124 THE STUD. 



face, no chance of his missing his aim, and when 

 once he has got hold, it is sometimes no easy- 

 matter to get released from his grip. The horse 

 that merely gives us a transient pinch when being 

 dressed is no biter, it is like the playful blow a 

 person might give if we tickled him ; in fact, an 

 almost involuntary act. But the real biter means 

 savaging us, and, if he gets us down, will often 

 use his fore feet as well as his teeth. I have no 

 hesitation in saying, a determined biter exhibits, 

 in a hundred fold, more determined vice than the 

 horse who throws out on being approached. 

 Biting shows determined hate (probably, I allow, 

 with good reason on his side). Kicking at us 

 often proceeds from fear or nervousness. 



Xo kindness, or its reverse, severity, ever, I 

 firmly believe, has, or ever will, eradicate the de- 

 testable trick of biting ; for I am quite sure it 

 originates and is carried on from a hatred of 

 mankind, that is, speaking of them in general 

 terms. As some proof of this, and that it is not 

 as in the case of a horse biting^ while somethinor 

 is done to him, as dressing, girthing, &c., look 

 at a race-horse ; many of these a trainer dare 

 not approach, unless the lad who has the care of 

 the horse has put him up to the rack chain. This 

 same horse permits the boy to go under his belly, 

 to save the time of going round him ; the boy 

 gets into the mano-er to be able to reach the head 



