HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 103 



until he is asked to do so by his rider, and it is good practice, 

 in cases where horses have got into the way of anticipating the 

 change, to keep them going on the same leg after making an 

 incline for a short time, although it be false, and then make a 

 half halt and change on to the proper leg. Nearly all horses 

 would rather canter to one particular hand than to the other. 

 It is often said that it is more difficult to teach a horse to canter 

 to the right than to the left, in fact that the generality of horses 

 would canter to the left, but that they require to be taught to 

 canter to the right. Experience scarcely proves this ; many horses 

 are certainly as awkward to canter to the left as to the right ; 

 and the best thing to do is to give such as these two lessons on 

 the rein to which they are awkward or stiff to one on the other, 

 until they canter equally well to either hand. It is a common 

 practice when horses are heavy and awkward to canter to one 

 particular hand. If this by chance be the left, their riders try 

 to make them do so by pulling their heads round to the right 

 and closing the legs, or spurring them while in this position to 

 make them strike off correctly, and no doubt they in most cases 

 succeed in their endeavour, but it is a most unfair way of 

 managing, for the horse must be to a certain extent thrown off 

 his balance, and is very liable to be strained ; moreover, as he 

 has to cross his legs while in that position he very likely comes 

 down on his side, and the rider, if he gets a squeeze, as he 

 most likely does in a tumble of this sort, will probably try 

 another way next time. 



If a horse be very awkward his head may be turned a little 

 off the circle, but the bend should be kept to the hand to 

 which he is working, as when working ' passage shoulder out,' 

 but the inward rein should lead him off, and when he has been 

 struck off correctly, the hind legs should follow the track of the 

 fore, and the horse well supported by both legs, especially the 

 outward, so as to keep him going and prevent him from chang- 

 ing. Many horses, especially coarse-bred ones, having upright 

 heavy shoulders, take a long time before they will canter nicely, 

 and this is not to be wondered at, as it is much harder work 



