104 HUMANE HORSE-TRAINING 



When I was out in Western Canada the farmer I was 

 harvesting for owned a runaway broncho cob. Every- 

 body there was afraid of it except the farmer's cowboy 

 son. He was not afraid of it, but admitted he could not 

 master the animal. I had heard all about the wonder- 

 ful horsemanship of the cowboy son. When he came 

 home I was expecting to learn a few wrinkles from him. 

 He rode the cob, and it ran away with him every time ; 

 fortunately the prairie is vast, and the broncho took him 

 for several miles, eventually exhausting himself. But 

 he would do the same thing when fresh again. The 

 cowboys seldom talk to their horses, have good seats 

 and bad hands. However, I took the broncho in hand, 

 made some tackle, and in two weeks I had the cob sub- 

 missive and ready to obey the command " Whoa ! " 

 The Canadians were surprised, for they usually think 

 that an Englishman is the biggest fool of all men with 

 horses. I felt proud then that I was an Englishman. 



BITING AND SNAPPING 



This habit is sometimes a legacy of teasing. The 

 rough use of a curry-comb on a horse with a delicate skin 

 will cause irritation and he will soon acquire the biting 

 habit. If the habit is not checked it impresses itself 

 deeper and deeper upon the horse's mind, until he 



