THE PRIMER. 51 



he knows that he can control a horse one should 

 not undertake to ride it, and a fresh horse some- 

 times requires a great deal of skill, I have often 

 heard men say that they could ride any horse — they 

 were always inferior riders ; and I have known such 

 to fall from a horse that had not beo^un to show its 

 powers of trying the seat. Having mounted the 

 horse the man must stay there If he can, and employ 

 every artifice to bring the animal under subjection. 

 A little experience with difficult horses will show 

 the rider that, by watching the head, and by feeling 

 the muscles working under him, he can tell what 

 a disorderly animal is about to attempt, and he 

 can then be on his guard and take measures to 

 frustrate its plans. As far as is possible, I shall 

 explain these indications, and what seems to me to 

 be the best thing for the rider to do under the 

 circumstances. 



If, when the rider is about to mount, the horse 

 draws to the rear (and some horses will cast 

 themselves against a wall or throw themselves over 

 on the back when an attempt is made to mount 

 them), the animal should be led forward, the rider 

 walking by its side ; and while the horse is moving 

 he must vault into the saddle (no difficult feat), or 

 be assisted by having a leg up. This vice is often 

 the result of an injury to the mouth of the horse, 



