PACES OF THE HORSE. 



If the hind feet fail to come quickly enough to the support of 

 the centre of gravity, a fall will be the inevitable result. Besides 

 the danger of this rein, or rather run, back, the fact of the 

 hind limbs (which are far less suited to bearing weight than 

 the fore ones) being surcharged with weight, will render 

 them liable to .become injured, and will make this movement 

 to the rear far more fatiguing to the animal than if it were 

 executed in the manner first described. It behoves us, there- 

 fore, if we wish to rein back a horse which we are riding, to 

 adopt the safer and less tiring method. With this object in 

 view, when we wish to make a horse which we are riding, 

 rein back, we should keep our hands " down," so as to allow 

 him, or, if needed, to induce him, to lower his head and put 

 weight on his forehand. We should avoid the practice 

 usually taught in riding schools, of taking an equal pull on 

 both reins ; for, if we do so, we shall adopt the best means 

 to induce the animal to throw his centre of gravity to the 

 rear, and to adopt the second method of the rein back, which 

 is objectionable in all cases, except in heavy draught. 

 Instead of this " even feeling " on both reins, we may effect our 

 purpose by, for instance, taking a stronger pull on the near 

 rein, so as to bend the horse's head and neck more or less to 

 the left, draw back the right leg, and touch him with it on the 

 side. The weight, then, on account of the head being turned 

 to the left, will be placed more on the near limbs than on the 

 off ones. Consequently, when the off flank is touched by the 

 drawn-back right foot, the animal will, as a rule, readily lift up 

 the off hind foot from the ground, and, feeling the backward 

 pull of the near rein, his natural impulse will be to take a 

 step to the rear with his off hind, and, in order to preserve 

 the previous distribution of weight, he will follow it with his 



