Overcoming Stahle-Jdcking 297 



hanging, it will clear the floor by about three feet and 

 be about one foot to the rear of the horse's quar- 

 ters. Each time he kicks the bag will swing back 

 and strike his quarters. Soon he will tire of kick- 

 ing it away and will stand quietly, when the bag will 

 cease to annoy him; but as soon as he begins kick- 

 ing, it will strike him again. In this way he quickly 

 learns that by standing quietly he avoids the an- 

 noyance of the bag striking his quarters. Another 

 plan is to pad the stall, using hay or straw and burlap, 

 which prevents the horse from making a noise. 

 With this arrangement he hears no report and soon 

 gives up the habit. Another simple and yet very 

 effective plan is to place an elastic around the 

 horse's leg just above the hock joint. Now as he 

 raises the leg to kick, the elastic causes extra pres- 

 sure on the tendons, which serves to divert his at- 

 tention from kicking. Still other horsemen pre- 

 fer the single shackle, which is made from a heavy 

 piece of leather provided with a buckle and keeper 

 at either end. This is of sufficient length that, 

 when buckled about each hind pastern just above 

 the fetlock joints, the horse can stand naturally. 

 With the hind legs thus fastened together the horse 

 is unable to kick. The fastening of a short chain 

 to one leg so that when the horse kicks it will strike 

 the other leg is not to be recommended, as it is 

 likely to injure him. 



Hanging back in the stall. — This habit is rather 



