SHYING. 281 



no provocation ; but on their return home after a hard day's 

 work, they may be sedate enough for any old gentleman. I 

 have always found that punishment by whip, spurs, or jobbing 

 the animal in the mouth with the reins, has a bad effect, as 

 a correction of shying and unsteadiness ; although we may 

 with benefit remind the animal by a steady hold of the reins, 

 a firm pressure of the legs, and a chiding word or two, that 

 his duty is to be obedient and well-conducted. It is only 

 reasonable, as "Harry Hieover" remarks, to turn the horse's 

 head away from the object at which he shies, so that it may 

 no longer affect him. 



In the vast majority of cases, the faults we are considering 

 are the results of unskilful riding on previous occasions. A 

 generous, high-spirited horse may start at a bird flying across 

 the road, or at hearing the report of a gun, as any nervous 

 person might do, or prick his ears on seeing some unusual 

 object. It sometimes happens that the man on his back there- 

 upon jerks the reins, digs the spurs into his sides, or 

 hits him. An animal thus treated will naturally for a 

 horse has a marvellously retentive memory associate in 

 his mind the idea of punishment with any object or 

 occurrence that will remind him of the previous un- 

 pleasantness. Or a timid rider, when expecting some sight 

 or noise which he may think will alarm his mount, 

 may try in anticipation to strengthen the courage of them 

 both by clutching at the reins and saying " Steady lad," 

 " Whoa-ho boy," or some other soothing expression. By 

 acting thus, he will make the horse believe that something 

 very dreadful is going to happen, and will cause him to be 

 thoroughly on the qui vive against danger. When he has 

 been worked up into this state by his rider, he will of course 

 be only too ready to express his fear in a form which will 

 probably be very disagreeable to the man on his back. I 

 recollect one morning when I was in the Bengal Staff Corps, 



