104 HOESEMANSHIP. 



followed by punishment, the fault may become a con- 

 firmed vice for lifc: 



Do not proceed to the trot until the colt has attained 

 an excellent and equal pace in the walk. Begin the 

 trot in a very careful and quiet manner, and do not 

 proceed to extend his pace until he has become well 

 collected in the slow trot. Whenever the hind foot 

 strikes against the fore foot, it is very certain that the 

 colt is either defective in his organisation, or has been 

 badly trained and most imperfectly collected in his 

 paces. In reining backward proceed in the gentlest 

 manner, being satisfied with getting a few paces back- 

 ward at a time. 



Do not urge the young horse into the canter until 

 his movements in the trot are thoroughly perfect, and 

 the mouth has become quite sensitive to the bearing of 

 the hands. If the mouth have become so sensitive that 

 it yields to the slightest touch, yet without the paces 

 being collected, it proves that the bearings of the hands 

 and the pressures of the legs of the rider, have not 

 been in unison and acted simultaneously. 



As soon as the colt has improved sufficiently with 

 the plain snaffle, then a twisted snaffle with another 

 pair of reins may be used in conjunction with it. The 



