TEACHING THE HORSE TO FOLLOW. 55 



bad liabit, the choking operation is resorted to with 

 equal success as in the case of taming or breaking. 

 If he continues stubborn, you have only to repeat 

 the operation, giving him one or two lessons a day, 

 and in a short time he will be perfectly subdued. A 

 young horse learns to obey quicker than an older 

 one. When you get a horse down by any of the 

 processes we have mentioned, a quarter of an hour 

 or twenty minutes is ample time to keep him pros- 

 trate for the purpose of subjugation. Breathing into 

 a horse's nostrils when he is down is practiced by 

 some horse-tamers, and this is undoubtedly a sooth- 

 ing operation, as it brings you into close contact with 

 the animal, thus giving him an opportunity of ex- 

 amining you with his nose — a process peculiar to 

 horses. You should always litter your stable well 

 when you perform these operations of flooring the 

 horse. Clean straw or tanbark, or anything to make 

 a soft stable bottom will answer. 



HOW TO MAKE A HORSE FOLLOW YOU. 



Turn him out into a large stable or shed, where 

 there is no chance to get out, with a halter or bridle 

 on. Go to him and gentle him a little ; take hold 

 of the halter and turn him towards you, at the same 

 time touching him lightly over the hips wdth a long 

 whip. Lead him the length of the stable, rubbing 

 him on the neck, saying, in a steady tone of voice, as 

 you lead him, *' Come along, my boy !" or use his 

 name instead of my boy, if you choose. Every time 

 you turn, touch him slightly with the whip, to make 



