolu'd or molten To conclude an ordinary daies hunting takes no sorer of a horse then one of these earely or late ayrings After you haue thus for a fortnight aplied your horse with ayrings moderatelye exercisd him after his drink then you may the next fortnight with more boldnesse aduenture him into stronger labour CHAP. 6. The second fortnights dyet and first hunting AFter you haue with ayring and moderate exercise after his drinke brought your horse to some prettie state of bodie which is that his flesh ouer his short ribbes will not feele so soft and loose vnder your hand as before it did neither the thin part of his flanke is so thicke and full in your gripe as it was at his first taking from grasse nor that you doe finde the kirnels and grosse matter gathered together vnder his neather chaps altogether so greate as at the first they were then you shall proceede to a more strickt clensing of his bodie after this manner Earely in the morning about an houre or more before his accustomed time your Grome shal come into the stable and as soone as euer he hath put away your horses dung hee shall looke what meate your horse hath left in his maunger and if there bee any hee shall notwithstanding make cleane the Maunger and sifting the horse two or three handfuls of fresh Oates giue him them to eate and as soone as he hath done eating he shall brydle him vp turne him about then fall to dresse him After he is drest the Groome shall take a good hunting Saddle with hansome stirroppes and strong wollengarthes and girt it vpon the Horses backe then he shall throwe the cloathes ouer the saddle and so let the Horse stand vppon the Brydle till the Houndes and your selfe are readie to goe foorth on hunting which would be an houre or there abouts after Sun-rise at the furthest then you shal take your horses backe and that first day followe the houndes verie gentlie gallopping verie sildome and no long time together but crossing the fieldes to your best aduantage both obserue to make in with the Houndes at euerie default and also to keepe your horse as neare as you can within the crie of the dogs that he may take delight in their musicke and when you finde the chace to runne ouer anye faire earth as either ouer More Medowe Heath greeneswarth or grasse leyes al which my Countrie men of the north call skelping earthes because a horse may without any greate toile or paine throwe out his legges
and bodie and gallop smoothely thereupon you may then thrust out your horse and for a quarter of a mile or halfe a mile according as the chace holdes out galloppe him faire softly vpon the hand after the Houndes that hee may learne how to handle his legs how to lay his bodie and how to change and alter his stroake according to the change and alteration of the ground as if the ground be plaine and leuel then to lay downe his bodie stretch foorth his legges and to goe more speedily away but if the ground bee ruttie and full of false treading which wee call broken swarthe or if it bee ouer ridge and furrowe so that the horse in his gallopping rises and falles then hee must gather vp his bodie round close strike shorter and thicker to the intent he may auoide ruttes or setting his forefeete in the bottome of furrowes which if at any time by mischance hee doe yet carrying his bodie so round and vpright hee will euer haue that strength at commaundment that he will neither stumble nor fall ouer to which perfection you can no way bring him but by moderate exercise and custome and keeping him euer within his winde that whensoeuer he ends gallopping hee may bee in his best strength and haue alwayes a desire to do more then you will suffer him thus and by the rule of these obseruations you shall hunt your horse till it be betwixt two and three of the clocke in the after noone at what time you shall couple vp your Hounds and then consider the estate of your Horse whether hee haue had anye great exercise or no that is whether he haue sweat any thing or nothing for to sweate exceeding much the first day you must by no meanes suffer him and if you find he haue sweat a little then you shall ride him gently home but if he haue not sweat at all then you shall vpon some faire skelpe earth gallop him till you make him sweat but you must doe it so gently that you neither grieue him with the labour nor make him desire the quickening of the spurre in his gallopping but that all he doth may bee done as it were out of his own voluntarie wil courage When you haue made him wet the haires that are at the rootes of his eares and some fewe vpon his necke and flanke with sweate which are all the places you must at first by any meanes make him sweate in then you shall ride him gently home and as soone as you are lighted from his backe you shall cause him to be set vp in the stable then tying his head with the Bridle vp to the racke where there muste neither bee hay nor any thing els make two groomes at the least one of one side the horse and another of the other with good store of fresh stawe which must lie vnder him rubbe his heade and face first then all his foure legges then his necke bodie bellie buttockes and generally euerie part of the Horse till they haue not left about him any one wert or soule haire then let them vngyrd his gyrths and take off his Saddle and immediately clap about his bodie and his heart two yeards of some thick strong cotton then lay on his cloathes which ordinarily he wore and hauing gyrt them on with the sursingle let it bee stopt round about with soft wispes and so let him stande for the space of two houres or more then you shall come vnto him and vnbridle him and then sift two or three handfull of Oates and mixe with them a good handfull of Hempseed and giue it him to eate then put into his racke a little bottell of Hay and so let him stande till betwixt eight and nine a clocke at night at what time comming to him you shall giue him to drinke a sweete mash of ground mault and water luke-warme which if at first he bee daintie to drinke on respect not but placing it in such sort vnder him that hee cannot throwe it downe let it stand by him all night that hee may drinke at his pleasure Then you shall cuâ—e him in small peeces the valewe almost of halfe a pecke of ordinarie hunting breade the making and nature whereof shall bee prescribed vnto you in the nexte Chapter then putting another small Bottell of Hay into the racke thrusting vp his litter hansomelye that his bedde may be softe and rubbing his heade necke and buttockes downe with a haire cloath let him stande till the nexte morning Now forasmuch as in this first dayes hunting there are many obseruations to bee noted I thinke it not amisse to giue you a tast of them before I proceed any further first therefore you ought to obserue that in the morning wheÌ„ you come into the field that you doe not put your horse to any gallop for at least two houres which time you shal spend in trotting walking him after the dogs manie times standing still to make your horse dung and emptie his belly which whensoeuer he doth you shall cherish him and with oft standing stil and now then whistling your horse doe what you can to prouoke him to pisse which is the wholsomest thing of all others then when you finde that your horse by his oft dunging and pissing is reasonably well emptied you may begin to gallop him in manner before shewed Next you shall obserue the nature and inwarde qualitie of your Horse which is whether he bee of a temperate and sober spirit one that will doe no more then you put him vnto nor striue to go faster then you would haue him or whether he be a Horse of fierie and forward spirit one that will chafe frette and sweate as much for anger that hee is kept backe and restrayned as the other when hee is runne a whole sente and soundly spurred if you finde him of dull and sober mettall then you shall galloppe him the oftner but the lesse while together that you may bring him to a delight in hunting nowe and then awakning him with your spurres but by no meanes as I sayde beefore bringing him to the height of his winde or the vttermost of his strength But if hee he a Horse of hot and free mettall then you shall gallop him the seldomer but the sorer thrusting him nowe and then vppon deepe and ouerthwart earth that by feeling the paine of labour and the daunger which his fierce and mad running draws him vnto when he is ready to ouerthrow in euerie furrow hee will euen by those corrections and the benefite of his owne knowledge come to a more moderate temper in his running and so much the better and sooner if you as in true Art you ought to do by no meanes either with spurre or rod compel him to doe anye thing but that all the myscheefes he feeles may onely come by his owne voluntarie furie you but onely giuing libertie to his frowardnesse then you shall obserue vpon what earth
they are for the moste part gouerned by the Articles and agreements of the parties which are the match makers I thinke it not fit to trouble you with them at this time hoping that these alreadie declared will be sufficient to prepare you for anye match whatsoeuer CHAP. 15 The office of the Groome and helpes in rubbing of hunting horses IDoe not heere intend to speake generally of the office of the Groome of the Stable because the fift Booke hath it at large described but onely of that little part of his Office which hee is to exercise in the field when a horse doth hunt any match for a wager and that is whereas at the end of euerie traine sent the rider is to light from his horse and the Groome is to rub him and drie the sweate from his bodie I would haue euerie Groome knowe that he must prouide halfe a dozen seuerall cloathes euerie one at least a yarde in compasse three being of canuas and three of good thicke cotten all these cloathes he must a day or two before the match steepe in pisse and salt-peeter boild together and then hang them vp in the ayre that they may bee drie against the match day then would I haue him haue two other cloathes one of wollen the other of canuase which hauing laine a day or two steeped in the same pisse and salt-peeter hee shall carrie wet to the field and as soone as the traine is finished and the rider dismounted the groomes shall first with their drie cloathes rub away all the sweate from the horses head and face and also from his necke bodie buttocks flankes fore boothes bellie cods and euerie other parte and whilst one is busied about these vpper partes another Groome must be rubbing his legs drie and as soone as he hath got them drie he shall then take his wett cloathes and with them neuer leaue rubbing his legs and ioyntes till the rider bee readie to take his backe againe and beleeue it the benefit you shall finde thus doing is more then you will well credite Thus shall you do at the end of euerie traine and then feare not either faintnes or vnnimblenesse in his ioynts which of all other partes of a horses bodie doe soonest faile him And thus much for this part of the Groomes office and the other knowledges appertaining to hunting horses The end of the third Booke CAVELARICE OR The Tracconer Contayning the Arte and Secrets which belong to Ambling Horses and how that pace is to be taught to any Horse whatsoeuer The fourth Booke LONDON Printed for Ed. White and are to be solde at his shop nere the little North doore of Saint Paules Church at the signe of the Gun 1607. To the Right Honorable and moste noble and mightie Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Arundel and Surrey THere is nothing most noble mighty Lord which hath more incited me to this weary labour which I hope I haue to good purpose effected then the grace which I haue noted 〈◊〉 your 〈◊〉 selfe and other princes of your ranke liberally bestowe vpon the Arte of horsemanshipp both by your â—wne practise and the incouragement of others which doth not only assure 〈◊〉 that no peace shal make the glorie of waâ—e neglected but doth also make me hope to liue to see in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as famous a nurserie of horsemen and horses 〈◊〉 euer hath beâ—ne 〈◊〉 in Italie or Naples and though my boldnesse in darring to present my ruder skill to your honor able iudgement may iustly be challenged to haue no garments but a naked boldenes yet the loue I am bound to beare to that moste honorable house into which you haue now moste happily planted your selfe I hope wil be both my defence and protection by which I knowe you will both take delight to pardon and my selfe be proud to esteeme myselfe your srruant Geruase Markham To all those which loue their ease in trauelling AMongst all the partes or members into which the art of Horsemanship is deuided there is none so generally followed or hath got more professors to defend it then this arte of ambling and yet is there no part of horsemanship more misgouerned or vildelye handlâ— by vnskilful workmen through whome there 〈◊〉 not onlâ— multitudes of Horses spoyled made inseruiceable but also a great company of skilfull horsemen which knowe the true vse of Art obscurd and kept vnder by the 〈◊〉 boastes of most igâ—orant impostors whiâ—h to 〈◊〉 and that euen common senâ— may know how to make the best election I haue in this treatâ—e following 〈◊〉 downe the rules both of true arte and false â—actise reconâ—ling them so together with the strength of my best reasonâ— that I doubt not but they wil giue to any peaceable 〈◊〉 a full satisfaction in which if any man finde profit it is the thing I onely wish them and if they vouch safe me thanks it is enough for my labour And so wishing you all the ease that can be coupled to labour I leaue you to your owne thoughts of me and of my workes Farwell G. M. CAVELARICE The fourth Booke CHAP. 1. Of ambling in generall and of the vses and commodities thereof I did some fewe yeares agone partly to giue the world a little taste of that knowledge which manye good horsemen had neglected in their writings and partly to shew a long absent freind the remembraÌ„ce of my loue writ a little sleight treatise touching the making of horses to amble which because I haue found by manye of my worthie friendes gently acepted albe the breuitie obscuritie might well haue beene controlled I thought it not amisse in this booke to demonstrate the whole art in as large and ample carracters as is fit for the vnderstanding both of the better or more duller spirit wherefore first to speake of ambling in generall it is that smoothe easie pace which the labour and industrie of an ingenious braine hath found out to relieâ—â—he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tent and diseased persons to make women vndertake iourneying and so by their comunity to grace societie to make greate men by the ease of trauell more willing to thrust theÌ„selues into the offices of the commoÌ„ wealth to do the poor both relief seruice â—t makes him whom necessitie or as the prouerb is whome the deuil driues not to be vext with two torments a troubled minde and a tormented body to conclude ambling was found out for the generall ease of the whole world as long as there is eyther pleasure comerce or trade amongst people Now for the maner of the motion the difference betwixt it trotting it cannot be described more plainely then I haue set down in my former treatise which is that it is the taking vp of both the legs together vppon one side so carrying them smoothly along to set them downe vpon the ground euen together and in that motion be must lift and winde vp his fore foot some what hye from the grouÌ„d but
conueyance may bee made with trenches or sinckes to carrie away the pisse foule water or other wet which shall fall about it The ayre wherein it should stand would as neare as you can be verie temperate and sweete hauing no marrishes or corrupt places about it especiallye no Swine-sties for the verie smelling and rubbing of swine will breede both the Farcie and other foule diseases Adioyning to your Stable you must euer haue either some good Well Conduit or Pumpe and also some faire Pond or running Riuer the stuffe whereon you shall builde your Stable would if your abilitie will stretch thereunto be eyther bricke or other rough stone and the wall at least eighteene inches thicke if you want bricke or stone studde and plaister will serue or if necessitie compell lome or lime and hayre or any other stuffe which is warme and durable Your stable would bee in proportion longer then broade and not as some vse foure square placing horses on both sides the house which is both ill and vncomely The windowes of your stable must bee vpon that side the stable which answers to the horses buttocks and would open vpon the east that a horse may haue the morning Sun and not as some aduise vpon the north for though it bee tollerable for some one weeke in the Summer time yet it will be moste vnwholsome for all the winter after each windowe about the Stable must haue a close shut or false windowe of bordes that you may at your pleasure make the Stable as darke as you wil and as light as you will the windowes also would bee glased that neither Birdes nor other foule may come therein whose feathers are to a horse both vnwholsom and sometimes poysonous in the midst of your stable in conuenient place and against which you may make a lodging for your Groomes I would haue you builde a hansome chimnie where when occasion serues as either in time of a horses sicknes or sorenes when medicines are to be made you may haue a fire or for the warming ayring drying of the horses cloathes which at somtimes is as wholsome for him as his meate Now for the plaunchers of your stable I agree both with M. Blundeuill and Collumella that they shold be of the best hart of Oake that can be gotten but that they shold lye as they aduise sloping which is to say higher before thē behind I am vtterlie against it holde it of al errors the grosest as not to be tollerated in any place but in Smithfield and amongst Horse-coursers for first it makes a horse in his standing rest somuch vpon his hinder legs that with such painfulnes that it not onely makes him weake pasternd but also bringes to his legs diseases and swellings it makes a horse also that he cannot lye easily but taketh most of his rest standing then which there is nothing more vnhealthful wherfore in any case lay your plaunchers as leuel and euen as you can deuise to lay them and in anye wise lay the boardes not length waies that is from the maunger streight downe to the grub tree but lay them ouerthwart the horses stall so that he may stand crosse the bordes let the grub tree which lies at the neather part of the plaunchers against which the horse wil many times rest his hinder heeles be verie strong and betwixt three or foure inches higher then the plaūchers for the plaūchers must be laid euen not one board higher then another yet they must not be so close ioyned together but that the horses pisse other moisture may runne through the creuises vnderneath the plaunchers All along as your sleepers lye to which you pinne downe the boardes must a Trench or sincke bee digged of at least foure foote broad and about three foote deepe which may conuay away the horses pisse and other filthinesse either into some by dyke or Channell the flore of your stable which is without your plaunchers must bee euen with the verye height of your plaunchers that if your horse atanie time shall goe backward off from the plaunchers yet hee may still stand vppon a iust leuell This flore would bee paued with round small pibble At the vpper ende of your plaunchers you shall place your maunger which would bee of verie strong boardes so artificially and close ioyned together that neither dust nor any thing how small soeuer may scatter out of it Now whereas certaine olde writers woulde haue euerie horse to haue a little small locker to himselfe to eate his prouender therein I for my part like it not for a horse as hee eates his meate will turne his head now and then of one side or other and then hauing but as it were a little boxe to eate in each time he lifts vp his head hee will scatter the one halfe of his meate and againe it is the delight nature of a horse to spread his meate as thinne as is possible and so to eate with the better stomack whereas when you lay it in a thicke heap together he falles to loath it and refuse it you shall euer raise your maunger at least foure foote from the ground and not haue it aboue nine inches deepe for the higher your Maunger stands the higher your horse will thrust and beare vp his necke which will be a good help to his reyne and countenance for howsoeuer it is an vse in Italie or alowed amongst some of our horsemen that there should be no racke but that a horse should receiue all his meat downward towards his feet therby not to strain his with putting it vpward yet I am of a contrarie opinion and would haue a horse to stretch vp his heade aloft to pluck his hay out of a Rack aboue him knowing that such putting vp of his head dooth mend his comelinesse and that taking his hay out of his Racke doth not with blowing vppon it make it so soone loathsome as for the supposition of the filth or dust which shold fal into the horses maine it is verie idle for if the Racke be plac'd right some small dust if there bee any may fall vpon the horses nose but his maine it can neuer touch wherfore I would haue the Racke to be placed of a proporcionable height answerable to the stature of ordinarie horses and let it stand somewhat vpright leaning as little forwarde as may bee When thus your planchers are laid and your Racke set vp you shall diuide your stable into seuerall stalles to the intent that euerie horse may lie by himselfe and those stalles shall be diuided at the neather endes with great postes And if the stable be for great horses or yong colts then from each post to the manger shall goe a rounde peece of timber which hang either in writhen chaines cordes or strong thongs of leather so that it may swinge which way a man will haue it which will keepe horses from striking one at another or if they doe
water through his bodie and recouers his stomacke Now for letting your horse stand any long time in the water vp to the knees as many horsmen doe I for mine owne part like it not for it numbs and cooles the legs too much makes the horse apter to surbait only wheÌ„ you shall perceiue your horses codds or sheath to swell then I would if it be in the heate ofsommer haue you to swim your horse once a day either ouer some deepe riuer or in some deepe pond but if it be in the winter then I would only haue you to bath his cods sheath with cold water in the stable Now lastly if you haue the charge of great horses who out of their coragious spirits are not easilye to bee led the best is euer to water theÌ„ in the house but if your charge be of iourneying geldings then t is best watring them abroad and to chase them a little in your haÌ„d vp down after their water And thus much for water and the vses CHAP. 4. Of the dressing combing and currying of horses and of their diet in the time of rest TO enter into any phisicall distinctions or allusions of dressing and currying horses coÌ„paring theÌ„ with the six seueral kinds of frictions belonging to mans body or to repeat vnto you vse-lesse obseruations prescribed by the ancieÌ„t Italians which neither agree with our clime nor the conditions of our horses were a labor vaine and a greate depriuing of the industrious keeper of his best knowledges wherefore that I may in the plainest maner I can vnfold what necessary precepts beloÌ„g to the office I thinke it not amisse to begin after this maner First after your horse is taken into the house you shall put vpon his head a strong coller of broad double leather with two reynes of leather or els round writhen chaines with short links running easily through holes made for the purpose in the vpper great tree of the maunger in such sort that when the horse puts downe his head the chaines may fall downe to the ground and when he thrusts vp his heade they may rise to the top of the mauÌ„ger now the first night that your horse is brought into the house you shal onely giue him a bottle of wheate straw into the rack and so let him stand without litter or any thing els for that night he will doe nothing but emptie his belly of grasse The next day about nine of the clocke in the morning you shall take a double rope made of wheate straw twound exceeding hard together and with it rub his head face necke breast body bellie buttocks and legges then you shall giue him as much water as he will drinke and a fresh bottle of wheate straw if the other be eaten and so let him stand till foure of the clocke in the euening at which time as you did in the morning so you shall then rubbe him ouer with newe ropes of strawe then water him giue him fresh strawe into his racke and let him stand till eight a clocke at night at which time you shall take a great boâ—tell of wheate straw and spread it vnder his bodie laying it thickest before his fore-legges both because his heade may haue as it were a pillowe to rest vppon and also because horses naturallye will with their fore-legges put the straw backewarde This is called littering of Horses and when you haue thus done you shall let him rest till the next morning The third day I woulde haue you come to your Horse at seauen of the clocke in the morning and the first thing you doe after you haue opened your Windowes and washed your owne handes you shall take a shakeforke that is to say a forke of wood without any iron about it and with it you shall shake vp and thrust backeward all the horses dung and wet litter putting it from the planchers then you shall shake vppe all the drie litter which is vnsoylde forwarde and with your shakeforke thrust it vppe as hard as may bee vnder the maunger then with a shouell well shodde with yron for the purpose you shall shouell away all manner of filthinesse from the planchers and then with a beesome either of Birch or Broome you shall sweepe the planchers and stable so cleane as is possible and so gathering all the filthinesse into one place put it eyther into a Barrow or Basket and carrie it into such backe places as are for such a purpose This done you shall bring into the stable a Peale-full of faire water and place it hard by the hinder part of the stall where the horse stands then you shall take a watering snaffle and a headstall and after you see that the snaffle is cleane without dust or filthinesse you shall dippe it into the peale of water and then put it into the Horses mouth and so turning him about that hee may stande with his heade where his tayle did stande you shall with a seperated reyne tye vppe the Horse to the two Ringes which are fastned into the postes of each side him this done you shall take your rope of strawe well twound together and therewith first rubbe the Horses face and cheekes all ouer then with your finger and your thumbe you shall twitch away all those long and stiffehayres which grow close aboue his vpper eye brees and close vnderneath his neather eye brees for they hinder sight you shall likewise pull away all those long haires which growe about his nostrelles vnderneath his chappes and downe his necke to his breast then as you did before you shall first rubbe the right side of his necke his brest right shoulder and right legge the right side of his bodie and bellie the right buttocke and the right legge and then you shall goe to the left side and in althings do as you did vpon the right side This done you shall take a greate Spunge and hauing put it into the water you shall take it foorth and presse it a little then therewith you shall rubbe ouer your horses face then lay by the spunge and with your handes rubbe his face till it be as drie as may be then wash your handes cleaneagaine for there will come much filth and durtinesse from the horse and take the wet spunge and rubbe the right side of his necke therwith then with your hand rub that parte drie againe also and thus rubbing euerie seuerall part of his bodie with the wet spunge as you did with the twound strawe roape and drying them againe with your hands you shall bring away all the loose haires which are about his bodie this done you shall picke his sheath cleane from all durtinesse and you shall wash his cods and make his yarde cleane then you shall lift vp his docke and with a cleane cloath rub his â—uell and the particion of his haunches then you shall take hogs grease soote and a little tarre mixt together dipping a cloath therein annoint
all his foure hoofes or for want of it you may rubbe his hoofes with the vpper skinne of bacon for it is verie good also then you shall take a yarde of haire-cloath and rubbe his head necke brest bodie buttockes and legs all ouer therewith after it take a housing cloath made of Sack-cloath of such largenesse that it may lappe ouer before his brest and with a sursingle both broad and flat gird it about him putting halfe a dozen soft wispes betwixt the cloath and the sursingle vpon the top of his backe and halfe a dozen likewise betwixt the cloath and the sursingle of each side of his heart iust behinde the elbowes of the horse which doe not onely keepe the horse warme but withall defend the sursingle from pinching or galling if it bee either hunting horse or running horse you keepe then you shall for warmenesse sake wispe the sursingle round about yet you must be verie circumspect that your wispes be made verie soft great and flat not as I haue seene amongst some that are esteemed cunning so little so hard twisted together that after a horse hath bene laide down you may see the print of his wispes in his sides when he is bared which both puts the horse to great paine and makes him more vnwilling to lie downe when he is wearie Now there be some in this land which cannot indure to haue their horses cloathed at a therfore happily wil dislike this precept of mine for the cloathing of Horses saying it makes horses too tender takes froÌ„ theÌ„ abilitie of induring hardnes to them I say they are exceedinglye much deceiued for it is only those hard customes which makes theÌ„ vnable to indure any hardnes at al the reason therof is this that nature by such hardnes extremity being put to her vttermost force strength to maintain her liuelyhood wheÌ„ that hardnes at any time is exceeded she preseÌ„tly faints forgoes alher vigor vertue as thus for example it is as much as nature can wel doe to maintain a horse in any good state strength without cloathes in the stable if then by extremity he come to be compeld to liue without cloathes in the fielde in the extremitie of cold bitter weather hauing indured his vttermoste before now feeling it exceeded he presently growes faint sick oft times dyes suddainly whereas on the contrarie parte when nature is cherrisht fortefied by the helpe of housing cloathing and such like he gathers that strength and powerfulnesse that no extreamitie can daunt him the experience wherof we see dayly amongst hunting horses in their extreame matches Againe to come to a more familiar example let vs looke into our owne constitutions what creature is kept more hard both for hunger and colde then the plowe Clowne and who more daintie voluptuousâ—e then the Gentleman yet bring them both to one equall extreamitie and one Gentleman will both indure and bee seruisable when a hundred Clownes will die like sheepe in a rotte yeare because the straightnesse of their liues keept Nature euer leane and in weakenesse and of this when I was a poore commaunder in the warres I euer tooke a principall notice and held it for a maxime that the more choice eyther man or Horse is kept in the time of rest the more hee shall be able to indure in the time of trouble When you haue cloathd your horse vp as is before specified If hee bee a Horse of anye esteeme it shall bee good if you haue a hood for his head and necke made of Sack-cloath also which you shall tye to the noseband of his collor and to that parte of the Sursingle which is ouer his backe when all this is doone if hee bee a horse that will not bee quietlye lead abroad then you shall bring him a pealefull of verie faire water and let him drinke his fill then hauing both with a hard wispe and a cleane cloath made his maunger verie cleane you shall take off his Snaffle and turne him to the maunger then washing the Snaffle and hauging it vppe take halfe a pecke of Oates and putting them into a meale siffe dust them verie cleane and giue them to the horse to eate then put a bottle of Wheate-strawe into his racke sweepe the plaunchers and stable verie cleane again then lock vp the dore let him rest till it be twelue a clock At twelue a clocke you shall come into the stable first you shal make cleane the stable plaunchers theÌ„ dipping his watering Snaffle in some faire water you shall put it on his head and turne him about as you did in the morning then you shall take a sharpe payre of colling sheares and colle the inside of both his eares as close to the skinne as may bee and the vpper parte of his maine next his eares from the noddle or Crowne of his head downward into his maine for the bradth of three fingers if hee bee a greate horse or trauelling gelding but if he be either hunting or running horse then for the length of sixe inches both because his hayres shall not flie about his face as he gallops and so trouble him nor yet cause him to sweate about his eares to which a horse is too much subiect When you haue cold his eares and maine you shall then looke about his chaps and if he be subiect to much haire or roughnesse in those partes you shall then clippe it close away that thereby you may the easilyer feele the kirnels and grosse matter which is about the roots of his tongue by which you know when a horse is cleane when not cleane when he hath a colde wheÌ„ no colde Lastly you shal take his taile in your hand stretching it down straight by his hinder leg with your sheares clip it close by the vpper part of his hinder heele then taking a wet maine combe a wet spunge-combe first his fore top downe then his maine and lastly the vpper part of his taile from the setting on therof to the vttermost end of the short haires When this is done your stable swept and made cleane againe it will bee at least past three a clocke at which time I would haue you fetch in a cleane peale of water and place it as you did before then put your great spunge therein and your main-comb also then lay your writhen straw roapes and your hayre-cloath in some place adioyning vnto you then pull your wispes one by one from your sursingle and open euerie wispe and mixe the straw with the litter not as sloathfull keepers doe make your wispes last a weeke together so that a horse had as good lie vpon stones as vppon such wispes then you shall vnbuckle your sursingle and roule it vppe that it may bee flat and smoothe then take off his cloath and going fourth of the stable shake it and dust it verie wel then lapping it vp lay it by
crownets of his hoofes and likewise his hinder leggs from the cambrels to the hoofes also picking and rubbing his fewterlockes with your fingers leauing neither dust durt nor anie skirffe within them then rub both with the roapes with your hande his pasternes betwixt his fetlockes and his heeles then take a hayre cloath kept onelie of purpose and as you rubd his legs with the hard roapes so rub them with the hayre-cloath also then take vp his feete and with an Iron made for the purpose picke all his foure feet betweene the shooes and his hoofes as cleane as may be then stop them close and hard either with cow dung or else with hogs-grease and branne molten together then anno◠the outside and cronets of his hoofes with the ointment before declared then washing your hands clean combe down his maine taile with a wet maine comb then water him and so turne his head to the maunger and put on his collar then if he be a great horse you shall sift in a siffe halfe a pecke of Pease and Oates mingled or else cleane Oates which is the fourth part of his allowance and the maunger being made cleane giue them him to eate but if he be but an ordinarie Gelding then a quarter of a pecke is sufficient which is the fourth parte of his allowance also and whilst he is eating his prouender you shall make him a bottle of sweete hay somewhat bigger then a pennie botle in an Inne and put it into the racke then sweeping the stable cleane you may let your horse rest till noone Now if it bee either hunting horse or running horse that you keepe you shall when you are readie to depart out of the stable put downe the litter vnder your horse and then shutting the windows close depart In which absent time you must busie yourselfe in making your hay bottles or strawe bottles for litter or if your horse be too fat pursie by blending wheate-strawe and hay together for your horse to eate or prouiding such necessarie implements as are to bee vsed in the stable At twelue a clocke at noone you shall come into the stable and first hauing swept it made it verie cleane you shall then take a faire linnen cloath white washt and therwith first rubbe your horses face and necke then turning vp his cloath rubbe downe his buttocks his flankes and leskes then turne his cloath downe againe and then with warme beefe broth which is euer wanting in great mens houses bathe his foreleggs from the knee downeward and his hinder legges from the cambrel downeward but if you want beefe broth thē take Traine-oyle Sheepes-foot oyle or Neates-foot oyle for any of them is verie soueraine either if your horses legs be stiffe vnnimble or if they be subiect to swel or if his grease haue beene molten into them When this is done you shal sift him into a siue another halfe pecke or quarter of a pecke of oates according to your allowance and giue them him to eate then hauing made cleane the stable let your horse rest till three a clocke in the afternoone Now you shall vnderstand that if your horse be of a tender and daintie stomack and that he is verie apt to growe gaunt to loose his belly or if he be leane then I would haue you to offer your horse at noone a little water also but not otherwise at three a clocke in the after noone I would haue you assoone as you haue made your stable cleane to vncloath your horse and to currie rubbe pick dresse and trimme your horse in euerie point as you did in the morning then to water him and to giue him another fourth part of his allowance of prouender and another bottle of hay and so to let him rest till eight a clock at night at what time you shal come to him-and in al points as you vsd him at twelue a clock at noone so you shall vse him at that time then putting downe his litter making his bed giuing him the last fourth part of his allowance of prouender hay to serue him for all night let him rest til the next morning After the order that you haue spent this day you shal spend euerie day whilst your horse rests without exercise that is to say dressing him twice a day morning and euening and feeding him foure times a day that is morning noone euening and night as for his water it must be according to the constitution of his body If he be fat and foule twice a day is sufficient if of reasonable temper thrice if leane and weake then foure times Euerie keeper shall obserue by no meanes to come to his horse suddainely or rashlye but first to giue him warning by crying ware I say or Holla or such like wordes he shall neuer come or stand directly behinde a horse but alwaies vpon one side or other if your horse be of bolde or fierce courage you shall euer keepe a paire of pasternes made of strōg double leather linde with cottē put through two tournels fixt to a chaine 12. inches lōg abouthis foure legs vnderneath his fetlockes if your horse haue a qualitie that hee will either teare his cloath or pull his wispes out of his sursingle you shal then tie a lōg staffe alongst his neck the one end being made fast to his coller hard by the roots of his eare the other end to the sursingle close by the vpper wispes so that he cānot writhe or turn his head backward if your horses maine be too thick or ilfauouredly growne you may with a tasler made of Iron with three or foure teeth make it both as thinne as you please and lay it vpon which side of his necke you please And thus much for the dressing and trimming of a horse during his time of rest which method if you diligently obserue you shal bee sure to haue his coate as smoothe and sleeke as glasse and his skinne so pure and cleane that did you rubbe him therwith he would not staine a garment of veluet CHAP. 5. Of a Horses labour or exercise and how he shall be ordered when he is iourneyed VNder this title of Exercise I intēd to figure those moderate and healthfull motions which increasing the naturall heate of those mouing partes which sustaine the body giue both strength and liuely hood to all the inward Organs and vessels of life as when a man either for his owne practise or to continue his horse in those lessons which he hath formerly learnt or when hee would procure his horse an apetite or giue him the benefit of the fresh aire he doth in the morning ride him not till hee sweate but till hee haue brought him to the point of sweating and this exercise doth the moste belong to great horses trained for seruice in the warres Now vnder this title of Labour I comprehend al necessarie trauell or iourneying wherein being drawne by our worldly businesse we are
forc'd to trauell our horse both to the decay or hazard either of his strength or courage Now for these two namely Exercise which doth the more it is vsed bringe the horse more strength vigor labour which the more it is vsed the weaker fainter it makes him doth belong two seuerall orders of gouernment or keeping if therefore your charge be the keeping of a greate horse whose exercise is but to bee ridden an houre or two euerie other morning you shall thus prepare him therunto at eight a clocke at night which is the night before your horse is to be exercised after you haue made cleane your stable rubbed your horse with your cloathes and littered him you shall then sift him a double allowance of prouender that is to say that which is due to him at that time and also that which hee shoulde haue the next morning then looke what hay you did ordinarily allow him other nightes you shall nowe giue him halfe so much this night and so let him rest till fiue of the clocke the next morning at what time as soone as you rise hauing made cleane your stable and put vppe his litter you shall wette his watring snaffle and put it on and turne him about then loosing his sursingle and taking off his cloath first with a hairecloath rub his face necke and bodie all ouer then with a wollen cloath and a linnen cloath doe the like especiallye rubbe his legges passing well then take his Saddle hauing three garthes and a paire of sufficient stirroppes and stirroppe leathers and set it vpon the horses back in the due place that is if the horse bee not low before rather more forwarde then backwarde and gyrde it on in this manner take the garth which is fast to the formost tabbe of the right side and buckle it to the hindmost tabbe on the left side and the hindmost garth on the right side to the formost tabbe on the left side and the middle garth to the middle tabbe on both sides and this is called crosse gyrding being the comeliest surest and least hurtfull manner of gyrding for it galles the least and holdes the saddle lastest you shall not at the first gyrde the gyrthes hard but in such sort that the horse may feele them and no more this done you shall buckle on his breast-plate and his crooper making them of equall straitnesse then you shall lace on his saker or docke and make fast his twinsell to the hindmost gyrthon the left side then with a wet maine-combe combe downe his fore toppe and maine and then throwing his cloath ouer him let him stand till you haue warning to bring him to his ryder at what time you shall take his bytt and hauing both the Chaule-band and the nose band open and the Kurbeloose you shall first wet it in a peale of cleane water then laying the reyne ouer your left arme you shal take the vpper part of his head-stall into your right hand and laying the mouth of the bytt vpon your left hand betweene your thumbe and your little finger you shall put the bytt to his mouth and by thrusting your thumbe and little finger betwixt his chappes compell him to open his mouth and to receiue the bytt which by obseruing this order hee can neither will not chuse but doe when the bytt is in his mouth you shall then buckle his noseband chaule-band and Kurbe in those due places as you haue seene his ryder formerlye doe then you shall wette his foretoppe and winde it vnder the fore-head band of his headstall then hauing combd his maine againe and drawne his garthes to their places you shall buckle a paire of large close spectacles made of strong leather before his eyes which will occasion him to leade quietlye then with your right hand you shall take him by the left side of the head-stall close vppon the Portsmouth and with your left hand holde both the reynes close together hard by the bytt and so going close by his left shoulder leade him either to the blocke or to such place as the ryder shall thinke conuenient then as soone as the ryder hath put the reynes ouer the Horses necke you shal presentlie shift your right hand to the right side of the headstall and laying your left hand vppon the right stirroppe leather you shall whilst the ryder mounts the horses backe stay the Saddle that it swarue not then when the ryder is setled you shall vnbuckle the spectakles and take them away referring the Horse to the discretion of the Ryder As soone as the horse hath beene exercised sufficientlie and is brought home the Ryder shall no sooner dismount his backe and deliuer him into your hand but you shall first vnloose his Kurbe and then presentlie leade him into the Stable for of all thinges I cannot indure this walking of Horses knowing that it was a custome first foolishlye inuented and nowe as vnprofitablye immitated for there is not anye thing which sooner makes a Horse take colde or breedes worse obseruations in the bodie then this cooling of Horses by walking When you haue brought your Horse into the Stable where you must haue formerlie prouided greate store of drie litter turning his head downe from the maunger and hanging the reines of the bytte vpon some hooke for the purpose you shall first rubbe his face then his necke fore-boothes bellye flancks and legges with drye strawe so cleane as may bee then with a Woolen cloath you shall rubbe him all ouer againe not leauing anye place which hee hath wette with sweate till it bee as drie as may bee then you shall loose his garthes to their vtmoste length thrust round about betwixt his garthes and his bodie as much drie straw as you can conuenientlie get in then vnlace his saker and take it away rubbing the docke of his tayle drie with a Wollen cloath then cast his cloath ouer the Saddle then take off his bytt and put it into a peale of water then wash his wattering Snaffle and put it on tie him to the ringes and so let him stand for at least two houres during which time you shall take his bytte out of the water and with a drye linnen cloath rubbe it as drie as may bee and then hang it vppe you shall also wipe his saker within folde vp the strings and lay it by also Now when your horse hath stoode vp thus vpon his bridle at least two or three hours is sufficiently cooled you shal then come to him and first taking off his cloath you shal loose his garthes and take away his saddle which done you shal first with drie straw and then with drie cloathes rubbe his backe till there bee not one wet haire left then you shal lay on his cloath againe and girding it slacke with the sursingle you shal stoppe him rounde about the bodie with great wispes then you shal with hard wispes of straw and woollen cloathes rubbe all his
foure legges exceedingly then combe his maine and taile with a wette maine-combe take off his snaffle turn him to the maunger put on his coller sift and giue him his allowance of Oates and putting a bottel of hay in his racke let him rest with his litter vnder him till the euening then you shal hang the Saddle where the Sunne shines hottest that the pannel may drie and if the Sunne shine not then you shal drie it before the fire and then with a smal sticke beate the pannel and make it softe you shal also rubbe the stirroppes stirropp-leathers garthes and euerie buckle about the saddle exceeding cleane then in the euening about foure of the clocke you shal currie dresse rubbe picke annoynt water and feede him as hath beene formerlye shewed you in his dayes of rest keeping euerie tyttle and euerie obseruation Now if your horse be not for exercise but for labour and iourneying about your worldlye businesse you shal then thus prepare him first the night before you are to take your iourney about eight of the clocke as soone as you haue made cleane your stable rubd and littered your horse you shall first giue him as much watter as hee will drinke then a double allowance of prouender and as much hay as he will conueniently eate then you shall annoint all his foure leggs with traine oyle and see that his shooes be good strong rough easie and his feet wel stopt and so let him rest till verie earely in the morning at what time you shall currie and dresse him as sufficiently as in anie of his daies of rest then you shall gird on the saddle in which you meane to ride which would bee both easie light and square easie for your owne seate light that it may not suddainly make the horse sweat and square that it may not pinch gall or wound him when hee is sadled you shal giue him a little water but nothing nere so much as he would drinke and his full allowance of prouender which as soone as he hath eaten you shall bridle him vp and trusse his taile shorte aboue his houghes and so let him stand till you be readie to take your iourney After you are mounted you shall for the first houre or two in your iourney ride verie temperately as not aboue three mile an houre in which time your horse will bee resonably emptyed and then you may put him fourth as your iourney requires it shall be good if in your iourney you come to the descend of anye great Hil to light from your Horses backe and to walke downe the hill a foote taking occasion by standing still a while or by whistling to see if your horse will pisse which if he refuse to doe theÌ„ it shal be good for you your selfe to pisse vnder the horses bellie it wil without al question prouoke your horse to pisse you shal in your trauelling as neare as you can keep one certaine pace in your trauell and not one while galloppe another while amble or trot and another while go foote pace or stand still for there is nothing which either sooner tyres a horse or brings him to surfeites or takes froÌ„ him delight in his labour When you come within two or three or foure miles of the Inne where you meane to rest all night you shall in the conuenientest place you can finde as either in some running brooke or riuer or some faire fresh pond water your horse suffering him to drinke as much as hee will and in this watering of your Horse you shall obserue to ride him into the water a haÌ„dful at the most aboue the knees no further for to ride him vnder the knees will indanger the foundring him in his feete and to ride him vp to the bellie will hazard foundring him in the bodie After you haue watered your Horse you shall gallopp him gentlie vpon the hand for twelue score or there about and then in his ordinarie iourneying pace ride him to his Inne and as soone as you are lighted presentlye set your Horse vppe into the Stable by no meanes although it bee the generall custome of our Nation suffering anye Ostlers or idle Boyes to wash him for it is the onlie venemous poyson worst euill you can bestowe vppon your Horses bodie sometimes foundring him sometimes thrusting him into the fit of an Ague and when it workes the best yet it strikes such an inward cold into his bodie that the Horse is worse therefore sometimes for a yeare after when you haue set your Horse vppe tyed his head to the emptie racke and put greate store of litter vnder him you shall then first with drie wispes rubbe his bellye foreboothes vnder his flanks betwixt his thighes and bodie then shall you rubbe all his foure legges passing cleane with your handes wet in water scowring all grauell and durt both out of his Fetlockes pasterne and euerie other crannie which is about any ioynt especially 〈◊〉 the bottome of his brest betweene his forelegges and betwixt his ribbes and his elbowes also betweene his flanke and his bodie then with drie wispes you shall rub and make cleane his face head neck buttockes and euerie other member not leauing whilst there is one wet hayre about him then shall you with drie wispes make cleane his stirrops and stirrop leathers and vnloosing his garthes one by one make them cleane also then making your housing cloath â—die without which I would haue no keeper to ride if his horse be of anye estimation take off your saddle and with drie straw rub his backe verie soundly then laying a good deale of strawe vpon his backe gird his cloath ouer it with your fur single and stoppe him round about with great wisps then you shall vnlose his taile and if it bee durtie you shal wash it in a peale of water and after you haue wrung it well you shall tye a greate wispe of strawe within it to keepe it from his legges If you 〈◊〉 no housing cloath for your horse then you shall not so suddainelye remooue your Saddle but after your horse is sufficientlie rubd you shall then stoppe his garthes with great wispes round about Manye Horsemen vse as soone as they bring their Horse into the Stable to knit a thumbe roape of Hay or strawe as straite as may bee about the vpper part of the horses docke and doe imagine it will preseruâ— him from taking colde and doubtlesse it is verie good indeed After you horse is in this wise rubd dride and clensed from sweate and filthinesse you shall then take vp all his foure legs one after one with an Iron picke all the durt and grauell from betwixt his shooes and his feete and then stoppe them vppe close with Cowe-dung then you shall put into his Racke a pennye bottle of hay on which you shall let him towâ—e and pull with his bridle in his mouth st ll whilst you shake vp his litter hansomlye about him take
then take a haire cloath and rubbe his head face and necke all ouer then you shall turne vp all his cloathes and rub downe his bodie belly flanks buttocks legs then take his bridle and wette the snaffle eyther in Beare or Ale and put it on his head then trusse his cloathes warme and close about him and so lead him forth in your hand vp to the toppe or height of some hill where the winde blowes sharpest and the ayre is purest and both as you goe to the hill and when you are vppon the hill let the horse goe at his owne pleasure standing still and gazing when he list stretching himselfe forth gaping yawning tumbling and vsing what other gesture he pleases your selfe euer helping and cherishing him in whatsoeuer he dooth bseruing principally to giue him the libertie of his bridle and to intice him to smell to the ground and to the dung of other horses as you goe vp downe and you shall purposely seek out where other horses haue dung'd and leade him vnto it that he may smell thereon for it will mightily prouoke him to emptie his belly you shall if there be any tussocks of long grasse rushes or dead fogge leade him thereunto both that he may bathe his legges in the dewe which is verie wholsome for his limbes also prouoke him to pisse After you haue thus led him vp and downe for the space of two houres and more euen till you see the day begin to breake then you shall leade him home to the stable in the selfe same sort as you led him forth but by the way if whilst you thus ayre your horse you doe now and then spirte a little Vineger into his nostrels or sometime stop his nostrels with your hands it is passing good for it will both make him sneare and neese and also it will procure him a stomacke and make him hungrie if as you walke vp and downe you doe now then with your hand gripe him gently about the winde pipe betweene his chaules and compell him to cough it will bee exceeding good and you shall thereby finde if there bee anye grosenesse about the rootes of his tongue which stops or hinders his winde as thus If hee cough roughly it is a signe of grosenesse if hee cough roughly and after his coughing chawe with his chappes it is then both a signe of grosenesse and that he hath some disolued and loose matter which he breakes with coughing which if you finde you shal then vse to gripe him the oftner but if he cough cleare and without hoarnes then he is cleane and you shall gripe him the more seldome After you haue brought your Horse into the stable haue chaft and rubd his legs well you shall then feede and order him as shall bee heereafter declared Now looke how you ayred your horse in the morning before day in the selfe same manner you shall also ayre him at night after the day is departed onely instead of leading him vnto the height of some hill you shall leade him downe to some valley or meddowe neare to some riuer or running water that the coldenesse which comes from thence may enter and pierce him if at any time whilst you ayre your horse you finde him wantonly disposed you shall runne with him vp and downe and make him scope and play about you This ayring before and after day doth abate a horses flesh dries vp pursiuenesse and grose humors cleares the blood and makes his vitall spirrits more actiue Now if your horse be exceeding leane weake and in pouertie then you shal ayre him in the morning an houre or more after sun-rise in the same sort as you did before and also at night an houre or two before Sunne-set the pleasantnesse of which two seasons will prouoke such delight in the horse that hee will take pride in himselfe it will get him such a stomacke that you shall hardly ouer-feede him store of foode brings euer store of flesh and strength it will make him that he shall not take loath vnto his foode which is the onely impediment that attends a running horse but the sorer you feede the better shal be euer his disgestion and nature being pleasd with what she receiues will soone againe become strong and powerful But if your horse be of a right state of bodie that is neither too fatte nor too leane but of a full strength and perfection such as you knowe is fittest for the exercise whereunto you intend him then you shall ayre him euerie morning after day and before Sunne rise and euerie euening after Sunne-sett and before the closing in of the night for these indifferent and temperate times doe neither take so sore of nature that they bring it to any weakenesse neither adde so much to strength or appetite that they bring the flesh to any greater lust or increasment but holding one certaine stay keepe the bodie strong the winde pure and the inwarde spirrits full of life and chearefulnesse therefore euerie keeper of running Horses must knowe that by no meanes whilst his Horse is in strict dyet hee may not faile to ayre his Horse morning and euening after one of these th◠seuerall waies according to the state and constitution of the Horses bodye excepting onelye those daies wherein his Horse takes his breathing courses being assured that hee were better to forgett a meale of the Horses foode then an houre of his ayringes and since I haue thus shewd you the diuersity of ayrings I wil now proceede and shew you the diuersitie and natures of euerie seuerall foode meete for a Horses bodie First therefore you shall vnderstand that the principal foode whereupon a running horse is to be fedde most as the verie strength and cheefe substance of his life must be breade for it is of all other foodes most strong cleane healthfull of best disgestion and breedes the best blood wherefore for breade you shall make it after this manner Take of fine Oatemell well dryed foure pecke of cleane dride beanes two peckes of the best wheate two pecks of Rie two peckes let all these graines bee well mingled together groūd if possible vppon a paire of black stones thē boult the meale through a fine boulting cloath and kneade it with new Ale and the Barme well beaten together with the whites of at least an hundred egges Now if your horse as for the moste part running Horses are bee subiect to drynesse and costiuenes in his bodie then to these former quantities you shall adde at least three pound of sweet butter but not otherwise these you shal knead work together exceedingly first with handes after with feete by treading and lastly with the brake then couering it close with warme cloathes you shall let it lye two or three houres in the trough to swell then take it fourth and moulde it vp in greate loaues at least halfe a pecke in a loafe and so bake it like vnto
ordinarie Houshold breade Some Horsemen there bee which of my knowledge to this breade will mixe the powder of Lâ—oras or Annyseeds in greate quantitie but as once I said so say I still it is the moste vnwholsomest that can be and moste vnnaturall nor haue I seene anye horse winne but I haue seene many Horses loose which haue beene kept with such dyett The nature of this breade is onely to breede strength lust and good blood without pursiuenes grosenes or corrupting of the winde it is light and easie of disgestion and so not lying long either in the Horses stomacke or bellye is no impediment to the violence and furie of his labour Next vnto breade is dryed washt-meat as thus take two peckes of the best Oates spreading them vpon a cloath in the Sunne turne them vp and downe till they bee as drie as if they had beene dryed vppon a Kâ—lne then put them in a cleane bagge and either beat them with a fleale or vppon a hard floare as house-wiues beate Wheate till the vpper hulles be almost beaten off then winnowe them cleane and putting them into some clean vessell breake vnto them the whites of twentie or fortye egges wash the Oates and stirre them wel vp down therein then let them stand and soke all that night The next morning take foorth the Oates and spreade them in the Sunne vpon a cleane cloath till they bee drie againe This foode of all other is moste fine light and easie of disgestion t is moste soueraigne for the winde disoluing clensing away whatsoeuer is grosse or stoppes the entrance of those pipes The meetest time to giue this foode in is eyther immediately before or immediately after his labour the horse most meet for this foode is the grosse feeder the kettie or thicke winded Next to this foode is the Oates dride in the Sunne and beaten as aforesaid and then to bee steept for a day and a night in strong Ale and then dride in the Sunne This foode is exceeding comfortable and mooues life spirrit and chearefulnesse in a horse it helpes the winde something but not much and is moste meete to bee giuen a Horse that is leane or of a daintie and tender stomacke Now your last dride washt-meate is to take a couple of fine manchets well chipt and to cut them crosse wise into foure round toastes so toast them before the fier then steepe them for halfe an houre in Muskadine then taking them foorth lay them in warm cloathes before the fire and smother them till they be drie againe and so giue them to your horse This foode is a lustie and strong food chearing the blood the vital spirits of a horse it quickens the braine makes the minde wanton and actiue and so fils all the powers of a horse with alacritie and spirrit that if he be neuer so emptie yet he takes no dislike in his fasting it killes also the wormes in a horses bodye and makes that they doe not torment and gnawe him when he is much fasting yet this foode is not to be giuen often for feare of intoxicating the braine through the fume thereof but early in the morning before your horse goe to course if hee haue beene sicke or is poore in flesh or much subiect to take dislike or loath at his prouender Next to these dried washt meates are your moyst washt meats which are no other but these before named as Oates and whites of Egges Oates and Ale or Toasts and Muscadine so that they be giuen to a horse presently after they haue beene steept and are as wet as wet may be This foode is verie heartie coole and much loosening the bodie hauing onely this particular fault that it a little breedeth pursinesse and grosnesse wherefore it is to be giuen to a horse that is either weake sickely or subiect to drie much in his bodie it must be vsed for the most part medicinally for to make it a continuall food the verie fume therof would bring putrifaction to the brain and the moystnesse cause an vnnaturall scowring in his bodie Besides these foodes there is the eares of Pollard wheate to be giuen by two or three handfull together out of your hande for it prepareth and comforteth the stomacke and is to be giueÌ„ to a horse as the first thing he eateth after he hath beene coursed or warmed with any extraordinarie labour Now as touching Rie Mashes and such like because they are in the nature of scowrings I wil not couple them amongst the horses foodes hauing spoken sufficiently of them and their natures in the booke of hunting horses to which I referre you And thus much for the diuersitie of ayrings and the alterations foodes CHAP. 5. Of the seuerall kindes of sweates and of their vses SWeates are to bee giuen to a horse two seuerall wayes that is to say either naked or cloathed naked as eyther by exercise or labour or cloathed as by physicall helpes without much torment And because the labor of the running Horse is violent and sodaine without any indurance or deliberation in his exercise insomuch that a Horse being in any good state of bodie cannot sweate much or dissolue any parte of his inwarde grosse humours by so short an exercise it is therefore agreed vpon by all good Horsemen that aswell for preseruing the running horse from wearinesse in labour as also for bringing him to the best estate of a cleane bodie that he shall haue his sweats giuen him for the most part in his cloaths especially when he is so cleane that he will not sweate sodainly Nowe you shall vnderstande that sweates in cloathes are to bee giuen two seuerall wayes that is to say eyther abroade in the fielde or else standing still in the close Stable If you giue your Horse his sweate abroade in the fielde you shall doe it after this sort early in the morning after you haue rubbed him downe with your haire-cloath and gyrded his cloathes close rounde about him you shall put on his bridle and leade him foorth into some faire large Close or field and there mounting vpon his backe with his cloathes about him you shal galloppe him at a reasonable speede vppe and downe without ceasing till you finde all his heade necke and face to bee of an intire sweate then you shall ryde him to the Stable doore and there lighting from his backe set him vppe in Litter euen to the midde side then tie him vppe to the Racke and cast a cloath or two more ouer him couering his heade and necke all ouer also and so let him stande and sweate for an hower or more if you knowe him to bee verie fat and foule After hee hath sweate sufficientlye you shall then take off his cloathes one after another and another till by little and little abating his heat you make him leaue sweating then you shall rub him and feede him as shall be hereafter declared Nowe if your Horse haue either
if at any time either vpō the occasion of his course the giuing of medicine or any other necessitie you would haue his meate soone disgested you shal thē giue him no crust at al but al crum for that soonest passeth thorow him but if your horse be of dainty or tender nature subiect to quicke disgestion or if by reason of rest or to cōfort former toile takē you would haue him to retaine hold his meat long then you shall giue him more crust thē crum or els crust crum equally mixt together your loaues being onely sleightly chipt but the vpper part taken away only Lastly you shall euer obserue whē you dresse your horse to annoint all his foure legs frō the knees cambrels downward with linseed oile euer whē he comes frō his course or from any exercise to bath thē with pisse Saltpeter boild togither At fiue of the clock in the euening you shall come vnto him first making your stable cleane and putting away his dung you shal turne vp his cloath with a haircloth rub his face head necke buttocks flanks and belly then with hard wisps chafe his legs which done you shall giue him the like quantitie of bread as you did at noone and so let him rest till the houre of his euening ayring for you must vnderstand that as duly as a horse must be fed or drest so he must bee ayred at his fit houres morning and euening After you haue brought your horse frō ayring and haue chaft rub'd his legs well you may giue him a handful of bread or thereabouts no more so let him rest til 9. a clock at night at what time you shal come vnto him hauing rubd his bodie ouer with your haircloath and his legges with hard wispes you shall then giue him the ordinarie quantitie of breade tosse vp his litter make his bedd soft and so let him rest till the next morning and as you spent this day so you shall spend al other daies of your horses rest onely with this caution that if as you feede your horse you finde him at any time grow coy or refuse the foode you giue him then you shall alter his foode and in stead of bread giue Oates in stead of drie Oats wet Oats and when he is weary of wet oats to giue him drie Oates againe yet to make your maine foode indeed to be onely bread and to vse the other foodes but onely to make his appetite better to his bread If any man shall either thinke or in his experience finde that these quantities which I prescribe are too great he may at his discretion abridge them for in my iudgement when I consider the want of hay the sharpnesse of his ayrings and compare his howers of fasting with his howers of feeding I doe not finde any quantitie that can bee a better president After you haue thus kept your horse as is before shewd for the space of two dayes you shall the third day in steade of ayring him leade him in his cloathes to the place appointed for his course for it is to be intended that you must euer either through right loue or money haue your stable as nere to the staffe where your race must end as conueniently you can get it as in the next neighbouring village or such like place of conueniencie that your horse comming to knowe that hee euer runneth homeward he will with more willingnesse and spirit bestirre himselfe in his labour Assoone as you haue brought your horse to the staffe you shall let him smell thereto and if he wil you shall let him rub himselfe thereon or vse any other motion what he pleaseth then you shall leade him forward with all leasure and gentlenesse standing many times still both to prouoke him to dung and pisse and if hee will lie downe and tumble which horsmen call Freaning you shall not onely giue him leaue but also with the bridle reynes help him to wallow ouer and ouer but if as you leade him he refuse either to dung or pisse then beeing come to the place of start you shall vnloose his sursingle and breake the wispes open vnder his bellie for many horses will refuse to pisse for feare of sprinckling vpon his legges which fewe daintie horses will endure so that when hee perceiuesthe wispes to be vnder him he wil pisse instantly to that ende if he doe not offer at the first you shall leade him ouer them twice or thrice When hee hath pist you shall take some of the dryest wispes and chafe all his legges then you shall vnbinde his cloathes from before his breast putting them back set on your saddle which done you shall your selfe pisse in your Horses mouth which wil be an occasion that he wil work run with pleasure then you shal take away al his cloaths and deliuer them to the groome who may ride towardes the staffe with them then after you shall start your horse at more then three quarters speed run him ouer the course assoone as you are past the staffe you shal take him vp and stay him then trot him gently back to the staffe let him smell vpon it againe that by custom he may come to take an especiall notice of the place know that there is the end of his labor then you shall gallop and scope him gently vp and down to keep him warme vntil his clothes come then lighting frō his back cloathing him you shall ride him vp and downe till he be sufficiently cooled and then ride him home and set him vp in the stable close and warme casting another cloath ouer him thē hauing rubd his legs sufficiently let him stand being tied by his bridle vp to the racke for at least two or three howers or more then come to him if you find that his sweate is al dryed vp you shal take off the spare cloath and hauing stoped his sursingle about with soft wispes you shall giue him foorth of your handes a handfull or two of the eares of Pollarde wheat so let him stande till one of the clocke at noone at what time you shall bring vnto him a verye sweete Mash and giue it him to drinke After he hath drunke his mash you shall giue him two or three handfuls of oates washt in muskadine dride mingled with them a handfull or two of cleane drest hēpseed After he hath eaten them you shal then vncloath him and currie and dresse him as hath beene formerlye discribed then cloathing him vp warme againe let him stand til fiue of the clock at euening at what time you shall giue him a good quantity of bread which assoone as hee hath eaten you shall bridle him vppe and leade him foorth to ayre him of what state of bodie soeuer hee bee both because hauing in the morning endured greate toyle in his course it is requisite he should haue comfort in his
ayring and also that you may haue greate respect to his dung obseruing both the temper the colour and the slyminesse and whether there come from him anye grease or no which if hee doe auoide it is an apparant signe of his foulenesse if he doe not it is a good token of his cleanesse After his ayring you shall set him vp chafe his legges and giue him a handful of bread letting him stand till nine of the clocke at night at what time as you did in former nights so you shall nowe giue him a good quantitie of breade rub his head face necke hodie and buttocks with a haire cloath stirre vp his litter and so let him rest till the next morning obseruing according to the expence of these three daies so to spend the first fortnight coursing your horse euerie third day both that you may bring him to an acquaintaÌ„ce with his race also that you may come to the better iudgement of the state of his body for if in this first fortnight you find your horse to drie inwardly and grow costiue which is the natural fault of ruÌ„ning horses then you shall vse moist washt meat the oftner put more butter into your bred in time of necessitie giue him a handful or two of rye sodden but if you finde him naturally giuen to losenesse which is sildom found in this dyetting then you shal put no butter at al into your bread you shall feede him with washt meate wel dride and giue him wheat eares both before and after his ayrings you shal chip his bread little or nothing at all let it be baked somewhat the sorer Now after this first fortnights keeping if you finde your horse a little cleaner then he was that he is strong in good lust then both for your ayrings dressings dyetings watrings and other obseruations you shal in al things do as you did in the first fortnight onelye with this difference that in your coursings you shal not be so violent or draw him vp to so hye a speede as formerly you did but play with him and as it were no more but galloppe him ouer the race that thereby he may take pride delight in his labour onelye once in each weeke that is in the midle of each weeke beeing at least fiue daies betwixt one and the other if your horse be young strong and lusty you shall giue him a sweate in his cloathes either vpon the race which you must run or else vpon some other ground fit for the purpose but if your horse be old stiffe ortainted then you shal giue him the sweates in his cloathes within the Stable the manner of each sweate is in a former chapter described and these sweates you shall giue verie earely in the morning as an houre before sunne rise that he may be coolde haue his mash giuen him and be curryed and drest soone after eleuen a clocke in the forenoone the day following the latter of these two sweates you shall earelye in the morning before you goe forth to ayre him giue him the scowring of Muskadine Sallet-oyle and Sugar-Candie as is mentioned in the booke of hunting and then leade him forth ayre him but in any case keep him not forth aboue half an houre at the most but bring him home set him vp warm tye him so that he may lie downe lay him an handfull or two of Oates before him and so let him rest till twelue or one a clocke in the afternoone at what time you shall water him dresse him and feede him as you did in the former daies of his resting After this sweate thus giuen you shall euerie third day for exercise sake gallop your horse as gently ouer the race as may be onelie to keepe his legges nimble and his breath pure till the fourth day before the day of your wager vppon which day you shall giue your Horse a sound and as my Countriemen of the North tearme it a bloudie course ouer the race then after he is colde brought home as soone as you haue chaft his legges well you shal take a mussell made of Canuase or Leather but Canuase is the better of which mussell I haue spoken more particularlie in the booke of hunting This mussell you shall put vpon your horses head fasten it between his eares yet before you put it on you shall throw into it the powder of Annyseedes wel beaten in a morter which is all the spice you shall vse about your horse and euerie time you take off or put on the Mussel you shall put more powder in This powder of annyseede is for the horse to smel vppon because it openeth the winde-pipe and sometimes to licke vppon because it comforteth the stomacke and strengthneth a horse in his fasting you shall also haue diuers mussels that when your horse with his breath and such like moist vapors hath wet one made it noisome you may then put on another which is drie and so keepe him sweete and cleanely washing his foule Mussell and drying it before the fire that it may serue at another season After you haue musseld vp your horse that he can eate nothing but what you giue him you shall let him rest for an houre or two and take away the wheate-straw from his racke not suffering him to haue any more racke meate till the wager bee past After hee hath stood two houres you shall come to him and giue him two or three handfâ—ll of wheate eares and after them a sweete mashe then mussel him vp againe and let him stand till it be betwixt twelue and one a clocke in the after noone at what time you shall first take off his cloath and currie dresse him verie sufficientlye then hauing cloathed him vp warme againe you shall take off his Mussell and giue him out of your hand bit by bit to the valewe of a pennie white loafe of your dyet bread then you shall giue him in a clean dish the valew of a quart of water theÌ„ you shall giue him as much more breade then offer him as much more water and thus giuing him one while breade another while water giue him a good meale according to the constitution of his bodie and the strength of his appetite then put on his Mussell and so let him stand till betwixt fiue and sixe of the clock in the euening at what time you shal take your horse foorth to ayre him and after he is ayred you shall bring him home and hauing chaft his legges you shall take a cleane boule or tray of wood for you must vnderstand after your horse is put into the mussell you shall suffer him no more to eate in the maunger and into that boule or tray you shall put a good haÌ„dful of Oates washt in the whites of egs dride which if you perceiue he eates verie greedilye you shall then giue him another handfull and so a third then in a dish you shall offer him a
therefore it is the part and duty of euery good Farrier diligently to search into these seuen famous naturall simples whereof a horse is made that knowing which element is in the horses body most predominant then which temper agrees with which element which humor with which temper which member is infected with which humor which power is vndistributed into which member and lastly which spirit is weakned by the ouerworkeing of which power he may apply all his receyts and medecines according to art and the composition of his horses bodie CHAP. 2. Of the Sinews Veines and Bones of a Horse ALthough some of our English horsemen wil allow a horse but thirtie foure maine sinewes yet I haue fouÌ„d many moe and much difference from the discriptions I haue read in some authors for although Vegetius deriues two maine sinews from the mid no strell to the crooper I find it is not so but there is one mayne tendant or sinewe which comming from the braine and hinder-part of the horses head extendeth two smaller branches on each side the cheekes of the horse which running along the chapps meet at the horses nostrells then doth that maine sinew extend it selfe downe the necke bone of the horse running through euery ioynt thereof in many small branches till it come to the setting on of the chine where the maine sinew is deuided into three great arms one running through his chine and deuiding into seuerall thrids through euery ioynt of his backe knits binds his ribs the other two down each side of his shoulders euen to the bottome of his fore-hoofes and is deuided into fortie seuerall branches now when the maine sinew of his backe comes to the binding togither of his huckbones it there againe deuides it selfe into other three great sinews two runing crosse-wise downe his hinder leggs to the bottome of his hoofs and are likewise deuided into fortie branches the other goes still forward downe to the end of the sterne of his tayle deuiding into euery seuerall ioynt many seuerall branches so that to speake generally of all the sinews they are infinit and almost without number but to speake particularly of principall sinewes they are eleuen that is first two which runs through the chaps and compasse in the teeth which is the occasion of toothach two that meet at the nostrels one downe the neckbone two downe the shoulders and leggs and downe the backe two downe the huckelbones and hinder parts and one downe the rumpe Now for veines which are of vse and by striking of them bring health to the horse there are in number one and thirtie that is to say two in the vpper part of his mouth two in his temples two vnder his eyes one of each side his necke two vnder his fore-shoulders two in his brest foure in his thighs two in his pasternes two aboue his hoofes on the cronets foure in his flankes two in his hams two in his hinder legs and one vnder his tayle Now for the bones of a horse although other authors haue writ as perfectly of them as I am any way able to doe yet I will not sticke here to repeate them wherefore first you shall vnderstand a horse hath in all a hundred threescore and tenne bones that is to say in the vpper part of his head two bones from the forehead to the nose two bones his nether iawes two bones of fore-teeth 12 of â—ushes foure of grinders foure and twentie in his necke seuen from the withers to the huckle bones eight from the huckle bones to the tayle seuen then the broad bone behind with twelue Seames two spade bones then two to the canell bones then two from thence to the first ioynt aboue the legs then two to the knees from thence two to the pasternes and from thence downe into the hoofes sixteene little bones one brest bone thirty sixe ribs great and small two bones to the Columell two from the molairs to the ioynts and two towards the ribs from the hough to the legge two small bones and from the leg to the forcels two small bones and from the pasternes to the hoofes sixteene little bones and thus much for sinews veines and bones CHAP. 3. Of Horses vrine and of his excrements THere is no better note nor caracter that a Farrier can take of the state of a horses bodie or wherein hee may plainely see the true visage of infirmity and sicknes then in a horses vrine or excremeÌ„ts because that they participating of the inward powers and faculties of the bodie alter and change their colours and tasts as the body altereth with the paine of infirmitie and sicknes you shall know therefore that first as touching vâ—ines if when your horse pisseth his water be of a pale yellow color not transparent that is to say bright and cleare that a man may see thorow it but of an indifferent thicknes an vnoffensiue smell then you may bee assured the horse is sound strong and full of lust but if his vrine bee of a bright high amber colour inclyning some what to redishnes then you must know that his bloud is inflamed and hee hath either taken surfait of raw foode or else beeing heated hath taken some sodaine cold which hath bred putrifaction corruption in his bloud bringing forth the effects of Feuers Yellows Anticâ—r or such like If his vrine looke like bloud or haue lost the strength of his sauor you must then vnderstand your horse hath beene ouerlaboured and with too violent exercise hath distempered his bloud and bred corruption about his liuer whence springs many faint diseases as the Apolexie or Palsie consumption of the flesh and such like If your horses vrine haue like a white creame vpon the toppe of it it is a signe of putrifaction infirmity in his kidnies whence comes the paine and consumption in the kidneis if his vrine be of a greenish colour thicke muddie it is a signe of weake reines and the consumption of the seede if his vrine be of a high redish colour very thicke cloudy and the grosnes as it were bound togither it is a signe of death and mortalitie shewing that nature hath giuen ouer her working but if the blacke thickenesse hold not togither but disperse into sundry places it is a signe that nature as it were reuiues and euen conquers infirmities many other obseruations there are but for my owne part because I haue found some vntruths in them I will not set them downe for rules Now for the excrements I haue both in the booke of hunting and runing discried the vttermost properties and secrets which can any way bee found out by them and therefore in this chapter wil not loade your eares with that which I haue formerly written CHAP. 4. Of letting of Horses bleod the time the cause and the signes which desire it should be vsed TOuching the letting of horses bloud both the Farriars of former times and those now in our dayes are of
perceiued more violently and haue greater shoes of paine sicknes differing absolutely but in this effect which is the horse neuer shiuereth or shaketh as hauing the effect of coldnesse but continually bourneth as being vniuersally distempered with heat glowing which you shall plainely perceiue by his continuall desire to drinke and sciple neuer satisfied till the colde water be in his mouth and by laying your hands vpon his fore leggs vnder his knees or vpon the temples of his head which two places will bowne more then any other parts of his body The cuer of this pestilent Feuer though our Farriers hold it incurable is thus First you shal let him blood in the neck vein theÌ„ you shall lay to the â—eÌ„ples of his head this plaister Take of the iuice of Camomile 4. spoonefulls of Goats milke 4. spoonefulles of the iuyce of Sage foure sponefulles and of sallet oile foure spoonefulles then take a handfull of dride rose leaues whethér of a rosecake or otherwise and be ate all these in a morter till it be made one substance then take foure spoonfulles of strong wine vineger and with it stirre them altogether and if it be very thinne then take as many moe rose leaues and beat with them till it be as thicke as a plaister then spred it vpon a cloth and strow vpon it the powder of three or foure nutmegges then warme it hote vpon a chafing dish and coales and apply it to the horse as aforesaid then you shall gine him to drink water boild with Violet leaues Mallowes and Sorrell but if the fit hold him violently you shal take three ounces of lane treackle and dissolue it in a pinte of Malmsey and put thereto the iuyce of two or three Lemans and giue it him in a horne to drinke and it will presently put away the fit the nature of this Feuer beeing so pestilently hotte is to furre the mouth and to breed vlcers and sorenes both in the mouth and throat wherefore you shall carefully euery day looke in his mouth and if you perceiue any such thing take but the sirrop of Mulberries and with a small squirt strike it into his mouth and it will heale the sore immediately for it is of such vertue that a man once knowing it will hardly be without it but if you cannot get the sirrop of Mulberies then take a pinte of running water boile therin two ounces of allom and halfe a handfull of Sage and with that wash the sore place and it will heale it If the heate and drines of this disease keepe the horse so costiue that he can by no meanes dung you shall then onely giue him this Glyster Take of new milke halfe a pint of sallet oile a pinte and halfe a pinte of the decoction of Mallowes and violet leaues and to them put an ounce of sence and halfe an ounce of ceÌ„tuarie administer it luke warme with an elder pipe made for the purpose and these remedies I assure you will not onely helpe this Feuer but also many mortall and dangerous diseases also diuers other medicines are prescribed for this Feuer by other authors but the simples are so strange and the compositions so phantasticall that for mine owne part I haue carried the receits to skilfull Apothecaries who haue vtterly disavowd the knowledge of such simples so that after I could neuer giue credit to the practise The last Feuer is called the Feuer accideÌ„tall because it is a Feuer which comes by the violence and paine of some grie uous receiued wound and of all Feuers it is most coÌ„mon and most dangerous for when wounds are accoÌ„ panied with Feuers the horse seldome escapes death and for mine owne part I cannot boast of any great cure I haue done in this case onely my rule hath been to keepe the vitall parts as strong as I coulde with coÌ„fortable drinks made of Ale aniseeds sugercandie to giue him to eat half a doozeÌ„ sops or tosts steept in Muscadine according to the forme before shewed in the book of running-horses this I assure my selfe if the wound be curable will take away the Feuer thus much for the cuer of Feuers CHAP. 7. Of the Pestilence or Gargill THe Pestilence howsoeuer other authors do seriously write both of it and the causes froÌ„ whence it springes as from labour hunger sodaine motion after rest surfeit corruption of humors corruption of aire vapors exhalations influence of planets and such like yet I say if I knowe the pestilence it is plainely that which we call amoÌ„gst men the plague amongst beasts the murreÌ„ amongst horses the gargill it proceedes from surfeit and rawe disgestion after proud keeping ingendring corrupt poysonous humors or els from the infection of the aire or the foode whereon the horse feedeth it is ofal diseases most infectious and mortal and for mine own part I haue had no perfect experience of it but onely in young foales which are apt to take it especially if they be wained too yong the signes to know it is the sides of their heads euen to the rootes es their eares so downe all vnder their chaps will swell exceedingly and be wondrous hard their eyes the inside of their lippes wil be very yellow and their breathes will bee strong and noysome Now you must vnderstand that when these outward signes appeare then the disease is incurable so that to set down theresore any cuer is a thing impossible only this is the best preuentioÌ„ to giue your foales for 3. daies together both at the fall of the leafe and the spring euery morning 3. or 4. slipps of Sauen as is shewd in the book of breeding but if this disease happen to horses of elder age which is surest knowne by the losse of that horse which first dyeth then you shall seperate the sound from the sicke and putting them into a fresh aire after they haue beene let blood both in the necke veines and their mouthes you shall then giue ech of them to drinke halfe a pinte of sacke and halfe a pinte of sallet oile mingled together the next morning after you shall giue euery one of them a pinte of strong ale and the shauings of the yellow tips of the old staggs horne or the shauings of the yellow tippe of the sea-horse tooth both which if you cannot readily get then you shall giue theÌ„ strong ale and treakle boild together to ech a good draught and doubt not but it will both expell and preuent the force of the infection As for Aristoloch Gentian Mirh and such like which some prescribe to bee giuen for this disease I do not thinke the authours thereof euer sawe the practise nor will I counsaile any man to trye them knowing the former to be sufficient CHAP. 8. Of the inward diseases of the head and first of the head ach THe head of a horse is subiect to diuers diseases according to the inward compositions thereof as from the pannickle
which couers the braine comes head-ach rhumes and mygrams from the braine frenzie sleeping euill and palsies and from the conduites of the braine come the staggers night-mare cramp catarres and such like but first to speake of the headach it is a disease that most commonly pro ceedes of a cholericke humour bred in the pannickle or els of some outwarde cause as of a blow of colde or ill sauors the signes thereof is only heauines of countenance watring of his eies forbearance of his food the euer is take either Storax or Frankinscence and throw it vpon a chafing dish and coals vnder the horses nose so that the smoak may ascend vp into his head and when he is thus perfumed you shall binde to his temples the same plaster which is formerly set downe for the pestilent feuer and questionles it will help him in twice or thrice applying CHAP. 9. Of Frenzie or Madnesse in Horses MAdnes is a fault very much incident to horses and I haue had much experience thereof and as farre as I can cōiecture it proceeds only frō the torment of the brain or pannickle whē they are either corrupted with naughty bloud or inflamed with the heate of poisonous humors many other discriptions the antient Italians make of the frenzie of a horse saying it proceeds not from the head alone but sometimes from the torment of the heart liuer or spleene which a man may know by a horses bitting and tearing of his own flesh and with his feet beating vpon his body but for such mad horses as I haue seene their madnes hath issued from the braine onely and the signes from whence I haue gathered it haue beene these they wil haue heauy countenances but fiery eyes they will beat their owne heads against the walles bite at any thing sodēly and as they stand they will gnawe vpon the manger when they lie they will lay their fore-legges ouer their heads and now and then beate their heads with their legs they will forsake all foode or if they do eate they will snatch their meate hastily and seldome chew it the cuer is to let thē blood very much in the shackle veins to draw the humors frō the vpper parts then to take halfe a pinteo fmilke and halfe a pint of sallet oile mingled together and giue it him to drink three mornings together which don other three mornings you shall take halfe a handfull of Sage halfe a handfull of Minte and halfe a handfull of hearbe of grace boile them in a quarte of white wine till it come to a pinte then straine it hard and giue it the horse to drink luke-warme and during these sixe dayes let him bee fed with bread made of beanes and rie but by no meanes let him haue so much as hee will eate let him also drinke no cold water and let his stable be kept exceeding darke and warme if for this disease you giue him to drink mans ordure and wine mixt together it is very good or to chafe all his body ouer with blacke Elleborus boild in vinegar is good also especially to chafe his head and temples as for gelding him or burning him vpon the head with hote irons I like it not for it is against rule to a horse of good temper will bring madnes CHAP. 10. Of the sleeping euill or lethargie THis sleeping euil or lethargy in a horse proceedeth of cold fleame moisture about the braine dulling the sences bringing a drowsie heauines ouer the whole body the signes is onely his cōtinuall sleeping from which with great industry hee will hardly be reclaimed the cuer there of is thus first let him be kept waking with noises and affrig his whe ther he will or no then let him blood in the neck vein and giue him to drinke water wherein is boyled Sage Camomile and motherworte and mingling with it Salte Vineger and wheate bran after he hath drunke this three morningstogether you shall then perfume him by blowing into his nostrils the powder of strong Tobacco wel dryed and you shall chafe his head with Tyme and Pennitiall sodden together in vineger also to burne brimstone vnder his nose is very good and in his prouender to giue him hempseede is very good and in his oates you shall put fennell seedes and parsley seedes many other medicines there are but none more effectuall then these already named CHAP. 11. Of a horse that is taken AHorse that is taken our common Farriers say to be planet strooke and to be as it were lamed or benūbd of his sences by some supernaturall influence and therefore hold it altogether vncurable but they are deceiued fot a horse is said to be taken when he is sodainely depriued of his feeling and mouing and it proceedeth sometimes from the imperfection of the braine when it is either opprest in the hinder parte from whence the great maine sinew of the whole body goes with too much fleame or too much choller but most generally oft nest it cometh by some extream or sodaine colde which after some great heat striking into the veines ouercommeth all naturall heate and bringes insensiblenes The signes are numbnes wāt of motion and the cuer is thus first you shal giue him the scowring of butter and garlicke as is shewd before in the book of hunting horses then you shall take Aqua vitae and beeing warmde vpon a chafing dish and coales let two or three groomes chase and rub him therewith ouer all his body which done lap clothes made most exceeding hotte round about him and letting him haue good store of litter force him into a sweat after he hath swet an hower or there about mo derately bate his clothes and then annoint him all ouer with oile debay and it is not to be doubted but he will recouer his former feeling Some of our auntient Farriers in this case haue laide the horse all saue the head in a soft dunghill till warmth sence come into the horses limbes and it is not contrary to the cuer yet I haue found it better by much for the cōuulsion of sinewes or crampes then for this disease and nothing neare so good as the former remedie If your horse when he is thus taken be leane poore and faint then it shall be good for you to giue him to drinke euery morning a pinte of Malmesey brewde with the powder of sugar cynamon and cloues and warmed vpon the fier his dyet during the cuer woulde bee thinne his prouender oats and his drinke warme water CHAP. 12 Of the staggers THe Staggers is a dizines in the head proceeding from corrupt blood and grosse humors poysoning the braine by which many times it driueth a horse into frenzie and madnes The signes thereof is heauines of head and countenance dimnes of sight forsaking of his meat staggering and reeling as he goes and sometimes falling downe and beating of his head piteously against the walles manger and plaunchers wherein is to bee
noted that when he only reeleth the disease is easy to be cured but if he fall and grow mad then the cuer is almost desperate how euer thus you shall endeuour to cuer it First you shall let him blood in the temple veines and then you shall take foure spoonefulles of Aqua vitae and as much of the iuyce of garlicke and mixing them together warme them vpon the fire therewith chafe all the horses forehead and the napp of his necke then take two little round balles of flaxe or soft towe and dipping them therein stop them into the horses eares then with a needle and a threede stitch the tips of his eares together and do thus for 3. mornings together and the cuer wil be perfited yet during the cuer let him drinke no colde water but warme mashes of water and ground malte let him once a day be walkte vp and downe gently There bee some Farriers and my selfe haue often vsed it do cut the horse in the forehead vpon the rumpe and in the nape of the neck and to taint the places with turpentine and sallet oil or for want of oile with hogs grease but when I found how much the first receite went beyond this I left the practise thereof and the rather because it was foule and tedious CHAP. 13. Of the falling euill or falling sicknes THis disease of the falling euill I haue more read of in ould Italian authours and heard more talkt vpon by gentlemen traind vp to horssemanship in those cuntries thē either seen or takē notice offor I haue not in al the disea ses I haue known seen any I could compare vnto it so that what I write thereof is other mens opinions not my practise for I think a man may liue in England Nestors yeares before he see a horse fall into such an euill but to proceede to the disease Absirtus saith it is an infirmitie like a conuultion or crampe taking from a horse at certaine times all sence and feeling making him fall downe and loose the benefit of all his sences Vigetius saith the moone is a great worke-mistris in this disease in so much that a horse at sometimes of the moone will fall downe and be to outward appearance dead then on a sodaine againe rise to his meate and eate the signes thereof are his falling downe sodainly through the weakenes of his members and distention of sinews the quiuering of his body and foaming at his mouth if the grissell of his nose be colde it is a signe he will fall often if it be warme he will fall more seldome the cuer according to the Italians is first to let him blood in the neck veins and the temple veins then keeping him warme to annoint his body al ouer with the oil Petrolium his head ears with oile de-bay liquid pitch and tarre mingled together and to put some into his eares also thē by making him a canuasse cap quilted with wool to keep his head exceeding warme and then to giue him this drinke take of Raddish rootes two ounces of the hearb Panap and of Scamony of each one ounce beat them together and boile them in a quarte of hony and as oft as it is needfull giue him a spoonfull or two of it in a quarte of ale luke warme and put thereunto three or foure spoonefulles of sallet oile it is also good to blow the powder of mother-worte and pirethrum vp into his nostrilles and if this help not then to let out the humor by piercing the skinne of his forehead with a hot iron in many places CHAP. 14. Of the Apoplexie and Palsey THis Apoplexie differeth in outwarde appearance nothing from the falling euill for it is a depriuing of the whol body offence aad mouing but if it depriue but parte of the body or but one member then it is called a palsey it differeth from the falling euill but onely in this that the falling euill is a disease proceeding generally from the sicknesse of the whole body this only from the distemperature of the braine where grosse and fleamie humors are cropen in betwixt the pannackle and the braine but for mine owne part I haue neuer seene in horses this Apoplexie nor do I hold it a disease incident vnto them but that auntient horsemen seeing other diseases more violent at one time then an other or in one horse more then an other haue out of the ripenes of their wits giuen to such passions new names of diseases as when a horse hauing but only the staggers hath fallen down and as ordinarily they will doe layne for a little space as if he had bin dead they haue presently cōiectured it to be the falling sicknes or Apoplexie by which titles a man may very properly at any time terme the staggers Now for the palsey that I haue oft seene and it is muchincidētto horses chiefly to hūting horses in their first trayning or to rūning horses that come after tender keeping to take so den heats colds in hūting the signes are they will hold their necks awry go groueling sidelong and reeling they will haue most feeble legges and painefull heads which they will shew by shaking it yet notwithstanding they will eate their meate with all greedines The cuer is first anoint them all ouer their bodies with the oil Petrolium then with splents of wood binde the necke straight and making his stable very warme giue him this drinke take halfe an ounce of long pepper beaten to powder of Cedar two ounces of Nitre an ounce of Lacerpitiū as much as a beane and giue it him to drink in a quart of white wine ech morning a pinte for two mornings together and it will ease the palsey CHAP. 15. Of the witch or night-mare THis disease hapneth ofte vnto horses and foolish smiths thinke such horses are ridden with the witch and that the disease is supernatural and therefore some of them goe about to cuer it by hanging a naked sword ouer the horse all night as if it would scarre the diuell other seek to euer it by charms and night-spelles such as Maister Blundeuile for laughter sake repeats in his book which is to take a flint stone that naturally hath a hole in it and hang it ouer the horse and write in a bill In nomine patris c. Saint George our Ladies knight He walked day so did he night Vntill he her found He her beate and he her bound Till truly her troth she him plight That she would not come within the night There as Saint George our Ladies knight Named was three times Saint George And to hang this ouer the horse also This bable I know at this day is vsed of many ignorant smithes to cosen men of money but to speake of the truth of the disease indeede though some hold there is no such infirmitie yet I know by experience it is otherwise for it is a passion of the stomacke which being cloid with cruditie and rawe
the blacke as may be for feare of making the horsse bleere eyed thē wash the sore with the water of eye-brighte with white wine or with beare and it will doe well CHAP. 22. Of Lunatike or Moone eyes LVnatike eyes or Moone eyes though the antient Italian horsmen could giue no reason or signes of them yet I know this by mine owne experience that they proceede from hote salt humours dispersed and distilled frō the braine by ouer riding or other violent and extreame exercise the signes are hee will see at sometimes of the Moone better then at other sometimes whence comes the name of the disease his eyes when they are at the best will looke reddish when at the worst red and fiery the cure is first vppon the temples of his head yow shall lay the plaster of pitch rossen and masticke as is afore showed then with an yron somewhat bigger then a wheate-strawe you shall burne vpon the balle of his cheekes vnder his eyes on each side three holes to the bone and annoynt them dayly with a little fresh butter and if you please you may in stead of those holes slit the skine with a knife and put in a rowell of leather as shall be showed you hereafter where I speake of row elling After the sore hath runne eight or ten dayes yow shall heale it by taking away the rowell laying on the sore a plaster made of turpentine honey and waxe of each like quantity boyld together and during the time that the sore doth runne you shall twice a day put into his eye with a feather a little life honey and feare not the amendement CHAP. 23 Of the Canker vlcer and Fistula in the eye THis disease proceedeth from the salte humours and corruption of the bloode descending downe from the head into the eye the signes whereof are the eye white redde and bloody and vpon the eye-lids will be little angry redde pimples from whence will runne a kind of lie or water which will scalde the checke as it passes and the eye it selfe will bee full of gumme and corrupte yelllow matter the euer is first to let him blood on that side of the neck on which the eye is sore then with a very smale fine instrument of steele or siluer you shall search all the pimples to see if you can find any hole or hollownes amongst them and if you find any you shall search the depth thereof then make a tente fitte for the hole and dippe it in the water I before prescribed for the pinne and webbe and so put it to the bottome of the hole euery other day making the tent shorter and shorter till the hollownes bee filled but if you find no hollownes then you shall twice a day rubbe the pimples with this water till they bee bloody and rawc take of Rochallome of greene Coporas of each a quarter of a pound of white Coporas halfe an ounce and boile them in somewhat more then a pinte of running water till halfe be consumed then take it from the fire and when you apply it to the sore eye let it be luke warme and in foure or fiue dressings it will dry vp the Vlcer CHAP. 24. Of diseases belonging to the eares of a horsse and first of the laue eares or hanging eares THis disgrace of beeing laueearde albeit it is not a payne or griefe to the horsse yet it is so foule a sore both to the eye of the owner and to euery behoulder that it euen drowneth and obscureth al other vertues whatsoeuer it is an infirmitie proceeding from nature it is ingendred in the first creation and although few of our Fariers either haue indeuored themselues or know how to helpe it yet such hath bin mine earnestnesse to know the vttermost secret in that art that by trying many conclusions in the ende I hitte vpon a certeine cure for the same and haue within haue within this little space helpt sundry horses for the signe thereof the name is sufficient and it will plainely showe it and the cure is thus take your horses eares and place them in such maner as you would desire they should stande and then with two little boards or peeces of trenchers three fingers broad hauing long strings knit vnto them bind the eares so fast in the places wherein they stand that by no means or motion they may stirre then betwixt the head and the roote of the eare you shall see a great deale of wrinkled empty skinne which with your finger and your thumbe you shall pull vp and then with a very sharp payre of sizers you shall clip away all the emptie skinne close by the head then with a needle and a little redde silke you shall stitch the two sides of the skinne close together and then with a salue made of Turpentine waxe Deares suet and honey of each like quantitie melted together heale vp the sore which done take away the splents which held vp his eares and you shall see his eares will keepe the same place still as you sette them without any alteration this is as certain as the healing of a cut finger CHAP. 25. Of the Impostume in the eare ALL Impostumes come either from blowes brusinges or gathering together of many grosse humours in one place and of all impostumes there is none worsse then that bredd in the eare of a horsse because proceeding from the braine it many times corrups the same the signe thereof is only the apparant showe and the cure is this take a handfull of Sorrell and lapping it in a Burre-docke leafe lay it in hot bourning imbers and roste it as you would rost a warden then taking it forth of the fire opening it apply it as hote as is possible to the Impostume which is within the eare shifting it euery day till it hath both ripened and broke the Impostume which the yelke of an egge wheate flowre honey and hearbe of grace will do also when it is broken and the corruption well come forth then you may heale the sore with the salue made of Turpentine waxe hony and Deares suet but if you find the horsse haue paine in his eare but no swelling then you shall only stoppe his eare or eares with blacke woole dipt into the oile of Camomile and it will helpe him CHAP. 26. Of the Poll euill or Fistula in the Necke THis disease is an Impostumation like a Fistula growing betwixt the eare and the poll or nape of the neck and is bred by flemie and grosse humours gathered together in that part or else by some bruse or straine taken either by some blow or by some halter or necke-band for that part of all parts about the head is most tender this disease is most incident to cart horsses because the rudenesse of clownes seldome respect where they strike the signe thereof is the horse will carry his nose outright and his necke stiffe you shall also perceiue the swelling which in the end will breake
of it selfe although naturally it rotte more inwardly then outward the cure is to ripen it either with rosted sorrell or with rotten litter or else with scalding hote hogs-grease making him a cap to keepe his necke warme when it is almost ripe and ready to breake you shall take a small round hote yron and thrust it from the nether side of the swelling vp to the toppe where it is most ripe so that the corruptiō may haue issue downward then you shall make a tent of drie spunge and dipping it in hogs grease and turpentine molten toge ther thrust in the tent as you thrust in the yron this tent will keepe open the whole be low then you shall lay vpon the tent the plaster of waxe turpentine and honey and thus you shall dresse him twice a day till he be whole obseruing not to tent with drye spunge any longer then whilst you would keepe the wound open if you finde it heale but softly you shall take of turpentine washt in nine waters a quarter of a pound and put to it the yolke of an egge and a little english saffron and mixing them well together tent the sore therewith till it be whole CHAP. 27 Of the the Viues or great Kirnels The Viues are certaine great kirnels which growe from the root of the horsses eare downe towards his throat betwixt his neck and his nether chappe they are inwardlie full of little white graynes like salte cornes there is no horsse but hath them only they are not painefull till grosser humours resorting to that part inflame them and make them swell the signe is onely the swelling which is apparant and the cure is thus apply vnto them either rosted sorrell or els a plaster of pitch hogs-grease molten and boild together till such time as the Kitnels rotte and breake and with the selfe same medicine also heale them againe Now for as much as our common Fariers vse for this griefe with a hote yron to draw a line from the the eare to the chappe and then to crosse those lines with other lines after the fashion of a ragd staffe and then pulling the Kirnels out with a pair of pinssers to cut them away and then onely to fill the hole with salte I would haue you know it is a very foule maner of cure and dangerous besides be he neuer so cunning that doth it that parte of the necke will neuer bee so slender as it was before nor will the markes of the hot iron euer be taken away CHAP. 28. Of the cankerous vlcer in the nose THis disease proceedeth from salte hotte fretting humours occasioned by corruption of blood kidneies or the vessels of seede which is so poysonous and sharpe that it not onely consumeth the flesh but also if it bee not preuented will eate throgh the grissell of the nose there is nothing which sooner brings it then surfeit of rawe meat or extreame cold the signes be you shall see much blacke and putrified blood come from his nose and somtimes yellow disiested matter which will stinke vildely The cuer is take of greene Coperis and Allome a like quantitie as of each a pound of Venis turpentine white Coperis of ech a quarterne boile them in a pottle of running water till almost halfe be consumed then take it from the fier and strayne it and put thereto halfe a pinte of life honey and a quarter of an ounce of Safron then holding vp the horses head with a squirte you shall squirt this confection made luke warme into his nostrilles then let his head go downe that hee may throw out the filth and after you haue done thus three or foure dayes if then you see the matter is not so aboundant as it was you shall neede then but onely by fastning a soft cloute about a sticke to dippe it into the confection and thrust it vp into his nose dressing him so twice a day til the sore be whole CHAP. 29. Of bleeding at the nose HOrses are as subiect to bleede at the nose as men are and the selfe same causes procure it as when the vein which endeth in the nose is either opened or broken by any blowe or stroake vppon the face or by any violent strayning of the body as by extreame labouring when the horse is not cleane as I haue seene a horse at the end of his course gush forth of bleeding or as I haue seene when a horse cannot dung the very strayning himselfe hath made his nose bleede sometimes the very buandance of blood and pride of good keeping wil make the nose bleede but that is euer in yong horses the signe to know it from the vlcerous nose is the blood will bee cleare and of a pure colour the other blacke and filthie The cuer is to take clothes dipt in cold water and apply them one after another to the nape of his necke and the temples of his head and it will staunch the blood or digg vp a sodde of earth and lay it to the nape of the horses neck and it will staunch it also but if these faile take a porrenger full of his blood and boile it vpon the fier till it come to a powder then with a cane blowe the powder into his nostrills and it will staunch the blood but if your horse be much subiect to bleeding and bleede often then I woulde haue you to let him blood in the necke veine to alter the course of the blood and stop his nostrills full of hogs dung for that is very good to staunch blood CHAP. 30 Of the diseases of the mouth and first of the bloody rifts in the pallat of the mouth THis griefe I haue seene come diuers waies as if you suffer some foolish smith to drench your horse ofte and he by his rude handling as they seldome take care do with the corde wherewith hee holdes vp the horses mouth gall or frette the skin off vpon his barres or roofe of his mouth then letting it passe vnlookt to the sore will fret and turne to this disease or if your horse be vsed to eate rough stumpie hay which growing in whinnie grounds is ful of sharp prickes and stumpes those prickes and stumps wounding and galling the pallat of his mouth will make it ranckle and bleede and vtter forth much corruption The cuer whereof is thus first wash the sore place with vinegar salte till it be raw then take honey well mixt with the powder of iet rub it vp on the sore and it will soone heale it CHAP. 31. Of the bladders or Gigges in a horses mouth THese Bladders or Gigges are little swellinges like paps which grow vpon the inside of a horses lippes next to a horses great Iawe teeth they haue litle blacke heads and are so painefull that they will make a horse forsake his meate and how euer some thinke they come either by eating too much grasse or by grosse dusty or pricking meate yet it is not so for
ouer loading of a horsse vpon the fore shoulders by some great cold taking or when a horsse hath layne with his necke awry as either ouer the gruppe-tree behind the planchers or in the field ouer some moale hill or in some hollowe furrow the signes are a horse can sometimes not stirre his necke any way some times but one way and from these Crickes many times come Feuers and other inward sicknes The euer is not according to the opinion of old Martin drawe him alongst each side of the necke from the roote of the eare to the brest a straw bredth deepe and then to put a rowell in his forehead annointing it with hogs-grease for it is grosse sauors nothing of good arte but you shall first purge the horse with the scowring of butter and garlicke then holding a panne of coales vnder him you shall al to chafe the nape of his necke the temples of his head and his whole neck with sacke and the oile of Cipresse mixt together and made hotte vpon a chafing-dish and coales then cloath him vp warme and ride him in some warme place gently for an hower and more this if you doe three or foure dayes assuredly the Crick wil vanish CHAP. 39. Of Wennes in the neck WEnnes are great or little rounde swellings like tumors or pustules ōly there is not in thē any inflamatiō or sorenes their insides are tough and spungie yet in coulour yellow like resed bacō they proceed frō corruptiō of blood cold humors and the euer is thus first apply vnto it rosted sorrell or the plaster of Pitch and Hogs-grease mixt together for the space of seuen daies to see if you can bring it to a head or rottennes which if it doe then you shall launce it and after the filth is come forth you shal heal the wound with the salue made of Turpentine wax and Deare suet But if by no meanes it will come to any head or rottennes then you shall oner night apply round about the wenne Bole-armonike and vineger mixt together then the next morning after you haue set fresh butter to boile vpon the fier and put a calterising iron in the fier also you shall then take off the plasters and the horse beeing fast helde first you shall first with a rasor and warme water shaue all the haire from the wenne then you shall note how the veines runne that as neare as you can you may misse them then with an incision knife you shall cut the wenne cleane away and with spunges taking away the blood leaue not any part of the yellow substance which done you shall calterize the sore with scalding hot butter but if that will not stay the fluxe of blood you shal then calterise the heads of those veines which bleede most with the hot Iron then making a plegant of soft to we as broad as the sore dip it in fresh butter molten very hotte and laye it vppon the sore then couer it ouer with the plaster of waxe turpentine and Deares suet and so let not the sore bee stirrd for eight and fortie hours then vpon the second dressing if you see any of the substance of the wenne be left vncut away you shal then take hogs-grease and vardigrease molten together and with it dresse the sore till it haue eaten away all the grosse matter and then heal vp the sore with the salue before prescribed CHAP. 40. Of Swelling in the necke after blood-letting SWelling after-blood letting proceeds from diuers causes as if the Orifice be made too great and so the subtill winde strike sodainely into the wounde or if presently after a horse is let blood you turn him to grasse and so by thrusting downe his head too sooue to eat his meate the blood revert backe and fester about the wounde or if the smith be negligent and strike him with a rustie or venome fleame The cuer whereof is thus you shal take wheate flower two or three handful as much sheeps suet shreaded small and as much Camomile shredded small likewise boile them altogether in three pintes of newe milke till they be very thicke then take it very hotte and lay it vnto his neck this pultis will in once or twice laying to either dissolue the humor or drawe it to a head and breake it which if it do then you shall heale vp the sore with a little Turpentine Waxe and Hogs-grease molten together made into a soft salue some Farriers vse to breake the sore with the oile of camomile or with old rotten lit ter or with wet hay and then to taint it with Turpentine and hogs-grease only till it be whole but it is not so good a cuer for it wil be both longer in ripning when it is broken the tainting will bring downe such a fluxe of humours that I haue oft seene such sores turne to Fistulas which had they beene but ordinarily delt withall nature it selfe would haue cured CHAP. 41. Of staunching of blood whether it come by blood-letting or by any wound receiued IF either by disorderly blood-letting as when the veine is striken cleane thorow or the orifice by the vnstaidnes of the Farriers hand is made too great or if by any casuallyty a horse receiue a wound amongst the principall veins so that the flux of blood will not be staid for as touching that opinion that the veine will not bee stopt which is strooke when the signe is in that parte it is both idle and friuolous the cuer thereof is thus take bole-armonike and vineger and mixing them thick together dip flaxe therin lay it to the wound it wil stanch the blood a sod of new erth laid to the wound wil stanch blood also hot horse dung being applied wil do the like or if you temper with the dung chalk vineger it is good also yet to apply any of these medicins in case of any sore or grieuous wound they are dangerous for making the wound gangrean so that I allow the powder of blood to be much better then any of them but if it faile in extreamity to worke the effecte you desire you shall then garter or binde your horse very straite aboue both his foreknees also vnder his fore-knees aboue both his hinder cambrelles and vnder the spauen ioints you shall then draw a sursingle very strait about his body also and so letting him but stand a little space you shall presently see his blood staunch which assoone as it doth you shall apply to the wound sallet oile hogs grease molten together boyling hot and then vnbinding him let him abide with that dressing the space of 48. houres at the least and then you shall not need to feare any more the flux of blood CHAP. 42. Of the falling of the Crest THe falling of the Crest is when the Crest or vp per part of the neck on which the mane grow eth which naturally shold stand vp strong firmely doth either laine to the
certain that for twelue houres after ther wil not come any filthynesse that wil either trouble or disgrace the horse And thus euen almost for euery grosse infirmity the subtle Horse-corser hath one deuise or other to dissemble and cloake it some being so artificiall that euen verye wise men may be mistaken and some so grosse that a halfe wit wil discerne it yet neither the one nor the other but at some time serues the horse-corser for some purpose But if the horse ouer and aboue all these outward and inward infirmities bee also so exceeding old and aged that he is almost past both vse and seruice then the horse-corser wil take a small rounde yron made very hot and with it burne two little round black holes in the top of the two outmost teeth of each side the outside of the horses mouth vpon the neather teeth and likewise the teeth of the vpper chap which answere iust opposite to the neather by which meanes if you looke into the mouth of the horse to knowe his age you shal see the marke so ful and plaine the nature of which mark hath bene so formerly shewd you that you canot possibly gesse the horsse to be aboue the age of 7. years but if the Horse through his age hath lost any of those teeth which declare the age of the horse so that the deceit will not hold then the horse-corser doth not faile euery minute of an houre to be handling his horse about the lips and euer as hee touches them either to thrust a sharp nalle or a sharp pin into them til he haue brought the horse to such a tendernes and knowledge of the torment which he sustaines that in the end he wil not suffer any man to touch him about the lips but that he will either bite strike or commit some other outragious part so that no man beeing able to looke into his mouth no man that hath not other skill shall knowe his age by his mouth for the countenance of the horse or the holownes of his eies or gray haires about the Temples of the head are no true signes but may diuersly faile as eyther being begotten by an old horse or by opposition in colour betweene the Mare and the horse or else by being bredde in lowe and rotten soiles all which wil make a Horsse in his best youth and lustinesse haue an old countenance These deceites and a multitude of others as the selling of Horsses which are Moone-eyed makinge falfe tailes false whites in the face or in diuers other places as by burning a Horse in the fore-heade with an hard Egge taken burning hotte out of the fire and clapped to the Horsses face or by clapping to it the stalke of a Coal-worte roasted in the fire as you would rost a Warden or rubbing the haire and skin off with a smooth-Bricke bat leasurely and such like toyes all which will make whites either in a Horses face or in any other part of his body or the feeding of a Horse with false flesh as by giuing him to eate either sodden barly or sodden Beanes or Bucke or Colewortes or such like all which will stuffe vp a Horse in flesh sodainely but one dayes labour will euer take away a whole monthes feeding These and a world of such like vnhonest fallaces are the very occupations and toyles of Horsecorsers by which they deceiue whole multitudes of true meaning people but for as much as frō the discouery of these which I haue already shewd doth issue the discouery of al other whatsoeuer they can inuent I will not clogge your Memory with more obseruations then such as if you haue daily comerce with Horsecorsers you shall hourely haue occasion to imploy Now to speak something of their subtilty in practise you shal know that amongst them it is euen as it is amongst cony catchers cut pursses pardon my comparison for as they haue false Brothers so hath euer the vnconscionable Horsecorser so that a plaine dealing Man shall no sooner offer him mony for a Horse albeit he offer more then his worth but presently you shall haue a fellowe made for the purpose who will come and ouer-byd the true dealer another will steppe forth and giue such false prayses and a third report of so many false offers which the Horsecorser hath refused that he which means simply first taking a fancy to the Horse and that fancy making him too willing to beleeue any goodnesse of the Horse will be so carried away with their falshoodes that in the end he shall finde he hath bought naughtinesse at a much too deere a reckoning if this were the worst of euill mens practise time and a little losse woulde make men more carefull and trust lesse but there are so many deceites and such newe generations of deceits that it is impossible to discerne them because they are hourely in creating wherefore what I haue already Written I holde sufficient to fortifie any mans opinion against giuing to great trust too dissimulation or suffering his fancy to ouer-rule his iudgment And thus much touching the choice of horse-corsers their horses their deceits and practises CHAP. 3. Of the discouery and preuention of Horse-corsers deceits SInce I haue shewed you the ordinarie and customarie deceits of both publick and priuate vnconscionable horse-corsers it shall be fit that I shewe you likewise by what meanes and industry you shal preuent discern the euill into which craft would intangle you or else be reputed a very insufficient tutor that onely tel you of euil but shew you no way to auoid it you shall therefore know that when you goe to buy a horse of a horse-corser you must by no means giue credit to any thing he speaks touching his horse more then what you apparantly see and know to bee iust which is but onely whether he be faire shaped fat leane or such like outward charracter in which he cannot deceiue you but for concealed qualities beleeue it as a known verity that the more the horse-corser boasts or brags the more deceit by much is in the horse he boasts of and the more willing hee is to sel the more willing hee is to deceiue wheresore to come to particularities if when the horsse-corser brings his horse to be ridden before you if you see him start leape rush forwarde and be so impatient that he wil hardly be kept to any moderate pace as if his spirit wer infinit you shal then with good consideration mark the countenāce of the horse in his going whether he haue a sad heauy or vnmouing eie or whether he carrie his ears stil and moueth sildome or whether he rein slouenly not raising vp his necke or shewing Naturall chearefulnes or whether in his going you perceiue him to leane vppon his riders hande as if his heade were too great a burden for his neck to carry and lastly whether he go with patience when he is from company and onely is most madde when