RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



not being pulled with a jerk on the animal's neck 

 and shoulders, so as to throw both of them down, 

 when they ought to have got off with a scramble. 



Let us return to the horse you have lately 

 mounted, not without certain misgivings that he 

 may be tempted to insubordination under the 

 excitement of tumult, rivalry, or noise. When 

 you have discovered the amount of repression, 

 probably very slight, that he accepts without 

 resentment, at a walk, increase your pace gradually, 

 still with your legs keeping him well into his 

 bridle, carrying your hands low down on his 

 withers, and, if you take my advice, with a rein 

 in each. You will find this method affords you 

 great control of your horse's head, and enables 

 you, by drawing the bit through his mouth, to 

 counteract any arrangement on his part for a 

 dead pull, which could have but one result. 

 Should you, moreover, find it necessary to jump, 

 you can thus hold him perfectly straight at his 

 fences, so that he must either decline altogether 

 or go exactly where you put hwi. Young, head- 

 strong horses are exceedingly apt to swerve from 

 the place selected for them, and to rise sideways 

 at some strong bit of timber, or impracticable part 

 of a bullfinch^ and this is a most dangerous 

 experiment, causing the worst kind of falls to 

 which the sportsman is liable. 



Riding thus two-handed, you will probably find 



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