66 THE ART OF 



that purpose, in drawing back the hand, you 

 must aid him a little with the back of the 

 knees or calves of the legs, to make him slip 

 his hips under him. It is good to accustom 

 a horse that you are training, to make stops 

 as soon as he becomes light to the trot, and 

 turns easily to both hands, but at first it must 

 be done rarely, and with great precaution, for 

 by stopping a young horse, or one weak in 

 the reins, suddenly, you would risk forcing 

 these parts, as well as the back part of the 

 knees, and ruining the animal forever. The 

 rider ought also to take care that the high 

 part of his body does not make a movement 

 in front, at the moment in which the horse 

 stops, an inconvenience he will prevent by 

 strengthening beforehand his reins. Every 

 time that you stop your horse, you must not 

 forget to caress and soothe him. 



The advantages of a well made stop, are 

 to collect the powers of a horse, to make 

 the mouth, the head and hips sure, and to 

 render him light to the hand, but in the pro- 

 portion as these means are efficacious, when 

 employed judiciously, so are they injurious if 

 they are employed improperly. To resume 

 the time of stopping, making the whole effort 



