CHAPTER XV. 



Vices and Dangerous Habits of the Horse. 



The horse is an animal of a noble and generous dis- 

 position, and naturally possessed of few vices, although 

 he is occasionally met with having a bad and even 

 furious temper, and, as may be expected, manifests 

 great variety of natural habit. His vices, however, 

 are too often attributable to the effects of improper 

 training, and to tricks which he is taught by the bad 

 treatment and folly of his groom or keeper. 



The first breaking-in of the horse should only be 

 entrusted to persons of mild dispositions, as it is by 

 kind and patient treatment alone that we can hope to 

 succeed in rendering this valuable animal truly useful 

 and docile. I have no doubt but in nine cases out of 

 ten, where horses exhibit furious or stubborn tempers, 

 that these have been produced from the cruelty and 

 ignorance of their first trainers. 



RESTIVENESS. 



The most unpleasant and dangerous of all vices 

 possessed by the horse is that of restiveness. Some- 

 times this proceeds from a naturally bad temper, and 

 at others from faultiness in education. This term 

 includes plunging, rearing, kicking, bolting, and 

 general impatience while mounting. A horse with any 

 of the above faults can never be depended upon, for, 



