Part 11

[57] That is, let go the bowline which holds the sail to this, now weather shroud. It was held there till now, that the wind might act upon it with greater power to turn the vessel, from the time her head was about half-way round. The expression is derived from its being necessary, in larger vessels of a similar rig, to ease the rope gradually as the sail draws it. From the time the jib-sheet is let fly, till the foresail is let draw, the vessel is said to be _in stays_.

One hand should attend the main-sheet, to gather in the slack till the boom is a-midships, and then ease it off as the sail fills, and the vessel lays over to port. When the vessel is in stays, and it is doubtful whether she will come round, or, in order to make her come round when she gathers stern-way, shift the helm to the opposite side. She is now about upon the starboard tack.

REEFING, TAKING IN SAIL, ETC.

Haul the fore-sheet up to windward; bowline it there, and heave her to. Keep the tiller shipped, and lash it a-lee. In gaff topsail; lower the halyards; and haul down. Send a hand aloft to unbend the sheet from the sail, and make it fast to the main halyard bolt; and unlash the gaff topsail, and send it down. Lower the main halyards and peak to the second reef cringle, and reef the mainsail.

Hook the reef tackle[58] to the first earing[59]; haul upon it till the cringle[60] is close down upon the boom; and belay the tackle. Pass a small gasket[61] through the tack and the first reef cringle, and lash the two firmly together, taking care to gather in snug the luff of the sail, so that the leach rope belonging to it forms a sort of snake near the mast. Haul up the tack, and bowse upon the weather peak line, keeping the other part fast a-midships of the boom. This will hold the belly of the sail partly to windward, and make it easier to tie the reef-points. Observe to keep the foot-rope outside and under the sail.

[58] A small tackle formed of two hook blocks, one of which is hooked to the under part of the boom about one third from the mast, and the other farther aft. The fall is belayed to a cleat under the boom.

[59] A stout rope, one end of which is made fast to the boom at the same distance from the mast as the reef cringle to which it belongs. It ascends, passes through the cringle, descends and passes through a sheave on the side of the boom, then in board, and is stopped to the boom by means of its lanyard, or small line spliced into its end for the purpose. This lanyard is also to make it fast when the sail is reefed, and you wish to remove the tackle.

[60] A short loop of rope with a thimble or small ring of iron inside it, spliced to the leach of the sail.

[61] A rope made by plaiting rope-yarns.

Let one man jump upon the boom to tie the outer points so far that the rest can be tied on board. Let go the tack and peak line, always keeping the ends of this fast under the boom. Hoist the sail taut up; and set taut the tack tackle. Shift the jib to No. 2. Overhaul the jib purchase; let go the outhaul; haul the jib down; unhook the tack; unbend the sheets; and send the sail down below.

You have now got one reef in the mainsail. If it come on to blow harder, and you want a second reef, lower the sail, and haul on the peak line as before; nipper the first reef-earing so as to hold it a short time; let go the reef tackle, and unhook it from the earing, which make fast with its lanyard round the boom.

You have now got the tackle to use for the second reef. Proceed as for the first reef. Shift the jib to No. 3, and proceed as before. If third, the same, after rigging the bowsprit. Take the fid[62] or bolt out of the heel of the bowsprit, and rig the bowsprit in about one fid hole. Haul taut the topmast stay and bowsprit rigging. Bend and set the small jib in the same way as any other.

[62] A bar of wood or iron, which passes horizontally through a hole in each bitt and the heel of the bowsprit, to secure it in its place, much in the same way that a carriage pole is secured.

You may want to stow the mainsail, set the trysail, and make her otherwise snug in proportion. Sway away upon the top rope; lift the mast a little to let the man unfid it; and lower topmast down in the slings. Lower the fore halyards, and reef the foresail. Gather the luff of the sail up; make the foremost reef-earing cringle fast to the tack; shift the sheet from the clue of the sail to the after reef cringle; and tie the points. If the weather is very heavy, haul down the stay-sail, and tend the vessel with a tackle upon the weather jib-sheet.

* * * * *

When it comes fine weather again, make sail in precisely the reverse order to that in which you shorten it. Continue to tack in the wind’s eye till you are to windward of the harbour.

PASSING OTHER VESSELS.

All vessels sailing before the wind keep out of the way of those upon the wind. In the river Thames, vessels which sail with the larboard tack aboard, keep away for those with the starboard tack aboard.

BRINGING THE VESSEL INTO HARBOUR.

Lower and haul down the gaff topsail. Let go the jib tack or outhaul[63]; lower the jib; and pull on the down-hauler, to bring the traveller in. Haul the tack of the mainsail up; and lower the peak. Down foresail.

[63] A rope made fast to the traveller, to haul it out to the bowsprit end.

Let a small boat run away the wrap to the quay. Lower, and stow the mainsail. Unbend the jib, and stow it below if dry and not immediately wanted, and hook the halyards to the traveller, close in by the stem. If otherwise, hoist upon the halyards, and let it hang to dry if it require it, or stop it up and down the foremost shroud. Haul the vessel to the moorings, and moor properly, putting fenders over to keep her from the quay.

DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXI.

_Fig. 1._

The mariner’s compass.

_Fig. 2._

Plan of the deck, with the bowsprit rigged out, &c.

1. Bowsprit. 2. 2. Bowsprit shrouds. 3. Stem head. 4. Bowsprit bitts. 5. Fore hatchway. 6. Windlass and bitts. 7. Fore-sheet horse. 8. Place of the mast. 9. 9. Channels. 10. Main hatchway. 11. Companion and binnacle. 12. Tiller. 13. Cabin skylight. 14. Rudder-head and case. 15. Taffrail.

PLATE XXXII. fig. 1.

Pleasure boat, cutter-rigged, lying at anchor; foresail and mainsail bent and stowed.

1. Vane and spindle. 2. Truck. 3. Topmast. 4. Cap. 5. Trussel trees. 6. Lower mast. 7. 7. Cross trees. 8. Bowsprit. 9. Gaff, with mainsail furled. 10. Main boom. 11. Tiller. 12. Rudder. 13. Stem. 14. 14. Topmast shrouds. 15. Topmast backstay. 16. Topmast stay. 17. Runner and tackle. 18. Traveller. 19. Channel. 20. Forestay with the foresail furled to it. 21. Bobstay. 22. Topping-lifts. 23. Topping-lift blocks. 24. Main-sheet. 25. 25. Peak halyards. 26. Jib halyards. 27. Cable. 28. Fore-sheet.

PLATE XXXII. fig. 2.

The vessel going down the harbour with all sails set, steering south, before a light breeze.

1. Gaff topsail. 2. Foresail. 3. Mainsail. 4. Tack tricing line. 5. Peak line, or signal halyards. 6. 7. 8. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd reefs. 9. 9. 9. Reef-earings. 10. 10. 10. Cringles. 11. Balance reef. 12. Anchor stock. 13. Windlass. 14. Foresheet horse. 15. Main hatch. 16. Companion and binnacle.

PLATE XXXIII. fig. 1.

The vessel outside the harbour, steering east, with a smart breeze on the larboard beam.

1. Jib. 2. Foresail. 3. Anchor. 4. Eyebolt of the bowsprit shrouds.

PLATE XXXIII. fig. 2.

The vessel trying for the harbour in a heavy gale, close to the wind as she can lay, on the starboard tack, under a reefed mainsail and foresail, bowsprit reefed, and topmast lowered.

RIDING.

The general art of riding, sometimes called manège riding, to distinguish it from its modifications in road-riding, hunting, racing, &c., teaches us to place every part of the body so that it can act upon the horse in every emergency, shows the effect of all the aids or modes of guiding him, and enables us to render him obedient to the slightest touch. By never suffering the ascendancy to be transferred to the horse, by in general preventing him from making all his speed, and by exhausting him the sooner the more he exerts himself without permission, it bestows upon the rider perfect security.

An intimate knowledge of this method is necessary even to our abandoning it when convenient, to our adopting the styles, afterwards to be described, for more extended and rapid paces, or for long continued riding, to our suffering the horse to take more or less of ascendancy, and to our, when necessary, easily recovering that superiority of the hand, of which those who are ignorant of this fundamental method are less capable.

The recent practice has been to carry the foot rather more forward than is represented in our Plates, approaching in this respect, to the ancient position, as seen in the Elgin marbles, &c.

A Parisian bit, which is attached to the mouth of the horse, without a headstall, has been lately used. It is, however, applicable only to _horses_, on account of its being retained in the mouth by means of the side tusks, which _mares_ do not possess. It is composed of a semicircular bar of iron, which goes under the chin, to which its concavity applies; while a short bar, firmly attached to one of its ends, passes nearly half-way through the mouth. Through the other end of the semicircle is a hole, into which, when the bit is on, must be screwed a bolt, similar to the one just described. These two bolts, it is easily understood, pass behind the tusks, and nearly meet in the centre of the mouth.[64]

[64] THE SADDLE (_Fig. 1_).--_a_, pommel; _b_, cantle; _c_, panel; _d_, flaps; _e_, stirrup leather; _f_, girths.

BRIDLES (_Fig. 2_)--_a_, _b_, headstall with the cheekstraps; _c_, do. of the curb; _d_, do. of the bridoon or snaffle passing through it over the poll; _e_, nosetrap (seldom found in any but military bridles), _f_, throatlash. _Fig. 3._ A twisted snaffle-bit. _Fig. 4._ A plain snaffle-bit. _Fig. 5._ A Weymouth curb, with chain and chainstrap (_a_) attached. _Fig. 6._ A common curb-bit, with the upset in the mouthpiece.

THE HORSE AND EQUIPMENTS.

Plates XXXIV., XXXV. f. 1 give better ideas of the horse and his equipments than the longest and most detailed description. The reader will therefore examine them in succession. We have here only to add those circumstances as to the equipment of the horse, which could not be communicated by that otherwise briefer and more impressive method.

The shoes of a horse have much to do with his, and consequently with his rider’s, comfort. It is therefore important to know that he is properly shod. To effect this, the shoe should be fitted to the foot, and not the foot to the shoe.

Neither heel nor frog should be pared more than merely to take off what is ragged; for no reproduction takes place here, as in the case of the hoof. Farriers ruin nearly all horses by doing otherwise. Indeed, they are not to be trusted with this operation, which, after shoeing, any gentleman may perform with his pocket-knife. The sole of the foot must not be hollowed out, but only the outer wall pared flat or even with the sole, and most at the toe. Nor, above all things, ought the farrier’s finishing rasp all round the edge of the horn immediately above the shoe to be permitted. Neither ought nails to be driven far backward towards the heel, where the horn is softer and more sensible, especially at the inner quarter. When a horse has a high heel, the foot, except the frog, may be pared flat, but not hollowed out or opened. When a horse has a low heel, the foot should be pared only at the toes.

It is common to allow the fore part or toe of the hoof to grow long, thereby throwing the horse much on his heels. This position is unnatural, because, were the horse in a state of nature, without shoes, the toe, from constant contact with the ground, would be worn down to its proper level with the heel. This growth, then, of the fore part of the hoof, by throwing him on his heels, renders them tender, and causes lameness: while the foot, not being flat on the ground, also strains the ligaments of the fetlock joint. These evils may be obviated by doing as nature directs--by cutting away the toe to the proper level with the heel, so as to allow the foot to bear flat upon the ground. When a horse has a short pastern, he should have a short shoe, because a long one would compel him to bring his heel more backward than the unpliableness of his pastern would easily admit.

The saddle should be proportioned to the size of the horse. Before, the bearings should be clear of the plate bone; behind, they should not extend further than within four inches of the hips; and their pressure should be equal on every part intended to be touched. The closer the saddle then comes the better, if neither the weight of the rider nor settling of the panel can possibly injure the withers or chine. Before mounting, the rider should examine whether the saddle, girths, straps, bits, bridle, &c., are all good and well fixed.

When the saddle is on the horse, the lowest part of the seat should rather be behind its centre, as it is there that the weight of the body should fall, and by that means the thighs can keep their proper position. The best test of the adaptation of the seat is, when the rider, without stirrups or effort, easily falls into his proper place in the saddle.

Stirrups should not be used until the pupil is capable of riding without them. Their proper length is when the upper edge of the horizontal bar reaches a finger’s breadth below the inner ankle-bone. When the feet are in the stirrups, the heels should be about two inches lower than the toes. No more than the natural weight of the limbs should be thrown upon them. It is by an accurate position, and an easy play of the ankle and instep, that the stirrup is retained, so as to slip neither forward nor backward, even if the toe be raised for a moment.

The position on horseback with stirrups differs from that without them only in this, that the thigh being, by the stirrup, relieved from the weight of the leg and foot, the knee is slightly bent, and rather before the lines which these form in the position without stirrups. In hussar riding, hunting, &c., the breadth of four fingers should intervene between the fork and the saddle when the rider stands up.

Spurs should never be used but by an accomplished rider. When it is necessary to employ them, they should be applied a few inches behind the girth, as low as possible, and with the lightest touch capable of producing the effect.

As to the bridle, in order to give the greatest possible ease to the snaffle, a large and polished bit is necessary. Most bits are too small and long, bend back over the bars of the horse’s jaw, work like pincers, and cut his mouth.

To give the greatest degree of severity, the bit, while hot, is twisted into a spiral form, so as to present to the jaw a rough and sharp surface, capable of pressing the bars or lips with greater or less severity. The degrees of punishment which this bit is capable of inflicting are generally sufficient for all the purposes of correction. It is therefore best to ride with a snaffle, and to use a curb only occasionally when absolutely necessary. In all cases, the rider should observe that the horse is furnished with a bit proper for him. If too light, it may have the effect already described. If too heavy, it may incline him to carry the head low, or to rest upon the hand, which jockeys call “making use of a fifth leg.” The simplest and most useful of the _curb_ kind is the Weymouth bit, which consists of a strong plain mouth-piece of uniform thickness, without any upset, but merely a curve forwards, to give ease to the tongue.

The centre of the reins should be accurately marked; and, when both reins are held in one hand, and the near rein has to pass under the little finger, and over the fore-finger, on the outside of the off-rein, the latter should be held about half an inch shorter, and the centre should be brought proportionally towards the left. In adjusting the bridle on the horse’s head, the headstall, parallel to and above the cheekbone, must have its length so regulated as to permit the mouth-piece of the curb to rest on the bars, an inch above the lower tushes in horses, and about two inches above the corner teeth in mares, which have no tushes. The nose-band, lying under the snaffle headstall, must be buckled so loosely that a finger can pass freely under it and over the horse’s nose. The bit of the snaffle must be higher, but not so much so as to wrinkle the corner of the mouth. The throat-lash must be buckled rather loose. The mane is usually cut close under the headstall; the finger clears any part of the foretop interfering with it; and the remainder, when combed smooth, is put either over or under the front.

If the rider uses a curb, he should make it a rule to hook on the chain himself; for the quietest horse may bring his rider into danger, if the curb hurt him. The curb-chain must pass under the snaffle. The rider should, therefore, put his right hand under the snaffle reins to take hold of the curb-chain, and introducing two fingers of his left within the cheek of the bit, and aiding these with his thumb, take hold of the curb hook. The end links of the curb-chain being in his right hand, he should turn the chain to the right and under, or as he would a screw, till every link lies flat and smooth, and then, without losing a half turn, put that link on the hook which appears to be neither tight nor slack. The finger should pass between the horse’s jaw and curb, which in this case hangs down upon his under lip. It is necessary also to see how it operates. If the branch has liberty to move forty-five degrees, or to a right angle, it is the degree which is in general best. If, however, one link of the chain confine it to thirty-five degrees, and if one link lower give it fifty-five degrees, then the manner of the horse’s carrying his head must determine which is most proper: if the horse naturally carry his nose high, the branch may have fifty-five, if he bring his nose in, he should have thirty-five degrees. If there be a chain-strap, it must be placed so high on the branch, that when passed through the ring in the curb-chain, it may be buckled tight enough to prevent the horse lodging the branch on his teeth.

When a horse’s head is steady, when he is light in hand, can obey its motions with ease, and stop readily, the bit is properly adjusted. On the contrary, if he open his mouth as if gagged, writhe his jaws, draw his tongue above the mouth-piece, or thrust it out sidewise; if he fear the impression of the bit, have no appuy, toss his head up and down, carry it low, and endeavour to force the hand, or refuse to go forward, or run backward, the bit is not properly adjusted.

MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING.

In mounting, the rider,--presenting himself rather before the horse’s shoulder, with his left breast towards that shoulder, and with his whip or switch in his left hand,--takes, with the right hand, the snaffle reins in the centre;--introduces the little finger of the left hand between them from before, the back of that hand being towards the horse’s head;--places the left hand below the right on the neck of the horse, about twelve inches from the saddle;--draws with the right hand the reins through the left, and shortens them, till the left has a light and equal feeling of both reins on the horse’s mouth;--throws, with the right hand, the reins to the off side;--takes, with the same hand, a lock of the mane, brings it through the left hand, and turns it round the left thumb:--and closes the left hand firmly on the mane and reins.

The right hand, after quitting the mane, lays hold of the left stirrup, the fingers being behind, and the thumb in front of it;--the left foot is raised and put into the stirrup as far as the ball of it, Pl XXXV f 2 the right foot is then moved until the rider’s face is turned to the side of the horse, and looking across the saddle; while the right hand is placed on the cantle, the left knee against the saddle on the surcingle, with the left heel drawn back, to avoid touching the horse’s side with the toe;--by a spring of the right foot from the instep, not by any pull with the right hand, the rider raises himself in the stirrup, the knees firm against the saddle, the heels together, but drawn back a little, and the body erect, and partially supported by the right hand Pl XXXVI f 1 the right hand moves from the cantle to the pommel, and supports the body;--the right leg at the same time passes clearly over the horse’s quarters to the off side;--the right knee closes on the saddle; the body comes gently into it;--the left hand quits the mane, and the right the pommel.

The left, or bridle hand, with the wrist rounded outwards, is placed opposite the centre of the body, and at three inches’ distance from it;--the right hand is dropped by the side of the thigh;--the stirrup is taken instantly with the right foot, without the help of hand or eye;--the clothes are adjusted;--and the whip is exchanged from the left hand to the right, being held with the lash upwards, but inclining a little towards the left ear of the horse, and never leaving the right hand, except while mounting or dismounting,--(Plate XXXVI. f. 2.)

The horse is to be accustomed to stand till the rider request him to move. The habit of unsteadiness is acquired from grooms, who, on going out to water and exercise, throw themselves over a horse from some elevation, and give a kick to the animal even before being fairly upon it. If a groom attend at mounting, he ought not to be suffered to touch the reins, but only that part of the bridle which comes down the cheek.

In dismounting, the whip is to be returned into the left hand;--the right hand takes hold of the rein above the left;--the right foot quits the stirrup;--the left hand slides forward on the rein, to about twelve inches from the saddle, feeling the horse’s mouth very lightly;--the right hand, dropping the reins to the off side, takes a lock of the mane, brings it through the left, and twists it round the left thumb;--the fingers of the left hand close on it;--the right hand is placed on the pommel; the body being kept erect. The body is supported with the right hand and left foot;--the right leg is, without touching the horse’s hind-quarters or the saddle, brought gently to the near side, with the heels close, care being take not to bend the right knee, lest the spur should touch the horse;--the right hand passes at the same time to the cantle, to preserve the balance, as in the act of mounting;--the body is gently lowered until the right toe touches the ground;--resting on the right foot, the left stirrup is quitted, and the left foot placed in line with the horse’s hoofs;--the hands remaining as in the former motion. Both hands then quit their holds of the mane and cantle;--and the right hand lays hold of the snaffle rein near the ring of the bit.