242 Restiveness : its Prevc/itio/i and Cure, 



iilongside its head, holding the bridle, if necessary. 

 The reins should not be buckled tight, as " forcing" a 

 bucker will often make it throw itself down or rear up 

 and fall back. For the same reason, if it does begin to 

 buck, just let it tire itself out, and when it is well 

 wearied, one or two smart blows of the whip applied 

 under its chest by the assistant will make it go ahead, 

 and thus, by degrees, it will give up the habit. 



If a horse takes to bucking or plunging under the 

 rider, his object should be to make it go ahead by a few 

 smart strokes of the whip on the shoulders, even at the 

 risk of its running away, which he can meet in the man- 

 ner described above ; and this will even give him an 

 opportunity of getting the head up, by first bending the 

 neck to one side. It is, of course, absurd to sit far back 

 on a bucker, sticking out the legs in front ; a man that 

 does so will be shot oft' over the horse's ears at the first 

 or second plunge. The seat must be central, and the 

 rider's back as straight as possible, although the natural 

 tendency is to round it ; the rider's weight, too, must be 

 thrown " into his heels," right under his seat ; this is 

 the only chance of "• sitting out a bucker." 



Rearing is the most dreaded form of vice that occurs, 

 and therefore the dodge that cunning horses resort to 

 most frequently, as they at once perceive that the rider 

 is afraid of it. Still it is by no means so difficult to 

 conquer effectually as is generally supposed ; no doubt 

 a very courageous and cool-tempered rider alone can 

 hope to succeed. 



Rearing would occur much less frequently if it were 

 well understood that it is almost always the last stage 

 of disobedience, and veiy seldom, if ever, the first. In 

 fact, its occurrence is evidence of injudicious manage- 

 ment of some kind, either from untrained horses being 

 brought into positions for which they are as yet un- 

 fitted, or from something being demanded of them that 



