STAR-GAZING. 309 



which should be of such a length as to keep the line of the 

 face at an angle of about 45 to the ground. This plan 

 is on the same principle as that of the standing martingale 

 attached to the rings of the snaffle ; for in both, the object 

 is to make the horse relinquish his favourite trick on 

 finding out that its practice inflicts on him pain, from which 

 he can save himself by bending his neck to the rein. 



The term " star-gazing " may be applied to the habit of 

 continually keeping, or trying to keep, the head raised to 

 an undue height. That of " chucking up the head " seems 

 appropriate to the habit of throwing up the head only when 

 excited, or at intervals. Both require similar methods of 

 treatment. 



JIBBING. 



Although jibbing is far oftener a fault of temper than 

 of mouth, I prefer to discuss it in this chapter than in the 

 following one ; because it can, as a rule, be best corrected 

 by lessons in mouthing. 



A jibber is a horse which, without just cause, refuses to 

 proceed in any required direction, although he may be 

 willing to go in some other direction. As a rule, a jibber 

 will turn to one side, but not to the other. Acting on the 

 fact that the horse is an animal possessed of but little 

 intelligence, we shall generally succeed in overcoming the 

 defence of the jibber in saddle, if we force him to circle 

 several times to the right and to the left with the long 

 reins on foot (see page 168), or in the turn on the forehand, 

 both on foot (see page 193) and when mounted (see page 

 212). Failing to fix his hind-quarters, which we can easily 

 move round his forehand by means of the whip or cane, if not 

 by the leg ; he will usually go off in the desired direction. 

 The rebel should be turned to one side and then to the 

 other, and reined back pretty sharply, so as to convince 



