TRAINING, AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT. 45 



its side (although after he has been taught to back 

 from behind, it is quite easy to do so from the centre 

 of the ring). When you say " Back," your assistant 

 gives a smart pull on the two reins — an even pressure 

 on both sides — you at the same moment press heavily 

 with your hand against its nose, bringing the head in. 

 If a little stubborn, put your other hand against its 

 side, and push him a little sideways, and backwards at 

 the same time, it helps him to know what you want 

 him to do. Let him only walk back a step or two, 

 then " Whoa." Make him do this a few times, but do 

 not weary him. Just click, and let him have a bit of 

 a trot forwards, then return to the " backing " lesson, 

 until he will back to the bit without the word, and will 

 stop when \hQ p7'essiii^e is taken ^^the bit. 



Now, with draught colts, when you have got them 

 to " back " fairly well from behind, you take hold of 

 the near side with your left hand and say '' Back," 

 your assistant pulling back at the same time, then do 

 the same on the off side, so that the colt learns to 

 ^' back " in his training in the same manner that he will 

 be expected to do when in a cart. Now we have got 

 the colt submissive to the bit, he will " stop," " start," 

 ^'turn," and "back" to it. 



The next step to take, is to teach the colt to pull, 

 and to become acquainted with the breeching; and to 

 do this well, instead of doing it under the old method 

 by putting him in a cart, thus trying to break cart and 



