A ROBE. 139 



the other way, or ltfad quietly as you can, ordering the engine to be 

 stopped if necessary. These precautions should be taken with any 

 peculiar object when met ; if not, your horse is liable to become 

 so reckless as to resist control and be spoiled. You cannot afford 

 to take the risk, and no man who has any regard for his family 

 should undertake it. 



Many horses comparatively safe are liable to be frightened by 

 suddenly meeting a drove of sheep, load of hay, white cow, sprink- 

 ling wagon, etc. For safety, it is better for a few times to get out 

 and take the horse by the head and hold or lead him in part. Par- 

 ticular care should be taken not to expose him to the sudden meet- 

 ing of a brass band and drums or anything of the kind. If he is a 

 crazy-headed fellow that seems , all right until he sees something 

 and then loses his senses, lunging into the fence, or turning 

 around quickly, there is so much danger of being upset that unless 

 there is certainty of making him thoroughly safe, he should be. con- 

 demned for such use. If he will keep well up to the bit, there 

 should be no trouble in preventing his going sideways by either the 

 Breaking Bit or Patent Bridle. 



The Bit gives power in but two ways, — sideways and ahead ; so 

 if the horse will not go against it and runs back when suddenly 

 frightened, or turns around quickly, there is practically but very lit- 

 tle power to prevent it, except what can be done with the whip and 

 speaking sharply. Hence the great danger and imprudence of us- 

 ing such horses for single carriage driving. 



A Robe. 



The sight of a buffalo robe will sometimes excite great fear in a 

 horse. 1° ordinary cases the fear of it can be easily overcome as 

 follows : While holding the horse by a halter or War Bridle, which 

 would be better, stand on the off side of the head, and bring the 

 robe up to the right side, so that he can see and smell bf it. If this 

 > is borne, with a quick jerk-like movement swing it over the head, 

 covering it completely, and go around with him, keeping on either 

 side of the head -until he will stop and stand quietly. The first 

 movement determines the success or failure of the experiment. 

 "The point is to get it over the head so quickly that the horse can- 

 not see the movement, when the terror of it will almost immediately 

 subside. Then draw it backward and forward, finally pulling it off 

 and throwing it on, and so repeat until it can be thrown over the 

 body or around the horse in any mariner. 



If there is failure by this method, which is something of a 



