REINING BACK. 39 



his liind-legs, tlie less able he is to lift them, which is 

 a necessary preliminary to stepping back ; therefore, 

 be particularly attentive in preserving the horse's bal- 

 ance, and, if he sticks his nose out, and hugs his tail, 

 with his weight thrown entirely on the haunches 

 (vide plate 10), never attempt to rein him back, 

 until, by applying both legs or spurs, you make him 

 stand up again, and recover his balance ; then pro- 

 ceed as before directed. 



The horse must never be allowed to hurry or run 

 back out of hand, nor to diverge from a straight line. 



The squad must be frequently brought " to the 

 right," or "to the left," when on the sides of the 

 school, and halted near the middle, to practise the 

 Reining Back. Do this during the "Walking, Trotting, 

 and Bending Lessons ; each man being ,told to act in- 

 dependent of his dressing, until all the horses rein 

 back w^ell. 



Your attention must now be directed to making the 

 men keep their horses w^ell up to the bit, and putting 

 them together with the use of hand and leg ; to see 

 that in all turns, circles, &c., &c., the men bend their 

 horses' heads and necks in the new direction before 

 leaving the sides of the school. Endeavor to make 

 them perfect in their bending and trotting lessons; 

 practise the going " about on the haunches" by fre- 

 quently halting and giving the w^ord, " On the 

 Haunches Ahout^^^ ^^March^ 



The horses havina^ learnt to follow the indication 



