COLLECTING THE HORSE. 75 



at the same time, we were coming up to a high fence, to 

 safely negotiate which, the animal would require to have 

 his neck straight, so as to have full freedom of action with 

 his fore legs ; he should, at least for the last few strides, be 

 light in hand, instead of being collected. The expression, 

 " getting a horse's hind legs well under him," appears to be 

 used indiscriminately for collecting a horse, and for making 

 him light in hand. The distinction I have indicated is, 

 however, worthy of attention. 



It is evident that when breaking the horse, we should 

 teach him to collect himself according to the indications we 

 give him, and to an extent which may be out of all propor- 

 tion to the requirements under which he is receiving his 

 lesson, although similar to those of actual work. 



NOTE. During breaking too much care cannot be taken 

 in teaching collection and a willing obedience to the aids ; 

 for the more perfectly they are mastered, the more easily 

 and harmoniously will the horse be able to move with us. 

 The well-trained horse and horseman should be able to 

 move together as harmoniously as two good dancers, the 

 horseman moving with his " mount " and guiding it as 

 easily and imperceptibly as the good waltzer with his 

 partner. I wish that many horseowners understood this 

 better, for by so doing they might be saved much disap- 

 pointment with expensive purchases. How often do we 

 not hear (especially at shows) charges of unfairness from a 

 disappointed exhibitor who has become the owner of a horse, 

 which previously was almost unbeaten, and afterwards 

 passed over. 



The discontented one, in many cases, possibly believes 

 the judges are treating him unfairly, while in reality, he has 

 ignorantly spoilt his horse's action and thrown the animal 

 entirely out of balance by employing some severely unsuit- 

 able bit, or a groom, who by his bad riding causes the show 

 animal nothing but discomfort. Horsemen are nowadays 



