258 DRAUGHT AND HARNESS. 



lounge-line'^ on each side should be resorted to, for 

 which reason it is, as has been already observed, veiy 

 important to make horses handy on the lounge, previ- 

 ously to putting them in harness at all. 



At first the trainer will do well to avoid all attempts 

 at turning with the reins alone, and will prefer work- 

 ing as much as possible on straight lines and on the 

 level. If a turning be unavoidable, the assistant goes 

 to the animal's head, and if necessary, " leads" in the 

 required direction ; and if an ascent must be mounted, 

 assistance should be given from behind by shoving 

 the vehicle. By carefully avoiding all occasions for 

 misunderstanding during the first two or three days, 

 very rapid progress may be generally made ; w^hereas 

 by being in too great a hurry, or exhibiting too much 

 energy at the wrong time and place, much mischief 

 may be done and a deal of time lost. 



When your horse or horses draw willingly on the 

 straight road you; may begin to make them handy in 

 turning, in halting, standing patiently for a time 

 and then starting quietly again. A large square or 

 courtyard is the best place to practise this part of the 

 work, driving along the sides and rounding off" the 

 corners well to commence with, then changing hands on 

 the diagonal and ending with a figure of 8. It is nice, 

 pleasant, and not altogther unintellectual work, to 

 bring a pair of young horses to trotting equally and to 

 keeping regular time in all these turnings, sometimes 

 increasing sometimes slackening the pace, then halt- 

 ing to breathe themselves, and then starting again for a 



* This word "lounge" is evidently a corruption of the Fi:e;»dih(r 

 longe, from allonger, as "cavesson" is of the German Icapp zauitiy 

 derived from Spanish cabeza, the liead. 



