21 S Kestiveness : its Prevention and Cure. 



both processes at once, and much preferable to devote 

 attention, in the first instance, to the position of tlie 

 horse's head and neck ; and when some progress has 

 been made with these, then go on to the hind legs. 

 Therefore the seat and the position of the rider's legs 

 will be at first more analogous to the English fiishion, 

 reverting, when the time comes, to the school position 

 as a matter of necessity. A certain portion of the work 

 of getting the horse's head and neck into position may 

 be very advantageously done while the animal stands 

 still, but no real progress can be made in getting it to 

 carry its burden in the desired manner unless these 

 bending lessons, as they are called, be immediately fol- 

 lowed up by brisk trotting ones ; and, for the same 

 reason, it is of great importance, when practicable, to 

 take the horse out of the school occasionally and let it 

 have a good straight-ahead go after the English fashion. 

 The dumb-jockey being much u.«f"d in this country, it 

 becomes necessary to say a wore' the subject. This 

 instrument represents a pair of ban without legs, and 

 therefore can at best only perform just one-half of the 

 work we have now under consideration, and even this 

 imperfectly. We must therefore call the whip to our 

 aid in order to supply the want of the legs, which the 

 whip will do, but then we can never attain the alter- 

 nately graduated pull on each rein successively nor 

 vary the pressure so readily. Moreover, the problem 

 to be solved being the distribution of weight, with the 

 dumb-jockey we can only adjust that of the animal 

 itself, the whole of whose equilibrium being overthrown 

 when the rider once gets on its back, we are then com- 

 pelled to begin the entire process de novo. The judg- 

 ment, tact and power of appreciation of a really good 

 rider will produce far better results, and, on the whole, 

 in a shorter time than the dumb-jockey ever can do, 

 except perhaps as a triumph of art in the circus, or for 



