PREPARATIONS. 



323 



animals inclined to bite, a tvooden gag-hit^ as in Fig. 49, 

 is used by Mr. Earej. A long 

 huggy wJiip^ with a good cracker, 

 should be kept near at hand. If 

 you intend to ride the horse after 

 his lesson, jour saddle should be 

 accessible, or be handed to you at 

 the right time. If there is danger 

 of the horse hurting his knees, a 

 pair ofhnee-pads should be provid- 

 ed (Fig. 50), the body of which 

 ih) is made of felt ; c is a leather 

 shield ; a is the strap, with a 

 buckle, and for a part of its length 

 is of Indian rubber, to give it 



elasticity. ^^' 50.— Knee-pad. 



The Enclosure. — Horses have been trained by the 

 expert, on the open ground, where soft and free from stones, 

 &c. — or in a barn, or bullock yard, well supplied with 

 straw or tan, — being sure that there are no beams or posts 

 against which the horse or his trainer may be hurt. It is far 

 preferable to have a suitable enclosure about 30 feet square, 

 the fence so high that the horse cannot see over it, and 

 the floor covered a foot deep with straw, tan, or saw-dust. 

 It is of importance that the horse should see or hear no 

 person or object beyond the enclosure, to distract his atten- 

 tion. If the horse is very vicious, the enclosure may have 

 « half-door by which a gradual acquaintance with the 

 horse may be formed. It is better that even with 

 Liie worst horses but one person should enter the enclosure 

 with the animal 



To Stable the Horse. — Mr, Earey gives some excel- 

 lent hints for the stabling and haltering of the colt or horse, 

 which it is undesirable to repeat here, but the points to be 



