ELEMENTS OF HIPPOLOGY. 189 



object than to take him up to it. He should also be spoken to 

 sharpty. 



"If shying proceeds from fear of new objects, the true way 

 to correct him of this is not to force him up to them, but to pat 

 him and to soothe him, but avoid beating him; and take care 

 to pass the objects of his fear again and again, always going 

 nearer to them every time you pass. This will familiarize him 

 to them. Seeing that these are harmless, he will soon learn to 

 pass by unnoticed any novel object which he may meet with 

 upon a road. 



"When an animal is given to shying from defective sight, 

 the only method to effect a cure is to take him up to it, and, in 

 the act of doing so, he must be coaxed to approach it, and on no 

 account must he be beaten; and, although it sometimes happens 

 that the horse will manifest great reluctance to do s . he should 

 be persevered with and not allowed to proceed until he has been 

 closely the object of his fear. After he has been a few times thus 

 treated, he will soon learn to pass with indifference any object 

 which he may meet. 



"Restiveness, and Resisting Being Mounted. — Some 

 horses which possess a lively or impatient temper manifest a 

 desire to start off before the rider can get seated in the saddle. 

 Indeed, some will attempt to set off whenever the foot is put in 

 the stirrup. This is a troublesome and dangerous fault, even 

 with the most expert horsemen, and especially so to those who- 

 are inexperienced or infirm. Horses sometimes become so cun- 

 ning that they know a good from a bad horseman, and finding 

 they are either to be or actually mounted by a timid or indif- 

 ferent rider, will endeavor to throw him off, or bolt away before 

 he is properly seated. 



"When a horse has this propensity, he should be mounted 

 quickly and without fear, and not allowed to proceed on his 

 journey until he is perfectly quiet. Instances are not few where 

 horses that are generally pleasant and easy to mount become 



