108 THE HORSE OWNER's 



the accident caused by a rolling stone, but often in a 

 much more marked degree. 



The remedy for stumbling will, in all cases, depend up- 

 on the cause. If this is from weakness, no care or good 

 riding will prevent a stumble, though it may avert an ab- 

 solute fall by taking care to sit well back, and to be on 

 the guard against being pulled over the shoulder in case 

 of a serious mistake." There is no use in holding a horse 

 hard in such a case ; he should be kept alive but not hur- 

 ried ; because the more tired he is the more likely he is 

 to come down. Great judgment, therefore, will be neces- 

 sary to "nurse him " to his journey's end; and this will 

 be best done by an occasional relief to his back and walk- 

 ing by his side. No one should ride such a horse habitu- 

 ally; but if, unfortunately, he finds himself on him and 

 some miles from home, the above is the best course to 

 pursue. When, however, the stumbling is from decided 

 laziness, the only course is to catch hold of the horse's 

 head, and use the whip, or spur, or both pretty severely. 

 Many horses are quite safe at their top speed on the trot, 

 but at a half trot they are never to be trusted. The ex- 

 perienced horseman readily detects the exact pace which 

 his horse can do with the greatest ease and safety, and 

 keeps him to that. Some can trot down hill safely, but 

 are always tripping on level ground (these are low-ac- 

 tioned horses with pretty good shoulders) ; others, again, 

 always trip going down hill from overshooting themselves, 

 and of course, each must be ridden accordingly. When 

 lameness is the cause of failure, the remedy is either to 

 have the shoe taken off and rectified, if that is the cause, 

 or if in the joints, ligaments or sinews, to give rest and 

 adopt the proper remedies. Cutting is caused by the 



