HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. §7 



is a farce to suppose it ; but that, next to being held by the 

 head and leading, it is the easiest act of obedience you can 

 require of him. In good hands it is a powerful and certain 

 mode of reducing a horse to submission, — of getting him to 

 go freely forward at your order, and it will never stiffen him. 

 In bad hands, it is the fruitful source of spavins, curbs, 

 and thorough-pins ; and far from suppling, it annually stiffens 

 and breaks down, thousands of horses : for the guiding 

 and urging indications are both on the same side of the 

 horse. His head and shoulders are forcibly hauled into the 

 circle by the cord, and his haunches driven out of it by the 

 whip. A horse should only be longed at a walk till he circles 

 without force. He should never be compelled to canter in the 

 longe, though he may be permitted to do it of himself. He 

 must not be stopped by pulling the cord, which would pull 

 him across, but by meeting him, or by running his head 

 towards a wall, or hedge, so that he stops himself straight. A 

 skilful person will, single-handed, longe a horse in many 



