340 FAULTS OF MOUTH. 



does so on account of our inability to turn his hind- 

 quarters to that side. Therefore, with a horse which 

 refuses to the left on coming up to a fence, I hold the whip 

 (as well as the rein) in my right hand, and apply it to his 

 hind-quarter ; instead of, as is the usual custom, applying 

 the whip (whichever hand it may be held in) to the near 

 side of the horse's head, neck, or shoulder. I need hardly 

 say that with a horse which refuses to the right, the 

 reversed aids would be required. I have found this 

 method to be as successful in practice as it is sound 

 in theory. After having made the horse obedient to the 

 application of the whip, we should gradually substitute 

 that of the drawn-back heel ; so that, finally, we may be 

 able to keep him straight by the rein and leg alone. The 

 practice adopted by some hunting men and hunting ladies 

 of striking their horses down the right shoulder for refusing 

 (almost always to the left) and other faults, appears to be 

 admirably calculated to make them run out to the left on 

 slight provocation. 



To break a horse of " whipping round " (turning sharply 

 round) at some sudden or pretended cause of alarm, we 

 should make him, according to methods already described, 

 obedient to the leg. Thus, suppose the animal on seeing 

 some (to him) terrifying object to, say, his right front, tries 

 to " whip round " to the left, we should pull his head to 

 the right, and try to bring his hind-quarters round to the 

 left by the pressure of the drawn-back right leg. 



Keeping " behind the bit/' prancing^ and " breaking " 

 when wanted to walk or trot. — There are two kinds of 



