118 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 



that he may learn what it is, turn him round, 

 after he has passed it, and walk him up to it, all 

 the time being careful to see that we keep him 

 parallel with the direction we wish him to go, and 

 not transverse to it. 



When on the subject of shying, there is one 

 word I would like to say, and that is in reference 

 to stables. The best kind of stables are loose 

 boxes, which have half -doors, each looking out into 

 the yard, which should be kept open the whole 

 day. So many stables are so built that a horse 

 has nothing to do but to stare at a blank wall for 

 twenty-two hours out of twenty-four every week- 

 day, and twenty-four hours out of twenty-four on 

 Sundays. How can we expect much intelligence 

 from animals so housed? 



But with those stables that have half -doors 

 opening on to the yard, directly we open them, 

 see how instantly every head is out ! Horses so 

 treated seldom shy when out. They become 

 accustomed to the ordinary sights which are the 

 accompaniment of association with man, such as 

 wheelbarrows, hay carts, motors, dogs, and bicycles, 

 etc., etc. Animals accustomed to such sights and 

 sounds will not shy at a heap of stones on the road- 

 side, or even a motor-lorry when one comes along. 

 It is, after all, only a matter of common sense, 

 and yet how many expensively built stables have 

 been erected where these principles are either over- 

 looked or disregarded. Even in those stables so 

 built, the stud groom often insists on keeping the 

 doors shut, for fear his horses should lose the bloom 

 on their coats. And yet, it is of such importance 



