56 THE HORSEMAN'S MANUAL. 



Stumbling. 



Stumbling may proceed from several causes : from some 

 defect iu the formation of the shoulder or foot, from weak- 

 ness, or from imperfect training. A horse liable to this 

 mistake is not a pleasant one to ride, and certainly not a 

 safe one to go to sleep upon, for he demands constant at- 

 tention, or the result may be a roll in the mud or dust. 

 Such a horse must never be allowed a loose rein, but must 

 be kept well together with his head up ; the rider also 

 must preserve a proper seat, and not throw too much 

 weight upon the shoulders, so that in case of a mistake, he 

 may have the chance of recovering and supporting him, 

 whereas, if a man sits any how, and any where, and rides 

 with a foot or so of loose rein dangling on the horse's neck, 

 it requires no seer, to predict what the consequence will 

 be in the event of a stumble. 



My method of riding a stumbling horse is, to keep him 

 well up to the hand by a more than ordinary pressure of 

 the legs, to raise his forehand so as to oblige him to lift 

 his foot, and bend his knee before attempting to put it for- 

 ward, which will improve his action, and remedy his na- 

 tural or acquired awkwardness, as much as it is to be 

 remedied. 



It is also a good plan to take no more notice of these 

 blunders, than to collect and support him ; for horses are 

 mostly very sensible when they have made a mistake, and 

 nervous as to the consequences, which being for the most 

 part punishment, in the anticipation of which, and in the 

 attempt to avoid it, they will jump from side to side, or 

 spring straight forward, so that from this habit they be- 

 come unsafe for a timid rider. 



Over- Reach, 



Also called Clacking, is caused by the toe of the hind 

 shoe striking against the fore one, owing to the hind foot 



