The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



you get the least pull on his mouth with your 

 elbow, and can hold the bundled circingle with 

 your left hand. With your right, lower the 

 strap end of circingle slowly down his off side, 

 taking care that it doesn't flap about. Lower 

 until the whole length is on the off side, depend- 

 ing from the buckle end held in the left hand. 

 Scratch him on the back with the right hand, 

 then slowly, backwards and forwards, going 

 lower along his near side down to his stomach. 

 Keep on rubbing with your ^vrist, while you 

 stretch your right hand under the stomach 

 to lay hold of the circingle, and, when you have 

 got it, continue the rubbing with your knucldes 

 until, on the near side, you have raised the 

 strap end up to the buckle held in the left 

 hand. Buckle it gently without any squeezing 

 and take him for a walk round the yard. Bring 

 him to a stand and tighten the straps a little, 

 and go for another walk. Repeat this until 

 you have got the circingle well tightened up. 



Get a stout sack, sew up the mouth end and 

 make a small opening in the middle of one side. 

 Place the sack lengthways across his back, 

 so that the opening lies uppermost just above 

 his spine. Tie the sack to the top of the cir- 

 cingle so it cannot sHp off. Through the 

 central opening put a stone weight of potatoes, 

 half on each side. Take the horse by the 

 bridle and walk and trot him round the yard. 

 Put in another stone of potatoes, half on each 



G6 



