TEACHING A HORSE BY THE WHIP. Tj 



direction. I then stop him and pat him on the neck. If, on 

 the contrary, he strikes out in front or kicks, on account of 

 being touched by the whip, I rate him loudly and hold his 

 head very high, which will oblige him to lower his croup. 



It is of the greatest possible consequence that the patting 

 on the neck should immediately follow the act of obedience 

 on the part of the horse, in the same way as punishment 

 should follow disobedience. This is the fundamental principle 

 of breaking. 



If the horse throws himself on the whip, that is to say, to 

 the left, which ticklish horses are inclined to do, we must 

 carry his head forcibly to the left, so as to bring his hind 

 quarters to the right ; but should not punish the animal, 

 because, as I have already pointed out, his action is instinc- 

 tive. When we have put him several times through this 

 work, which does not fatigue or trouble him, he readily yields, 

 and does it on both sides. I recommend the breaker to be 

 content with two or three steps. He should stop and pat the 

 horse on the neck each time the animal obeys. I recommence 

 this work very often. 



When the horse readily yields to the whip on both sides, 

 we should not turn his head to the side opposite to that 

 towards which he turns his hind quarters. He should be kept 

 straight, so that he may obey only the indication of the whip. 



This work with the whip prepares the horse to bear and 

 understand the action of the leg and spur. At the same time, 

 it places the head in a good position, and it is an excellent 

 and indispensable suppling exercise before coming to the 

 lateral flexions which we will presently consider. 



Baucher practised the lateral flexions before teaching the 

 horse to yield his hind quarters to the whip. This method is 

 wrong, because, when we begin the lateral flexions, the 

 instinct of the horse makes him carry his hind quarters to the 

 side opposite to that towards which we bend the neck. If we 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



