242 BALKING. 



confused and excited, the habit of balking is begun. 

 Hence we see that this habit is purely acquired, the same 

 as kicking and other habits, for which there can hardly be 

 a reasonable excuse. 



Balking horses are of two kinds : Double balkers and 

 single balkers. Balkers in single harness are divided into 

 two classes : First, horses that sulkily refuse to go at all ; 

 second, those that will not pull unless given their own 

 way. The mule and ox, and horses having similarly pa- 

 tient, cold-blooded natures, have little inclination to this 

 habit, while nervous, warm-blooded, fine-grained horses are 

 easily taught the habit. 



In teaching a colt to drive without balking, let him go 

 slowly at first and as he pleases. There should be suffi- 

 cient room so as not to require short turns ; as pulling 

 short around before learning to rein is liable to confuse and 

 irritate him to balk. If there appears any inclination to 

 stop, or if he refuses to go, the driver should sit quietly in 

 the wagon, fix the harness, or do anything to take up time 

 until the horse gets over his fret. If he does not feel sure 

 of his going, let him get out and move the colt a little to 

 the right or left, speak to him kindly, and it is rarely that 

 he will not move off without knowing that he has balked. 

 If he has an irritable disposition, and appears unwilling to 

 stand, particular care should be taken to teach him thor- 

 oughly the lesson of stopping and starting, as described 

 under the head of Colt Training. If the habit is only par- 

 tially learned, and especially if the colt is of a warm- 

 blooded nature, it is by all means advisable to win him out 

 of the habit by kind treatment, if possible. I will illus- 

 trate by referring to a peculiar case in my early expe- 

 rience : 



When in Myersburg, Pa., referred to in " Personal Ex- 

 perience," I often traded horses, and not unfrequently got 



