130 Curb, Snaffle, and Spur. 



When a horse rears, the rider should close 

 his heels against its sides, and, as the forehand 

 comes down, take a bearing upon the snaffle- 

 reins, then push the animal forward, not vio- 

 lently, for that would induce plunging, but 

 firmly and quietly. If, when the horse rears, 

 the rider feels from the sinking of the croup 

 that the animal is about to fall over, he should 

 take his feet out of the stirrups, grasp the 

 mane, and throw himself away from the horse. 

 A rearing horse always gets behind the hand 

 before it rises, and this fact indicates a pre- 

 vention. But if the jaw is so suppled that 

 it yields to every touch of the bit, the animal 

 cannot rear; for the head would drop and 

 the mouth would open at a light tension upon 

 the reins. 



If a " bolter " has intelligence enough to 

 receive discipline, the vice may be cured by 

 teaching the animal to come to a halt at the 

 application of the spurs. Alidor bolted in his 

 early lessons ; but after he had been schooled, 

 he never attempted to escape control. If a 

 horse bolts through nervousness, there is no 

 cure of which I have any knowledge, and I 

 know of no bit which will check the animal. 



