?W," OR BREAKING BIT. 93 



6e more than two or three inches, blended with the direct pulling, 

 which should be with the energy of the strongest blow from the 

 shoulder, the principle simply reversed. In this way, after the 

 command of, "Back" or "Whoa" is given, whichever it is, 

 repeat at short intervals. In all ordinary cases the submission 

 will be quick and easy; but in plucky, bad cases, the resist- 

 ance may be very > determined. In fact, in exceptional cases it 

 may be so great that it will seem impossible to make the horse 

 yield ; but this should not by any means be accepted as a reason for 

 discouragement. 



If the horse warms up much, and becomes sullenly indifferent to 

 the pressure of the bit upon the mouth, by repeating the lesson it is 

 rare that he will not be found to submit in a few minutes. At any 

 rate the lesson must be so thorough that there will be unconditional 

 submission. In all my experience I never found more than half a 

 do?en cases that did not submit to two or three lessons. Success 

 will depend upon how it is done, the main point being to make the 

 hor$e submit, if possible, before he warms up, persevering and re- 

 peating till there is success. But should the horse become so 

 warmed up as to make it necessary to repeat the lesson, he must be 

 allowed to, stand Jong enough to become entirely cool. The better 

 way would be to let him stand oVer night, or' even longer. In most 

 cases, when the lesson is repeated, he will be found to respond im- 

 mediately, because the mouth has now become very sensitive ; but 

 1 if not, the only thing to do is to go on as before, carefully, until 

 successful. 



Another very important point is, if the case is known to be 

 a very serious one, and resists with decided courage (this has special 

 reference to largs-boned, rather coarse, but very plucky, determined 

 faprses), to move the horse_at first very slowly, until the point is gained 

 of making him stop and come back at a slight pull. In my own prac- 

 tice T moved the horse on a very slow walk, and repeated making 

 him stop until he would do so without being pulled upon, then stop 

 and come back, until he would respond to the pull of the bit with 

 the elasticity of a spring. , Then I moved him a little faster, and re- 

 peated until he could be moved to a sharp trot, and Would stop 

 instantly at command without being pulled uponj no matter 

 what £he excitement. This I would repeat over and over until I 

 could put the horse oit a run and do it ; and if his character had been 

 such as to make him at all seriously doubtful, this lesson was re- 

 peated after he had got cool. This is what I called testing what 

 had been done. In most cases the horse will be found entirely man- 



