KEEP— KICKING 



the same time a judicious course of schooling can accomph'sh 

 a good deal in the way of transforming a naturally awkward 

 animal into a clever one, at all events so far as show yard 

 performers are concerned. The latter, however, are very 

 often possessed of peculiarities which, though they may not 

 affect a horse's ability to clear obstacles in the judging 

 ring, would render him a very unpleasant hunter to ride 

 to hounds. Some show yard jumpers, however, possess 

 excellent manners, and as the nature of the obstacles they 

 have to clear varies very little at different shows, their natural 

 intelligence enables them to clear fences which they would 

 not be likely to get over in the open. (See Schooling a 

 Jumper.) 



K 



Keep, — A term applied to the grass and other forms of 

 food which grow in a meadow or grazing ground. 



Keys. — The pieces of metal attached to the ports of bits. 

 (See Bits, Port.) 



Kicking in the stable is a most objectionable habit for 

 a horse to contract, even if it is only the result of a spirit of 

 playfulness, as it grows upon him. The 

 best course to adopt in such a case is to 

 pad the pillars of the stalls so that he 

 cannot injure himself, and then to fasten 

 some large bunches of furze on them, as 

 the pricking he receives may assist in 

 curing him. Another plan that has been 

 successfully adopted is to strap a small 

 log or ball of wood round the hind-leg 

 above the hock, so that when the animal 

 kicks the ball will hit his cannon bone ; 

 and yet another is to suspend a bag of 

 sand from the ceiling behind the horse, 

 in such a manner that when he kicks it 

 it will swing back and hit him on the 

 quarters. Sometimes he will become so sick of this 



187 



Kicking-strap and Ball for 

 use in stable. 



