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. 31. That the Man must know when to correct.

THe last thing that you are to obserue, (for the vse of your corrections) is to distinguish of time, when to correct; because the neglect of that is the abuse of all the other, in re∣gard all things are perfected in, and by time, as I haue discribed in the seuenteenth Chapter. For, as the wise man saith. There is a time to sowe, and a time to reape, a time to plant, and a time to plucke vp that which is planted. &c. euen so, there is a time to correct, and a time to leaue correcting, a time to labour, and a time to rest: all which must very respectiuely be obserued by you, if you thinke to bring forth any pleasant fruit of the Vine in time.

For as the grape should grow so that it may be nourished with the heat of the Sunne, that thereby it may be ripened in time, least the frost doth wither its substance, and so be without any good relish or pleasant taste. Euen so, if you doe not per∣sist with all your corrections, in such sort as they may be main∣tayned

by the heate of truth, whereby you may worke your per∣fection in time, there will be so many errors congeald, with the ••ost of ignorance, that your glory will fade, and so become distastefull, and very vnsauory. But because I haue spoken so largely hereof in the Chapter afore said, I will but onely reduce the corrections to the helpes, (by an orderly progression.) that you may more aptly iudge when to vse them: through which neglect is come great confusion in this Art, in regard they doe not rightly conceiue the vse and benefit of time. For seeing, there must be an orderly proceeding in all things, if they thinke to worke commendably: so it must be also in this Art, for Horses being sensitiue creatures, must be directed by motions and helpes first: and then if they will not obey, to adioyne thereto corrections; But herein many doe commit grosse errors: for so soone as they be seated in the saddle, they straight put their spurres to the Horse, whereby he is made so Franticke that hee doth rush forward very disorderly; which is one cause of so many headstrong and runne away horses, and also of many o∣ther vices which would be too long to particularize.

But to amplifie this point a little, and giue instance how you should know, when to begin and end your corrections: you must first obserue the disposition of the Horse, and according to that, you must first vse your helpes, and after them your corre∣ctions, for those must goe before, and these must follow after, but not contrarily, as many improperly haue vsed: and then, if he be quicke and capable, to vse the lesse time in correcting, but if lie be dull and sad, to spend the more time in reforming: and so likewise of all other Horses, to proportionate the time in correcting, as you in your iudgement shall finde your Horses disposition to be neare or farre off either of these extreames.

And secondly, you must haue that vnderstanding to know when the Horse doth begin the first motion of disobedience, ei∣ther in his interior or exterior parts, (as in the place aforesaid I haue showne) and then at that instant you must begin your corrections, and he will more easily be reformed, and so abbre∣uiate much time: For as water making a breach through a banke, if it be taken at first, the breach is soone repayred; but if it be protracted and let go further, it will either cause a great

inundation, or else aske greater labour, and more time to stop the fl••xe thereof. Euen so, if you apprehend the first show of rebellion, and so instantly to apply helpes and c••rrections, it will be soone supprest: But if you ouerslip that (as a thing of small moment) it will encrease (as the disposition of the horse is) and so cause either a great confusion, or else there must bee longer time spent, and greater pa••nes taken, for the subduing thereof.

And lastly, you must know the end of your corrections, which ought to tend chiefly to a desire of restitution, and therefore must not correct him so long as you shall be angry, but onely so long as the horse doth rebell: For if you correct when you are angry more for to please and satisfie your selfe (for reuenge) then any desire of reforming the Subiect; then when the horse doth yeeld or (at the least) make but a show thereof, if hee can not finde any ease, but still a persecution is inflicted vpon him; then is hee made to become sencelesse (in regard hee doth not know the cause of his tortures) and so (bedlam like) doth run from one error to a worse, whereby hee is made almost in∣curable.

Wherefore, to conclude this point, seeing time is such an ex∣cellent Nurse, that in it all things are nourished and brought to perfection, (if it be rightly vsed;) and contrariwise such a vi∣per that it doth eat and deuoure all (if it bee abused;) and also such a pleasant and odoriferous herbe, that it will keep its smell all the yeare: you must be carefull to carry it about you to re∣fresh your selfe (with the sent thereof) in all your proceedings, and it will be such a restoratiue that no infection of the conta∣gious Lethargie of ignorance shall much possesse you.

Notes

• Theo. 17. ^a.
• Eccle. 3. 2.
• A simile.
• An application.
• 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• ^• The abuse of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• (1) Theo. 19. ^f
• (2)
• Th•• instant time is 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• Theo. 35.
• A Simile.
• (3)
• ^d The con••inu∣ance of cor∣rection.
• Theo. 10. ^b. ^• Application for anger.
• Theo. 17. ^•,