494 MOUNTING. 



few times with your right arm over the saddle, taking hold of the 

 reins on each side of his neck with your right and left hands ; thus 

 marching him about in the stable until you teach him the use of 

 the bridle and can turn him about in any direction and stop him by 

 a gentle pull of the rein. Always caress him and loose the reins a 

 little every time you stop him. 



The Stable Preferred You should always be alone and 

 have your colt in some tight stable or shed the first time you ride 

 him ; the loft should be high so that you can sit on his back with- 

 out endangering your head. You can teach him more in two 

 hours' time in a stable of this kind than you could in two weeks in 

 the common way of breaking colts, out in an open place. If you 

 follow this course of treatment you need not run any risk or have 

 any trouble in riding the worst kind of a horse. You take him a 

 step at a time until you get up a mutual confidence and trust 

 between yourself and horse. First teach him to lead and stand 

 hitched ; next acquaint him with the saddle and the use of the bit, 

 and then all that remains is to get on him without scaring him and 

 you can ride him as well as any broken horse. 



MOUNTING. 



First, gentle him well on both sides about the saddle, and 

 all over, until he will stand still without holding, and is not 

 afraid to see you anywhere about him. As soon as you have him 

 thus gentled, get a block about one foot or eighteen inches in height 

 and set it down by the side of him, about where you want to stand 

 to mount him ; step upon this, raising yourself very gently; horses 

 notice every change of position very closely and if you were to step 

 up suddenly on the block it would be very apt to scare him; but by 

 raising yourself gradually on it, he will see you without being 

 frightened in a position very nearly the same as while you are on 

 his back. As soon as he will bear this without alarm, untie the 

 stirrup-strap next to you and put your left foot into the stirrup and 

 stand square over it, holding your knee against the horse and your 

 toe out so as to touch him under the shoulder with the toe of your 

 boot. Place your right hand on the front of the saddle and on the 

 opposite side to you, taking hold of a portion of the mane and the 

 reins as they hang loosely over his neck with your left hand; then 

 gradually bear your weight on the stirrup and on your right hand 

 until the horse feels your whole weight on the saddle; repeat this 

 several times, each time raising yourself a little higher from the 

 block, until he will allow you to raise your leg over his croup and 

 place yourself in the saddle. 



Mounting from the Block There are three great advan- 

 tages in having a block to mount from. First, a sudden change of 

 position is very apt to frighten a young horse that has never been 

 handled; he will allow you to walk up to him and stand by his 



