HOW THE HORSE LEARNS 189 



trary for some time the liabit of doing so must 

 be removed and replaced by that of not doing so. 



The time which is required to bring about 

 forgetfulness of the habit of performing an action 

 which is not desired is proportionate to the length 

 of the time the habit has lasted, and to the nature, 

 talent and goodwill of the individual horse. In the 

 old horse it is more difficult, and more time is 

 required to remove the habit of performing an 

 action than in a young one. To remove the bad 

 association coupled with an object in presence of 

 which he was beaten, or with the place in which 

 he was beaten, he must be led np to the object 

 or to the place, always caressing him, as many 

 times as are necessary to persuade him that in the 

 presence of the object or in that place instead of 

 bad treatment he receives caresses. 



If it is desired to break a horse of the habit 

 of performing a bad action the circumstances must 

 be known under which he acquired the vice of 

 performing it, and he must be placed under the 

 same circumstances anew and prevented from per- 

 forming the bad action under those circumstances. 



