BAD TO SHOE. 06 



resist some when you first undertake to handle their 

 feet, "but if you can get them to submit to their feet 

 being handled, through gentleness and caresses, it will 

 have just as good an effect on them as if you would 

 have to use coercive or subjective treatment to get 

 them to submit. Should the colt resist too much to 

 handle it in this way, put the Pulley bridle on, pull it 

 right and left a few times, then buckle a foot strap 

 around the hind leg below the fetlock joint; take 

 an ordinary hitching strap and snap one end into the 

 ring in foot strap. Now have your assistant keep the 

 colt's attention with the cord while you take the strap 

 and pull the foot back and forwards until the muscles 

 become relaxed. At first there will usually be great 

 resistance. The horse may kick or pull the foot for- 

 wards with all his might. But no matter how much he 

 may resist at first, it will be no indication of failure. 

 Simply keep pulling the foot back at short intervals 

 imtil there is no resistance. A sure indication of un- 

 conditional submission, will be when the foot is given 

 freedom to be rested on the toe. The foot will now 

 be ready to shoe without any further trouble. Treat 

 the opposite foot in the same manner. To give an 

 idea of the power of this treatment when properly 

 applied, I will refer to its effect upon one or two cases 

 that I handled. While instructing a class at Kessler 



