364 VICES AND DEFECTS OF THE HORSE. 



othei times the consequence of a defect of sight. It has been remarked, and w< 

 oelieve very truly, that shying is oftener a vice of half or quarter-bred horses, thac 

 of those who have in them more of the genuine racing blood. 



In the treatment of shying, it is of great importance to distinguish between thai 

 which is the consequence of defective sight, and what results from fear, or newness 

 of objects, or mere affectation or skittishness. For the first, the nature of which we 

 have explained at page 91, every allowance must be made, and care must be taken 

 that the fear of correction is not associated with the imagined existence of some ter 

 ifying object. The severe use of the whip and the spur cannot do good here, and are 

 likely to aggravate the vice tenfold. A word half encouraging and half scolding, 

 with a gentle pressure of the heel, or a slight touch of the spur, will tell the horse 

 that there was nothing to fear, and will give him confidence in his rider on a future 

 occasion. It should be remembered, however, that although a horse that shies from 

 defective sight may be taught considerable reliance on his rider, he can nevei have 

 the cause of the habit removed. We may artificially strengthen the human sight, 

 but that of the horse must be left to itself. 



The shying from skittishness or affectation is quite a different affair, and must be 

 conquered : but how ? Severity is altogether out of place. If he is forced into con- 

 tact with the object by dint of correction, the dread of punishment will afterwards be 

 associated with that object, and, on the next occasion, his startings will be more fre- 

 quent and more dangerous. The way to cure him is to go on, turning as little as 

 possible out of the road, giving a harsh word or two, and a gentle touch with the 

 spur, and then taking no more notice of the matter. After a few times, whatever 

 may have been the object which he chose to select as the pretended cause of affright, 

 he will pass it a.most without notice. 



In page 253, under the head " breaking in," we described how the colt may be 

 cured of the habit of shying from fear or newness of objects ; and, if he then is ac- 

 customed as much as possible to the objects among which his services will be re- 

 quired, he will not possess this annoying vice when he grows to maturer age. 



Mr. John Lawrence, in his last work on the Horse, says, "These animals gener- 

 ally fix on some particular shying butt : for example, I recollect having, at different 

 periods, three hacks, all very powerful ; the one made choice of a wind-mill for the 

 object or butt, the other a tilted wagon, and the last a pig led in a string. It so hap- 

 pened, however, that I rode the two former when amiss from a violent cold, and they 

 then paid no more attention to either wind-mills or tilted wagons than to any other 

 objects, convincing me that their shying when in health and spirits was pure affecta- 

 tion ; an affectation, however, which may be speedily united with obstinacy and vice. 

 Let it be treated with marked displeasure, mingled with gentle, but decided firmness, 

 and the habit will be of short endurance."* 



It is now generally admitted by all riding-masters and colt-breakers, that a great 

 deal more is to be effected by lenient than by harsh treatment. Rewards are found 

 to operate more beneficially than punishments ; and therefore the most scientific and 

 practised riding-masters adopt methods based upon the former. The writer of the 

 present work remembers a very remarkable instance of the efficacy of this plan, 01 

 rather of its vast and decided superiority over violence of the worst description. A 



* " We will suppose a case a very common one, an every-day one. -A man is riding a 

 young horse upon the high-road in the country, and meets a stage-coach. What with the 

 noise, the bustle, the imposing appearance altogether, and the slashing of the coachman's 

 whip, the animal at its approach erects its head and crest, pricks his ears, looks affrighted, 

 and no sooner tomes alongside of the machine than he suddenly starts out of the road. H 

 rider, annoyed by this, instantly commences a round of castigation with whip, spur, and curb, 

 in which he persists until the horse, as well as himself, has lost his temper ; and then one 

 whips, spurs, and pulls, and the other jumps, plunges, frets, and throws up his head, unCi] 

 both, pretty well exhausted by the conflict, grow tranquil again and proceed on their journey, 

 though not for some time afterwards in their former mutual confidence and satisfaction. 

 Should they in their road, or even on a distant day, meet with another coach, what is the 

 consequence ? The horse is not only more alarmed than before, but now, the moment he haa 

 started, be.ng conscious of his fault and expecting chastisement, he jumps about in fearful 

 agitation, making plunges to strike into a gallop, and attempting to run away. So that by 

 .his correction, instead of render ng his horse tranquil during the passage of a coach, the ridei 

 adds to the evil of shying that o subseqr <mtly plunging, and perhaps running away."--2^ 

 Vettrimrian, vol. i., p 95. 



