STABLE VICES 125 



in the same way as they do a veteran. The 

 result is that the horse is frightened and resents 

 the treatment he is receiving in self-defence. 

 Then the groom is rough with him and punishes 

 him more or less severely — and the result is that 

 a bad habit is formed or a vice estabhshed. 



A third fruitful source of stable mischief 

 is idleness. An old proverb tells us that by 

 doing nothing we learn to do ill, and idleness 

 and overfeeding are the causes of numerous 

 vices both in the horses and men. This part 

 of the subject however has already been fully 

 discussed.^ 



A very common stable vice is refusing admit- 

 tance to the stall. Some horses will turn them- 

 selves across the stall at such an angle that it 

 is impossible or at any rate difficult to get to 

 their heads, whilst others will crowd the man 

 who goes up to them against the wall or stall. 

 When not checked this becomes a very serious 

 matter and there is considerable risk to the 

 groom if it is not cured. It is frequently caused 

 by bad breaking, and I may say that I have not 

 come across any cases of it which were not cured 

 by a little patience and tact on the part of the 

 attendant. Horses hke to be ' gentled ' and 

 when thev cannot be reached with the hand a 

 long stick or pole answers the purpose. In 

 cases where the habit has become confirmed Mr. 

 Merritt W. Harper gives an excellent remedy in 

 his book The Training and Breaking of Horses. 



^ See page 50. 



