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[Illustration: _Insultare solopet gressus glomerare superbos._]




  A
  NEW SYSTEM
  OF
  HORSEMANSHIP:

  From the French of

  Monsieur Bourgelat.


  BY

  RICHARD BERENGER, Esq;


  _Content, if hence th' Unlearn'd their Wants may view,
  The Learn'd reflect on what before they knew._

  Pope's Essay on Crit.


  _LONDON_:
  Printed by Henry Woodfall,
  For Paul Vaillant in the _Strand_, facing _Southampton-Street_.
  M.DCC.LIV.




THE TRANSLATOR's PREFACE.


_IT is not my Design, in the Task I undertake of giving some
Account of this Work, as well as of the Art which is the Subject of
it, to trace its Origin back into past Times, or to wander in search
of it in the Darkness and Confusion of remote Antiquity. Let it
suffice to say, that though its Beginning, as well as that of other
Arts, was imperfect, yet its Use, and the Entertainment it affords,
have been known and tasted in all Ages. But however distinguish'd it
may be by the Notice of the Great, who have at all Times deign'd to
profess and practise it; it is yet less entitled to our Regard for
these Distinctions, than for the real Advantages we derive from it.
Riding consists of two Parts, the_ useful _and the_ ornamental. _That
the latter of these may be dispensed with, is most readily granted;
but that it behoves every one who puts himself upon a Horse to have
some Knowledge of the first, is most evident.--For who would trust to
the Mercy of an Animal that may prove wild and ungovernable, who knows
himself to be incapable of controuling him, and of acting for his own
Safety? Who would venture alone into a Vessel, that can neither row,
nor manage a Sail, but must trust entirely to the Winds and Tide?
Yet is this the Case with the Generality of Mankind, who are carried
upon the Back of a Horse, and think they_ ride. _The_ Utility _of
this Art consists then in knowing how to guide and direct your Horse
as you please, and in reducing him to Obedience, so as to make him
execute readily what you require of him. Thus far it is to be wish'd
every Person who is conversant with Horses, would endeavour to attain.
The_ ornamental _Part, I have already said, is not so requisite
to be known: It can only be called an Accomplishment, and placed
among the superfluous but refin'd Pleasures of Life. In what Esteem
and Honour however it has constantly been held, abundantly appears
from the Schools and Academies every where erected for teaching its
Elements, as well as from the Number of Books, ancient and modern,
given to the World by eminent and accomplished Persons who have
studied and practis'd it. Among these our illustrious Countryman_,
William Cavendish, _Duke of_ Newcastle, _has the highest Claim to
our Praise and Acknowledgments. It would be needless to describe his
Excellencies; his Character, as a Horseman, is universally known, and
universally admir'd. The Truth and Soundness of his Principles, and
the Extensiveness of his Knowledge, have opened to us an easier, a
shorter, and more certain Way to Perfection in the Art, than was known
before. His Precepts have accordingly been adopted by all succeeding
Professors, and his Writings consider'd as the Oracle of Horsemanship,
notwithstanding a Want of Method and Exactness, which has been objected
to them. To remedy these Imperfections, is the Design of the present
Undertaking, and the Labours of a judicious and experienced Foreigner,
must consummate in the Knowledge of the Art he professes. He has
presented us with a new System of Horsemanship, extracted from the
Rules of that great Master. The Method and Conciseness with which he
has digested the Whole, have made the Copy much less than the Original,
but it is a small well-polished Gem. To speak truth, he has made
the Subject so much his own by the Refinement of his Remarks, the
Justness of his Reasoning, and the Light he has diffused through it,
that it must have the Merit of an Original; at least the Reader will
be divided to whom he shall render most Thanks, whether to him who has
given the Food, or to him who has prepar'd and set it before us with so
much Elegance and Order. This at least is our Author's Praise.----The
Translator has endeavoured to do him as much Justice, in the following
Sheets, as he has done his great Original; sensible of the Danger of
so difficult an Enterprize, but prompted to it in hopes of making
his Merit more known. He translated the Work, that the Treasures it
contains may be gathered by those who are so unfortunate as to want
this Assistance to obtain them. He has been as faithful to his Author,
as the Languages will allow, judging that to be the surest way of doing
him Justice. In some Places however he has used (as all Translators
must) a discretionary Power. Every Art has technical terms, or Words
of its own; these he has preserved in the Translation, the_ English
_affording none adequate to them. He has given no Notes or Comments,
imagining the Original can, and hoping the Translation will, want
none. Of this however his Readers will be the best Judges; he will say
no more of himself, but that he has endeavoured to make the Work as
perfect as he could; and for this Reason will be very ready to own any
Faults that may be pointed out; for, though desirous of Approbation, he
is not vain enough to think, there may not be room for Censure._



TABLE of CHAPTERS.


      I. _Of the Horseman's Seat_                                 page 1

     II. _Of the Hand, and its Effects_                               10

    III. _Of Disobedience in Horses, and the Means to correct it_     19

     IV. _Of the Trot_                                                33

      V. _Of the Stop_                                                43

     VI. _Of teaching a Horse to go backward_                         50

    VII. _Of the uniting or putting a Horse together_                 54

   VIII. _Of the Pillars_                                             60

     IX. _Of Aids and Corrections_                                    64

      X. _Of the Passage_                                             75

     XI. _Of working with the Head and Croupe to the Wall_            79

    XII. _Of Changes of the Hand, large and narrow, and of Voltes
         and Demi-voltes_                                             82

   XIII. _Of the Aids of the Body_                                    92

    XIV. _Of the Gallop_                                              98

     XV. _Of Passades_                                               107

    XVI. _Of Pesades_                                                111

   XVII. _Of the Mezair_                                             115

  XVIII. _Of Curvets_                                                117

    XIX. _Of Croupades and Balotades_                                129

     XX. _Of Caprioles_                                              132

    XXI. _Of the Step and Leap_                                      142




TO

SIDNEY MEDOWS, Esq;

The Following SHEETS,

Eminently due to Him from their Subject,

And not Less so

From the AUTHOR's sincere Regard

TO

His Person and Character,


Are Inscrib'd,


By his Faithful and Obedient Servant,

RICHARD BERENGER.




ERRATA.


Page 36. _for_ Remingue _read_ Ramingue. p. 38. _dele_ and. p. 66.
_for_ in _read_ it. p. 79. _for_ Care _read_ Ease. p. 80. _for_ acting
_read_ aiding. p. 85. _dele_ so. p. 116. _for_ Lines _read_ Times.




  A
  NEW SYSTEM
  OF
  HORSEMANSHIP.




CHAP. I.

_Of the Horseman's Seat._


THE Principles and Rules which have hitherto been given for the
Horseman's Seat, are various, and even opposite, according as they have
been adopted by different Masters, and taught in different Countries;
almost each Master, in particular, and every Nation, having certain
Rules and Notions of their own. Let us see, however, if Art can
discover nothing to us that is certain and invariably true.

THE _Italians_, the _Spaniards_, the _French_, and, in a word, every
Country, where Riding is in repute, adopt each a Posture which is
peculiar to themselves; the Foundation of their general Notions, is, if
I may so say, the same, but yet each Country has prescribed Rules for
the Placing of the Man in the Saddle.

THIS Contrariety of Opinions, which have their Origin more in
Prejudice, than in Truth and Reality, has given rise to many vain
Reasonings and Speculations, each System having its Followers; and,
as if Truth was not always the same and unchangeable, but at liberty
to assume various, and even opposite Appearances; sometimes one
Opinion prevailed, sometimes another dazzled; insomuch, that those who
understand nothing of the Subject, but yet are desirous of informing
themselves, by searching it to the Bottom, have hitherto been lost in
Doubt and Perplexity.

THERE is nevertheless a sure and infallible Method, by the Assistance
of which it would be very easy to overturn all these Systems: But not
to enter into a needless Detail, of the extravagant Notions which the
Seat alone has given rise to, let us trace it from Principles by so
much the more solid, as their Authority will be supported by the most
convincing and self-evident Reasons.

IN order to succeed in an Art where the Mechanism of the Body is
absolutely necessary, and where each Part of the Body has proper
Functions, which are peculiar to it, it is most certain, that all and
every Part of the Body should be in a natural Posture; were they in
an imperfect Situation, they would want that Ease and Freedom which
is inseparable from Grace; and as every Motion which is constrained,
being false in itself, is incapable of Justness; it is clear that the
Part so constrained and forced would throw the whole into Disorder,
because each Part belonging to, and depending upon the whole Body, and
the Body partaking of the Constraint of its Parts, can never feel that
fix'd Point, that just Counterpoise and Equilibre in which alone a fine
and just Execution consists.

IT is not therefore sufficient in giving Directions for the Seat, to
keep altogether to trivial and common Rules which may be followed or
left at pleasure; we ought to weigh and examine them with Skill and
Judgment, in order to know how to apply them properly and suitably
as the Shape and Figure of the Person to whom we undertake to give a
Seat will allow; for many Motions and Attitudes that appear easy and
natural in one Man, in another are awkward and ungraceful; whence all
those Faults and Difficulties which in many Persons have been thought
insuperable; whereas a little more Knowledge, a closer Attention, and a
more serious Examination into the Principles of the Art, would convert
in the same Subject an awkward and displeasing Appearance, into an
easy, natural, and graceful Figure, capable of drawing the Eyes even of
Judges themselves.

INDEED the Objects, to which a Master, anxious for the Advancement
of his Pupil, should attend, are infinite. To little Purpose will
it be to keep the strictest Eye upon all the Parts and Limbs of his
Pupil's Body; in vain will he endeavour to remedy all the Defects and
Faults which are found in the Posture of almost every Scholar in the
Beginning; unless he is intimately acquainted with, and apprized of,
the close Dependance and Connection that there is between the Motions
of each Part of the Body, and all the Rest; a Correspondence caused
by the reciprocal Action of the Muscles which govern and direct them;
unless therefore he is Master of this Secret, and has this Clue to the
Labyrinth, he will never attain the End he proposes, particularly in
his first Lessons, upon which the Success of the rest always depends.

THESE Principles being established, let us reason in consequence of
them; we shall display them with great Force and Clearness.

THE Body of a Man is divided into three Parts, two of which are
moveable, the other immoveable.

THE First of the two moveable Parts is the Trunk or Body, down to the
Waist; the Second is from the Knees to the Feet; so that the remaining
immoveable Part is that between the Waist and the Knees.

THE Parts then which ought to be without Motion, are