This needs an entirely different training to shooting when on foot.
It needs knowledge of "Horsemanship" above all else.
Ninety per cent. horsemanship and ten per cent. pistol shooting skill will beat the finest pistol shot if he has only ten per cent. horsemanship to his ninety per cent. shooting skill.
By "horsemanship" I _mean_ "horsemanship," not mere skill in sticking on a horse"s back.
A man may have ridden all his life and be able to stick on the back of any horse and yet be no "horseman."
Merely keeping one"s seat, and "horsemanship" are two entirely different matters.
The "rider" (_i. e._, sticker-on) turns his horse by pulling a rein. If he wants to go faster he hits his horse or kicks his heels into it, if he wants to stop he pulls with both hands.
If he wants to turn, he pulls his horse"s head round and the horse pivots on his fore legs and his hind legs follow in a wider circle.
The "horseman" uses the aids, that is, his left hand on the reins and the calves of his legs against his horse"s sides.
By the pressure of the calf of his leg, feeling the horse"s mouth, and the rein against the horse"s neck, he can make the horse obey his every wish, because the horse understands, without any tugging, hitting, or forcing.
"Horsemanship" is having the horse under perfect control and obedient to an indication so slight that it is imperceptible to the onlooker.
The "rider" tries to compel the horse by main force to obey him, and the horse, even when it understands and obeys, does it in his own way, not his rider"s way.
It is the difference between two perfect dancers moving as one, and a man who has a vague idea of dancing trying to lug round a partner who knows nothing about dancing.
The "horseman" and his horse are one.
The "rider" and his horse are like a policeman taking off an unwilling prisoner who does not know what he is accused of.
In the one case the horse is watchful for every wish of his rider and instantly obeys, in the other the horse is all the time misunderstanding what his rider wants and being punished for his ignorance.
Unfortunately very few Americans or Englishmen know even the rudiments of the "High School."
That is why so few "riders" can play polo, both man and pony must be of one mind and understand each other and that can only be learned in the "High School," which is "Horsemanship."
The reason foreign officers are so successful in the jumping compet.i.tions at the Olympia Horse Show is that they are hors.e.m.e.n in the "High School"
and their jumping horses are trained to it also.
Matador, the celebrated Belgian high jumper, can do the Spanish trot like a circus horse.
Ladies riding astride generally know nothing of "horsemanship," but exaggerate the faults of men "riders."
Their stirrup leathers are so short that the heels are drawn back and the toes point downwards. To go faster they hit the horse with their whips or strike their heels into it but immediately back go their legs into the "heel up toe down" position with their feet almost driven through the stirrups.
The legs stop in this position during the whole ride, as if they were stuffed dummy legs.
They only know one use of the legs, that is to grip the saddle so as to keep their seats in it.
The "High School" rider uses his legs for giving the indications to his horse of what he wants it to do, supplemented by the reins, which, by more or less pressure on the mouth and against the horse"s neck, indicate the horseman"s wishes to the horse.
A "horseman" does not pull at one rein to turn the horse any more than an expert cyclist turns the handle bars when he wants to turn a corner.
The cyclist leans to the side he wants to turn to and comes round like a pair of compa.s.ses do when you lean them over and let the pencil swing round.
If a "horseman" wants to open a gate he does not kick his heels into the horse and thus force him up to the gate and then lean over the horse"s neck to try and reach the gate, which the horse is backing from. The "horseman" holding his reins in his left hand, squeezes the horse with the calves of his legs and this makes the horse go forward.
As he gets to the gate the "horseman" puts his left calf further back against the horse"s left side, at the same time putting his left hand slightly to the left so that the right rein presses against the horse"s neck.
This turns the horse"s neck and shoulders to the left whilst the pressure of the left calf against the horse"s left side makes him put his right hind quarters to the right. The horse now stands broadside up against the gate and the "horseman" can easily use his right hand on the gate lock, without having to lean over.
When he has taken hold of the gate a slightly greater pressure of his right calf whilst tightening the reins makes the horse"s back and quarter turn, and the gate is opened. He eases his horse"s mouth, squeezes with both calves, and the horse walks through the open gate whilst the gate closes behind him.
Suppose two equally good pistol shots, one a good "rider" and the other a good "horseman" are in a mounted pistol compet.i.tion.
They are told to walk their horses past the target and shoot at it one shot out of their automatic pistol as they pa.s.s. Both of the horses have not seen the target before and are rather shy of it.
The "rider" having to hold his pistol can use only one hand to his horse and being accustomed all his life to guide his horse by pulling at the reins cannot guide the horse properly with only his left hand.
As the horse comes up to the target he turns his head towards it and his quarters away from it and begins to sidle away, walking all crooked, the rider kicks his heels into him to try and get him up to the target and when he puts out his arm to aim the horse sidles away still more and whips round away from the target spoiling the shot.
After the "rider" has fired he needs both hands to turn the horse and bring it back, and, having the pistol as well as a rein in his right hand, fires one or two more shots, unintentionally.
The "horseman" squeezes his horse by pressure of the calves into his bridle, his horse like the former horse seeing the target tries to turn his head towards it and to sidle away from it.
The "horseman" merely moves his left hand slightly to the left, causing his right rein to press against his horse"s neck and thereby turns the horse"s fore part straight again; at the same time he puts his left calf back along the horse"s side and this puts his hind quarters straight into place. If the horse tries to resist, the left spur touches him and he gives in.
When the shot is fired the horse is wheeled round to the left by the pressure of the left hand and right calf whilst at the same time the right thumb slips on the safety of the automatic pistol.
If the reader is not a "horseman" and wants to learn pistol shooting from horseback, he and his horse should go through the cavalry course first.
Even when a horse is standing still, he is breathing, so it is difficult to make good shooting with deliberate aim off horseback.
All shooting has to be done with swing and snap shooting. Care must be taken not to shoot too close past a horse"s ears; it may be advisable to put on a hood with closed ear covers, so that he does not get the full noise into his ears.
There is not much to teach as to the actual shooting, it is almost entirely horsemanship, finding out which angle suits you best to shoot from, at what speed the horse moves smoothest, etc.
An automatic pistol is safer than a revolver for use on horseback. There is no putting to half-c.o.c.k but only slipping the safety on or off.
If the horse begins to plunge, slip on the safety at once, in fact at any indication of trouble with the horse put on the safety.
Do not slip off the safety till the instant before firing and slip it on the moment you have fired.
As you cannot shoot blank ammunition out of an automatic pistol you will have to use a single barrel pistol for teaching a horse to stand fire.
Be very careful not to scorch him or shoot past his eyes as that will make him always apt to flinch.
An underbred horse is better than a blood horse as a rule for shooting off, but when you do get a thoroughbred who will stand fire, as he has more courage, he will stand fire better than any other horse, and his paces are easier, especially the canter and gallop.
A handy polo pony makes a good shooting pony if it stands fire, as it is used to starting, stopping, and turning.