42 Horse and Man. 



the rein with the fingers and thumb of the 

 right hand, and draw it through the fingers of 

 the left hand until you meet with a gentle re- 

 sistance. If the horse has a good mouth, he 

 will gradually arch his neck until his head 

 drops into a vertical position, and champ or 

 play with the mouth-piece of the bit. Let 

 slip the rein when he yields in this manner to 

 the hand, and allow him to extend his neck. 

 Then proceed to repeat the same practice, 

 until you can catch him upon the curb and 

 bring home his head with a quick and easy 

 touch, and without any uncertainty or delay. 

 When you have mastered this knack, put 

 your horse into a walk. If he has a good 

 mouth, he will move off without endeavour- 

 ing to extend his neck or thrust forward his 

 nose. As he steps along, you will become 

 conscious no longer of a steady though inter- 

 mittent pressure upon the mouth-piece, but 

 of an elastic play or vibration of the cheeks, 

 which increases or diminishes with the move- 

 ment of his crest, but never wholly ceases. 

 Carefully watch the ebb and flow of this soft 

 and almost imperceptible sensation ; and en- 

 deavour to let your hand give and take, so as 



