* STUD BOOK. 163 



sooner than another horse. No means, gentle or cruel, will 

 force him to lie down. The secret is that he is tied up, and 

 either has never dared to lie down through fear of the con- 

 finement of the halter, or he has been cast in the night, and 

 severely injured. If he can be suffered to range the stable, 

 or have a comfortable box, in which he may be loose, he will 

 usually lie down the first night. Some few horses will lie 

 down in the stable, and not in a loose box. A fresh, well- 

 made bed will generally tempt the tired horse to refresh 

 himself with sleep. 



OVERREACH. 



This unpleasant noise, known also by the term "click- 

 ing," arises from the toe of the hind foot knocking against 

 the shoe of the forefoot. In the trot, one fore leg and the 

 opposite hind leg are first lifted from the ground and moved 

 forward, the other fore leg and the opposite hind leg remain- 

 ing fixed; but, to keep the centre of gravity within the base, 

 and as the stride, or space passed over by these legs, is often 

 greater than the distance between the fore and hind feet, it 

 is necessary that the fore feet should be alternately moved 

 out of the way for the hind ones to descend. Then, as occa- 

 sionally happens with horses not perfectly broken, and that 

 have not been taught their paces, and especially if they have 

 high hinder quarters and low fore ones, if the fore feet are 

 not raised in time, the hind feet will strike them. The fore 

 foot will generally be caught when it has just begun to be 

 raised, and the toe of the hind foot will meet the middle of 

 the bottom of the fore foot. It is an unpleasant noise, and 

 not altogether free from danger. If the animal is young, 

 the action of the horse may be materially improved; other- 

 wise nothing can be done, except to keep the toe of the hind 

 foot as short and as round as it can safely be, and to bevel 

 off and round the toe of the shoe, like that which has been worn 

 by a stumbler for a fortnight, and perhaps, a little to lower 

 the heel of the fore foot 



PAWING. 



Some irritable horses are restless, and paw frequently. 

 Their litter is destroyed, the floor of 'the stable broken up, the 

 shoes worn out, the feel bruised, and the legs sometimes 

 sprained. Shackles are the only remedy, with a chain suffi- 

 ciently long to enable the horse to shift his posture, or move in 

 his stall; but these must be taken off at night, otherwise the 

 animal will seldom lie down. 



