200 BREAKING ON FOOT. 



the reins to the crown of his head. Instead of acting in 

 this fashion, the breaker, if he wants to give his pupil a 

 walk on foot, might, after having mouthed and exercised 

 him in the manner I have described, take him out with 

 the crupper leading-rein (see page 211), the use of which 

 contrivance would obviate any risk of spoiling his mouth. 



During the second lesson, which may be given on the 

 afternoon of the day on which the first one was imparted, 

 we may repeat the previous instruction, and then teach the 

 animal to rein back. This is done by bending his head, 

 say, to the left by the left rein, while preventing his hind- 

 quarters, by the pressure of the right rein, from turning 

 round. When we obtain this bend, which will naturally 

 put more weight on the legs of the near side than on those 

 of the off side, we should feel both reins, so as to make 

 him take a step to the rear. He will of course do this, 

 other things being equal, more readily with the more 

 advanced hind leg, than with its fellow, supposing that 

 he is not standing "level." Hence his head in the first 

 instance should be turned to the side of the least 

 advanced hind leg. When we obtain this step, we should 

 turn the horse's head to — say, in this case — the right by 

 the right rein in order to obtain the next step ; and so on. 

 While working in this way we should try to get the near 

 fore to move simultaneously with the off hind, and the off 

 fore with the near hind, so that the pace of the rein-back 

 will be a diagonal one of two time (namely, a trot : see 

 Points of the Horse, and not a walk) ; for the horse is 

 found to rein-back in an easier and more collected manner 

 at the former than at the latter pace. If he is inclined to 



