The art of riding conteining diuerse necessarie instructions, demonstrations, helps, and corrections apperteining to horssemanship, not herettofore expressed by anie other author: written at large in the Italian toong, by Maister Claudio Corte, a man most excellent in this art. Here brieflie reduced into certeine English discourses to the benefit of gentlemen and others desirous of such knowledge.

CHAP. 19. (Book 19)

Of the helpe of the bridle hand.

THe horsse is helped by the bridle hand, when in his dooings he putteth downe his nose more than becommeth him; or else if he hangeth too hard on the hand, or trotteth heauilie: for in all those cases you must giue him certeine chockes with the bit, more or lesse, as occasion doth require. The like may be doone, when at the stop or end of anie lesson, you find the horsse beare his head lower than he ought. But if he leaneth therewith, more on the one than the other hand, then must you with the two last fingers of the right hand (holding the con∣trarie reine) giue him a chocke or two, or more, as you doo find the horsse deserueth to be cor∣rected.

You may also helpe your horsse with your bri∣dle hand, in the midst of his manage, and like∣wise his turnes, by giuing soft or hard chocks, as occasion shall require. This correction will also serue to make your horsse retire, and hold him direct and light vpon the hand. Neither will it

be amisse, but rather a good helpe, if in leapes of all sortes, & likewise turnes, opening your hand to raise the horsse, you put the same forward to∣wards the bending place of his necke, so as your thumbs be neerest therevnto, & consequentlie the little finger furthest off, & neerest vnto your sadle: yet may not your hand be from your sa∣dle farther off, at anie time, than two fingers; vn∣lesse it be at some extraordinarie times and oc∣casions. For then it is not amisse, to raise your hand much higher, & farther from your bodie, as it were putting it as far as the middest of the horsses necke. And in this maner by little and little vnfolding your hand from turne to turne, & from leape to leape, you shall helpe the horsse more or lesse, as need requireth. But such helps must be performed in verie due time and mea∣sure. Therefore in vsing them you shalbe heed∣full and diligent. This is (I thinke) the true coun∣selling of M. Claudio touching the helpe of the hand, whereof M. Astley hath largelie discour∣sed * 1.1 more at large, and verie skilfullie set downe not onlie the helps of the hand according to this author, but also vnto the opinions of Xenophon and Gryson added his owne knowledge and ex∣perience. For which respect I haue indeuoured my selfe to saie the lesse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  M. Astley in his dis∣course of horsseman∣ship. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, chap∣ters.