136 THE HORSE 



A blind horse will quickly learn that a slight lifting 

 of the bit means some obstacle to be stepped over, and 

 that a stronger movement of the bit means a step 

 higher or longer still. I have known an extraordinary 

 sureness of communication to be established in this 

 manner between a blind cab horse and his driver. But 

 with a rough, impatient, or unsympathetic driver, a 

 blind horse is a very unhappy animal. 



SHYING 



Shying also can often be prevented by a slight, 

 quickly repeated jerking or rather shifting of the bit, 

 thus diverting the attention of the horse. The worst 

 thing that you can do with a shying horse is to whip 

 him. If, indeed, he tries to turn round, you can some- 

 times prevent this by a cut of the whip, well forward 

 on the side to which he is turning; but as a punishment 

 for shying the whip is worse than useless — it will 

 only give the horse an additional reason for fear the 

 next time that he meets the dreaded object. Some- 

 times, it is true, by gently tapping a horse with the 

 whip, and at the same time encouraging him with the 

 voice, you can urge him forward. With other horses, 

 however, even this slight use of the whip only adds to 

 their fear and excitement. It is a matter for experi- 

 ment in each case. Above all things, do not try to 

 force your horse close to the object of his fear, for 

 in that case he will think that you are trying to run him 

 into it. Let him shy, if there is room. Restrain him 

 enough to prevent an accident, but if he wants to go up 

 on the sidewalk, and the way is clear, let him go. When 



