112 Walking. 



mouths, except for the fact that he seems occasion- 

 ally to draw or yield almost a yard of rein, owing 

 to the length of his neck, and your hands have 

 to be watched accordingly. If he has such a 

 neck, the only safety, if he is high-strung, is never 

 to let him beyond the hand. 



The result of the suppling of the neck is a soft 

 mouth under all conditions. How shall you be- 

 gin to supple Nelly's neck, you ask, without the 

 long process of the Schools .? 



You cannot perfectly, but you may partially do 

 this under saddle. Whenever you are on a walk 

 you may, as a habit, let your horse have his head, 

 and encourage him to keep at his best gait. A 

 dull walker is a nuisance. A little motion of the 

 hands or heels and an occasional word will keep 

 him lively and at work, and get him into the 

 habit of walking well, if he has enough ambition. 

 The School-rider keeps his horse " collected " on 

 the walk at all times, and though the steps are 

 thus shortened, they become quicker and more 

 springy, and the speed is not diminished. I do 

 either way, as the mood takes me, for though I 

 incline to the method of the School-riders, I do 

 not think that it hurts a horse to have entire free- 

 dom now and then. 



Some amblers are slow walkers, but the five- 

 mile amble takes the place of the rapid walk, and 

 is often more agreeable. Few horses walk more 



