HORSES. 85 



he was giving her the lash smartly. Around she went, 

 kicking a.nd jumping. No rest was given ; the sweat 

 flowed, and she slackened in her movements. When 

 she approached him, he slacked his whip, held out his 

 hand, and said, "Come along." Again she was off, and 

 the lash applied. This was repeated several times before 

 she would advance, and when she moved towards him 

 he approached and patted her, and as he moved away, 

 and said, " Come along," she followed. In a moment 

 she darted off; he applied the lash smartly. She stopped, 

 trembled, and approached him ; he patted her neck, and 

 said, "Come along," and she followed him several times 

 round the stable. When she lagged, he was away, and 

 the whip applied. After that, she would not remain two 

 feet from him. 



He ordered the door opened, and the mare followed 

 close to him to the crowd and back to the stable. This 

 shows the general course, but not all the acts, in the tragi- 

 comedy. It required about half an hour; and he said 

 that it would not need repeating ; that it was humane, 

 as it prevented further contention. 



TO TRAIN A SHY OR SKITTISH HORSE. 



Never strike him for swerving, as this will increase 

 his fears ; but gently rub him in the face, and walk by 

 the side of his head to the cause of alarm, and let him 

 examine it ; then go back, and let him slowly approach 

 the object again ; repeat, if necessary. We were once 

 training a high-spirited and skittish colt, and he stopped 

 with affright at a lock of hay in the road ; we gently 

 led him to the frightful object, and allowed him to eat it, 

 to show him his folly. 



Notwithstanding his spirit and shyness, we trained 

 him to stop short or lie still at the word wha ! (long a, 

 that he might distinguish from the word go !) on any 

 emergency, even if lying uncomfortably in a snow-bank : 

 and we taught him to stop suddenly, whenever the har 

 ness broke or halter fell, even when travelling rapidly on 

 a dark night. [See BUnd Bridles.] 



Lead a horse carefully over bridges, till his shyness 

 abates ,• but if he continues shy, always lead b'ra oTer 

 8 



