128 RIDING 



may as well break a bladder of water over the stable-door for 

 the lasting effect it is likely to have ; it may astonish him for 

 the moment, but the horse will in all probability rear again the 

 next time he feels disposed to do so, and you may get a con- 

 siderable supply of bladders, and pass some time in expending 

 them, before you do much good. As to pulling the horse over, 

 it is a thing that requires considerable nerve and agility on the 

 part of the rider, and it is not every one that cares to try the 

 experiment. When done the result is not sufficiently satisfac- 

 tory to justify the risk, both to horse and rider. The way to 

 do this, if the rider care to try it, is to take the right foot out of 

 the stirrup when the horse is rising, and hold the reins in the 

 right hand, the left hand being on the horse's crest. When he 

 is nearly upright, or as far up as he usually rises, take the left 

 foot out also, and give a sharp pull with the bit reins, at the 

 same time push with the left hand, which will help the rider to 

 spring clear, but as before said it is very risky, and does not 

 get to the root of the mischief ; besides, if a horse does come 

 straight back he is very likely to strike the top of his head very 

 hard, the consequence of which may be to kill him on the spot. 

 Such cases have occurred when the rider has unintentionally 

 pulled the animal over. 



Rearing bits are not to be depended upon : horses can rear 

 almost as easily with as without them. The man who has to 

 ride a rearer cannot do better than put a good snaffle in the 

 animal's mouth, and a pair of running reins, which should be 

 fastened not to the girth or surcingle at the side in the usual 

 way, but brought down between the horse's fore legs and buckled 

 underneath. If anything will tie him down that will, but it 

 does not always do so. If he still gets up the best thing to 

 do, and the safest, is to let the reins out a little, so as to be 

 quite sure not to hold on by his head and pull him down, lean- 

 ing forward so as to preserve the balance of the body, and 

 keeping the legs close. As soon as you find that he is coming 

 down, be on the alert, and before his fore feet touch the ground 

 drive both spurs in, so as to send him to his front, and when 



