THE HORSEMAN'S MANUAL. 00 



Rearing. 



This vice is generally adopted by the colt in his early 

 lessons to defend himself against rongh handling. I am 

 quite aware that a horse will rear slightly now and then 

 in play, and from mere buoyancy of spirits, but does not 

 make a practice of doing so when urged to go up to the 

 hand. Now many do this ; and I will endeavour to account 

 for it, by supposing (as has often been the case) a colt en- 

 trusted for his education to a man in no way qualified for 

 the task, whether in skill and experience, or temper and 

 judgment, and who has no idea of any thing but sheer 

 strength, as a remedy for whatever opposition or awkward- 

 ness the colt may happen to exhibit ; accordingly, when- 

 ever an occasion of this kind occurs, (and they are likely 

 to be many,) he drags the snaffle through the colt's mouth 

 with all the force of his clumsy hand, and before the poor 

 animal can recover from the pain and surprise of such 

 treatment, he feels the whip across his shoulder or quar- 

 ters, and perhaps the spurs rammed into his sides ; and 

 after having been subjected to this usage once or twice, 

 the moment he makes a blunder he expects a repetition of it ; 

 therefore, to save his mouth, up he comes ; and finding his 

 rider dare not hold on by the bit, he adopts it as a defence 

 as soon as he feels it brought to bear on his bars. I have 

 taken great interest in detecting the origin of bad habits 

 in horses, and have had as wide a field of observation as 

 most people, and am confident, that this is most frequently 

 the cause of dangerous rearing. 



The advice cannot be too often repeated, that every one 

 who has to do with horses, especially in training them, 

 should bear in mind, that a light, kind hand, combined with 

 good temper and judgment, will gain more from them, thau 

 all the whips and spurs that have ever been manufactured. 



