KICKING. 239 



the course of discipline described in Chapter IX. 

 The strait-jacket put on loosely, or the kicking- 

 strap, will prevent him doing any mischief. Before 

 putting the animal between the shafts, he should 

 be well driven with the long reins, for from thirty 

 minutes, to an hour ; so that he may pay attention 

 to the indications of the rein. If he persists in 

 kicking, he should be made to lie down, and, 

 then, gentled on the ground ; or he may be kept 

 down with his head turned round (see page 158) 

 until he gives in. Mr. Mitchell, A.V.D., who is 

 an excellent breaker, tells me that he has obtained 

 admirable results with bad kickers, by fixing, 

 parallel to their sides, two stout poles, each about 

 7 feet long, secured in front of the chest and 

 behind the quarters, so that the animal cannot 

 get free from them ; and then letting him kick, 

 till he is tired. This method, by giving the horse 

 nothing to kick at, will soon teach him the use- 

 lessness of doing so. In most cases, I would be 

 inclined to use the rope-twitch, in order to make 



