LESSONS WITH THE SADDLE 229 



during the London season, fretting and fuming with 

 anguish against these accursed bearing-reins when stand- 

 ing before the door of a fashionable shop in Regent or 

 Bond Street, with the conceited ass on the hammer-cloth 

 whipping them over the head and ears because under 

 such torture they could not stand still. 



The next step in the education of a colt, after he has 

 been accustomed to the bit, is saddling him ; and as by 

 this time you have familiarized him both to your hand 

 and voice, this will be attended with little difficulty, the 

 precaution being taken to shorten up the stirrups on to 

 the flaps of the saddle, as a groom does when leading his 

 master's hunter to the place of meeting, to prevent their 

 striking his side. Should the colt show any fear of the 

 saddle, or flinch from its touch, let him see and examine 

 it first before you attempt to place it on his back, and 

 when he will bear its pressure without fear or trembling, 

 lift it on and off his back several times before you let 

 down the girths, which should be shortened in the same 

 manner as the stirrups, taking care not to let go your 

 hold on the saddle with one hand until its position is 

 secured on the colt's back by drawing and buckling the 

 girths with the other ; for should the colt by chance throw 

 the saddle he wiU be very shy of its approach for a long 

 time afterwards ; and having seen this occur from the 

 carelessness of grooms, I suggest the precaution of keeping 

 a firm hold of it with one hand until it is secured by the 

 girth, in drawing which great caution must be observed 

 that they are not too suddenly tightened. 



I once saw a colt-breaker kicked, saddle and self, out 

 of the stall, by placing a saddle with old girths on a colt, 

 and drawing them too tightly at first. The horse sprang 

 up from the ground, immediately began plunging and 



