72 BALKING. 



scribed, you will be successful in managing three- 

 fourths of the confirmed balkers. To break horses 

 that have only balked a few times, only lots of patience 

 and good common sense are necessary. 



Anything that will disconcert a balky horse is a 

 step in the right direction. Remember that a horse 

 can think of but one thing at a time. You can very 

 often start a balky horse by going up to him quietly 

 and lifting his front foot and hanmiering on it a few 

 times with a little stone. Let the foot down and he 

 ,will start off all right. The horse would be reminded 

 of being shod; while he is thinking of being shod he 

 is not thinking of balking. Or almost any other little 

 trick that will deter the horse from his purpose will 

 do the work. Sometimes just going to the horse and 

 unbuckling his line, or drop a trace, then hitch them 

 up again, will remind the horse of going to the stable, 

 and he will start when you ask him to go. Taking the 

 blinds off of some balky horses I claim is half of their 

 breaking. Teaching them to have confidence in you, 

 and allowing them to see your movements behind them, 

 will be all that a great many horses need. N"o doubt 

 you have seen horses as soon as they balk turn their 

 heads around. Possibly the horse has been severely 

 punished while the blinds were on, and whenever he 

 stops, he imagines the driver is going to whip him. 



