300 RESTIVENESS: ITS PREVENTION AND CURE, 

 •on account of the danger of their throwing themselves 



dOMTl. 



When one finds the horse inclined to trot out well 

 and freely on the lounge, it will be time to get a rider on 

 its back, and then to alternate the lounging and riding 

 lessons as may seem advisable until the former become 

 unnecessary. With restive horses it is, however, better 

 not to attempt using the lounge after the rider is on the 

 animal's back, but merely to detach the cord, leaving 

 the cavesson on their heads, and giving the rider a pair 

 of short reins, attached to this, into his hands, in addi- 

 tion to the snaffle-reins. Except in very skilful and 

 practised hands, and when both trainer and rider are 

 accustomed to act in unison, there is always great danger 

 in using the lounge in this way. 



The general plan is, therefore, simply this : first, 

 lounging with loose reins; secondly, lounging with 

 reins gradually shortened until the hind legs are 

 brought under subjection, the horse still going free; 

 thirdly, riding with loose reins ; fourthly, riding with 

 shortened ones, varied with bending lessons — at first 

 whilst standing still, then in motion ; finally, occasional 

 rides out and giving up the school by degrees till it may 

 be finally dispensed with altogether. Patience, deter- 

 mined cool courage, intelligence, kind treatment, and 

 perseverance, are the main requisites ; there is no royal 

 road — the thing can only be done by fair work. 



There are some horses that cannot be got to go any- 

 how, but will either take to backing, turning sharp 

 round, generally on, the near hind leg, rearing up, 

 screwing themselves up against a wall, climbing up 

 houses, or throwing themselves violently on the ground. 

 Such animals have been usually brutally, or at least 



