THE-:- HORSE 



may be used, and the child allowed to ride 

 holding the reins and guiding it himself. Of 

 course, this is presupposing that the horse in 

 question is such a plug that nothing can in- 

 duce it to run off and that its natural tendency 

 will be to stand still unless forcibly urged. 



Variety of experience will make the child 

 into a good rider more rapidly than books or 

 constant instruction can possibly do. When 

 the child becomes fairly used to riding, a good 

 exercise is the use of the saddle without stir- 

 rups. 



In order to make rapid progress in riding 

 a child should always be made to overdo a 

 little. For example, he should be urged to 

 ride a little faster without holding on to the 

 saddle than he feels he is able to do. He 

 should be encouraged to relax on the back of 

 a horse, and see how far he can overbalance 

 to the sides without falling off. He should be 

 made to ride the horse at a good trot, which 

 at first will be very uncomfortable. The next 

 day he should be urged to ride this way for a 

 little longer time, and by degrees he will gain 

 confidence and be aware of improvement, 

 which is an important factor in the mind of 

 a child that is learning to ride. 



Psychology. It is said of the horse that, 

 considering his size, he has the smallest brain 

 of all the animals. It is probably as well that 

 an animal used as a beast of burden should not 



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