50 THEORY OF HORSE-CONTROL. 



tion was great on hearing that he had attended one of 

 my breaking classes. 



To those who might advance the argument that because 

 the ordinary course of breaking takes more than ten times 

 as long as the methods I advocate, it must therefore be 

 more permanent in its influences, I would beg to submit 

 that such a contention would hold good only on the un- 

 tenable supposition that the effects of the respective pro- 

 cesses were equal in force. I see no possible benefit, except 

 the questionable one of giving the animal an exaggerated 

 opinion of his own powers of resistance, in taking a month 

 to accomplish what may be done quite as efficiently in an 

 hour ; as, for instance, making a fractious horse steady to 

 mount, or quiet to shoe behind, or a sulky refuser to jump 

 " kindly." We must surely admit that the intensity of an 

 effect, and not the time occupied in its production, is the 

 measure of its permanency. 



ON THE POSSIBILITY OF OVERCOMING ANY FORM OF VICE. 



Our problem here is to establish a new habit that will have 

 a stronger influence on the vicious animal's mind than the 

 old habit which had impaired his usefulness. If the " pain 

 in the temper " is due to the horse failing to understand 

 our wishes, we may easily eradicate the fault by utilising 

 the principle of association of ideas. When, however, the 

 dispute is one as to supremacy, our last and great resource 

 is to impress on his mind the erroneous conviction that he 

 cannot resist our orders. If, however, he finds out by 

 experience that he need not obey our orders unless he 

 chooses, our labour will be in vain ; supposing that he 

 makes up his mind, which he is fully capable of doing, not 

 to " give in." Herein lies the whole question of success 

 or failure, in making vicious horses docile. The fact of 



