Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-09-14

lIerSeniaiiship.

In an interesting article on hunting,
the London Quayt,ry Rerica gives some
excellent hints on horsemanship, one or two
of which will not come aniss 10 riders who
ARE not fox hunters.
Four-fitlhs of the art Of horsemanship
depends on attaining proper scat and one
nth ON possessing pair of light hands,
The generality of riders are apt 90 sit on
thir horses in tent attitude, and when
man rides in this toadlike position he travels
always ready, ut a moments notice, to des-
cribe a parabole curve over his horses
head, should The animal take notion To
stun bic, and fall, aud the result is likely to
he conclusion Of the brain or dislocaion
OF his nj ck-the horse standing by uninjur-
I'd. On the other hand, when a man sits
upright, evenly balance on his saddle, any
sudden jerk or movement forward throws
his shoulders backward.
re the horse falls the animal is the sole
sufferer, the fore part Of his body be"omes
a buffer, preventing the conclusion from in
jurng, in the smallest degree, the rider. II
a horse ouly trips rider justly poised in
the saddle can easily recover him. The
ms tant he is down, However, the rider
should vacste his saddle, as the the monen-
tum of the animal will probably cause him
60 roll over. In leaping fence, too, il the
rider sits properly on his saddle, the horse,
and not he, receives the conclusion Of any
fall that may eusue, simply because the
sprng Of the animal, in taking The leap,
lad thrown his shoulders backward and his
head out of danger whereas, if the rider
had assumed bent attitude, his nose would
have been seen blowing mother earth the
moment the muzzle of his horse impinged
ii.
In the year 1913, Major General Viii
liam Yorke Moore CT the British army,
rode over precipice of two hundred and
thirty seven feet, perpendicular height, on
the island of Dominica, and escaped with
his life, although every bone in his horses
body was broken. The accident occurred
IN the evening. Three men had prev ously
been dashed to pieces at the same place,
and fourth met similar fate subsequent
By when the Colonial Assembly took meas
nres 10 prevent such catastrophes. Had
not the General preserved an erect posture
and chung to his horse, his life would have
paid forfeit. His recovery from the shock
~ tut IAN as dS MIRACULOUS rs MS
escape from instant death.
If horse be but properly delt with, he
can gallop down turf hill with as much
Tapidity as along race course. He should |
be encouraged by loose rain, to carry his |
head low as possible, TO enable him 10 take |
care Of his feet, and in case of treading on
"A rolling stone to recover his balance by |
throwing it up. If the rider, following the I
instinct and example of the horse, throws I
aiis weight backward, the decent can be
made at considerable speed, without the |
smallest danger. The horse must not be
allowed to descend the slope diagonally, as
he will inevitably slip upon his side. His
head must be guided straight onward but |
care taken not to induce him to raise it up.
s lated in the attitude described, Jack
Shirley, whipper-in to the Todworth hunt,
was one day observed fixing piece of
whip cord to his lash while following his
hounds at slappng pace, down hill, with
a large open clasp knife in his mouth, his
seins lying nearly loose on his horses neck.
Another advantage Of riding in an upright
position is that after while the muscles of
a rider lose their opstinacy by getting tired,
and It becomes impossible for him TO pre-
vent his body undulating to the iufinite re-
lief of both parties, with every movem mt
oi the horse; whereas if, like an English
jockey, he rides like frog on a shovel, he
inllicts upon his whole frame as well as up
.on the poor animal that carries him., an
amount of Unnecessary fatigue which pre-
natprely tires both.
Aaother qualification of good horse
man--especially in fox-bunting, when fields
and pastures are TO be ridden over--is to
allow the horse to carry his head at its nat
nral level, and not to reign il up as is the
general cestom, SO that he will lose the
habit OF using his eyes TO ascertain the
character of the ground over which he is
travelling, II given free scope in this re-
'spect, the horse will easily avoid holes,
stones, and other dangerous Instructions.
even in fields and wood, and if not reneied
up at chance stumble, will learn to depend
on himself, rarely falls if he happens to
make misstep.