TRAINING VICIOUS HORSES. 249 



BITING HOESES. 



Horses have been successfully cured of this vice while in 

 harness, by putting a piece of hard wood an inch and a half 

 square into the animal's mouth, about the same length of an 

 ordinary snalfle bit. It may be fastened by a thong of leather 

 passed through holes in each end of the wood and secured to 

 the bridle. It must be used in addition to the bit, but in no 

 way to impede the working of the bit. 



Karey adopted this plan with the zebra in the Zoo, who was 

 a terrible brute at biting. Mr. Earey succeeded, however, in 

 taming and training him to harness and drove him through the 

 streets of London. Animals with this vice should be treated 

 kindly in the stable, and not abused with pitchforks, whip, etc. 

 An apple, carrot, or even a piece of bread, soothing language, 

 and a kind pat, but a firm, watchful eye and hand, with the use 

 of the above wooden bit will usually cure the most inveterate 

 biter. The fact that he cannot shut his mouth so as to grip 

 anything while wearing the bit, soon dawns upon him that he 

 is conquered. 



Jennings cites a case where he cured a horse of this habit 

 by putting something like a war bridle on him and tying the 

 same to his tail in such a manner as to cause him to go around 

 in a circle if moving at all, and then, with a whip, keeping him 

 at it with occasional let-ups until subjugated and cured. 



To shoe a kicking horse connect the head and tail by means 

 of a small rope securely fastened to the tail and then to the bit 

 and drawn tightly enough to incline the animal's head to one 

 side. This, it is said, makes it absolutely impossible for the 

 horse to kick over the side of the rope. 



Another way of subduing a horse that is vicious to shoe is 

 to take a cord about the size of a common clothes-line, put it in 

 the mouth of the horse like a bit, and tie it tightly on the ani- 

 mal's head, passing one ear under the cord, not painfully tight, 

 but tight enough to keep the ear down and the cord in place. 

 The Indian war bridle may do as well. Always be as gentle 



