yo ORDINARY RIDING. 



course, that he does not play up, which he will very rarely do 

 if I require almost nothing from him. 



If he carries his head too low, I try to raise it by almost 

 imperceptible touches on the snaffle reins, which I draw 

 upwards, and not from front to rear. If he holds his head too 

 high, I feel the curb reins very lightly, and in such a way as 

 not to stop his forward movement. If he stops on account of 

 the action of the curb, I let the reins loose and apply my legs 

 behind the girths. In this case the legs have an effect similar 

 to that of the cutting whip during work on foot. I keep on at 

 the horse until I have obtained forward movement, which is 

 the great end that has to be obtained at any price. 



Having obtained this forward movement, I prolong it, as I 

 have said, for a few turns round the school, while trying to get 

 the head into a good position ; but I work very lightly, and 

 always in such a manner as not to stop the horse. If I obtain 

 only a little play in the mouth, I get off, and make a few 

 flexions on foot until he obeys. I then give him some carrots 

 and send him to the stable. 



Carrots ought always be cut lengthwise and never across^ 

 in which case they might stick in the animal's throat. I have 

 seen a horse almost choked by swallowing carrots cut across. 

 I do not give sugar to a horse, because if he is bridled and plays 

 with his bit, it will produce a foam that will soil one's clothes, 

 which is the smallest objection. A more serious one is that 

 sugar given in the stable predisposes a horse to crib-bite. 

 He begins by licking his manger, and, finding the taste 

 agreeable, he finishes b)- persistently biting it, which is a 

 habit that will often make him crib-bite or wind-suck. 



In this mounted lesson, I have asked the horse only to go 

 forward, while making him lightly work his jaw. Further, as a 

 general rule, we should not demand from him several things at a 

 time, because he will be apt to confuse them, and we may mistake 

 for disobedience a simple want of comprehension on his part. 



