Treatment of Yotmg Horses. 2 1 



and almost imperceptible manner, and take notice 

 if the horse stirs to stop without changing your 

 position. It is very uncommon for a horse to stir 

 more than once, he generally keeps his eye stead- 

 fast upon you until you are near enough to touch 

 him on his forehead. When you are thus near 

 to him raise slowly and by degrees your hand, 

 and let it come in contact with that part just 

 above the nostrils as lightly as possible. If the 

 horse flinches (as many will), repeat with great 

 rapidity these light strokes upon his forehead, 

 going a little further up towards his ears by de- 

 grees and descend with the same rapidity until 

 he will let you handle his forehead all over, when 

 the strokes can be repeated with more force, de- 

 scending by lighter strokes to each side of the 

 head, until you can handle that part with equal 

 facility. Then touch in the same light manner, 

 making your hands and fingers play around the 

 lower part of the horse's ears, coming down now 

 and then to his forehead, which may be looked 

 upon as the helm that governs all the rest. 

 Having succeeded in handling his ears advance 

 towards his neck with the same precautions and 

 in the same manner, observing always to aug- 

 ment the force of the stroke whenever the horse 

 will permit it ; perform the same on both sides of 

 the neck until he lets you take it in your arms 

 without flinching. Proceed in the same progres- 

 sive manner to the sides and then to the back of 

 the horse ; every time the horse shows nervous- 

 ness return immediately to the forehead, as the 

 true standard, patting him with your hands, and 



