TRAINING THE YOUNG HORSE 81 



two previously, but fastened up). The girths should be looked 

 to ; they will most likely require to be tightened a hole. The 

 man who is to mount should be without spurs, no matter how 

 good a horseman he may be. There is nothing more likely to 

 bring him to grief, and at the same time spoil the horse, or at 

 any rate throw him back for some considerable time, than an 

 accidental kick with the spur, which might be given in the 

 event of the horse doing anything when mounted so as to make 

 the man partly loose his seat and hold on by his spurs. He 

 does not want a whip either ; it would only be in his way, and 

 would be liable to frighten the animal. For a few days previ- 

 ously, before sending the horse to the stable, the near side 

 stirrup should have been let down, and a little weight borne 

 on it by taking hold of the stirrup leather high up and pulling 

 it, without jerking ; and if the horse has stood this well, placing 

 the hand on the stirrup iron and pressing on that so as to get 

 him a little accustomed to the weight on the near side. If 

 the horse has shown much nervousness the man who has had 

 the longeing of him should be the best judge of this the cross- 

 trees should have been put on him a few times so as to get 

 him accustomed to having something on his back, even if he 

 had not required them on for any other reason. 



An extra man is required when the horse is first to be 

 backed, and he should stand on the off side in line with the 

 horse's fore feet, holding the cheek piece of the snaffle (not the 

 snaffle rein) in his right hand, taking hold of the stirrup leather 

 high up in his left hand, and bearing sufficient weight on it so 

 as to prevent the saddle from heeling over to the near side, 

 when the weight of the man who is mounting is put into the 

 near stirrup. The man who is holding the horse by the caves - 

 son should not stand directly in front of him while he is being 

 mounted, as, if he did, and the horse made a sudden plunge 

 forward, he would stand a very good chance of being knocked 

 down, but he should stand on the left front and hold the caves - 

 son rein in the same manner as when preparing the horse for his 

 first lesson on the longe. He should watch the horse carefully, 



G 



