vi. Go alone or in company, at any pace required of him

without pulling, and be ready to shorten his stride and pull up when required.

2. All officers should understand how to train horses to draught.

The remount should be harnessed with great care, and led about until the novelty has worn off. He should then be put into the hand centre in the following manner:--

The drivers being mounted, and the remaining five horses in the team standing just out of draught, the remount should be led up to his place by two men, one on each side, the man on the off side holding the horse’s head rope, which should previously have been undone. The man on the near side should then hand the leading rein to the centre driver, and go to the off quarters of the remount, moving round the horse’s head to get there. He should next push the horse’s quarter gently over until the animal stands square to its front in the team, and make much of him. He should then take the traces quietly and hook in as described in Sec. =58=. The remaining five horses should now be put into their collars, and at the command “WALK MARCH” the team should move straight to its front. The centre driver’s whip should be in his leg iron, and he should use his right hand to make much of his hand horse. The remount should not be asked to take the collar until he settles down and walks along quietly, When this is the case, the man who has been holding the head rope on the off side may knot it round the animal’s neck. He must, however, keep with the team, and be prepared to hold the rope or head collar again when turning is undertaken. All wheeling should be to the left at first. When turns to the right are attempted the greatest care should be taken to prevent the remount from running back and getting a leg over a trace.

As soon as the animal goes quietly in the off centre, knows his work, and understands the application of the whip as an aid, he should be put into the hand lead and then into the hand wheel. When he goes well in any place in the team his education is complete.

RIDING AND RETRAINING AWKWARD HORSES.

=79.= _General remarks._

Remounts joining the Service unbacked or unspoilt, unless exceptionally vicious, ought never to come under this heading. A horse properly trained in the first instance will only develop faults through subsequent bad riding or ill-treatment.

The results of bad handling are shown in defective carriage and paces; in a nervous, sulky, or irritable temperament; or in a combination of the two.

When the animal is put back into the ranks, he should be given to a good horseman, and if possible not be ridden by anyone else. Horses rarely forget bad habits, and quickly relapse into them.

The work of retraining a horse is much more difficult than that of “_making_” a young and untrained one; riders should therefore be specially selected.

The trainer should first make himself thoroughly acquainted with the animal’s faults, and then set to work to systematically and patiently eradicate them. It will, in some cases, be found best to treat the horse as untrained and begin his education afresh.

As the work will usually be of a corrective character the horse’s corn and exercise should be carefully regulated according to his amenability to discipline: good results cannot be obtained as long as the animal is “above himself.”

=80.= _Pullers._

1. The usual causes of pulling are:--

i. Excitability. ii. Pain. iii. Fear. iv. Freshness and want of work. v. Hard-mouth. vi. Bad training.

2. _Excitability._--Some horses, which are naturally of a nervous, highly-strung disposition, become upset by unaccustomed sights and sounds, a crowd, or galloping at a fast pace, especially in company with other horses.

No special bit will cure this kind of puller, the only remedy is plenty of work commencing at slow paces. Only the best horsemen in the unit, possessing patience and good hands, should be allowed to ride them.

3. _Pain._--Another frequent cause of pulling is pain. A horse’s mouth is most sensitive, and many horses pull through the pain caused by the bit, or because their grinder teeth are long and sharp and thus cut the sides of their cheeks. Horse’s mouths, especially of those who have suddenly taken to pulling, should be constantly examined, particularly the bars, under the tongue and close up against the grinders. A neglected wound in the mouth may make a young horse pull or spoil his mouth by forcing him to hold the bit on one side to protect the injured part. If a horse’s mouth is found to be sore, he should be given a rest, being exercised if necessary on a cavesson, and when the wound is healed ridden for a time in a snaffle. If the grinders are long and sharp it is a simple operation to remove the sharp points and edges with a rasp. The corners of the lips also may become sore owing to the bit being too narrow, or through being rubbed; the curb chain may also injure the chin-groove, in which case the wound should first be healed and then a guard should be used.

4. _Fear._--Some horses pull through fear. The only remedy for this is to endeavour to accustom them to the cause of their alarm. They should be treated kindly and only ridden by careful, patient men. If a horse in his early training has been taught to obey the voice, this will often be of great assistance in calming him.

5. _Freshness._--The remedy for a horse which pulls from this cause is to give him more slow, steady work, and less food.

6. _Hard-mouth and bad training._--The best results are, as a rule, obtained from retraining by a good horseman and plenty of school work, especially cantering in small circles and figures of 8. If he pulls with his mouth open, it should be shut by an adjustable noseband.

7. The great object with a puller is to get him to go collectedly. His head should be kept up, but a dead pull on the reins must be avoided, as this enables him to set his head and neck against the pressure on the bit; instead, give and take to him alternately with the reins.

If a horse throws his head up, and pulls with his head in that position, the standing martingale, properly applied, will stop him.

=81.= _Refusers._

1. Refusals may be due to any of the following reasons, or to a combination of several:--

i. Insufficient elementary schooling. ii. Want of heart or nerve in the rider.