3o6 SCHOOL BREAKING. 



animal's head up, and turn it towards the off side, so as 

 to relieve the near fore of weight, and begin to lightly 

 tap the front of the cannon bone (or fore-arm, as may 

 appear most efficacious) of the near fore, in order to 

 induce the horse to raise that leg and extend it to the 

 front. Having gained our object with one fore leg, we 

 should try to obtain it by reverse methods with the other, 

 so that the horse will extend either leg and keep it 

 stretched out to the front on being threatened with the 

 whip. As soon as he will readily accede to our demands 

 while standing close to the school wall, we should take 

 him to the middle of the school, in order to obtain like 

 results there. This will be a task of several days' duration, 

 and will demand a great deal of patience and tact. In it we 

 should "hasten slowly," and should be guided by the 

 principles which I have already laid down for equine 

 instruction. We may facilitate our work by having at 

 first an assistant to lift up and raise the operated-on leg 

 by means of a cord or strap attached to the pastern. 

 The use of this appliance should, of course, be gradually 

 discontinued, according as the horse learns to obey the 

 touch of the whip. 



When the horse is perfect in the lesson which we have 

 been giving him on foot, we may mount him, and sub- 

 stitute by degrees the appropriate aids for the action of 

 the whip, with which we at first obtain the extension of 

 the off fore, for instance. We should collect the horse ; 

 raise his head, so as to place the muscles of the neck in 

 an advantageous direction for lifting up the limb ; turn 

 his head to the left and lean on the left stirrup to transfer 



