268 THE HORSE IN AMERICA 



acts. At any rate, this half -mounting should be 

 continued until the colt is no longer disturbed by 

 it. Then the rider may take his seat in the saddle. 

 This should be done as quietly as possible. He 

 should sit in the saddle a few minutes and then 

 dismount. The mounting and dismounting should 

 continue until the colt is accustomed to it. This 

 will not be long if everything be done easily, 

 slowly and gently. An awkward man has no busi- 

 ness in trying to train a saddle-horse. A flop into 

 the saddle would, naturally, frighten a colt and 

 defeat the purpose in view. When the colt has be- 

 come used to a rider in the saddle the rider should 

 close his legs against the sides of the colt, draw a 

 slight tension on the reins, and induce the colt to 

 go forward in a walk. There should be nothing 

 but the walk in the first few lessons. In them, 

 however, the colt should be taught the meaning of 

 the bit so that he could be guided in whatever 

 direction the rider wishes. In nine times out of ten 

 a colt that has been treated as I have described will 

 be quiet and do what is asked of him without 

 any excitement. If the colt does get excited then 

 the whole work will have to be done over and 



