354 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



sometimes become so cunning that they know a good 

 from a bad horseman, and finding they are either to 

 be, or actually mounted, by a timid or indifferent 

 rider, will endeavour to throw him off, or bolt away 

 before he is properly seated. 



The horse mentioned in the preceding article on 

 shying, when I first had him, exhibited the utmost 

 reluctance to be mounted ; so much so, that it was 

 impossible to succeed without some one holding his 

 head ; and no sooner did the servant quit the reins, 

 than he plunged and leaped about in all directions. 

 However, I refrained from flogging or spurring him, 

 but patted him on the neck until he became quiet. 

 I overcame this by making the groom hold his head, 

 while I mounted and dismounted a dozen or more 

 times successively. After repeating this once or twice 

 a day for upwards of a week, I then led him out to 

 a broad garden walk, and commenced by patting him 

 on the neck and shoulder, and then putting my foot 

 in the stirrup, quickly mounted him. When seated, 

 I gently walked him about, soothing and speaking 

 kindly to him all the while ; and then dismounted, 

 and led him about for a few minutes, and again 

 mounted many times, which he became quite re- 

 conciled to. This I repeated several times daily for 

 about a week, but never rode him out of the grounds 

 during this time. At last he became so tractable by 

 kind treatment that he never afterwards was trouble- 

 some to mount. I sometimes rewarded him with a 

 handful of oats while pursuing this treatment. When 

 a horse has such a propensity, he should be mounted 

 quickly and without fear, and not allowed to proceed 

 on his journey until he is perfectly quiet. Instances 

 are not few where horses that are generally pleasant 

 and easy to mount, become restive when too high fed 



