120 GENERAL ADVICE. 



this colt, and driving him in the time named. He was 

 driven in the street the next day, perfectly gentle. A week 

 afterwards Mr. Stevens informed me that he was all right ; 

 and when he saw the colt driven gently, he laughed, say- 

 ing he gave it up ; that it seemed incredible that I could 

 do it. The point of surprise to him, as to all others, is, that 

 such horses will submit so easily and quickly. Had I 

 excited this horse in the least, it would have been impos- 

 sible for me to put him in shafts safely : instead, I held 

 him by passive treatment until I got his confidence, and 

 could reason with him, when he worked in smoothly and 

 as easily as any colt I ever handled, driving him without 

 breeching, and allowing the cross-piece to come against 

 the quarters, &c. Now, a cold-blooded horse would bear 

 a great deal of exciting force and work in all right, while 

 any treatment that would irritate the other would precipi- 

 tate the most reckless into resistance ; hence the trouble. 



A very nervous, high-strung balker, for example, a horse 

 that will not stand, and if not given his own way is irrita- 

 ble and ugly, but otherwise a gentle worker. You must 

 work upon such slowly and carefully ; passive treatment, 

 followed by double hitch and war-bridle : the main point 

 is to exhibit all the power you can, avoiding excitement, 

 and afterwards working gently, going over your ground 

 slowly, constantly winning and flattering by rewards of 

 apple, &c. This temperament, when trained in balk- 

 ing, or will not stand, sets and fixes very slowly in new 

 habits : they are impulsive, inclined to the habit when 

 irritated and excited. A condition of great success is 

 guarding against this, and winning the better nature into 

 harmony with your efforts : consequently you must go 

 slowly, making what you want done habitual by practice 

 and kindness, until you are confident the horse will con- 

 tinue obedient. If it is to stand after a sharp lesson, to 

 show your power, go to the head, give apples or something 

 else of which fond, stopping and starting, and rewarding 

 carefully at each repetition, going farther and farther back, 

 until you can get in and out of the wagon, and hold your 

 point by the attention and confidence you have inspired. 

 You will remember that hitting and jerking a delicate 

 horse of this kind would undo very quickly a great deal of 



