RIDING AND TRAINING. 73 



CHAPTER V.IN THE SNAFFLE BIT 

 (Continued^. 



THE trainer will next proceed to supple the haunches. 

 For this purpose he will dismount, and stand, facing 

 the horse opposite the girth, on the left side. With 

 his left hand, under the chin of the horse, he will 

 take both reins with a slight tension upon the bit. 

 With his right hand he will give some gentle taps 

 of the whip upon the croup until the horse will 

 carry the hind-legs a step or two under the body ; 

 the left hand preventing the forehand from moving. 

 (Fig. u.) As soon as the horse obeys, the whip 

 taps should cease, and the animal should be re- 

 warded with caresses and kind words. The trainer 

 should be satisfied with gradual progress, and the 

 slightest obedience upon the part of the horse should 

 meet with approval. The whip taps must be of the 

 lightest, and if the horse does not obey at once 

 they must not be given with greater severity, but 

 simply repeated until the hind-legs are moved up. 

 If a nervous horse shows a disposition to kick at 

 the touches of the whip, it may be accustomed to 



