KICKING. 49 



a few times. If the owner be an indifferent horseman 

 he should get a skilful rider to do the breaking. Hack- 

 ing a horse quietly about, and getting off and mounting 

 again at different places will generally make himi quiet 

 to mount. I may say in passing, that when a young 

 horse is being broken, it is unadvisable to make him 

 start off the moment one is in the saddle. He should, 

 on the contrary, be taught that the pressure of the 

 rider's legs and the shortening of the reins, are the 

 signals for him to go on, and not the act of mounting. 



Forging. — When a horse "forges" (makes a noise at 

 the trot by striking one foot against another), he does so 

 by hitting the front part of the web of one fore shoe 

 with the toe of the shoe of its hind foot, by reason of 

 the fore feet not being " picked up " quickly enough. 

 The remedy is to make a horse go up to his bridle, and 

 get his hind legs under him, in other words to collect 

 himself more than he is accustomed to do. A curb may 

 be substituted for the snaffle. If the shoeing be faulty, 

 the feet may be lowered, and their slope (about 50° for 

 the fore feet and 55^ for the hind) corrected. The use 

 of too heavy shoes, weakness, or the awkwardness of 

 youth, may cause this unpleasant habit. 



Kicking, — Keep the horse's head raised, speak to him, 



E 



