A CLEYER TRICK OF A CLEYER PONEY. 51 



worth attempting. We propose, howeYer, in this little work 

 to tell all that there is to be told about our subject, eYen though 

 most of our readers should find many things impracticable in 

 their own cases f and it is well worth while to explain all these 

 matters though it be only to gratify the curiosity which is Yery 

 naturally felt. An uninitiated person would probably be entirely 

 at a loss how to set about accomplishing this feat, and it is 

 doubtful whether he would succeed in discoYcring the secret of 

 it without assistance. The mystery is not such a Yery great 

 matter after all, and may be disclosed in a few words. 



If you observe a really lame horse — if you haven't any in your 

 neighborhood just visit New York and you will find some beau- 

 tiful specimens "of the article — you will perceive that there is a 

 constant jerking or bobbing of his head, caused by his lowering 

 it as he treads upon the laiqge foot and raising it as he raises the 

 foot again. Now the appearance of lameness is caused just as 

 much by the motion of the head as anything else, and a really 

 sound horse, if he bobbed his head as he lowered and raised 

 a particular foot, would appear lame ,• in fact he would actually 

 go lame with this foot because the motion of his head would 

 compel him to tread more lightly on that than he did on the 

 others, exactly as in the case of the bona fide lameness. This 

 is the secret, and the trainer's efl"orts are directed to producing 

 this motion of the head. To make a horse bob his head is a 

 trifling matter, but to make him do so every time he treads on 

 one particular foot, and to do so at the right moment, without 

 hesitation or mistake, requires many weary lessons, and a stock 

 of patience equal to that popularly supposed to have been pos- 

 sessed by the ancient Job. 



Commence by taking the horse by the bridle, close to his 

 mouth, and walking him very slowly. Watch the foot with which 

 you desire him to go lame, and each time that it comes that 

 foot's turn to step, press the horse's head gently upward as he 

 raises his foot, and downward as he again places it on the 

 ground. Let your motions be simultaneous with the movement 

 of the foot, proceeding so slowly that there is no danger of 

 becoming confused. By-and-by you may release your hold of 

 the bridle and make the motion with your hand, which he will 

 Boon obey. You may then accompany the motion by any sound 

 or word of command, and he will learn finally to make the mo- 

 tion on hearine: this sound. 



A correspondent of an English journal lately described a 

 pony in his possession who in some way had picked up a 

 knowledge of this trick and applied it very acutely to his own 

 advantage. The gentleman thus describes the proceedmgs of 



