870 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



stubbornness ; not from a spirit of resistance, but from a determination 

 to have his own way. It will be readily understood that such horses 

 are the source of serious danger to those who drive them, since one has 

 to contend constantly with them, and sometimes it becomes impossible 

 to handle them by the ordinary means. Numerous accidents are thus 

 occasioned in large cities, where the streets are always crowded. We 

 have seen balky horses allow themselves to be belabored with blows 

 rather than move one step ; many will remain in the same spot, without 

 offering any other resistance than a determined obstinacy. These are 

 the least dangerous. Generally they make this vice still worse by 

 striking with their fore-feet or by biting ; in such cases, the best course 

 to pursue is to await their pleasure ; the wisest plan, however, would 

 have been not to purchase them at all. 



2d. Horses difficult to Approach or to Groom. We include 

 among vicious horses those which it is difficult to approach. As soon 

 as such horses see any one coming near them, they set back their ears, 

 stamp with their feet, strike or kick, show their teeth and try to bite. 

 When loose in their stalls, they turn around and commence to kick. 

 If they be placed in a single stall, it is often difficult to avoid their 

 attacks. When they do not succeed in biting or striking, they press 

 the attendant who approaches them against the side of the stall, even 

 leaning down to squeeze him with still more force. Many of them, 

 when mounted, have the habit of pressing the leg of the rider against 

 trees, walls, and other objects. It is with a view to avoid accidents of 

 this kind that all riding academies are provided with a wall inclined 

 towards the track. 



All these animals are skittish and irritable. We should approach 

 them boldly, speak to them, and avoid raising the arms, and especially 

 touching or stroking their hind-quarters. Gentleness, caresses, some 

 little dainty, in a word, kind treatment, will have the happiest effect 

 upon their disposition ; while loud words, threats, and the use of the 

 whip will nearly always render them intractable. 



Certain subjects have, besides this vice, -that of being difficult to 

 groom. They bite their halter-strap when they are curried, snort, arch 

 their back, try to lie down, press the groom against the stall, stamp, 

 strike with the hind-feet, set back the ears, and show in a thousand 

 ways their distaste for the grooming. When they are only skittish or 

 ticklish, they are not very dangerous. If they are badly treated, how- 

 ever, they will soon become aggressive. They should therefore not be 

 dressed with the curry-comb, nor should they be treated harshly ; it 



