During the first two or three lessons, I let the horse go at any pace he likes, provided that it is fast and that he keeps to the wall. I make him trot in the subsequent lessons.

It is so easy to make a horse trot, that one ought to do so with any horse in the third or fourth lesson without an assistant. The old custom, recommended in almost every book on the subject, of having two men to lunge a horse is faulty, because it is impossible to have perfect harmony in the movements of these men. It often happens that the man with the whip touches up the horse when he ought not to do so, and that the man who is holding the lunging rein, stops the animal at the moment when his comrade is making him go on. Of course, such a discord could not happen if the breaker was by himself.

Supposing that the horse is at the wall, and going to the left ; the breaker, who is at the centre of the school, ought always remain facing the horse and at a line with his shoulder, thus keeping him enclosed in the angle made by the lunging rein and whip, the former held in the left hand, the latter in the right hand. The breaker should always accompany the horse, but should not follow him, and should place himself so as always to keep the horse between the lunging rein in front and the whip behind.

In order to accompany a horse without following him, while constantly remaining in a line with his shoulder, we need only follow the diagonal, while alternately extending and drawing back the arm. This precaution is essential, because if we describe a circle, when following the horse round the school, we shall get giddy and become unable to carry out the work properly. By moving diagonally we can accompany the horse as long as we like.

To make the horse trot, I touch him lightly behind with the whip. It is better to touch the shoulder, but we should not try to do so, especially with a young horse, unless we