HORSE SENSE. 177 



CONTROLLING THE HORSE BY THE SINGLE PERSUASIVE 

 METHOD. 



Now, dear readers, please don't complain of our heading, because we 

 mean it in its most forcible sense. Persuasive influence, with both men 

 and animals, is certainly the most efifective, as we shall try to show 

 here; and if our readers will apply the principles, means and methods 

 here laid down, instead of the whip and other brutal force, we are 

 confident of gaining our point with both the horse and his handler. 



Means and methods, you will observe, are our principles of con- 

 vincing the horse that if he is determined to have a struggle, it must 

 be mostly with himself. We should take as little part in it as possible, 

 consequently try to devise the means by which he can demonstrate to 

 himself that he is fighting himself rather than his handler. In the pre- 

 ceding example of handling the horse by his feet, and taking both front 

 feet from him by the double persuader, we thereby stop him in further 

 progress of locomotion, which, if persevered in will have a tendency to 

 anger or discourage the horse. While we may like this method of taking 

 the front feet from the horse in his very first lesson in harness, to 

 convince him that at the word whoa, or in an attempt to run away with 

 us, to rear or kick, we can at once demonstrate to him (without pain) 

 that he is powerless to do so to any satisfactory degree, it also has its 

 objectionable features, as we have before indicated; beyond the first 

 short lesson, in which we should always use it to begin with, so as to be 

 sure we have all the advantage on our side; after which we use the 

 single persuader until the horse fully understands what we wish him 

 to do for us. 



PERSUASIVE INFLUENCE IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN 

 BRUTE FORCE. 



We should not depend on the bit, and especially harsh bits, to control 

 the young, ambitious, or even vicious horse, because, in his eagerness 

 to get away, or do mischief, we are apt to injure his mouth to such a 

 degree that it is ever after tender and sore, or so calloused that he is a 

 "puller" (lugger) ever after. But if we apply our "persuasive" influ- 

 ence as hereinafter described, all users will be pleased with its effect, 

 and not take the chances of making a runaway, kicking, dangerous 

 horse, in his primary lessons in harness. By the use of the "per- 

 suader," we are enabled to make the horse a cripple for the time being, 

 and yet not necessarily stop or hurt him, but impede his progress to 

 such a degree that it is not really dangerous to his handler or encour- 

 aging to the horse. 



If the horse proves to be a runaway, we let him run upon three legs 

 instead of all four. If he is a kicker, he must stand on one front leg to 

 do the most of his kicking. If he is restless and uneasy about stand- 

 ing, we let him stand on three legs part the time. 



When we find we have a confirmed kicker it is best to attach bells, 

 tin pans, a fourth of a sack of bran or other object to the crupper of the 



