BACKING OR GIBBING 345 



ruined many horses, some having had their necks 

 broken, or their spine so severely injured as to render 

 them ever afterwards useless. If rearing proceeds 

 from determinedly vicious habits, it is a hopeless 

 case, as the animal seldom abandons it. Sometimes 

 horses rear from playfulness, which is, however, very 

 different from that which proceeds from passion. 



BACKING OR GIBBING. 



It is not an unfrequent occurrence for horses in 

 harness to back instead of drawing when first started, 

 and some add to this considerable viciousness, com- 

 bined with obstinacy. In this case soothing and 

 persuasive coaxing should be tried, and some patience 

 exercised ; and it is not until these have failed that 

 the whip should be applied, and this must be exercised 

 with moderation. In nine cases out often, if severely 

 punished with the whip, the animal becomes obstin- 

 ately determined not to move, or he may proceed a 

 short way on his journey, and probably he will again 

 stop at the first hill he comes to on the road. 



In breaking, great care should be taken not to 

 start the horse uphill when using the break, because 

 he feels the entire weight of the machine at once, 

 whereas if he were put in motion on a level road, 

 the heavy pull would be less perceptible. Some 

 trainers are so foolish as to teach the horse backing 

 by placing his head uphill, and making the animal 

 draw a little. He feels the weight of the break, and 

 then by halting and pulling him backwards the 

 weight is removed, and the animal finds it much 

 easier to back down hill than to pull ; and hence a 

 habit of backing is acquired, which is both trouble- 

 some and dangerous. 



With horses which have this habit at starting, 



