GENEEAL KEMAI^KS. 



153 



least dilUciilty by fifteen or twenty minutes' treatment, 

 which would make the horse entirely insensible to such 

 causes of contact. It is a habit also that merges into so 

 many other faults that destroy the value of the horse and 

 render him unsafe for use, that I consider it advisable to 

 make this chapter as full in the details ofmanagement as space 

 will permit. There is no reason to suppose that a horse is 

 naturally bad and unmanageable because he kicks. The 

 point is to make him sufficiently gentle to safely bear, with- 

 out kicking, the restraint and excitement necessary in har 



Fig. 123. — Treatmeut that only confirms the habit. 



ness. Or when the habit is once formed to so combat it 

 that all tendency to repeat it is overcome. 



In the chapter on Colt Training I have given details of 

 the treatment to be pursued for the management of excit- 

 able colts, or those that kick. It also includes directions 

 for overcoming fear of the wagon, and other causes of ex- 

 citement, until proved gentle to control, and the treatment 

 as given there for such cases should be studied in connec- 

 tion with this. 



In the chapter on Teaching Tricks, which can also be re- 

 ferred to, I have explained that the principle of breaking 

 up and overcoming a habit is exacth^ the reverse of that 

 of teaching a trick or habit. If, for example, in teaching a 



