COMING TO THE WHIP. 



17 



Now, standing in front of the horse, take both curb- 

 reins in the left hand at six inches below the bit, and, 

 with the whip held tip downward in the right hand, 

 strike him a light blow on the breast ; in about a second 

 give him another, and continue striking at the same 

 interval, looking calmly at him the while, and following 

 him if he steps backward or sideways. 



Sooner or later, and usually very soon, he will come 

 straight towards you; then instantly relax his head, say 

 " Bravo ! bravo !" and stroke him on the face and neck. 

 You will very likely hear him give a deep sigh of re- 

 lief, like a frightened child. Give him half a minute 

 or more, according to circumstances, to look about and 

 recover from his nervousness — for you will find that 

 his nerves work a good deal like your own — and then 

 begin again, allowing him after every trial a half-min- 

 ute or so of rest. 



It will not be long before he discovers that the way 

 to avoid the whip is to come straight to you, and he 

 will do so at the least motion of it. Take advantage 

 of this to make him curve his neck, put his head in the 

 proper perpendicular position, and bring his haunches 

 under him, by holding him back with the curb-reins as 

 he presses towards you. This lesson, to a careless ob- 

 server, looks rather pretty than useful, but is indispen- 

 sable for your purpose, for it gives you the means of 

 preventing the horse from backing while you are teach- 

 ing him the flexions of the jaw and of the neck. It 

 2 



