EQUITATION AND HORSE TRAINING. 23 



on after exercise; during the five or six hours following 

 hard work they are especially efficacious. 



In addition to the precautions generally adopted, it is 

 well to see that the blanket strap or surcingle is fastened 

 around the place where the saddle girth belongs and not 

 pushed forward to the horse's elbows; the object being to 

 prevent the formation of two worn places. 



Work on the longe. — This work may be of great service 

 in horse training, provided, however, that the longe is 

 used as a means of training and not as a medium for fa- 

 tiguing exercise. 



The following principles must dominate in this work: 



(1) The horse is to be controlled by the longe and not 

 by the whip ; the only function of the latter is to move 

 the horse forward. 



(2) The length of the longe is to be frequently changed. 

 The horse should alternately stretch himself on a large 

 circle and bend himself on a small circle. 



(3) The gaits should be frequently changed and the 

 horse brought to the walk from time to time in order to 

 avoid the stiffness of gait that would result from pro- 

 longed work. 



The progressive method of handling a horse on the 

 longe is given in the regulations (United States Cavalry, 

 paragraph 350) and is described in detail in several works; 

 there is, therefore, no necessity of repeating details here. 

 It will be sufficient to point out the different cases in 

 which the longe can be used to advantage. 



Work on the longe can be used : 



(1) To exercise young horses without injury and with- 

 out fatigue to the joints. 



(2) To give first lessons to horses difficult to manage. 



(3) For horses that hold back or fight. 



(4) For horses with one shoulder more developed than 

 the other. 



