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. XXXII. A short Recapitulation, of what hath been already said concerning the Dressing of Horses, which if got by heart, and punc∣tually practised, vvill give a man such insight in the Art, as that he vvill seldome fail to make and dress any Horse, that shall come to his hands.

HAving put a close to the most considerable part of this Treatise, which is the Di∣rections for making a Horse go perfectly in all kind of Mannages; I am re∣solved in this Chapter, to make a short Abstract of the abovementioned excel∣lent Directions, which I have at a little more length discoursed of in the preceed∣ing Chapters, that so the Reader may as it were at one vew, behold the whole Grounds and Intrieasies of this most Heroick and gentlemany exercise; And which will also I hope be of so much the greater use, because whatever thing Essential may escape his Memory, he may with one glance find it in this Chapter, there being contained in it, the very strength and Marrow of Horsemanship. And

FIRST, Of the Natural Paces.

THE Natural Paces are three, the Walk, the Trot, and the Gallop, to which may be added the Amble, because some Horses although not many, naturally have it, and such are commonly the swiftest Amblers of any.

SECONDLY, Of the Artificial Motions.

GEnerally speaking, there are only two Artificial Motions, Terra a Terra, and the high Ayres, but if taken in a stricter sence there are seven, to wit, Terra a Terra, a Demy Ayre or Demy Volt, a Corvet, a Capriol, a Croupade, a Balotade, and a Step and a Leap.

THIRDLY, How those Natural and Artificial Motions are founded each upon other.

THE Step or Walk is the Foundation of the Amble and Trot, the Trot the Foundation of the Gallop, the Gallop of Terra a Terra, Terra a Terra of the Demy Arres or Demy Volts, the Demy Volts of Corvets, Corvets of Capriols, and Capriols of all other Leaps, so that if a man intend to dress a Horse Regularly, he must make him go by degrees from the first of these Motions to the last, otherwayes he may be fair to spoil him.

FOƲRTHLY, Of Backing a Colt or Young Horse.

THE true way to make a Colt tame for backing, is to house him every VVinter, and use him as the rest of your Horses, which will make him become so Calm and fami∣liar, that when you intend to back him he will not stirr, but be most quiet and peaceable, but if he should prove untuly at backing, then work him for some dayes before you take his back, about a single pillar with a Cavezon upon his Nose, And this I assure you will tame him, especially with the assistance of a good VVhipe or Chambrier, applyed seasonably and with Judgement.

FIFTHLY, Of Bitting a Horse.

THE Bitt and Branches should be made alwayes proportionable to the Mouth and Neck of a Horse, that is longer or shorter, as his Mouth is wider or narrower, or his Neck short or long and the Bitts which are of most general Use, are the simple Cannon, the simple Seatch, the Cannon a la pignatel with a Libirty, and the Cannon with Olives to dis∣charge a Horses Lipps, having also a Liberty for the Tongue, but the Branebes should be for the most part a la Conestable, unless the Horse carry either his head very low, or his Nose high and too much out and in the Air, in which Case you must give him Branches accordingly, for which you will find particular Directions, in the discourse of Bitts immediatly preceeding this Treatise.

SIXTHLY, Of the Riders Garb and Horses Equipage.

THE Rider should alwayes be in a Modish and Fashionable Garb, and have limber and neat boots, with pretty long ne••ked spurrs, whose revells should be fix pointed and very sharp, because it is a great deal better with a sharp spurr to bring the blood, than with a rustie one to occasion an inflammation or fester, he should also carrie in his right hand a neat rod of a middle size and length, wherewith he is to help his horse either before or behind, as he shall find it needful; As for the Equipage of the horse, he should have in his mouth a bitt exactly fitted for it, upon his nose a good Cavezon, and upon his back a fashionable great saddle or selle à piquer, with sufficient strapps, girths, stirrups, curper and tye: And if he be a leaping horse, then his tail is to be tyed up in a sacker or trousse••queue, to make his leaps appear the higher and more graceful.

SEVENTHLY Of the HORSE-MANS Seat.

A MAN should sit upon Horse-back, with his Body as streight as when he is walking afoot, that is, he must as much as possible keep himself alwayes upon his twist, his feet

almost parralel to the sides of the Horse, and his Toes a little higher than his heels; And also appearing about an inch thorrow or upon the fore side of the Stirrups: In short, a Horseman should alwayes look gay upon Horseback, and have as degadged and uncon∣strained a Seat as possible, a right Seat being of such consequence to make a Horse go well, that this is a received Maxime amongst Horsemen, Qui n'est pas bel homme a cheval, ne sera jamais bon homme a cheval, which is, that he who is not a Graceful horseman, shall never be a good horseman.

EIGHTLY, Of the first Riding a Horse upon Circles, or Suppling of his Shoulders.

TO make a Horse obey the hand and heel of his Rider perfectly, is what the whole Art of Horsemanship only aimeth at, and to make him first obey your hand, you must supple his Shoulders; now it is alwayes the Inward Rein of the Cavezon, or Outward Rein of the Bridle, and Inward legg of the Rider which doth this: therefore prac∣tise your Horse alwayes upon this Lesson, Rein and legg of a side with the Cavezon, until you find him both very supple and easie to Turn, and also very light, but be sure in work∣ing of him, to cause him bring in his Outward Shoulder, Otherwayes you do nothing, which is done by frequently helping of him with the Outward Rein of the Bridle, yet if he close his Circle too much, help him with the Inward Rein of the Bridle to enlarge him a little.

NINTHLY, Of puting a Horse upon his Haunches, or making him Obey the Heels.

AS the Answering the Hand is the first thing a Man should teach a Horse, so the mak∣ing him obey the heels, or puting him upon his Haunches, is the second and easi∣est Task of the two, and is generally performed, with the Inward Rein of the Cavezon or Bridle and Outward legg of the Rider, which is Rein and Legg contrary, as the suppling of the shoulders is with the Cavezon Rein and Legg of a side, although you must also sometimes help him with the Outward Rein of the Bridle, to bring in his Shoulders if they go too much out.

TENTHLY, Of Stoping and Going Back.

A Horse should be alwayes taught first to stop upon a Walk, then upon a Trot, and af∣terwards upon a Gallop, and not upon a sudden neither, upon any of them at first, but in two or three times, and when you stop, help alwayes with the Inward Rein of the Bridle, and Outward legg, to bring in his Outward hind legg, otherwayes he would not stop u∣pon his Haunches. In pulling back a Horse, you must also help him with the Inward Rein and Outward legg, and If he do not answer you willingly, then force him back, by pulling the Reins of the Cavezon one after the other, as if you were sawing of Wood, and in the time you are doing of it, slack your Thighs a little, and keep your Body and Shoulders a little back, and so let him go; Now you must know that both going back and stoping, are ex∣cellent Lessons to put a Horse upon the haunches, and settle him upon the Hand.

ELEVENTHLY, Of Passaging.

PAssaging is performed for the most part, with the Outward Rein of the Bridle and Out∣ward legg, that so a horses leggs may have the more Liberty to lap the one over the other, however the Inward Rein is sometimes to be made use of to stay him, if his Shoulders go too far before his Croup; A horse should be wrought upon passaging first a∣long

a Wall, then upon a large circle, and lastly upon a Square, and all this first upon a Stepp, and then upon a Trot, which will at last prepare him mightily for Terra a Terra.

TWELFTHLY, Of Pesates.

PEsates or raising a horse before, should never be taught him at first Riding, because a horse should be rendred pretty obedient, and to understand and answer the hand and heels, before a Man should attempt to raise him upon Pesates, therefore see it be one of the last things you teach your Horse, to which if he be very refractory, the puting him between the Pillars will make him comply, and you will by experience find, that this is truly the Advice of one who wishes you to succeed in all your Undertakings in Horse manship, and who doth not at all desire you should spoil your Horse, for lake of a good Advice, of which Nature I assure you this is one of the chief.

THIRTEENTHLY, Of the Helps of the Bridle, Leggs, and Rod, in all Ayres.

FOR Terra a Terra, and the Ayre Demy Volts, help for the most part with the inward Rein of the Bridle, and outward Legg, and when going to the Right hand, put your Rod cross his Neck sloapwise upon the outside, and when going to the left, also either upon the outside of his Neck, or behind your Right Thigh.

For the Pirovte, help alwayes with the outward Rein and outward Legg, and keep the Rod still upon the contrary side to which he is going.

For Passads, help your Horse alwayes according to the Ayre with which he closeth the end of his Passade, if with Terra a Terra, then with the inward Rein and outward Legg, but if with a half piroyte, then with the outward rein and outward Legg, and help alwayes with the rod upon the contrary side to which he is going.

For Corvets, both forewards, Backwards, sidewise, and upon Circles or Volts, help for the most part with the outward rein, but not at all with your Leggs, except he be going upon Volts of two pistes, or his Croup a little in, in which case you must help him a little now and then with the outward Legg, to subject his Croup a very little, and help alwayes with the rod upon the contrary side to which you are going, but going along a wall, then help alwise upon the side from the Wall:

For Leaps of all kinds, help with the outward rein, and give no help with your Leggs at all, only hold him up well with the Bridle hand when he riseth before, that so he may rise the higher behind, and time the motion of your Bridle hand so, as that you may take him as if he were a Ball upon the Bound, which is the greatest secret of all in leaping: Horse right; But as for the Rod, you must help with it according to the kind of leap you intend he should make, if Capriols, then help with it either with its point near his Dock, or with the great end of it just behind the Saddle, the red being turned in your hand and your Thumb downwards; if Balotads, then upon the middle of his Croup; if Croupads, then a little above his Gambrels, sometimes also you may help a leaping Horse with a rod upon his shoulders, if you find he do not rise easily enough before, but this help of the Rod upon the shoulders is not by farr so common as that given behind, although there may be some∣times an absolute necessity, as in this case I have told you, to make use of it.

FOƲRTEENTHLY, Some more excellent Directions and Observations of very great importence, for the right Mannaging of Horses.

IN a Walk, a Horse lifts two Leggs of a side the one after the other, bginning with his hind Legg first, so that he hath two Leggs of a side in the Air, and two upon the ground at the same time.

In the Amble the Horse hath likewise two leggs of a side in the Air, and two upon the ground at the same time, the differnce between a Walk and an Amble being only this, that in a Walk he lifts his two Leggs of a side one after the other, and so his four Leggs or

feet mark four times, 1, 2, 3, & 4, whereas in an Amble, the two Leggs of a side are raised at the same very time, so that his four Leggs mark but only two times; to wit, the two leggs of that side which moveth first marketh one time, and the other two leggs of that side which moveth last marketh the second.

In a Trot, the Horse hath two leggs in the Air, and two upon the ground at the same time, in forme of a St. Andrews cross, and also marketh but two times with his four leggs, the first when he setteth down those that were up cross in the Air, and in the second when he raiseth and seteth down again these that were cross upon the ground.

In a Gallop a Horse hath all four feet in the Air at once, it being alwaise a leap forewards, but he lifteth first his two fore leggs, & then his two hind, & also his two fore leggs are raised, or lifted the one advanced before the other, & so do the hind leggs also follow in the same posture, the one advanced before the other, and albeit that all his four feet be in the Air at once, yet in setting them down he marketh four times, to wit, the first with his fore legg which did not lead, the second with his fore legg which did lead, the third with his hind legg which did not lead, and the fourth with his hind legg which did lead, or accompany the fore legg which first lead the way, so that in a Gallop a Horse marketh four times with his four feet, which are, 1, 2, 3, and 4, although all his four feet be in the Air, at once, which will at first appear some what extraordinary to any man, who hath not been at the pains to consider and reflect upn it.

A Horse in Galloping straight forwards may lead with any fore legg he pleaseth, although Horses do it most commonly with their right fore legg, but with whatever fore legg they lead, the hind legg of the same side must follow it, otherwayes they will be disunited in their Leggs.

To bring a Horses Leggs right which are disunited, you must stay him a little upon the hand, and help him with the Spurr upon the contrary side, to that in which he is disunit∣ed; For example, if he be disunited upon the right side, help him with the left Spurr, and if he be disunited upon the left side, then unite him with the right Spurr, by staying him as I said a little upon the hand, and also helping him at the same time with the Brans of your Leggs.

In Galloping upon a Round or Circle, a Horse should alwayes lead with his fore Legg with∣in the Turn, and as I have said, the hind legg of the same side should alwayes follow, o∣therwayes he will be disunited, but if he should lead with his fore legg without the Turn, then he would Gallop false, although his hind leggs be united with his fore, now to remedy this false Gallop, and put him as they say upon his right fore foot again, you must make use of the same help with the Spurr, which you do in remitting and rectifying a horse which is disunited, to which I referr you, and therefore I need not make a repetition of it, seeing you have it in the Paragraph immediatly preceeding this.

A Horse is never to be pressed to much in any Lesson, but to be taught it slowly, and by degrees, for practice and custom prevail over Horses as well as men.

Walking a Horse, and staying him a little upon the hand, stoping, going back, passaging, and pesates, or raising a Horse before, help all mightily to put a horse upon his baunches, but see that your stops at first be performed gently, and in two or three times or falcads, otherwayes you may come to strain your Horses back; But above all see that raising your Horse before, or upon Pesates, be one of the last things you teach him, otherwayes you will certainly spoil him.

When you first supple your Horses shoulders, hold alwayes the Cavezons inward Rein in your hand, and work him upon a Circle, but when he is well suppled, then ty the Cavezon Rein fast to the Pomel, and work him alwayes afterwards upon a Square, for a Square as I have else where told you, is the quintesence of figures for the Mannage.

Your Horse being perfectly well accustomed, to perform all his Lessons with the Cave∣zons inward Rein thus tyed to the Pomel of the Saddle, perfeit him with the Bridle alone, working him still upon a Square, and taking notice to cause him point a little out with his head at each Corner or Angle, and then to Round them well, after that he is thus per∣fectly finished, or exactly dressed; See you never make him go above once a week at most, but work him if you please every day with the Cavezon, upon his Trot, Gallop, Passager, and pesates, and keeping him thus in Tune if I may so speak with the Cavezon, he will go rarely when you would have him go any Ayre, or Terra a Terra; I say a Horse is thus to be tuned, for a Horse having four Leggs, is like a Fiddle of four strings, and if the Fiddle be not tuned, no Musician whatsoever can ever play well upon it, so if a Horses Leggs be not rightly tuned, he will never dance his Round right, again, although a Fiddle be well Tuned at the first, yet if you alwayes play upon it, it will soon go out of tune, so a Ready Horse if you make him go perpetually, will be soon out of Tune, and therefore you must

still keep him in tune, by giving him frequently his Lessons with the Cavezon as I have told you, also until your Horse be perfectly finished travel him as little as possible.

I shall make only one other Musical observation, & then shall put a close to this Chapter, and it is this, there is no Man who hath not a Musical head that can be a good Horse∣man, because all Horses ought to go in a just and Musical time, although the time varieth in every Horse, some going slower, and some quicker, and besides, as no man playes upon the Lute or any other stringed Instrument, but the same strings he stops with his left hand, he alwayes striketh with his right, or else it would be bad Musick: So in Riding, whatsoever you touch or help with your Left hand you must strike with your heel, or Calf of your legg, otherwayes it will be ill Musick upon Horseback, and therefore a good Horseman, should never fail to make hand and heel Horseback, and therefore a good Horseman, should never fail to make hand and heel go together, no more then a Musician his two hands, when he is playing upon any Musical Instrument.

Notes

• CHAP: XXXII