284 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. 



will be almost impossible for him to unseat her 

 by his kicking. If the kick be made during a 

 stand-still, a sharp, vigorous stroke of the whip 

 upon the animal's shoulder will be apt to check 

 him ; but if the kick be made while he is on the 

 gallop, a stroke of the whip will be apt to make 

 him run away. Should kicking be an old vice 

 of the horse, he must be ridden with a severe 

 curb-bit, that he may be prevented from getting 

 his head down. 



PLUNGING, BUCKING. Plunging is a succes- 

 sion of bounds, in which the four legs of the 

 horse are almost simultaneously raised from the 

 ground, the animal advancing with each bound. 

 It is frequently an effort made by the horse to 

 rid himself of something that pains him, as the 

 sting of an insect, the pinching of the saddle or 

 the girth, etc. All that can be done in any case 

 of plunging will be to endeavor to keep up the 

 animal's head, brace one's self firmly in the sad- 

 dle, and sit the plunges out ; they will rarely 

 amount to more than three or four. When a 

 horse that is not vicious commences to plunge, 

 it may be due to fear or pain ; he should, there- 

 fore, be spoken to kindly, and be soothed. As 

 soon as he is brought under control, the rider 

 should endeavor to ascertain the cause of his 

 movements, and, if possible, remove it. 



