MANAGEMENT OF ROAD AND DRIVING HORSES. 269 



young to compete favorably with their older and heavier com- 

 petitors ; that, while they might be able to draw the load up 

 the hill, they could not possibly be expected to back it a single 

 inch. 



When all was ready I gave them the word and they, at 

 once, started together, settling into their yoke, and took the 

 load up the hill and around to the backing place just as well as 

 any team had been able to do. Again the murmur ran through 

 the crowd : " Dimon did very well at pulling, but he can't ex- 

 pect them to move that load backwards; they haven't the 

 'heft 'for it." 



So, again, when all was ready, all I had to do was to raise 

 my whip before them and give them just one word, " Back ! " 

 Back they went, almost backing over three or four men who 

 stood in their way behind the cart. The murmur of the crowd 

 turned into a shout. They cried : " This is the only backing 

 we have had to-day." 



In this exhibition I only made use of the two words,. 

 " Come " and " Back." I did not strike them a lick with my 

 whip. It was a case where I had done all of my training and 

 necessary whipping at home, and the cattle already knew what 

 to do and what to expect if they failed to do what was told 

 them. 



Then, in training horses, as well as steers, whether for ex- 

 hibition or use, first teach them thoroughly just what you want 

 them to do ; and then it may be time to teach them what to 

 expect in case of failure to perform what they are capable of 

 doing. 



In driving long distances on the road I only feed at morn- 

 ing, at noon, and at night. Some think that after a fifteen or 

 twenty mile drive a horse should be stopped and fed, no mat- 

 ter what the time of day ; I cannot agree with them. Feed 

 regularly in this work just the same as in other work. Of 

 course, if a horse is pulled out of a stable at midnight and 

 starts off on an empty stomach, it cannot be expected that he 

 will not need feeding again until noon ; that would be too 



