396 IRRITATION. 



was thought a more safe place than a stall from there 

 behig more room. A plain round (not open) collar 

 is put on, taking care it is full small for his head, so 

 that there may be plenty of shoving to get it over his 

 eyes. Nine horses out of ten are alarmed at a halter 

 being passed over their head for the first time, even if 

 it is gently done : wliat must one be Avhen his eyes 

 are really hurt by a tight collar ? The horse naturally 

 runs back to avoid it, probably against some obstacle 

 behind him, and thus he is twice friixhtened in the 

 onset. The owner probably ventures to remark, " That 

 collar seems rather small for my horse, does it not ? " 

 — " Oh dear no, Sir ; if it was larger it might scald 

 his shoulder : large collars always are sure to do it." 

 This is true enough, but open ones can be buckled to 

 any size (the owner perhaps never saw one) : so, after 

 the horse has been shoved about sufficiently, the collar 

 is got on. Then, instead of putting on his winker- 

 bridle to prevent his seeing the harness about to be 

 put on him, his halter only remains : my life on it he 

 shies at the harness. He is then well halloo'd at for 

 this, and of course more frightened by that. He is now 

 restless and on the qui vive, watching every movement. 

 " He'll be a rummish customer, I can see," says one of 

 the fellows : and now, to show they all think so, the 

 bridle is put on, curbed tight, the harness brought, 

 and, instead of being gently laid, is thrown suddenly 

 on his back : this of course produces a plunge : the 

 man at his head cannot suffer himself to be knocked 

 down and run over — {Mem. all the better if he was) — 

 so he gives the horse two or three severe chucks back 

 with a tightly-curbed powerful bit : back goes the 

 unfortunate horse, hits something again behind him, 

 again rushes forward, when he gets again punished for 



