TRAINING THE HORSE. lOI 



FURTHER HINTS ON TRAINING. 



NATURE OF THE HORSE. 



, The horse has no reasoning faculties beyond the 

 limits of his experience. Hence we can reason with 

 him by acts alone. Literally, with the horse, acts 

 speak louder than words; and hence the absolute im- 

 portance of commencing every move with the horse 

 right, for by our acts he learns. Secondly, early im- 

 pressions are strong, both in the human family and 

 with the horse, and seldom, if ever, are entirely erased 

 from memory's tablet. 



Who is there in the human family that does not 

 well remember the first impressions of his boyhood 

 days ? And as we journey on through life, what a con- 

 trolling influence they exert over us! Just so with the 

 horse. Hence the great importance of having his first 

 impressions of man of such a nature as to convince 

 him not only of man's superiority, but to satisfy him 

 tliat man is his best friend. Obtain by a systematic 

 course of handling, not only supreme power over him, 

 but teach him also to repose trust and confidence in 

 you, and then never betray it. No animal has mem- 

 ory equal to that of the horse, and none will recipro- 

 cate a kindness or resent an injury sooner. We hold 

 that man, being, on account of his intellectual re- 

 sources, superior to all other animals, is, and has a 

 right to be, at the head of all animal creation, for he 

 can adopt means to overcome the strength of the horse 

 or even use it against himself. 



