184 HOW WOMEN SHOULD RIDE 



It is well for a woman, at first, to keep 

 a light hold of the halter, so that he 

 cannot crush her against the wall or hit 

 her with his head. She should never 

 put her head above his, or a severe 

 knock may be the result. She should 

 pet him, avoiding all sudden move- 

 ments, and accustom him to her voice ; 

 when it has become familiar to him, he 

 will listen for it, and neigh at her ap- 

 proach. 



If he seems inclined to kick, the closer 

 she keeps to him the better, as then she 

 will receive only a shove, instead of the 

 full force of the blow. If he shows a 

 tendency to nip or bite, from play or 

 mischief, he should be muzzled until, 

 by coaxing and kindness, he has been 

 made to give it up. 



To strike him would be to turn his 

 playful though dangerous prank into a 

 vicious habit. 



