I70 METHODS OF HORSE-CONTROL. 



having to bear unaccustomed, though innocuous, sights, 

 sounds, and touches. The feehng of having, under strong 

 provocation, to submit to irresistible control, often helps 

 in this case to form the habit of obedience. The carrying 

 out of this method, which had best be practised in a suitable 

 enclosure or in the corner of a field, is as follows : — Having 

 put a headstall on the horse, tie one end of a rope or 

 cord by a double sheet bend (see Fig. 65) to his tail, 

 draw the head about a third of the way round, and 

 tie the free end of the rope to the head-stall, so that 

 the head may be kept in this position. I may explain 

 that the longer the tail, the thicker may be the rope ; 

 and that the rope or cord should be so fixed to the 

 headstall that it can be readily loosened or tightened. I 

 have found that it is a great improvement to attach a short 

 rope or strap (a stirrup leather will do) to the side of the 

 headstall away from which the horse's head is turned (see 

 Fig. yj), so that the operator may catch it and thus stop the 

 revolving horse. To begin with, the length of the cord which 

 connects the head and tail should be so regulated, that it 

 will be just sufficient to make the animal turn round without 

 being able to go forward. In order to obtain increased 

 control, the cord should be gradually tightened from time 

 to time, according as the pupil becomes accustomed to the 

 movement ; but on no account to such an extent as would 

 cause him to be in danger of falling down ; for our object 

 here is to avoid giving him just reason for alarm. Besides, 

 a fall, when the animal is in this position, is not without 

 danger to neck or back. 



When the horse has been fixed up in this manner, we 



