BREAKING HORSES, ETC. 



RUNNING A^W^AY. 



This habit may be induced by a great variety of causes — 

 principally by becoming frightened in some way, though 

 often by the horse learning to pull against the bit so hard as 

 to defy control, and therefore at the least cause of irritation 

 disposed to pull ahead and run away. When actuated by 

 fear, the resistance is usually so sudden and violent as to 

 induce a degree of resistance to the restraint of the bit we 

 (lave not power to prevent or control. Some-times, too, 

 the horse will spring sidewise, or turn around in doing this, 

 and will so learn the trick that at the least excitement he 

 will spring into a sharp run. All this resistance, it is seen, 

 results from defective training of the mouth, and is virtu- 

 ally surmounted when able to force so great a degree of 

 control by the bit as to break up all disposition to resist 

 restraint when excited. 



Running away is a very serious and dangerous habit, and 

 all such predisposition should be thoroughly broken up 

 when manifested. If very bad, tone down resistance by 

 subjecting the animal to a course of subjection; after which 

 put on the breaking bit and force the most thorough sub- 

 mission to the slightest restraint of the reins. 



Let this be very thoroughly done. Then hitch to wagon, 

 making the horse stop whenever called upon or pulled upon 

 by the reins, until there is no disposition •to resist, though 

 subjected to the greatest excitement, as there is once in a 

 while a horse that will try with all the courage and pluck of 

 desperation to run away after once learning the habit, and 

 it is so important that the greatest docility and submission 

 of the animal is in this position secured by the control of 

 the bit. I will allude more especially to the details neces- 

 sary to success. After the animal submits to the primary 

 course of subjection and control by the bit is attempted, 



