164 
SHY HORSES. 
then starts, is frightened, and runs away, and becomes for the time 
so frantic as to be altogether unmanageable. In fact, it must 
be evident to every sensible and reflecting horseman, that such 
coercion and chastisement is not only inhuman, but has the very 
contrary effect to what is required. 
It is now pretty generally admitted by all riding-masters and 
colt-breakers, that a great deal more is to be effected by lenient 
than by harsh treatment : rewards axe found to operate more be¬ 
neficially than punishments • and therefore the most scientific 
and practised riding-masters adopt methods based upon the 
former. The writer of this remembers a very remarkable in¬ 
stance of the efficacy of this plan, or rather of its vast and decid¬ 
ed superiority over violence of the worst description. A vicious 
thorough-bred horse had baffled the efforts of every one into 
whose hands he had been put to be rendered tractable : at length 
a foreigner of considerable repute among equestrians of the 
“ school,” took him to make trial of; and in the course of a year 
or so had rendered him so quiet, that not only could any person 
ride him w ith the utmost safety ; but, at the same time, so docile 
and tractable, that he could be induced, by certain signs, to lie 
dow n and permit his rider to mount before he arose again. 
The same forbearance and humanity have been practised with 
the same beneficial results upon shy horses. With all such per¬ 
sons as are best able to give counsel in cases of shyness, the 
language is now-a-days, “ let the horse alone”—“ take no notice 
of his shyness ”—“ work him well and accustom him to the ob¬ 
jects he dislikes, and in time he will of himself leave off his tricks 
of shying,” 
This is good advice ; but, let it not be misinterpreted. Let it 
not be understood to mean that the animal is to receive any en¬ 
couragement to shy ; for by no other expression can I characte¬ 
rise that erroneous and foolish practice of patting the horse, or 
“ making much of him,” either just before or during the time he 
evinces shyness. The former is bad, because it draws the atten¬ 
tion of the animal to the object he dreads: the latter is w orse, 
because it fills him with the impression either that the object 
itself is really terrific, or that he has acted right in shying at 
it, and ought to do so again. 
Whether you be approaching the frightful object, or the horse 
be actually shying, “ let him alone'*—“ take no notice whatever 
of him”—neither let him perceive that you are aware you are 
advancing' towards any thing he dislikes ; nor do more with him, 
while in the act of shying, than is necessary for due restraint 
w ith a steady hand upon the rein. Depend upon it, battling on 
your part will only serve to augment affright and arouse resist- 
