114 STABLE MANUAL AND HOKSE DOCTOR 



correct him of this is not to force him up to them, but to 

 pat him and soothe him ; avoid beating, and take care to 

 pass the objects of his fear again and again, always going 

 nearer to them every time you pass. This will familiarise 

 him to them. Seeing that these are harmless, he will soon 

 learn to pass by unnoticed any novel object which he may 

 meet with upon a road. 



When an animal is given to shying from defective sight, 

 the only method to effect a cure is to take him up to it, and 

 in the act of doing so he must be coaxed to approach it, and 

 on no account must he be beaten ; and although it some- 

 times happens that the horse will manifest great reluctance 

 to do so, he should be persevered with, and not allowed to 

 proceed until he has seen closely and smelt at the object of 

 his fear. After he has been a few times thus treated, he 

 will soon learn to pass with indifference any object which 

 he may meet. Many of Rarey's remarks, already referred 

 to, may be remembered and applied w^th advantage. We 

 will take here an illustration, from Blaine's book, of the 

 principles laid down. 



" We once purchased," says that experienced veterinarian, 

 "a horse with an excellent character for steadiness, except 

 that he was always much alarmed at a passing carriage, 

 whether it was coming towards or overtaking him. A tilted 

 waggon or a stage-coach on the approach were such objects of 

 dread as no power could get him to face. We knew it would 

 be in vain to oppose human physical force to brute fears, 

 and that it was only by introducing favourable recollections 

 derived from those very objects greater in degree than the 

 fears hitherto entertained of them, that we could conquer 

 this dangerous propensity. We began by leading the horse, 

 previously exercised and fasted, towards a cart filled with 

 clover hay ; the smell of the hay was irresistible, and 

 soon dissipated all dread of the stationary cart ; but when 

 it was purposely moved gently onwards, he became rather 

 discomposed ; a little coaxing, however, induced him to 

 follow it, and we had the pleasure, at this his first lesson, of 

 seeing him proceed confidently with the cart round a farm- 

 yard, and finally into the road. To vary the effect, after he 

 had steadily walked by the side of the carriage a certain 

 time, we restrained him, so that it got ahead of him ; when 

 he again reached it, slight indications of fear appeared as he 

 had to make his way up to the side of the cart, for we had a 



