Read Ebook: Horsemanship for Women by Mead Theodore H Theodore Hoe Parker Gray Illustrator

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 466 lines and 36608 words, and 10 pages

The place of instruction should be as retired as possible, so that there may be nothing to distract the horse's attention.

For the first few lessons it will be well, if you are not thoroughly at home with horses, to have a man--some friend or attendant--near at hand to give you confidence by his presence, and to come to your aid in case of necessity.

COMING TO THE WHIP.

Have the horse brought saddled and bridled. Walk quietly up in front of him, with your riding-whip under your arm, and look him kindly in the face. See that the bridle fits properly, as a careless groom may have neglected to adjust it to the length of the head.

Now, standing in front of the horse, take both curb-reins in the left hand at six inches below the bit, and, with the whip held tip downward in the right hand, strike him a light blow on the breast; in about a second give him another, and continue striking at the same interval, looking calmly at him the while, and following him if he steps backward or sideways.

Sooner or later, and usually very soon, he will come straight towards you; then instantly relax his head, say "Bravo! bravo!" and stroke him on the face and neck. You will very likely hear him give a deep sigh of relief, like a frightened child. Give him half a minute or more, according to circumstances, to look about and recover from his nervousness--for you will find that his nerves work a good deal like your own--and then begin again, allowing him after every trial a half-minute or so of rest.

It will not be long before he discovers that the way to avoid the whip is to come straight to you, and he will do so at the least motion of it. Take advantage of this to make him curve his neck, put his head in the proper perpendicular position, and bring his haunches under him, by holding him back with the curb-reins as he presses towards you. This lesson, to a careless observer, looks rather pretty than useful, but is indispensable for your purpose, for it gives you the means of preventing the horse from backing while you are teaching him the flexions of the jaw and of the neck. It shows him, also, that the whip is only to be dreaded when he disobeys, so that later on it will become in your hands, strange as it may now seem to you, a powerful means of calming his ardor and soothing his impatience, and thus sparing your bridle-hand the sometimes excessive fatigue of restraining his impetuosity.

In practice it is not necessary to carry this instruction to the point where the horse will come to you from so great a distance as shown in the accompanying cut, though there is no difficulty in so doing.

Both time and trouble undoubtedly will be required, for while, by even a careless use of this method, your horse may be made vastly more comfortable under the saddle, yet only by tact and patience can you win that mastery over his every volition by which his splendid strength, courage, and endurance will seem to be added to your own. You will find him, however, no tiresome pupil. On the contrary, every day will increase your pleasure both in his progress and in his companionship, for he will soon become attached to you, and will now and then turn his head and look at you with such an expression in his eyes that you will think the old belief in the transmigration of souls not so very wonderful after all. You will, besides, find in your lessons no contemptible discipline of character, for you will have to conquer your natural timidity in feeling your weakness opposed to his strength, to suppress your impatience when he is slow of apprehension, to remain calm when he is restive, and to award him your caresses, not because his neck is sleek and beautiful, but because he has done exactly as you directed. You will find also that they will have a tendency to improve your seat, by taking your attention from yourself, and with it some of the involuntary stiffness always born of self-consciousness.

A different, but equally practical, result of knowing something of horse-training is that wherever you may be you will have no difficulty in getting a mount--no small advantage either, as many an enthusiastic young girl can testify as she remembers the stony look which came over some comfortable farmer's countenance when she confidingly asked to ride one of his round-bellied horses. Many an owner of a trained saddle-horse would gladly have him ridden carefully by one capable of keeping him "in good form," while every horse-owner, no matter how poor his nags, dreads an ignorant rider as he does the epizooty. Probably scores of country stable-keepers and thousands of farmers, after a season's experience with ordinary city riders, have vowed never to let a woman mount one of their horses again. One of the former, at a popular summer resort, said to the writer, "Two ladies hurt my hosses more last summer than all the rest of the work. They ain't no more saddles to be found in my stable!" A neighboring farmer, who had at first thought to reap a golden harvest from his five excellent horses at a dollar a ride, hereupon remarked, "They hain't no sense. They think a horse will go like a machine, and all they've got to do is to turn steam on with the whip." Very different would have been the verdict had the riders but possessed even a slight experience in training, for the horses would have come from their hands improved in mouth and gait, and almost certainly uninjured by bad usage.

TO HOLD THE BIT LIGHTLY , USING THE CURB.

Begin by assuring yourself that the horse has forgotten nothing of the previous lesson. Do not allow him to sidle up to you upon your movement of the whip towards him, nor to twist his nose towards you, but make him advance in a straight line.

Now, standing at the left of the horse's head, with your feet firmly planted a little way apart, take the left snaffle-rein in the left hand, and the left curb-rein in the right, at five or six inches from their respective bits, and having brought the head into the proper perpendicular position, pull the two hands apart with gentle but steady force. Hold your whip, meanwhile, tip downward in the right hand, to prevent him from running back, which can be done without relaxing your pull by tapping him with it upon the breast.

The object of this lesson, as well as of those which follow, is to overcome involuntary muscular contraction. In some cases, as probably in the present one, the contractions are simply nervous, and will cease with the mental cause; in others the muscles have grown into improper positions, so that time will be required to set them right.

Your object at present is to get the jaw relaxed, so that you can move it at pleasure without resistance, and this may take time and patience, for you must not be satisfied with anything less than complete success, or you will repent it later. At first, however, seize the slightest involuntary opening of the horse's mouth as an excuse to relax your hold, caress and praise him, then let him stand a half-minute with his head free, and begin again.

When he is submissive, and pleased with you, he will almost always show it by gently champing his bit; but do not be deceived by a nervous simulation which you will probably detect, and which consists in opening the mouth a very little and immediately gripping the bit again. You will have been completely successful when, by simply drawing on the curb-reins, the head is brought to the proper perpendicular position, and the bit, instead of being gripped, is held lightly in the mouth, or, to use the school term, when the horse is "light in hand."

This is the only lesson in the series in which it is possible that your unaided strength may be insufficient; if so, get some one to help you over the first resistance of the horse. With care and tact, however, you will in all probability require no assistance.

TO HOLD THE BIT LIGHTLY, USING THE SNAFFLE.

Begin by repeating in proper order all that has been done at the previous lessons. Now, having got the horse "light in hand" with the curb, relax the curb-rein and try to keep him light with the snaffle.

He will probably begin to bear on it. If so, restrain him by successive tugs, punishing him a little with the curb, if necessary, and always rewarding him with praises and caresses when he does well. Avoid any violent use of the curb, or the horse, in his efforts to escape the pain, may get his tongue over the bit, and thus acquire a very troublesome habit. It must be remembered that the bit being the principal channel of communication between his mind and yours, his whole attention is concentrated upon it, and he is almost as much disconcerted by a sudden harsh movement of it as you would be by an unexpected shout in your ear.

TO LOWER THE HEAD.

Always look over your horse before beginning your instruction, to see that he has not met with any mishap. Observe that his eye is bright and that he feels in good spirits; run your eye over his limbs to detect any cut, bruise, or swelling; see that the hoofs are not cracked.

Assure yourself that he is properly groomed--one good test being the absence of scurf at the roots of the mane; that his mouth has been sponged out before putting in the bit, his hoofs wiped off clean--never, however, blacked--and that he is properly saddled and bridled. With a little practice you will do all this in half a minute, while you are buttoning your gloves. About once a week ask after his food and appetite, and make the groom show you his shoes; and when the time comes for him to be re-shod positively forbid any trimming of the frog or of the inside of the hoof--any "cleaning up of the foot," as farriers are pleased to call it. The only part to be touched with the knife is the bottom of the outer, horny shell, which is not half an inch thick; and even this must be cut with moderation, never burned by fitting the shoe to it hot--the common makeshift of lazy farriers--nor filed on the outside, as both these operations not only weaken the hoof but impair Nature's arrangement for oiling and lubricating it. Should the horse not bear equal weight on all four legs, move him a step to see if the faulty posture may not have been accidental; and if it is repeated, examine the "favored" leg, carefully laying your bare hand on the hoof and joints to detect inflammation, feeling along the bones for lumps, comparing any suspicious spot with the same part of the corresponding leg, observing whether it is warmer or more sensitive than its fellow.

For our young readers we give below a few of the more usual technical terms, of which it will be found convenient to have a knowledge in the course of these lessons:

TO BEND THE NECK TO RIGHT AND LEFT, WITH THE REINS HELD BELOW THE BIT .

Before beginning each lesson it is well, as has been already recommended, to review hastily the instruction previously given.

Now place yourself on the left side of your horse, with your riding-whip tip downward in your right hand, and with your feet firmly planted a little apart. Take the right curb-rein in your right hand at about six inches from the lever of the bit, and the left curb-rein in your left at three inches from the lever, and having brought the horse's head to a perpendicular position, pull the two hands steadily apart, moving the right hand to the right and the left hand to the left, so as to pry the horse's head around to the right by means of the twist of the bit in his mouth. If he offers to back, stop him by tapping his breast with the whip; if he tries to pull away his head, hold on tight, until presently he will turn his head to the right, when you will instantly say, "Bravo! bravo!" and after holding it so a few seconds, bring it back to its original position. Very soon he will take the idea, and you will bring his head around until it faces backward, being careful to keep it always exactly perpendicular, and not to allow the horse to move it of his own accord in any direction.

Now try to obtain this flexion with the right-hand rein alone, only using the left hand to assist it if he fails to understand or to obey, and also to bring back the head to its original position.

To bend the neck to the left requires simply a reversal of the process just described, and will give you probably no trouble. Do not be satisfied with anything else than an easy, graceful, and patient obedience on the part of the horse. Should he back or fidget out of his place, bring him back to it before going on, as you will find that his associations with place are remarkable, and that any fault is likely to be repeated on the spot where it was first committed.

When he will look backward on either side, and remain looking so upon your drawing upon the proper rein, the lesson is perfect. The utility of it may not appear at first, but will be evident at a later stage of your instructions.

TO BEND THE NECK TO RIGHT AND LEFT, WITH THE REINS THROWN OVER THE NECK.

Take the left snaffle-rein in the left hand at about a foot from the bit, and with the right hand draw the right snaffle-rein over the horse's neck just in front of the shoulder, until both sides pull equally on the bit and the horse is "light in hand." Then, by drawing upon the right rein gradually, bend his head around to the right, gently feeling the left rein so as to keep the bit straight in the mouth and prevent him from moving faster than you wish; for in this, as in all other cases, while he is to do exactly what you direct, he is to do nothing more.

To bend the neck to the left, you will, of course, reverse the operation above described, standing on the other side of the horse, taking the right snaffle-rein in the right hand at a foot from the bit, and drawing the left rein over the shoulder with the left hand. Keep the horse "light in hand" all the time, and his head perfectly perpendicular, as any twisting of the nose to one side has a ludicrous appearance. Now repeat with the curb.

TO MOVE THE CROUP TO RIGHT AND LEFT WITH THE WHIP.

Take both snaffle-reins in the left hand at a few inches from the bit, and standing near the horse's left shoulder, get him "light in hand" with the bit; and if his hind-legs are not well under him, make him bring them forward by tapping him gently on the rump with your extended whip, keeping the forehand motionless by your hold on the bit.

Now, holding his head so that he will not move his left fore-foot, tap him lightly on the left flank near the hip until he moves the croup one step to the right.

Then pat and praise him, and if he has not moved his right fore-foot, tap his right leg with the whip to make him bring it forward even with the left. After a little rest begin again, asking and allowing only one step at a time, and persevering until he will move the croup one step over to each tap of the whip, pivoting on the left fore-foot and walking the right foot by little steps around it.

When he is perfect with the snaffle, repeat the process with the curb, keeping his hind-legs well under him, and holding him "light in hand," while maintaining his left fore-foot immovable, with a delicate touch, to resemble as much as possible the action of the rein when drawn from the saddle.

Now repeat the process to the left, taking your stand near the right shoulder, and, with both snaffle-reins in your right hand and the whip in your left, proceed as before until the horse will walk one step at each tap of the whip around the right fore-foot, which should in its turn be kept so firmly in place as to bore a hole in the ground. Repeat with the curb.

This lesson, which will last, very likely, two or three days, may appear to some of no practical utility, but it is indispensable alike to your comfort when mounted, to the safety of those who accompany or meet you, and to the continued education of your horse. Who has not seen an untrained animal force his rider to dismount to lift some gate-latch which was really within easy reach, or prancing about in a crowd, to the terror and vexation of his neighbors, or in momentary danger of hooking his legs into the wheels of passing vehicles?

Now, if you trample on any one, or upset a light vehicle, though you risk, and perhaps break, your own bones, yet you are liable for damages; and this fact is so well known that a suit will be promptly begun against you. Besides, for your own sake you must have it in your power to get your horse's haunches, and with them your own person, out of danger from careless or mischievous drivers--just as a cavalryman has to save his horse from a slash or thrust.

MOUNTED.

Being mounted, gather the reins all into the left hand in the following manner: Draw the right snaffle-rein between the fore and middle fingers, and the left snaffle rein under the little finger into the palm, throwing the ends forward together over the first finger, to be held by the thumb; in like manner draw the curb-reins into the palm on each side of the ring-finger, the left rein, of course, below, and the right above it, throwing the ends, like those of the snaffle, forward over the fore-finger and under the thumb. Now taking the curb-rein by the seam, draw it through your fingers till both reins fall equally on the bit; then do the same by the snaffle, but draw it so much tighter than the curb that the latter will hang loose, and any movement of your hand will be felt through the snaffle. Grasp all the reins firmly, your hand back upward, with wrist a little bent and elbow near your side, so that if the horse, stumbling, thrust his nose suddenly out, you will not be jerked from the saddle.

All this you will quickly get the knack of, and do as easily as you would thread a needle. You will observe that, having the width of three fingers between the two snaffle-reins, you can, by bending your wrist to right or left, guide the horse as easily as with the reins in both hands. Get the horse "light in hand" by the usual play of the bit, first the curb, then the snaffle, tapping him on the right side, just forward of the girth, if he fails to respond or offers to back.

Now press him just back of the girth with your left heel, at the same time relaxing the rein a little. If he steps forward, pat and praise him, but if not, press him more firmly, at the same time touching him as before with the whip. When he moves forward praise him, and after a few seconds stop him, leaning back a little and laying your whip by a turn of the wrist on his back just behind the saddle. Then recommence, and persevere until he will start promptly forward at the touch of the heel, and stop at the touch of the whip on his back, keeping "light in hand" the while. If he is very sluggish you may have to strike him smartly for not answering instantly to the heel, but he will soon learn not to wait for the blow. Let the heel act close to the girth, as you will soon wish to move the croup over by the same means applied farther back. It is well not to start with the whip, nor by chirping or clucking, which is as likely to excite your companion's horse as your own, and is annoying to most people.

Accustom your horse to stop short, whether at the pull on the reins, the touch of the whip, or the word "Whoa."

After riding have the saddle removed, and should a puffy spot appear on the back where it has pressed, take the hint at once and have the padding eased over the place, or a tedious and vexatious "saddle-gall" may result. There is no better treatment for such a spot than bathing with very hot water. As a preventive, however, it is an excellent plan to bathe the back with cold water, afterwards carefully rubbing dry.

MOUNTED.

THE WALK.

This gait is apt to be hardly appreciated by youthful equestrians, whose love of excitement leads them often to prefer rapidity to grace of motion; but it can, with a little painstaking, be made swift and agreeable; and certainly, when light and animated, it shows off both horse and rider to better advantage than any other. It is, besides, an indispensable stage in the bitting of the horse; for until he will continue "light" while starting, stopping, and turning at a walk, he should not be put to a faster pace.

Your chief difficulty will be his propensity to drop into a jog-trot as soon as you try to quicken his steps; but this must be overcome by stopping him immediately and then recommencing the walk, urging him forward with the heel and encouraging him to lift his feet quickly by a delicate play of the bit, but leaving his head as free as possible. This will give you occupation, probably, for several days. Do not forget to praise him when he does well.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet