Riding the Young Horse. 31 



slow trot against a liorht but constant tension of 



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the reins. In time, by proceedings which we 

 shall afterwards describe, the mouth of the horse 

 may be made so elastic and light that it will 

 answer to the gentlest drawing of the rein, always 

 giving something upon which to act, but without 

 rigidity or opposition. At first I do not hesitate 

 to give my young horses mouths rather too hard 

 than too soft, and I make them hold the head 

 rather higher than is necessary for the union and 

 balance of the extremities. This confirms them 

 in facing the bit, and insures against the usual 

 habit of too low a carriage of the head. Any 

 condition of the mouth may be given the horse : a 

 hard hand makes a hard mouth, a light hand a 

 light mouth, and a nerveless hand lets the horse 

 get behind the bit, and gives no mouth. During 

 these lessons the trainer, before mounting, and 

 after dismounting, should make the horse elevate 

 its head, and bend its head and neck to the right 

 and to the left, as such exercises will aid in the 

 suppling lessons of the mounted horse. To 

 elevate the head of the horse, the trainer will 

 stand in front of the animal, and taking a ring of 

 the bit in each hand, he will, without unnecessary 



