An hipponomie or the vineyard of horsemanship deuided into three bookes. 1. The theorick part, intreating of the inward knowledge of the man.2. The first practicke part, shewing how to worke according to that knowledge. 3. The second practicke part, declaring how to apply both hunting and running horses to the true grounds of this art. In which is plainly laid open the art of breeding, riding, training and dieting of the said horses. Wherein also many errors in this art, heretofore published, are manifestly detected. By Michaell Baret ...

CHAP. 29. How to make your Colt trot side-wayes.

VVHen you haue brought your Colt to trotte truely, and comely, and to carry his head and body firme and stayed; then (if you please) for his further grace, and to shew your iudgement in the Art, you may make him trot side-wayes, which you shall doe, by keeping your hands firme vpon the reynes of your trench, and laying the contrary reyne close to his necke, and your legge close to the contrary side, to that hand you would haue him to goe on, holding your rodde also on the contrary shoulder: And so, by vsing the same motion with your body, as you doe when you would haue him to beat his trot standing, in his very motion you shall make him goe side∣wayes by the aforesaid helps.▪

For instance, when as you haue trotted him forwad a little, and then stayed him, you shall straighten your hand to keepe him from pressing forward, and moue your selfe vp and downe in your seat, to keep his bodie still in action. In which motion (if you would haue him goe on your right hand) you shall lay the left reyns close to his neck, & thrust your left knee close to that poynt, fitting most vpon your left buttocke, and putting your legge backe, lay it close towards his flancke, and by laying

your sticke close to his left shoulder, you shall cause him to goe toward your right hand, which so soone as he doth, let him stand and cherish him, then make him goe towards your left hand, vsing the like on the contrary side, as the laying your right reyne to his necke, your right knee close to that poynt of the saddle, sitting most vpon your right buttocke, with the same legge close to his flancke, and your sticke vpon his right shoulder, cause him to goe on your left hand, and thus by kee∣ping your body mouing, vse him till hee bee so perfect that hee will goe on either side, so soone as hee shall but feele the mo∣tion of the reyne to either side of his necke, or your knee to the saddle, without any other apparant motion.

For, whereas I haue set forth to vse such manifest motions at the first, that any body may perceiue them, it is because your Colt may the easilier distinguish of them, whereby he may the more easily conceiue of your minde, which after hee doth, you shall obserue this as a generall rule (as well in all other les∣sons as in this,) that as he hath knowledge of your will, and in∣creaseth in cunning, you shall mitigate your motions (by little and little) till they be so couert that a perspicuous eye cannot perceiue them.

When you haue brought him to such perfection that he will trot as it were standing, then you shall make him also trot side∣wayes, after you haue trotted him some distance forward, by giuing him the contrary motion aforesaid, without intermissi∣on on that hand you would haue him to goe on, for so hee will keepe the same time and grace in going, that hee kept in trot∣ting forward.

Note, that if in this lesson hee doth at any time presse hard vpon the hand, and so desire to goe forward, that then you giue him a sodaine iert or two with the trench (in his mouth and thrust your legges forward withall, to keep his hinder parts in; and it will be a present remedy for that. But whereas ma∣ny teach that when a horse, either vpon his teaching to stoppe, aduance, turne, or goe side-wayes, if he presse forward vpon the hand, that they should cause him to retire backe as farre as hee pressed forward, thereby to make him vnderstand his owne fault the better; I wish a neglect thereof, and my reason is, that

it will make his body so apt to goe backe, that it will bee farre vnfit to moue forward as hee should, those two motions being contrary.

And further, it being vsed as a correction, he is forced back vpon a discontent, and by that meanes it will make him subiect ••o goe backe vpon occasion of euery the like, and so bring a ••estiffe quality (as experience hath taught me) for it will make him so ready to flye backe with his hinder parts, (which should ••ee continually kept vp, to make him stand to his mouth) whereby he will be so tickle mouthed, that he will hardly bee brought to rest vpon the trench as stayedly as hee should, or when you would haue him.

Note, that whereas I wish you to correct him in the mouth, you doe it very seldome, and when as no other meanes will preuaile, for feare of dawling or bruising his mouth, or displa∣cing of his head, for if you preserue his mouth as you ought, there will bee small need of vsing that correction.

Note, that in his going sidewayes you keepe a straight and vpright seat, and likewise that your Colt carry his body firme, and his head in its right place, so that all his body moue to∣gether in a straight line, your selfe mouing so firmely with him, as if you both were but one entire subiect; for so hee will foulde one foote ouer the other more comely and easily.

And note, that if in his going aside hee strike eyther fore∣legge or hinde-legge one against another, or tread one foote vpon another, then vse no correction for that, but vse patience toward him, for the paine in striking one foote against another, will be correction enough, and cause him to reforme himselfe, if you giue him but time and liberty.

Note, that if he goe faster aside afore then hee doth behind, or likewise contrarily, as if hee be slower afore; then giue him a good iert with you sticke on that buttocke hee proueth slow; or else a good stroke on that flancke with your single spurre; and likewise if it bee afore, then correct him on that shoulder that erreth, either with your stirrop or your sticke, and force him sodainely with your hands vpon the reynes to cause him moue all his fore-parts together, for that will make him take them vp more quick.

Note, that if he goe readilier on the one hand then on the o∣ther, that you beginne, and end on that hand he is the most vn∣ready, for that double exercise will make him more nimble and cunning; For you must obserue it as a poynt of Horsemanship, to end on the same hand that you beginne on, in this lesson, as well as in teaching him to make his ring turnes. And lastly, note, that whereas I wish you to hold the reines of your bridle more hard, when you would haue him to goe on either hand, that limitation must depend vpon your discretion, for when hee is any thing towards, you must giue him liberty, to take delight therein, so far as he loose no part of grace in the carriage of his head and body: for then his cheifest helpes must be onely by your owne seate, other-wise you shall dead and harden his mouth. All which things if they be truely obserued, you shall make your Horse goe with such a beautifull and gallant gesture, and obey by such secret motions, that it will rauish the behol∣ders, and he will performe it with such willingnesse, that they will thinke he doth it of his owne courage and pride.

Notes

• 1. Pra. 18. ^e.
• ^a How to make your horse trot side-wayes.
• A generall rule.
• Theo. 22. ^c.
• 15. ^e. (g)
• Note.
• Theo. 27. ^c.
• 15. ^d.
• An old custome but a grosse er∣ror.
• (2)
• Theo. 9. i.
• ^b They cloake this error with the nature of the horse.
• Note.
• Theo. 14. ^a.
• Theo. 13. ^c. 18. ^a.
• Note.
• Theo. 9. ^•.
• Theo. 12. ^•.
• 1. Pr. 25. ^h.
• (c)
• Theo. 12. ^d.