34 



Not always is it the mouth which they are afraid of having hurt ; 

 often it is the back or hind legs, especially the hocks the over-exertion 

 and pain of -which they dread 



For the moment it is well to let them go a little but as a remedy 

 it is advisable to seareh for the causes and to institute a method which 

 gives back to the horse its confidence in the rider and alleviates pain. 



Undoubtedly the worst kind of horses which run away are those who 

 run away renitently. Animals which run away to avoid the de- 

 mands of the rider opposing the latter and which are determined to 

 carry out their own will. They have learned to assume positions of 

 head and neck which entirely nullify the action of the reins, by forcing 

 the hand, catching the bit etc., at ■which occasion twistings and contor. 

 tions of the neck are resorted to by the horse. 



In full possession of their senses and well able to stop or turn at 

 any moment, they run into a crowd of other horses, around an 

 obstacle or precipitate themselves upon the same or they run away home- 

 ward to their stable, folio wing their moods by running, as balky horses 

 follow their moods by stopping. 



When such horses have become experts in this kind of vice they do 

 not take the trouble to run away any longer but accomplish their 

 object when they have the "wrong kind of rider on their back in a trot 

 or finally even in a "walk. 



The first kind of runaways which act from "weakness, pain, or fear 

 must be considered as momentarily irresponsible and any kind of 

 punishment or running them against "walls etc., must be considered 

 cruelty. The latter kind are as hardened criminals, which must be re- 

 duced to submission by every mode of punishment. 



They require cool and determined riders "who through experience 

 have learned to choose the deciding moment and understand how to 

 meet the variety of opposition be it by complete release of the reins or 

 the energetic use of the spur, "with the hand at the same time firmly 

 resisting; either by sudden turning with one rein, by vigorous use of 

 the snaffle upward or finally by a decided jerk in the mouth. 



The guiding of a horse against a wall or an obstacle is sometimes a 

 successful correction. 



It is however difficult to determine how soon the horse will be ready 

 to stop or turn and the life of horse and man is therefore often at stake. 



"With such horses it is in some instances "well to urge them to go 

 a-new after they have tired and of them-selves begun to stop ; but care 

 must be taken, not to run them into pneumonia because they usually 

 give tip only after their breath has begun to fail them. 



There are horses, "which run away in a series of plunges ; they are 

 alternately pulling and behind the bit. 



Usually they are animals "with strength energy and an irritable 

 temperament, which resort to this mode of freeing themselves after 

 having been forced into painful positions and their patience has been 

 sorely tempted. 



