562 The Book of the Horse. 



It is as well to repeat the operation of mounting and dismounting until he gets thoroughly 

 accustomed to it, and will permit you to mount from the stirrup in the usual manner. 



The first time you wish to ride a colt out of doors let him be led out and longed for a 

 quarter of an hour about a mile from his stable, then mount and ride him home. In early 

 lessons on the road never fatigue him, and if possible ride in company with a steady horse 

 and horseman. If a colt when ridden out attempts to stand still or kick, turn him round 

 steadily once or twice, or oftcner. It is a motion that no horse can resist, and one much 

 more effective than angry wild spurring or whipping. If he still resists, slip off him before 

 he begins to fight, and give him the lesson for stubborn horses. These instructions assume 

 that the colt has been gradually educated from his foalhood upwards, or that he is naturally 

 of so sweet and sensible a temperament — like the majority of well-bred unbroken horses — 

 that he speedily learns what is required of him. But it may happen that the horse is pur- 

 chased at three or four years old from a drove, or caught wild from Welsh or Devonshire 

 hills, or he may inherit a stubborn, if not savage, disposition ; or, lastly, time may be an 

 object to a colonist or traveller, and he may have only hours instead of days at his disposal 

 for the breaking process ; then stronger measures must be adopted. 



The ordinary mode, as before stated, of subduing a high-spirited or viciously-inclined 

 colt, and compelling him to submit to be saddled and ridden, is to longe him until he is tired 

 out ; and if that does not conquer him, whip, spur, and deny food and water, until the animal 

 surrenders, or is pronounced irreclaimable. The majority of young horses treated gradually, 

 patiently, and firmly, as described in the preceding pages, will accept their duties v/ithout 

 showing any vice. 



Circus-riders commence the education of their ring and trick horses by lightly fastening 

 the reins of a snafi3e-bridle, like a bearing-rein, to the ring of a surcingle, which is secured in 

 its place by a crupper, and if needful adding a standing martingale, and a pair of flap reins. 

 Thus pilloried, as it were, the horse is longed in the narrow circus-ring for hours, until, if he 

 has any intelligence, and is not irreclaimably vicious, he obeys the lessons of his master, 

 enforced by a severe whip, and encouraged by occasional rewards, in the shape of slices of 

 carrot or lumps of sugar. These preliminary lessons are carried out with a degree of severity 

 very painful for an unprofessional bystander to witness. 



Instead of these violent methods Rarey introduced a plan, which, mildly applied, quickly 

 teaches the colt that man is his master and does not mean to hurt him, and severely applied 

 will conquer the most violent animal. 



TO PUT A HORSE DOWN. 



The colt that absolutely declines to be saddled or mounted, that will not without a 

 fight allow a bridle to be put in his mouth, must not be thrown down, as some writers 

 ignorantly direct, but gently and slowly put down ; when down, he must be strapped up so 

 that he cannot resist, and then by gentle progressive steps handled and mounted. I am 

 not now treating of vicious horses, because, except on very rare occasions under very ex- 

 ceptional circumstances, no sensible person will have anything to do with an old vicious 

 horse. 



To Rareyfy a horse you require a soft floor of deep tan or straw and dung. A space 

 of some thirty feet from side to side, fenced off" from a riding-school, or a small shed suffi- 

 ciently lofty for a horse to rear without striking his head, is the best class-room for a Rarey 

 lesson. If the floor is paved or boarded, tlie litter or tan must be at least a foot deep. A 



