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CHAPTER VII. 



MOUNTING HORSES FOR THE FIRST TIME. 



HAVING rendered the horse quiet, given him a 

 good mouth, and taught him to jump, we may 

 next proceed to mount him in the following safe 

 and easy manner, which, I believe, I have been 

 the first to adopt. Put on a snafHe bridle, and 

 knot the reins on the animal's neck, so that they 

 will not hang down. Place over the bridle a 

 head-stall, to the off-side D of which, attach a 

 short leading-rein, and saddle the horse. Take a 

 strong cord ; tie a double sheet bend in the hair 

 of the tail with one end of it (see Fig. 30) ; pass 

 the other end through the D of the halter on the 

 near side ; pull the horse's head well round, and 

 secure the cord by a slip knot. If the animal 



