THE HOESE. 
61 
down completely at full length, which the tired horse is always glad to 
do. 'W hen a horse balks, not at starting, but while doing his work, it 
has sometimes been useful to line the collar with cloth instead 'of 
leather; the perspiration is readily absorbed, the substance which 
pi esses on the shoulder is softer, and it may be far more accurately 
eased oft at a tender place. 
ftitiiig. Ibis is either the consequence of natural ferocity, or a habit 
acquired from the foolish and teasing play of grooms and stable-boys. 
When a horse is tickled and pinched by thoughtless and mischievous 
youths, he will first pretend to bite his tormentors; by degrees he will 
pioceed farther, and actually bite them, and very soon after that, he 
will be the first to challenge to the combat, and without, provocation, 
seize some opportunity to gripe the incautious tormentor. At length, as 
the love ot mischief is a propensity too easily acquired, this war, half 
playful and half in earnest, becomes habitual to him, and deo-euerates 
into absolute viciousness. 
It is seldom that any thing can be done in the way of cure. Kind- 
ness will aggravate the evil, and no degree of severity will correct it. 
I have seen, says Professor Stewart, “biters punished until they 
tieinbled in every joint, and were ready to drop, but have never in any 
case known them cured by this treatment, or by any other. The lash 
is forgotten in an hour, and the horse is as ready and determined to 
repeat the offense as before. He appears unable to resist the tempta- 
tion, and in its worst form biting is a species of insanity.” 
1 revention, however is in the power of every proprietor of horses. 
While he insists on gentle and humane treatment of his cattle, he 
should systematically forbid this horse-play. 
blitting the Cheek of the Bit into the Mouth. — Some horses that are 
disposed to be mischievous try to do this and are very expert at it. 
They soon find what advantage it gives them over their driver, who by 
this maneuver loses almost all command. Harsh treatment is here 
completely out ot the question. All that can be done, is, by some me- 
chanical contrivance to render the thing difficult or impossible, and this 
may be managed by fastening a round piece of leather on the inside of 
the cheek of the bit. 
Kicking. — This, as a vice, is another consequence of the culpable 
habit of grooms and stable-boys of teasing the' horse. That which is 
at first an indication of annoyance at the pinching and tickling of the 
gioom, and without any design to injure, gradually becomes the expres- 
sion of anger and the effort to do mischief. The horse, likewise, too 
soon recognizes the least appearance of timidity, and takes advantage 
ot the discovery, and he cannot be justified who keeps a kicking horse 
m his stable. 
Some horses acquire, from mere irritability and fidgetiness, a habit 
of kicking at the stall or the bail, and particularly at night. The 
neighboring horses are disturbed, and the kicker gets swelled hocks or 
some more serious injury. This is also a habit very difficult to correct 
it suttered to become established. Mares are far more subject to it 
than horses. 
Before the habit is inveterately established, a thorn bush or a piece 
