248 Restlvcncss : its Pi'eve?itlo7i and Cure. 



the lounge by degrees, and getting in front of the head, 

 and the assistant placing himself behind the trainer's 

 back, and putting his whip out of sight ; then '' make 

 much" of the animal, give it a handful of oats or a bit 

 of something nice, loosen the reins and girths and send 

 it back to the stable. Horses have excellent memories, 

 and sufficient intelligence to understand that they have 

 been rew^arded for obedience, and that their attempt at 

 having their ov^^n way has failed. This is a main point 

 to keep steadfastly in view with all restive animals: 

 avoid getting defeated yourself, and be kind and gener- 

 ous to the vanquished. Of course this would only be a 

 first step in the cure ; to make it perfect the horse must 

 be re-trained or handled from beginning to end in the 

 way already pointed out. 



As it sometimes happens that a man is taken com- 

 pletely by surprise, a horse rearing that has never shown 

 any previous symptoms of restiveness, it will be well to 

 point out what should be done in such a case. It requires 

 presence of mind and great coolness, also a really firm 

 seat, wholly independent of the stirrups on the one hand 

 and the reins on the other, to enable one to deal with a 

 rearer; but the thing can be done, and without much 

 danger, except on pa\ ement or a slippery surface, where 

 it is better not to attempt a contest. When the horse 

 stops with the intention of rearing, it first withdraws its 

 mouth from the action of the reins by getting its head 

 more or less into the position shown by the low^er head, 

 fig. 7 ; but when it begins to elevate itself on its hind 

 legs, it assumes the exactly opposite position, shown by 

 the upper head of the same figure, which, of course, 

 equally enables it to defy the action of the mouthpiece. 

 The advice usually given is to slacken the reins alto- 

 gether ; but this is simply " plaNing into the horse's 

 hand," because its object is precisely to defeat the rider's 

 hand, first by slinking awa}- from it, and finally by re- 



