LUNGING A HORSE. 39 



from the sight of the whip by running back, his instinct will 

 cause him to go forward. If at that moment the whip is 

 lowered and a pat on the neck given, he will gain confidence, 

 will understand what we want him to do, and will obey our 

 wishes, x^lthough we cannot obtain the result at the first 

 attempt, we shall do so in a few lessons, especially if the 

 breaker does not frighten the horse by some abrupt move- 

 ment when the animal is advancing. 



We can dispense with the lunging rein as soon as the horse 

 will come freely up to us, when we show him the driving 

 whip. This first lunging work is only preparatory. It has 

 been used in all times, but has been applied and utilised in 

 different ways. It was employed in excess before the days 

 of Baucher, who disliked it. I think it is useful, supposing, 

 of course, that it is not employed to fatigue the horse. 



In order to make a horse come up to me without the help 

 of the lunging rein, I use the same methods as when lunging. 

 At the beginning of the work I employ the rein a good deal 

 and the whip only a little. According as the horse pro- 

 gresses I diminish the use of the rein and increase that of 

 the whip, while always blocking up with the whip the side at 

 which the horse tries to escape from me, so as to make him 

 come up to me. Finally, he gets into the habit of coming up 

 to me on seeing tlie whip, and without my using the rein in 

 any way. I then teach him to follow me all over the school, 

 while always stopping him with the whip from getting away, 

 and making him promptl)^ go on b)' light flicks on the hind 

 quarters. 



Finally I discontinue the use of the lunging rein. If, as 

 always happens, the horse refuses to obey the whip and tries 

 to escape from me, there is a battle, which consists in my 

 flicking the horse on the hind quarters until he comes up to 

 me, which result may at first appear improbable. However, 

 when the horse is pursued by the man round the school for a 



