Safety in Horse Training 15 



the man. The habihty of injuring the animal is 

 one objection to some of the rapid methods. Among 

 horses that are very headstrong and unmindful of the 

 signals, it is safer to risk the horse than ourselves. 

 Thus in the case of horses that are very self-asserting 

 it is best to use methods that afford ample protec- 

 tion, even though they are rather severe on the 

 animal. 



The slow, Old World methods are, §is a rule, much 

 more likely to result in injury to the trainer than 

 some of the rapid American methods. Thus in 

 some of the slow methods the trainer goes boldly up 

 to the horse, to impress upon him that he is not 

 afraid. Such methods are never to be advised, as 

 the risk is too great. We should never give the ani- 

 mal a chance to do that which is likely to result in 

 injury to ourselves or to any one else. If the trainer 

 is exceedingly careful and painstaking, and, as pre- 

 viously suggested, makes it difficult for the horse 

 to do that which he should not and easy to do that 

 which he should, there is very little risk in horse 

 training. 



MAKE THE HORSE UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO 



ORDERS AND SIGNALS 



Since the horse cannot understand our spoken 

 language, we must establish certain signals and com- 

 mands that will render him capable of knowing our 



