242 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. 



If the horse should get his head down and 

 manifest a disposition to change the full gallop 

 into a runaway, the rider must, as she values 

 her own safety, keep her body well inclined 

 backward, for some horses, when excited, will, 

 while their riders are endeavoring to check or 

 control them, kick up as they gallop along, and 

 the rider, unless she is prepared for such 

 movements, will be in danger of being thrown. 

 In such a case every effort must be made to 

 raise the horse's head. To do this, the rider 

 must slacken the curb-reins for a moment, and 

 then suddenly give them a strong, decided jerk 

 upward ; this will cause a severe shock to the 

 horse's mouth, and make him raise his head and 

 stop suddenly, a movement that may throw her 

 toward or upon the front of the saddle with 

 considerable force, unless she guard herself 

 against such an accident by leaning well back. 



Should the horse, when galloping at full 

 speed, turn a corner in spite of the efforts of 

 his rider, she must keep a steady pull upon the 

 outer curb-rein, and lean well back and in to- 

 ward the centre of the curve which the horse 

 is describing in his turn. All this must be done 

 quickly, or she will lose her balance and fall off 

 upon the outer side. 



During all these violent efforts of the horse 



