88 



HINTS ON HORSES 



hunting season, and send him up warranted 

 for the sales at the beginning of the next 

 season. The difference in market price 



should cover your sale expenses, and quite 

 possibly, partially or completely, pay the 

 summer's forage bill. 



Tethering. 



To teach horses to stand on the veldt, 

 Boers throw the reins over their horses' heads, 

 and allow them to trail on the ground with 

 a weight attached. 



The horse is unable to drag this weight, 

 and is therefore practically tethered. 



By degrees the weight is reduced, and 

 eventually the horse learns to stand still as 

 soon as the reins are thrown over his head. 



The trainer who teaches his horse to follow 

 him, always leaves the reins lying on the 

 saddle. As a result, if the rider wishes to go 

 on foot, with his horse following, he merely 

 jumps off and walks ahead. If, however, he 

 wishes to move away on foot alone, he throws 

 the reins over the horse's head. 



For an untrained horse the following 

 method may often be found of service : — 



Attach a spring hook to the ring of the bit, 

 the snaffle for choice, otherwise to some con- 

 venient portion of the bridle. On dismounting 



draw the horse's head round towards its flank, 

 and snap the spring-hook on to the stirrup iron. 



In the cases of a long man on a little pony, 

 or a short man on a big horse, the stirrup- 

 leather will be found either too long or too 

 short. Under such circumstances an ordinary 

 chain, or leather dog-lead, attached to a D just 

 behind the flap of the saddle will meet the 

 case. Thus fastened, the horse cannot stam- 

 pede, but the position being very cramped, 

 the scheme should only be resorted to during 

 short periods of urgency. 



To tether groups of horses the Italians 

 have a good way of attaching the head-ropes 

 of several horses to a small iron wheel, with 

 about four spokes. 



Horses thus tethered must bunch together 

 with their heads inwards, consequently if 

 they attempted to proceed in any one direc- 

 tion a certain proportion of them would have 

 to move backwards. 



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