Kicking. 113 



from a confirmed kicker, and a timid man is never safe. 

 Before the habit is established, a thorn-bush fastened 

 against the partition or post will sometimes effect a cure. 



A chain about 20 inches long, strapped in the centre to 

 the horse's foot, is the most effectual remedy known to us. 



Kicking in harness is a serious vice. Some horses by 

 the least annoyance about the rump or quarters, or if the 

 reins get under their tail they will kick at a most violent 

 rate, endangering everything within their reach. This 

 may be cured by looj^ing up his fore-leg, and teaching 

 him, by several lessons, to draw and walk on three legs ; 

 m this position he cannot kick, and in a short time his leg 

 can be taken down, and his propensity for kicking w^ill be 

 found to have subsided; if not, repeat until he is entirely 

 cured j do not put him in harness the first time his leg is 

 looped up, but first teach him to walk on three legs, 

 without support out of the harness. Or put on a head- 

 stall or bridle, with twisted TV, or twisted straight bitts 

 in the mouth of the horse to be cured ; then put on a 

 common back-saddle, with thill lugs, or any strap or girth 

 with loops on either side of the horse, is equally good ; 

 then buckle a pair of long reins, open in the middle, into 

 the bitts, and pass them through the thill lugs or loops ; 

 one to each hind leg, above the fetlock joint ; there make 

 each rein fast to the leg, allowing sufficient length of rein 

 for your horse to walk or trot, as the operator may think 

 proper. Everything complete, you will have the animal 

 commence the operation of kicking ; the first will be a 

 smart kick, and the second fighter, and so on till your 

 horse cannot be made to kick any more. 



Or the following : Take a forked stick, about two feet 

 long, varying a Httle according to the size of the horses, 

 tie the ends of the fork firmly to each end of the bridle 



