TREATMENT OF A STUBBORN HORSE. 57 



he touches your hand with his nose, caress him as before 

 directed, always using a very light, soft hand, merely 

 touching the horse, always rubhing the way the hair lies, 

 so that your hand will pass along as smoothly as pos- 

 sible. As you stand by his side, you may find it more 

 convenient to rub his neck or the side of his head, which 

 will answer the same purpose as rubbing his forehead. 

 Favour every inclination of the horse to smell or touch 

 you with his nose. Always follow each touch or commu- 

 nication of this Irind with the most tender and affectionate 

 caresses, accompanied with a kind look, and pleasant word 

 of some sort, such as, " Ho ! my little boy ho ! my little 

 boy!" "Pretty boy!" "Nice lady!" or something of 

 that kind, constantly repeating the same words, with the 

 same kind, steady tone of voice ; for the horse soon 

 learns to read the expression of the face and voice, and 

 will know as well when fear, love, or anger prevails, as 

 you know your own feelings ; two of which, FEAR AND 



ANGER, A GOOD HORSEMAN SHOULD NEVER FEEL. 



IF YOUR HORSE IS OF A STUBBORN DISPOSITION. 



If your horse, instead of being wild, seems to be of a 

 stubborn or mulish disposition ; if he lays back his ears 

 as you approach him, or turns his heels to kick you, he 

 has not that regard or fear of man that he should have, 

 to enable you to handle him quickly and easily ; and it 

 might be well to give him a few sharp cuts with the 

 whip, about the legs, pretty close to the body. It will 

 crack keenly as it plies around his legs, and the crack of 

 the whip will affect him as much as the stroke ; besides, 

 one sharp cut about his legs will affect him more than 

 two or three over his back, the skin on the inner part of 

 his legs or about his flank being thinner, more tender, 



