174 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



for the colt to move. Move he did, but backward, not 

 forward. When the colt began to run backward, the 

 trainer, instead of seeking to check him, allowed him 

 the fullest freedom of action, simply keeping one line a 

 little tauter than the other, so that the colt should run 

 backward, not in a straight line, but in a curve. When 

 the circle was nearly complete, the colt was ready to 

 stop, his eyes filled with the look of intense and wilful 

 satisfaction. But his trainer did not propose to let him 

 stop. He put a strong and steady pressure upon the bit, 

 compelling the colt, against his will, to keep the back- 

 ward movement. This had the desired effect. By* the 

 time the colt had been spun rapidly twice around that 

 circle, he had had enough of it. He was literally giddy; 

 so much so, that he could barely stand. This cured 

 him: he had been caught in his own trap. The trainer 

 mounted the seat, patted him on the haunches, and 

 called on him pleasantly to go ahead. From that day 

 he gave no trouble : he was completely cured. I have 

 known this tried in many cases ; and each time the 

 result was satisfactory. 



Another mean habit is that of lying down in the har- 

 ness. Some colts will lie down almost as soon as you 

 have them harnessed. Sometimes a blow from the whip, 

 delivered low down along the side, quick and sharp, will 

 bring them up with a spring. If one or two blows do 

 not answer, the whip is of no use : you will only torture 

 and scar your colt needlessly. The better way is to 

 ''beat him at his own trade," as the saying is. When 



