THE DEFENSES OF THE HORSE 



every sort of control is lost, the only thing for him 

 to do is to be very calm, make sure of his seat, and 

 separating the reins in his two hands, try to direct 

 the animal in its mad speed. When, if it be possible, 

 the horse has run enough to tire itself, the rider 

 should try to quiet it by his voice, and by sawing 

 with the reins, to make it take the trot and finally 

 the walk. To stop the horse completely is very 

 difficult, the impulsion being still powerful. 



If a rider, himself well mounted, has occasion to 

 stop a bolting horse, the best method is to place 

 himself at the left side of the line on which the 

 animal seems to be running, and to gallop at a good 

 speed in the same direction. As the bolting horse 

 comes alongside, the rescuer increases his speed, 

 and seizing, with his right hand, the reins of the 

 frightened creature close up to the mouth, gallops 

 for some steps beside it. Having next tested his 

 control over his own mount, he tries, by quick jerks 

 of his right hand, to reduce the run, first to a gallop, 

 then to a trot, and finally to a walk, while with his 

 left hand he checks correspondingly his own horse. 

 But, of course, any such performance as this in- 

 volves circumstances and conditions which it is 

 impossible to anticipate in print. 



In order to correct a horse that has bolted several 

 times, put it in a large field of newly ploughed 

 ground or on a long sandy beach, and run it till it is 

 tired. Then make it run again. But though this 

 device will work, my counsel is, find the reason for 



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