250 RESTIVENESS: ITS PREVENTION AND CURE. 



to turn the horse towards, which is difficult when the 

 stirrups are hung very far from the seat. 



Bucking or Plunging. In bucking, the horse 

 gathers its legs under its body, puts its back up and its 

 head down, and then commences a series of seesaw 

 movements, throwing itself from the hind to the fore 

 legs in rapid succession, either without moving for- 

 wards or in a succession of bounds, which latter, how- 

 ever, is more properly plunging. It occurs usually 

 with young horses, and is much less common with 

 English ones than with some foreign breeds, especially 

 the Russian steppe horses. Sometimes very tight 

 girthing, or too heavy a load on the horse's back, will 

 cause it to buck ; or the attempt to screw it up too 

 suddenly into school form. The best method of hand- 

 ling young horses that have acquired this vice is on 

 the lounge with the dumb-jockey, the great object 

 being to get them to move forwards, and prevent the 

 head coming down. As the bucking or plunging 

 usually commences when the horse is put into a trot, 

 it should be kept as long as possible at a walk on the 

 circle, which is best effected by letting a man go along- 

 side its head, holding the bridle, if necessary. The 

 reins should not be buckled tight, as " forcing" a bucker 

 will often make it throw itself down, or rear up and 

 fall back. For the same reason, if it does begin to 

 buck, just let it tire itself out, and when it is well 

 wearied, one or two smart blows of the whip applied 

 under its chest by the assistant will make it go ahead, 

 and thus, by degrees, it will give up the habit. 



If a horse takes to bucking or plunging under the 

 rider, his object should be to make it go ahead by a 

 few smart strokes of the whip on the shoulders, even 



