This sometimes results from defect of sight and sometimes from fear. If from fear, the horse must be taken up to the object with great patience and gentleness, and be allowed to touch the object with his nose. In no case should a horse be punished for timidity. The dread of chastisement will increase his restiveness.
TO ACCUSTOM THE HORSES TO FIRING.
Station a few men at a little distance from and on both sides of the stable-door, and cause them to fire pistols as the horses are led into the stable to be fed; for the same object a gun may be fired during the hour of feeding. If a horse is nervous, he may be put on the longe and fed from the hand and petted each time the pistol is discharged; or he may be thrown, care being taken not to discharge the pistol so as to burn him or injure him in any way. The horses should be trained to be steady under the fire of the pieces, and also under pistol-firing by the cannoneers on the chests and by the drivers from their teams.
SWIMMING HORSES.
The horses are at first equipped with the watering-bridle, and are without saddles. The reins are on the horse's neck just in front of the withers, and knotted so that they will not hang low enough to entangle the horse's feet, care being taken to have them loose enough to permit the horse to push his nose well out, so as to have entire freedom of the head. The horse should be watered before putting him into the stream.
When the rider gets into deep water, he drops the reins, seizes a lock of the mane with the up-stream hand, allows his body to drift off quietly to the down-stream side of the horse, and floats or swims flat on the water, guiding the horse as much as possible by splashing water against his head, only using the reins when splashing fails. The horse is easily controlled when swimming; he is also easily confused, and it is therefore necessary that the rider should be gentle and deliberate. The rider must be cautioned that the horse is easily pulled over backward by the reins when swimming, and also that he may plunge when he touches bottom. When the horse touches the bottom at the landing, the rider pulls himself on the horse's back and takes the reins.
The rider may also be required to swim, holding the horse's tail, allowing the horse to tow him.
After the man and horse have gained confidence, the rider may be required to be seated on the horse while swimming. As the extra weight presses the horse down and impedes his movements, the rider should hold his knees well up to lessen the resistance, and steady his seat by holding on to the mane or pommel of the saddle.
The men are instructed, in crossing running water, to keep their eyes fixed on the opposite bank.