The parfait mareschal, or Compleat farrier. Which teacheth, I. To know the shapes and goodness, as well as faults and imperfections of horses. II. The signs and causes of their diseases, the means to prevent them, their cure, and the good or bad use of purging and bleeding. III. The way to order and preserve them, when upon travel, to feed, and to dress them. IV. The art of shoeing, according to a new design of shoes, which will recover bad feet, and preserve the good. Together with a treatise, how to raise and bring up a true and beautiful race of horses: as also instructions, whereby to fit all kinds of horses with proper bits, whereof the chief draughts are represented in copper-plates. / Written originally in French by the Sieur de Solleysel Escuyer, sometime one of the overseers of the French Kings Royal Academy of Riding, near to the Hostel de Conde in Paris. And translated from the last Paris impression, by Sir William Hope of Kirkliston Kt. Lieutenat Governour of the Castle of Edinburgh. By whom is also added as a supplement to the first part, a most compendious and excellent collection of horsemanship, taken from the best and most modern writers upon that subject, such as Mr. De la Brow, Pluvinel, and the Great Duke of Newcastle. Part I.

FOƲRTHLY, Of the Operation of the two Reins seperate, one in each hand.

WHEN you work with the Reins seperate, one in each hand, (I shall first speak of the inward Rein) if you pull the inward Rein from his neck, towards the inside, then you pull the inward Cheek or Branch into the Turn, and then the mouth of the Bitt goeth to the Contrary side, which is without, and presseth the Horse upon the Barrs without the Turn; and likewayes presseth the Curb

upon that same outside, which maketh the Horse look out of the Turn, and consequently presseth his Leggs within the Turn, which is not at all proper for Terra a Terra: And it must of necessity do so, to whatever hand you are going, when you thus pull the in∣ward Rein from his neck, upon the inside of the Volt: For when the Cheeks are pulled in, the mouth of the Bitt must go out, because of what side soever the Cheeks are pull∣ed, the mouth of the Bitt goeth still contrary to them; The Bitt being a Machine which is made so to do.

Therefore in Terra a Terra the Reins seperated one in each hand; I pull the inward Rein (if I am going to the Right hand) slopwayes over his neck, towards my left shoulder, the Knuckles of my Right hand down, and Nails up, which pulleth the inward Cheek towards me, and as it were without the Turn, and then the mouth of the Bitt bendeth into the Turn, and maketh the Horse also look into the Turn, presleth his leggs which are without the Turn, and giveth liberty to those within: Which is the true action of a Horses Leggs, for Terra a Terra.

The inward Rein likewayes pulled thus when you have both the Reins in the Left hand, worketh the very same effect: For going to the Right hand, if you turn your Knuckles quite down, making your Nails as it were respect a little your left shoulder, and there∣by streatch the inward Rein, by this motion of the inward Rein You pull the inward Branch to you, and as it were out of the Turn, and then the mouth of the Bitt goeth into the Turn, and pressing the Horse upon the inside of the Barrs, maketh him both look into the Turn, and also presseth his leggs without the Volt, and giveth liberty to those within, all which is most proper for Terra a Terra: Now what I have said of the Right hand, may be easily applyed to the Left, and this much of the inward Rein, either both Reins being in the Left hand, or the Reins being seperate, and one only in each hand.

Let us now consider the working of the outward Rein, what operation it hath upon the Branches, which Branches govern the mouth of the Bitt and Curb; As for example, going to the Right hand, I turn my hand on the inside of his neck, my Nails a little up; this pulleth the outward Rein, Which outward Rein pulleth the outward Cheek towards me, and therefore must of necessity put the mouth of the Bitt from me, and press the Horse upon the out side of the Barrs, which is on the outside of the Turn, and so the Horse must look out of the Turn, have his leggs pressed within the Turn, and at liberty without the Turn, and all this, because the Branches are pulled to me, and as it were within the Volt, and therefore the mouth of the Bitt must go from me, which is without the Volt: And it is impossible it should work otherwayes, but then it is true that this is not at all fit for Terra a Terra, but excellent for suppling his shoulders. The reason is this. The H••rses leggs are as I said, pressed upon the inside of the Turn, And therefore he must needs bring in his Shoulders, although he is at the same time constrain∣ed to look out of the Turn, the same thing is for the left hand, and the same reason serve for both: Thus you have the Bitt and Reins truely Anatomized, which if I be not mistaken, will be sound very useful to those who design to understand the true Foun∣dations of Horsemanship: The superficial Knowledge of it, being for the most part but a meer Routin, and not worth a Farthing.