VOL. XLVII. NO. 1988. 
Enters,], .ccorgi.g to Act of Cw 1 . toe year, 1888. 6y toe Rural K«..yo«™, to , hc „ ffl ee ot the Librarian „ Wa.hln,ton. 
cm im, 
OUR ANIMAL PORTRAITS. 
PERCHERON STALLION GALODY, 7879 (2832). 
The excellent likeness of Galody at Fig. 48, 
is from a photograph. He is a bright blood 
bay with full black points, 15-2 hands high, 
and weighs 1,660 pounds. He was foaled on 
April 25, 1884,and imported in 1887 by Messrs. 
Savage & Farnum, the well known horse 
breeders and importers of Detroit, Michigan. 
He was bred by M. Tessier, of La Galodiere, 
commune of Aveze, canton of La-Ferte-Ber- 
nard, department of Orne, France. He was 
got by Beau Coeur 5421 149), belonging to M. 
Bouthry;dam Coquette (11095, belonging to 
M. Tessier, by Philibert 1548 (760). He traces 
his descent through a long line of first-class 
ancestors, recorded in the Percheron Stud¬ 
books of France and America. 
BALKY HORSES. 
DR. F. L. KILBORNE. 
The balking habit the result of mismanage¬ 
ment ; to be remedied only by tact, kind¬ 
ness and patience ; distracting the animal's 
attention-, making balking uncomfortable ; 
various modes of treatment. 
The most successful 
manageme: 
treatment of i 
horse depends 
upon the tac 
patience of the oper¬ 
ator than upon the 
method employed. 
Many drivers cannot 
use a free, spirited 
horse any length of 
time without making 
him balk; while oth¬ 
ers never provoke^a 
horse to balk. I say 
provoke, because 
balking is purely an 
acquired habit, the 
result of ignorance, 
mismanagement or 
cruelty on the part 
of the driver. Over¬ 
loading followed by 
whipping is undoubt¬ 
edly the most com¬ 
mon cause. A man 
who by his misman¬ 
agement or ignor¬ 
ance will make a 
horse balk is not, of 
course,a suitable per¬ 
son to undertake the 
breaking of one, un¬ 
less he will first 
break himself. It is 
always easier to 
break a balky horse' 
than a balky driver. 
As a general rule, 
one of the most im¬ 
portant points to be 
remembered in the 
management of 
balky horses, is that 
kindness should al¬ 
ways be shown them 
and whipping be 
never resorted to. 
Not one balky horse 
in a hundred, and I 
might say in a thou¬ 
sand, can be made 
to pull simply by 
whipping; on the 
contrary, it only confuses the horse, arouses a 
spirit of opposition and tends to confirm the 
habit. 
The methods usually employed to start or 
break a balky horse involve two principles. 
One is to distract the attention of the horse by 
some outside means and then quietly follow up 
the advantage thus gained to induce the animal 
to go often without knowing that he has balked. 
The other is to so manage or place the horse 
as to make it evident to himself that by stand¬ 
ing still he only adds to his own discomfort 
oi inconvenience. But whatever course is 
adopted, the animals must be treated with 
firmness but kindness. All whipping, kick¬ 
ing, shouting, or excitement of any kind 
should be carefully avoided if success is to be 
expected. 
The following are some of the more com¬ 
mon methods employed by horsemen to break 
up the habit of balking, all of which are more 
or less successful if judiciously employed. 
The nature and disposition of the horse will 
determine, to a large extent, the choice of a 
course of treatment. If a horse has already 
been excited by thrashing or shouting, it is 
always best to wait a few minutes until he is 
quieted. If heavily loaded it may be found 
necessary to unload, and after the animal has 
been made to pull true, gradually increase the 
load, but not more than can be comfortably 
drawn. Successful treatment is always the 
most effectual if accomplished where the horse 
is in the habit of balking. 
When a horse balks for the first time, if you 
will let him stand a few minutes until quieted 
down, then speak to him firmly but kindly, 
at the same time turning a little to the right 
or left, he will usually start as if nothing had 
happened. 
A simple method for a more confirmed or 
double balker is quietly to tie the reins to the 
dash-board. Get down from the wagon and 
pretend to fix the harness, work around his 
head, uncheck and pet him, and give an apple 
or a handful of grass or oats if at hand. Hav¬ 
ing gained the confidence of the team in this 
way, take them by the heads and turn them 
towards the side on which the balky horse 
stands, but stop them without moving the 
wagon; after a minute or two turn the other 
way, but do not be in a hurry. Now turn 
them in the first direction and at the same 
time start them ahead a few steps. Repeat 
the operation two or three times, if necessary, 
or until they will start and stop at command. 
Finally mount the wagon and start them off 
as before, turning either to the right or left. 
Another very simple method is to blindfold 
the horse and allow him to stand quietly for a 
few minutes. Then after moving him from 
side to side a few times he will usually move 
off without trouble. Placing the hand over 
both nostrils so as to close them and prevent 
P1T ,-. TW _, A'iKNV-'d-EW-'fOKY.VP, 
vrAijUD Y . From a Photograph. Fig. 4,8. 
his breathing.and holding on until he struggles 
to relieve himself, then just as you are forced 
to release him, start him off to the right or 
left and he will usually move along with you. 
Tying up a foreleg and forcing the horse to 
stand on three legs until tired, will often in¬ 
duce a balker to start when released. 
A more effectual method for all classes of 
balkers when you can allow the horse to be 
idle a few days, is to tie him wherever he 
balks,driving down a stake if necessary for this 
purpose and cause him to stand there without 
food or water until he is glad to go. Visit 
him at intervals of eight or ten hours, and 
when he is ready to go,drive him around a lit¬ 
tle while and then take him to the stable and 
feed his regular rations as if nothing had hap¬ 
pened. Now put him at work and if he balks 
again, give him another fast of 24 or 36 hours. 
A few trials will satisfy the worst of balkers. 
If one of a team, remove the other horse and 
let the balky horse stand hitched to the wag¬ 
on as if driven single, and when you wish to 
tiy to start him, take the other horse back 
and hook in again, as you wish to break the 
balky horse to pull double and not single. 
A very successful method for single balkers, 
but not applicable to a horse in a team unless 
the animal is removed from the wagon, is fre¬ 
quently employed by trainers. Choose your 
time and when ready drive your horse to some 
field or yard where you have ample room and 
provoke him to balk. 
If single, simply tie 
the reins to the dash, 
but if one of a team 
first separate them, 
but leave on the har¬ 
ness. Take a half¬ 
inch rope, 10 or 12 
feet in length, tie one 
end around the neck 
and then loop for¬ 
ward with a half 
hitch into his mouth, 
as you would to lead 
with a rope-tie. With 
the rope in hand 
stand to one side, 
speak to him sharply 
and give him a sud¬ 
den pull to make him 
move towards you a 
step or two; stop and 
pass to the other side 
and pull him in that 
direction. Work 
slowly and repeat 
the operation several 
times or until he 
will follow you at 
command. Lead and 
then drive him about 
stopping frequently, 
still keeping the rope 
in jour hand. If he 
balks again repeat 
the first treatment. 
Finally, when well 
under control, hang 
the rope on the hame 
and drive with the 
reins. When you 
think he has been 
conquered, remove 
the rope, but carry it 
with you for a few 
weeks to repeat the 
lesson if necessary. 
This is one of the 
best methods for vic¬ 
ious balkers, while a 
very bad case may 
require a course of 
training with the 
ropes before attempt¬ 
ing treatment 
balking. 
for 
