HOKSES AND HOUNDS. 23 



yoimg liorse "setup his back," as the term is, and refused to 

 proceed, he was held in that position with the lad on his back, 

 and there kept standing for half an hour or more, until he was 

 too glad to walk quietly on, when required. A gentleman in 

 our neighbourhood having purchased a very fine carriage horse, 

 at a high price, was not a little annoyed, upon trial, to find that 

 he would not pull an ounce, and when the whip was applied, 

 he began plunging and kicking. After one or two trials the 

 coachman declared he could do nothing with him, and our 

 neighbour, meeting my father, expressed his grievances at being 

 thus taken in, and asked what he had better do. The reply 

 was " Send the horse to me to-morrow morning, and I will 

 return him a good puller within a week." The horse being 

 brought, was put into the shafts of a wagon, in a field, with the 

 hind wheels tied, and being reined up so that he could not get 

 his head between his legs, was there left, with a man to watch 

 him for five or six hours, and, of course, without any food. 

 When my father thought he had enough of standing still, he 

 went up to him with a handful of sweet hay, let down the bear- 

 ing rein, and had the wheels of the wagon released. After 

 patting the horse on the neck, when he had taken a mouthful or 

 two of hay, he took hold of the bridle and led him away — the 

 wagon followed — thus proving stratagem to be better than force. 

 Another lesson was scarcely required, but, to make sure, it was 

 repeated, and, after that, the horse was sent back to the owner. 

 There was no complaint ever made of his jibbing again. The 

 wagon to which he was attached was both light and empty, 

 and the ground inclined rather towards the stable. 



It is scarcely necessary to mention the fact, but young draught 

 horses should never have a heavy load behind them until they 

 are well accustomed to the collar, and have their necks har- 

 dened to its use. Almost all young horses, except those only of 

 very tender mouths, require to be ridden with a curb as well as 

 a snafile bit, the first season. In crossing country they require 

 to be held in hand and assisted at their leaps. The silken 

 thread is all very well for made horses, who know their business, 

 but if a young horse is left to himself over heavy land, or at 

 awkward fences, he will be soon all abroad, and his rider and 

 himself on the ground or in the ditch. Horses should be put 

 quietly at their fences, being pulled up into a trot before coming 

 to them. When hunters rush at their leaps, it is a sure sign 

 they have been badly educated, and ridden by men who have 

 not the courage or patience to do things quietly. To pull a 

 rushing horse up at his fence would be to ensure a rattling fall, 

 and he can only be gradually broken in from this bad habit.. 



