RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



with his hind legs under him. Half- beaten 

 horses measure distance with great accuracy, and 

 " lob " over very large places, when properly 

 ridden. If, notwithstanding all your precautions, 

 he persists in going on his shoulders, blundering 

 through his places, and labouring across ridge 

 and furrow like a boat in a heavy sea, take 

 advantage of the first lane you find, and voting 

 the run nearly over, make up your mind to view 

 the rest of it in safety from the hard road ! 



Ride the same horse again at the first oppor- 

 tunity, and, if sound enough to come out in his 

 turn, a month's open weather will probably make 

 him a very pleasant mount. 



The "slug," a thoroughbred one, we will say, 

 with capital hind ribs, lop ears, and a lazy eye, 

 must be managed on a very different system from 

 the foregoing. You need not be so particular 

 about his bridle, for the coercion in this case is 

 of impulsion rather than restraint, but I would 

 advise you to select a useful cutting-whip, stiff 

 and strong enough to push a gate. Not that 

 you must use it freely — one or two "reminders" 

 at the right moment, and an occasional flourish, 

 ought to carry you through the day. Be sure, 

 too, that you strike underhanded, and not in 

 front of your own body, lest you take his eye off 

 at the critical moment when your horse is measur- 

 ing his leap. The best riders prefer such an 



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