XII. 



/s it Advantageous to Prolong the First Part of Training? 

 There is a distinct advantage in prolongimj flu jxtrt <>i 

 training that is done on the maffle bit. So long as tin- 

 young horse is unsteady and wabbly, so long as there is 

 danger of encountering resistance, it would be better t.. 

 leave him on the snaffle. With this bit struggles are le.«s 

 frequent, those that are unavoidable are less harmful and. 

 on the days of bad humor on the part of horse or rider, 

 there is less chance of ruining the work accomplished in 

 preceding lessons. 



Moreover, the young horse nearly always needs to have 

 his neck raised, strengthened and set. If he has no breed- 

 ing and the curb bit is used too soon, he has a tendency to 

 bring the muzzle down against the chest or to bear heavily 

 on the hand. If, on the contrary, he has class and energy, 

 and is put on the curb bit before he thoroughly understands 

 the leg aids, he will struggle against the hand, use his 

 strength in fighting the bit and subsequently much time 

 will be required to quiet him and smooth out his gaits. 



Bending Lessons on the Snaffle. When and How to be Ex- 

 acted. It is better to take up bending lessons on the snaf- 

 fle too late rather than too soon. As long as the horse is 

 not well up in the reins, there is no opportunity to begin. 

 When he bears properly on the bit, and not before, he 

 should be taught to yield the jaw and to place the head t«> 

 the right or left. 



In preliminary bending lessons, to draw the head to the 

 right, the rider pulls gently and slowly upon the right rein, 

 and holds the left rein steady to regulate the amount of dis- 

 placement of the head as well as to prevent, as far as possi- 

 ble, any bending of the neck; the head alone should be 

 turned to the right. The movement will be well execute* 1 



(49) 



