REINING-BACK. 85 



the carter tries to make his draught animal push back a 

 heavy load by raising the animal's head and by forcing him 

 to throw all his weight into the breeching. In the latter, 

 which is alone applicable to saddle work, the horse increases 

 the proportion of weight on his forehand by lowering his 



Fig. 7. Reining-back. 



head, and consequently gives freedom and lightness to his 

 hind legs in the backward movement. If it be right for a 

 horse to be light in front when going forward, it is surely 

 correct for him to be light behind when reining-back. Ex- 

 perience teUs us that the best way for a horse to rein-back is 

 in diagonal two time (that of the trot), namely, near fore and 

 off hind ; and off fore and near hind. The most effective 



