PULLING ON ONE REIN. 93 



defective, our work is at least but half done, and the usua\ 

 result is some form of resistance to the bit. The breaking- 

 bit gives a sure and easy means of obtaining control of the 

 mouth, and thus of avoiding as well as breaking up these 

 mouth habits, so difficult to reach by other means. After 

 subjecting the horse to treatment until not afraid of having 

 quarters, &c., touched, put on the harness, with breaking-bit 

 in the bridle ; run the reins back through the shaft lugs ; 

 get behind and take a firm hold of the reins j give a quick, 

 but slightly raking pull, whether the horse gives or not. 

 After a short interval repeat, pulling harder, or not, accord- 

 ing to the resistance of the horse. In this way follow up 

 until the horse will give freely to the bit. Now move the 

 horse forward on a moderate walk ; call " Whoa ! " sharply, 

 and, if he does not stop, bring the weight of the body upon 

 the mouth as before, with a sharp, quick, raking jerk, which 

 must, if possible, be strong enough to stop and throw the 

 horse back. After a short interval, repeat this movement, 

 stopping gradually, and letting out the horse faster, until you 

 can let out on a fast trot, and run or stop instantly at com- 

 mand. All this should be done out in the yard or field. You 

 can tell by the prompt and easy submission of the horse 

 when it will do to make the next step of driving to wagon : 

 when you do commence again, back and work up, holding 

 your point of control up to the fastest gait. The slower the 

 horse moves, the more easy your control; the faster, the 

 less. So your policy should be to take advantage of every 

 point in your favor, which lessens resistance and increases 

 your power to the end of perfect success. Unless you 

 know you have the horse perfectly in hand, you should not 

 let him out to a fast gait, and then try to hold or stop him. 

 If you do, and fail to stop him as you desire, the horse will 

 gain courage by the resistance, and be likely to run away with 

 you, or try to do so. There are a great many who think, be- 

 cause they are strong, they can hold any horse : give them 

 only a good hold of the reins, and they are not afraid to 

 drive any horse. If you are of this mind, your confidence is 

 based upon ignorance and inexperience ; and you are worse 

 than a fool for taking chances so much against you, and 

 which do not in any way prove skill. No one man, or 

 even four men, can hold, by a dead pull, even with the 



