DIFFICULT TO HARNESS. 339 



punishment for his unsteadiness ; and will accordingly 

 give in, and stand quietly. After he does so, we may 

 gradually slacken out the traces of the strait- jacket, until 

 we can remove this apparatus altogether. For safety 

 sake, in single harness, we should use the kicking strap, 

 or a " jingle," if we can get one. If the animal be very 

 determined in his resistance, we may take the obstinacy 

 out of him by making him lie down, and keeping his 

 head turned round (see page 149). 



If the animal is difficult to unharness, we may use the 

 rope-twitch, which wih 1 be sufficient in almost ah* cases. To 

 prevent the horse springing forward, we may make him lie 

 down a few times by means of the strait-jacket, and we 

 may put it on him before taking him out of the shafts ; or 

 we may take the " nonsense " out of him by making him 

 lie down (see page 144), or by keeping him on the ground 

 with his head pulled round (see page 149). 



GETTING THE TAIL OVER THE REIN AND KICKING WHEN IN 



HARNESS. 



I regret to say that I know no means of permanently 

 breaking a horse of the habit of whisking his tail over 

 the reins at times when it is within reach. We may, 

 however, by driving the animal on foot, and accustoming 

 him to bear the rein under the tail, or by using the rope- 

 twitch (see page 120), teach him not to kick when he 

 finds the rein in that position. I presume that the 

 horse might be taught, by the rope-twitch, not to whisk his 

 tail over the rein on feeling it touch his hind-quarters ; 

 although, not having practically tested this expedient, I 

 cannot speak positively as to its merits. I have rendered 

 several animals which were previously addicted to the habit 

 in question, quiet when the rein got under their tails, or 

 touched their quarters, by the means described ; or by 



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