GENERAL RULES. 303 



the other one, this too may be got backwards or for- 

 wards : by degrees the horse will be got to stretch it- 

 self : the bow is unbent. It will altogether depend on 

 the time and trouble required to get thus far, whether 

 the first lesson should be further extended or not. 

 After a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes it will 

 be time to reward the horse by loosing all the straps, 

 leaving it to the groom to lead it about for exercise 

 and then home. Better take the trouble of giving two 

 short lessons each day, after which all parties remain 

 on more friendly terms, than one long one ending in a 

 fight. 



Having explained at length the method of proceed- 

 ing, it will now suffice to indicate briefly the successive 

 steps to be taken. When the horse has learned to 

 stretch itself wilhngly, the next object will be to get 

 it to move in obedience. If it refuses to go forwards, 

 by edging over its head and neck in the proper jDosi- 

 tion, it will step sidewise to save itself from falling ; 

 reward it again. In a day or two it will follow your 

 hand forwards for the sake of the oats you show it ; 

 then by degrees it will learn to circle with the croup 

 round the forehand ; you will " unfix" the feet and 

 flatten the back by degrees, taking care always to stop 

 each movement and limit its extent with the cavesson; 

 real obedience is thereby established, and the horse will 

 soon follow you in a wide circle, when, the assistant 

 taking your place at its head, you at length arrive at 

 lounging, and proceed as already described. 



A horse that backs — and some will actually trot 

 backwards— must be somewhat differently handled, but 

 still on the same principle : there is even less difficulty 

 than in the cases just novv alluded to, because the 



