296 KESTIVENESS I ITS PREVENTION AND CUBE. 



and freely on the lounge, it will be time to get a rider 

 on its back, and then to alternate the lounging and 

 riding lessons as may seem advisable until the former 

 become unnecessary. With restive horses it is, however, 

 better not to attempt using the lounge after the rider is 

 on the animal's back, but merely to detach the cord, 

 leaving the cavesson on their heads, and giving the 

 rider a pair of short reins, attached to this, into his 

 hands, in addition to the snaffle-reins. Except in very 

 skilful and practised hands, and when both trainer and 

 rider are accustomed to act in unison, there is always 

 great danger in using the lounge in this way. 



The general plan is, therefore, simply this : first, 

 lounging with loose reins ; secondly, lounging with reins 

 gradually shortened until the hind legs are brought 

 under subjection, the horse still going free ; thirdly, 

 riding with loose reins ; fourthly, riding with shortened 

 ones, varied with bending lessons at first whilst standing 

 still, then in motion ; finally, occasional rides out, and 

 giving up the school by degrees till it may be finally 

 dispensed with altogether. Patience, determined cool 

 courage, intelligence, kind treatment, and perseverance, 

 are the main requisites ; there is no royal road the 

 thing can only be done by fair work. 



There are some horses that cannot be got to go 

 anyhwv, but will either take to backing, turning sharp 

 round, generally on the near hind leg, rearing up, 

 screwing themselves up against a wall, climbing up 

 houses, or throwing themselves violently on the ground. 

 Such animals have been usually brutally, or at least 

 injudiciously, treated, and in most cases it will be ad- 

 visable to hand them over to professionals, who should 

 in common fairness be told the ivhole truth. A riding- 



