Rider Controls Horse s Discretion. 1 39 



the bit are irksome while she continues to lead 

 with the right, and she will try what she can do to 

 get rid of the restraint. She certainly will change 

 after a while, particularly if aided by the circle or 

 slope, even if she does it because she does not 

 know what else to do. And by rousing or light- 

 ening the left shoulder by a play of the left rein 

 you will materially aid the change. So soon as. 

 she has changed, reward her by a few words, and 

 canter along on the new lead. 



The reverse accomplishes a similar result. It 

 will probably take you many weeks to bring about 

 all this. If you do it in a few weeks, you will 

 succeed far beyond the average. But the process 

 of teaching an intelligent horse, if you are pa- 

 tient, is as pleasant as the result of the lessons 

 is agreeable, after they have had their due effect. 



A horse should be so well trained as to be 

 ready to turn with a " false " lead if you ask him 

 to do so. Left to himself, he should take the 

 proper lead at the moment of turning. But he 

 must obey you to the extent of doing what he 

 would otherwise not do, and should properly not 

 do, if you give him the indication. And this 

 without becoming confused, so as to fail to do the 

 proper thing on the next occasion. 



Though I by no means hold up Patroclus to- 

 day as a model performer of School-paces, which 

 I am perhaps too lazy to keep him as perfect in 



