PALLIATIVE TREATMENT. 



11 



or four-ring bit, when properly used, is sometimes wonderful, the 

 horse at once submitting unconditionally. 



Tying the head to the tail so as to keep the head bent around 

 pretty well, will sometimes make a horse submit to be shod, but not 

 often. This means, with that of putting the cord under the upper 

 lip, which I copy below, has been of late so extensively published 

 as an infallible means of making the most vicious horses stand to be 

 shod, ridden, etc., that I think it necessary to give some explanation 

 of them here : — 



"Mastering Vicious Horses. 



" Recently an exhibition was given at the corner of Ninth and Howard streets of 

 a new and very simple method of taming vicious horses, which is claimed to be su- 

 perior to any in use. The first trial was with a kicking and bucking mare, which, 

 her owner says, has allowed no rider on her back for five years. She became tame 

 and gentle in as many minutes, and allowed herself to be ridden about without a 

 sign of her former wildness. The means by which this result was accomplished con- 

 sisted of a piece of light rope, which was passed around the front jaw of the mare, 

 just above the upper teeth, crossed in her mouth, and then secured back of her 

 neck. It is claimed that no horse will kick or jump when thus secured, and that a 

 bucking horse, after receiving this treatment a few times, will abandon his vicious 

 ways forever. A very simple method was also shown by which a kicking horse can 

 be shod. It consisted in connecting the animal's head and tail by means of a rope 

 fastened to the tail and then to the bit, and drawn tightly enough to incline the 

 horse's head to one side. It is claimed that it is absolutely impossible for a horse to 

 kick on the side of the rope. At the same exhibition a horse which for many years 

 had to be bound on the ground to be shod, suffered the blacksmith to bperate on him 

 without attempting to kick while secured in the manner described." 



This is from the same piece as the Maine man's method of 

 breaking a balking horse, referred to in " Balk- 

 ing." As I brought both these methods of 

 treatment into use, and have had almost un- 

 limited experience with them, I think I am 

 able to determine their value with more ac- 



FiG. 266. — The Cord as Used with the Four-ring Bit. 



curacy than it is possible for inexperienced persons to do. While 

 they will secure the control of many, even quite bad cases, as ex- 



