204 MODERN FAREIEll. 



legs to his flank, and keeping up his head, he is 

 made to go light on his fore-legs, which is aiding 

 and supporting him ; and the same if he does actually 

 stumble, by helping him at the very instant to exert 

 himself, while as yet ajiy part of him remains not 

 irrecoverably impressed with the precipitate m.otion. 

 Hence this use of the hand and legs of the rider is 

 called giving aids to a horse ; for, as to holding up 

 the weight of a heavy unactive horse by mere pull- 

 ing, it is as impossible as to recover him when falling 

 down a precipice. 



A horse is supported and helped by the hands and 

 ' legs of his rider in every action they require of him ; 

 hence he is said to perform his airs by the aids from 

 his rider. 



The same manner is useful if a horse starts. For 

 if when he is beginning to fly to one side, you leg 

 on the side he is flying to, he stops his spring imme- 

 diately. He goes past what he started at, keeping 

 straiglit on, or as you choose to direct him ; and he 

 will not fly back from any thing if you press him 

 with both legs. You keep his haunches under him, 

 going down a hill ; help him on the side of a bank ; 

 more easily avoid the v» heel of a carriage ; and ap- 

 proach more gracefully and nearer to the side of a 

 coach or horseman. When a pampered horse cur- 

 vets irregularly, and twists his body to and fro, turn 

 his head either to tlie right or left, or both alternately 

 (but without letting him move out of the track), 

 and press your leg to the opposite side : your horse 

 cannot then spring on his hind-legs to one side, be- 

 cause your leg prevents him ; nor to the other, be- 

 cause his head looks that way, and a horse does not 

 start and spring to the side on v.hich he looks. 

 Here it may not be amiss to observe the impropriety 

 of the habit which many riders have, of letting their 

 leers shake a":ainst the sides of the horse : if a horse 

 is taught, then they are continually pressing him to 

 violent action ; and if he is not, they render him in- 



