CHAPTER XIL 



THE VICES AND DISAGREEABLE OR DANGEROUS HABITS 

 OF THE HORSE. 



The horse lias many excellent qualities, but he has Hkewise 

 defects, and these occasionally amounting to vices. Some of 

 them may be attributed to natural temper, for the human being 

 scarcely discovers more peculiarities of habit and disposition than 

 does the horse. The majority of them, however, as perhaps iu 

 the human being, are the consequences of a faulty education. 

 Their early instructor has been ignorant and brutal, and they 

 have become obstinate and vicious. 



RESTIVENESS. 



At the head of all the vices of the horse is PwESTIVEness, the 

 most annoying and the most dangerous of all. It is the produce 

 of bad temper and v^^orse education ; and, like all other habits 

 founded on nature and stamped by education, it is inveterate. 

 Whether it appears in the form of kicking, or rearing, plunging, 

 or bolting, or in any way that threatens danger to the rider or 

 the horse, it rarely admits of cure. A determined rider may to 

 a certain extent subjugate the animal ; or the horse may have 

 nis favorites, or form his attachments, and with some particular 

 person he may be comparatively or perfectly manageable ; but 

 others cannot long depend upon him, and even his master is not 

 always sure of him. It is a rule, that admits of very few ex;- 

 ceptions, that he neither displays his wisdom nor consults his 

 safety, who attempts to conquer a restive horse. 



BACKING OR GIBBING.* 



One of the first kinds of restiveness, taking them in alphabeti 

 cal order, is backing or gibbing. These are so closely allied that 

 we hardly know how to separate them. Some horses have the 



* Termed " balking" in the United States, and the horse accustomed te 

 It is said to be " balky." — Am. Ed 



