122 CHOICE OF WORDS. 



pony will be likely to mistake for it. "We will, therefore, advisfr 

 its adoptiou, although, of course, any other word, not likely to be 

 used without meaning-, would do just as w^ell. 



252. — For the first lesson, put on a saddle and a pair of 

 blinkers, with a ring, curb, or some sharp bit. The object of 

 putting on the saddle is to make the pony associate the saddle 

 with the lesson, and to believe that he cannot be disobedient when 

 the saddle is on, even after he has found out that he can please 

 himself about obeying in the field. The object of the blinkers is 

 to prevent his seeing and learning too much, and getting to cal- 

 culate that he need only stop when you are in a certain position 

 behind him. Now tie to the bit two light rope reins, each twelve 

 feet long, and drive your pony about with them. This will be 

 nothing new to him after his former lessons, but if the blinkers 

 make him fidgety at first, drive him about until he gets over that, 

 and then begin your lessons. 



253. — Stop suddenly, with a sharp jerk on the reins, and at 

 exactly the same instant say whay. Repeat this until the pony 

 will always stop instantly for the word without the reins. Xext 

 give up the reins to an obedient, quiet assistant. Tell him to 

 make no noise himself, but to stop the pony sharply with the reins 

 the instant you say whay. Then stand some distance from the 

 pony, on either side, and say whay. Do the same at both sides of 

 him, as well as before and behind him, and let him find that your 

 position makes no difference, and that the jerk on his mouth 

 comes all the same wherever you are. Then get on another horse 

 and ride beside the pony, and repeat the word at a great number 

 of differing distances, until the pony will stop with certainty 

 wherever he can hear it, and he can hear it much farther than you 

 can. 



254. — Xext take ofi" the blinkers, and put on a sharp-bitted 

 bridle. Tie a long strip of nig on the root of the pony's tail, and 

 form with it two long loops, on which to rest the reins. Tie 

 twenty feet of binding wire, such as is used for tying sheaves, to 

 the end of each rein, and twist the far end of each wire round a 

 small piece of stick for a handle, so that your assistant can stand 

 thirty feet from the pony's mouth with these handles in his hands,. 



