34 HORSE-TRAINING MADE EAST. 



the next effort to step or strike. This teaches 

 him that he cannot use the foot as he would like, 

 and he ceases to make the effort. 



BAULKING. 



This is the most aggravating of all the habits 

 which the horse is subject; it tries the patience 

 of man to the utmost; yet, by patience and per- 

 severance, with proper management, even this 

 habit can be broken up. It is rarely we find a 

 baulky horse which is not a good one. They are 

 usually very hardy, high-spirited, quick of com- 

 prehension, and of a strong nervous temperament. 

 They resist because we have failed to make them 

 understand what we require of them, or it may 

 occur from overloading, sore shoulders, or work- 

 ing until tired out. Particularly is this the case 

 with young animals. To whip under such cir- 

 cumstances only excites them to more determined 

 resistance. On the first attempt of your horse 

 to baulk, get out of the wagon, pat him upon the 

 neck, examine the harness carefully, first upon 

 one side then upon the other, speaking encour- 

 agingly to the animal while doing so; then jump 

 in the wagon and give the word to go ; generally 

 he will obey; if he refuse to do so, take him 

 out of the shafts, put up the traces so that they 

 do not drag upon the ground, then take him by 

 the head and tail, reel him until he is almost 

 ready to fall, then hook him up again, and give 

 him the word to go ; this rarely fails, it takes that 

 sullen spirit out of them, and they start at the 

 3* 



