338 FAULTS OF MOUTH. 



it should be practised when mounted ; for when the man 

 is in the saddle, he is too much at the mercy of the horse 

 to be justified in provoking the animal (as reining back 

 often does) to rear. All our trouble, tact, and judgment 

 will be of no use, unless the person who rides the 

 temporarily reformed character refrains from using the 

 " aids " in a manner which would be liable to prompt him 

 to recommence his old tricks. Among the best means for 

 attaining that undesirable object are : striking the horse on 

 the shoulder with the whip and holding the hands high. 



The vices of rearing, jibbing, and bolting are sometimes 

 combined in the same animal. 



Shying may be caused by " light-heartedness," desire on 

 the part of the horse to show off his power over his rider 

 or driver, fear, defective sight, or the natural timidity which 

 almost all young horses display towards unaccustomed 

 objects. As the commission of this offence is, as a rule, 

 rendered possible only by the fact of the animal not being 

 obedient to the '' aids," instruction in them will prove the 

 best general treatment. Leaving out those cases which 

 are due to defective sight, I would advise that the shyer 

 should have a few sharp lessons in circling, turning, and 

 reining back with the long reins, by which means his 

 " nonsense " and nervousness will not alone be taken out 

 of him ; but he will also be made amenable to the reins. 

 Besides this, we may teach him the turn on the fore-hand 

 on foot (see page 208), and when mounted (see page 229). 

 If the horse is very nervous or very unruly, we may give 

 him a course of head and tail work (see page 169). Unless 



