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More Quotes of William Cavendish (1st Duke of Newcastle)
"Remember, that an easy hand is one of the principal aids we have; for it puts a horse upon its haunches, when he finds nothing else to lean upon; besides, it pleases him, and prevents his being resty.
I make frequent use of this lesson, to make a horse obedient to the hand and heel, and find it a very good one. I make him go sideways to one hand, and then forward a little; then sideways to the other hand, and forward a little; and thus sideways from hand to hand; which is an excellent method, since by this, a horse expects the hand and heel, submits himself to them, and don’t go by rote."
(1995; 62; translation: T. Ritter)
"A horse that does not go well upon his haunches, can never do well in the Manege, so that our whole study is to put him upon them; but I would have you understand, when a horse may properly be said to be upon his haunches, and when not. Suppose a horse to be almost sitting upon his croupe, he is not upon his haunches notwithstanding, if his hind-legs are distant from the lines of nature (which is to have them much asunder) although’ he was almost upon his croupe. But to be upon his haunches, his hind-legs ought to be in their natural position, with the haunch-bone pointing directly forward, and his hind-legs under his belly, bending his hocks as much as possible; and this is the just situation of a horse upon his haunches. But we ought to consider the natural form and shape of a horse, that we may work him according to nature. You may observe in all my lessons, that I tell you how the legs go, and those who are unacquainted with that, are entirely ignorant and work in the dark."
(1995; 63; translation: T. Ritter)
"The caveson my way held in the rider’s hand gives the true ply to the horse; and there is nothing like it, for it bends him from nose to tail. But take notice here, that when the false reins are fastened to the banquet of the bit, they are two hands breadth nearer the rider than the caveson, which is upon his nose, and for that reason have less effect and less power, though the barrs are more sensible than the nose, but the horse’s ply won’t be so great, as you have not so much command."
(1995; 65; translation: T. Ritter)
"You must in all Airs follow the strength, spirit, and disposition of the horse, and do nothing against nature; for art is but to set nature in order, and nothing else."
(1995; 68; translation: T. Ritter)
"If you can’t gain your point therefore in one way, you must have recourse to another."
(1995; 105; translation: T. Ritter)
"At first you ought to stop him gently, and by degrees; for a sudden stop, without warning, is not good for any horse; but it ought always to be done with two or three falcades, which is a sliding gently upon the haunches at two or three times; it gives a grace to a horse, and prepares him the better for his demi-volte.
But what for the generality I call a light or gentle hand, is at the same time as light as a feather, and yet firm, except in extraordinary cases."
(1995; 107; translation: T. Ritter)
"But there is nothing to be done till a horse’s head is settled. It ought therefore to be the principal care, and the first work to fix that, or to give him a good mouth, or, which is the same thing, to put him in hand; and this whether it be to a colt, a young horse, a horse of middle age, or an old one; in short, any one that is rode in a Manege: For without being in the hand he is good for nothing; and being once there, he is good for everything, and it is the foundation of our art."
(1995; 108; translation: T. Ritter)
"To keep a horse in perpetual subjection and slavery, makes him either desperately or stupidly resty."
(1995; 109; translation: T. Ritter)
"For a Horse that is heavy on the Hand.
This proceeds sometimes from a thick fleshy neck, fleshy shoulders, a thick fleshy head, with a great deal of hair in the curb place; or from a thick skin in that part, or hard bars, or even sometimes from the horse’s arming himself against the bridle, sometimes from his obstinacy in opposing the rider, in order to run away; and sometimes a horse is so heavy as to lean all his weight upon the bridle.
You may break him thus. Give him on an easy bit, as before directed, that fits him, with a caveson after my manner, not forcing him either with the bridle or the caveson. Trot him as short as possible, because the short trot puts him upon his haunches; stop him often of a sudden; make him go backwards; raise him before, walk him with his head against a wall; work him in a corner where two walls meet; stop him against a wall; work him with his croupe in, all which puts him upon his haunches. You may also gallop him upon the haunches. Never make him advance, or but very little at most, in his quarter and demi-voltes: And as you work other horses forwards upon a line between the quarters of the volte, making the line so much the longer in proportion as they are light in hand; in like manner, a horse that is heavy in hand, the line must be made more or less short. You should pull him back besides in all the lines before the quarter, just as you make the others advance. These are excellent lessons to break him, and make him light in hand: but nothing puts a horse so much upon his haunches, and consequently makes him so light in hand, as my new method of the pillar."
(1995; 109; translation: T. Ritter)
"The main secret for a horse that is heavy upon the hand, is for the rider to have a very light one; for when he finds nothing to bear upon with his mouth, he infallibly throws himself upon the haunches for his own security. Either before or behind he must support himself, and finding nothing to lean on before, he bears his weight behind. Now being upon the haunches (as he necessarily must be in this case) is it impossible but he must be light in hand, because no horse can be rightly upon his haunches without being so. And he that said that a horse was not dressed, whose curb was not loose, said right; and it is equally true that the curb can never play, when in its right place, except the horse be upon his haunches. No horse therefore is well dressed that is not light in hand; so that an easy and gentle bridle, but firm, is the chief secret to make a horse light. Your caveson ought also to be easy. The stopping short upon walk, trot, or gallop, will contribute much to the same purpose, because it puts him upon the haunches. To make him rise once or twice, and then go forwards, so that when you raise him his haunches come in, will for the same reason produce the same effect. But my method of the pillar, as it throws the horse yet more upon the haunches, is still more effectual to this purpose, and besides always gives him the ply to the side he goes of. The horse’s head to the wall puts him upon the haunches; turning upon very little more ground than his own length, puts him very much upon them, and consequently makes him light upon the hand, quarter, and demi-voltes: the croupe in does so too; so does the croupe quite in, his head to all the four walls, for it puts him extremely upon the haunches. If the shoulders are not supple, the caveson, the rein, and the leg of the same side will render them so, and make the hrose obey the heel, as I have told you often."
(1995; 110; translation: T. Ritter)
"Make him always advance, in whatsoever he does; for he will often put his croupe out, and go backwards, as if he was resty to the spur. Use gentle means before you come to extremity, and whatever lesson you work him, and never take above half his strength, nor ride him till he is weary, but a little at a time and often. Be always lavish of your caresses, and sparing in your corrections. When you do correct him, let it be to some purpose, but only one stroke at a time, whether it be with the spur, the switch, the voice, or the chambriere, and even that not often repeated."
(1995; 111; translation: T. Ritter)
"The caveson has a ring on each side, and another in the middle; for which reason, my way, I have two reins, which have a little ring at each end, and I put the end of the rein thro’ the ring, and fasten it to the pommel. I draw down the reins close to the saddle-bow under my thighs, and passing them thro’ the rings of the caveson, bring them back strait to my hands. It must be observ’d, that the three rings of the caveson divide it into four parts and that (working with the left rein, that is in the ring next to me) I have only a quarter force in pulling, and the horse has three quarters against me: so that an obstinate stiff-necked horse may easily be too strong for me. I fasten the rein of the cavesson therefore as before, except that instead of putting it thro’ the left ring, I put it thro’ the right, tho’ I work my horse to the left: Thus have I three times the force of the horse, which is too much for him. I would have you fasten instead of holding it, the rein that comes back to your hand to the pommel of the saddle, because it has the greater force. This irresistibly draws the outside of his head, and makes him look into the volte with both eyes, whether he will or no, which is the only way in the world to make him supple. For what usually makes a horse so stiff is, that he looks out with the eye without the volte, which the left cannot bring in; but the right will, drawing of it to the left side, as I told you, and it entirely does the business, and makes him so supple that it is a pleasure to ride him."
(1995; 111; translation: T. Ritter)
"The leg and rein of the same side work the shoulders, and the croupe is lost. The leg and rein contrary, with the head to the pillar, and the pillar without the head, works the croupe, and presses the shoulders.
The croupe towards the pillar, and the pillar within the croupe works the shoulders, presses the croupe, and puts the horse upon his haunches. It is just the same in his own length, and it puts him likewise upon his haunches; so does the head to the wall, and also the working with the rein and the leg on the same side upon a short trot; the stopping a horse, the making him go backwards, the raising him before, provided it is not too high, the slow gallop upon circles, and Terre- à-terre."
(1995; 128; translation: T. Ritter)
"I. There is no better way to make a horse obedient, both to the hand and heel, and to put him upon the haunches, than to draw the inner rein of the caveson very high towards the outward shoulder, bringing that shoulder in, and helping strongly with the outer leg; to put him together, teach him to obey both hand and heel, and put him upon the haunches.
To work with the Bridle only, the Reins separated in both Hands.
II. When the reins are separated and in both hands, draw the inner rein very high towards the contrary shoulder, to which hand so ever you go, and put that shoulder in, helping at the same time with the contrary leg. This puts him together, throws him upon the haunches, and makes him obey both hand and heel. There is no better lesson than this.
To work a Horse with the Bridle in the Left Hand only.
III. The reins of the bridle, which ought to be separated by the little finger only, are in this position: To the right hand the inner rein is above the little finger, and to the left hand the inner rein is under the little finger. To the right hand therefore you must put the bridle on the left side of the horse, in order to draw the inner rein: but you need not turn up the nails of your bridle hand, only hold it firm and strait, the knuckles of your fingers without the neck of the horse; and continuing this posture, put out the knuckles of your little finger in such manner, that the thumb may sink a little, in order to draw the inner and slacken the outer rein: for when the little finger joints turn out, they slacken the outer rein, which is under that finger, and tighten the inner rein, which is above it; and this is according to art. Besides, the horseman’s shoulder may naturally come in, which is just and easy; and thus the inner rein in the same line with your left or outer shoulder, which is the whole affair."
(1995; 112; translation: T. Ritter)
"Thus you have the Truth of Bitts brought into a narrow Compass: There is little Virtue in them to bring a Horse to Understanding, on which a Man must work, and that is his Reason, by the Favour of the Logician’s distinction of Reasonable and Unreasonable Creatures; for were they as good Horsemen as Scholars, they would have made another Distinction: Well then, you see it is not a Piece of Iron can make a Horse knowing, for if it were, the Bitt-makers would be the best Horsemen: No, it is the Art of appropriated Lessons, fitting every Horse according to his Nature, Disposition and Strength; Punishing, and with good Lessons rectifying his Vices; rewarding him, and preserving him in his Horse-Virtues, which will make him a Just and Ready Horse: And not the Trusting to an ignorant Piece of Iron called a Bitt: For I will undertake to make a perfect Horse with a Caveson without a Bitt, better than any Man shall with his Bitt without a Caveson, so highly is the Caveson when rightly used, to be esteemed. I dressed a Barb at Antwerp with a caveson without a bitt, and he went perfectly well; and that is the true Art, and not the Ignorance and Folly of a strange-figured Bitt."
(1995; 131; translation: T. Ritter)
"The following Remark with regard to the Bridle-Hand is of Importance.
The horse’s neck is between the two reins of the bridle, which both meet in the rider’s hand. When a horse is upon his voltes, if one works or pulls the rein within the volte, this rein presses the outside of the horse, I mean his outward legs, especially the outward hind one, and that puts in the outward haunch, and so throws the horse upon his haunches. It must be noted, that when the outward haunch is thus put in, the hind-leg within the volte goes towards it, and the fore-leg within is in a manner pulled from the other fore-leg, which narrows the croupe, and enlarges the fore-part to embrace the volte so much the better, the hind-legs being within the lines of the fore. This is excellent for Terre- à-terre, Curvets, and Demi-airs: but a horse cannot gallop in this manner.
If one works or pulls the outward rein of the bridle, it presses the horse within the volte, his outward haunch being at liberty; he is more pressed before than behind, and therefore is upon the shoulders, the fore-part being narrow, and the croupe large. Observe, that when a horse is pressed within the volte, the hind-leg within the volte is confined, and the hind-leg without the volte goes from it, and the fore-leg without the volte at the same time is brought near the other fore-leg, which narrows the fore-part and enlarges the croupe. This is wrong Terre- à-terre (because he cannot go Terre- à-terre in this posture) but very excellent in the Gallop.
Without knowing this, no man can dress a horse perfectly. When a horse has not a good appuy, or is not supple in the shoulders, you must press him within the volte, and that will cure him of both those vices; if a horse has too much appuy, and does not put himself upon the haunches, you must press him without the volte, which will cure him of both these. There is yet a third thing that will make him obey the heel, because he cannot avoid it; which is, to fasten the caveson in my manner to the pommel of the saddle. By this way you may dress all sorts of horses in the utmost perfection, if you know how to practice it; a thing that is very easy in the hands of a master."
(1995; 131; translation: T. Ritter)
"You may caress him as much and as often as you please; as by patting him gently with your hand; talking kindly to him; stroking him; flattering him; or sometimes by using a certain particular tone of voice, that is common to cajole skittish and unruly horses. You may also reward him now and then in summer time with grass, green corn, beautiful and odoriferous flowers, pleasant herbs, and such fruits as horses love. In winter give him in a small sieve made on purpose, a few oats, wheat, clean barley, the finest bran or bread. You may also give him bread with your hand, or sugar, or sweetmeats, or a little honey to lick off a stick; apples, carrots, or turnips cut in pieces, are also proper rewards in winter, when he has done well, and may be eaten in a short time. You may have a groom to rub him, while he takes his breath between his voltes."
(1995; 111; translation: T. Ritter)
"For my part, I always advise lenity and patience with good lessons; never to offend your horse, if you can avoid it; never to ride him, or to exact from him above half so much as he can bear. By this means you will not only preserve him, but make him take pleasure in all that he does: he will even love you, and the exercise you give him; whereas otherwise he will hate you, find the manage irksome, and loth to come to it. It is your business to make both your person and the manage as agreeable to him as possible, by working him a little at a time, being bountiful in your caresses and recompences, and very sparing in your corrections, and without passion when you inflict them."
(1995; 131; translation: T. Ritter)
"It is proper to remark, that all the rules or our art tend only to make a horse subject to the sense of feeling (which is the only sense we ought to work upon) and that consists in nothing but the feeling the hand and the heels, or having a sensible mouth and sides. You must not let him work by the sense of seeing, which is the use the pillar will give him; nor by the sense of hearing, which the use of particular noises will do; but by that of feeling only, which is our only aim, and relates only to those two places, the mouth and the sides. It is by the sight only that a horse is taught a number of tricks and subtleties, which the ignorant admire; it can do nothing however in teaching a horse to go well in the Manege. There is so much to be done by the sense of feeling, and which requires so much art, wit, judgment, and long experience of the several dispositions of horses, that all men are not formed by nature to make good horsemen. One may much more easily teach a dog to dance, or even a horse, by practicing on his sight. But I chuse to let the ignorant speak and think what they will, since their folly does not affect me, and since this noble art receives no real prejudice from their contemptible ignorance, or their impertinent railleries."
(1995; 138; translation: T. Ritter)
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