THE LEG STRAPPED UP. 69 



that by disarranging his ears we draw his attention to 

 them, and he is not so apt to resist the shoeing. By 

 tying tip one foot we operate on the same principle to a 

 much better effect. When you first fasten up a horse's 

 foot, he will sometimes get very mad, and strike with 

 his knee, and try every possible way to get it down ; but 

 he cannot do that, and will soon give up. 



" This will conquer him better than anything you 

 could do, and without any possible danger of hurting 

 himself or you either, for you can tie up his foot and 

 sit down and look at him until he gives up. When 

 you find that he is conquered, go to him, let down his 

 foot, rub his leg with your hand, caress him, and let him 

 rest a little ; then put it up again. Repeat this a few 

 times, always putting up the same foot, and he will soon 

 learn to travel on three legs, so that you can drive him 

 some distance. As soon as he gets a little used to this 

 way of travelling, put on your harness, and hitch him 

 to a sulky. If he is the worst kicking horse that ever 

 raised a foot, you need not be fearful of his doing any 

 damage while he has one foot up, for he cannot kick, 

 neither can he run fast enough to do any harm. And if 

 he is the wildest horse that ever had harness on, and 

 has run away every time he has been hitched, you can 

 now hitch him in a sulky, and drive him as you please. 

 If he wants to run, you can let him have the lines, and 

 the whip too, with perfect safety, for he can go but a 

 slow gait on three legs, and will soon be tired, and will- 

 ing to stop ; only hold him enough to guide him in the 

 right direction, and he will soon be tired and willing to 

 stop at the word. Thus you will effectually cure him at 

 once of any further notion of running off. Kicking 

 horses have always been the dread of everybody ; you 

 always hear men say, when they speak about a bad 



