60 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



terror is not at all formidable. The tone of the voice, 

 half chiding, half encouraging, and a gentle pressure 

 of the heel, will be perfectly understood by the 

 animal, and he will soon come to trust in his rider's 

 judgment: on the other hand, if the latter show any 

 symptoms of timidity, they will be instantly detected 

 by the horse, and the mischief will be greatly aggra- 

 vated. In other cases the vice proceeds from skittish- 

 ness or affectation, and must be differently dealt 

 with. " Horses/* says Mr. Lawrence, " generally 

 fix on some particular shying butt ; for example, I 

 recollect having, at different periods, three hacks, all 

 very powerful : the one made choice of a windmill for 

 the object or butt ; the second a tilted wagon ; and 

 the third, a pig led in a string. It so happened, how- 

 ever, that I rode the two former when amiss from a 

 violent cold; .and they then paid no more attention 

 to either windmills or tilted wagons, than to any other 

 objects, convincing me that their shying, when in 

 health and spirits, was pure affectation ; an affectation 

 however, which may be speedily united with obstinacy 

 and vice. Let it be treated with marked displeasure, 

 mingled with gentle but decided firmness, and the 

 habit will be of short endurance." 



Mr. Elaine once purchased a horse with an excel- 

 lent character for steadiness, except that he was 



