direction, the urging indication upon the left flank must be increased, by the rider applying her leg to the horse’s side, as far back as she can, if necessary, she may pass her whip behind her waist, and touch the horse with it, on his left flank.

In passaging to the left, the whip should be used by gentle touches, on the horse’s right shoulder, or flank as may be necessary.

The rider should lean to the side, the horse is moving to.

ANIMATIONS.

Animations are intended to produce greater speed, or to render the horse more lively, and on the alert, without increasing his pace; some horses scarcely ever require animations, while others are so dull, and deficient in mettle, as to call them frequently into use. The slightest movement of the body, the hand, or the leg, is enough to rouse the well bred, and thoroughly trained animal; but it is necessary with sluggish horses, that the animations, to be so spirited and united, as almost to become corrections: in fact, what is mere animation to the one horse, would be a positive correction to another.

Animations should be used in all cases, when the horse, contrary to the rider’s inclination, either decreases his speed, droops his head, bears heavily and languidly upon the bit, or begins to be lazy and slovenly in the performance of his pace. A good rider foresees the necessity for an animation, before the horse actually abates his speed, or loses the ensemble of his action, and the grace and spirit of his deportment.

It is much easier to maintain, than to restore a horse’s animation; therefore, the whip, the hand, the leg, or the voice, should do its office a few moments before, rather than at a time, when doing so has become indispensable. A slight motion of the fingers of the bridle hand, serves as an excellent animation; it reminds the horse of his duty, awakens the sensibility of his mouth, and preserves a proper correspondence between that, and the hand. When it is necessary to recur to animation frequently, they ought to be varied; even the whip, if it be often used, unless with different degrees of force, will lose its effect.

SOOTHINGS.

We should endeavor, as Xenophon observes, “to make ourself to our horse, the organ of pleasure, and that he should associate with our presence, the idea of the absence of pain.” Horses are by degrees made obedient, through the hope of recompense, as well as the fear of punishment; to use these two incentives with judgment, is a very difficult matter, requiring much thought, much practice and good temper; mere force, and want of skill, and coolness, tend to confirm vice and restiveness. The voice, the leg and the whole body, may be employed to soothe and encourage. High mettled or fretful horses, it is often necessary to soothe, and timid ones to encourage. A spirited animal is frequently impatient when first mounted, or if a horse or carriage pass him at a quick rate; in either case, the rider should endeavor to soothe her horse, by speaking to him in a calm gentle tone; she should keep her whip as motionless as possible, taking even more care than usual, that its lash do not touch his flank, her seat should be easy, her leg still, and her bridle hand steady. The perfection of soothing consists in the rider sitting so still, and easy, as not to add in the least, to the horse’s animation, at the same time being on her guard, so as to be able to meet any contingency that may occur.

CORRECTIONS.

The best horse sometimes requires correction, but the sooner a lady gets rid of a horse that she is compelled to flog, the better; the effect is most unpleasant, though the éclát may be great, and such a sight would destroy every previously formed idea of her grace and gentleness: moderate corrections are however some times necessary, and the lady should make no scruple of having recourse to them when absolutely necessary, but not otherwise. The best way to correct a horse is to dishearten him, and make him do what he would fain avoid, not so much by force and obstinate resolution, in contesting with him openly, and directly, when he is perfectly prepared to resist; as by a cool opposition, and indirect means. There are different methods of attaining the same end, and those which are the least obvious to the animal should be adopted; a lady cannot rival him in physical strength, but she may conquer him by ingenuity, or subdue him by a calm determined assumption of superior power: severe flogging seldom produces good effect, and all quarrels between a horse and his rider should be avoided; on the other hand, too much indulgence may induce him to think that she is afraid of him; should he do so, she will find that he will exercise every means to convince her, that he considers himself her master, instead of acknowledging by implicit obedience, that she is his.

When it is necessary to use the whip as a correction, it should be applied, by giving the horse two or three smart cuts in a line with the girths, or on the shoulder. The lady should not fret her horse, by continually tapping him with the whip.

VICES.

The word vice, is used to signify those actions which arise from a perverse, or mischievous disposition—those, in which the horse opposes his own will, to that of his rider, or those in which he purposely attempts to injure other horses, or the persons about him. A lady certainly should not ride any horse, that is addicted to shying, stumbling, rearing, or any other kind of vice; but she ought nevertheless, to be prepared against their occurrence; for, however careful, and judicious those persons, by whom her horse is selected, may be, and however long a trial she may have had of his temper, and merits, she cannot be sure, even with the best tempered horse, that she may not have to exercise her skill, to save herself from danger; she should therefore, be prepared against frailty, or accident.

When a horse resists, or suddenly becomes uneasy in his gait, instead of punishing the animal; the bridle, saddle, girths, &c., should be examined, to ascertain the cause, and remedy it. For want of this necessary precaution, the poor animal is often used ill, without reason, and being forced into despair, is in a manner obliged to act accordingly, be his temper and inclination ever so good.

Weakness frequently drives horses into being vicious, when any thing beyond their strength is required of them: great care should therefore be taken, to ascertain from what cause the opposition arises.

Resistance in horses, is often a mark of strength and vigour, and proceeds from high spirits, but punishment would turn it into vice; a timorous rider, or a passionate person, would alike spoil the horse; the former, by suffering him to have his own will, establishes bad habits, and creates new ones; for horses find out many ways, and means of opposing what is demanded to them; many will imperceptibly gain a little every day on their riders; the lady must however always treat the horse kindly, at the same time show him that she does not fear him. The other, from want of reason, and temper, enrages the horse, and causes him to become vicious. Horses of a bad disposition or temper, are exceedingly subtle, and watch their opportunity; they first, as it were, feel for their rider’s firmness of seat, and her resolution, and are sure to defend themselves upon