Manual of Equitation and Horse Training 119 



and take the original gait. Repeat this same lesson at first 

 at the slow trot and then at the ordinary trot. The stiff- 

 ness of a pulling horse is thus finally broken by forcing 

 him to bend and to engage his hindquarters. (Halts and 

 half halts constitute excellent gymnastics for the horse 

 which goes too much on his shoulders and who is heavy in 

 hand.) One might use pulley reins on this sort of horse. 



Work at the slow trot on voltes, serpentines, and diag- 

 onals. 



Horses that open the jaws and pass the tongue over the 

 bit. — For the first, use a noseband or strap tightly buckled 

 above or below the commissure of the lips. For the second, 

 in addition to the noseband use a bit with a pallette of 

 leather or rubber. The tongue may also be tied with a 

 string. 



SUCCESSIVE PHASES OF THE EDUCATION OF THE 

 YOUNG HORSE. 

 This outline is made up for average horses; it sums up 

 the methods which have preceded. It is not absolute; the 

 requirements may be varied by the means at hand, cli- 

 matic influences, the kind and quality of the animals. It 

 marks, nevertheless, the normal steps in the training of the 

 troop horse. 



OBJECT. 



I Establishing confidence. 



Breaking (5 years) <^ Preliminary conditioning. 



[Elementary education in the aids. 



{Conditioning. 

 Suppling the young horse. 

 Complete obedience to the aids. 



Breaking, 

 (pour periods) 

 First period: October 1 to January 1. 

 Second period: January 1 to March 1. 

 Third period: March 1 to August 15 (departure for 



maneuvers). 

 Fourth period: August 15 to October 1. 



FIRST PERIOD. 

 (Oct. 1 to Jan. 1, three months.) 



(Acclimation. 

 Taming. 

 Establishing confidence. 



