UNSTEADINESS. 347 



Difficult to ball or drench. — Aided by the rope-twitch 

 (see preceding paragraph), I have never had any trouble 

 in making refractory horses take a ball or drench. 

 Mr. D. C. Pallin, A.V.D., informs me that he has invariably 

 succeeded with horses which were deemed impossible to 

 drench, in making them drink, by mounting them, sitting 

 w^ell forward, drawing the head round to the off-side by 

 the headstall with the left hand, and then giving them the 

 draught out of a bottle with the right hand. This gentle- 

 man also advises to have a man on the back of a horse 

 which is difficult to ball, while the operator is giving the 

 bolus. I need hardly say that the aim of these expedients 

 is to make the horse take the drench or ball at the time, 

 and not to render him permanently docile in either of these 

 respects. 



Unsteady with the whip, under fire, when drawing 

 swords, when touched with the heel, etc. — These 

 manifestations of nervousness or of impatience of control 

 may be corrected, either wholly or for the most part, by 

 putting the horse through a course of long-rein work on 

 foot, while subjecting him to the effects of the causes of his 

 impatience. Or we may use the head and tail method, 

 or teach the animal the word " steady ! " with the rope 

 twitch. For making a horse steady while the man on his back 

 draws a sword, especially from a steel scabbard, we should, 

 after having saddled the horse, attach the sword to the saddle 

 by the waist belt, so as to leave it and the sabretache (if 

 used) hanging down the near side of the horse. Then, while 

 using either the rope-twitch or the head and tail method, 



