The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



bone ; go down to the pastern. First two or 

 three times when you get to the pastern, he 

 will lift up his foot and make a sweep in the 

 air. It will amuse him, and, when you get 

 to the knee next time, he will make a sweep at 

 once. Put your hand in your pocket and 

 bring some oats out. He will go for them 

 a little roughly, waste most, but will get some 

 and vote you a very decent fellow ; so that, 

 when you go for the knee again and he lifts 

 it up, he will allow you to hold it up and shake 

 it. He will respond with the sweep, so slip 

 your hand down to the pastern and hold his 

 leg out as straight as you can. Do it two or 

 three times, and he will be quite interested 

 in the new game and let you do it freely. Next 

 time, run the left hand down to the pastern, 

 and, when you lift the near leg up, rest it on 

 your own knee, and, with the right hand, 

 scratch his knee and the forearm, topside and 

 bottom, and inside and outside. He will hke 

 it, and in a httle time you can take liberties 

 with his leg, bending his knee and bringing the 

 foot up to the elbow, and shaking it there. 

 Besides his neck and ears, you are now master 

 of his near fore leg ; and, if, each time you 

 play this game, it ends with half a mouthful 

 of oats, he is ready to take his part in it just as 

 often as you like. 



The leg lifting game is, however, but the 

 preliminary to by far the most important 



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