HORSES WHICH RUN AWAY. 191 



A horse that runs away is a maddened horse which does 

 not answer to the aids, and which cannot be guided. 



A horse that carries away his rider is an old rascal who 

 gets excited by a gallop, and who bolts whenever he gets out 

 of hand. Although we cannot stop him, we can guide him. 

 He takes care to avoid obstacles that are in his path ; but 

 the run-away gallops with his head down, his eyes are injected 

 with blood, and he will dash himself to pieces against any- 

 thing he meets. 



A horse can carry his man away at all paces. I have seen 

 an animal do it even at a walk. Such horses pull without 

 ceasing, they make a half rear when the rider tries to stop 

 them, and when they have completely tired him out, they 

 carry him off. We should therefore take care never to allow 

 them to get out of hand. If they succeed in catching the 

 rider unawares and carrying him off he should simply guide 

 them into some open space. 



The first thing which the rider should do is to separate his 

 reins. By sawing the snaffle, by the alternative effects of the 

 snaffle and curb, and by loosening the jaw, he can succeed 

 little by little in changing the pace, putting the horse on his 

 hind quarters, and consequently mastering him. 



Above all things we should take care to manipulate the 

 reins in a uniform manner. Giving and taking is the in- 

 variable principle, and the legs ought always to remain 

 close to the sides of the animal. On these occasions the 

 majority of riders think that they gain strength by making a 

 " triangle " with their legs stuck out in front, in which case 

 the horse will always be stronger than the man. 



Many horses which have been raced, try to go off* with 

 their rider, either at the trot or canter. To accomplish this 



* Many old race horses try lo carry off their rider when he turns them round, 

 because on race courses, horses start on being turned round. We should be on the 

 look out with such animals. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



