Learning the Horse to Lead, 63 



side of his head, which will answer the same purpose 

 as rubbing his forehead. Favor every inclination of 

 the horse to smell or touch you with his nose. Always 

 follow each touch or communication of this kind with 

 the most tender and aifectionate caresses, accompanied 

 with a kind look, and pleasant word of some sort, such 

 as, " Ho ! my little boy, ho ! my little boy, pretty boy, 

 nice lady ! " or something of that kind, constantly re- 

 peating the same words, with the same kind, steady 

 tone of voice ; for the horse soon learns to read the 

 expression of the face and voice, and will know as well 

 when fear, love or anger prevails, as you know your 

 own feelings ; two of which, fear and anger ^ a good 

 horseman should never feel. 



HOW TO PROCEED IF YOUR HORSE IS OF A STUBBORN 



DISPOSITION. 



If your horse, instead of being wild, seems to be of 

 a stubborn or mulish disposition ; if he lays back his 

 ears as you approach him, or turns his heels to kick 

 you, he has not that regard or fear of man that he 

 should have, to enable you to handle him quickly and 

 easily ; and it might be well to give him a few sharp 

 cuts with the whip, about his legs, pretty close to the 

 body. It will crack keen as it plies around his legs, 

 and the crack of the whip will affect him as much as 

 the stroke ; besides, one sharp cut about his legs will 

 affect him more than two or three over his back, the 

 skin on the inner part of his legs or about his flank be- 

 ing thinner, more tender than on his back. But do 

 not whip him much, just enough to scare him, it is not 

 because we want to hurt the horse that we whip him, 



