274 RESTIVENESS J ITS PREVENTION AND CUEE. 



fold if you attempt to mount your horse under such 

 circumstances. Of course, when shyness arises from 

 defective vision, which is often the case, this method 

 will be of no avail. 



But to continue : After a day or two the trainer puts 

 a saddle on the horse, and the surcingle over it, and 

 will then soon proceed to lounge it, which he generally 

 does single-handed a point to be borne in mind. For 

 general purposes he will endeavour, by gentle means, 

 to get the young horse to settle down into a trot as 

 soon as possible/- and in proportion as the animal takes 

 kindly to trotting, his trainer will shorten the snaffle- 

 reins somewhat, so as to encourage the animal to lean 

 more and more on the bit, taking care, however, not to 

 make them so short as to prevent the horse stretching 

 itself well out, and bringing the propelling action of 

 the pasterns of its hind legs into play, f This first 

 lounging is always done on a large circle : first, be- 

 cause, if the horse does canter or gallop wildly, there 

 is less danger ; and, secondly, because the trot will be 

 longer and more energetic, and the leaning on the 

 mouth-piece more complete. The object of this pro- 

 cedure is to encourage the horse to throw its weight 

 well forward, go ahead resolutely, and use its hind legs 

 altogether as propellers. It may be well to give a 

 caution here : grass-land or clay, when trodden hard, if 

 moist, is to be avoided the danger of slipping is too 

 great ; sand or tanner's bark if available if not, a piece 

 of dry fresh-harrowed field is preferable. 



There are certain forms of restiveness, or rather kinds 



* The trainer of race-horses does not wish this, of course. 



f We shall see further on that the school system demands this 

 from the hocks. 



