the horse's mouth with his left. If the horse refuses the bit, the groom should hold the bit against the horse's teeth with his fingers, and insert his left thumb in the horse's jaws. If the horse still refuses, the groom should press the animal's lips against his canine tooth, which should make the horse open his mouth. Here Xenophon suggests that the horse be bitted not only before he is to be worked, but also before he is fed and led home from a ride, so that he does not necessarily associate the bit with discomfort and labor. The groom should know how to give a leg up in the Persian fashion, so that he may help his master, should he be old, to mount. Xenophon then states that a horse should never be dealt with angrily. If the horse fears an object, he should be taught that there is nothing to fear. The object should be touched by the person before the horse is led gently towards it. Hurting the animal will only increase his fear, and he will associate pain with the object itself. The rider should be able to mount from the ground, as not all horses know how to lower their back. Part VII: Mounting, Rider's Position, and Training To mount, the rider should take the leading rein (presumably there was a third rein for leading the horse) in his left hand and hold it slack. With his right hand he should grasp the reins, along with a small lock of mane so that he does not hit the horse in the mouth when he mounts. The rider should not hit the horse in the back when he mounts, but bring his leg completely over. The soldier should be able to mount not only on the left side, but also on the right, so if he is leading the horse in his left hand and carrying his spear in his right he may quickly mount should the need arise (such as a sudden battle). When mounted, the rider should sit on the horse not as if he were sitting in a chair, but as if he were standing with his legs apart. This will allow him to hold on with his thighs, and the upright position will allow him to throw a javelin with greater power. The lower legs should hang loosely from the knee,