THE HORSEMAN'S MANUAL. 15 



merit ; the man with the longeing rein walking round the 

 circle a few times with him, and by degrees, getting away 

 from him, while another follows with a whip, showing it to 

 him, but not striking him with it, wall be sufficient to urge 

 him on, and in about two or three lessons he will learn what 

 is required from him. If he should attempt to hang back, 

 the man following with the whip may strike the ground 

 with it, which will generally have the desired effect. After 

 he has gone a few times round at a walk, and seems to lead 

 pretty well, he may be urged to trot ; should he go quietly, 

 allow the rein to slip till he forms a large circle, and let 

 him go very steadily a few times round, then call him up 

 and encourage him, and try the same to the reverse hand ; 

 if he takes kindly to this lesson, the man with the whip 

 will be sufficient to keep him to the outside of the circle, 

 and up to his pace ; should he fly or plunge, the longeing 

 rein should be shaken very gently, without jerking it, which 

 will most probably bring him to trot or walk again. 



The man holding the rein ought to have a very light and 

 even hand on the horse's mouth, otherwise he cannot form 

 a true circle, which the instructor ought to be very particu- 

 lar in observing ; for if the circle be not true, the horse 

 will not have a true and even action. 



For the first two or three days, the horse should not be 

 urged too much ; if he goes quietly, without jumping or 

 any sign of disobedience, it is enough. In this manner, he 

 may be longed to the right, left, and right again, changing 

 often from the walk to the trot. This and every other 

 lesson, must be repeated till he performs correctly, urging 

 him to increase his pace every lesson, but a lesson should 

 never be continued so long as to tire or discourage him. 

 The reason why I use the snaffle in preference to the 

 cavesson is, because I am persuaded it is the more expe- 

 ditious way ; for we are securing two objects at once, first, 

 the earliest act of obedience w T e demand from the horse, 

 (viz.) to go forward, and, at the same time, accustoming 

 his mouth to acknowledge the indication of the bit. 



