CHAP. XXVIII. Of Passads.
FIrst walk your Horse straight forewards,* 1.1 either by a wall, or Palisade, and at the end stop and raise him two or three pessates, and then turn him gently, helping with the outward Rein of the Bridle, and outward legg, and see that he do not falsifie his Demy Volt either with his shoulders or haunches in Passaging, but that both be just after he hath turned.
Do as much upon the other hand, and then begin to Trot him upon the same straight line, stoping, raising him before, and turning him as you did upon the Walk, and when he is perfect upon the Trot, then put him to a short Gallop upon the straight line, also stoping and advancing him as you did before; but now let him perform his Demy Tour or Volt not by Passaging, but upon his Avre, and when he is perfect in this, then let him make a passade upon a short Gallop, without either stoping or raising before, but only turning when at the end of the straight line, which he will do exactly in a very short time, but you must remember in Galloping to keep his head alwayes a little from the Wall, that his Croup may come to it, and so keep the line that he falsifie not his Demy Volt, also before he turns it will not be a miss to cause him make two or three Falcads or times, to firm his Haunches the better, and to make him also turn with the better Grace.
If you intend to passade or run your Horse at his full Carrier, then keeping his head a little also from the Wall, slack the Bridle hand a little, and when at the end of the passade, press him with your Thighs, and stay him a little upon the hand to cause him make two or three Falcads before you turn him, and then close him with your outward Rein as in the Piroyte, for the Demy Volt of a passade a toute bride or at full speed, is nothing else but a half Piroyte, and therefore must have the very same Helps with it, and thus passade him from one hand to the other, making commonly the straight line of it, when you do it at full speed, about five or six times the Horses length only, and so your Horse will go perfectly upon passads, which is the Touch-stone of a ready Horse, and absolutely one of the most useful things in the Mannage for a single Combat.
But it may be here objected, that if a man in a single Combat make use of these fal∣cads, or half stops, which I order before he turn upon the end of his passade, it will give oportunity to his Adversary to gain his Croup, which is accounted a very considerable advantage in a single combat; To which I answer, That it cannot be denyed, but that such half stops have that inconveniency: But upon the other hand, if a Man do not make use of them upon passads at full speed, he will run into another inconveniency which is large as dangerous, and that is, That his horse being upon his full carrier, with∣out he make him form those half stops, he will be in danger of coming over every time he turneth, being riding with such force as a Man should alwayes do in passading, and there∣fore I leave it to your choice which of the two hazards you would rather undergo, whi∣ther to have your horse fall upon you, and perhaps break a Legg, or to have your Ad∣versary upon your Croup, in my opinion the last of the two is the safest, especially if you are upon a ready horse, and be also any thing of a Sword-man your self; Therefore I shall discourse no more of it, but leave the Event to be decided by your Skill upon Horse-back, and Dexterity in handleing the weapon, wherewith you are engadged.