50 RAREY ON HORSE-TAMING. 



up, but let them have their heads loose. Walk 

 them about together for some time as slowly and 

 lazily as possible ; stop often and go up to the balky 

 horse and gentle him, but keep him just as quiet as 

 you can. He will soon learn to start off at the word, 

 and stop whenever you tell him. 



As soon as he performs right, hitch him to an 

 empty wagon. It would be well to shorten the stay 

 chain behind the steady horse, so that if it is neces- 

 sary he can take the weight of the wagon the first 

 time you start them. Do not drive but a few rods 

 at first ; watch your balky horse closely, and if you 

 see that he is getting excited, stop him before he 

 stops of his own accord, caress him a little, and start 

 again. As soon as they go well, drive them over a 

 small hill a few times, and then over a large one, 

 occasionally adding a little load. This process will 

 make any horse true to pull. 



CHOKING, A MEANS OF SUBDUING THE HORSE. 



This is another method of conquering a skittish, 

 stubborn or refractory horse. It is resorted to in 

 cases where the measures before described fail to 

 produce the desired effect. The principles on which 

 the plan of choking are based, are, that you must 

 make a powerful appeal to the intelligence of the 

 animal by physical means before you can subdue 

 him. Now we know that most animals, in fighting, 

 seize each other by the throat, and that a dog thus 

 held by his antagonist for a few minutes, on being 

 released, is often so thoroughly cowed that no human 



