THE MIND OF THE HORSE 17 



Under tlie influence of tins excitability or ex- 

 cessive exnberance of spirits, he prances about 

 without paying attention to either direction or 

 distance and injures even the man who is friendly 

 to liim although he may have neither reason nor 

 intention to injm-e him. For this reason it is always 

 well not to trust him and to stand near the shoul- 

 der so as to oft'er less facility of being hurt. Even 

 when lame he may feel this i^hysical excitement, 

 and jump, and injure himself, and he should be 

 prevented from jumping by covering his eyes. 

 Owing to this restlessness he acquires stable vices 

 when in the stall, as it prompts him to kick and 

 bite, and he thus learns to know his own strength 

 and the weakness of man. 



There are horses who on passing through the 

 water feel an inclination to lie down in it. Oare 

 should be taken not to allow this when the horse 

 is mounted and the animal should be induced to 

 continue moving. Lying down on the ground and 

 rolling over is a thing often done by the horse 

 when at liberty and seems to be a reaction against 

 cold, perspiration and fatigue and a method of 

 giving the body a sort of electric shock. 



