264 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
Air. John Lawrence, in his pleasing work on the Horse, 
says, “ These animals generally fix on some particular 
shying butt: for example, I recollect having, at different 
periods, three hacks, all very powerful; the one made 
choice of a wind-mill for the object or butt, the other a 
tilted wagon, and the last a pig led in a string. It so hap- 
pened, however, that I rode the two former when amiss 
from a violent cold, and they then paid no more attention 
to either wind-mills or tilted wagons than to any other 
objects, convincing me that their shying when in health 
and spirits Was pure affectation; an affectation, however, 
which may be speedily united with obstinacy and vice. 
Let it be treated with marked displeasure, mingled with 
gentle, but decided firmness, and the habit will be of 
short endurance.” 
Shying on coming out of the stable is a habit that can 
rarely or never be cured. It proceeds from the remem- 
brance of some ill usage or hurt which the animal has re- 
ceived in the act of proceeding from the stable, such as 
striking his head against a low door-way, or entangling 
the harness. Coercion will but associate greater fear and 
more determined resistance with the old recollection. 
Mr. Castley, to whom we are indebted for much that is 
valuable on the subject of the vices of the Horse, gives an 
interesting anecdote, which tends to prove, that while se- 
verity will be worse than useless, even kind treatment 
will not break a confirmed habit. “ I remember a very 
fine grey mare that had got into this habit, and never 
could be persuaded to go through a door-way without 
taking an immense jump. To avoid this, the servants 
used to back her in and out of the stable; but the mare 
happening to meet with a severe injury of the spine, was 
no longer able to back; and then I have seen the poor 
creature, when brought to the door, endeavouring to 
balance herself with a staggering motion upon her half- 
paralyzed hind extremities, as if making preparation and 
summoning up resolution for some great effort; and then, 
when urged, she would plunge headlong forward with 
such violence of exertion, as often to lose her feet, and 
tumble down, 1 altogether most pitiable to be seen.’ This 
I merely mention,” he continues, “as one proof how in- 
veterate the habits of Horses are. They are evils, let it 
always be remembered, more easy to prevent than cure.” 
SLIPPING THE COLLAR. 
This is a trick at which many Horses are so clever, that 
scarcely a night passes without their getting loose. It is 
a very serious habit, for it enables the Horse sometimes 
to gorge himself with food, to the imminent danger of 
staggers; or it exposes him, as he wanders about, to be 
kicked and injured by the other Horses, while his restless- 
ness will often keep the whole team awake. If the w’eb 
of the halter, being first accurately fitted to his neck, is 
suffered to slip only one way, ora strap is attached to the 
halter and buckled round the neck, but not sufficiently 
tight to be of serious inconvenience, the power of slipping 
the collar will be taken away. 
TRIPPING. 
He must be a skilful practitioner or a mere pretender who 
promises to remedy this habit. If it arises from a heavy 
forehand, and the fore legs being too much under the 
Horse, no one can alter the natural frame of the beast: if 
it proceeds from tenderness of the foot, grogginess, or old 
lameness, these ailments are seldom cured; and if it is to 
be traced to habitual carelessness and idleness,, no whip- 
ping will rouse the drone. A known stumbler should 
never be ridden or driven alone, by any one who values 
his safety or his life. A tight hand or a strong bearing- 
rein are precautions that should not be neglected, but they 
are generally of little avail; for the inveterate stumbler 
will rarely try to save himself, and this tight rein may 
sooner and farther precipitate the rider. If, after a trip, 
the Horse suddenly starts forward, and endeavours to 
break into a canter, the rider or driver may be assured 
that others before him have fruitlessly endeavoured to 
remedy this nuisance. 
If the stumbler has the foot kept as short and the toe 
pared as close as safety will permit, and the shoe be round- 
ed at the toe, or have that shape given to it which it na- 
turally acquires in a fortnight from the action of such a 
Horse, the animal may -not stumble quite so much; or if 
the disease which produced the habit can be alleviated, 
some trifling good may be done, but in almost every case 
a stumbler should be got rid of, or put to slow and heavy 
work. If the latter alternative be adopted, he may trip as 
much as he pleases, for the weight of the load and the mo- 
tion of the other Horses will keep him upon his legs. 
WEAVING. 
This consists in a motion of the head, neck, and body, 
from side to side, like the shuttle of a weaver passing- 
through the web, and hence the name which is given to 
this peculiar and incessant action. It indicates an impa- 
tient, irritable temper, and a dislike to the confinement of 
the stable; and a Horse that is thus incessantly on the 
fret will never carry flesh, or be safe to ride or drive. 
There is no cure for it, but the close tying up of the ani- 
mal, except at feeding time. 
