GENERAL RULES. 237 



and limit its action, which is simply because the effect 

 of the spur or heel being always to make the horse 

 advance the hind leg at the same side when the ani- 

 mal is backing, this becomes, in fact, equivalent to 

 stopping it ', whereas, when it is going forward, the 

 contrary effect is produced, and the stopping work 

 done by the rein, as already explained in the preced- 

 ing chapter. 



It has been shown above that, with the cavesson, it 

 is possible to lay the foundation for forward action by 

 making the horse, in the first instance, circle with his 

 hind quarters round the forehand. When mounted, pre- 

 cisely the same method may be employed with great 

 success. The rider commences by lifting the horse's 

 neck and head with both reins until the animal's mouth 

 is somewhat higher than his own knee, keeping the 

 calves of his own legs well closed on its ribs ; then, by 

 a gradual shortening of one rein, say the right one, he 

 gets the head round till the forehead conies to be paral- 

 lel to the horse's backbone, and places his right hand 

 firmly on the saddle behind his own right knee, and so 

 gets a downward pull on this rein, whilst with the left 

 one he keeps the horse's head and neck in the proper 

 position. Frequently a mere increase of pressure of the 

 right calf will now suffice to -unfix the horse's legs, 

 and make it circle with the croup round the fore legs, 

 which remain on the spot, and finally induce it to go 

 ahead. Of course the outer, here the left, leg of the 

 rider must be kept well closed up, so as to determine 

 the velocity at which this circling is done, and the 

 extent to which it should be carried, as also to be in 

 perfect readiness to act in unison with the other leg, 

 and with both reins, to determine the horse to move 



