238 RESTIVENESS : ITS PREVENTION AND CUEE. 



straight ahead when it evinces the disposition to do so. 

 But still more frequently, perhaps, the pressure of the 

 calf will not suffice, and then one must use the spur 

 freely, and this will generally succeed. Dead pulling 

 on the reins will not do ; the rider must increase and 

 diminish the pressure alternately, and always in unison 

 with the action of his own heels or spurs ; and this 

 latter should be screw-like not stabbing or digging at 

 the horse's side, which involves a loosening of the hold, 

 and accustoms a horse to wince away or flee the spur, 

 instead of yielding obedience to the pressure of the 

 calf. This is what the Germans call "wickeln" that 

 is to say, winding or rolling up a horse and, if pro- 

 perly done, is very efficacious for overcoming restive- 

 ness generally ; if employed in the nick of time, it will 

 even prevent rearing. 



On the whole, it is evident that a key to the best 

 methods of mastering the horse's powers, and utilising 

 them fairly, whether merely for handling young ones, 

 or for the prevention and cure of restiveness, is to be 

 found pnly in a thorough knowledge of the mechan- 

 ism of that animal's movements. This we have endeav- 

 oured to explain in Chapter I., Part I., of this book ; 

 and those who will take the pains to compare what is 

 said there with what they see restive horses do, will 

 be thereby enabled to discover for themselves more 

 than we can pretend to teach them. 



We would also venture to recommend the chapter 

 on " Seats" to the attention of rational riders and train- 

 ers, but especially of those who have to deal with rest- 

 ive horses. In that chapter we could do little more 

 than hint at general principles so far as they are ap- 

 plicable to various kinds of riding ; here we can lay 



