SHY HORSES. 
97 
bustle, the imposing appearance of the concern altogether, and 
the slashing of the coachman’s whip, the animal at its approach, 
erects his head and crest, pricks his ears, looks affrighted, and 
no sooner comes alongside of the machine than he suddenly 
starts out of the road. His rider, annoyed by the saltation, 
instantly commences a round of castigation with whip, spurs, 
and curb, in which he persists until the horse, as well as him¬ 
self, has lost his temper, and then one whips, spurs, and pulls, 
while the other jumps, plunges, 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 in their road, and particularly before this ferment 
has subsided, meet with another coach, what is the conse¬ 
quence? That the animal not only shies and starts with even 
more alarm than before, but now, the moment he has started, 
conscious of his fault, and expecting chastisement, he jumps 
about in fearful agitation, making plunges to strike into a gal¬ 
lop, and attempts to run away. So that, by this correction^ 
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. 
Lenient usage, coaxing,” says our correspondent, I should 
think much more likely to succeedand so must every man think 
who has made trial of both modes of treatment. If it be true 
that shying has its origin in timidity, alarm, or fear of any kind, 
that which tends to remove such impressions, or to familiarize 
the feelings to the causes exciting them, so that they no longer 
produce such effects, must be the remedy; and not that which 
adds to the impression of fear the dread of punishment! We 
have often heard it said that the most effectual way to make a 
mongrel or a cowardly dog fight, is to place him before his an¬ 
tagonist in such a situation that he cannot possibly retreat; but 
we never heard any one irrational enough to recommend that he 
be beaten at the same time : and yet we flog a horse for being 
VoL. I.—No. 3. 
K 
