^62 THE BAEB AND THE BEIDLE. • 



Stiffness (as it is technically termed) has more to do with what is 

 commonly called restiveness than most people imagine. A horse is 

 asked to do something that calls upon him to bend or supple a joint 

 in which, even in early youth, he is still far from supple. He can- 

 not do it. The rider perseveres, and the horse resists. AVhereas, 

 when he is thoroughly suppled, he does not know how to disobey 

 his rider (supposing the latter to know what he is about). If a lady, 

 therefore, wUl pay close attention to the instruction of her master, 

 she will discover that her horse will obey her more readily, and move 

 with more ease to himself and her, when she applies her aids 

 "smoothly" (without which the bending lesson cannot be done), 

 than by the application of sudden or violent indications of her will. 

 For it must be borne in mind that a double bridle is an instrument 

 of great power in a horse's mouth, and that what may seem light 

 handling to the uninitiated rider may be rough to the horse. A fair 

 amount of practice, therefore, in the above-named exercise will have 

 the effect of rendering a lady's hands remarkably true and steady ; 

 and, although the lesson may be a little trying to the patience, the 

 pupil will find her reward in increased confidence and proficiency. 



For all practical purposes the "bending lesson" proper may be 

 divided into two sections, namely, the "passage" and the "shoulder 

 in," all other movements of the lesson being simply variations from 

 the above named. The "half passage" may be looked upon as an 

 introduction to the "full passage," but admits of being practised 

 with facility at an increased pace at the trot or canter, and at the 

 latter is a very elegant exercise. To begin with the " shoulder in." 

 Let us suppose a horse standing parallel to the boards at the side 

 of the school. To place him in the desired position it is necessary 

 to bring his forehand in, so that his fore and hind legs are placed 

 upon two lines, parallel to each other and to the boards, and then to 

 bend his head inwards at the poll of the neck. No more correct 

 idea, I believe, can be conveyed of the position than that given in 

 the "Aid Book," which furnishes the following answer to the ques- 

 tion. How should a horse be placed in "shoulder in"? "Ans, : AVhen 

 a horse is properly bent in ' shoulder in,' the whole body from head 

 to croup is curved ; the shoulders leading, fore and hind feet moving 



