TO EDUCATE A HORSE TO BACK AT THE WORD OF COMMAND.
This point in the education of a horse is one of great importance, for no animal can be considered thoroughly educated till he will obey the command of his driver without the necessity of using the rein or the whip. Many persons in order to stop their horse will draw with all their strength upon the rein, and to back him requires the exertion of a force enough almost to bring the horse on his haunches, when in either case a well-educated horse will stop or back at the driver’s voice without the need for even drawing upon the rein.
To educate the horse to back at the word of command, let the reader take his stand behind the horse and with the rein in his hand, previously arranged as shown in the engraving, commence the lesson. He may, if he pleases, start the horse forward for a few paces, then stop him, and then with a sudden, short and pretty powerful backward jerk, utter the word “back!” Great care must be taken to speak the word and give the backward jerk on the rein at the same instant, for the two must come together so as to be associated in the mind of the horse. When he obeys caress him, and continue repeating the lesson, and in a short time you will find that your horse will back at the word without your needing to even touch the reins. But in educating him to this there must not be the least interval between the word and the short, sharp jerk, for if only a few seconds pass he will not associate the two in his mind.
This method will be invariably successful, and is so far superior to the protracted and unsatisfactory means formerly employed, that it should be everywhere adopted.