106 Vices. 



into real danger ; for he cannot see where he is 

 going, nor what he may run against. Pulling in 

 the rein, therefore, on the side from which the 

 horse shies, is. improper ; it should rather be slack- 

 ened and the horse's head turned away from the 

 object which terrifies him. By this mode, a triple 

 advantage is gained : in the first place, the horse's 

 attention is diverted to other things ; secondly, — 

 the dreaded object loses half its terror when he 

 finds no intention manifested on the rider's part to 

 force him nearer to it ; and, lastly, — he is enabled 

 to see, and, consequently, avoid any danger in 

 front, or on the other side of him. 



A horse may be coaxed and encouraged to go 

 up to the object that alarms him ; and, if the rider 

 succeed in making him approach it, a beneficial 

 effect will be produced: the horse will discover 

 that his fears were groundless, and be less likely 

 to start again from any similar cause. After the 

 first impulse of terror has subsided, the animal, if 

 properly managed, will even manifest an inclina- 

 tion to approach and examine the object that 

 alarmed him : but, while he is so doing, the rider 

 must be on her guard ; for the least movement, or 

 timidity, on her part, — the rustling of a leaf, or 

 the passing of a shadow, — will, in all probability, 



