VICE. 127 



possess any attractions, and he will proceed on the rider's 

 way a sadder and a wiser animal. Should this circumlocution 

 treatment not be sufficiently drastic — repeat the dose. 



Shying and Starting. 



When not occasioned by defective vision, shying is either 

 a constitutional infirmity, a vice, or the outcome of high 

 animal spirits. We take the last cause first. A high spirited 

 horse over-primed with too liberal allowance of oats and 

 short of work, is taken out. He is in " rare fettle," the hot 

 blood courses through his veins, he is in exuberant spirits, 

 as frolicsome as a kitten, " fit to jump out of his skin," and, 

 in the language of the stable, " beany." He rejoices, and is 

 exceeding glad, goes as if scorning to touch the ground, 

 flies his flag gaily, gets his head in the air, snorts, and every 

 motion tells his rider that the sprightly beast is ready to 

 jump with joy. Presently he pricks his ears forward and, 

 looking intently forward, as if some lion were in his path, he 

 cranes and stiffens his neck, and his light corky dancing 

 walk changes into a cautious sort of march. The object 

 that has riveted his attention and from which he is pre- 

 pared to shy, is merely a heap of road metal, or perhaps no 

 more than a leaf, yet he either spins round on his hind legs 

 or shies from it, starting aside like a broken bow. All the 

 time he has been preparing for a shy, a start, or a bolt. 

 There is no mistaking the signals. As likely as not there 

 may be no object at which he may have an excuse for 

 shying, but as he means to have his fling out he pretends to 

 be afraid of something not visible. Anyhow his bound aside 

 is as sudden and vigorous as if a royal tiger with an angry roar, 

 or rather grunt (for Mr. Stripes grunts or growls when he 

 charges) had sprung upon him. The horse's antics, no 



