516 VICES OP THE HORSE. 



to augment fright and arouse resistance on his, and that the most judicious 

 coui'se we can pursue is to persevere in mild forbearant usage. 



Shying on coming out of the stable is a habit that can rarely or never be 

 cured. It proceeds from the remembrance of some ill-usage or hurt which 

 the animal has received in the act of proceeding from the stable, such as 

 striking his head against a low door- way, or entangling the harness. Co- 

 ercion will but associate greater fear and more determined resistance with 

 the old recollection. Mr. Castley gives an interesting anecdote, which tends 

 to prove that while severity will be worse than useless, even kind treat- 

 ment will not always break a confirmed habit. ' I remember a very fine 

 grey mare that had got into this habit, and never could be persuaded to 

 go through a doorway without taking an immense jump. To avoid this, 

 the servant used to back her in and out of the stable ; but the mare hap- 

 pening to meet with a severe injury of the spine, was no longer able to 

 back ; and then I have seen the poor creature, when brought to the door, 

 endeavouring to balance herself, with a staggering motion, upon her half- 

 paralysed hind extremities, as if making preparation and summoning up 

 resolution for some great efibrt ; and then, when urged, she would plunge 

 headlong forward with such violence of exertion as often to lose her feet, 

 and tumble down, altogether most pitiable to be seen. This I merely 

 mention,' he continues, ' as one proof how inveterate the habits of horses 

 are. They are evils, let it always be remembered, more easy to prevent 

 than to cure.' 



When the cure, however, is early attempted, it may be so far overcome 

 that it will be unattended with danger or difficulty. The horse should be 

 bridled when led out or in. He should be held short and tight by the 

 head, that he may feel he has not liberty to make a leap, and this of itself 

 is often sufficient to restrain him. Punishment or a threat of punishment 

 will be highly improper. It is only timid or high-spirited horses that 

 acquire this habit, and rough usage invariably increases their agitation 

 and terror. Some may be led out quite at leisure when blindfolded ; 

 others when they have the harness bridle on ; some will best take their 

 own way, and a few may be ridden through the doorway that cannot be 

 led. By quietness and kindness, however, the horse will be most easily 

 and quickly subdued. 



SLIPPING THE COLLAR. 



This is a trick at which many horses are so clever that scarcely a night 

 passes without their getting loose. It is a very serious habit, for it enables 

 the horse sometimes to gorge himself with food, to the imminent danger 

 of staggers ; or it exposes him, as he wanders about, to be kicked and 

 injured by the other horses, while his restlessness will often keep the 

 whole team awake. If the web of the halter, being first accurately fitted 

 to his neck, is suffered to shp only one way, or a strap is attached to the 

 halter and buckled round the neck, but not sufficiently tight to be of 

 serious inconvenience, the power of slipping the collar will be taken 

 away. 



TRIPPING. 

 He must be a skilful practitioner or a mere pretender who promises to 

 remedy this habit. If it arises from a heavy forehand, and the fore-legs 

 being too much under the horse, no one can alter the natural frame of 

 the animal : if it proceeds from tenderness of the foot, grogginess, or old 

 lameness, these ailments are seldom cured. Also, if it is to be traced to 

 habitual carelessness and idleness, no whipping will rouse the drone. A 

 known stumbler should never be ridden, or di'iven by any one who values 



