METHOD OF TEEATMENT. • 281 



tion to pull, and that when he did pull he could not break 

 away, strain, or otherwise injure himself. 



The first successful experiment I made in the manage- 

 ment of this habit was to pass the hitching part of the hal- 

 ter through the ring in the manger, thence back over the 

 belly-band, and tie to the hind foot, leaving it so long that 

 the horse could step around as usual. AVhen the horse 

 pulled, the strain came directly upon the hind leg, which 

 prevented his j)ulling severely. After submitting to this, 

 I next tied the hitching part around the fore leg above the 

 knee, so that should he pull, the leg was pulled forward to 

 the manger. But I soon discovered two objections to this 

 method : First, there was danger, by this violent pulling 

 upon the leg, of causing serious lameness ; and second, 

 when afterward hitched directly by the head, there was a 

 liability of his repeating the pulling. 



To avoid this difficulty I took a cord of sufficient length, 

 brought the center under the tail like a crupper, bringing 

 both ends forward over the back, twisting a few times, and 

 then knotted them together in front of the breast. I then 

 passed the ends through the rings of the halter, and tied 

 to the post or manger. When the horse pulled, the strain 

 came directly upon the tail, which, in the case of a colt, 

 would cause him to jump ahead, surprised and frightened. 

 I soon learned, however, that a stubborn horse accustomed 

 to the habit, would quickly learn to pull against it, or pull 

 as bad as ever when it was taken off. I also found that it 

 was apt to make the tail so sore that there was not only 

 liability to cause the horse to kick then when pulled upon, 

 but afterward, should the rein be caught under the tail, or 

 he be otherwise irritated. 



I then devised the plan of making a noose of the cord, 

 and placing it well back around the body, bringing both 

 cords forward between the legs, and through the hole in 



