Objects of Fear 87 



starting at the commands. Next have the assistant 

 run, while you drive after him in a trot. 



To teach the horse to endure strange objects, have 

 the assistant take a position about a rod in front of 

 the horse, facing him, and with his upHfted hands 

 full of old papers. Drive the horse toward the assist- 

 ant, who should move backward as the animal 

 approaches. Drive the animal between the out- 

 stretched arms, and have the assistant carefully close 

 in and gently touch either side of the neck with the 

 papers. Rub them over the head and along the neck 

 to convince the horse that they are harmless. Drop 

 the papers a few at a time and drive over them, per- 

 mitting him to stop and touch them with his nose 

 if he likes. The papers may now be placed in a large 

 pile and the horse driven through them with perfect 

 safety (Fig. 21). 



In some such manner, the horse should be famil- 

 iarized with other objects, such as umbrellas, flags, 

 objects along the road and the like that are likely to 

 frighten him. In fact, he should be driven up to 

 anything that frightens him in the least and per- 

 mitted to touch it with his nose. It is rather im- 

 portant that the horse very early in his career be 

 made familiar with motor cars, street cars, trains, 

 engines and the like. After he understands the 

 meaning of the term '^steady" (p. 80) and to be 

 caressed by stroking with the whip (p. 83), this 

 should not be difficult to teach. The street car is 



