SOOTHINGS, ANIMATIONS, &c. 



The voice and the hand, the leg, and the whole 

 body, may be employed to soothe and encourage. High- 

 mettled or fretful horses, it is often necessary to soothe, 

 and timid ones to encourage. A spirited animal is fre- 

 quently impatient when first mounted, or, if a horse or 

 a carriage pass him at a quick rate ; and some horses 

 are even so ardent and animated, as to be unpleasant 

 to ride when with others. In either of these cases, 

 the rider should endeavour to soothe her horse, by 

 speaking to him in a calm, gentle tone. She should 

 suffer the whip to be as motionless as possible, and take 

 even more than usual care that its lash do not touch the 

 flank. Her seat should be easy, her leg still, and her 

 bridle-hand steady. The bit should not be made to press 

 on the horse's mouth with greater severity than is 

 necessary to maintain the rider's command ; and, as the 

 horse gradually subsides from his animation, its bearing 

 should be proportionately relaxed. The perfection of 

 soothing consists in the rider's sitting so entirely still 

 and easy, as not to add in the least to the horse's ani- 

 mation ; — at the same time being on her guard, so as to 

 be able to effect any of her defences in an instant, should 

 occasion render them needful. 



