154 



KICKING. 



horse to kick up, he were so gentle and fearless that he 

 could not by any ordinary means be made to do so, it 

 would be necessary to use such means as would excite and 



irritate him to kick, when he could 

 be easily confirmed in the habit. On 

 the same principle, if the horse is a 

 very determined kicker, then an ef- 

 fort should be made to overcome the 

 sensibility which is the cause of the 

 kicking, until there is no inclination 

 to repeat it. This can easily be done 

 by either one, or by a combination, 

 of the Methods of Subjection given. 

 To illustrate: I had a pony that I 

 wished to teach to throw boys. As 

 a preliminary to teaching him this trick, it was necessary 

 to make him kick up promptly at command. The simplest 

 way of teaching this trick is to prick lightly on the rump 

 with a pin, and when the hind parts are thrown up a little, 

 caress, and repeat until simply 

 touching the part causes the horse 



FIG. 124. A little doubtful. 



FIG. 125. Points of good character. FIG. 126. 



to kick up. But this pony was so gentle that sticking 

 the pin into his rump would not excite the least motion 

 toward kicking. The only alternative now was to make 

 the parts sufficiently sensitive to start him in the trick. 



