# Notes on equitation and horse training/Question 23

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## 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.
​Work at a slow trot on small circles, serpentines, and diagonals, halts, and half halts, make up an excellent schedule of exercises for the horse with too much weight on his shoulders and that pulls too much on the hand.
The star gazer (the horse that pokes his nose out). — A horse with this fault has a rigid jaw and holds his head high, approaching the horizontal. A bad neck conformation induces this fault, but it generally results from bad riding, the horse being afraid of the hands.
To correct this fault set the hand, that is to say, hold it stationary above the pommel of the saddle, the reins remaining taut; close the legs to push the horse up to the bit and tighten the fingers on the reins until the horse lowers his head slightly; loosen the fingers immediately and slacken the reins. Begin again and continue the lesson until the horse yields at the slightest pressure of the fingers and understands thoroughly that the hand is severe when he pokes out his nose, but relaxes completely as soon as he sets his head properly.
The horse that fights the bit (throws his head).—This fault is found only in the horse that holds back because, in order to make the movement of the head, he must diminish the gait slightly.
To correct the fault, it is not wise to use the hand only, as is frequently done, because any effect of the hands tends to a further decrease of gait. The most rational and at the same time the most certain method is as follows:
Make the horse move freely and push him energetically with the legs at the very moment that you feel that he is about to throw his head; at the same time loosen the fingers to allow the neck to be extended and the head lowered. If this plan is not sufficient, hold one rein taut and set the hand that holds it. This method is effective because the head movements can be made only sidewise and become very painful.
​The horse that lowers his head against his chest.—It is hard work to correct this fault and much more difficult to raise the head than to lower it. To raise the head, begin by extending the neck in order to open the angle it makes with the head. When the neck is well extended use the snaffle reins to gradually raise the head, watching carefully that the horse keeps his muzzle to the front. The upward pull of the snaffle reins must be felt at the corners of the lips; the legs must act vigorously to prevent any slowing of the gait. Exact little at first and ease the hand as soon as the horse raises his head slightly and yields his jaw. Give this lesson several times each ride and at all gaits until the horse holds his head at a proper height whenever the snaffle reins are tightened and the legs closed.
Dismounted bending lessons also give good results. The trooper stands facing the horse, and taking one snaffle rein in each hand steadily raises his hands until the horse lifts the head without backing.
The horse that rears.—This fault begins with halting and squatting. Hence the first thing to do is to prevent this backward movement by a counter attack—that is, by an attack that will produce a movement to the front and that will throw weight on the forehand.
If the horse resists the forward movement, turn him on the spot so as to disorganize the forces necessary in rearing. When the haunches move laterally no part of the horse can be contracted and he is therefore prevented from throwing the weight on his hind quarters.
The kicker.—If a horse has the bad habit of kicking, use the snaffle bit to prevent his lowering the head and at the same time push him vigorously with the legs.
It is a mistake to always hold up a kicker's head; it frequently happens that kicking is caused by some pain in the back or hocks, and, if so, raising the animal's head will merely increase his irritability and incite resistance.