50 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



be preferred to the absolutely silent vehicle, and an 

 ideal " school " would contain elevated roads, auto- 

 mobiles, pile-drivers, brass bands, and steam drills. 

 A horse fears everything which is strange — nothing 

 to which he is accustomed. The sleepy artillery 

 horse, indifferent to cannon firing in his face, runs 

 away at sight of a flapping apron. Therefore, let the 

 pupil be arrayed in all sorts of fantastic trappings, 

 wearing them at first in his box and then outside, 

 until he absolutely fears no combination. The writer 

 once won some very " easy money " by driving a 

 yearling a mile and back over a country road, the 

 youngster drawing the gig by his tail, and holding 

 it back by his bare hind quarters. Any colt will do 

 the same if you teach him, and, no matter how un- 

 comfortable, he will acquiesce if he has been taught 

 (as this one had) that he would not be hurt, and 

 that he could not help himself. 



When first taken outdoors, he is to be led about by 

 his halter-shank (with all the harness and loose ends 

 on him), and brought back every few minutes to 

 the starting-point, where he is to be partially unhar- 



