316 FAULTS OF MOUTH. 



it would not be safe to trust such a horse to the guidance 

 of a rider who did not know how to manage him before 

 giving the pupil several (say, a dozen) similar lessons in 

 order to confirm the habit of obedience. To insure this 

 object, I would advise that a further effect should be made 

 on the mind of the animal by making him lie down (see 

 page 144), and, if necessary, by keeping him on the ground 

 with his head pulled round (see page 149). Although I 

 advise reining-back with the long reins on foot as a means 

 of reforming the rearer, I do not think that, in such cases, 

 it should be practised when mounted ; for when the man 

 is in the saddle, he is too much at the mercy of the horse 

 to be justified in provoking the animal (as reining-back 

 often does) to rear. All our trouble, tact, and judgment 

 will be of no use, unless the person who rides the tem- 

 porarily reformed character refrains from using the " aids " 

 in a manner which would be liable to prompt him to re- 

 commence his old tricks. Among the best means for 

 attaining that undesirable object are : striking the horse 

 on the shoulder with the whip and holding the hands high. 

 The vices of rearing, jibbing, and bolting are sometimes 

 combined in the same animal. 



SHYING 



may be caused through "light-heartedness," desire on the 

 part of the horse to show off his power over his rider or 

 driver, fear, defective sight, or the natural timidity which 

 almost all young horses display towards unaccustomed 

 objects. As the commission of this offence is, as a rule, 

 rendered possible only by the fact of the animal not being 

 obedient to the " aids," instruction in them will prove the 

 best general treatment. Leaving out those cases which 

 are due to defective sight, I would advise that the shyer 



