iy6 



be stretched to the rear, which brings his back down 

 about a foot lower. Whenever the colt is in the 

 proper position, the rider should caress him, mount 

 at once, and allow him to gather his legs beneath 

 him (Fig. 23). In five or six lessons a slight in- 

 dication with the foot will serve to make the colt 

 spread himself out at once, and this acquirement in 

 the horse is a decided advantage, because it is often 

 a difficult business to mount a high horse in close- 

 fitting riding breeches, especially if the rider is short 

 or elderly. 



HOW TO MAKE A HORSE LIE DOWN. 



In teaching a colt to lie down the breaker should 

 take a strong strap and buckle up his off fore leg, 

 and then attach a loose strap to his near fore pastern. 

 He should then place the right hand on the colt's 

 shoulder, and with the left pull the loose strap. 



There should be abundance of straw below the 

 colt, as this action will generally bring him upon 

 his knees. The colt should be kept in this position, 

 and in ten or fifteen minutes he will yield, and suffer 

 himself to be pulled over on his near side. In some 

 cases he may struggle violently, but if the breaker 

 maintain his position he will easily subdue him in 

 the time specified. 



After ten or a dozen lessons the colt will lie down 

 simply by taking up his foot and pressing upon his 

 withers (Fig. 24). Great care should be taken that 

 nothing occurs to frighten the colt when he is down, 

 or he will be more scrupulous about yielding again. 



