294 SCHOOL BREAKING. 



Fig. 95), which may be used to press against the left thigh 

 or lightly tap it. The horse should be relieved and " made 

 much of" (patted on the neck) at each step gained. In the 

 turn on the hind-quarters to the right, the off hind will act 

 as the pivot, which at first should be a moving one ; that 

 is to say, instead of, in this case, the off hind remaining 

 fixed on the ground, it may describe a circle of, perhaps, a 

 couple of feet in diameter. The nearer approach there is 

 made to fixity of pivot, the more inclined will the horse be 

 to rear. If the fixed pivot be demanded, its accomplishment 

 should be delayed to a late period of the breaking ; for the 

 horse will then be less liable to " play up " than he would 

 have been when his education was less advanced. In the 

 turn on the hind-quarters to the right, when mounted, we 

 should draw back and apply the left foot, advance the right 

 foot, lean a little back and to the right side, raise the left 

 hand a little higher than the right hand, and turn the 

 horse's head and neck to the right. The opposite aids are 

 used for the turn to the left. One should be particularly 

 careful against putting young horses too much on their 

 haunches, so that we may not strain their hocks. 



I may mention as an interesting point that if a horse 

 makes a sharp turn when at liberty in an open space, he 

 will do so on his forehand ; but when in a cramped position, 

 as in a narrow pathway with walls on each side, he will 

 probably turn on his hind-quarters ; for he can shorten the 

 horizontal space occupied by his body much easier by 

 raising his forehand than by raising his hind-quarters. 

 We all know that the ordinary horse can readily turn round 

 when standing on his hind legs ; but is unable to do so if 



