Astley's System of Equestrian Education; Exhibiting the Beauties and Defects of the Horse ... - Philip Astley

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1802 edition. Excerpt: ... carried ladies before. Such are very apt to be frightened at the flapping of the coats of a lady's drefs againft their fides; and very frequently have been known to run away with a lady the inftant (he has been mounted. To avoid this danger, let a groom put on a petticoat, and firft ride on a fide'-faddle as a lady does; if the horfe be fteady, docile, and obedient, without fhewing any figns of fear, the lady herfelf may then venture to ride him with fafety. CHAP. CHAP. IV. Neceflary Precautions in piirchafing a Horfe, A, .pproach the ftable very quietly, and by no means difturb the horfe, that you may find out his imperfeftions; fuffer no one to go near him, until you have thoroughly obferved his pofition, while landing quietly in the ftable: horfes with tender feet, or otherwife lame, generally favour themfelves in the part affefted, while in this ftate. Being thoroughly fatisfied with his appearance, order him out; but fuffer no whip or fpur to be' applied to him, as correftion, if he be a little Jame or tender-footed, will make him forget it for a moment. Let him be taken to a convenient place, between light and dark, that you may, thoroughly examine his eyes; for all eyes, in the fun, appear much better than they really are, and it it requires much (kill to difcover their degree of goodnefs. Two things are to be particularly confidered in the eye: firft, the cryftal; fecondly, the bottom, or ground of the eye. Let your obfervation be rather oblique: if the. eye appear good, not funk in the head, and the light free from fpots, they are favourable figns; for if you expe r. to be carried fafe, the eyes, as well as the legs, mould be ftri tly attended to. His age is known by his teeth: horfes for the road or field mould not be..."