KicKiNa. 20S 



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times effect a cure. When the horse finds that he is pretty 

 severely pricked, he will not long continue to punish himself. 

 In confirmed cases it may be necessary to have recourse to the 

 log. but the legs are often not a little bruised by it. A rather 

 long and heavy piece of wood attached to a chain has beeu 

 buckled above the hock, so as to reach about half-way down 

 the leg. When the horse attempts to kick violently, his leg will 

 receive a severe blow ; this, and the repetition of it, may after 

 a time teach him to be quiet. 



Kicking in harness is a much more serious vice. From the 

 least annoyance about the rump or quarters, some horses will kick 

 at a most violent rate, and destroy the bottom of the chaise, and 

 endanger the limbs of the driver. Those that are fidgety in 

 the stable are most inclined to do this. If the reins chance to 

 get under the tail, the violence of the kicker will often be most 

 outrageous ; and while the animal presses down his tail so 

 tightly that it is almost impossible to extricate the reins, he 

 continues to plunge until he has demolished every thing behind 

 him. 



This is a vice standing foremost in point of danger, and one 

 which no treatment will always conquer. It is altogether in 

 vain to attempt coercion. If the shafts are very strong and 

 without flaw, or if they are plated with iron underneath, and a 

 stout kicking-strap resorted to, which will barely allow the 

 horse the proper use of his hind limbs in progression, but not 

 permit him to raise them sufficiently for the purpose of kicking, 

 he may be prevented from doing mischief. 



