T H E -:- H O R S E 



can be made to slide fifteen or twenty feet be- 

 fore his forward motion ceases. 



To slide a well-broken horse from a gallop 

 he must be caught on his stride at the moment 

 his forehand leaves the ground, because at 

 this time his hind legs are well under him, and 

 will have the tendency to continue there if con- 

 comitantly a firm pull on the animal's mouth 

 is taken and held. 



A horse extended at top speed can never be 

 made to slide until he is pulled down to a 

 slower pace. Before the final pull is given, the 

 horse's mouth should receive several checks 

 from the rein in order to prepare him for the 

 final stiff pull. 



Backing. — In order to back a horse, from a 

 standing position the rider brings pressure on 

 the bit, keeping the reins tight along the neck, 

 and the animal, if taught properly, will begin 

 to back. When it is desired to cease backing, 

 it is often a good plan to jump the horse for- 

 ward before he realizes he has actually ceased 

 his backward motion; because the horse that 

 is accustomed to jump forward immediately 

 after a backward motion is not so apt to want 

 to stop backing, on account of the subsequent 

 greater exertion of having to jump forward 

 with which it is associated in his mind. 



To teach a horse to back, when the horse is 

 standing and the rider dismounted, the rider 

 should tap the horse on the front part of his 



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