HOBBLES. 259 



in his manner as possible. An excitable, fidgety man 

 does not improve any horse, and should never be allowed 

 near a young one. He should talk to the horse as though 

 nothing unusual was about to happen, and not keep 

 repeating " Whoa ! Steady, boy," etc. Such nervous 

 excitement frightens the horse by warning him that some- 

 thing unusual is about to be done, to which we fear he will 

 object. 



When the horse is fast and all ready, the breaking-cart 

 can be wheeled round, the shafts lowered, raised, and backed 

 away again, till at last the horse, finding he is fast, and that 

 nothing is hurting him, loses all fear and stands quietly 

 while the shafts are rattled against his sides and people 

 jump about in the breaking-cart. After this the hobbles 

 can be removed to allow the horse to be led about attached 

 to the cart, and turned gently in every direction while 

 being continually stopped and started again. When the 

 horse refuses to start, a steady pull on the cord of the 

 " Comanche bridle " will soon cause him to jump forward 

 and do as we wish. If the animal seems unusually irritable, 

 the hobbles and leading lessons may be repeated for a few 

 days before he is driven from the cart. 



17* 



