A Rigid Neck. 109 



this pressure with the movement in the direction 

 away from it. This is the way horses learn in a 

 riding-school. Or if she is going towards home 

 and knows the corners she has to turn, do not let 

 her make them of her own accord, but hold her 

 away from them until you give her the neck 

 pressure. Or you can zig-zag along the road if 

 you are in a quiet place where people will not 

 think that you are toque, or that your mare has 

 the staggers. It will thus not be long before 

 Nelly gets the idea, and the mere idea, once 

 caught, is quickly worked into a habit. Some- 

 times I have got a horse to guide passably well 

 by the neck in a day. Oftener, it takes a week 

 or two, while delicacy comes by very slow de- 

 grees. 



XXXIV. 



When you have got Nelly to the point where 

 she guides fairly well by the neck, what next ? 



It is evident that the muscles of your mare's 

 neck are rather rigid, for she carries it straight, 

 though her crest is well curved. From this rigid- 

 ity springs that resistance to the bit which she so 

 constantly shows. A neck which arches easily 

 means, as a rule, obedience to it. It is extremely 

 rare that a horse will arch his neck, except when 

 very fresh, so as to bring his mouth to the yield- 

 ing position and keep it there, of his own volition ; 

 and then he is apt to pull on your hands. You 



