TRAINING THE YOUNG HORSE 73 



work smoothly and easily. It is most inconvenient if you want 

 to take up or let out a strap to find that it is a fixture, and can 

 only be unbuckled by a jerk, which very often has the effect of 

 startling the horse at the very time when you particularly want 

 to keep him quiet. The man who holds the horse should 

 stand on the near side of him, nearly in line with his head, so 

 as to be about on the left front of him ; he should have the 

 spare end of the cavesson rein coiled up in his left hand, and 

 hold the horse with his right hand, about eighteen inches from 

 the centre ring of the cavesson, to which the rein should be 



Longeing. 



buckled, and not to the near side ring. The man who is to 

 put on the tackle should go about his business very quietly 

 when he has to pass from one side of the horse to the other, 

 always going by the front round the man who is holding him, 

 never behind him. 



When all this has been done the horse is not to be hurried 

 forward immediately, but should be allowed to stand for a few 

 minutes and be made much of ; then, when you are perfectly 

 satisfied that everything is all right, lead him forward a few 

 paces, halt him, then bring him back to the place you started 



