REARING 



feels that the effects of his legs, used together or 

 separately, are not going to prevent the horse from 

 stopping, he should, as quickly as possible, take his 

 feet from the stirrups, lean his body forward and to 

 one side close to the horse's mane, and loosen the 

 reins. In this position, if the horse has not yet com- 

 menced to rear, it is still possible to carry it forward, 

 or at least to keep the hind legs moving. But after 

 the horse is fairly in the air, it is dangerous for the 

 rider to employ both legs together. Never theless, 

 he may be able, by using one of his legs after the 

 other, to force the horse to bring its fore feet back 

 to the ground. If, however, the rider feels that the 

 horse, not merely rearing, but already reared, is 

 likely to fall backward, he should rest one hand on 

 the pommel of the saddle, pass one of his legs over 

 the horse's croup, and helping himself with his 

 hand, should slip to the ground, alighting upright 

 on his feet, always of course at the side of the ani- 

 mal, never behind. 



The various tricks of spurring, whipping, break- 

 ing a bottle of water on the horse's occiput between 

 the ears, are not practicable, although advocated by 

 certain masters. 



Rearing is dangerous only if the horse actually 

 does fall backward. But although the horse may, 

 for various different reasons, be willing to rear as a 

 defense or for simple restiveness, it will not volun- 

 tarily fall. If, then, the horse does topple over, this 

 is always because it has not the strength to carry 



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