H E -:- H O R S E 



CHAPTER XL 



Teaching children to ride — Cannot begin too young — An 

 old plug better than a pony — Experience the best riding mas- 

 ter — Psychology of the horse — He has not the power oi deduc- 

 tion — Trick horses — How they are made to appear to have 

 reasoning faculties — They only obey commands. 



Teaching Children to Ride. — I started to 

 ride at four years old and I believe this age 

 not too young to commence riding with a lead 

 rope. For a child I consider an old, thoroughly 

 gentle horse better than any kind of pony, 

 because his movements are apt to be slower, 

 and he usually has more sense. A common 

 mistake made in regard to letting small chil- 

 dren ride, is the thought that merely because 

 a pony happens to be very tiny he can do no 

 serious harm to the child, and what in a big 

 horse would be considered viciousness in a 

 little pony is looked upon as a kind of cute 

 playfulness. It is a fact that young children 

 are injured far more frequently by little ponies 

 than by horses. 



I think the ideal way for a child to begin 

 riding is to place him upon an old plug bare- 

 back. Lead the animal around slowly until 

 the child gets used to the motion and feel of 

 the back. He will get a natural seat far more 

 quickly bare-back than if at first he is per- 

 mitted to ride in a saddle. After the child 

 becomes thoroughly familiar with the feel of 

 the horse as he is led around slowly, a saddle 



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