GENERAL ADVICE. 



You should first take a general look at the horse you de- 

 sire to treat, and get as good an understanding as you can of 

 the disposition and character. Keep in mind next that the 

 horse does not know what you want to do with him, and that 

 he is, in his possible resistance, only acting out the natural 

 impulses of his nature for protection. His impression is that 

 you are an enemy. You must prove to him that you are a 

 protector and friend. Imagine yourself in his place, and how 

 you would act if hurt, abused, and frightened, and that you 

 could not understand what was said to you. Do not, as 

 many seem to do, jump at the conclusion that a horse must 

 know what you say to him, and that if he does not obey you, 

 you will make him do so, with the whip or something else. 

 What would you think of a teacher, who, without trying to 

 explain and simplify the lesson so that it could be compre- 

 URided, should punish and abuse for not doing what the 

 child could not understand? Imagine the colt a child of 

 another form. Now, the worst thing you can do is to 

 get the child afraid and confused; for then, while depriv- 

 ing of conditions reasonably necessary to learn, the bad part 

 of the nature is excited by fear and hostility, which, at the very 

 start, must throw the mind and feelings all out of harmonious 

 action to work well. When confused and excited, the colt, 

 or grown horse, acts in the same way. Now, you must aim 

 to guard as much as you can against this sort of confusion 

 and excitement when you take a horse in hand. You must 

 see plainly that a nervous, sensitive horse cannot be handled 

 as roughly as, or bear the excitement that, a cold-blooded one 

 will. A quick, nervous, excitable colt, for example, would 

 be likely to be ruined by a few cuts of the whip, or doing 

 any thing that would greatly excite the fears. This class 

 must be handled delicately, firmly, and patiently. 

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