THE REIN-BACK. 121 



on his feet while pressing him backwards. I have never met 

 a horse which would not yield to this method. 



When the horse reins back without stiffness, and with the 

 head lowered, I try to make him do the same movement with 

 the head more and more raised, for which object I place 

 myself at his shoulder, and I do the direct flexion in reining 

 back. I thus endeavour to obtain a very free rein-back with 

 the horse well in hand. 



If the horse reins back too quickly, in order to escape from 

 the bit, I draw the snaffle reins forward so as to make his 

 retrograde movement more slow. This is the normal rein- 

 back, for which the preceding work is only the preparation. 

 It is evident that if the horse is ready to rein back at 

 the very first sign of the direct flexion, there will be no 

 necessity to lower his head, and still less to tread on his feet. 

 The lowering of the head is useful only to prevent him 

 getting behind his bit. I therefore do not practise it unless 

 the animal shows signs of wanting to rein back. 



When the horse readily reins back by means of direct 

 flexion when held by the hand, I begin to put him through 

 the same work while on his back. 



In mounted work I do not force the forehand. In fact, it 

 is dangerous to pull on the mouth, which action throws too 

 much weight on the hind quarters, and may consequently 

 lead to his getting behind his bit and rearing. Also I never 

 attempt the mounted rein-back unless I am certain that my 

 horse will go freely forward by a pressure of the legs, which, 

 in my opinion, is the best means of mobilising the hind 

 quarters, and with which I always begin the rein-back. I feel 

 the bit reins only lightly, in order to make the horse lower 

 his head after I have halted him. I then close my left heel, 

 and the horse, being already obedient to the legs, raises his 

 near hind as if he was going to take a step to one side, 

 because he was taught to give way to the spur. At this 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



