92 HOW THlIl HOUSE LEARNS 



him to prevent him going in or have a man or 

 more men ready wlio by threats and punishments 

 prevent him and make him go on. 



The vices of kicking, of biting and of not al- 

 h)Aving the bridle to be put on by raising the head 

 are for the most part caused by bad and contrary 

 associations which the man in charge of the horse 

 has himself given him by ill-treating him when 

 doing these things, and the horse is not to blame. 

 The horse acts according to what he sees and 

 what is done to him. 



The vice of kicking is rarely due to a bad na- 

 tural disposition. Usually it is learnt in the follo- 

 wing way. The man who grooms him in the stable 

 suddenly, without a previous voice sound of warning, 

 strikes the tiank, or the croup, or the hind-legs of 

 a horse in order to make him go aside. The horse 

 perhaps does not know how or is not accustomed 

 to going on one side, or else is of a timid, nervous 

 or choleric nature and kicks. The man shows that 

 he is afraid by running back and the horse directly 

 learns that by kicking he makes the man, his enemy 

 who beats him, run away, and that kicking is the 

 means of making the man cease beating him. 



