262 Outdoor Vices and Whims 



ing him the impression that you have the same power 

 with the Hnes that you have with the safety rope. 

 Continue this work, driving him past objects that 

 formerly excited him to run, until perfectly submissive. 

 Running back. — Thi^ is a very dangerous habit, 

 as the horse may cramp the vehicle and upset it, 

 thus throwing the occupants to the ground, or he 

 may back into other vehicles, or people passing by 

 or the hke. The causes which provoke a horse to 

 run back are quite numerous, chief of which are im- 

 proper training to back, and inexperienced or un- 

 skillful drivers. The habit is not uncommon among 

 spirited horses, in which it is often provoked in the 

 following way. As the horse approaches some ob- 

 ject to which he has not been properly trained, say 

 an automobile, he slackens his speed at the strange 

 sight; the driver at once becomes frightened and 

 begins to pull back on the lines. The horse, of course, 

 thinks this means to go backward, and as he starts to 

 obey, the driver strikes him severely with the whip. 

 Now the animal's confusion is complete; he is re- 

 strained in front by the pressure of the bit, and spurred 

 on behind by the blows from the whip, with the ob- 

 ject of his fear approaching him, and to avoid the 

 strange object he backs up, as best he can. To 

 avoid all such trouble, teach the horse to have con- 

 fidence in the driver, and train the animal to all such 

 objects before driving, or at least abstain from pun- 

 ishing him at both ends simultaneously. 



