SHYING. 379 



"We cannot better define the folly of beating a horse for 

 shying than by the following, which we extract from " The 

 Veterinarian :" — " We will suppose a case, an every-day 

 one. A man is riding a young horse upon the high-road in 

 the country, and meets a stage-coach. What with the noise, 

 the bustle, the imposing appearance altogether, and the 

 slashing of the coachman's whip, the animal at the approach 

 erects his head and crest, pricks his ears, looks affrighted, 

 and no sooner comes alongside of the machine than he sud- 

 denly starts out of the road. His rider, annoyed by this, 

 instantly commences a round of castigations with whip, 

 spur, and curb, in which he persists until the horse, as well 

 as himself, has lost his temper, and then one whips, spurs, 

 and pulls, and the other jumps, plunges, and frets, and 

 throws up his head, until both, pretty well exhausted by the 

 conflict, grow tranquil again, and proceed on their journey, 

 though not for some time afterwards, in their former mutual 

 confidence and satisfaction. Should they on their road, or 

 even on a distant day, meet with another coach, what is the 

 consequence ? That the horse is not only more alarmed 

 than before, but now, the moment he has started, being 

 conscious of his fault, and expecting chastisement, he jumps 

 about in fearful agitation, making plunges to strike into a 

 gallop, and attempting to run away. So that by this cor- 

 rection, instead of rendering his horse tranquil during the 

 passage of a coach, the rider adds to the evil of shying that 

 of subsequently plunging, and perhaps running away.'' 



If a horse is aged and prone to shying, and will not be 

 broken of it by gentle treatment, then severe measures 

 must be resorted to. Many years ago, I rode a remarkably 

 spirited and active hackney, which was much given to 

 shying, and particularly in the evening or at night, although 

 he had no defect in his sight. About a mile from my 



