PACES, VICES, AND FAULTS. 137 



trouble before you have quite done with him. He will 

 not be likely to have all the vices, or even one-half of those 

 for which I am about to prepare you, but you will pro- 

 bably meet with them in one form or another at different 

 periods of your career as a horsewoman : therefore a few 

 words about such matters will not, I think, be amiss. 



If called upon to ride a puller, get his head up, and then 

 drop your hands a little to him, to see whether he will yield 

 to your will. If he fails to do so, catch the reins short, 

 draw back your foot, give him one good pull, and then 

 another : in short, a succession of them — but yield to 

 him always between whiles, and speak to him in a quiet, 

 soothing manner. Do not attempt to fight him, or he 

 may run away with you, and that is nasty for a lady. If 

 you think that he has the bit between his teeth, you may 

 saw at it from side to side until you get him to release it. 



Boring is a very unpleasant vice, if I may call it one. 

 Few horses have it naturally, and I attribute it in most 

 cases to an undue use of the curb. I have found that the 

 best method of treating it is to take up the cheek-pieces of 

 the headstall. If a horse bores to one side (a most un- 

 sightly habit), attach the throat-latch to the ring of the 

 snaffle-bridle by a small strap on the side opposite to that 

 on which the head is bent. This is generally effectual, 

 because it brings the mouthpiece to bear upon the gum. 



A kicker is not a pleasant mount for a lady, and the 

 powers which some animals possess in this especial line 

 are simply astonishing. As a rule you will perceive, either 

 by the laying back of your horse's ears, or a queer wriggle 



