Horse Training. 713 



General suggestions 



In training and hitching horses there are a few things to be kept in 

 mind. Children, women or incompetent men should never be left in 

 charge of horses unless the animals are thoroughly acquainted with them. 

 A horse should never be trusted more than is necessary. Many dis- 

 tressing accidents occur from trusting old family horses. A good horse- 

 man never runs risks when they can be avoided. The safest way to 

 handle a horse is for the attendant to stand close to his left shoulder, 

 grasping the bridle close to the mouth with the right hand. In this 

 position the horse is unable, to injure him. If the horse becomes frac- 

 tious the attendant should stay close to him or get out of reach, for 

 many serious accidents occur from horses rearing and striking or kicking 

 in play. One should never attempt to lead a fractious horse with a halter 

 without looping the rope or tie-strap and slipping it into his mouth in the 

 place of a bit, then running the rope through the nose-band, thus forming 

 a loop around the lower jaw, in which condition the horse can be easily 

 controlled. In harnessing, saddling or handling a horse the work should 

 be done from the left side. The harness should be gently but firmly 

 placed upon the animal. The harness and other equipment should be of 

 good quality and in good repair. In hitching a horse into a pair of shafts 

 the shafts should always be raised and the animal backed into them, or 

 the vehicle drawn forward, as the horse is likely to step on a shaft and 

 break it if backed in while the shafts are on the ground. In hitching the 

 lines should be fastened into the bits and then placed where they can be 

 easily reached before hitching to the vehicle. In unhitching, the lines 

 should be the last disengaged, and care should be taken that the animal is 

 free from the vehicle before he is led away. A horse should be tied by a 

 strong rope or strap about the neck, the strap passed through the ring 

 of the bit and then to the post. A horse should always be tied short, 

 otherwise he may get his foot over the tie-strap, be unable to disengage 

 it, break the tie-strap or the check-rein, become frightened and an acci- 

 dent result. 



While not every one is fitted by nature and education for the training 

 of horses, yet any one possessed of good judgment, a familiarity with 

 horses, and patience can attain a tolerable degree of success with most 

 types of horses. In the training of horses it is no use to lay down set 

 rules. The man who trains horses finds new situations to deal with in 

 every animal he undertakes to educate. It is hoped that the following 

 suggestions may aid in clearing a much misunderstood practice, 



