122 Breaking. 



the fence with him into the next field. Good hands, a 

 firm seat, ana an unruffled temper soon make him know 

 his powers ; and in a few times he learns to avoid mishaps 

 and keeps his legs without difficulty. The breaking-bit 

 already described is the best to ride young horses with, as 

 it is large and allows of considerable pressure without 

 injury ; so that if the breaker is obliged to keep the head 

 straight with some force, the colt is not thereby dragged 

 into the fence, as would be the case with a small and 

 sharp snaffle or with the curb. The same caution must 

 now be exercised as before with regard to a too long con- 

 tinuance of the early lessons. 



Breaking a Lady's Horse. 



In breaking the lady's horse, if he is of good temper 

 and fine mouth, little need be done but to make him can- 

 ter easily, and with the right leg foremost. This is neces- 

 sary, because the other leg is uncomfortable to the rider, 

 from her side position on the saddle ; the breaker, there- 

 fore, should adopt the means already described, and per- 

 severe until the horse is quite accustomed to the pace, 

 and habitually starts off with the right leg. He should 

 also bend him thoroughly, so as to make him canter well 

 on his hind legs, and not with the disunited action which 

 one so often sees. The curb must be used for this pur- 

 pose, without bearing too strongly upon it ; the horse 

 must be brought to his paces by fine handling rather than 

 by force, and by occasional pressure, which he will yield 

 to and play with if allowed, rather than by a dead pull. 

 In this way, by taking advantage of every inch yielded, 

 and yet not going too far, the head is gradually brought 

 in, and the hind legs as gradually are thrust forward, so as 

 instinctively to steady the mouth, and prevent the pressure 

 which is feared. When this " setting on the haunches " 

 is accomplished, a horse-cloth may be strapped on the 

 near side of the saddle, to accustom him to the flapping 

 of the habit ; but I have always found, in an ordinarily 

 good-tempered horse, that if the paces and mouth were 

 all perfect, the habit is sure to be borne. It is a kind of 



