99 



hand. This is an unpleasant habit, which 

 may pull a rider off. On wet days he 

 should stand ^with the trees on him in a 

 loose box or on pillar reins, but the reins 

 must not be too tight or he may become 

 hard mouthed and a borer. Last of all, 

 before mounting, it is advisable to longe the 

 horse with the saddle, and the dumb jockey 

 on it. This will finish the second week, or 

 the extra days which may have been found 

 necessary. Longeing, properly carried out, 

 is a most useful part of a horse's education. 

 In the case of a harness horse, trotting 

 should predominate ; in that of a riding 

 horse, cantering. 



In the third week the horse may be 

 mounted, but most carefully in all respects. 

 The saddle must be softly stuffed and lined, 

 and there must be no lumps nor any sub- 

 stance that can possibly irritate the skin. 

 The india-rubber snaffle should still be 

 used, and the horse should be worked on 

 the same circle for six days, at the walk, 

 trot, and canter, varied by mounting and 

 dismounting, bending, shoulder in and out, 

 and passage. These lessons should last for 

 thirty minutes in the morning, and twenty 

 in the afternoon. After each of them the 



