IC.B A SIN OF IGXOUAXCK. 



yield to him, we slionld think him a most stupid animal if he 

 kept on pushing further into it, and did not at once back out of 

 it, IS'ow what is the collar to him but an unyielding thicket, 

 through which he sees no chance of thrusting his large bodv, but 

 out of which he believes it possible to draw his little head. He 

 knows nothing of our language, or why we beat him, and is just 

 as likely to suppose that we beat him because he does not go 

 backwards, as because he does not go forwards, especially as we 

 actually do beat him for either purpose when it suits us. He knows 

 nothing of mechanics, or of the facilities which wheels offer to 

 motion. 



The big Carriage looks far less moveable to him than 

 the little manger to which he is so easily tied, and his first 

 hasty forward rush having l)een checked by traces far stronger 

 than the rope of the halter, he comes to the conclusion that to 

 attempt to move forward would be hopeless, and that the best 

 way to escape from beating or persecution will be to plunge 

 backwai'ds out of the restraining collar. 



The more gentle, and tractable, :ind timid his disposition, 

 the less likely he is to pull steadily and continuously iu any 

 direction, and especially to make a continuous lean forward. 

 Hence we find that the most lively and gentle horses are 

 generally jibs, under bad treatment, whilst dull, unexciteable, 

 headstrong horses are more likely to be steady pullers. 



;)72. — It is too commonly taken for granted that the horse 

 does not pull at his bit because it hurts him to do so, and that he 

 will pull in his collar because it does not hurt him. This may 

 be a natural mistake, but it is a mistake, and a very great and 

 misleading one, and one that should not be fallen into by anyone 

 who has thoughtfully studied the peculiar instincts of the horse. 

 AVc have seen (180) how prone the horse is to submit to 

 martyrdom, and that severe pain has often the opj)osite effect 

 upon him of what it would have with an animal of more 

 reasoning power, or with more accurate instincts. We may 

 here give further examples of this peculiarity. 



If we tie a young horse up with a broad leather strap round 

 his neck, so that when 1ie pulls violently back it will restrain 



