SKYING. 
37 # 
We cannot better define the folly of beating a horse fo! 
shying than by the following, which we extract from “ The 
Veterinarian —“ We will suppose a case, an every-day 
one. A man is riding a young horse upon the high-road in 
the country, and meets a stage-coach. What with the noise, 
the bustle, the imposing appearance altogether, and the 
slashing of the coachman’s whip, the animal at the approach 
erects his head and crest, pricks his ears, looks affrighted, 
and no sooner comes alongside of the machine than he sud¬ 
denly starts out of the road. His rider, annoyed by this ; 
instantly commences a round of castigations with whip, 
spur, and curb, in which he persists until the horse, as well 
as himself, has lost his temper, and then one whips, spurs, 
and pulls, and the other jumps, plunges, and frets, and 
throws up his head, until both, pretty well exhausted by the 
conflict, grow tranquil again, and proceed on their journey 
though not for some time afterwards, in their former mutual 
confidence and satisfaction. Should they on their road, or 
even on a distant day, meet with another coach, what is the 
consequence \ That the horse is not only more alarmed 
than before, but now, the moment he has started, being 
conscious of his fault, and expecting chastisement, he jumps 
about in fearful agitation, making plunges to strike into a 
gallop, and attempting to run away. So that by this cor¬ 
rection, instead of rendering his horse tranquil during the 
passage of a coach, the rider adds to the evil of shying that 
of subsequently plunging, and perhaps running away.” 
If a horse is aged and prone to shying, and will not be 
broken of it by gentle treatment, then severe measures 
must be resorted to. Many years ago, I rode a remarkably 
spirited and active hackney, which was much given to 
shying, and particularly in the evening or at night, although 
he had no defect in his sight. About a mile from my 
