THE PARFAIT
MARESCHAL,
or Compleat 
FARRIER. 
WHICH TEACHETH, 

I. To know the Shapes and Goodness, as well as Faults and Imperfections of Horses. 
II. The Signs and Causes of their Diseases, the Means to prevent them, their Cure, 
and the good or bad use of Purging and Bleeding. 
III. The way to order and Preserve them, when upon Travel, to Feed, and to Dress 
them. 
IV. The Art of Shoeing, according to a new design of Shoes, which will recover 
bad feet, and preserve the Good. 

Together with a Treatise, how to raise and bring up a true and Beautiful Race of 
Horses: As also Instructions, whereby to fit all kinds of Horses with Proper 
Bits, whereof the chief Draughts are Represented in Copper-plates.

Written originally in French by the Sieur de 
Solleysel Escuyer, sometime one of the Overseers of 
the French Kings Royal Academy of Riding, near 
to the Hostel de Conde in Paris. 

And translated from the last Paris impression, by Sir WILLIAM HOPE 
of Kirkliston Kt. Lieutenant Governour of the Castle of Edinburgh. By 
whom is also added as a Supplement to the first part, a most compendious and 
excellent Collection of Horsemanship, taken from the best and most modern 
Writers upon that Subject, such as Mr. De la Brow, Pluvinel, and the Great 
Duke of Newcastle. 

Part I. 

EDINBURGH.
Printed by GEORGE MOSMAN, M. DCXCVI.






AN 
EXPLICATION 
OF 
Some French Terms of Horseman­
ship, mentioned in this Book.


A
AIDES. Are Assistances or Helps, which the 
Rider draws from the gentle and delicate 
Effects of the Bridle, Cavezon, Spurs, Rod, 
Action of his Legs, and pressure of his Thighs; 
As also from the sound or Clack of his Tongue, 
to make a Horse ride just, and as he ought: They 
are also made use of to prevent Chastisements, 
which a man is sometimes obliged to make use 
of, while he is a dressing Horses. See Suppl. p. 26 &c

AIR. An Air, is a Cadence and Liberty of 
movement, accommodate to the natural Dispo­
sition of a Horse, which maketh him Ride, and 
Raise himself, according to the Riders Inclinati­
on, and that both in measure and Cadence: 
They are generally reckoned to be six. See 
Supplement. p. 36

AMBLE. See Suppl. p. 33. and 60

APPUY. An Appuy may be considered 
several ways, as First, it may be taken for a 
Reciprocal Sentiment or Feeling, betwixt the 
Rider's hand, and the Horse's mouth: 2ly. For 
a Horse's rest upon the Bit mouth: And 3ly. For 
the Pressure of the Bit-mouth on the Barrs

APPUY à Pleine-main. Is a firm Pressure of 
a Horse's Barrs against the Bit-mouth, but how­
ever, so as not to be heavy on the Rider's hand; 
and this is a Quality which all Horses appointed 
for the Warrs, ought to have; because they are 
thereby the more sure for the Rider, who in time 
of Action, cannot be supposed to consider atten­
tively the Aides of his Bridle-hand.

APPUY au de là de Pleine-main. Is a very 
hard pressure of a Horse's Barrs against the Bit-­
mouth, but however, so as not to force the 
Rider's hand, and therefore may be turn'd, and 
Stopt with a little strength: This kind of Appuy 
is thought convenient for such people, as hav­
ing weak Thighs, cannot keep themselves firm 
on Horse-back with them, and therefore hold 
fast, and cleave to the Bridle-reins.

"Appuy" as an English term antedates the earliest OED citation (1728).



ARMER. See Part 1. p. 254 and Supple­
ment p. 66


B
BALOTTADE. See Suppl. p. 36


C
CAPRIOLE. See Suppl. p. 36

CAVESSON. A Cavezon, is a kind of 
Musrole or Nose-band, made either of Iron, 
Leather, or Rope, sometimes flat upon the inside, 
and sometimes hollow, as also twisted, and which 
is placed by help of a Head-stale upon a Horse's 
Nose, the better to constrain him, and assist the 
Rider in the suppling of his Shoulders: Those 
of Iron, flat upon the inside, and also quilted 
with soft Leather, are most proper for this, and 
those of Cord or Leather fittest to be made use 
of betwixt the Pillars.

CHEVALER. See Passager.

CORVET. See Suppl. p. 36

CROUPADE. See Suppl. p. 36




D
DEMY-VOLT. Is a half Circle, or Round, 
which a Horse performeth upon one of the Cor­
ners of the Square wherein he is Riding, or at 
the end of a Passade, and which he marketh with 
either one or two Pists, as the Rider pleases, that 
so he may change hands, and fall in again exactly 
to the same Line of the Square or Passade from 
whence he turned; and when it happens that 
he falls not in exactly upon the same Line, then 
People say, He hath not closed exactly his Demy­
volt. Nota, That it is always better to form a 
Square in Riding, than a Circle; this is agreed 
to by all good Horse-men.

DES-UNY. Or Disunited, See Suppl. p. 35


E
ENTIER. See Suppl. p. 66


F
FERME à Ferme. Is when a Horse per­
formeth Corvets or Pesades in one place, with 
out in the least either advanceing or retireing.


G
GALLOP. See Suppl. p. 34


H
HEAVY. On the Hand. See Part I p. 242


M
MANEGE, May be considered two ways, 
as 1. It may be taken for the place where People 
ride. 2. For any particular Air that is taught a 
Horse

MES-AIR, is an Air or Manage betwixt the 
Terre à Terre and Corvet, and is commonly cal­
led the Volts.


N
NOUER. l'eguillette, See Capriole.


P
PAS. See Walk.

PASSADE. See Suppl. p. 48

PASSAGER. See Suppl. p. 1 &c.

PIROUETTE. See Suppl. p. 47

PISTE. Is the Print O Mark, made by a 
Horse's Feet upon the ground as he is Rideing, 
so that he may either mark one or two, if he 
be a ready Horse, as the Rider hath a mind for 
it, For Example, if the Rider make him go 
but at an ordinary Gallop in a Circle, or rather 
Square, then he will mark but one Pist, but if 
he make him Gallop either with his Haunches 
in, or go the Terre à Terre, then he will mark 
two Pists, and the same if the Rider make him 
Passage, or go sidewise, either in a streight Line
or upon a Circle.


Q
QUART EN QUART. Is when a Horse 
is wrought or Rid upon a Square, to ride him 
three times together along the first of its four 
sides, and at the third time to pass the first Angle, 
and ride him as many times along the second, and 
 so successively to the rest, untill the Rider 
hath made him go over the whole four sides of 
the Square, that so he may finish his Reprise upon 
that side of it where he began.


R
REPRISE. Is the Reiteration, or Repeti­
tion of a Horse's Lesson.


S
SACCADE. Is a sudden twitch that the Rid­
er giveth a Horse with the Reins of the Bri­
dle, when he either with Opiniatrety, Arms 
himself, or rests too much on the hand: it is 
a kind of Correction, but should be very rarely 
made use of, because it is apt to spoil a horse's 
mouth.

SERPEGER. Is to ride a horse in a Serpen­
tine or Undulate Line.

SOUTENIER. Is to stay or keep up a 
horse's head with the Bridle-hand.


T
TERRE à terre. See Suppl. p. 36

TIRER à la main. Is to resist and press a­
gainst the Rider's Bridle-hand. See Part I: p. 242

TRIDE. Is the quick and short motion of 
a horse's Legs, upon any natural or artificial 
Action.

TROT. See Suppl. p. 33


W
WALK. See Suppl. p. 32


V
VOLTE. May be considered two ways; 
As 1. Forby the Circle or Round wherein a horse 
rideth. 2. For a kind of Air betwixt the Terre 
à Terre and Corvet, called also a Mes-air.

VOLTE Renversée. Is when a horse per­
formeth a Mannage or Volt of two Pists, his 
fore-parts making the lesser Circle, and his 
hind the larger, or his Head being next the 
Center, and his Croupe out.

"Volt" as an English word antedates the earliest OED citation (1727).