The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



siiiff will assuredly be followed by another and 

 no doubt a snort. The great art is to keep 

 most perfectly still. The next touch will be 

 a little bolder, with quite a good smell of your 

 hand. After two or three smells, very slowly 

 put your arm down by your side. You have 

 got a friend now, and the friend's nose will be 

 stretched out hesitatingly, as one who does 

 not quite know how the polite attention will be 

 received, just to touch your sleeve about the 

 elbow. Encourage all his enquiries, and let him 

 smell you wherever he likes — ^he won't hurt you. 



Then, on one of his absences, slowly stand 

 up. This is a new phase to the wild horse, at 

 which he is a little alarmed, and all that you 

 did sitting down will have to be done over 

 again. It is curious how quickly a horse gets 

 confidence if all goes right, so the repetition, 

 standing, wdll take much less time, and at the 

 end you will find yourself able to take little 

 hberties with him, such as stroking his nose ; 

 first, with a wisp of hay, which he will try to 

 eat, and then, with your fingers. None of 

 this time is being wasted. These things are 

 not trivialities. You are awaking in the horse 

 an interest in yourself personally, and confi- 

 dence that all these strange things you are 

 doing are meant friendly, and that in no case 

 will he be hurt. 



Then for a while pay him no attention at all. 

 Put a headstall on the old horse, tie him up 



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