86 EFFECT OF KINDNESS. 



EFFECT OF KINDNESS. 



The impression of kind treatment, gradually showing and 

 encouraging the animal to yield obedience, is certainly very 

 effective, when carried out well in practice. During my 

 early experience I traded horses very often. In this way I 

 became the owner of a pony mare, eight years old. She 

 proved balky, and on inquiry I learned that she had been 

 traded round for years, and had been owned by nearly all 

 the sharp jockeys in the country, being entirely unmanagea- 

 ble. She* would neither go down hill or move on a level in 

 harness. Neighbors advised me to prosecute for being im- 

 posed upon with such a good-for-nothing animal. Making 

 it a rule not to find fault if cheated, I declared myself 

 satisfied, and concluded to try what I could do with her. I 

 first filled my pockets with apples, led the mare to a secluded 

 piece of smooth, slightly descending road, hauling the 

 buggy by hand ; hitched her to the buggy, but did not urge 

 her to go; read a paper the better to show indifference. 



After a while she started on a run. To try to make her 

 go slow by pulling, would be equivalent to making her stop, 

 and so let her go until she wore off the sharp edge of her 

 ambition. I now gradually pulled her back, as I could see 

 she would bear, when I reached a descending piece of 

 ground, made her stop, got out of the wagon, talked gently, 

 gave her an apple, then moved forward a little, saying 

 "come Jennie," (her name,) gave her another apple, rub- 

 bing her Kead, as before, and so repeated, for about half an 

 hour. Then would get into the buggy and make her start ; 

 after going a few feet or rods making her stop, but always 

 getting out and rewarding her with an apple. The result 

 was, that Jennie soon not only would start and stop when 

 commanded, but became anxious to obey me. Drove her 

 home; treated her with the utmost kindness; next day 

 hitched her up gently; made her start and stop a few times 

 before getting into the buggy; got into the buggy; soon 

 made her stop, but rewarded her as before. The result was 

 that I soon could depend upon her starting and stopping 

 when commanded. Of course I carried this treatment from 

 a descending to an ascending grade, teaching the mare 

 gradually to use her strength. The result was that -she be- 

 came one of the most willing and pleasant little working 



