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. 20. (Book 20)

Of the calues of the legs, the stirrops, and the helpe by water.

THe helpe of the calues is onelie to be vsed vnto horsses of great life, spirit, & courage, in all sortes of turning, by put∣ting the calfe of your leg to the contrarie side of the horsse. As if you will haue him to leane or yeeld towards the left hand, then must you laie your leg close to the rightside of the horsse; and likewise, if he should go on the right hand, then put your leg to the left side. But M. Claudio holdeth this kind of helpe to be of no great importance, neither doth he make much accompt of the stirrop: yet being at sometimes vsed it is to good purpose. That helpe serueth to touch the horsse vnder the shoulder, to the end he should hold his neck and nose as you would haue him.

The water is exceeding good, to bring your * 1.1 horsse to gather his legs, & become light if you vse to trot him therin. The water fit for this pur∣pose should be so deepe, as the horsse may feele it to touch his bellie, the bottome where of must

be sound earth, or rather perfect good grauell.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of helping your horsse by water.