RESTIVENESS. 363 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THE VICES AND DISAGREEABLE OR DANGEROUS HABITS OF 



THE HORSE. 



The horse has many excellent qualities, but he has likewise defects, and these 

 occasionally amounting to vices. Some of them may be attributed to natural temper, 

 for the human being scarcely discovers more peculiarities of habit and disposition 

 than does the horse. The majority of them, however, as perhaps in the human being, 

 are the consequences of a faulty education. Their early instructor has been ignorant 

 and brutal, and they have become obstinate and vicious. 



RESTIVENESS. 



At the head of all the vices of the horse is restiveness, the most annoying and the 

 most dangerous of all. It is the produce of bad temper and worse education; and, 

 like all other habits founded on nature and stamped by education, it is inveterate. 

 Whether it appears in the form of kicking, or rearing, or plunging, or bolting, or in 

 any way that threatens danger to the rider or the horse, it rarely admits of cure. A 

 determined rider may to a certain extent subjugate the animal; or the horse may have 

 his favourites, or form his attachments, and with some particular person he may be 

 comparatively or perfectly manageable; but others cannot long depend upon him, and 

 even his master is not always sure of him. It is a rule, that admits of very few 

 exceptions, that he neither displays his wisdom nor consults his safety, who attempts 

 to conquer a restive horse. 



An excellent veterinary surgeon, and a man of great experience in horses, Mr. 

 Castley, truly said, in "The Veterinarian," — "From whatever cause the vicious 

 habits of horses may originate, whether from some mismanagement or from natural 

 badness of temper, or from what is called in Yorkshire a mislech, whenever these 

 animals acquire one of them, and it becomes in some degree confirmed, they very 

 seldom, if ever, altogether forget it. In reference to driving it is so true, that it 

 may be taken as a kind of aphorism, that if a horse kicks once in harness, no 

 matter from what cause, he will be liable to kick ever afterwards. A good coach- 

 man may drive him, it is true, and may make him go, but he cannot make him 

 forget his vice ; and so it is in riding. You may conquer a restive horse — you may 

 make him go quiet for months, nay, almost for years together ; but I affirm that, under 

 other circumstances, and at some future opportunity, he will be sure to return to his 

 old tricks." 



Mr. Castley gives two singular and conclusive instances of the truth of this doc- 

 trine. " When a very young man," says he, " I remember purchasing a horse at a 

 fair in the north of England, that was offered very cheap, on account of his being 

 unmanageable. It was said that nobody could ride him. We found that the animal 

 objected to have anything placed upon his back, and that, when made to move for- 

 ward with nothing more than a saddle on, he instantly threw himself down on his 

 side with great violence, and would then endeavour to roll upon his back. 



" There was at that time in Yorkshire, a famous colt-breaker, known by the name 

 of Jumper, who was almost as celebrated in that country for taming vicious horses 

 into submission, as the famed Whisperer was in Ireland. W"e put this animal into 

 Jumper's hands, who took him away, and in about ten days brought him home again, 

 certainly not looking worse in condition, but perfectly subdued, and almost as obedient 

 as a dog ; for he Avould lie down at this man's bidding, and only rise again at his 

 command, and carry double or anything. I took to riding him myself, and may say, 

 that I was never better carried for six or eight months, during which time he did not 

 show the least vice whatever. I then sold him to a Lincolnshire farmer, who said 

 that he would give him a summer's run at grass, and show him as a very fine horse 

 at the great Horncastle fair. 



" Happening to meet vhis gentleman in the following year, I naturally enough 

 inquired after my old friend. ' Oh,' said he, 'that was a bad business — the horse 

 turned out a sad rebel. The first time we attempted to mount him, after getting him 



