216 MOUNTED BREAKING. 



A quarter of an hour, with frequent intervals of rest, will 

 be long enough for a lesson of this kind. 



The position of the leg, in, for instance, turning the horse 

 on his forehand to the right, is shown in Fig. 108. 



REINING BACK. 



To obtain the rein-back from the mounted horse, we should 

 work on the principle which guided us in teaching him 

 on foot (see page 186) to execute this movement at our 

 bidding. To get the right diagonal step (off fore and near 

 hind), supposing that both fore feet are equally advanced, 

 we should feel the right rein so as to turn the horse's head 

 to the right ; should apply the drawn-back left foot to 

 the horse's side to prevent his hind-quarters from swinging 

 round to the left and to keep more weight on the off hind 

 than on the near hind ; should lean a little forward in 

 the saddle and should lower our hands so as to lighten 

 the hind-quarters ; and having produced these effects, 

 we should take a pull at the right rein while keeping the 

 left hand steady, so as to obtain the desired step to the 

 rear. For the left diagonal (near fore and off hind) step, 

 we should use the reversed aids. During the rein-back, 

 the driver should draw his right foot back and apply it 

 the moment the right fore foot comes down ; for at that 

 moment, the right hind being more advanced under the 

 horse's body than the left hind leg, it is the proper one 

 with which the horse should take a step to the rear. When 

 the rider applies his drawn-back right foot in this manner, 

 he may touch the left shoulder of the horse with his left 

 foot, so as to give the animal the signal to raise and draw 

 back the left fore leg at the same time as he raises and 

 draws back the right hind leg. The reversed aids are to 

 be applied to obtain the other step. We should here, 



