26 HORSE DOCTOR. 



der the thing difficult or impossible, and this nnay be 

 nrianaged by fastening a round piece of leather on the 

 inside of the cheek of the bit. 



KICKING. 



This, as a vice, is another consequence of the culpa- 

 ble habit of grooms and s(able-boys of leasing the horse. 

 That which is at first an indication of annoyance at the 

 pinching and tickling of the groom, and without any 

 design to injure, gradually becomes the expression of 

 anger, and the effort to do mischief The horse likewise 

 too soon recognizes the least appearance of timidiiy, and 

 takes advantage of th^ discovery. There is no cure for 

 this vice ; and he cannot be justified who keeps a kick- 

 ing horse in his sttible. 



Some horses acquire, from mere irritability and fidgeti- 

 ness, a hablL of kicking at the stall or the bail, and par- 

 ticularly at eight. The neighboring horses are dis- 

 turbed, and the kicker gets swelled hocks, or some more 

 serious injury. This is also a habit very difficult to cor- 

 rect if suffered to become established. Mares are far 

 more subject to it than horses. 



Before the habit is inveterately established, a thorn 

 bush or a piece of furze fastened against the partition 

 or p' s^, will sometimes eflfect a cure. When the horse 

 finds that he is pretty severely pricked, he will not long 

 continue to punish himself In confirmed cases it may 

 be necessary to have recourse to the log, but the legs are 

 often not a little bruised by it. A rather long and heavy 

 piece of wood attached to a chain has been buckled 

 above the hock, so as to reach about half-way down the 

 leg. When the horse attempts to kick violently, his leg 

 will receive a severe blow: this, and the repetition of it, 

 may, after a time, teach him to be quiet. 



A much more serious vice is kicking in harness. From 

 the least annoyancj about the rump or quarters, some 

 horses will kick at a most violent rate, and destroy the 

 bottom of the chaise, and endanger the limbs of the 



