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How the colt after he hath beene ridden two moneths ought to be gallopped.
IT seemeth that to make your horsse trot well, and set∣led of head, M. Claudio thin∣keth two moneths a time suffi∣cient. Notwithstanding, hee would haue him continued in his ordinarie lessons, thereby to increase his breath by little and little; also to vse him to stop & retire, not forcing much, though all this while he be not stopped vpon anie hanging ground,
bicause it maketh a colt fearefull in stopping, & also streineth his sinewes, ioints and loines. But when he knoweth perfectlie how to stop and go backe, you must euer after euery stopping make him retire two or three pases, foorthwith putting him as much forward, and then for a while stand firme.
And for as much as I suppose, that in these two moneths, your horsse will go well & staied vpon the canon, I would wish you to bring him into some place of good ground for a carriera, ha∣uing on the one side some wall, pale, or banke. It were also verie conuenient, that at the end of the carriera, the ground were somewhat declining: wherein hauing trotted your horsse two or three times after his ordinarie lessons, you shall stop, retire, and cherish him, which done, you shall re∣turne backe, pasing him somwhat liuelie, aduan∣cing your bodie, and suddenlie put him foorth vpon his trot, and franklie fall into a gallop, till you come at the end of the carriera.
Then hauing there stopped and made him go backe, as he was woont, you shall returne vpon a short & liuelie trot. And being come to the end of the stop, againe in the same order and turning backe you shall put the horsse foorth in his gal∣lop, and towards the end of the carriera increase
his gallop with some franknes: which I wish you should continue to doo two or three mornings, euerie daie increasing the number of your gal∣loping courses.
And bicause it may be that the horsse before he hath passed halfe the carriera, will of him selfe force to make more speed than is fit, not stai∣eng till you put him forth, you shall hold him in with a staid hand, till such time as your selfe thin∣keth good, & then suddenlie thrust him forward to gallop, holding both the reines and Cauez∣zan firme and well, euen towards the end, for∣cing him to go with more speed and liuelinesse, & then at the due place to stop. Which you may doo, in thrusting the horsse by little and little for∣ward, keeping your bodie somewhat backward, and holding your legs straight stretched out, drawing the reines and Cauezzan faire and ea∣silie, till the horsse stoppeth iust.
Then hauing stopped and doone all those things before said, you shall returne to the other end of the carriera, obseruing the like order: where hauing staied a while, & turned & settled both your person and horsse, you shall put him foorth with more speed than in the former gal∣lop, & being halfe waie, fall into his full carriera, and therein continue to the end, helping him ra∣ther
with your voice than otherwise. Then the next morning if you please (obseruing the same order) force him to runne out the whole length of the carriera.
Thus much I haue thought good to saie, not bicause I would haue you vse to run your colt, nor that I like you should so doo; but to find the will and disposition of the horsse, not onelie in his trot, but also in his gallop, carriera, and stop: for to run swift and sure, and stop firme, is an ex∣cellent * 1.1 signe of a good horsse.
Signes of a good horsse