avery's own farrier. 195 



as a part of our duty), to find out our superiority over 

 the animal creation in this respect for ourselves. 



In order to have perfect control over the horse, and 

 govern him properly at all times (instead of being 

 governed), there is one thing highly necessary. In the 

 first place we must learn to govern ourselves, that is, 

 govern our passions, and never lose our presence of mind 

 througli fear, nor allow ourselves to fly into a passion, or 

 get excited on any account whatever, nor chastise the 

 horse in anger any sooner than you would a child. He 

 that does this well wnll seldom, if ever, be compelled to 

 whip either with the rod. He will soon learn that there 

 is a nobler w^ay to accomplish his purpose, which con- 

 sists in the superiority of mind and reason that he 

 holds over him (which is the gift of God), and when 

 fully developed and used for this purpose, with the means 

 hereinafter mentioned, will be more than suflficient to 

 govern this noble animal. Fear (in one sense of the 

 word) is the absence of reason, therefore to rid ourselves 

 of fear let us exercise what reason we have given us. A 

 person may give way to fear and work himself into such 

 an excited state of mind as to dethrone reason altogether, 

 and then become a perfect maniac. Many a one has lost 

 his life, or even died through fear alone. 



All horses are susceptible of receiving more or less 

 knowledge, according to their individual organization; 

 and the higher mettled, or the more ambitious a horse is, 

 the easier he will learn when the law of kindness is ap- 

 plied, ?nd the harder it is to subdue him by brute force. 

 A careful observer can readily tell a horse that will learn 

 easily by his phrenological development, or the degree 



