204 ILLUSTRATED HORSE-BREAKING. 



hopping round on the right foot, while we keep 

 the horse revolving by means of the leading-rein. 

 I may add that the Australian rough-riders, who 

 are marvellously expert at getting on to a difficult 

 horse, place the right hand on the pommel of the 

 saddle, and not on the cantle, as is the practice 

 in other places, and consequently place the left 

 hand high up on the mane. As a matter of 

 course, the assistant should not finally throw his leg 

 over, until the animal ceases to resist. When the 

 horse has got accustomed to the presence of the 

 man in the saddle, the rider may touch him with 

 his heels, lightly at first, and gradually stronger, 

 without hurting him, until he stands the contact 

 unmoved. When the horse has stopped trying to 

 get free, we may slacken off the cord a little, 

 take him round and round again, and so on, until 

 it is safe to let him loose altogether. Before 

 doing this, we should, as before, test his quietness, 

 by stopping him with the leading-rein, and then 

 pulling him round again. When most of the 



