FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



The rubbing of the forehead over the brain 

 is always gratifying to the animal, and doubly 

 so when he has obeyed ; while the application 

 of the hand, or a light switch to the ears, when 

 rebellious has always proved especially effective 

 in obtaining obedience very quickly. Baucher, 

 the celebrated French equestrian, must be given 

 the credit for first discovering and intelligently 

 applying these principles of direct punishment 

 and reward, and while his pupils have tried vainly 

 to apply his teachings, their failures are not due 

 to error upon his part, or to mistakes in his 

 deductions, but to inability to carry out his teach- 

 ings, or, indeed, to unravel from the skein of 

 verbiage in which they are enmeshed the practical 

 fragments of his method. 



Remember, as the Irishman said, that your 

 pupil " has a mouth on him," and a most appre- 

 ciative palate behind that, and do not forget that 

 various tid-bits, as apples, carrots, sugar, etc., 

 are as grateful to the inner quadruped as are 

 caresses to the outer. Of course you will always 

 be provided with such morsels if you are, " 'round 

 and about " horses to any extent, and equally of 

 course you will not, if you are wise, hand them out 

 indiscriminately, but reserve them for the mo- 



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