98 HORSE-BREAiaNG. 



hand, but if you see that by so doing you run 

 the danger of the animal rolKng over or striking 

 you, you must let them loose, and if you are 

 quickly on your legs again you may regain 

 them before the horse has recovered himself; 

 but if not, it is far better to have a run to catch 

 yoiu" steed than undergo the chance of being 

 crushed or maimed by him. 



High-couraged generous horses are apt to 

 go faster and do more work than they should ; 

 therefore they should be kept in check, or their 

 eagerness to do their work will not keep pace 

 with their strength and endurance. On the 

 contrary, sluggish animals require a great deal 

 of work to make them fit to gallop, and they 

 also must be roused up from time to time. 



Although I feel it is not within the province 

 of this little volume, I wish to draw the atten- 

 tion of my readers to the malpractice of washing 

 horses' legs and feet, and also of ' stopping ' the 

 feet. When washing horses' legs you are almost 

 sure not to dry them thoroughly, thereby indu- 

 cing cracked heels and the so-called ' mud fever ; ' 



