[158] P. 65.
“To work a horse in Curvets backwards upon the Voltes.
“The pillar being on the right side, to the right you must advance your breast and pull in your belly, your bridle-hand on the contrary side, putting it very much out and back each time, and helping at the same time with the opposite leg. This is to make him go in a circle; but all the aids must be given in the right time. The rein and contrary leg here works the horse’s croupe, and his shoulders are at liberty.”
Here we have a highly scientific description of “Curvets upon the Voltes, sideways”.[159]
[159] P. 77.
“The horse’s hind-legs that are out ought to follow the fore-legs that are in, neither more in nor more out; the fore-legs however are within the lines of the hind ones, since they are narrower. The pillar or center is without the head of the horse when you work the croupe out, for which reason his fore-legs describe the smallest circles, and those behind the largest. The fore-leg within the volte describes the least of the two smaller, and the other fore-leg the largest of them. The hind-leg within the volte describes the least of the larger circles, and the other without the volte the greatest.”
It is pleasant to contemplate what the face of a British groom would be like if the above instructions were given to him before getting into the saddle.
Let not the conceited modern horseman smile at any of these quotations from Newcastle’s great book.
