STANDING tJNHtTCHED. 231 



Standing; without being Hitched. 



It is sometimes quite important to have a horse stand without 

 being hitched, as there may- be no hitching-pdst at hand. This can 

 be done in two ways : First, by buckling one e,nd of a strap around 

 the foot below the fetlock, and the other end to the cross-piece of 

 the shafts, just short enough to hold the foot in a perpendicular po- 



Fib. 278.— Taking up the Colt's Foot while Tied— One ol the Tests in Determining 



his Submission. 



sition. When the horse tries to step, being unable to carry the foot 

 forward, he is rendered helpless. It is always advisable to try a 

 horse before leaving him in this way, as it is barely possible he may 

 lunge forward upon three legs if badly frightened ; but only wild, 

 impulsive fellows are liable to do this. Another' way is to simply 

 tie the fore legs together, as seen in the cut. This method is spe- 

 cially valuable in making saddle-horses stand without being hitched. 

 It is also important to be able to hitch a horse to a tree or 

 smooth post in such a manner as to prevent the cord from slipping 

 down. I give an illustration of a method for doing this, which is so 

 plain that it does not need any further description. 



