THE HIGH SCHOOL 99 



sensitive horses go wrong in the wind, if they arc not 

 used with great discrimination and accuracy ; unless 

 the horse is sluggish, and the rider has his spurs under 

 absolute control, threepenny-bit rowels are the safest 

 kind to use, and in the case of very sensitive horses it is 

 well even to cover the cold steel with the finger of a 

 glove. 



A dummy spur focuses the indication of the leg, but 

 as it cannot animate the horse or force him to obey it, 

 a whip should be carried as a stimulant, and rough spurs 

 can also be put on a few minutes before starting work, 

 so as to make the horse answer vigorously to leg 

 pressure. It is, however, well worth while to learn to 

 wear rough spurs without involuntarily using them, as 

 the mere fact of their being worn has a stimulating 

 effect, and increases the brilliancy of the horse's action. 

 High School riders say that spurs should be able to 

 force a horse through fire, and Mr. Fillis recommends 

 that the rider should trust entirely to them and not 

 carry a whip, but every one must suit himself and his 

 horse. 



The rider should be careful to keep the ankles away 

 from the sides in the ordinary paces, so that the horse 

 may learn that High School paces are only wanted when 

 he feels the steady stimulating touch of the lower part 

 of the legs and the pressure of the rider's seat. 



One of the principal aids of the seat is to press the 

 horse's spine down and so help the hand to raise the 

 forehand, and it is given by slackening the waist and 

 sinking into the saddle ; when the horse is once placed, 

 the rider can get more on to the fork, so that he can 

 press the knees down and place the legs against the 

 flanks, where they can stimulate the action of the hind 

 legs, which are at the same time relieved of weight, so 



