BACKING. To 



LESSOX XVI. 



BACKING. 



This lesson has been deferred thus far because, while 

 it is one of the most practically and frequently useful, 

 yet it is also the method which the horse naturally takes 

 to escape from the unwonted constraint put upon the 

 muscles of his neck and jaw in the course of the pre- 

 ceding lessons. You have had, therefore, to be on your 

 guard hitherto against it ; and had you taught it earlier 

 you would have found your horse cunning enough to 

 pretend to believe every play of the bit to be a signal to 

 step back, and thus protract the instruction. 



Having, then, got your horse, as usual, well in hand, 

 lean back and give a pull on the reins. If he steps back, 

 well; if not, touch him with the heel or tap his side 

 with the crop, and when he lifts his foot to step for- 

 ward repeat the pull on the reins, when the foot will 

 be replaced farther back ; then pat and praise him, and 

 persevere until he will, at each tug of the reins, move 

 backward one step and no more. 



Should he swerve to right or left, straighten him by 

 a tap or pressure of the crop on his right side, or by the 



