326 FAULTS OF MOUTH. 



rise to the passive (if I may employ the word) form 

 of pulling in saddle. As long as this boring on the 

 rider's hands is unaccompanied by a feeling of disobe- 

 dience, the fault can be easily cured by teaching the horse 

 to understand the meaning of the " aids " (see Chapters 

 v., VI. and IX.). The form of pulling which is most 

 difficult to remedy is that in which the defence is made 

 by lightening the forehand. As a common example, I 

 may cite horses which, in their attempts to get away, 

 carry their heads as high as they can, prance and dance 

 about if the rider tries to make them walk, especially 

 when their heads are turned towards home, and rear on 

 slight provocation. 



In all those forms of pulling in which '' temper " plays 

 a part, the animal should, above all things, be taught that 

 he must obey. Although instruction in the aids will have 

 a general good effect on the animal's mind in rendering 

 him docile, as well as attentive to our signals, our efforts 

 in gaining the mastery will be greatly facilitated by taking 

 the " nonsense " out of the rebel by, for instance, making 

 him lie down and keeping him on the ground (see page 165), 

 or by putting him through the head and tail system (see 

 page 169). We may repeat this discipline as often as may 

 be needed, and may employ it conjointly with instruction 

 in the '' aids." We should also utilise the good effect of 

 work. It is a significant fact that pullers which are put 

 to long-continued work, such as being kept out hunting 

 for, say, five or six hours, or for a still longer period in a 

 hansom cab or " growler," generally give up after a short 

 time their desire to run away, the futility of which is no 



