314 HANDLING AND LEADING HORSES. 



pillar reins) and then turning him round, is a fruitful cause, 

 particularly with side-saddles, of forcing the points of the tree 

 apart, and thus spoiling the saddle. The greater liability of 

 side-saddles to become ruined in this manner, is due to the fact 

 that points of their trees are much longer than those of cross- 

 saddles, and consequently they are more liable to become 

 forced apart in this way. As horses grow old, the ligaments 

 which connect the vertebrae of the back, loins, and croup, show 

 a marked tendency to turn into bone, in which event, the in- 

 volved portion of the spinal column not only loses the slight 

 lateral play it once had, but also becomes very liable to injury 

 from strain or concussion, as we may see by the comparative 

 frequency of fractures of the back in old horses from casting 

 for operations. 



To lead a horse out of a stable on fire is often a difficult 

 matter, on account of the strange reluctance to quit a burning 

 building which horses generally show. After refusing to be 

 led by the head-collar, they sometimes obey when a bridle is 

 put on them. The most effective means of enforcing compli- 

 ance is blindfolding them, which we may do by throwing 

 a rug over their heads. The stifling effect of smoke can be 

 greatly mitigated by placing a wet handkerchief or other wet 

 thin material over one's nose and mouth, and to a less extent, 

 by using it for this purpose in a dry condition. We might 

 employ the same means for filtering the air breathed by a 

 horse in similar circumstances. 



The usual custom when leading a horse while riding another 

 animal^ is for the man to keep on the right side of the road ; 

 because in this case the led horse, being almost always on the 

 off side of the ridden one, will not be liable to swing round 

 and get hurt by passing traffic. It is evident that this 

 rule could not be carried out in busy cities. In congested 

 traffic, like that of London, it would be out of the question 

 for a man to ride one horse and lead another ; in fact, the 



