PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING FEAR. 



IF you start right, there is but little trouble in making a 

 colt or horse entirely indifferent to any of the ordinary 

 causes of fear. The main point is not to force the object 

 or sound too quickly or suddenly upon the attention when 

 you touch the quarters, and let the shafts upon the hind 

 parts, as explained at the commencement, on page 37. He 

 was first so disabled, and the reason so thrown out of 

 balance, that all this could be done with perfect success in 

 a few minutes. If, however, the colt is of a quick, nervous 

 character, but little force is necessary, simply bringing the 

 objects to notice as slowly as you can. Whatever is very 

 unusual attracts the attention quickest. If you happened 

 to drive by a house on a road not much travelled, every 

 one in the house would crowd to the window to see you. 

 In a city a crowd may pass without notice, because of 

 common and familiar occurrence. Horses used around a 

 depot, in the midst of moving trains, for a short time, will 

 soon cease to notice the noise and excitement of the en- 

 gines and cars ; while a horse not accustomed to them, 

 when driven unexpectedly near them, would be excited to 

 great fear of them. I was present once when four horses, 

 entirely unaccustomed to the noise of a band, were at- 

 tached to a band-wagon : the first note and tap of the 

 drum excited them almost beyond control. I directed the 

 band to get ten rods behind and commence playing very 

 lightly, gradually coming nearer and playing stronger 

 until they came up to the wagon. I now had them get in, 

 and directed them to commence as lightly as they could, 

 and gradually increase. In ten minutes the band could 

 play with entire freedom, without the horses caring any 

 thing for the noise and excitement. If the band had 

 struck into playing quickly and unexpectedly, as usual, at 



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