142 TAMING HORSES. 



would be frightened at your new position, if you 

 had the power to hold yourself over his back with- 

 out touching him. Then the first great advantage 

 of the block is to gradually gentle him to that new 

 position in which he will see you when you ride 

 him. 



Secondly, by the process of leaning your weight 

 in the stirrups, and on your hand, you can gradu- 

 ally accustom him to your weight, so as not to 

 frighten him by having him feel it all at once. 

 And, in the third place, the block elevates you so 

 that you will not have to make a spring in order 

 to get on the horse's back, but from it you can 

 gradually raise yourself into the saddle. When 

 you take these precautions, there is no horse so 

 wild but what you can mount him without making 

 him jump. I have tried it on the worst horses 

 that could be found, and have never failed in any 

 case. When mounting, your horse should always 

 stand without being held. A horse is never well 

 broken when he has to be held with a tight rein 

 when mounting ; and a colt is never so safe to 

 mount as when you see that assurance of confi- 

 dence, and absence of fear, which cause him to 

 stand without holding. 



