1 32 RIDING 



the rider when the horse tries to get his head away, while the 

 other man uses the whip to drive him forward. The rider 

 wants both hands ; he might be able to use his spurs, but 

 they would not have the same effect as the noise and sting 

 of a whip when well used. This mode of punishment may 

 sound very severe, but when a horse is resolute he requires 

 strong measures to be taken with him. One or two decided 

 lessons of this sort will have a better and more lasting effect on 

 the horse than half doing it again and again. When the animal 

 finds himself beaten a few times at the game, he will probably 

 give it up ; but he will require still to be carefully saddled and 

 quietly mounted, for it is a difficult thing to be quite sure when 

 he has been effectually cured of it. 



Punishment should never on any account be resorted to in 

 the early lessons of the young horse. He should be encouraged 

 in every possible way, and taught to do what is required of 

 him ; but it often happens that towards the end of his breaking 

 he gets cunning or lazy, or perhaps a little of both, and some 

 punishment is absolutely necessary, especially in the case of 

 underbred horses, that are frequently inclined to be sluggish. 

 With older horses, when severe punishment is necessary the 

 fault generally lies in the first place with the rider, or with 

 those who have had charge of the horse. The necessity for it 

 ought never to have arisen, but when it has, although it may 

 seem hard lines on the horse, it is better for him that he should 

 be taken in hand resolutely at once, as soon as the rider has 

 convinced himself that it has to be done, than that salutary 

 discipline should be postponed till the horse gets more confirmed 

 in his bad ways, and has consequently to be punished even 

 more severely. Punishment, however, should always be inflicted 

 with discretion, and when it has had the desired effect the horse 

 should again be encouraged. 



