Its action is all the more useful because it can be employed in all cases with a varied choice of tone. A rider cannot, on the contrary, always bring his hands and legs into play.

Let us suppose that a hot-headed, impetuous horse which one is riding, gets startled and becomes maddened in a place where there are several carriages, and that one cannot get him out and steady him by means of the reins and legs. The voice, however, will calm him down, if he has been trained to obey it.

The effect of the voice has often been a great help to me, and has brought me out of many a difficulty.

I like impetuous horses, and I rarely use any others. I make them sufficiently quiet to carry ladies ; but I never employ them for this purpose until I am certain that my voice will soothe them when they are excited. I have avoided accidents by always acting in this manner.

MAKING MUCH OF A HORSE.

The good effect of " making much " of a horse should not be neglected, as we shall see further on. The education of the horse is based on the principles of reward and punishment. Making much of a horse gives him confidence, by placing the rider in direct contact with him otherwise than by impulsion.

All horses, even the most impatient, accept a pat on the neck, which is therefore the place the rider should caress. The pats on the neck should be given forcibly enough to attract the attention of the horse, but without hurting the animal. We should avoid touching him too lightly, which might only have the effect of tickling him.

A pat on the neck should be given at an appropriate time, that is to say, immediately after an act of obedience on the part of the horse, in the same manner as punishment should