VICE. 87 



least unpleasantness possible, in addition to the above- 

 mentioned means, take him, if necessary, well by the 

 head, the reins in each hand, and saw or job his mouth 

 rather sharply, keeping him in rapid motion till you 

 pass the object. 



Operating thus on his mouth severely, if necessary, 

 will engage his attention, and cheat him out of his ap- 

 prehension for the moment. It is bad horsemanship, 

 and dangerous besides, to force a horse's head toicards 

 an offending object while in motion ; but if it is 

 particularly desirable that the animal should become 

 familiarised with anything of which he is shy, let him 

 be brought to a standstill, and coaxed up gradually to 

 it, that he may assure himself of its harmlessness by 

 smelling and feeling it with his nose and lij)S, if possible. 

 Punishment by whip or spur — what is called " cram- 

 ming " him up to a thing — is a vile error. 



When a horse is found to evince a confirmed objec- 

 tion to passing a particular place, and that he. keeps 

 bolting and turning viciously, in spite of all ordinary 

 efforts to prevent it, take him at his own fancy, and 

 keep turning and turning him till he is so tired of that 

 game, that he will only be too glad to go forward past 

 the objectionable spot. A horse's sense of smelling is 

 very acute, and sometimes a dead animal in the ditch 

 or field by the side of the road, though unseen, will 

 cause an abrupt and very unseating sort of a shy, with 

 an ordinarily quiet beast of sensitive olfactory nerves. 



