WHAT SCHOOLING WILL DO FOR A HORSE. 23 



seize the ear of the horse to bring it to a trot 

 (page 33). Let us imagine the appearance of a 

 cavalry regiment, instructed according to the 

 theories of the Editor of The Field, when the 

 colonel should give the order to advance at a trot ! 

 Here we see that the author is not aware of the 

 simplest effects of the bit. To make the horse 

 take a certain lead in the gallop, this author recom- 

 mends that the rider should 'pull the animal's 

 head to the opposite side, so that the horse would 

 become habituated to lead with the left side when 

 turned to the right, and with the right side when 

 turned to the left, and so be insured to be false in 

 the lead at all the turns. On page 52 this experi- 

 enced horseman speaks of a good hack 'wholly 

 unable to canter, and so formed that he cannot be 

 taught.' There is no horse so formed that it can- 

 not be made to canter. The plan ' to check ' a 

 horse with the curb-rein for stumbling, is worthy of 

 the other precepts in this instructive work ; and 

 when he advises that ' the hand and foot are put 

 strongly out,' to prevent the horse crushing the 

 rider's knee against a wall, instead of suggesting 

 that the animal's head should be pulled into the 

 object, he further exposes his incompetence to give 

 instructions in riding. Is it possible that a writer 

 who recommends (page 48) that 'the bit may be 



