THE PONt; 



cannon-sliot, because in the hedge beside him a wren has just 

 hopped from one twig to another, nearly an inch." 



There are, however, no good grounds for the insinuation 

 conveyed in the above paragraph, that shying is a mere wanton 

 freak, and indulged in by the animal as an amusement to 

 b^uile the tedium of a journey. It is no uncommon thing foi 

 horses to do themselves painful and serious injuries in these 

 sadden paroxysms of fear ; and though the brute kind have 

 been known to find pleasure in inflicting pain on others, there 

 are few recorded instances of on animal hurting itself for the 

 fun of the thing. Besides, any one ever astride a nervous 

 quadruped can answer for the involuntary thrill that stirs the 

 creature's frame when alarmed by suddenly encountering an 

 object it cannot understand. 



But what is the course usually adopted by the rider of a 

 shy quadruped ? It sees a white post, a heap of stones, or a 

 scrap of laundry work bleaching on a hedge, and its distorted 

 vision makes of it something more monstrous perhaps than we 

 have any conception. It starts back to avoid the monster, 

 and is anxious to go in any direction but that where it lies. 

 To parley over such a ridiculous matter with a senseless horse 

 is unbecoming the reasoning being on its back, so the reasoning 

 being lashes his beast or goads it with his spurs, and after a 

 struggle more or less severe the poor animal is compelled to 

 pass the terrible object ; once past it, it no longer objects to 

 the road before it ; on the contraiy, it is only too eager to put 

 a long distance between itself and the dreadful thing that 

 frightened it. But is it cured of shying ? — wiU it not, should it 

 come again along that road, even a month afterwards, look out 

 nervously for the hobgoblin that so alarmed it, and — ^if it be 

 a sensible brute it has a perfect right to infer — so alarmed yov,, 

 or why all the fume and fuss and flogging ? 



Various cures for the unpleasant propensity have been 

 recommended, but the most feasible is that of Sir J. B. Head. 



" The effective cure for aU these symptoms of exuberant pent- 

 up spirits, is a long steady hand-gallop up and down hill 

 across rather deep country. Before, however, this opportunity 

 offers, man can offer to the brute beneath him a more reason- 

 able remedy. The instant that a horse sees, at a short distance 

 before him, say a heap of stones, at which he pretends to' be, 

 or really is, afraid, instead of forcing him on he should bo 

 allowed, or, if it be necessary, forced to stop, not only till ha 

 has ceased to fear it, but until, dead tired of looking at it, he 

 48 "» 



