154 



Training the Saddle Horse 



ommending its use, while others state that with a 

 properly fitted saddle it is useless. 



Whip and spurs. — These are important articles 

 in the training of a saddle horse. They may be 

 used as aids in bringing out the gaits or as stimulants; 

 hence, it is important to teach their uses very early 

 in the training period. In teaching the horse to 



obey the whip, 

 either as an aid or 

 a stimulant, one 

 should be careful 

 to use it in such 

 a way that the 

 horse will not be- 

 come unsteady in 

 the event of his 

 rider carrying 

 anything in his 

 hand (p. 19). 



In teaching the 

 horse to obey the 

 spurs, care must be exercised to avoid making him 

 regard them as instruments of torture. Many spurs 

 are so constructed as to injure the horse if improperly 

 used (Fig. 34, 2). For use in training the saddle 

 horse, a Ught, mild spur is recommended (Fig. 34, 1). 

 Gradually the horse should be made familiar with the 

 uses of the spurs, at first by pressure of the flat of the 

 foot or heel, then by that of the spurs without a 



Fig. 34. — Types of spurs. 1, Racing; 3, pa- 

 .tent ; 3, English ; 4> Plain ; 3, Army spur. 



