The Intelligence of the Horse 3 



qualities accounts for many of the bad habits exist- 

 ing among horses. With a httle patience, however, 

 most horse owners can acquire both the knowledge 

 and qualities of temper necessary to train a horse 

 to do his work very satisfactorily. 



In order to be efficient in horse training we must 

 know something of the mental capabilities of the 

 horse. We should make therefore a careful study of 

 the animal in order to determine what he can under- 

 stand. It must be apparent if the horse does not 

 understand what is wanted of him, if he does not 

 comprehend the meaning of the commands and sig- 

 nals, he cannot be taught to obey, but will be much 

 confused, and hence all attempts to train him will 

 fail. First, then, make a careful study of the horse's 

 intelligence. 



Horse^s intelligence often overestimated. — The horse 

 is often accorded man's most faithful servant, and 

 because of this, no doubt, his intelligence is often 

 greatly overestimated. The horse cannot reason. 

 He lacks the ability of acquiring knowledge by draw- 

 ing conclusions. This being true, he can be taught 

 only by the association of ideas. As, for example, a 

 touch of the whip on the hindquarter will imply, at 

 first, to go forward, but by giving the command 

 ^^get up" just before the horse is struck with the 

 whip he soon learns to go at the command. This 

 should be repeated until the habit becomes fixed, 

 when the whip may be discarded. As the horse 



