The history and art of horsemanship by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Horsemanship
Publisher: London, T. Davies [etc.]
Published: 1771-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

O F HO R S E M A N S H I P. 121

and to afTure his head, and bend or gather up his fore^ legs ; on the contrary, if he does not rife high before, he only beats and throws about the duft, and fliuffles his legs, and can never affemble the diflFerent parts of his body, and be united as he ought to be, in this manege.

When an horfe, in his firft curvets, makes of him-felf his Beats or Times diligent and quick, it is to be feared that this is only owing to fire and impatience; in this cafe, there will be reafon to fufpedl that he has not ftrength fuflBlcient for this manege, that he will fooa do nothing but fliulile and throw about his legs, without rifing as he ought, or elfe that he will become en--tier; but if he rifes freely, and fuflSciently high, without being in a hurry, or fliiFening himfelf, and bends his hocks, it will then be very eafy to Ihorten and reduce^ and adjuft the meafure of his air, and to make it per-feft in proportion to his refolution, ftrength, and adli-vity. If, when you are going to raife him, he rifes fud-denly of himfelf, confider whether this hafty adtion be not a proof likewife of what I have juft now told you.

The beauty and perfeftion of the fine airs, when neatly executed, and their time juft and true, do not confift fo much in the diligence and quicknefs with which the. horfe brings his hinder-feet to the ground, and makes his Beats ; for if that were the proof, the horfe would not have fufficient time to raife his fore-part, and to gather his legs under him; but the true meafure, and the harmony of his Time, are when the hinder-feet follow

Vo L. II. R fmooth-

122 THE HISTORY AND ART

fmoothly, and anfwer immediately to the fore-feet j and that thefe rife again in the inftant that the others touch the ground.

To teach your horfe to beat his curvets neatly, and in equal time and meafurc, take care to keep him in, and in a good and juft appuy; keep yourfelf ftrait, and well ftretched down in the faddle, but without any ftifF-nefs, preferring always a certain eafe and freedom, which is the charaiJleriftic of an horfeman : let your hand be about three fingers breadth above the pommel of the faddle, and a little forward or advanced, keeping your nails up, attd be diligent and ready to raife your horfe: when you do this, put your body a little forward, but fo as not to let it be perceived; above all, put no ftrefs in your legs, but let them be eafy and loofe, and they will catch the Time of thcmfelves better than you can give it: I am now fpeaking of an high-dreft and perfeft horfe, which works with the greateft cxaftnefs ; for if he was to break his line, to throw himfelf from one

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