500 PULLING BACK. 



and gentle him. Do not take any whip about him, or do anything 

 to excite him, but keep him as quiet as you can. He will soon learn 

 to start off at the word, and stop whenever you tell him. As soon 

 as he performs right, hitch him to an empty wagon ; have it stand 

 in a favorable position for starting. It would be well to shorten the 

 stay-chain behind the steady horse so that, if it is necessary, he can 

 take the weight of the wagon the first time you start them. Drive 

 but a few rods at first; watch your balky horse closely and if 

 you see that he is getting excited, stop him before he stops of his 

 own -accord ; caress nim a little and start again. As soon as they go 

 well, drive them over a rise of land a few times and then over a 

 greater one, occasionally adding a little load. This process will 

 make any horse true to pull for a careful driver. 



Other Methods There are various other methods often 

 practiced as, building a fire under a horse ; filling his mouth with 

 earth; taking him out of the harness and whirling him around in a 

 circle until he is dizzy ; tying some hard substance in his ear and 

 various other such means. The horse will often start off after such 

 practice. It is simply that the horse has had his mind thrown in a 

 new direction. He has forgotten the previous trouble, and the 

 driver has probably become calm. Any other more suitable means 

 would better have accomplished the object. In fact, if the horse 

 cannot be made to perform without undue abuse, arbitrary and 

 brutal means will not permanently effect a cure. 



PULLING BACK. 



A horse may generally be broken of this disagreeable and 

 annoying habit by the following means : Place on his head a strong 

 leather head-stall halter, with iron rings strongly sewed at the junc- 

 tion of the cheek-pieces and nose-band. Have a strong surcingle 

 made out of wide webbing cloth or leather, on each side of which, 

 in a line with the base of the tail where the crupper-strap comes, sew 

 two iron rings. Take a stout piece of marline, such as is used by 

 the riggers of vessels, sufficient in length to secure one end firmly 

 to the ring on the off or right-hand side of the halter ; pass back 

 through the ring sewed in the surcingle on the same side, thence 

 under the tail and forward on the left side through the ring sewed 

 on the near or left-hand side of the surcingle ; also through the 

 ring sewed on the same or near side of the cheek-piece and nose- 

 band of the halter. Then tie this end of the marline to the ring 

 used for tying the animal in the stall. Oil the marline well before 

 using, in order that it may readily pass through the rings. This 

 will prove an efficacious remedy, and at the same time a perfectly 

 harmless one to the animal. 



EDUCATION OF THE HORSE. 



Breaking* to Harness Take the horse in a tight 

 stable, as you did to ride him; with the harness go through 



