EIDIXa ox THE ROAD. 55 



or, if tix)ttir.g already, quickens liis pace. The rider, 

 having only one hand on the reins, and the reins 

 loose, cannot stop the horse in a moment, and when 

 he does pull him up the horse often throws his head 

 up and altogether disconcerts his rider. This trick 

 is repeated invariably whenever the rider attempts 

 to move and takes one hand from the bridle. Now, 

 I believe that this vice (for it really amounts to that) 

 does not take its origin at all from the nature or 

 temper of the horse, but is entirely the result of 

 education ; that is, the horse does it because he has 

 inadvertently been taught to do it. And if a horse 

 had not been broken at all, and a man were on his 

 back, he would not do this particular trick, however 

 bad he might be to ride in other ways. I will, there- 

 fore, first point out how the mischievous habit is 

 acquired ; and secondly, how to avoid it. 



Anyone who is in the habit of riding will know that 

 when their horse is walking, and they wish him to 

 quicken his pace, they generally proceed as follows. 



First, they are aware by experience that when the 

 horse begins to trot he will pull harder than when he 

 is walking ; so that they almost mechanically tighten 

 their hold of his head; secondly, they kick him 

 gently with their heels, but very often they do not 

 really touch him at all with their heels, but only 

 cause a slight pressure of the calves of the legs against 

 the horse's sides ; and thirdly, to avoid being jolted, 

 they slightly shift their position and lean foi^ward. 



