28 NOTE§ ON EQUITATION 



After seating himself in the saddle, the trooper should 

 use his right hand to assist in engaging the off stirrup. By 

 feeling for the stirrup with the toe there is danger of fright- 

 ening the horse by touching him unintentionally with the 

 leg or stirrup. 



Resf/ess Animals. The assistants should stand squarely 

 in front of the horses and not on the off side. Their busi- 

 ness is to simply caress the animal's head without holding 

 the reins. 



With horses that are hard to mount, the cavesson 

 should be used, the longe held by an experienced and skil- 

 ful man. 



Mounting lessons should be given on the off side as 

 well as on the near side and should be repeated daily until 

 the horse stands absolutely quiet. The (individual) lesson, 

 however, should not be prolonged for the horse will have 

 greater tendency to become restless the more he is held in 

 one place. 



