02 TlIi: ART OF TAMING HORSES. 



it by degrees — gain your point inch by inch, passing it 

 always from his eyes to his neck, and from his neck to 

 his back and tail ; and so with a riding-habit, in half an 

 hour any horse may be taught that it will not hm't him, 

 and then the difficulty is over. 



If you are amusing yourself, or employing your groom 

 in training colts in the countiy, all these exercises may 

 usefully be gone through while your colt is learning the 

 first wearing of the bridle, and before you saddle him. 

 In nine cases out of ten there is no hurry, and you have 

 plenty of time, if only you have that rare quality — patience. 

 The colt can learn, as I have already observed, to bear a 

 rider on his bare back during his first lessons, when 

 prostrate and powerless, fast bound by straps. The sur- 

 cingle has accustomed him to girths — he leads well, and 

 has learned that when the right rein is pulled he must 

 go to the right, and when the left rein to the left. You 

 may now teach him to bear the bit and the saddle — if 

 you have not placed it upon his back while on the ground, 

 and for this operation I cannot do better than return, and 

 quote literally from Mr. Rarey. 



" HOW TO ACCUSTOM A HORSE TO A BIT. 



*' You should use a large, smooth, snaffle bit, so as not 

 to hurt his mouth, with a bai' to each side, to prevent 

 the bit from pulling through either way. This you should 

 attach to the head-stall of your bridle, and put it on 

 your colt without any reins to it, and let him run loose 

 in a large stable or shed some time, until it becomes a 

 little used to the bit, and will bear it without trying to 

 get it out of his mouth. It would be well, if convenient, 

 to repeat this several times, before you do anything more 



