THE OBJECT OF J]UEAKING 59 



During this exercise, it is advisable to lead the 

 young horse first in one hand, and then in the other, 

 so as to avoid always bending him to the same side. 



The results to aim at during the first phase, are 

 obedience on the lunging rein, and standing still whilst 

 being mounted ; in fact, to teach the horse to adjust 

 himself under the rider, that is to say, to w^alk steadily 

 forward in the new balance. This triple aim is of the 

 very greatest importance for the future, and will not 

 allow of half measures. The instructor must therefore 

 give all his attention to the perfect execution of these 

 lessons. 



Work on the lunging-rein. — This is of the greatest 

 use in the training. It familiarizes the horse with the 

 man, whilst at the same time making him feel the 

 power of his master, and indicating to him the first 

 ideas of obedience. 



The lunging-rein, moreover, enables one to make 

 him work at the fast paces without fatigue, to get rid 

 of his superfluous energy when he cannot be ridden, or 

 when his rider is absent, and to dominate by hard w^ork 

 a vicious horse without fear of damaging his legs. The 

 work on the lunging-rein is also the basis of training 

 a horse to jump. One should, moveover, profit from 

 the authority Avhich it gives to the man over the horse 

 to get the latter used to being girthed, to carrying the 

 sword, to standing still at the mounting block (in the 

 case of difficult horses), and finally to teach him to 

 yield the quarters with the whijD. 



All horses ought to be perfectly trained to the 

 lunging-rein. 



The cavesson which is used for this work should be 

 sufficiently large, well padded, arranged so that the 

 mountings cannot hurt the eye on the outside in the 



