SHYING 55 



when he begins to show signs of having had " enough," 

 still, no horseman, worthy of the name, would wilfully 

 incur the risk of breaking an animal down, rather than 

 exhaust every effort in trying what fine hands and 

 patient riding can effect. I believe horses have been 

 known to run away (I don't mean breaking away for a 

 few hundred yards) with some of our best riders, although 

 I have never seen an animal which was properly bitted 

 do so with a really good and strong horseman, who was, 

 at the time, in fair training. We may take for granted, 

 except in extremely exceptional cases, that when a horse 

 runs away, he is wrongly bitted, or the rider has no 

 ''hands," is weak, or is "out of condition." 



Shying and unsteadiness. — A horseman ought to be 

 above minding small eccentricities of manner in his mount, 

 and should take in good part a playful shy or kick, 

 a slight rear or light-hearted bound or two, though he 

 should never tolerate direct opposition to his wishes. 

 When horses are "fresh," especially when they have just 

 come out of a warm stable into the cold, crisp morning 

 air, they will dance about, and " lark " on little or no 

 provocation, although on their return home after a hard 

 day's work they may be steady enough for the most 

 timid old gentleman. As shying, when uncombined 



