198 KICKING. 



applied heels. The propensity has, to a great extent been both 

 bred and educated out of many strains of the domesticated 

 horse, so far as to make them resort to it unwillingly, and to 

 threaten long before they strike. 



446. — There are many different ways in which a resort to 

 this natural weapon is dangerously developed by faulty education, 

 each requiring to be met in a different way, because proceeding 

 from very different causes. The most common exhibition of the 

 dangerous propensity is kicking in harness. We can only wonder 

 that an animal whose natural defence is kicking and running 

 away, can so commonly and so soon be made to allow all kind of 

 sights, sounds, and sensations to follow him up without trying to 

 do either. When he does kick or run away in harness, it is 

 almost always the consequence of fear, and generally the dread of 

 a repetition of something that has really hurt him. The remedy 

 is to show him that a carriage may follow him closely without 

 hurting him, and that therefore neither running away nor kicking 

 are necessary to protect himself. 



447. — The first lesson may be directed to the sense of touch. 

 Use the smooth pole (381 to 383) on every part of the body, 

 first without and then with the blinkers on. For this purpose 

 the horse may be either held by a reliable assistant, tied up, tied 

 to his own tail (346), or secured by strapping up one fore leg 

 (353). It may take much longer to reconcile a horse that has 

 been hurt in harness than an untouched colt, either to sights, 

 sounds, or touch. All that we have said about doing it thoroughly 

 with the young horse, applies equally here (383). 



448. — You must next reconcile him to the sight of anything 

 that has alarmed him. Put him into some plain light fourwheel, 

 without blinkers, with a strong bridle, and with one fore leg 

 securely strapped up (353). However wild or vicious he maybe, 

 he cannot kick on three legs, and he cannot run far. The only 

 danger is that he may throw himself down, so that his knees 

 should be protected with caps, the ground under him be soft, and 

 the shafts should not be very frail or valuable. An experienced 

 man will soon see when he first straps up a leg, what danger there is 

 that the horse will not stand up, and if it is great will not trust 



