60 HOESES AND' RIDING. 



past it ; and you should never after lie has passed it 

 either correct him or praise him, as both of these 

 have a tendency to magnify the importance of the 

 event, whereas you want it to dwell on his mind as 

 little as possible. If instead of merely shying he 

 turns round and won't pass it, I should as a rule go 

 away and leave the object, if I could do so without 

 inconvenience, and probably the next time you came 

 that way the horse would pass it without any trouble 

 or difficulty arising. 



If the object at which the horse is frightened is a 

 moving one it will either be going the same way as 

 you are or else it will be meeting you. In the first 

 instance you should let your horse follow it with his 

 head loose till he does go past it. 



In the second you should turn your horse with 

 his back to it and make him stand still till the object 

 has passed, and then turn round again and go on. In 

 this way the horse Avill not see the object of which 

 he is afraid, until it is practically past him and the 

 road is clear, and this is the only thing you ought 

 to do. It may be laid down as a strict rule, never 

 try to force your horse i^ast a moving object that is 

 TYieeting you. 



It may be thought that if your horse shies and 

 you don't guide his head, but let him have it quite 

 loose, he will be liable to run into a ditch. In 

 harness it is possible he might run the wheels of the 

 carriage into the ditch, but it is very unlikely he 



