Objects and Methods of Training 11 



THE OBJECTS OF HORSE TRAINING 



There are four principal objects sought in training 

 a horse: First, to render him quiet both in and out 

 of the stable ; second, to teach him to obey the sig- 

 nals and orders of his master with promptness and 

 precision ; third, to create and establish in the 

 animal the habit of applying his powers to the best 

 advantage; and fourth, to correct any fault, whim or 

 vice that detracts from his usefulness. 



It is the business of the trainer to guide the horse 

 in such a way as to make it difficult for him to do 

 wrong and exceedingly easy to do right. Since the 

 horse cannot reason, he naturally does those things 

 that are easiest to accomplish. If these acts are 

 bad, we say the horse has bad habits, and if good, 

 we say he has good habits; whereas, with the horse, 

 such acts are simply his way of responding to certain 

 events. Hence we should be ever on the alert to 

 prevent the bad acts by making them very difficult 

 for the horse to accomplish. 



METHODS OF HORSE TRAINING 



As horses are exceedingly variable in temper and 

 intelligence, to be successful we must take account 

 of this fact. We should be in possession of va- 

 rious methods for enforcing our commands. This 

 is particularly true of semi-wild horses, or of horses 

 with a tendency to develop certain whims, faults or 



