SHYING, 516 



and palls, and the other jumps, plunges, frets, and throws up his head, 

 until both, pretty well exhausted by the conflict, grow tranquil again and 

 proceed on their joui-ney, though not for some time afterwards in their 

 former mutual confidence and satisfaction. Should they in their road, or 

 even on a distant day, meet with another coach, what is the consequence ? 

 The horse is not only more alarmed than before, but now, the moment he 

 has started, being conscious of his fault and expecting chastisement, he 

 jumps about in fearful agitation, making plunges to strike into a gallop, 

 and attempting to run away. So that by this correction, instead of render- 

 ing his horse tranquil during the passage of a coach, the rider adds to the 

 evil of shying that of subsequently plunging, and perhaps running 

 away.' 



It is now generally admitted by all riding-masters and colt-breakers, 

 that a great deal more is to be effected by lenient than by harsh treatment 

 Rewards are found to operate more beneficially than punishments ; and 

 therefore the most scientific and practised riding-masters adopt methods 

 based upon the former. The wi-iter of the present work remembers a 

 very remarkable instance of the efficacy of this plan, or rather of its vast 

 and decided superiority over violence of the worst description. A vicious 

 thorough-bred horse had baffled the efforts of every one into whose hands 

 he had been put in order to be rendered tractable : at length a foreigner 

 of considerable repute among the equestrians of the ' school ' took him to 

 make a trial of ; and in the course of a twelvemonth had rendered him so 

 quiet that not only could any person ride him with the utmost safety, but, 

 at the same time, he was so docile and tractable that he could be induced, 

 by certain signs, to lie do^vn and permit his rider to mount before he rose 

 again. This gentleman must have been the Rarey of his day. It is suffi- 

 ciently proved to us now that, generally speaking, colts, and most horses, 

 will shy at strange objects, but that as soon as they have smelt at and 

 t(3uched these objects with their nose, the fear of them almost instantly 

 ceases. Therefore, in approaching any object at which the horse is likely 

 to be alarmed, or in bringing such object to the horse, the person or rider 

 must use the greatest g'entleness and forbeai'ance, and permit the animal 

 to gratify the powerful curiosity inherent in his nature in his 0"vvn way, 

 and not to add to his timidity by abusive treatment. 



The same forbearance and humanity have been practised with the same 

 beneficial results upon shy horses. With all such persons as are best able 

 to give counsel in cases of shyness, the language is now-a-days, ' Let the 

 horse alone,' — ' Take no notice of his shyness,' — ' Work him well, and 

 accustom him to the objects he dislikes, and in time he Avill of himself 

 leave off his trick of shying.' 



This is good advice ; but, let it not be misinterpreted. Let it not be 

 understood to mean that the annual is to receive any encouragement to 

 shy ; for by no other expression can be characterised that erroneous and 

 foolish practice of patting the horse, or 'making much of him,' either 

 just before or during the time he evinces shyness. The former is bad, 

 because it draws the attention of the animal to the object he dreads ; the 

 latter is worse, because it fills him wdth the impression either that the 

 object itself is really terrific, or that he has acted right in shying at it, 

 and ousrht to do so ag-ain. 



Whether we are approaching the frightful object, or the horse is actually 

 shying, ' we should let him alone ' — ' we should take no notice whatever 

 of him ' — neither letting him perceive that we are aware that we are ad- 

 vancing towards anything he dislikes ; nor do more with him, while in the 

 act of shying, than is necessary for due restraint with a steady hand upon 

 the rein. We may depend upon it, thatbatthng on our part wUl only serve 



