THE-:- HORSE 



may be used, and the child allowed to ride 

 holding the reins and guiding it himself. Of 

 course, this is presupposing that the horse in 

 question is such a plug that nothing can in- 

 duce it to run off and that its natural tendency 

 will be to stand still unless forcibly urged. 



Variety of experience will make the child 

 into a good rider more rapidly than books or 

 constant instruction can possibly do. When 

 the child becomes fairly used to riding, a good 

 exercise is the use of the saddle without stir- 

 rups. 



In order to make rapid progress in riding 

 a child should always be made to overdo a 

 little. For example, he should be urged to 

 ride a little faster without holding on to the 

 saddle than he feels he is able to do. He 

 should be encouraged to relax on the back of 

 a horse, and see how far he can overbalance 

 to the sides without falling off. He should be 

 made to ride the horse at a good trot, which 

 at first will be very uncomfortable. The next 

 day he should be urged to ride this way for a 

 little longer time, and by degrees he will gain 

 confidence and be aware of improvement, 

 which is an important factor in the mind of 

 a child that is learning to ride. 



Psychology. — It is said of the horse that, 

 considering his size, he has the smallest brain 

 of all the animals. It is probably as well that 

 an animal used as a beast of burden should not 



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