Ride with a Snaffle, and use your Curb only occasionally.
Choose your Snaffle full and thick in the middle, especially at the ends to which the reins are fastened. Most of them are made too small and long, and cut the Horse’s mouth, and bend back over the bars of his jaw, working like pincers.
If you ride with a Curb, make it a rule to hook on the chain yourself; the quietest Horse may bring his rider into danger, should the curb hurt him.
If in fixing the curb you turn the chain to the right, the links will unfold themselves, and then oppose a further turning. Put on the chain loose enough to hang down on the Horse’s under lip, so that it may not rise and press his jaw till the reins of the Bridle are moderately pulled.
Observe that your Horse is furnished with a Bit proper for him, and by no means too heavy, which may incline him to carry low, or to rest upon the hand when he grows weary, which Horsemen call “Making use of a Fifth Leg.”
Always endeavour to avoid a Quarrel with your Horse:—if he is apt to Start, you will find occasions enough to exercise his obedience when what he starts at lies directly in his way, and you must make him pass: if he is not subject to start, do not contend with him about a trifle.
The notion of the necessity of making a Horse go immediately up to every thing he is afraid of, and not suffer him to become master of his rider, seems to be generally carried too far. It is an approved method to conquer a Horse’s fear of the sound of a Drum, by beating one near to him at the time of feeding him: this not only familiarises the noise to him, but makes it pleasant, as a forerunner of his Meat; whereas, if he was whipped up to it, he might perhaps start at it as long as he lived. Might not this be applied to his starting at other things, and shew that it would be better to suffer him (provided he does not turn back) to go a little from, and partly avoid an object he has a dislike to, and to accustom him to it by degrees, convincing him, as it were, that it will not hurt him, than to punish him, quarrel with him, and perhaps submit to his will at last, while you insist on his overcoming his fear in an instant? If he sees a like object again, it is probable he will recollect his dread, and arm himself to be disobedient.
“Now of Corrections, the most principal is the Spur, which must not at anytime be given triflingly or itchingly, but soundly and sharply, as oft as just occasion shall require: then, the Rod, which upon disorder, sloth, or miscarriage, of the members, must be given also soundly: then, the Voice, which being delivered sharply and roughly, as Ha, Villaine!—Carrikra!—Diablo!—and such like threatenings, terrifieth the Horse, and maketh him afraide to disobey: and lastly, the Bridle which now and then stricken with a hard chocke in his mouth, reformeth many vices and distemperatures of his head: yet this last must be done seldome, and with great discretion, for to make a custom thereof is the ready way to spoil a Horse’s mouth.”
“Now of Cherishings there are generally in use but three; as first, the voice, which being delivered smoothly and lovingly, as crying Holla—So, boy—There, Boy, There—and such like, gives the Horse both a cheerfulnesse of Spirit and a knowledge that he hath done well: then the hand, by clapping him gently on the necke or buttocke, or giving him Grasse or other foode to eate after he hath pleased you: and lastly, the big ende of the rod, by rubbing him therewith upon the withers or maine, which is very pleasing and delightful to the horse.”—Markham’s Way to Wealth, 4to. 1638. p. 16.
“The Hope of Reward, and the Fear of Punishment, governs the whole World, not only Men, but Horses; for it is impossible that you can well manage your Horse until he fear you, and out of that fear, Love and Obey you; for it is Fear maketh every body obey both Man and Beast. Love is not so sure a Hold, for there you depend upon his Will; but when he Fears you, he depends upon yours.”—Soleysell’s Horsemanship, fol. 1717. p. 272.