Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-03-20
Training a Saddle Horse.

Seth Craige, a Philadelphia riding
master, lately talked with Philadel
phia Times reporter about his business
How do you start with horse sent
to you to be trained for use under the
saddleY the reporter asked.
In training the difficult matter is to
discover the resisting muscles and to
overcome their resistance. There are
the jaw, the neck and the hind legs.
and of those the trainer must gain
complete control. The heavy bearing
of horse upon his bit originates from
one or all of these three points and can
be obviated with proper and careful
training, If horse bears uncom-
fortably, that is, pulls uneasily on the
bit, it is caused by the jaw; if more
than slightly, but not as uneasily, the
result is from the neck and Jaw and
sometimes from the hind quarters. The
latter is the chief foundation of resist
ance, causing the horse to pull with
unresting power, which, if not over
come, becomes uncomfortable. To this
can be attributed the many runaways,
and it is essential that the muscles
have named should be under the con
troll of the rider.
DO you think that training adds to
the physical improvement of the
horse and lengthens his life?'
Most assuredly. A horse in bal
ance will wear twice as long as one
that throws most Of his weight forward
on his fore legs. When well bal
anced by training the machienery of
the animal works easily and uniformly.
Suppose you start your horse to travel
six miles an hour. He ought to ex-
pend just enough physical power to
make that speed but if, as generally
happens with spirited mount, he has
to be restrained, he wears himself as
much as if his speed was actually ten
miles an hour. Formerly we had no
means of holding him in, and when
we put on a severe curb-bit his CEN
ter of gravity was in front and the
Suip naS VI iOoic USE. IHuS VIC aim
to make the horse carry his burden
so that it will fall principally upon
the hind quarters, and this is matter
of intelligent training.
What are the popular gaits?'
"A good, well-formed and uniform
horse is like good piece of machinery.
He may be worn good deal, but he
will stand work as well as ever in spite
of years. But when any one part gives
out the whole machine is gone. Thus
it is our aim to equalize the work of the
horse, so that none of his organs may do
an undue share. The saddle horse of
the present day walks, trots and canters.
The walk and trot are generally used,
few who are considered good riders al
lowing their horses to canter
How do you teach horse to walk?
He must first be brought into bal
ance and be taught to give up the re-
sistance of the neck and Jaws. When
this is done and he is mounted the
gentle pressure of the riders legs will
excite him to 90 forward, while he is
restrained by the reins. When you re-
strain him thus you expect him to either
stop or to go on more slowly. If you
urge him on with your legs or touch
him with the spur or whip, you expect
him to go faster Now, if you urge him
on, you restrain him slightly, at the same
time you will cause him to gather him
self up, step more quickly and more ac-
lively and bring his hind legs under his
body. When his hind legs are well un-
der he has better command of himself,
and his front legs are relieved from the
superintendent weight that is likely to
make him stumble. His back is stronger
because he carries his riders weight on
his hind legs rather than on his back.
The English use long saddle, put well
back, to accomplish what we do by
training. To have horse well trained
he should first be taught with the bit
before being mounted