THE HORSE 



CHAPTER I. 



How to approach a horse — Bridling — Saddling — Mounting — 

 Dismounting- — An episode near Lake Tahoe. 



Approaching. — The safest way to approach 

 any horse is to do so from a point off his near 

 shoulder, with the hand extending toward the 

 animal's neck. It is advisable always to make 

 a horse aware of one's presence before he is 

 touched. The near side of the horse has been 

 used since the time of Simo, said to be the 

 earliest writer upon horsemanship, for nearly 

 all purposes such as approaching, mounting 

 and dismounting. The physical character of 

 horse and man make easier a friendship that 

 is begun on this side. To handle a horse on 

 the off side would be as unsatisfactory to the 

 average horseman as trying to eat with the 

 left hand would be to most people. 



When a vicious horse is approached, it is 

 possible for him to cow-kick, strike or bite, 

 and the part of the shoulder one should ap- 

 proach is that point which is most difficult for 

 the animal to reach with fore feet and hind 

 feet, so that there will be some uncertainty in 

 the horse's mind which weapon he may best 

 use. While he is reflecting in this manner, 

 the shoulder can, perhaps, be stroked. 



