196 



THE HORSE 



end is slipped through the surcingle under the belly, and entire control of 

 the horse is only a work of time. The arrangement of these straps is well 

 shown in the engravhig, where Cruiser is sketched ready for the final 

 struf--gle. Up to this time, almost every horse Avill be tolerably quiet and 

 unresisting, some squealing when any approach is made to their elbows to 

 tighten the surcingle, and others when the strap No. 2 is slipped through 

 it! Few, however, plunge much ; and if they are made to hop on three 

 le^s they are able to go on for so long a time, without producing the 

 necessary amount of fatigue, that the operator would be tired before his 

 pupil. It is at this stage— that is to say, with the use of the leg-strap 



CRUISER IN THE POWER OF HIS MA'STER. 



No. 1 — that the predecessors of Mr. Rai'ey stopped, and they consequently 

 failed to gain the absolute control which he has invariably obtained with 

 the slight, but really important, additions which he has made, and which 

 he uses in the ingenious manner which I shall now describe. It may be 

 observed that, with a violent horse, it is always better to let him feel his 

 want of power for doing mischief with the near fore-leg strapped up, and 

 the slight degree of fatigue which a few minutes' hopping will produce, 

 before the second strap is called into play, especially if the operator has 

 not acquired great skill in the use of the apparatus. When this is done, 

 and the second strap is applied, and slipped through the surcingle, as 

 shown above, taking care to put a stout glove on the right hand, 

 the left rein is taken in the left hand, and gently jerked — using, if 

 necessary, the usual slight stimulus with the tongue, to make the horse 



