Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 10.djvu/272

* HORSEMANSHIP. 234 HORSEMANSHIP. tlioir mnstcry of the art of cquiUition. The stir- nip WHS nut known to tlie IJreeks, and probably it!> al)si>nci' helped to make them the finished horsemen they undoubtedly were. The Komans undoubtedly learned the art of horsemanship from the (ireeks. and. in fact, ascribed the in- ventions of bridle and chariot, as well a.s at- tributed the first conquest of the horse, to their teachers. With the Romans as with the Greeks, equestrianism was a conspicuous feature of their fjames; and in the time of Caesar the youths of the aristocracy vied with each other in the prac- tice and public exhibitions of ditlicult feats of horsemanship. Micui.KNAL lIoRSEMAXsuir. Although there is no pi<iof of the fact, it is nevertheless prob- able that the saddletree had been used for pack-animals from a very early date, and that the ridini; saddle in some form or shape was known before the fifth century n.c, the era of its reputcil first appearance. The dilTieulty of mounting; into the saddle encumbered with heavy armor led tliinuah a series of c(iii(rivanecs to the introduction of the stirnip. While the horse- manship of the ape of chivalry cannot be said to compare with that of the Greeks and Romans, the demands of the tournament prevented its be- inp neglected. Modern IIor.sesian.siup. The first treatise upon the subject was that pul)lisliod by Fede- ripo (irisoni, entitled f!li oriliiii drl raialrnrc (Naples, l.")50). A contemporary of (irisoni was the celebrated teacher Pipnatelli, who is re- garded by many .as the author of the foundation of our ]>resent system of riding. Two of his pupils. La Broue and Pluvinel. became famous throughout Europe. Subsequent important writ- ers and Ihcir works in England are: Blundeville, Q'he roiccr -fhirftxt Offircs Peloiifiiiifi to Tlorsf- munshippc (c.I.jTOi ; translations from the Ital- ian, by Gervase Markliam (1.503) and Sir Wil- liam Hope (lOllO); Thomas de Gray, Com- pleat Hor^iiniin nml Espitl Furrier (London, 1639). The Duke of Newcastle's JIHIwih; nourelle de dresser les ehcinu.r (Antwerp, 148) was first written in English, and after- wards translated into the language in which it was publisluvl. It was for a long period re- garded as the great standard authority on horse- ipanship, although today its teaching would be regarded as impos.sible. Cavalry- horsemanship was the subject of a little manual published by the Earl of Pembroke in 1701. At the present time there are several methods of mounting a horse, each one with its own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Ordi- narily, the young horseman is taught to mount from either side, but ustially from the 'near' or left side of the horse. The common English method is to place the snaffle rein round the third finger of the left hand, grasp a wisp of the horse's mane between the finger and thumb of the same hand, placing the left foot in the stirrup, and the right hand on the cantle. then with a spring the right leg is thrown over the horse and the riiler seats himself in the saddle, meanwhile releasing the mane. He next secures the curb reins in the left hand, in such a manner that the left rein is out-side the little finger, and the right between the first and second fingers. When the rein has been drawn in sufTieiently for the riiler to feel the horse's mouth gently, the loose part or slack is thrown over the first finger and held between that and the thumb. In America both reins are placed in position in the left hand In-fore mounting. The whip in niuunting is held in the fork of the thumb of the left hand and afterwards taken into the right hand. The man- ner of lioliling the reins dilfers in dill'iTcnt coun- tries of Europe as well as in America, the more general method, other than that of the English already described, being its exact opposite in that the curb is held inside the snallle. Upon mounting, the rider shouhl firmly seat himself in the middle of the saddle, which ought to be Jihued well bi'hind the rise of the shoulilers, his legs, which should work in sympathy with his hands, just about covering the girtli. so that when using leg pressure to the horse, it may be easily and elTectively applied immediately l>chind the girth. The elbows should hang loosely and natu- rally from the shoulder, [XMUiitting a free use of the hands, which latter should always be in a position to "give and take' without compromising ecmtrol over the horse, irritating, or otherwise Iretting him. lien riding at a walk the horse- man should maintain a natural upright position, the legs from knee to heel reniaiiiliig jierfeetly straight; toes a little higher tlian the heels, tho feet horizontal with the horse's body. The action of the leg, like that of the hand, should be sensi- tively active and supple, exerting as little pres- sure as possible, but ready and in position to exert sulliciciit ]iressure to maintain the rider's seat and position under any and all eireum- slances. A beginner will find it to his advantage to practice guiding his horse in every possible manner and direction, .selecting for this purpose some inclosed place, as a riding-school, inclosed yard, etc. The horse must at all times be kept well up to the bit. and the rider will do well to remember that guiding the horse military fashion by the pressure of the reins on the animal's neck is not generally advised. I'acint; in .merica and amhUnij in England are practically the same gait. The two legs on each side rise and fall to- gether. It do<'S not call for any dilTcrcnt method of riding than that employed for the walk. Tin trot is a diagonal pace, the right fore and left hind legs working together and alternately with the left fore and right hind legs. To make the animal trot, raise its head slightly, and press its body with tlie knees and side of the leg below the knee, and. if necessary, touch it with the whip, but not under any consideration should the rider give any indication by sound of mouth. Serious accidents trequently happen because of the dis- regard of this very neccssarj- precaution. The horse of a fellow rider is apt to answer to the conimaml, and possibly unseat its own rider, owing to his unpreparedness. The trot is possi- bly tho most perfect pace of the horse. The body should Ik" erect, but playing loosely from the hips: the legs must not be allowed to swing back- ward and forward, nor must the rider work his shoulders. The expert horseman riiles by the aid of grip and balance, the former always ready should the balance be disturbed and there be any danger of a throw. The pressure of the legs should be according to the demand of the moment, ready to keep the rider from losing his balance, which latter saves the strain of a constant exer- cise of the grip. The rnnlrr is a very comfortable pace to the rider. It is not a natural pace, however, but. on the contrarj', is fatiguing to the horse, and particularly injurious to the animal's