MANAGEMENT OF BALKV HORSES. 49 



them ; it will make tliem a little more kind, and the 

 spectators will think you are doing something that 

 they do not understand, and will not learn the secret. 

 When you have them ready to start, stand before 

 them, and as you seldom have but one balky hoHse 

 in a team, get as near in front of him as you can, 

 and if he is too fast for the other horse, let his nose 

 come against your breast ; this will keep him^teady, 

 for he will go slow rather than run on you ; turn 

 them gently to the right, with the wagon ; have it 

 stand in a favorable position for starting out, letting 

 them pull on the traces as far as the tongue will let 

 them go ; stop them with a kind word, gentle them 

 a little, and turn them back to the left, by the same 

 process. You will have them under your control by 

 this time, and as you turn them again to the right, 

 steady them in the collar, and you can take them 

 where you please. 



There is a quicker process that will generally 

 start a balky horse, but not so sure. Stand him a 

 little ahead, so that his shoulder will be against the 

 collar, and then take up one of his fore feet in your 

 hand, and let the driver start them, and when the 

 weight comes against his shoulders, he will try to 

 stop — then let him have his foot, and he will go 

 right along. If you want to break a horse from 

 balking that has long been in that habit, you ought 

 to set a day apart for that purpose. Put him by 

 the side of some steady horse ; have check lines on 

 them ; tie up all the traces and straps, so that there 

 will be nothino^ to excite them ; do not rein them 



