42 ORDINARY RIDING. 



Appropriate punishment and reward are the two great 

 principles of successful breaking. 



If my horse refuses to advance, it is evident that, from the 

 position I am in, it will be difficult for him to run back, but 

 not impossible, and it is necessary to look out for any move- 

 ment which a green horse may make. 



To make him go forward, I extend my right arm, while 

 always holding the snaffle reins with the right hand at the 

 chin-groove, over which the curb-chain passes ; and I push, 

 instead of drawing forward, whilst holding the end of the 

 snaffle reins with my left hand behind my back. I lightly 

 touch the horse with the tip of the cutting whip a little 

 behind the girths. 



If the horse is quiet and not too nervous and excitable, he 

 will go forward without rushing. He will often, however, 

 answer to the cuts of the whip by plunging, rearing, shying 

 violently to one side, or running back, which are the four 

 " defences '' which a horse can offer in this case. Let us now 

 examine the best means of thwarting them. 



If the horse plunges, we have only to raise his head, so as 

 to put the weight on his hind quarters, taking care to keep 

 close to his shoulder, so as to avoid being struck by his fore 

 feet. A horse cannot plunge with his head high. 



Rearing is more dangerous, because the horse may hit the 

 breaker a blow on the top of the head with one of his .fore 

 feet, to avoid the bad consequences of which accident it is 

 well to wear a chimney pot hat, which has often saved me 

 from a blow on the head. When the horse rears, the right 

 hand should quickly let go the snaffle reins, only the end of 

 which should remain in the left hand, and then, if the breaker 

 turns to the right about, he cannot be hit, as his distance from 

 the horse will be equal to the length of the snaffle reins and 

 that of his left arm. Having allowed him to regain his feet, 

 go up very quietly to him, while carefully concealing the whip 



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