TRAINING A HORSE 



never let a horse back of his own accord, 

 or go back faster than is desired ; each step 

 should be made at the demand of the reins, 

 and the hands should be eased after each 

 step. 



The rider may now collect him quietly on to 

 his hocks, and then pivot him slowly round half 

 a circle, first on his near hind and then on his 

 off hind. This exercise makes him light in 

 hand, and horses that bear on the hand should 

 be given frequent practice in it. 



When the horse commences to go backwards 

 easily, another good lesson to make him light 

 in hand is to bring back the shoulders only, i.e., 

 to bring back the forehand to oneself, as if one 

 wished to back, and then the moment the horse 

 commences to move, to yield the hand, and 

 press him forward.* 



As a horse gets suppled by these exercises 

 the rider will find it gradually becomes easier 

 for the hand to bring him gently back on to his 

 hocks in the trot and canter by the direct action 

 of the reins, whilst intermittent pressure from 

 the legs applied just behind the girths makes 

 him brilliant in his action : the lower jaw yields 

 to the slightest touch of the bit, and the horse 



* De la Gueriniere. 

 59 



