The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



good purpose whatever, but interfere in his 

 relations with you as his driver ; for it is an 

 object with him to have a look at you occasion- 

 ally, and a pleasure to him as well. Gradually 

 accustomed, as he will be, to the sight of the 

 vehicle behind him, neither it, nor it's moving 

 wheels, will have any terrors for him. 



If a horse has been always used to bhnkers, 

 it is the easiest thing in the world, if you wish 

 him to do without them, to accustom him to 

 their absence. Replace the leather bhnkers 

 with stiff cardboard bhnkers of the same size, 

 and every two or three days cut o£E a quarter 

 of an inch in front. In less than a month 

 they will have disappeared altogether. This 

 plan is an apt illustration of the advantage 

 of educating the horse by little steps at a time. 



When Disciple has stood an hour or two 

 harnessed in his loose-box, take him outside 

 on a leading rein, and walk him about with 

 everything dangling about him ; and don't 

 forget to have two or three lumps of sugar 

 in your pocket. In turning a horse on the 

 leading rein always turn him away from you 

 and not towards you. It is much safer to do 

 this. If you turn a young and frisky horse 

 towards yourseK and he rears he can strike 

 you with his forefeet. He can't, if you turn 

 him away from you. Talk to him all the 

 time, and you will find everything go quite 

 well. Stop him with the word " stand," and 



164 



