66 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



horse is to arouse in his fooHsh brain terror ; his one- 

 ideaed mind cannot grasp the two details of your ac- 

 tions and your words. The former he finally compre- 

 hends by their physical effect upon himself ; the latter 

 he never understands at all, although the tone as an 

 accompaniment and eifect oi a gesture he learns to 

 interpret. The two words you do employ should 

 never mean but one thing, and should receive 

 implicit obedience. " Whoa " means stop — slide, 

 fall, or stumble, perhaps, but stop dead, and stand 

 still. " C'lk," at once to proceed at a pace regulated 

 by the feeling of the hand upon the mouth. The 

 man who is eternally " Steady, old man," " Whoa- 

 boy," or " P-weep-p-p-ing " to his horse is an 

 infernal nuisance and a menace to every one within 

 hearing, for he is driving every other horse in his 

 neighbourhood, and spoiling the manners of his own. 

 Gag yourself if you can't prevent this obnoxious 

 habit — or buy an automobile. " Back ! " may be 

 included as a third order, perhaps, though by 

 no means as necessary as the other two, and, given 

 an animal who instantly obeys all three commands. 



