420 KINDNESS TO HORSES. 



going freely up to his bit, and thus putting himself 

 in touch with his rider, he will fight against it and 

 will be unpleasant, if not dangerous, to ride. 



There have been many funny books written about 

 horsemanship ! In a very incompetent book on 

 this subject, the author states : " In riding, if a 

 horse does not nag himself properly, take short hold 

 of the reins with your left hand, lean back in the 

 saddle, with a light whip or stick give him three or 

 four strokes right and left down his shoulders, at 

 the same time holding the reins tight so that he does 

 not go from under you ; he will soon alter his pace. 

 That requires practice, with nerve and judgment." 

 I think that a person who would be guilty of 

 such a display of " nerve and judgment " deserves 

 similar punishment with the whip. It is in the 

 hands of such men that horses earn the reputa- 

 tion of being bad-tempered. This writer also tells 

 us " not to give water before feeding, as it weakens 

 the saliva in a horse's mouth ! " Whyte Melville 

 owed his success in horse management to the adop- 

 tion of kind and humane methods. All those who 

 have broken and ridden young horses know how 

 thoroughly sound is his advice : " From the day 

 you slip a halter over his ears he should be en- 

 couraged to look to you, like a child, for all his 

 little wants and simple pleasures. He should come 

 cantering up from the farthest corner in the paddock 

 when he hears your voice, should ask to have his 

 nose rubbed, his head stroked, his neck patted, with 



