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.

CHAP XXIX. Of Corvets, and how to dress a Horse perfectly upon them, without a pillar, which is the surest way.

IT is as I have already told you, a Maxime in Horsemanship never to force any Ayre, but to set Nature in order by Art, and this I am perswaded should be as much observed in choising a Horse for Corvets as any one thing in the Mannage, because for Corvets a Horse should have a great deal of pat ience, but say some, the Ayre of Corvets with discreet Riding giveth a Horse patience, in which I doubt there is a mistake which is this, first the Horse hath patience, and then that Horse may go in Corvets, but I assure you it is very seldom that impatient Horses are made patient by Corvets, therefore such people seeing most Horses which go upon Corvets to have patience, they think it is the Corvets which give them patience, when it is patience that giveth them Corvets, but there is no Rule without an exception, And although I know that some young Horses may go upon Cor∣vets, yet I can assure you, Horses for the most part must have a great deal of time, with the custom of often repetitions, before they can be well settled and firmed to go certainly in Corvets, both forewards and upon the Volts, so that if a Horse be not perfectly in the haand and heels, and upon the Haunehes, and withal have a natural disposition for them, he will never go well upon Corvets; However, if you have a Horse you think naturally inclined for that Ayre, and that you intend to try your Skill upon him, then in my opinion the method I am going to set down to you, will be found the most certain of any you can make tryal of, either for going upon Corvets straight forewards, sidewayes, backwards, or upon the Volts, of all which I shall discourse in order. And,

FIRST, Of Pesates.

A Pesate, is when a Horse riseth handsomly before, and upon his Haunches, and at the same time bends his fore leggs up to his Body; now this is so necessary an Action, that without a Horse can do it perfectly, he shall never go well in any Ayre, and therefore before I proceed to them, I shall show how to cause your Horse perform an exact Pesate, which is thus, the Cavezons inward Rein being in your hand, or tyed to the Pomel, help him with the outward Rein of the Bridle, and in Passaging raise him as high as you can, and hold him there gently, and without fougne, or giving him occasion to fret, then walk him away a little, and afterwards raise him again, and do this quite round the Volt or large Circle you are working him upon, which will make him in a short time form a right and very just Pesate: Now the teaching of your Horse Pesates, must be the first Lesson before ever you offer to put him upon any Ayre, for there is no∣thing more graceful in all Ayres, then to see a Horse bend his fore leggs well up to his Body, but there is also more in it then that, because whatever Horse goeth in Ayres, if his fore leggs be stiff before, or that he Paws with his fore feet, he is necessarly upon his shoulders, for that stiffness of his fore Leggs and pawing, puts him upon them, whereas if he did bend his fore Leggs up to his Body, it would put him upon the Haunehes, because it pulls him backward, as being stiff before puts him foreward, and consequently upon the shoulders, but if you find your Horse very much oppose you when you first attempt to make him rise before, then put him as I have already told you betwixt the Pillars for some dayes, and then no doubt he will yeeld to you; for this is all the use in my opinion that the Pillars serve for, and therefore keep him as short while there as possible, See Plate fifth, figure fourth and fifth.

SECONDLY, For Corvets straight Forewards.

WHen your Horse is perfect in pesates, and that you intend to work him upon Cor∣vets straight forewards, before you do it, you must make him rise in pesates, and to stay upon the hand, using alwayes the Cavezon at first, then to make him go in Corvets straight forewards or along a Wall, you must tye the Cavezons Rein which is from the Wall, to keep that hind legg near to his other hind legg which is next the Wall, and begin with two or three pefates or corvets, and then walk him forewards a little, then corvet him a∣gain, and if you feel him on the hand, and that he also go forwards with it, he will quickly be drest, but if he press forewards too much, then cause him make his Curvets in one place, and then put him on again, which you will find very soon help him; But to make this yet the more plain to you, suppose it be your Right should•••• that is next the Wall, then you must tye the left Rein of the Cavezon to the Pomel, which doth not only keep back the hind legg upon the same side the Cavezon Rein is tyed, but also suppleth him and prepareth him, nothing being like it, to go Corvets upon the Volts to the Left hand, again if it be your Left shoulder which is to the Wall, tye the Right Rein of the Cavezon to the Pomel for the same Reasons, and work him as I told you before, first walking him, and then raising him upon Corvets, until you make him continue his Corvets without intermission the whole length of the VVall, and as for the Bridle hand, you must remember that in Corvets forewards, you are alwayes to help with the Rein next to the VVall or outward Rein, to enlarge him before and to narrow him behind, because he leads with his fore parts, and his hind parts follow to keep the ground which his fore parts hath got, his fore parts being at Liberty, and his hind parts prest.

As for your Seat it must be just as in Terra a Terra, but neither so stiff nor so oblique, the Bridle hand even with his Neck, and your Knuckles towards his Neck on which hand so ever he goes, but the hand still even over his Neck, two or three fingers above the Pomel and a little foreward, without any other Help but to stay him a little upon the Hand, for every Horse will take his own time better then you can give it him, but quick it should be from the ground, and then Stay him in the Aire upon the hand, your Body alwayes going to that end of the Horse which cometh to you, that is, bend a little to him as he rises, but so insensibly, that the Beholders may not perceive it, you are also to sit as fore∣ward to the Pomel as you can, your Body being streight, and your Thighs and Knees as closs as if they were glewed to the Saddle, but your Toes a little down and low, that you may be weak in the Hams, that is to have your Nerves weak from the Knees downwards, and strong from the Knees upwards, neither help him at all as I have said already with your Leggs, but leave his Croup free and at liberty to follow his fore parts which lead.

For when a Horse is between the Pillars, or at the fingle pillar as I shall show you here∣after, and no Body upon his Back, he goeth as just as can be, and yet he hath no Leggs to help him there, therefore I say you are not to help him with your Leggs at all, for if you should help him with your Outward Legg, then he will think he must go Terra a Terra relevé, and if he should in this posture performe his Corvets, he will go all a wray, and lean on the Outside, so again if you help him with the Inward Legg, he will put out his Croup, and lean all on the Inside, and if you should help him with both your Leggs, it would press him too much, and make him go too quick a time, therefore I say again, that the right way is to help him only with the Bridle, and not with your Legg: at all.

But if your Horse should of his own accord put in his Croup too much, then of necessi∣ty you must put it out with your Inward legg, and if he puts it out too much, then you are also to put it in with your Outward legg: But except in these Cases, or that he go not enough forwards at each time, I would advise you never to help him with your Leggs at all. Lastly, If your Horse beat upon the Hand, it is because he doth not endure or obey the Curb, and in that Case, you must raise him very high upon Pesates and hold him there, which will put him upon the Curb, and make him to endure it, but if this will not do, then Gallop him upon a streight line by a Wall or otherwayes, and from his Gallep stay him upon the hand, and then let him go in Corvets, or let him Gallop forewards a short Gallop, then stop him and raise him three or four Pesates very high, and hold him on the hand when he is up, and this in all probability will cure him, if not, then Trot him and stop him with good hard Stops, and also pull him back sometimes, and this will settle him on the hand I warrant you, your Stirrups being of an equal length, except you have one

Legg shorter than the other, and rather a hole shorter than too long, that so you may sit upon your Tuist, and equally upon your Stirrups: And this is the most exact way for teaching a Horse to go in Corvets forewards, that in my Opinion can he made Use of, See Plate fifth figure fifth.

THIRDLY, For Corvets Side wayes.

TO make a Horse go sidewayes in Corvets, help only as I said with the Bridle, and puting his Head to the Wall and going to the Right hand, help with the Out∣ward Rein, and let the Horse go sidwayes, that is the half of his shoulders before his croup, and cause him thus make three or four corvets sidewayes, then walk him again sidewayes, afterwards corvet him again, and thus walk him and corvet him sidewayes, by degrees deminishing his Walk, and augmenting his Corvets, until he go all in Corvets, which he will soon do and very perfectly; Use the like Helps for the Left hand in every thing, as I have told you for the Right.

FOƲRTHLY, For Corvets Backwards.

TO make your Horse go backwards in Corvets, first pull him back, and then cause him make three or four Corvets in one place, then pull him back again, and afterwards Cor∣vet him in one place, and thus pulling him back, and Corveting in one place, diminishing the pulling back, and augmenting the Corvets, he will at last go backwards in Corvets as perfect∣ly as can be, but in Corvets backwards, you must remember to help alwayes with the Bridle Rein next to the Wall, to narrow him before and enlarge him behind, that so he may be there at Liberty, because his hind parts lead, and his fore parts follow to keep the ground which his hind parts hath got, therefore his hind parts being at Liberty, and his fore parts prest, your Bridle hand must be low that the Horse may not go too high, and your Body a little foreward, to give his hinder parts the more liberty to Lead, and do not help with your Leggs at all, but with your Bridle hand pull him back every time he falleth to the Ground, and with these Aids he will come to Corvet backwards perfectly well.

FIFTHLY, For Corvets upon the Volts

TO put a Horle upon Corvets in a Circle or Volt, the Cavezons inward Rein must be at first tyed to the Pommel, and his Croup must not be put in too much, but be should rather at first teaching go upon Circles of one Pistle or Tread, for here to keep out the inward hind Legg is the business, help therefore a little with the outward Rein of the Bridle, and raise him three or four Corvets, then Walk him upon the Circle, and after∣wards Corvet him again, and so diminish your Walk and augment your Corvets, until he make a whole Turn or Volt upon Corvets, and when he is perfect upon them in Circles of one Piste or Tread, then let him go upon Corvets with his Group a very little in upon the Volts, which is the perfection of Corvets upon them: You must alwayes in Corvets upon Volts help with the outward Rein, not only to keep him up, but to give him the ply, and make ••im imbrace the Round or Angles of the square the better; but give him no help with your legg•••• at all.

To change upon Corvets, do it thus, if your Horse be going to the Right hand, and you would change him, then put your inward or Right legg gently to him, and hold him a little up with your Bridle hand (called in French Soutener) on the inside of his Neck, your Knuckles alwayes down upon which hand soever you go, and as soon as he hath changed, take 〈◊〉〈◊〉 your right legg from him, and help no more with your leggs at all, only the poise of your 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Body in changing is to be a little upon the outside, the same very helps are to be made use of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when you change from the left, that is left legg and outward Rein: Now the reason why up 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on changing, I begin first with the Legg and not with the Bridle hand,

is this, if I should begin with the hand he would stop, and if I turned my hand to the inside, his Croup would go too much out and be lost, because I would have no feeling of it, and therefore I begin with the legg, but instantly I hold him up with my hand, so that the two Helps are down so quickly after other that none can perceive it, but if his shoulders do not come in enough, then turn well your hand to the inside, and help with the outward Rein: All this must be done so neatly and gently, and with as much Art as can be, for it is the quintescence of changing upon Volts in Corvets.

SIXTHLY, For the Cross and Sataban upon Corvets.

IF you know hou to help your Horse upon Corvets, forewards, backwards, and sidewayes, as I have been showing you, then put these helps together, and you may make your Horse frame the Cross upon Corvets when you please, and without any difficulty in the World.

For the Saraban in Corvets, you must help still with the outward Rein, which is to be pulled first upon the one side, and then on the other after every Corvet, from side to side, helping as I said only with your Bridle hand, and your outward shoulder alwayes following it, without any help from your leggs at all.

Now to conclude this Chapter of Corvets, I must again tell you that Horses which have either of these two extreams, that is who are either very dull and retain their Forces, or are firie and impatient, are very improper for Corvets, because to furious and impatient Horses, all Ayres augment and increase their Choller, and deprive them of their memorie and obedience, therefore they are a great deal more proper to go upon the ground then in any kind of Ayres whatsoever.

I would also as I have already told you, have the first Lessons you give your Horse for Corvets, to be made very leasurely and high before, which are his Pessates, for this giveth him means to assure his Haunches, firm his head, and bend his fore Leggs, and diverteth him from being apprehensive and unquiet, or to fret and trample, which is called in Franch, Trepigner, and this much for dressing a Horse in Corvets upon all hands, o•• which I have the longer insisted, because they are one of the most difficult Ayres that a Horse can go, and require a great deal of Judgement in the Rider, as well as patience in the Horse, to perform them truely and justly as they ought.

Notes

• CHAP: XXIX.
• CHAP: XXIX.