THE USE OF THE SPUR. 35 



are of the leg, or to oblige him to go up to an ob- 

 ject he was shy of. It was not considered as an "Aid," 

 but only a means of punishment. It is, on the con- 

 trary, the most powerful agent we have, without 

 which it would be impossible to break in a horse per- 

 fectly. Those horses that are hot-tempered, vicious, 

 or of great mettle, w^liose temper disposes them to 

 break from the restraint of the bit, in spite of the 

 strongest arm, can only be reduced to obedience by 

 the gradual and judicious use of the spur. With 

 the spur, of course combined with the assistance of a 

 good hand, you can perfect the education of the most 

 intractable, and infuse spirit into the most sluggish 

 animals. At the same time, it requires great pru- 

 dence, and a thorough knowledge of the horse, to 

 use the spur so as to obtain the proper results. 



The object is, to unite the horse's powers at the 

 centre of gravity, that is, between the forehand and 

 haunches ; and it is by the combined use of hand 

 and les: that we attain this. 



We have already the power of keeping the horse 

 on the straight line, which is indispensable to bring 

 the use of the spur into play ; for had we not this 

 power, on the first application of the spur, the horse, 

 instead of raising his forehand, and bringing his 

 haunches under him, thus concentrating his strength^ 

 would turn his haunches in or out, and avoid the 

 necessity of bringing them under him. 



But what is of still greater importance is, that 



