200 CONFESSIONS OP A HORSE DEALEB. 



ling and kind treatment, and turning their face gradually 

 in the direction of the dreaded object, and letting them 

 stand to thoroughly examine it before they approach, 

 the rider will, by the exercise of a little patience, finally 

 succeed in bringing their noses close up to it. 



The rider or driver should always feel friendly dis- 

 posed towards a timid horse, and, above all things, avoid 

 a quarrel with him, though, at the same time, he should 

 be firm and decided in exacting from the colt a ready 

 obedience to his wishes, after he is convinced that these 

 wishes are properly understood, by the application of 

 the proper aids or signals; but this may be effected 

 without fighting with him which, I may say, is the 

 common remedy : for instance, if a horse or colt sud- 

 denly turn round, as above described, he may be pre- 

 vented from proceeding in a contrary direction without 

 the application of whip or spur, for these instruments of 

 torture should never be applied, except in cases of con- 

 firmed vice or wilful disobedience, which is rarely prac- 

 tised by a colt, and the really good horseman can always 

 distinguish vice from timidity, even the first time of 

 riding the animal. 



Nothing is so common with persons who are ignorant 

 of a horse's nature, and destitute of common sense or 

 feeling (providing they have the power to sit a horse), 

 as when he turns round from fear, to commence shaking 

 their arms, head, and shoulders about, and exclaim, 

 "Oh, that's your game, is it?" or some such expression, 

 and dashing their spurs into his quivering flanks, chal- 



