CATCHING A HORSE. 179 



proceed from disease, as in the case of a mare suffering 

 from nymphomania) quiet to handle, as well as obedient 

 to the bridle. 



Catching a horse and making him quiet to 

 handle. — If the horse is in the open, and is difficult to 

 approach and handle, the first thing we have got to do is to 

 drive him into some suitable enclosure, such as a straw 

 yard, empty barn, or loose box. We may then make a 

 rope halter (see page 109) and put it on with a long stick 

 (see page iii). I have used this plan successfully in Eng- 

 land with colts driven into a farm-yard to be docked or 

 castrated ; in South African kraals, with wild horses which 

 had never before been approached by man ; in India, with 

 broken-loose man-eaters whose attendants dared not go 

 near them ; and under many other circumstances of more 

 or less difficulty, if not danger. Lassoing a horse in order to 

 catch him, is not a good plan ; because it is liable to injure 

 him by causing him to fail violently on the ground, and 

 does not give the operator the command of his head, which 

 is obtained by the other method. If the horse is wild, and the 

 enclosure is small enough to keep him within easy reach, I 

 like to make him stand still in a corner, by means of the 

 lunging whip (see page 116), and then gentle him about the 

 legs (in front and behind), head, neck, back and belly by 

 passing the end of the whip or long stick over these parts. 

 If he makes any attempt to turn round, to kick or to get 

 away, I flick him with the whip below the hocks until he 

 turns his head towards me and stands still. I then make 

 him come up to me, and I put the halter on him. At this 



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