SADDLE-HORSE. 



45 



and that will be an advance ; that second drop the reins, 

 stop the tapping, and pat him heartily. Now repeat the 

 same carefully over and over again for twenty minutes, 

 morning and afternoon. In a very few days he will under- 

 stand that the raising of the whip to tap him on the breast 

 means, Follow, and you will get no punishment, but plenty 

 of caressing. If you have a stubborn, vicious brute, there 

 is nothing for it but to put on the' cavisson (simply a band 

 of iron around the nose-piece ; or, in other words, a nose- 

 band of iron, supported by the arrangements of a common 

 halter) ; a few jerks on that will bring almost any horse to 

 quietness. 



T*o teach your horse to stand quietly while mounting 

 (if he is disposed to start), shorten your right rein just as 

 far as is necessary, with some it is necessary to have 

 their head turned half round to the right before they will 

 stand : that the reader must regulate in accordance with 

 the disposition of the horse to stand or start ; when he 

 stands from this procedure, mount and pat him, at the same 

 time relieving the right rein ; do this repeatedly until he 

 stands without any shortening of the rein, which a few 

 days' repeating will do. 



3d. That supposed to be done, passing through your 

 stable you observe a small fight going on between your 

 horse and groom. He wants to back him out of his stall, 

 and is pulling and tugging at his head, and the horse re- 

 sisting with his whole force. Your head is turned away 

 for one moment, and just then the groom, to show he can 

 do it, absolutely turns him in the stall to get him out. 

 If he is not strained across the loins by such an unnatural 

 twist, it is more by good fortune than management. You 

 charge him never to do that again ; but order your horse to 

 the riding-room, where it is supposed you are quietly 

 educating him. First, you want only a plain snaffle bridle, 



