XII. 



Is it advantageous to prolong the first part of train- 

 ing? — ^There is a distinct advantage in 'prolonging the 

 part of training that is done on the snaffle hit. So long as 

 the young horse is unsteady and wabbly, so long as there 

 is danger of encountering resistance, it would be better to 

 leave him on the snaffle. With this bit struggles are less 

 frequent, those that are unavoidable are less harmful, and 

 on the days of bad humor on the part of horse or rider 

 there is less chance of ruining the work accomplished in 

 preceding lessons. 



Moreover, the young horse nearly always needs to have 

 his neck raised, strengthened, and set. If he has no breed- 

 ing and the curb bit is used too soon, he has a tendency to 

 bring the muzzle down against the chest or to bear heavily 

 on the hand. If, on the contrary, he has class and energy, 

 and is put on the curb bit before he thoroughly under- 

 stands the leg aids, he will struggle against the hand, use 

 his strength in fighting the bit, and subsequently much 

 time will be required to quiet him and smooth out his 

 gaits. 



Bending lessons on the snaffle — When and how to be 

 exacted. — It is better to take up bending lessons on the 

 snaffle too late rather than too soon. As long as the horse 

 is not well up in the reins, there is no opportunity to begin. 

 When he bears properly on the bit, and not before, he 

 should be taught to yield the j aw and to place the head to 

 the right or left. 



In preliminary bending lessons, to draw the head to the 

 right the rider pulls gently and slowly upon the right rein 

 and holds the left rein steady to regulate the amount of 



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