Page:Notes on equitation and horse training.djvu/78

 XXIII. VARIOUS FAULTS OF SADDLE HORSES.

The hot-headed horse.—Ride him alone, calm him by the voice and by patting and pull as little as possible on the reins. Bring down the head and neck by protracted periods of trotting. Then execute in the hall serpentines and figures to accustom the horse to submit to the pressure of the legs and to obey the aids readily.

The jigging horse.—Begin by giving the leg lesson until the horse moves freely to the front. When he is well up on the bit, make him half lower the head, keeping the reins taut but following the balancing of the head and neck. Whenever the horse resumes the trot, push him sharply with the legs and then, carrying the body back, exact a half halt to bring him down to the walk.

The horse that gallops when he should trot.—It is almost always because he holds back or because the hind quarters are overloaded that a horse, even a hot-headed one, makes trouble at the trot. In either case, make him extend his neck and every time he rises to the gallop push him with the legs but do not pull on the reins. Then carry the body back, pulling gently on the reins and, by means of the legs, holding the horse's haunches perfectly straight. Loosen the fingers at the first strides of the trot and keep the body erect with the legs firmly set.

The puller.—Being at a walk, execute half halts with lateral effects; when the horse has yielded, let him straighten himself again and resume the original gait. Repeat this same lesson, first at a slow trot and then at the regulation trot. In this way the puller's rigidity is broken up, he is forced to bend, and to bring his hind legs under.