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D 


JOHNA.SEAVERNS 


THE     .     . 

Traii^ii?^  ai?d  Mai?a^erpei?t 

of  Horses. 


J.  p.   F.   BELL,  F.Z.S 


GALASHIELS : 
CRAIGHEAD    BROS.,   LADHOPE    VALE. 

1904. 


*^  ®I;i^rc  is  iit  tbtw  animarjj  t^t  .  .  .  .  ix  fkslj  0f 
strange  liglrt  t[jrcrii;jlj  lul^iclr  tinnr  lifiJ  kalis  0iit  anb-  wi-  t0 
onx  great  mnstrrir  0f  ramntauLr  obcr  tlrcm,  aiib'  riaimiirg  tl^c 
fcll0lxisl)ij^  of  il]t  rrmtiire,  if  not  0f  lljc  S0ul/' — Ruskin. 

*^S;Ijere  is  Jt0tl)ing  in  tire  (yill  0f  jnan  &alf  S0  ^0(0crfiil 
in  ^jtrucating  tbe  lotuer  iruimals  as  tljoiuibtful  Iiinbness*  ^^n- 
flcjfitjle  jijensi0n,  r0mljineb  tviitJr  gfutleness  antr  snnTj^atJ^ir,  are 
irresistible  bcaj^ons  in  the  hanirs  0t  man  ;  anb  g  j:r0  n0t 
Miebe  tl)at  tbcre  is  ann  animal  Iivljirlj  rann0t  be  sntb-netr  if 
t|£  rigljt  man  unbertalies  tlje  tasli/' — Rev.  J.  S.  ^YooD 

'*ge  toas  a  p^erfect  }T0rseman,  antr  neber  l0st  Iris  tempr 
feritir  Iris  Ir0rse,  tallunci  t0  anb  reas0ning  bitlr  it  if  it  sBneb 
0r  Ir0ltetr,  as  if  it  Ijab  Ireen  a  rational  Ireing,  lutobing  tjat 
fr0m  tlje  fin^  0rganisation  0f  tire  animal^  a  hoxu,  lilie  a  Mhf 
Jfoill  0et  f0nfuseir  Ijn  •  •  •  •  fi^ar,  bMcIj  is  0nli|  inj:reasrb' 
%  ^unisljment/' — Fruiii  'The  Life  of  Charles  Kings- 
ley,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  9. 


Contents. 


Page. 

CHAPTER  I.  -  -  1 

INTRODUCTION. 

The  Power  of  Reason  over  Instinct  —  Incident  of  an  Officer's 
Horse  —  The  Circus  Performing  Horse  —  Another  Test  of  Reason  — 
Intelligence  of  the  Horse  —  Kindness  versus  Cruelty  —  The  Basis  of 
Management. 

CHAPTER  11.         -  -  10 

VARIATIONS  OF  TEMPERAMENT  IN 
MEN  AND  HORSES. 

Sympathy  between  Horse  and  Man  —  How  the  Horse  knew  the 
Rider — How  the  Rider  knew  the  Horse — Four  Elements  Necessary 
in  a  Good  Uorseman  —  Degrees  of  Temperament  in  Horses— Indica- 
tions of  Temperament — Horses  are  not  Born  Vicious. 

CHAPTER  III.        -  -  19 

BREEDING  AND  REARING. 

Shires  and  Clydesdales  —  The  Heavy  Horse  Market  —  Mules  — 
Army  Transport  Purposes  —  Breeding  of  Mules  —  Selection  of  Sires 
and  Dams — Breeding  from  Old  Stock — Telegony — Safety  in  working 
Brood  Mares— Condition  of  Brood  Mares — Management  of  Stallions 
— Harness  Horses,  Hacks,  and  Hunters  —  Hackneys  —  Best  Place  for 
a  Mare  to  Foal  —  Indications  of  Foaling  —  How  to  Manage  the  Foal 

—  Jealousy  in  Mares  —  The  Treatment  of  Mares — The  Advantage  of 
Early  Foals— How  to  Procure  Early  Foals — Early  Ailments  of  Foals 

—  Weaning  Foals  —  Advantages  of  a  Rough  Hill  —  How  to  Winter 
Colts  —  Separating  Yearlings  from  Older  Colts  —  Management  of 
their  Feet— The  Docking  of  Colts. 


VI. 

Page. 

CHAPTER  IV.         -  -  56 

SHETLAND  PONIES. 

Characteristics— Breeding— Uses  of  Ponies— Feeding  and  Manage- 
ment—Pit Stables— Other  Breeds  of  Ponies. 

CHAPTER  V.  -  -  65 

HALTERING  AND  LEADING. 

Different  Systems  of  Breaking  —  Best  Place  to  Halter  a  Colt  — 
Kind  of  Halter— Best  Method  of  Haltering— How  to  Lead  a  Colt  in 
the  Open— How  to  Lead  Him  into  a  Stable — How  to  Tie  Him  up  in 
a  Stall— The  Power  of  Kindness. 

CHAPTER  VI.        -  -  77 

BRIDLING  AND  BITTING. 

The  Effects  of  Such  Treatment— Dangers  of  Tight  Side  Reins- 
New  System  of  Bridling  and  Bitting  —  How  to  put  on  the  other 
Tackle  —  How  to  "  Mouth  "  the  Colt  —  How  to  Adjust  the  Side 
Reins— Kindness  Triumphs  over  Cruelty. 

CHAPTER  VII.        -  -  88 

SADDLING  AND  MOUNTING. 

How  to  Prepare  the  Colt  for  Mounting— The  Use  of  Chains  and 
Mouth-bags — How  to  Drive  the  Colt  with  Reins  —  Mounting  in  the 
Stall— Mounting  in  the  Open— How  to  Ride  Him— How  to  make  the 
Colt  Stop  when  his  Rider  falls  off  —  How  to  Prepare  the  Colt  for 
being  Shod. 

CHAPTER  VIII.       -  -  99 

HOW  TO  BREAK  COLTS  TO  HARNESS. 

How  to  Accustom  the  Colt  to  Pressure  Before  and  Behind— How 
to  Yoke  the  Colt  —  How  to  Fix  the  Kicking  Straps— How  to  Drive 
the  Colt— How  to  Unyoke  the  Colt— How  to  put  the  Colt  in  Double 
Harness — How  to  Protect  the  Shoulders, 


Vll. 

Page. 
CHAPTER  IX.         -  -         109 

HOW  TO  YOKE  WORK  COLTS. 

Best  Implement  in  which  to  Yoke  Colts— How  to  Tie  the  Colt — 
How  to  Start  the  Colt  —  The  Benefit  of  a  Light  Furrow— How  to 
Unyoke  the  Colt  —  How  to  Protect  the  Shoulders  —  Advantages  of 
Shoeing — How  to  put  Colts  in  Carts  —  Docked  versxis  XJndocked 
Colts. 

CHAPTER  X.  -  -         119 

JUMPING. 

How  to  Train  the  Colt  to  Jump  —  How  to  Ride  the  Colt  at  a 
High  Fence— How  to  Ride  the  Colt  at  a  Wide  Jump — How  to  Jump 
Double  Fences— Stone  Walls  and  Wire  Fences — The  Influence  of  a 
Nervous  Rider  —  Indications  of  Jumping  —  The  Rider's  Feeling  of  a 
Horse. 

CHAPTER  XL        -  -        130 

MISTAKES  AND  THEIR  CAUSES. 

How  to  Prevent  Mistakes  —  Drunken  Riders— How  to  Drive  up 
and  down  Hills— How  to  Correct  a  Horse  —  Steadiness  —  Flies  — 
Leaving  Horses  Untethered. 

CHAPTER  XII         -  -        138 

SHYING  AND  JIBBING. 

Shying  from  Nervousness  —  Shying  from  Defective  Eyesight  — 
Shying  from  Occupying  Dark  Stables— The  Construction  of  Stables 
— Jibbing— How  to  Start  a  Jibber— Preventives  to  Jibbing— Kicking 
in  Harness— Incident  of  an  Untrained  Horse  —  The  Responsibility 
of  Trainers. 

CHAPTER  XIII.       -  -        149 

BOLTING  OR  RUNAWAY  HORSES. 

How  to  Stop  a  Bolter  on  the  Road— How  to  Stop  a  Bolter  Across 
Country— The  Danger  of  Colliding  with  a  Crowd. 


Vlll. 

Page. 

CHAPTER  XIV.       -  -        153 

REARING. 

How  to  Cure  a  Horse  of  Rearing— What  to  do  when  the  Horse 
Rears— Results  of  the  System. 

CHAPTER  XV.        -  -         159 

BAD  STABLE  HABITS. 

Biting  —  How  to  Cure  a  Biter  —  Kicking  in  the  Stall — How  to 
Cure  a  Stall  kicker — The  Use  of  a  Sack  Stuffed  with  Straw  —  Crib- 
biting  and  Wind  sucking  —  Sheet-tearing  and  How  to  Prevent  it  — 
How  to  Prevent  Horses  Putting  their  Forelegs  over  the  Collar-shanks 
— Turning  in  the  Stall  —  Swinging  in  the  Stall — How  to  go  up  to  a 
Horse  in  a  Stall. 

CHAPTER  XVI.       -  -         167 

THE  DIFFERENT  PACES  OF  HORSES. 

The  Combination  of  Paces  —  How  to  Ride  a  Horse  at  a  Walk  — 
How  to  Ride  a  Horse  at  a  Trot— How  to  Ride  a  Horse  at  a  Canter 
— How  to  Ride  a  Horse  at  a  Gallop— How  to  Fall  off  a  Horse  without 
getting  Injured  —  How  to  Make  a  Colt  Follow  the  Rider  —  How  to 
Make  a  Horse  Stoop  to  Mount  Him— How  to  Make  a  Horse  Lie  Down 
— Terms  of  Expression  to  Use  to  a  Horse. 


CHAPTER  XVII.      -  -        179 

LADIES'  HORSES. 

The  Difference  of  Riders— The  Suggested  Changes  of  Attire  and 
Posture — The  Difference  of  Riding  Habits  and  Hats  —  The  Size  of 
Ladies'  Horses— How  to  "Mouth"  a  Lady's  Horse  —  How  to  Train 
Him  to  the  Riding  Habit — The  Advantage  of  a  Nose  Strap— How  to 
Teach  the  Colt  to  Canter — The  Colt  should  be  Trained  to  Steam— 
The  Best  Kind  of  Riding  Gear. 


IX. 

Page. 
CHAPTER  XVIII.      -  -         188 

RACING  AND  RACE  HORSES. 

The  Chief  Points  of  a  Thoroughbred  Colt— The  Colt's  Manage- 
ment— Incident  of  a  Poor  Colt — Evils  of  Racing  Colts  too  Young- 
Feeding  and  Training— How  to  Ride  Him  in  a  Race — Fleetness  and 
Staying  Powers — Requirements  for  Different  Races. 


CHAPTER  XIX.       -  -        197 

MILITARY  HORSES. 

The  Regulation  Long  Squared  Tail — The  Tuition  of  a  Charger 
— What  Sort  of  a  Mouth  he  should  have — How  to  Train  Him  to  Move 
at  the  Word  of  Command  —  How  to  Teach  Him  to  Rein  Back — He 
must  be  Trained  to  Stop  Suddenly— He  should  be  Trained  to  Move 
Squarely  Across  from  either  Side— How  to  Handle  Him  when  Wheel- 
ing— Incident  of  Crushing  —  How  to  Train  Him  to  Stand  the  Sword 
Exercise — How  to  Make  Him  Stand  when  Mounting  and  Dismounting 
— How  to  Train  Him  to  be  Steady  in  the  Ranks  and  to  Stand  Firing 
— How  to  Manage  Four  Horses  —  How  to  Train  Him  to  Blilitary 
Sports  — Hints  on  Fencing — The  Advantage  of  Kindness. 


CHAPTER  XX.        -  -        215 

POLO  AND  POLO  PONIES. 

Origin  of  the  Game — Chief  Points  of  a  Polo  Pony — How  to  Train 
a  Polo  Pony — The  Chief  Secret  in  Training  the  Pony — Best  Place 
in  which  to  Train  Him — What  "Lifting"  the  Pony  Means — How  to 
Train  Him  to  Stop  Suddenly — How  to  I'rain  Him  to  Wheel — How  to 
Train  Him  to  the  Polo  Stick— How  to  Train  Him  to  the  Ball— How 
to  Ride  Him  in  the  Game — General  Remarks  on  Polo. 


X. 

Page. 

CHAPTER  XXL       -  -        227 

CARRIAGE  HORSES. 

Different  Kinds  of  Carriage  Horses — Colour  and  Markings — The 
Particular  Pace  to  Improve— How  to  Drive  a  Colt  Double — Anecdote 
About  a  Farmer — How  to  Improve  the  Colt  s  Action — Irish  Dealers 
Severe  Critics — The  Value  of  Carriage  Horses — How  they  should  be 
Bred—"  The  Stud  Farm  of  the  World." 


CHAPTER  XXn.      -  -        238 

HORSE  SHOWS. 

Appointment  of  Judges  —  Measuring  Horses  —  Certificates  of 
Soundness— Show  Tickets  and  Catalogue  Numbers— Dressing  Horses 
— Showyard  Jumping. 

CHAPTER  XXHL      -  -        249 

HUNTING  AND  HUNTERS. 

Real  and  Imaginary  Followers  —  Hunting  a  Healthy  Exercise — 
The  Best  Kind  of  Hunter  — Chief  Indications  of  a  Hunter — Feet, 
Colour,  and  Markings— Summering  Hunters. 


CHAPTER  XXIV.       -  -        260 

HUNTING  EQUIPMENT. 

Evils  of  the  Martingale— Needful  Equipment— How  to  Act  when 
the  Horse  Casts  a  Shoe— Evils  of  Following  Without  a  Shoe — How 
to  Prevent  Over-reaching — "Brushing"  and  How  to  Prevent  it. 


XI. 

Page. 
CHARTER  XXV.       -  -         269 

HINTS  ON  HUNTING. 

What  to  do  at  the  Covertside — Who  should  Lead  the  Hunt  ? — 
Fences  and  Gates — How  to  Ascend  Hills  and  Cross  the  "Plough" — 
The  Danger  of  Following  Another  Rider  too  Closely  at  a  Fence  — 
The  Rider  should  never  Suggest  a  "Likely"  Trail — Incidents  of  the 
Hunting  Field  —  Things  to  be  Avoided — What  to  do  when  the  Run 
is  Finished. 


CHAPTER  XXVI.      -  -        278 

HOW  TO  TRAIN  A  COLT  TO  HOUNDS. 

The  Use  of  Dogs  in  Training — What  to  do  with  a  Colt  at  the 
Meet — How  to  Choose  a  Guide— How  to  put  the  Colt  at  His  Fences 
— How  to  Manage  a  Double  Fence — How  to  get  Over  Dangerous 
Places — Dangers  of  Hunting  gates— How  to  Cross  Streams — How  to 
Avoid  Marshes— The  Colt  should  be  Trained  to  Stop  when  His  Rider 
Falls  off — When  to  Discontinue  the  Run. 


CHAPTER  XXVII.     -  -        286 

COLOUR   OF   HORSES. 

The  Seven  Standard  Colours— Melanosis— Striping  of  Foals — Dif- 
ference in  Colour  caused  by  Clipping. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII.    -  -        294 

STABLE  MANAGEMENT. 

Regularity  in  Feeding — Quantity  of  Fodder — Quality  of  Food— ^ 
Water— Grooming  —  Necessity  of  Cleanliness — Harnessing  the  Horse 
for  Going  Out — Clipping  and  Singeing— Stable  Utensils. 


Xll. 

Page. 
CHAPTER  XXIX.      -  -         306 

STABLE  CONSTRUCTION. 

The  Site — Drainage — Flooring — Stalls  and  Damp  Course— Inside 
Fittings — lighting — Ventilation — Inlets— Outlets — Cubic  Air  Space — 
Building  Materials — Roofing — Spouting— Effects  of  Good  Stables. 


CHAPTER  XXX.       -  -         320 

THE  FEET,  DENTITION,  AND  DESTRUCTION 

OF  HORSES. 

Different  Kinds  of  Shoes  —  Sharpening  —  Dentition — Destruction 
of  Horses  —  Best  Method  of  Destruction — Practicability  in  Horse 
Management — Kindness  versus  Cruelty,  and  Reason  versus  Instinct. 


Illustrations. 


PAGE 

1.  Haltering 

71 

2.  Leading 

72 

3.  Colt  tied  in  Stall 

74 

4.  Putting  Bit  in  Mouth  .. 

82 

5.  Best  Kind  of  Breaking  Bit  . . 

83 

6.  Side  Reins  Adjusted     .. 

87 

7.  Saddling 

88 

8.  How  to  Ride 

95 

9.  Colt  Harnessed     . . 

..       100 

10.  Kicking  Straps  Adjusted 

103 

11.  Work  Colt  Harnessed  for  Plough 

..       Ill 

12.  Work  Colt  in  Cart,  showing  Kicking  Straps 

116 

13.  Jumping  Bar 

120 

14.  High  Jump 

123 

15.  Water  Jump          . .                . .                . .                •  • 

..       125 

15.  Shying 

140 

17.  Jibbing  in  Harness 

..       144 

18.  How  to  Prevent  Kicking  in  Stall— Whin  Bushes 

If.l 

19.  How  to  Prevent  Kicking  in  Stall— Suspended  Sack 

..       If  2 

20.  Wind-Sucking  Strap     .. 

1C3 

21.  Leather  Apron      .. 

..       164 

22.  How  to  Hold  Double  Reins 

ICS 

23.  How  to  Make  a  Horse  Stoop  to  be  Mounted 

..       175 

24.  How  to  Make  a  Colt  Lie  Down     . . 

177 

25.  Lady  Mounted      .. 

..       181 

26.  The  Nose  Strap 

185 

27.  Race  Horse  GallopiKg 

..       193 

28.  Putting  Colt  in  Double  Harness  . . 

231 

29.  Hunting  Saddle    .. 

. .       260 

30.  Shoe  Case     . . 

261 

31.  Breastplate 

..       261 

32.  Snaffla  Bit    . . 

262 

83.  Double  Bit 

..      262 

XIV. 


34.  French  Martingale 

35.  Hunting  Crop 

36.  Short  Shoe  Fixed 

37.  Inside  View 

38.  Outside  View 

39.  Shoe     .. 

40.  Back  View    . . 

41.  Hunter  Clipped     . . 

42.  Work  Horse  Clipped 

43.  Grooved  Stall 

44.  Rack,  Tank  and  Manger  Combined 

45.  Hinged  Sash  Light 
46    Stable  Door 

47.  Ornamental  Grating 

48.  Zinc  Ventilator 

49.  Corrugated  Shoe 

50.  Foal's  Mouth  at  Birth 

51.  At  Four  Week's  Old 

52.  At  Ten  Mouths 

53.  One  Year  Old 

54.  One-and  a-half  Years  Old 

55.  Two  Years  Old 

56.  Two-and-a  half  Years  Old 

57.  Three-anda-half  Years  Old 

58.  Four-and-a-half  Years  Old 

59.  Five  Years  Old     . . 

60.  Six  Years  Old 

61    Seven  Years  Old   .. 

62.  Eight  Years  Old 

63.  Nine  Years  Old     . . 

64.  Twelve  to  Thirteen  Years  Old 

65.  Fifteen  to  Sixteen  Years  Old 

66.  Seventeen  to  Eighteen  Years  Old 

67.  Twenty-five  and  Thirty  Years  Old 


Page. 
263 
264 
266 
267 
267 
268 
268 
303 
304 
309 
311 
313 
314 
316 
317 
321 
326 
326 
326 
326 
326 
326 
328 
328 
328 
328 
339 
329 
330 
330 
331 
332 
332 
334 


Preface. 


-^  •  •  •  •  K^M   ••••'- 


In  writing  this  ivovk  on  The  Training  and  Man- 
agement OF  HoitSKS,  the  object  of  the  author  has  been  to 
lessen  the  barbarity  often  heedlessly  inflicted  upon  these  animals 
by  careless  and  incapable  men.  The  method  of  management 
described  in  the  following  chapters  —  the  keynote  of  which 
is  uniform  kindness  and  patience  —  ivill  be  found  on  appli-_ 
cation  to  be  thoroughly  practical  in  all  its  stages.  With 
the  exception  of  the  photographs,  which  are  taken  from-  life, 
the  illustrations  have  been  drawn  by  the  author  in  order  to 
render  the  principles  of  the  system  more  intelligible  to  readers. 
Should  this  ivovk  be  instrumental,  in  however  small  a  deovee 
in  alleviating  the  suffering  of  horses  and  at  the  same  time 
tend  to  a  move  scientific  derelopment  of  general  horsemanship, 
its  primary  object  shall  have  been  accomplished. 

The  thanks  of  the  author  are  due  to  Messrs  Vinton  S^ 
Co.,  Limited,  London,  through  the  courtesy  of  their  Editor, 
for  permission  to  use  the  articles  which  appeared  in  Th:o 
Live  Stock  Journal,  ^5  well  as  his  indebtedness  to  them 
for  the  use  of  the  blocks;  to  the  Editor  of  The  Land 
Agents'  Record  for  his  kindness  in  granting  a  similar 
privilege;  and  to  Mr  A.  Thomson,  F.S.A.,  Scot.  (Author 
of  "  Lauder  and  Lauderdale,''  &c.)  for  his  painstaking 
work  in  reading  the  proofs. 

J.P.F.B, 
FuLFORTH,  October  1904, 


Clje   C raining 
and  JVtanagement  of  ^orses. 


CHAPTER    I.    ' 

INTRODUCTION.  . 

The  general  management  of  horses  is  a  subject  on 
which  we  can  never  be  too  well  informed,  especially 
those  of  us  who  are  more  immediately  associated  with 
them.  The  horse,  of  all  the  lower  animals  in  this 
country,  is  by  far  the  most  noble,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  by  far  the  most  useful.  Indeed,  it  would  be  a 
practical  impossibility,  in  this  busy  world  of  enterprise 
and  commotion,  to  get  along  without  the  aid  of  this 
noble  and  useful  animal.  There  is  scarcely  a  single 
industry  or  trade  throughout  the  whole  country  which 
is  not  in  some  measure,  directly  or  indirectly,  depend- 
ent on  the  horse  ;  nor  a  single  individual,  to  a  greater 
or  a  less  degree,  who  is  not  at  times  benefited  by  him. 
If  we  could  imagine  for  a  moment  a  sudden  and  total 
suspension  of  horse  power  for  one  short  week,  the 
results  consequent  on  such  a  calamity  would  be  almost 

B 


incalculable  in  their  disastrous  effects.  Trade  would 
be  paralysed,  and  all  classes  of  industry  would  neces- 
sarily be  reduced  to  a  deadlock.  Of  course  this  is 
suggested  simply  to  illustrate  -the  real  worth  of  the 
horse,  on  the  same  principle  that  few  benefits  are 
fully  appreciated  until  they  are  gone,  for,  as  the  old 
proverb  runs,  **  We  never  miss  the  water  till  the  well 
runs  dry."  The  recent  war  in  South  Africa  had 
a  remarkable  influence  on  the  price  of  horses,  which 
serves  to  illustrate  their  value  and  importance,  not- 
withstanding the  advantages  of  steam  and  other  modes 
of  locomotion.  Whilst  motor  power,  both  on  the 
ro^d  and  in  the  field,  has  no  doubt  come  to  stay,  yet 
horse  labour  cannot  possibly  be  altogether  super- 
seded ;  there  are  a  hundred  odd  jobs  on  the  farm 
and  in  the  town  where  motor  locomotion  is  impractic- 
able. When  railways  and  steam  were  introduced, 
many  writers  predicted  that  the  demand  for  horse 
power  would  be  lessened  ;  instead  of  that,  however, 
time  has  proved  that  horses  have  been  required  in 
very  greatly  increased  numbers.  As  it  has  been  with 
railways  and  steam,  it  may  not  be  too  sanguine  to 
hope  that  the  demand  for  good,  sound  horses  may 
still  go  on  increasing. 

Having  sketched  briefly  how  largely  we  are  de- 
pendent on  the  horse  as  an  essential  agent  to  progress, 
we  should  like  to  impress  on  all  those  who  have  the 
direct  management  of  him,  to  exercise,  at  all  times 
and  in  all  circumstances,  a  uniform  kindness  towards 
him. 


THE    POWER  OF    REASON   OVER   INSTINCT. 

Far  greater  results  can  be  accomplished  by  the 
judicious  exercise  of  uniform  kindness  than  by  the 
coarse  and  cruel  treatment  which,  in  many  cases,  is 
only  too  prevalent  at  the  present  day. 

There  is  one  most  important  fact  which  should 
always  be  carefully  remembered,  and  which  should 
in  all  circumstances,  however  harassing,  persuade  man 
to  act  kindly  towards  the  horse,  and  that  is,  his 
infinite  superiority  over  him. 

Man  is  endowed  with  the  supreme  power  of  reason 
and  intelligence,  by  which  he  governs  and  controls 
his  actions  ;  whereas,  the  actions  of  the  horse  on  the 
contrary,  are  only  governed  by  mere  brute  instinct. 
This  is  an  arrangement  absolutely  essential  in  main- 
taining the  perfect  balance  of  natural  law  by  which 
animal  power  is  concentrated  and  utilised  for  the 
benefit  of  mankind  and  the  world  in  general.  Were 
the  lower  animal  world,  like  mankind,  endowed  with 
the  calculating  power  of  reasoning,  the  whole  system 
of  Nature  would  rapidly  become  deranged,  and  exist- 
ence would  become  intolerable,  if  not  impossible. 

Animals  possessed  of  great  strength  and  power, 
like  the  horse,  would  throw  off  their  subjection  to 
man,  and  refuse  to  be  controlled  by  a  creature  of  his 
diminutive  standard.  Can  anyone  imagine  for  a 
moment  a  beautiful  Arab  horse  of  thoroughly  pro- 
portioned symmetry,  a  highly  strung  nervous  tempera- 
ment, and  the  sharp,  sensitive  instincts  peculiar  to  his 


breed — can  anyone,  we  ask,  imagine  a  fiery  animal 
of  this  kind,  possessed  of  the  element  of  reason,  re- 
maining under  the  complete  subjection  of  his  rider  ? 
The  thing  is  impossible.  The  noble  Arab  would 
never  consent  to  his  rider's  presumption.  His  insig- 
nificant rider  could  never  face  him  on  the  platform 
of  equality.  The  enormous  physical  superiority  of 
the  horse,  guided  by  an  intelligent  process  of  reason- 
ing, would  baffle  every  attempt  of  the  man  to  subdue 
him,  and,  by  the  very  inequality  of  the  contest,  is 
it  not  likely  that  the  rider  would  come  out  of  it 
only  second  best  ? 

Numerous  instances  of  the  sagacity  of  horses  are 
recorded,  which  some  people  mistakenly  attribute  to 
reason,    but,    after    a    thorough    investigation    of    the 
circumstances,  they  will  generally  be  found  to  be  but 
the  simple  and  natural  results  of  training  and  habit. 
Occasionally  instances  of  apparent  sagacity  may  arise 
from  mere  freak  or  accident,  and  are  often  fully  and 
satisfactorily  accounted  for  by  their  peculiar  surround- 
ing circumstances,  which,  when  deliberately  and  care- 
fully  considered,  almost    preclude    the    possibility   of 
any  other  course  of  action  being  participated  in.      In 
other  words,  the  most  natural  thing  for  a  horse  to  do, 
in  given  circumstances,   is  simply  the   thing  that  he 
does,    and,   as  already  suggested,   his  action  may  be 
the  result  of  emergency,  training,  or  habit.     The  law 
of  instinct,   like   reason,   is   flexible    and    elastic   to   a 
limited  degree,  and  while  there  is  probably  no  hard 
and    fast   law   to   bind    it   to  a  definite,  course,   it   is 


5 

absolutely  incapable,  so  to  speak,  of  getting"  outside 
of  itself.  It  cannot  extend  its  power  beyond  its 
natural  instinctive  faculty,  and  thus  we  find  no  animals 
improving  their  condition,  socially  or  otherwise. 

INCIDENT   OF   AN   OFFICER'S   HORSE. 

We  have  read  how  an  officer,  in  a  recent  Eastern 
campaign,    was    wounded    and    fell    from    his    horse  ; 
how    the    sagacious    animal    returned    to    where    he 
was    lying    and    stood    near    him    till,    by    an    almost 
superhuman  effort,  he  was  able  to  mount,  when  the 
horse  galloped  forward  to  rejoin  his  comrades.     This 
horse,  in  the  extraordinary  circumstances  of  the  case, 
may  have  been  scared  by  something  unknown  to  his 
wounded    rider    and    returned    to    him    in    the    most 
natural  way  conceivable,  or,  probably,  by  the  merest 
chance.      He  may  have  taken  fright  at  some  unusual 
object,   heard   his  rider's  calls,   or  been  trained  when 
"broken  in"  to  return  when  his  rider  fell  off — (which 
excellent  acquirement  in  a  horse  shall  be  fully  dealt 
with  in  a  future  chapter).     Various  unexplained  events 
may  have  caused  the  horse  to  return,  of  the  existence 
of  which   the   unfortunate   officer   could   not   possibly 
be   cognisant.       Self-preservation    is   the  first  law  of 
nature,  and   the  wounded   officer,   after  getting  fairly 
astride    him,    might    unconsciously    apply    the   rowels 
to   the    flanks   of  the    horse,   and    his    mad    haste    to 
rejoin    his  comrades  might   be   materially  accelerated 
by  a  touch  of  the    spur,    an    indication    of   the    rein, 
or  a  desultory  warning  bullet  from  the  enemy.     The 


cause  of  the  mad  rush  of  the  horse  may  not  have 
been  to  save  his  master's  hfe.  It  may  have  been 
pure  fright  that  induced  him  to  take  both  journeys. 
There  is  nothing  in  this  incident  indicative  of  the 
power  of  reason,  nothing  that  cannot  consistently  be 
attributed  to  chance,  circumstance,  training,  or  habit. 

THE    CIRCUS    PERFORMING    HORSE. 

We  shall  now  consider  a  more  definite  test  of 
reason.  The  circus  performing  horse,  from  the  many 
remarkable  feats  he  accomplishes,  might  be  considered 
a  sort  of  ens  rationis,  by  advocates  of  the  theory  of 
reason  in  animals,  for  it  is  doubtless  true  that  when 
a  well-trained  horse  is  told  to  bring  the  cap  of  one 
of  the  spectators,  he  will  obey  and  accomplish  it  every 
time  without  error.  But  even  in  this  case  there  is 
no  evidence  of  reason,  as  the  horse  acts  simply  as  a 
machine  in  the  hands  of  his  trainer.  The  horse  has 
been  trained  to  perform  this  particular  feat,  and  he 
obeys  from  sheer  force  of  habit,  because  it  is  a  notori- 
ous fact  that,  were  his  trainer  to  command  him  in 
the  same  habitual  and  persuasive  accents  to  fetch  a 
handkerchief  instead  of  the  orthodox  cap,  he  would 
bring  the  latter  every  time  without  deviating  in  any 
way  from  his  accustomed  routine,  demonstrating  un- 
mistakably that  whenever  the  issue  is  the  least 
confused  he  fails  to  rise  to  the  occasion,  because  the 
indispensable  power  of  reason  is  absent.  His  natural 
instinctive  faculty  cannot  enable  him  to  discriminate 
between  a  handkerchief  and  a  cap.      He  fails  to  dis- 


tinguish  so  nice  a  difference,  which  substantially 
proves  that  reason  is  a  higher  and  nobler  power — a 
sublime  inspiration  of  thought  which  is  necessarily 
foreign  to  his  limited  instinct,  however  strongly  it 
may  be  developed  through  training  and  kindness. 

ANOTHER   TEST   OF    REASON. 

Again,  if  a  horse  were  looking  over  a  wall  and  a 
man  presented  a  gun  at  him  from  the  opposite  side, 
he  would  probably  do  one  of  two  things: — either  he 
would  prick  his  ears  and  stare  the  danger  in  the  face, 
or  he  would  gallop  round  in  a  series  of  small  circles — 
but  neither  course  could  be  considered  a  safe  or 
reasonable  means  of  escape  from  the  threatened 
danger.  In  both  cases  the  gun  would  cover  him 
just  the  same,  whereas,  if  he  possessed  an  intelligent 
thinking  reason,  in  all  likelihood  he  would  drop  down 
behind  the  wall,  as  ninety-nine  men  in  every  hundred 
would,  allowing  one  per  cent,  for  imbecility,  and  thus 
be  completely  screened  from  the  range  of  fire. 

INTELLICxENCE   OF   THE    HORSE. 

In  ''  Animal  Intelligence,"  the  late  Mr  G.  J. 
Romanes,  F.R.S.,  affirms  that  horses  do  not  possess 
the  highest  instinct  among  herbivorous  animals,  while 
many  of  the  larger  carnivorous  animals  are  endowed 
with  much  more  acutely  strung  instincts. 

**  The  horse,"  he  says,  "  is  not  so  intelligent  an 
animal  as  any  of  the  larger  carnivora,  "while,  among 
herbivorous    quadrupeds,    his    sagacity   is   greatly    ex- 


8 


ceeded  by  that  of  the  elephant,  and,  in  a  lesser  degree, 
by  that  of  his  congener,  the  ass."  But  quot  Jioviijies 
tot  sententicB,  and,  while  respecting  the  work  of  such 
an  excellent  observer,  we  venture  to  think  the  great 
majority  of  experienced  horsemen  would  credit  the 
horse  with  higher  instinct  than  the  ass. 

KINDNESS   VERSUS   CRUELTY. 

The  gulf,  then,  which  separates  man  from  the 
lower  animals  is  wide  and  impassable  ;  the  power 
which  reason  can  exercise  over  instinct  is  marvellous, 
and,  from  the  loftiness  of  this  power,  man  should 
never  descend  to  practise  unkindness  in  any  shape 
whatever  towards  the  horse.  Cruelty  to  horses  is 
practised  through  pure  ignorance — through  a  want 
of  appreciation  of  man's  superior  power  in  educating 
the  natural  instincts  of  the  horse  to  yield  submissively 
according  to  the  special  requirements  in  each  individ- 
ual case.  As  already  explained,  the  horse  does  not 
possess  the  necessary  intelligence  to  induce  him  to 
measure  his  power  with  man.  No  sane  man  ever 
tries  to  fight  a  horse  on  the  power  of  his  strength, 
but  has  recourse  to  other  and  safer  means  wherein 
a  substitute  is  found  to  oppose  and  master  it. 

THE   BASIS   OF    MANAGEMENT. 

By  the  previous  illustrations,  and  a  long  practical 
experience  of  horses,  we  have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  instinct  is  a  force  which  can  always  be  governed 
by  reason,  and  that  kindness  is  much  more  beneficial 


9 


in  its  results  than  unkindness  ;  therefore,  those  two 
important  matters  form  the  basis  on  which  our 
method  of  horse  management  is  elaborated,  and  we 
shall  endeavour,  through  all  the  different  stages,  to 
establish  its  accuracy  and  practicability. 


10 


CHAPTER    II. 

VARIATIONS  OF  TEMPERAMENT  IN  MEN 

AND  HORSES. 

There  is  just  the  same  amount  of  difference  be- 
tween a  well-trained  and  a  badly-trained  horse,  as 
there  is  between  a  well-educated  and  an  under-edu- 
cated person.  The  one  is  cultured  and  refined,  the 
other  awkward  and  coarse,  or,  to  use  a  very  popular 
expression,   ''  He  is  just  as  Nature  made  him." 

No  one  of  ordinary  appreciative  ability  requires 
to  be  long  in  the  company  of  another  to  discover 
whether  he  has  been  well  educated  or  not,  nor  does 
it  take  the  skilled  horseman  more  than  a  few  minutes 
to  determine  the  training"  of  a  horse,  whether  it  has 
been  good  or  bad  ;  thus,  to  a  great  extent,  horses  are 
made  pretty  much  what  they  are  according  to  their 
breaking  and  management.  Even  a  quiet  horse  in 
bad  hands  may  very  soon  become  unmanageable. 

SYMPATHY   BET\VEEN    HORSE   AND    MAN. 

There  is  a  peculiar  link  of  sympathy  between  horse 
and  man,  and  that  is : — that  a  horse  just  requires  about 
the  same  time  to  find  out  a  man's  merits  or  demerits 


II 

as  a  man  takes  to  find  out  his.  Many  people  hold 
the  opinion  that  this  is  utter  nonsense,  and  that  no 
bond,  sympathetic  or  otherwise,  can  possibly  exist 
between  a  horse  and  a  man.  This  is  a  difficult  matter 
to  explain  on  paper,  and,  whilst  it  may  not  be  under- 
stood by  a  novice,  every  average  horseman  will 
readily  appreciate  this  mysterious  link  which  is  felt 
rather  than  seen. 

HOW   THE    HORSE   KNEW   THE   RIDER. 

We  knew  a  case  of  a  young  man  in  town  who 
suddenly  inherited  a  large  fortune.  He  had  been 
accustomed  to  ride  a  bicycle,  but,  anxious  to  do  the 
county  squire,  he  visited  a  country  friend  to  purchase 
a  hunter.  He  had  never  previously  ridden,  and 
those  readers  who  know  anything  about  equestrian 
science  will  readily  appreciate  the  humour  and  novelty 
of  his  position.  As  soon  as  he  was  fairly  astride  the 
horse,  he  knocked  the  ashes  from  his  cigar,  adjusted 
his  eyeglasses,  and  drew  his  whip  across  the  flanks  ol 
the  spirited  hunter.  The  horse  bounded  in  the  air 
and  so  did  the  rider,  but  before  either  touched  terra 
fijina  a  dissolution  of  partnership  had  occurred.  In 
this  case,  the  horse  knew  the  rider  in  one  brief 
moment,  but  the  rider  never  knew  that  horse  all 
his  life. 

HOW   THE    RIDER   KNEW   THE    HORSE. 

Again,  we  knew  a  gentleman  who  owned  a  very 
valuable  hunter,   but  there  was  a  certain   road   along 


t^ 


which  the  horse  habitually  refused  to  go.  He  would 
rear,  plunge,  and  throw  his  rider  on  all  occasions. 
The  owner,  being  a  timid  man,  always  withdrew  his 
feet  from  the  stirrups  on  approaching  this  particular 
place,  making  sure,  at  least,  that  when  thrown  he 
would  not  be  dragged.  At  length  the  owner  grew 
frightened  to  ride  the  horse,  and  offered  him  for  sale. 
A  gentleman  came  to  try  him,  got  upon  his  back,  and, 
as  luck  would  have  it,  turned  him  exactly  in  the 
direction  of  the  fatal  road.  On  nearing  the  place, 
the  rider  found  the  horse  drawing  himself  together 
as  if  to  wheel,  and,  taking  him  well  in  hand,  dug  the 
''  persuaders  "  full  to  the  hilt  immediately  behind  the 
girths,  with  the  result  that  the  terrified  brute  bounded 
past  like  a  rocket — the  first  time  he  had  been  ridden 
past  for  many  a  long  day.  Thus,  by  inserting  the 
spurs  in  his  ribs,  instead  of  withdrawing  his  feet 
from  the  irons  like  his  owner,  who  was  always  "  riding 
for  a  fall,"  the  rider  accomplished  with  ease  what  to 
another  man  was  impossible,  simply  by  presence  of 
mind,  and  doing  the  right  thing  in  the  right  place 
at  the  proper  time. 

Thus,  as  already  indicated,  there  is  a  close  sym- 
pathy between  horse  and  man,  and,  in  bad  hands,  a 
good  horse  may  become  a  bad  one,  while,  in  good 
hands,  a  bad  horse  may  become  a  good  one.  Bad 
horsemen  are  met  with  in  larger  numbers  than  bad 
horses,  force,  rather  than  kindness,  being  the  key 
to  their  management  generally. 


13 


FOUR   ELEMENTS    NECESSARY   IN   A   GOOD 

HORSEMAN. 

There  are  four  elements  necessary  in  the  nature 
and  character  of  man  to  render  him  a  g;ood  and 
proficient  horseman,  and  these  are  : — patience,  per- 
severance, a  steady  nerve,  and  an  active  presence  of 
mind.  Patience  and  perseverance  in  all  cases  will 
prove  of  invaluable  service  ;  a  good  nerve  is  indis- 
pensable, without  which  no  man  can  ever  be  pro- 
nounced a  good  horseman  ;  and  an  active  presence 
of  mind  will  prove  of  inestimable  service  in  cases  of 
emergency,  when  prompt  and  immediate  action  must 
be  taken.  Indeed,  one  active  man  with  a  cool  head 
is  worth  half-a-dozen  men  who  are  nervous  and 
excitable. 

DEGREES   OF   TEMPERAMENT   IN    HORSES. 

There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  temperament 
of  horses,  consequently  they  require  varying  degrees 
of  treatment  in  order  to  obtain  general  and  satisfactory 
results.  A  high-spirited,  nervous  animal  requires  to  be 
handled  with  extreme  care,  for,  although  he  is  easily 
overcome  on  the  one  hand,  he  is  proportionately 
easily  spoiled  on  the  other.  A  stubborn,  bad-tempered 
animal  not  only  requires  different  degrees  of  treat- 
ment, but  may  require  a  separate  system  of  treat- 
ment altogether.  He  is  not  so  easily  overcome  ;  his 
instinctive  senses  are  duller  and  less  perceptive, 
consequently    a    much    longer    time    is    necessary    in 


14 

imparting  to  him  the  precise  ideas  he  is  intended  to 
conceive.  He  will  generally  learn  less  in  half-a-dozen 
lessons  than  a  nervous,  high-spirited  colt  will  learn 
in  one. 

INDICATIONS   OF   TEMPERAMENT. 

The  practised  eye  of  a  skilled  horseman  can 
predict  pretty  accurately  in  a  few  minutes  what  the 
character  of  a  horse  is  likely  to  be.  The  chief  indica- 
tions are  found  in  the  eyes,  the  position  of  the  ears, 
and  the  general  conformation  of  the  head.  A  great 
deal  might  be  written  on  the  various  shapes  of  skulls 
as  indicating  the  different  character  and  temperament 
of  horses.  It  is  quite  possible  to  reduce  them  to  a 
very  sound  and  accurate  theory,  but  it  would  occupy 
too  much  time  and  space  to  enumerate  them  all, 
besides,  a  scientific  knowledge  of  this  matter  is  not 
absolutely  necessary  in  the  ordinary  management  of 
horses.  A  few  of  the  more  pronounced  indications 
shall  be  given,  however,  which  may  prove  of  some 
help  to  the  uninitiated  in  determining  the  character 
of  different  horses  with  which  they  may  have  to  deal. 

A  horse  that  is  continually  moving  his  eyes  about 
in  all  directions  with  a  somewhat  startled  expression, 
and  his  ears  well  forward  and  stationary,  will  generally 
be  in  possession  of  a  good  and  even  temper.  There 
is  a  great  difference  between  a  startled  expression 
in  the  eyes  and  a  watcJiful  one.  The  ears  are 
scarcely  ever  laid  back  when  a  horse  is  startled,  but 
when  he  is  watchful  they  are  generally  in  that  posi- 


15 

tion.  In  the  latter  case,  a  horse  does  not  turn  his 
head  about  much,  but  indulges  in  quick,  furtive 
glances  in  all  directions. 

A  horse  that  is  continually  rolling  his  eyes  about, 
and  showing  the  white  portion  to  a  marked  degree, 
while  his  ears  are  constantly  on  the  move — the  one 
forward  and  the  other  backward  alternately — may  be 
estimated  with  certainty  to  be  extremely  shy  and 
nervous. 

When  a  horse  has  a  quick,  watchful  eye,  his  ears 
working  fitfully  in  all  directions,  inclined  to  squeal 
if  his  fore-legs  are  touched,  and  giving  his  tail  an 
occasional  whisk,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  he  will  be 
a  pronounced  and  confirmed  kicker. 

Or,  if  a  horse  has  unusually  small  eyes,  deeply 
sunk,  placed  very  nearly  perpendicular  in  his  head, 
his  ears  inclined  backward,  and  occasionally  showing 
his  teeth,  he  will  generally  develop  some  vice  in 
unskilled  hands,  and  in  all  likelihood  it  will  be  that 
of  biting. 

A  horse  with  a  prominent  forehead  will  generally 
be  game  and  plucky,  with  a  strong,  determined 
temper,  although,  if  carefully  trained,  he  is  generally 
very  easily  managed.  There  is  a  difference  between 
a  prominent  and  a  bumpy  forehead  ;  the  latter  is 
generally  indicative  of  underbreeding,  and  sometimes 
denotes  reversion  to  a  remote  ancestral  type. 

A  horse  with  a  hollow  forehead,  or  "  dish-faced," 
as  it  is  familiarly  termed,  will  be  soft  in  temperament 
if  the  cavity  is  far  down,  but  if  well  elevated  between 


i6 


the  eyes,  he  will  generally  be  a  match  to  the  gamest 
and  pluckiest  of  horses  either  on  the  road  or  in  the 
field.  The  writer  recently  had  the  pleasure  of  exam- 
ining a  Canadian-bred  Polo  pony  in  possession  of  an 
excellent  sportsman  and  straight -riding  member  of 
the  North  Durham  Hunt.  The  cavity  between  the 
eyes  of  this  pony  is  most  pronounced,  suggesting 
either  a  freak  of  nature,  or  an  accident  during  foal- 
hood —  probably  the  latter,  as  the  indentation  is  too 
deep  and  abrupt  to  be  explained  by  natural  causes. 
It  is  said  that  ''  a  good  horse  is  never  a  bad 
colour,"  still,  colour  frequently  plays  an  important 
part  in  determining  the  peculiarities  of  temperament 
in  horses.  Bright  bays,  browns,  blacks,  and  dark 
chesnuts  are  generally  good  -  tempered  and  hardy 
constitutionally  ;  while  light  coloured  bays  and  ches- 
nuts are  often  hot-tempered,  excitable  animals,  with 
delicate  constitutions.  Greys  are  objectionable  on 
account  of  their  susceptibility  to  dirt.  When  shed- 
ding their  coats,  the  hairs  lodge  about  the  clothes 
of  people  who  are  near  them,  and  are  very  con- 
spicuous from  their  colour.  For  this  reason  alone, 
gentlemen  will  scarcely  purchase  grey  horses,  unless 
possessed  of  some  special  qualifications.  To  neutralise 
their  conspicuous  appearance,  the  horses  of  the  Scots 
Greys  were  dyed  khaki  colour  in  South  Africa,  which 
was  said  to  remain  fixed  for  a  couple  of  months. 
Grey  horses  are  generally  hardy  and  good-tempered, 
and  as  they  grow  older  they  become  lighter  in  colour. 
There   are    many    intermediate    shades    between    the 


17 

light  and  dark  of  all  colours,  and,  in  a  general  way, 
those  on  the  darker  side  will  be  the  better  horses,  but 
to  lay  down  definite  rules  on  the  subject  is  an  utter 
impossibility.  This  subject  will  be  more  fully  con- 
sidered in  a  subsequent  chapter.  Practice,  and  not 
theory,  is  the  regulating  factor  in  the  selection  and 
purchase  of  horses.  White  markings  on  the  faces 
and  legs  are  sometimes  objected  to  for  matching 
purposes,  but  when  matching  is  not  a  necessity,  they 
should  never  be  considered. 

HORSES   ARE   NOT   BORN   VICIOUS. 

It  is  sometimes .  supposed  that  horses  are  born 
vicious,  but  such  a  supposition,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
writer,  is  a  complete  mistake.  Vice  is  imported  into 
their  characters,  as  a  rule,  by  being  mistouched, 
mismanaged,  and,  to  a  great  extent,  by  general 
unkindness.  Vice  proper  is  never  apparent  in  the 
colt  ;  it  is  only  when  he  becomes  a  horse  that  it 
begins  to  manifest  itself.  Were  the  principle  of  vice 
inherent  in  horses,  it  would  be  quite  reasonable  to 
expect  it  in  young  colts  just  the  same  as  in  matured 
horses.  Vice  is  never  found  in  a  colt  if  left  to  himself. 
Much  mischief  is  often  done  to  young  foals  by  lads 
teasing  them.  Foals,  played  with  in  this  way,  acquire 
tricks  which  generally  develop  into  the  worst  forms 
of  vice,  and  a  greater  number  of  horses  are  ruined, 
when  they  are  mere  foals,  by  boys,  than  people  are 
aware  of.  In  fact,  foals  that  have  been  made  tricky 
very  seldom  evolve  into  quiet,  useful  horses.       Boys 

C 


i8 

and  foals  are  bad  companions,  but  the  treatment  of  the 
latter  will  be  fully  considered  in  the  following  chapter. 
It  would  be  quite  safe  to  enter  a  field  where  a  number 
of  colts  were   grazing   that   had   not  previously  been 
touched  by  man,  as  they  would  only  manifest  symp- 
toms   of  wonder    and    fear.     Were    we    to    lie    down 
amongst  them,  some  of  the  bolder  ones  might  venture 
near  enough  to  smell  at  us,  but  in  no  case  would  they 
attack   us  as   other   naturally  vicious    animals    would, 
which  proves  conclusively  that  vice  does  not  naturally 
belong  to  horses,  but  is  imported  into  their  character 
and  becomes  an  artificial  part  of  their  nature.      Horses 
do  not  kick  and  bite  viciously  of  their   own   accord. 
They  invariably  acquire  such  habits  through  fear  and 
pain,  and   naturally  make  use  of  their  heels  to  repel 
attacks  which  their  instinct  does  not  enable  them  to 
understand. 


19 


CHAPTER  III. 
BREEDING  AND  REARING. 

The  scientific  method  of  stock-breeding,  although 
well-known  to  many  eminent  breeders  all  over  the 
country,  is  not  so  well  understood  amongst  the 
generality  of  agriculturists  as  it  should  be  ;  nor  do 
they  take  sufficient  interest  in  the  subject  to  trace 
back  the  line  of  descent  of  particular  sires  which  they 
from  time  to  time  purchase  into  their  herds,  flocks, 
and  studs.  At  auction  sales  of  pedigreed  stock  the 
highest -priced  animals  are  not  necessarily  the  best, 
as  evidenced  by  the  fluctuations  and  reversals  that 
occur  in  the  awards  at  agricultural  shows.  No  doubt 
different  judges  base  their  judgment  on  different 
characteristics  of  stock,  which,  to  a  certain  extent, 
is  answerable  for  the  inconsistencies  that  periodically 
occur,  but,  at  the  same  time,  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  many  high-priced  sires  are  bought  into  herds, 
flocks,  and  studs  for  w^hich  they  are  absolutely  un- 
suited. 

The  breeding  and  rearing  of  horses  is  a  special 
branch  of  their  management  on  which  a  whole 
volume  might  be  written,  but  considerations  of  space 


20 


will  not  permit  of  going  into  very  minute  details  on 
the  subject,  so  a  few  of  the  more  important  hints  will 
be  given  which  may  prove  advantageous  to  some 
readers. 

The  old-fashioned  country  horses  of  the  working 
type  are  very  nearly  extinct  through  the  increased 
and  increasing  distribution  of  Shires  in  the  South, 
and  Clydesdales  in  the  North.  In  most  respects  this 
is  an  advantage,  whilst  in  others  it  is  somewhat  of  a 
disadvantage,  because  fashion,  even  in  horse-breed- 
ing, is  sometimes  more  regarded  than  utility  and 
profit.  Ten  or  a  dozen  years  ago,  no  cart  horses  at 
agricultural  shows  were  considered  worth  looking  at 
unless  extravagantly  furnished  with  the  fashionable 
and  aristocratic  "  feather,"  but,  happily,  this  craze 
for  hair  is  dying  out,  as  evidenced  in  the  cleaner- 
legged  horses  which  are  winning  at  the  present  day. 
Excessively  hairy  legs  are  good  for  nothing  but 
accumulating  mud  and  dirt,  and  from  mud  and  dirt 
spring  cracked  heels,  grease,  and  a  number  of  other 
ailments  due  to  uncleanliness. 

SHIRES   AND   CLYDESDALES. 

Shires  may  be  said  to  be  the  chief  breed  of  heavy 
horses  in  England.  The  distribution  of  Suffolks  is 
practically  confined  to  the  county  from  which  they 
derive  their  name,  and  need  not  be  specially  con- 
sidered at  present.  During  the  last  decade  there 
has  been  a  wonderful  improvement  in  Shires.  Their 
quality  has  been  materially  added  to  without  impairing 


21 


their  power  and  substance,  and  breeders  of  Shires 
have  great  reason  to  congratulate  themselves  upon 
the  excellent  results  attained  by  their  efforts  in  im- 
proving this  useful  breed  of  horses.  The  coarse  hair 
on  the  legs  has  been  greatly  modified,  the  bones  have 
been  further  flattened,  and  the  hoofs  considerably 
expanded  in  the  right  direction.  The  pasterns  would 
still  stand  lengthening,  perhaps,  both  before  and 
behind,  whilst  the  bone  formation  of  the  legs  might, 
with  advantage,  be  further  flattened.  A  little  more 
slope  in  the  pasterns  would  reduce  the  concussion  on 
the  streets,  and  the  further  flattening  of  the  bones 
would  have  the  effect  of  reducing  splints  and  other 
similar  enlargements  to  a  minimum.  Whilst  the  pas- 
terns of  some  Shires  may  be  rather  short  on  the  one 
hand,  the  pasterns  of  many  Clydesdales  are  certainly 
too  long  on  the  other.  Long,  sloping  pasterns  pro- 
duce style  and  elasticity,  but  tend  to  weaken  rather 
than  to  strengthen  the  propelling  power  of  the  limbs. 
At  the  same  time,  unduly  long  pasterns  are  unhandy 
in  backing,  and  accidents  frequentl}'  occur  by  horses 
severely  trampling  themselves  ;  therefore,  all  things 
considered,  a  happy  medium  is  the  thing  to  be  aimed 
at  for  practical  purposes.  Shires  are  excellently 
adapted  to  the  heavy  street  work  in  towns,  and  com- 
mand very  high  prices  when  guaranteed  good  workers 
and  sound,  which  is,  perhaps,  the  best  advertisement 
of  popularity  that  they  can  possibly  have. 

There    is   a   healthy    rivalry    between    Shires   and 
Clydesdales,    which    is   encouraging   so   long   as   it   is 


±1 

kept  within  reasonable  bounds,  and  the  refusal  of  the 
directors  of  the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  to 
accede  to  the  request  of  the  Shire  Horse  Society  to 
open  classes  for  Shires  at  their  shows  is  very  unfor- 
tunate and  much  to  be  regretted,  because  much  good 
might  have  resulted  to  both  breeds  in  consequence 
of  their  coming  together  occasionally  for  inspection. 
The  decision  of  the  Highland  directors  is  the  more 
unreasonable,  since  the  Royal  opens  many  classes  for 
Clydesdales  at  its  annual  shows.  The  question,  often 
debated,  as  to  whether  Shires  and  Clydesdales  are 
really  distinct  breeds  need  not  here  be  discussed. 
Breeders  of  Clydesdales,  ten  or  fifteen  years  ago, 
regarded  quality  rather  than  substance,  and  hair  rather 
than  bone,  consequently  horses  have  deteriorated  in 
weight.  Were  the  hair  cut  from  the  legs  and  the 
flesh  reduced  from  the  ribs  of  many  Clydesdales,  they 
would  appear  little  heavier  than  ordinary  tram  horses. 
This  defect,  however,  is  being  gradually  remedied,  as 
evidenced  at  agricultural  shows  during  recent  seasons 
by  the  production  of  several  extra  heavy  animals  of 
great  future  promise.  A  good  deal  can  be  said  in 
favour  of  both  breeds,  and,  whilst  Clydesdales  are  in 
greater  demand  in  Scotch  towns  than  Shires,  the 
latter  are  decidedly  in  favour  in  large  English  towns. 
Each  breed  is  specially  adapted  for  its  particular  class 
of  work,  but,  it  goes  without  saying,  that  unless 
Clydesdales  rapidly  develop  in  weight  they  will  con- 
tinue to  take  a  very  second-rate  position  for  street 
work  in  the  commercial  market. 


n 


THE    HEAVY   HORSE    MARKET. 

Purity  of  strain  is  certainly  the  correct  thing  for 
stud,  showyard,  and  crossing  purposes,  but  the  re- 
quirements of  the  heavy  horse  market  are: — weight, 
durability,  soundness,  and  activity.  When  these 
qualifications  are  combined  in  a  horse,  commercial 
men  are  not  inclined  to  inquire  much  about  pedigree. 
Style  and  quality  are  certainly  beautiful  accompani- 
ments in  a  cart  horse,  but  they  are  not  indispensible 
necessities  like  substance  and  power. 

The  primary  object  in  breeding  heavy  horses  for 
profit  must  be  for  the  streets,  when  prices  ranging 
from  £^0  to  £120  can  readily  be  obtained  for  the 
better  class  of  heavy,  sound  horses.  The  days  for 
breeding  a  lighter  class  of  horses  for  purely  agricultural 
purposes  are  past,  because  American  horses  can  be 
purchased  for  £2^  or  £'^0,  which  prove  fairly  useful  in 
working  the  lighter  class  of  farms.  It  must  not  be 
supposed,  however,  that  American  horses  are  equal  to 
take  the  regular  place  of  British  agricultural  horses 
on  heavy  land.  This  idea  looks  all  very  well  in  theory 
upon  paper,  but  in  practice  it  is  almost  impracticable. 
Many  farmers  who  have  tried  Ameri*,ans  will  readily 
confirm  this  opinion.  They  are  useful  in  filling  up 
gaps,  and,  with  the  misfits  for  the  streets,  the  two 
classes  combined  are  generally  to  be  found  in  suffi- 
cient numbers  to  meet  the  customary  waste  in 
agriculture.  So  far,  America  has  been  unable  to 
produce  the  class  of  horses  required  for  the  London 


24 

streets,  and  the  monopoly  is  undoubtedly  enjoyed 
by  Shire  breeders.  For  breeders  who  cater  for  the 
commercial  market  rather  than  the  show-ring",  success 
will  be  more  readily  attained  by  a  judicious  amalgama- 
tion of  Shire  and  Clydesdale  blood,  in  about  equal 
proportions,  than  by  prosecuting  a  system  of  absolu- 
utely  pure  breeding.  This  blend  must  be  insisted 
upon,  even  at  the  risk  of  shocking  the  sensitive 
instincts  of  breeders  of  pure -bred  stock.  Some  of 
the  best  heavy  horses  of  the  day,  as  proved  both  in 
the  show-yard  and  the  sale-ring,  have  been  bred  in 
this  way.  The  size  and  power  of  Shire  mares,  com- 
bined with  the  quality  and  activity  of  Clydesdale 
stallions,  produce  a  class  of  heavy  horses  which,  for 
commercial  purposes  in  towns,  is  ''second  to  none." 

MULES. 

Mules,  as  is  well  known,  are  the  progeny  of  a  cross 
between  jackasses  and  pony  mares.  The  progeny  of 
the  converse  cross  are  called  hinnies.  The  latter  are 
not  much  bred  in  Britain,  though  in  Ireland  they 
are  produced  in  comparatively  large  numbers.  It 
is  generally  held  b}'  naturalists  that  mules  will  not 
breed,  although  isolated  cases  are  occasionally  re- 
ported when  female  mules  have  been  said  to  bring 
forth  young.  Those  reports,  however,  are  generally 
from  out-of-the-way  places  and  cannot  be  authenti- 
cated. There  is  a  certain  prejudice  existing  against 
mules  in  this  country,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  their 
breeding  will   ever   become    very   popular.       On    the 


25 

whole,  they  might  be  too  light  for  agricultural  pur- 
poses, though  they  might,  with  advantage,  be  more 
largely  employed  in  light  van  work. 

ARMY   TRANSPORT    PURPOSES. 

The  work  for  which  mules  are  apparently  best 
adapted  is  for  army  transport.  Very  large  num- 
bers were  bought  from  the  United  States  and  else- 
where for  this  purpose  during  the  recent  war  in 
South  Africa,  and  were  sold  for  highly  remunera- 
tive prices  by  the  breeders,  ranging  from  £2^  to 
£a^o.  The  qualifications  of  mules  for  this  purpose  are 
many.  They  are  very  easily  kept  in  the  matter  of 
food,  and  would  thrive  in  places  where  ordinary  horses 
would  starve  ;  they  are  very  durable  and  compara- 
tively free  from  sickness  ;  they  withstand  the  dreadful 
attacks  of  the  tsetse  fly  better  than  horses,  as  their 
hides  are  hard  and  tough.  They  move  along  more 
rapidly  than  horses  at  a  walking  pace,  are  very  sure- 
footed, and  admirably  adapted  for  picking  their  way 
with  mountain  batteries  over  rough  mountain  tracks 
and  precipitous  kopjes  ;  they  can  carry  very  heavy 
weights,  are  good  workers,  and  docile.  As  a  rule, 
mules  live  rather  more  than  double  the  age  of  horses  ; 
they  are  generally  less  nervous,  and  can  withstand 
very  sudden  changes  of  heat  and  cold  with  com- 
paratively little  inconvenience  and  danger.  For  these 
reasons,  they  are  admirably  suited  for  army  transport 
in  foreign  countries.  It  is  held  by  some  authorities 
that    mules,    when    overwhelmed    by   fear,    have    an 


26 


unfortunate  propensity  to  stampede,  as  evidenced  at 
Nicholson's  Nek  during^  the  recent  campaign  ;  but, 
when  under  proper  human  control,  this  peculiarity 
can  generally  be  counterbalanced,  unless  under  very 
unusual  circumstances. 

BREEDING  OF    MULES. 

Mules  are  very  largely  used  in  the  United  States 
for  agricultural  purposes,  and  are  considered  superior 
to  horses.  They  have  increased  over  one  hundred 
per  cent,  during  the  last  two  decades,  which  forcibly 
illustrates  the  importance  which  is  attached  to  them 
in  that  country.  They  are  generally  used  in  India 
for  the  same  purpose,  and  are  held  in  high  repute 
by  those  competent  to  form  an  opinion  on  the  subject. 
The  best  class  of  jackasses  are  imported  into  the 
United  States  at  large  prices  for  stud  purposes.  The 
United  States  mules  are  considered  superior  to  South 
African  mules,  and  bring  correspondingly  higher 
prices.  It  is  affirmed  that  very  indifferent  mares  in 
the  United  States  breed  sound  progeny  when  crossed 
by  jackasses,  and  that  they  do  not  transmit  hereditary 
disease,  but  such  assertions  require  to  be  accepted 
with  the  proverbial  grain  of  salt.  It  is  possible  that 
the  violent  cross  of  blood  may  tend  in  this  direction, 
but  how  it  should  it  is  impossible  to  say ;  anyhow,  it 
would  be  a  very  unwise  principle  on  which  to  build 
a  healthy  and  improving  stud.  By  using  a  proper 
class  of  mares,  mules  are  sometimes  bred  which  grow 
to  sixteen  hands,  and  even  more. 


2; 


SELECTION   OF    SIRES   AND    UAMS. 

Too  often  are  the  characteristics  of  dams  forgotten 
in  the  purchase  of  the  sires,  which  is  amply  illustrated 
by  the  comparatively  low  average  prices  obtained  even 
for  some  very  old-established  pedigreed  stock.  The 
general  principles  of  breeding  are  easily  understood 
and  practised.  They  are  founded  on  the  broad  truism 
that  "  like  begets  like,"  so  that  whatever  character- 
istics are  possessed  by  the  sires  and  dams  may 
naturally  be  expected  to  be  inherited  by  the  progeny. 
It  is  here  where  the  scientific  skill  of  up-to-date 
breeders  displays  itself — here,  where  eminent  and 
ordinary  breeders  should  join  hands,  so  that  science 
may  become  more  practical,  and  practice  more 
scientific.  The  respective  properties  of  sires  and 
dams  should  be  fully  considered,  so  as  to  procure 
the  desired  type  by  the  amalgamation  of  blood. 
When  there  are  widely  distinguishing  features  in  the 
sires  and  dams,  the  progeny  will  generally  inherit 
the  peculiarities  of  both  in  a  modified  degree  ;  but 
this  is  not  always  the  case,  for  occasionally  the  off- 
spring will  develop  the  characteristics  of  the  sires, 
and  sometimes  those  of  the  dams.  Generally  speak- 
ing, however,  the  combination  of  extreme  qualities 
will  naturally  produce  normal  qualities  in  the  progeny, 
as  the  tendency  is  to  neutralise  extremes  and  modify 
prominent  points  generally. 

It  is  exceedingly  difficult — almost  impossible — to 
combine  quality  and  size  in  the  same  animals'  to  any 


2g 


appreciable  degree,  yet  this  is  the  ideal  to  which 
breeders  must  endeavour  to  attain.  Dams  possessing 
size  and  substance  must  be  mated  with  sires  of 
acknowledged  quality,  and  vice  versa.  The  selection 
of  sires  is  probably  more  important  than  the  selection 
of  dams,  in  consequence  of  the  comparatively  larger 
number  of  their  off- spring;  therefore,  for  the  im- 
provement of  stock,  judicious  judgment  must  be 
exercised  in  their  selection.  Their  pedigrees  should 
be  closely  studied  previous  to  purchasing,  and  high 
pedigrees  rather  than  high  prices  should  govern 
breeders  in  their  choice.  Not  that  high-priced  sires 
are  not  highly-pedigreed,  but  because  they  are  not 
always  specially  adapted  for  mating  the  dams  for 
which  they  are  intended.  Where  there  are  weak 
points  in  the  dams,  correspondingly  strong  points 
must  be  looked  for  in  the  sires,  and  vice  versa.  It 
is  by  skilful  drafting,  selection,  and  mating  that 
defects  are  worn  out,  and  style,  quality,  substance, 
and  good  general  conformation  combined  in  the  same 
animals.  When  once  a  definite  type  has  been  fixed, 
constant  attention  on  the  part  of  breeders  is  necessary 
to  maintain  its  high  standard  of  excellence,  otherwise 
a  declinature  will  occur  which  may  manifest  itself  in 
several  ways.  The  less  new  blood  there  is  infused 
into  old-established  pedigreed  stock  the  better,  so 
far  as  preserving  a  uniform  "  family  likeness  "  is  con- 
cerned, only  consanguinity  may  be  carried  too  far, 
and  in-and-in-breeding,  unless  conducted  with  con- 
summate   skill,    may    result    in    deterioration    of    size 


29 

and  delicacy  of  constitution.  The  best  system  of 
maintaining  the  size  and  stamina  of  stock,  where  in- 
and-in  breeding-  is  closely  practised,  is  to  have  the 
sires  and  dams  as  far  removed  from  each  other  in 
blood  relationship  as  possible,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  scrupulously  weed  out  all  inferior  animals  below 
the  standard  of  type  aimed  at.  The  world-famed 
Border  Leicester  flock  at  Mertoun  is  an  example 
of  what  success  can  be  attained  by  the  principle  of 
in-and-in  breeding,  when  conducted  on  scientific  lines. 

In  breeding  harness  horses.  Hackneys,  and  hunters 
for  average  all-round  wear,  the  sires  should  always 
be  finer  and  higher  bred  than  the  dams,  while  they 
should  not  in  ordinary  circumstances  be  consan- 
guineous. If  this  exceedingly  important  matter  is 
neglected,  the  progeny  may  be  less  symmetrical,  with 
soft,  comatose  temperaments  and  delicate  constitu- 
tions. 

Mares  and  stallions  of  the  very  best  stamp  should 
be  carefully  selected  for  breeding  purposes,  as  good 
stock  can  never  be  produced  from  commonplace,  in- 
different sires  and  dams.  They  should  be  thoroughly 
sound,  with  good  constitutions  and  temperaments, 
symmetrically  formed,  and  free  from  every  peculiar 
cicatrice  or  malformation  ;  although,  even  with  the 
greatest  care,  a  htstis  natnrce  occasionally  happens. 

Some  breeders  breed  from  any  kind  of  stock  with 
a  nonchalance  which,  if  not  quite  ignorance,  is  the 
twin  brother  to  it.  Thus,  the  fifty  per  cent,  of 
unsound    horses   we   see   around    us   are    largely   ac- 


') 


o 


counted  for.  If  a  mare  goes  lame,  many  farmers  will 
breed  from  her  and  risk  all  consequences.  In  only 
too  many  cases,  also,  they  consider  the  service  fee 
of  a  stallion  more  than  his  merits.  They  will  engage 
a  stallion  for  a  pound  or  two  less,  forgetting,  by  this 
false  economy,  that  there  may  easily  be  ;^40  difference 
in  value  between  the  progeny  of  a  first-class  and  the 
progeny  of  an  inferior  stallion. 

Everything  in  the  nature  of  splints,  sidebones, 
ringbones,  brittle  hoofs,  sand  cracks,  curbs,  spavins, 
stringhalts,  broken  wind,  crib -biting,  wind -sucking, 
and  all  the  other  diseases  that  horse-flesh  is  heir  to, 
should  be  carefully  avoided.  Although  many  of  the 
diseases  mentioned  are  produced  by  overwork  and 
strains,  yet  a  number  of  them  are  hereditary,  and  will 
appear  in  colts  even  before  they  are  handled.  In 
addition  to  the  foregoing,  soil  and  climate  are  also 
important  factors  in  the  production  of  good  stock. 

BREEDING   FROM   OLD   STOCK. 

It  is  generally  a  mistake  to  breed  from  old  stock, 
as  the  progeny  is  never  so  robust  and  durable  as 
when  bred  from  young  matured  stock.  At  the  same 
time,  very  young  mares  should  be  mated  to  moder- 
ately old  stallions,  and  vice  versa.  In  this  way  there 
is  greater  aptitude  to  conception,  and  the  progeny 
are  better  than  when  either  very  young  or  very  old 
animals  are  mated  together. 

Although  it  is  difficult  to  say  at  what  age  mares 
are  best  adapted  for  breeding,  it  stands  to  reason  that 


31 

it  is  better  to  breed  after  maturity  has^  been  reached 
than  before.  In  breeding  from  fillies,  their  develop- 
ment is  considerably  arrested,  and  it  is  natural  that 
their  progeny  cannot  have  the  same  vigour  as  the 
progeny  of  thoroughly-matured  stock. 

Many  people  attempt  to  judge  the  ages  of  horses 
from  the  depth  of  the  cavities  above  their  eyes,  but 
are  unaware,  perhaps,  that  the  progeny  of  old  stock 
have  generally  deeper-marked  cavities  at  three  years 
of  age  than  the  progeny  of  young  stock  have  at 
seven.  Thus,  people  who  rely  on  this  point  in 
determining  the  ages  of  horses  are  very  frequently 
deceived.  A  concise  method  of  telling  the  ages  of 
horses  will  be  explained  in  another  chapter. 

TELEGONY. 

The  theory  of  telegony  is  one  upon  which  scientific 
opinion  is  probably  pretty  equally  divided  at  the 
present  time.  It  is  one  of  these  problems  in  the 
science  of  stock-breeding  requiring  such  careful 
observation  over  a  necessarily  extended  period,  that 
great  time  must  elapse  before  definite  facts  can  be 
recorded,  if,  indeed,  they  can  ever  be  authentically 
ascertained  so  as  to  raise  it  from  a  possible  theory 
to  a  well-founded  truism.  With  the  exception  of 
Professor  Cossar  Ewart's  experiments  at  Penicuik, 
few  systematic  attempts  have  been  made  in  this 
country  to  solve  the  problem.  It  is  one  involving 
great  expenditure  of  money,  much  labour  and  experi- 
ence, careful   observation,  and   the   faithful   recording 


32 

of  every  detail,  however  insignificant,  that  bears  upon 
the  subject.  On  the  completion  of  the  Penicuik 
experiments,  much  lig-ht  may  be  thrown  upon  the 
question,  which  should  be  full  of  interest  to  all 
breeders  of  stock,  and  whether  the  experiments  come 
to  a  successful  issue  or  not,  great  credit  is  certainly 
due  to  Professor  Cossar  Ewart  for  his  disinterested 
labours  in  this  connection.  ' 

It  is  well  known  to  breeders  of  all  kinds  of  stock 
that  pure-bred  sires  are  more  impressive  than  under- 
bred or  cross-bred  sires,  and  that,  by  careful  selection 
and  mating  along  scientific  lines,  under-bred  stock 
can  be  raised  in  time  to  come  within  the  term  "  pure- 
bred." This  accepted  fact  neither  proves  nor  dis- 
proves telegony,  but  it  seems  natural  to  suppose  that, 
were  the  original  germ  permanently  fixed  by  first 
sires,  under-bred  features  would  be  more  slowly  worn 
out,  and  conversely,  pure-bred  characteristics  would 
deteriorate  less  rapidly.  It  is  held  by  many  breeders 
that  parents  of  either  sex,  possessing  the  purer  breed- 
ing and  fixity  of  type,  are  the  more  prepotent,  and 
that  the  progeny  incline  to  whichever  side  the  balance 
of  breeding  and  type  lies.  Telegony,  however,  if  it 
does  exist — and  although  there  may  be  no  positive 
proof  of  its  action,  there  are  many  apparent  indica- 
tions of  it — necessarily  emanates  from  original  sires 
by  the  inoculation  of  the  female  ovum  during  coition. 
With  pregnancy,  saturation  follows,  and  it  is  held 
that  the  original  male  strains  always  remain  hermetic- 
ally  associated   with   the   female   blood   to   a  varying 


33 

degree  in  correspondence  with  the  prepotency  of 
individual  sires.  The  characteristics  of  first  sires  may 
make  themselves  apparent  in  innumerable  ways  —  in 
colour,  conformation,  constitution,  and  temperament, 
but  they  may  be  so  slight  that  they  are  practically 
imperceptible,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  they  may  be 
so  prominent  as  almost  to  bring  the  theory  of  tele- 
gony  within  the  range  of  established  truth.  By  con- 
tinuous breeding,  the  distinctive  features  of  original 
sires  are  gradually  reduced,  though  they  may  never 
absolutely  disappear. 

All  breeders  of  stock  are  familiar  with  reversion, 
or  atavism,  as  it  is  occasionally  called,  and  even  under 
the  care  of  the  most  experienced  breeders  reversions 
occur  from  time  to  time  in  the  most  unaccountable 
manner.  They  are  more  frequent,  however,  during 
the  formation  of  particular  breeds  of  stock,,  than  when 
breeds  are  permanently  fixed  and  established.  This 
principle  is  borne  out  in  all  classes  of  stock  ;  thus, 
in-and-in  breeding,  whilst  in  some  cases  it  may  lead 
to  deterioration  of  size  and  delicacy  of  constitution 
when  practised  unscientifically,  is  no  doubt  respons- 
ible for  the  excellency  of  all  kinds  of  British  stock 
at  the  present  day.  But  reversion  and  telegony  are 
essentially  distinct,  because  the  former  peculiarity  may 
revert  along  the  female  just  as  easily  as  along  the 
male  line  of  descent,  the  balance  naturally  depending 
upon  whichever  parent  possesses  the  greater  pre- 
potency. Telegony,  as  already  explained,  can  only 
revert  to  original  sires.      In  this  way  telegony,  if  it 

D 


34 

be  accepted  as  a  fact,  must  be  understood  to  be 
absolutely  separated  from  atavism  and  variation  ;  on 
the  other  hand,  if  it  only-  remain  a  hypothesis,  it  is 
difficult  to  say  what  is  atavism  and  what  is  telegony, 
or  to  deny  that  both  terms  are  identical  in  their 
application.  Instead  of  reversion  and  variation  being 
always  consequent  upon  the  entrance  of  disturbing 
influences  in  the  line  of  heredity,  they  are  probably 
just  as  likely  to  occur  from  outside  influences  in 
environment,  whether  gradual  or  violent,  during  the 
impressionable  period  of  gestation. 

Violent  crossing  is  instrumental  in  producing 
many  reversions  and  variations,  and  in  arresting 
fecundity.  This  is  exemplified  in  unfertile  hybrids 
of  all  species,  but  this  is  probably  more  the  experience 
of  fanciers  than  regular  commercial  breeders ;  and, 
although  "  like  begets  like,"  it  is  impossible  to  forecast 
the  results  when  violent  crossing  is  resorted  to,  as 
the  type  of  progeny  may  radiate  in  all  directions 
except  the  one  desired.  This  is  naturally  a  domestic 
observation,  because  the  rigorous  law  of  nature  pre- 
cludes this  intermingling  amongst  animals  in  a  wild 

state. 

The  law  of  "  the  survival  of  the  fittest,"  it  is 
said,  operates  in  the  latter  circumstances,  and  main- 
tains each  species  in  strength  and  purity,  although, 
on  the  authority  of  the  late  Duke  of  Argyle  in 
"  Evolution  Cross-examined,"  there  is  no  more  barren 
phrase  in  existence  than  that  coined  by  the  late  Mr 
Herbert  Spencer.     It  can   only  be  understood  as  a 


35 

modification  of  Darwin's  definition,  and  whether  it 
may  be  regarded  as  an  improvement  on  the  original 
is,  of  course,  open  to  debate.  Little  can  be  done 
by  crossing  to  solve  the  problem  of  telegony  ;  indeed, 
its  effects  will  tend  rather  to  confuse  the  issue,  so 
that  to  arrive  at  reliable  conclusions,  pure-bred 
animals  are  necessary  for  experimental  purposes. 

If  the  Biblical  account  of  the  spotted  cattle  pro- 
duced by  the  ingenuity  of  Jacob  be  correct,  it  would 
seem  that  he  had  divined  their  bovine  susceptibilities 
and  practised  the  method  of  increasing  his  individual 
estate  on  thoroughly  scientific  principles,  because  he 
supplied  the  wands  that  produced  the  charm,  made 
some  mathematical  calculations,  and  determined  the 
results  with  consummate  skill.  Without  regarding 
this  Biblical  story  very  seriously,  there  are  many 
instances  of  freaks  of  nature  due  to  outside  influences 
occurring  within  the  experience  of  most  breeders. 
Whether  these  upsetting  influences  affect  the  germ 
at  the  time  of  copulation,  or  are  caused  at  a  later 
and  more  impressionable  stage  of  pregnancy,  it  is 
impossible  to  say,  though  scientific  opinion  inclines 
to  favour  the  former  rather  than  the  latter  theory. 
Sudden  changes  in  environment,  change  of  food, 
climatic  influences,  new  companions,  and  occasional 
frights  doubtless  play  a  prominent  part  in  the  pro- 
duction of  freaks  and  variations  ;  indeed,  these  are 
well-worn  facts  which  come  within  the  everyday 
experience  of  most  breeders  of  stock.  In  no  class 
of  animals    is    the    idea    of   telegony   probably   more 


36 

clearly  conveyed  than  in  dogs,  and  most  fanciers 
are  very  scrupulous  in  the  use  of  first  sires.  There 
is  a  tendency  to  narrow  telegony  down  to  a  repro- 
duction of  colour  and  shape,  and,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  writer,  this  is  a  mistake,  because,  if  it  can  be 
proved  to  operate  at  all,  there  is  no  reason  why  it 
should  not  manifest  itself  in  all  or  any  faculty,  both 
physical  and  mental.  If  this  be  admitted,  the  ques- 
tion becomes  much  more  complicated  and  difficult 
of  solution.  Thus,  as  already  mentioned,  much  time, 
careful  study,  and  close  observation  are  necessary  in 
order  to  determine  its  authenticity. 

SAFETY   IN   WORKING  BROOD   MARES. 

Some  breeders  do  not  work  their  mares  when  they 
are  in  foal,  under  the  impression  that  it  is  injurious 
to  them.  It  is,  however,  quite  a  mistake,  for,  if 
regularly  and  carefully  wrought,  they  will  foal  more 
easily  and  with  greater  safety.  Heavy  carting  and 
much  backing  during  the  advanced  stages  of  gestation 
should  be  avoided,  as  any  undue  strain  might  displace 
the  foetus  and  cause  abortion ;  but  if  carefully  managed 
in  all  ordinary  yokes  they  will,  as  a  rule,  work  up  till 
the  day  of  foaling  with  perfect  safety.  It  is  safer  to 
work  mares  in  chains  rather  than  in  shafts,  and  they 
should  be  kept  off  the  roads  when  in  a  slippery  condi- 
tion, as  straining  and  slipping  on  ice  is  a  prolific  cause 
of  abortion.  In  fact,  light  exercise  is  the  very  life 
of  them.  Parturition  is  generally  difficult  with  idle, 
over -fed  mares. 


37 


CONDITION  OF   BROOD    MARES. 

Mares  should  neither  be  too  fat  nor  too  lean,  but 
in  fresh,  healthy,  and  thriving  condition.  There  is 
far  greater  aptitude  to  conception,  and  proportionally 
less  danger  at  foaling,  than  when  they  are  either  built 
with  flesh  or  poor  and  thin. 

Immediately  after  fecundation,  mares  should  be 
returned  to  the  exact  circumstances  of  their  previous 
environment.  If  they  have  been  working,  grazing 
in  the  field,  or  standing  in  the  stable,  they  should 
always  be  returned  to  the  same  position,  so  that 
nothing  different  in  the  surroundings  may  appear  to 
excite  them.  In  all  cases,  they  should  be  given  the 
same  food.  Some  mares  are  very  excitable  during 
their  conceptive  periods,  while  others  are  dull  and 
languid. 

MANAGEMENT   OF   STALLIONS. 

Stallions  should  be  well  fed  on  oats,  beans,  and 
hay,  with  a  bran  mash  every  alternate  night.  Like 
mares,  however,  they  should  not  be  loaded  with 
superfluous  flesh,  but  kept  in  fresh,  fairly  hard  con- 
dition. When  stallions  are  covered  with  fat,  they 
are  a  burden  to  themselves,  and  their  weight  is 
often  instrumental  in  producing  splints,  spavins, 
and  other  bone  enlargements.  In  addition  to  this, 
they  cannot  serve  mares  satisfactorily,  and  in  the 
event  of  illness  there  is  much  greater  danger,  so 
that   a    reasonably   hard    condition    should   be   aimed 


38 

at  to  keep  stallions  fit  for  the  road  during  the  travel- 
ling" season.  They  should  always  have  plenty  of 
exercise  to  keep  their  legs  in  order.  Many  diseases 
of  the  legs  are  caused  by  over-feeding  and  insufficient 
exercise. 

Thoroughbred  stallions  will  travel  from  twenty  to 
thirty  miles  a  day,  and  serve  seventy  or  eighty  mares 
in  the  season  ;  while  Clydesdales  and  Shires  will  travel 
fifteen  or  eighteen  miles  and  serve  sixty  or  seventy 
mares.  Colts  of  three  years  of  age,  however,  should 
not  be  allowed  to  serve  more  than  thirty-five  or  forty 
mares.  Serving  too  many  mares  during  the  first 
season  spoils  them  for  the  next. 

HARNESS   HORSES,    HACKS,   AND   HUNTERS. 

The  best  way  to  breed  a  half-bred  harness  horse 
is  to  cross  a  cart  mare  with  a  thoroughbred  or  Hack- 
ney stallion  ;  or,  if  a  lighter  stamp  is  desired,  a 
half-bred  mare  should  be  used.  Better  action  will 
be  obtained  from  the  Hackney  than  from  the 
thoroughbred  cross. 

The  best  kind  of  hack  is  produced  from  a  half- 
bred  cob  mare  and  a  thoroughbred  or  Hackney  sire, 
or  a  half  or  three-parts  bred  mare  if  a  lighter  stamp 
is  wanted. 

We  are  not  treating  here  of  pure-bred  pedigreed 
stock.  High -class  studs  can  only  be  built  upon  pure- 
bred foundations  after  years  of  careful  selection  and 
mating,  and  at  a  large  expenditure  of  capital,  to 
attain    to    anything    like    front-rank    success.       Our 


39 

recommendations  are  rather  intended  to  apply  to 
farmers  of  all  classes,  who  may  keep  a  few  odd  mares 
for  doing  catch  work  about  the  farm,  and  who  may 
turn  them  into  some  profit  by  judicious  breeding  at 
comparatively  little  cost.  This  idea  is  very  practical, 
because  probably  nine-tenths  of  the  mounts  of  the 
Imperial  Yeomanry  and  cavalry  regiments  are  drawn 
from  this  class  of  horses. 

Pedigreed  Hackneys,  high -class  hunters,  and 
thoroughbreds  are  unsuitable  for  the  work,  because 
the  prices  which  they  realise  are  prohibitive. 

With  a  large  increase  in  mounted  infantry  in 
future,  hardy  horses,  bred  in  this  way,  may  probably 
be  in  great  demand,  and  horses  of  this  class  cost  prac- 
tically nothing  for  breeding,  and  will  pay  fairly  well 
at  ;^40  a  head. 

A  heavy-weight  hunter  should  be  bred  from  a 
strong  half-bred  mare  and  a  thoroughbred  stallion — 
their  respective  dams  having  been  originally  crossed 
the  proper  way.  It  is  a  pity  that  hunters  are  not 
classified  as  a  distinct  breed,  but  owing  to  the  valuable 
correspondence  which  has  recently  occurred  in  the 
Live  Stock  Jonr7ial^  it  is  pretty  safe  to  predict  that 
we  are  within  a  measurable  distance  of  attaining  this 
desirable  object.  The  Hunters*  Improvement  Society 
is  doing  much  useful  work  in  improving  the  breed 
of  hunters,  and  in  the  near  future  excellent  results 
are  likely  to  be  achieved  in  consequence. 

Hunters  and  all  other  classes  of  horses  will  be 
fully  considered  in  the  sections  that  deal  with  them. 


40 


HACKNEYS. 


There    is    probably    no   finer    breed    of   horses  in 

the    British    Isles  —  probably    no    finer    breed   in    tne 

world  —  than  Hackneys,  and  the  purity  of  their  blood 

can    be    traced    as    far    back,    if    not    further,    than 

thoroughbreds.         The     latter    are    descended    from 

Byerly  Turk,  the  Darley  Arabian,  and  the  Godolphin 

Arabian.     Those  horses  were  imported  between  1689 

and    1730,   and   have   left   their   mark   largely   on   the 

thoroughbreds    and    Hackneys    of   the    present    day. 

Perhaps  the  exquisite  symmetry  of  Hackneys  is  due 

to   the   prepotency   of  the  beautifully -shaped   Darley 

Arabian    more    than    to   any    of   the    other    imported 

stallions.     The   action   of  thoroughbreds  is  generally 

low  and  defective  in  consequence  of  their  having  been 

bred  entirely  for  speed  during  the  last  two  hundred 

years.      The   action    of   Hackneys,    on    the    contrary, 

is  dashing  and  magnificent.     Lovers  of  horses  enjoy 

nothing  better  than  the  straight  and  stylish  stepping 

of  a  well-trained   Hackney.     Hackneys  are  generally 

possessed   of  hardy  constitutions,   beautiful   manners, 

and  are  very  good-tempered  and  docile.     They  have 

splendid  conformation,  undoubted  courage,  wonderful 

staying  power,  and,  for  soundness,  they  are  probably 

unrivalled  by  any  other  breed  of  horses  in  the  United 

Kingdom,  or  out  of  it.     If  possible,  Hackneys  should 

be   bred    whole-coloured,  as    many   people   object   to 

white  markings  for  matching  purposes.       Chesnut  is 

a  colour  which  is  rapidly  increasing  amongst  Hack- 


4t 

neys,  and  it  is  very  much  in  fashion  at  the  present 
time.  Hackney  staHions  are  more  suitable  for  the 
production  of  horses  for  the  road  than  thoroughbreds, 
because  they  combine  all  the  essential  qualifications 
for  the  road  in  a  high  degree.  By  crossing  pony 
mares,  light  and  heavy  hunter  mares,  van  and  even 
cart  mares,  all  grades  of  horses  can  be  produced  for 
the  various  requirements  of  the  road.  There  are 
many  excellent  studs  of  Hackne}'s  in  the  country, 
and  long  prices  are  forthcoming  when  they  change 
hands.  In  fact,  the  value  of  a  beautiful,  well-trained 
Hackney,  like  the  value  of  a  well-bred,  thoroughly- 
trained  Polo  pony,  can  scarcely  be  estimated.  The 
demand  for  both  is  rapidly  increasing.  With  regard 
to  the  latter,  a  true  type  has  hardly  yet  been  estab- 
lished, and  the  breeder  who  succeeds  in  forming  and 
maintaining  the  desired  type,  may  safely  count  upon 
making  his  fortune  ;  but  of  Polo  ponies  more  anon. 

BEST   PLACE   FOR   A   MARE  TO   FOAL. 

This  subject  is  of  supreme  interest  both  to 
naturalists  and  breeders  of  stock,  and  an  intelligent 
knowledge  of  the  habits  of  farm  animals  in  a  pure 
state  of  nature  and  under  high  domestication  natur- 
ally tends  to  develop  a  better  system  of  management 
in  all  departments.  Some  naturalists  go  so  far  as 
to  affirm  that  there  should  be  no  interference  at  the 
birth  of  domestic  animals,  and  argue  that  the  organisa- 
tion of  nature,  being  perfect,  renders  an  interference 
with  its  laws  not  only  unnecessary,  but  highly  danger- 


42 

ous  as  well.  The  inconsistency  of  this  argument 
will  be  at  once  apparent  when  it  is  pointed  out  that 
the  very  fact,  which  is  evidently  forgotten,  of  animals 
being  under  a  high  state  of  domestication  is  a  direct 
interference  with  the  laws  of  nature  itself.  As  soon 
as  animals  are  domesticated,  absolutely  natural  laws 
become  impossible  because  of  the  necessarily  impaired 
character  of  their  several  instinctive  faculties,  conse- 
quent on  their  circumscribed  environment.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  instincts  of  animals  in  a  state  of  nature 
are  much  more  acute  than  those  of  animals  under 
domestication.  The  enforced  ''  struggle  for  life " 
necessitates  an  intense  development  of  the  instinctive 
faculties  of  wild  animals,  without  which  existence 
would  become  impossible.  With  animals  under 
domestication,  the  historic  phrase  of  Darwin  and 
Spencer  largely  ceases  to  operate,  at  least,  it  is  only 
intelligible  in  a  very  comparative  sense,  because  the 
faculty  of  self-preservation  is  reduced  to  the  common- 
est instinctive  function,  viz.  : — that  of  eating.  In  this 
way,  naturalists  and  stockbreeders  regard  animals 
from  an  entirely  different  standpoint ;  the  observa- 
tions of  the  former  are  based  upon  animals  in  a  state 
of  nature,  and  the  observations  of  the  latter  upon 
animals  under  domestication.  This  naturally  leads 
to  a  sharp  division  of  opinion  between  the  more 
advanced  thinkers  of  both  classes  ;  and  to  arrive  at 
a  common-sense  view  of  the  treatment  of  farm  animals 
it  is  necessary  to  steer  a  medium  course,  by  blending 
the  observations  of  distinguished  naturalists  and  ob- 


43 

servant  stockbreeders  together,  and  thus  combine 
the  valuable  knowledge  of  both. 

There  is  all  the  difference  in  the  world  between 
the  wild  mare  of  the  prairie  and  the  in-bred  pedigreed 
Clydesdale  and  Shire.  The  highly-developed  instinct 
of  the  former  enables  her  to  roam  over  a  large  area 
of  ground  in  search  of  the  materials  of  existence, 
and  to  take  good  care  of  herself  when  unexpected 
emergencies  arise.  This  enforced  activity  in  her 
progenitors  for  thousands  of  years  has  developed  her 
instinctive  functions  to  their  highest  capacity  ;  whilst 
those  of  the  Clydesdale  and  Shire,  on  the  other  hand, 
have  been  reduced  by  domestication  to  the  lowest 
point — bare  rudiments  of  the  former.  It  is  a  mistake 
to  imagine  that  domestication  develops  the  instincts 
of  animals ;  the  habits  they  acquire  by  civilised 
association  with  men  and  things  have  no  continuity, 
and  are  never  inherited  and  reproduced  by  their 
progeny,  which  is  conclusive  testimony  that  instinct 
is  only  maintained  under  natural  laws,  and  that  all 
acquirements  under  domestic  existence  are  necessarily 
artificial.  Domestic  acquirements  are  never  contribu- 
tive  to  the  general  betterment  of  animals  ;  only  those 
specialised  by  training  and  favourable  surroundings 
attain  to  a  kind  of  comparative  civilisation — a  civilisa- 
tion, however,  which  is  hampered  and  circumscribed 
by  the  narrowness  of  its  understanding,  and  which 
dies  with  the  animals  that  acquire  it. 

When  parturition  approaches,  the  wild  mare  seeks 
a  sheltered  place  and  foals,  as  a  rule,  in  safety.     Her 


44 

maternal  instincts  are  keen  and  solicitous  ;  her  atten- 
tions are  rapidly  reciprocated  by  the  foal,  which 
naturally  inherits  all  the  acute  characteristics  of  its 
dam,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  the  pair  under- 
stand each  other,  the  latter,  resuming  her  accustomed 
roving  life  in  company  with  the  former,  which  soon 
becomes  initiated  in  the  ups  and  downs  of  its  wild 
prairie  existence. 

When  we  compare  the  condition  of  the  Clydes- 
dale or  Shire  mare  at  parturition,  the  contrast  of 
instinctive  self-reliance  is  marvellous  indeed.  Here, 
nature  must  be  assisted  or  probably  fifty  per  cent, 
of  Clydesdale  and  Shire  foals  would  never  live  to 
suck  their  dams.  The  limp,  ungainly  youngster  is 
a  sprawling  mass  of  legs  and  stupidity,  whilst  its 
dull  mother  often  regards  it  with  comparative  in- 
difference, or,  if  she  be  unusually  solicitous,  the 
chances  are  that  she  may  trample  and  injure  it  in 
some  way  or  another.  Very  often  milk  requires  to 
be  drawn  artificially  from  the  mare,  and  the  foal 
guided  to  the  teat  to  induce  it  to  suck,  otherwise 
it  would  probably  die  from  hunger.  Thus,  instinct, 
under  domestication,  degenerates  into  a  dull  stupidity 
which  must  be  assisted  to  ensure  success  ;  but  the 
assistance  should  always  be  as  close  an  imitation  of 
nature  as  circumstances  permit,  and  a  scientific  know- 
ledge of  natural  history,  combined  with  practical 
experience,  will  prove  invaluable. 

About   ten   days    previous    to  a   mare's  period   of 
foaling,  she  should  be  placed  in  a  comfortable,  roomy, 


45 

loose-box,  and  fastened  to  a  piece  of  delicate  cord 
in  the  corner.  An  old  piece  of  net-backing"  is  very 
suitable.  The  reason  for  fixing  the  mare's  head  in 
the  corner  is  to  prevent  her  getting  into  an  awkward 
and  dangerous  position  when  foaling.  Foals  are  fre- 
quently injured,  and  sometimes  killed,  by  mares  lying 
down  against  a  wall  to  foal.  As  soon  as  mares  have 
foaled,  they  will  generally  break  their  delicate  bind- 
ing in  their  eagerness  to  reach  their  foals,  and  turn 
round  in  perfect  safety. 

INDICATIONS  OF   FOALING. 

It  is  always  desirable  for  an  attendant  to  be 
present  when  mares  are  foaling,  if  possible.  The 
duration  of  a  mare's  period  of  gestation  is  forty-eight 
weeks,  and  they  generally  foal  pretty  close  to  their 
time,  though  not  always.  Some  mares  will  drop 
their  foals  ten  days  before  they  are  due,  and  others 
will  carry  them  ten  days  beyond,  which  practically 
means  a  fluctuation  in  their  period  of  pregnancy  of 
three  weeks.  In  most  cases  a  creamy  kind  of  wax 
forms  on  the  points  of  the  mare's  teats,  and  they 
rarely  carry  their  foals  beyond  forty-eight  hours  after 
its  formation.  But,  while  this  is  a  rule,  it  is  not 
without  exception,  as  some  mares  do  foal  without 
the  least  indication  of  wax.  The  sliding  of  the 
bones  at  the  root  of  the  tail  is  another  reliable  guide 
that  parturition  is  approaching.  The  immediate 
signs  of  foaling  are  too  palpable  to  require  descrip- 
tion, and  some  mares  will  foal  in  ten  minutes  after 


46 

the  first  violent  preliminaries  are  observed.  When 
an  attendant  is  watching  a  foaling  mare,  he  should 
keep  perfectly  quiet  in  some  corner,  unseen  by  the 
mare,  as  a  number  of  mares  are  very  shy,  and  will 
scarcely  foal  if  anyone  is  present.  No  manual 
assistance  should  be  given  unless  absolutely  neces- 
sary. Nature  generally  does  her  own  work  best 
when  left  alone.  In  ordinary  cases  the  foetus  is  ex- 
pelled in  from  five  to  fifteen  minutes.  When  mares 
cannot  foal  naturally  of  their  own  accord,  something 
is  sure  to  be  seriously  wrong,  and  the  services  of  a 
qualified  veterinary  surgeon  should  be  speedily  ob- 
tained. In  such  circumstances,  mares  do  not  struggle 
long  before  giving  in,  much,  of  course,  depending  on 
their  constitution  and  temperament. 

HOW  TO   MANAGE   THE   FOAL. 

As  soon  as  the  foal  is  born,  the  attendant  should 
break  the  sheet  that  covers  its  head,  although,  in 
most  cases,  it  is  ruptured  by  the  action  of  foaling. 
If  this  is  not  done,  the  foal  will  be  unable  to  breathe, 
and  will,  of  course,  expire  at  once.  The  navel-string 
also  should  be  noticed.  In  cases  where  it  is  violently 
severed  at  birth,  blood  will  discharge  so  rapidly  that 
the  foal  will  not  live  for  five  minutes.  The  navel- 
string  should  be  tightly  tied  with  a  piece  of  cord 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  from  the  body,  which  stops 
the  discharge  at  once.  The  cord  should  be  dipped 
into  a  suitable  antiseptic  previous  to  application. 
Indeed,  it  is  a  safe  plan  to  tie    the    navel-strings  of 


47 

foals  in  all  cases,  whether  they  need  it  or  not,  as 
the  entrance  of  microbes  and  dangerous  bacteria  will 
thereby  be  prevented.  The  cord  will  do  no  harm, 
and  the  protruding  part  of  the  navel-string-  will  wither 
up  and  fall  off  in  a  week  or  two.  After  this  a  little 
milk  should  be  drawn  from  the  mare  and  put  down 
the  foal  with  the  aid  of  a  spoon,  which  will  strengthen 
and  enable  it  to  get  upon  its  legs  sooner. 

Next,  the  mare's  vessel  should  be  washed  with 
lukewarm  water,  which  will  remove  all  the  wax  and 
dirt  that  may  have  accumulated  about  it.  At  the 
same  time  the  washing  will  effectually  neutralise  any 
feeling  of  ticklishness  about  the  udder.  Many  mares 
will  strike  out  violently  at  the  first  touch  of  the 
foal  if  this  important  item  of  attention  is  neglected. 
Many  foals  are  injured  and  killed  in  this  manner, 
not  from  any  wickedness  in  the  mares,  but  from  a 
feeling  of  irresistible  ticklishness. 

When  the  foal  attempts  to  rise,  it  should  be 
steadied  gently  by  holding  it  by  the  tail  with  one 
hand,  while  the  other  is  placed  round  its  breast. 
When  it  has  quite  gained  its  feet,  the  attendant  should 
continue  holding  the  tail  with  one  hand,  while  its 
mouth  is  guided  to  the  mare's  teats  with  the  other. 
Foals  will  not  be  forced  to  suck,  they  must  be  coaxed 
into  it  by  gentle  manoeuvring  at  first,  until  they  get 
hold  of  the  teats  and  draw  the  milk  of  their  own 
accord,  when  they  will  generally  look  after  them- 
selves, if  all  goes  well  with  them  in  other  respects. 


48 


JEALOUSY   IN    MARES. 

There  are  some  mares  that  display  great  jealousy 
and  suspicion  concerning^  their  foals.  Great  care 
must  alwa)s  be  taken  in  moving  about  them,  for, 
occasionally,  in  attempting  to  strike  the  attendant 
they  will  hit  their  foals,  with  fatal  results.  High- 
tempered  mares  of  this  kind  should  be  disturbed  as 
little  as  possible.  They  are  generally  good  and  care- 
ful nurses  when  left  alone  with  their  foals.  It  is 
only  when  the  attendant  appears  that  they  become 
excited  and  dangerous.  They  are  unduly  solicitous 
about  their  foals,  and  misunderstand  the  action  of 
their  attendants,  on  whose  attention  they  are,  of 
course,  absolutely  dependent.  The  halters  should 
not  be  taken  off  mares  of  this  kind,  and  they  are 
more  easily  caught  and  managed  when  necessary. 
When  feeding  them,  the  attendant  should  move 
quietly,  without  jerking  and  hurrying  too  much  about 
the  loose-box. 

THE   TREATMENT    OF    MARES. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  give  mares  a  bran  mash 
twice  a  day  for  a  week  or  ten  days  after  foaling, 
which  is  very  essential  to  their  welfare.  They  should 
be  fed  with  hay,  corn,  and  a  few  roots.  The  cold 
air  should  be  carefully  taken  off  their  water.  Scarcely 
anything  is  calculated  to  do  more  harm  to  newly 
foaled  mares  than  cold  spring  water.  Mares  with 
their    foals    may    be    turned    out    to    grass    in    the 


49 

middle  of  the  day  a  week  or  two  after  foaling,  if  the 
weather  is  propitious,  and  brought  under  cover  at 
night.  This  may  be  continued  for  three  or  four 
weeks,  when,  unless  the  weather  is  very  inclement 
and  foals  unusually  weak,  they  may  be  permitted 
to  lie  out.  Of  course  it  is  necessary  to  keep  very 
early  foals  inside  when  there  is  no  grass.  The  dams 
should  be  liberally  fed  with  soft  food  to  keep  them 
laxative.  Constipation  in  the  bowels  should  be  care- 
fully guarded  against  until  the  mares  are  turned  out 
to  grass. 

THE  ADVANTAGE  OF  EARLY  FOALS. 

**An  early  foal  is  always  an  early  foal,"  is  a  saying 
which  is  perfectly  true,  because  a  March  or  April 
foal  gets  the  benefit  of  the  summer's  grass,  and  is 
consequently  older  and  stronger  to  overcome  the 
hardships  of  the  ensuing  winter.  A  late  June  or 
July  foal  is  proportionately  weaker,  and  is  generally 
at  best  but  a  mere  foal  even  the  following  spring. 
Thus  it  is  a  great  advantage,  when  practicable,  to 
have  foals  early  in  the  season.  The  question  at  what 
age  the  growth  of  horses  ceases  is  difficult  to  deter- 
mine. Although  five  years  is  the  age  when  horses 
are  supposed  to  reach  maturity  there  are  many  cases 
on  record  where  they  have  continued  to  grow  till  the 
age  of  seven.  At  the  present  time  the  writer  has  a 
horse  that  grew  two  inches  between  the  age  of  five 
and  seven  years. 


E 


50 


HOW  TO  PROCURE  EARLY  FOALS. 

In  order  to  ensure  March   foals  mares  should  be 
sired  in  April.     About  the  middle  of  February  mares 
that  are  intended  to  have  foals  should  receive  liberal 
and    generous    treatment    in    their    food,    so    as    to 
produce    regularity    in    their    periodical    seasons    of 
conception.     They  should   always  be   tried   with   the 
stallion  every  week  from  the  beginning  of  the  season 
until  served.      When  served,  they  need  not  be  tried 
again  for  three  weeks,  at  the  end  of  which,  however, 
they   should   again   be   tried   weekly   all    through   the 
season.       Mares    vary    a    good    deal,    and    to    guard 
against    missing   them    this    is   the    safest    system    to 
follow.     Many  breeders  will  not  try  mares  until  they 
have  been  turned  out  to  grass  about  the   middle   of 
May,  thus  late  foals  and   barren   mares  are   the   rule 
rather    than    the    exception    under    such    conditions. 
Mares  usually  come  in  season  in  the  course  of  eight 
or  ten  days  after  foaling,  and  experience  proves  that 
they  are   more   likely   to  conceive   then  than  at  sub- 
sequent periods. 

EARLY  AILMENTS  OF  FOALS. 

It  is  necessary  to  watch  foals  very  closely  during 
the  first  week  of  their  existence,  in  order  to  see  that 
their  bowels  are  working  thoroughly.  Constipation  is 
dangerous,  and  the  peculiarly  tough,  adhesive  nature 
of  their  excrement  renders  its  evacuation  both  diffi- 
cult and   painful.      Prompt  attention  is  necessary,  or 


51 

fatal  consequences  may  soon  follow.  Castor  oil  may 
be  given  with  advantage,  and  mild  injections  admin- 
istered, which  will  generally  have  the  desired  effect. 
Any  difficulty  with  the  urine  is  a  very  serious 
matter,  and  very  little  can  be  done  to  young  foals 
beyond  covering  their  backs  over  with  steaming 
rugs  in  order  to  keep  them  warm.  The  penis  of 
colt  foals  is  sometimes  doubled  back  in  the  sheath, 
but  this  is  easily  remedied  by  inserting  the  finger, 
well-oiled,  and  bringing  it  forward  to  its  natural 
position. 

WEANING   FOALS. 

Foals  may  be  weaned  when  they  are  from  six- 
teen to  twenty  weeks  old,  according  to  circumstances. 
The  termination  of  their  sucking  period  will  depend 
much  upon  whether  the  mares  are  required  to  work. 
If  they  are  only  kept  for  breeding  purposes  the  foals 
may  be  allowed  to  run  longer  with  them.  A  number 
of  brood  mares,  however,  are  worked  in  the  regular 
yokes  of  the  farm,  and  are  taken  in  during  September 
for  harvesting  operations,  when  the  foals  should  be 
taken   off. 

A  little  milk  should  be  drawn  from  the  mares 
daily  for  a  week  after  the  foals  are  taken  off,  and 
in  this  way  it  will  gradually  leave  them  without  injury 
or  inconvenience. 

Foals  should  be  confined  in  an  airy  loose-box 
for  a  week,  and  tares  and  hay,  with  a  little  corn 
and    plenty   of   fresh    water   should    be   given    them. 


5^ 

In  the  course  of  a  week  they  will  generally  have 
forgotten  their  dams,  and  may  be  turned  out  to 
clover  fogs  or  young  grass.  They  should  be  brought 
under  cover  at  night,  and  fed  with  hay  and  oats. 
All  young  colts  must  be  liberally  fed,  and  especially 
foals.  The  first  year  is  the  worst  to  get  over.  Foals 
that  are  poorly  treated  in  the  way  of  food  during 
the  first  winter  never  really  throw  off  the  bad  effects. 
Their  growth  is  retarded,  while  their  condition  is 
poor,  and  they  will  generally  develop  into  mean- 
spirited,  unthriven  horses. 

ADVANTAGES   OF   A   ROUGH   HILL. 

It  is  a  decided  advantage  to  breeders  of  horses 
to  have  a  rough  undulating  hill  on  which  to  run 
colts  during  the  summer,  with  plenty  of  whin  bushes, 
rough  heather,  bogs,  well  intersected  with  open 
sheep  drains,  and,  if  possible,  in  close  proximity  to 
a  railway.  The  rough,  uneven  nature  of  the  ground 
improves  their  action  immensely,  develops  their 
muscles,  and  accelerates  the  natural  process  of  their 
ossification  ;  whilst  the  whins,  bogs,  and  sheep  drains 
accustom  them  to  encounter  and  negotiate  similar 
obstacles  with  great  coolness  and  aptitude,  and 
generally  to  take  better  care  of  themselves  ;  and 
the  near  proximity  of  a  railway  has  a  marvellous 
effect  in  familiarising  them  with  the  appearance  of 
steam. 


53 


HOW  TO   WINTER   COLTS. 

It  is  a  capital  plan  to  allow  colts  to  run  out  all 
the  winter,  provided  there  is  a  large  warm  shed 
which  thev  can  take  advantao-e  of  for  shelter  during" 
stormy  weather.  The  shed  should  be  placed  in  a 
convenient  part  of  the  field,  and  the  entrance  to  it 
must  be  both  high  and  wide,  otherwise  colts  are 
likely  to  injure  themselves  in  passing  out  and  in.  At 
the  same  time,  due  regard  must  be  paid  to  light, 
ventilation,  and  sanitation. 

They  should  have  a  liberal  allowance  of  oat  straw 
or  meadow  hay,  with  a  feed  of  oats  morning  and 
night.  The  practice  of  running  colts  out  during 
the  winter  has  a  tendency  to  harden  their  constitu- 
tions, and  the  abundance  of  natural  exercise  is  the 
very  life  of  them. 

SEPARATE  YEARLINGS  FROM  OLDER  COLTS. 

Yearlings  should  always  be  separated  from  older 
colts,  while  their  food  should  be  more  nutritious, 
and  their  requirements  will  best  be  met  by  substitut- 
ing clover  hay  for  straw  fodder.  Not  only  is  the 
straw  deficient  in  nutritive  substance  for  young, 
delicate  flesh  and  bone-forming  purposes,  but  the 
older  and  stronger  colts  will  invariably  drive  the 
yearlings  back.  They  will  never  get  forward  to  eat 
until  the  former  retire  satisfied,  and  if  there  is  a 
sweeter  rip  of  straw  than  another,  it  will  be  carefully 
selected  and  only  the  refuse  left  for  the  poor  handi- 


54 

capped  yearlings.  Therefore,  if  all  farmers  who  go 
in  for  rearing  colts  will  take  the  trouble  to  separate 
them — the  weak  from  the  strong — they  will  be  amply 
compensated  for  their  labour  and  humanity  by  the 
enhanced  improvement  of  the  yearlings. 

MANAGEMENT    OF   THEIR   FEET. 

A  natural  grass  hill  is  also  very  valuable  in  the 
preservation  of  the  feet  of  colts.  The  surface  is  much 
softer  than  a  field  that  is  under  regular  rotation,  and 
their  hoofs,  in  consequence,  are  less  liable  to  become 
worn  and  splintered.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to 
over -stock  pastures.  When  over -stocked,  they  be- 
come tainted,  and  may  have  a  very  injurious  effect 
on  the  constitution  of  the  colts.  To  obviate  this, 
pastures  may  be  stocked  with  cattle  until  all  taint- 
ing caused  by  colts  has  been  removed.  When  a 
natural  grass  hill  of  this  kind  is  unavailable,  it  will 
be  found  advantageous  to  shoe  colts  in  the  fore-feet 
as  they  are  apt  to  wear  the  outer  walls  of  the  hoofs, 
laming  themselves,  and  not  infrequently  growing  into 
"  club  "  feet,  which  are  extremely  awkward  and  ugly. 
If  the  hoofs  are  not  allowed  to  grow  too  far  over, 
they  can  generally  be  cured  by  careful  shoeing  ;  but 
if  permitted  to  get  thoroughly  twisted  it  is  impossible 
to  put  them  straight.  The  shoes  should  be  wide  so 
as  not  to  retard  the  natural  growth  and  expansion 
of  the  hoofs,  or  narrow,  contracted  feet  will  be  the 
result.  They  should  also  be  removed  occasionally, 
as  the  hoofs  of  colts  grow  very  rapidly  when  protected 


55 

by  shoes.  The  shoes  should  be  made  as  light  as 
possible,  consistent  with  the  weight  of  the  colts,  and 
perfectly  flat  without  heels, 

TliE   DOCKING   OF   COLTS. 

Probably  the  best  method  of  docking  colts  is 
simply  to  sever  the  tail  at  the  required  length  by 
the  ordinary  docking  shears,  then  gather  the  hair 
tightly  over  the  stump  and  secure  it  firmly  with  a 
piece  of  strong  cord  to  prevent  undue  bleeding.  It 
is  quite  unnecessary,  as  a  rule,  to  cauterise  the  stump 
when  the  hair  is  firmly  tied  down  over  it,  as  it  only 
aggravates  the  pain.  The  blood  lodges  in  the  hair 
and  very  soon  stops  of  its  own  accord.  The  cord 
should  be  removed  an  hour  or  two  after  the  opera- 
tion, and  it  is  very  rarely  indeed  that  any  serious 
consequences  follow.  Even  in  castration  firing  has 
largely  become  a  custom  of  the  past.  April  is 
generally  the  best  month  of  the  whole  year  in  which 
to  dock  colts,  as  it  is  neither  too  warm  nor  too  cold, 
and  during  that  month  flies  are  not  numerous.  The 
presence  of  flies  in  large  numbers  is  a  source  of 
constant  torture  to  green  wounds.  It  is,  however, 
advantageous  to  dock  colts  when  they  are  mere  foals 
at  six  weeks  old,  as  it  is  easier,  simpler,  and  safer 
of  accomplishment,  and  the  same  directions  should 
be  followed  as  given  in  the  case  of  older  and  stronger 
colts. 


56 


CHAPTER    IV. 

SHETLAND    PONIES. 

Shetland  ponies  are  probably  the  smallest  breed 
of  horses  in  Europe,  and  their  native  home  is  in 
the  Orkney  and  Shetland  Islands.  A  difference  of 
opinion  exists  as  to  whether  these  ponies  were  intro- 
duced by  the  Norwegians  in  their  invasion  of  Shetland 
during  the  ninth  century,  or  whether  they  were 
indigenous  to  these  islands  before  that  period.  The 
majority  of  evidence  is  in  favour  of  the  latter  con- 
tention, and  it  is  held  by  many  competent  authorities 
that  Shetland  ponies  were  used  by  the  Celtic  natives 
as  far  back  as  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries. 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  chief  characteristic  of  Shetland  ponies  is  their 
small  size.  They  range  in  height  from  nine  to  eleven 
hands,  and  are  comparatively  thicker  and  broader  in 
proportion  to  their  height  than  most  other  breeds  of 
horses.  They  are  hardy  constitutionally,  and  can  en- 
dure great  fatigue,  whilst  their  extraordinary  strength 
is  marvellous.  They  possess  good  tempers,  are  very 
sagacious   and    docile,   and    are    easily   trained    to   all 


57 

kinds  of  work.  Like  mules,  they  are  very  sure-footed, 
which  no  doubt  is  a  hereditary  acquirement  after 
running-  over  these  rough  islands  for  so  many  cen- 
turies. They  are  practically  free  from  hereditary 
diseases  which  is  probably  due  to  the  comparatively 
wild  state  in  which  they  are  reared.  With  natural 
food  and  shelter  they  are  more  immune  from  disease 
than  horses  under  greater  domestication.  In  colour, 
they  vary  from  dun,  chesnut,  bay,  brown,  and  black. 
The  last-named  colour  predominates,  and  is  con- 
sidered the  characteristic  colour  of  the  breed.  There 
are  also  skewbalds  and  piebalds,  but  these  form  an 
unimportant  minority,  and  are  not  desirable  as  a  rule. 

BREEDING. 

Shetland  ponies  have  been  much  improved  in 
quality,  conformation,  and  bone,  and  this,  to  a  great 
extent,  is  due  to  owners  of  large  studs  who  have 
the  means  and  material  at  command.  Crofters,  who 
breed  these  ponies  in  the  islands,  are  too  poor  to 
give  fancy  prices  for  pedigreed  pony  stallions,  and, 
in  consequence,  a  good  deal  of  indiscriminate  breed- 
ing is  prevalent.  The  ponies  are  allowed  to  run  over 
the  rough  outer  commons  during  summer,  and  are 
brought  into  the  inner  commons  during  winter. 
Unless  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow  they  prac- 
tically receive  no  artificial  food,  and  are  never  brought 
under  cover  at  all,  which  treatment  no  doubt  explains 
the  wonderful  hardiness  of  their  constitutions.  In 
their  natural  habitat  the  hair  on  their   bodies  grows 


58 

to  an  abnormal  length,  and  it  is  generally  well  into 
Slimmer  before  they  shed  their  winter  coats.  The 
foals  are  allowed  to  suck  their  dams  for  about  twelve 
months,  after  which  they  are  weaned  and  sold, 
and  in  this  way  mares  have  foals  practically  every 
alternate  year  which  certainly  cannot  be  regarded 
as  good  management.  Were  foals  weaned  in  the 
usual  way,  however,  expenses  by  hand-feeding  would 
necessarily  be  incurred  in  order  to  keep  the  young- 
sters alive.  They  are  pulled  through  the  first  year 
more  easily  with  the  aid  of  their  dams,  and  so  the 
crofters  console  themselves  that  what  they  lose  in 
time  on  the  one  hand  they  gain  in  value  on  the 
other  ;  but  there  is  little  question  that  the  more  up- 
to-date  system  of  management,  whereby  mares  would 
produce  foals  every  year,  would  be  much  more 
remunerative. 

In  south-country  studs,  where  warmer  climatic 
conditions  prevail,  the  chief  point  to  aim  for  is  to 
breed  them  small.  Small  mares  and  stallions,  from 
a  recognised  small  strain,  must  be  mated  together. 
Unusually  small  ponies  appear  occasionally  by  acci- 
dent, but,  unless  they  are  bred  down  through  an 
acknowledged  small  strain,  it  would  be  very  unwise 
to  breed  from  them,  because  the  progeny  are  almost 
certain  to  revert  to  increased  size,  particularly  in  a 
warmer  climate.  With  no  extra  feeding,  no  artificial 
shelter,  and  careful  selection  and  mating,  however, 
this  tendency  to  increase  in  size  can  generally  be 
counteracted,   as  evidenced    by  the  excellent   ponies 


59 

which  are  produced  in  south-country  studs  at  the 
present  day.  In  selecting  mares  and  stallions,  par- 
ticular attention  should  be  given  to  their  hocks, 
because  it  is  in  that  region  where  the  heavy  strains 
of  the  coal  mines  generally  first  show  themselves. 
Crossing  Shetlands  with  other  ponies  has  occasionally 
been  tried,  but  with  little  success.  The  cross  gener- 
ally tends  to  increase  the  height,  which  is  the  one 
thing  of  all  others  which  must  not  be  done ;  there- 
fore, small  ponies  can  only  be  produced  by  purity 
of  breeding,  and  there  are  no  ponies  small  enough 
to  push  the  Shetlands  out  of  their  well -deserved 
position. 

USES    OF    PONIES. 

The  chief  work  for  which  these  ponies  are  required 
is  for  drawing  coals  in  the  mines.  Owing  to  their 
small  size  they  are  specially  adapted  for  hauling 
trucks  along  the  branch  lines  where  the  seams 
of  coal  are  low.  In  many  coal  pits  the  smallness 
of  ponies  is  a  sine  qua  iioti,  and,  generally  speaking, 
the  smaller  they  are  they  are  the  dearer.  There  are 
many  seams  of  coal  in  the  north  of  England  so  low 
that  only  ponies  of  from  nine  to  ten  hands  are  capable 
of  working  in  them.  They  are  all  entire,  it  being 
generally  believed  that  their  strength  is  increased 
thereby,  and  the  maximum  of  strength  and  the 
minimun  of  size  combined  is  the  fundamental  re- 
quirement of  coal  mines  so  far  as  horseflesh  \s 
concerned. 


6o 


In  consequence  of  the  circumscribed  accommoda- 
tion mares  are  never  taken  down  the  pits,  as  there 
would  be  danger  in  working  them  alongside  of 
stallions;  but  there  is  no  reason  why  mares  should 
not  be  worked  by  themselves  in  small  detached  pits, 
or  even  in  remote  sections  of  the  same  pits. 

There  is  a  prevalent  idea  amongst  people  who 
are  unacquainted  with  the  work  that  pit  ponies  are 
badly  used,  but  this  is  quite  a  mistake,  for  managers 
of  collieries,  as  a  rule,  look  closely  to  the  management 
of  the  ponies.  They  are  well  fed,  and  look  as  sleek 
and  fit  as  a  stud  of  hunters.  The  notion  that  ponies 
go  blind  in  the  pits  is  ridiculous,  as  they  retain  their 
eyesight  indefinitely,  unless  injured  by  accidents,  to 
which  they  are,  of  course,  from  the  dark  nature  of 
their  environment,  particularly  liable.  As  a  rule, 
they  are  only  taken  to  the  surface  in  the  event  of 
strikes,  disease,  or  death,  and  pit  ponies  live  as  long, 
on  the  average,  as  horses  on  the  surface.  From  the 
uniform  temperature  of  pits  ponies  suffer  very  little 
from  colds  and  similar  ailments. 

Shetland  ponies  are  also  used  for  the  conveyance 
of  children,  whether  in  harness,  panniers,  or  saddle, 
and  for  this  work  they  are  exceedingly  well  fitted, 
in  consequence  of  their  surefootedness,  good  temper, 
and  docility.  Naturally,  the  better  sorts  are  selected 
for  this  work,  and  long  prices  are  often  given  for 
suitable  ponies. 


6i 


FEEDING   AND    MANAGEMENT. 

Ponies  are  fed  in  the  pits  on  chopped  hay  to 
prevent  waste.  Before  chopping-  was  introduced, 
great  quantities  of  hay  were  spoilt,  but  nothing  of 
that  kind  occurs  now.  In  addition  to  chopped  hay, 
practically  ad  lib.,  a  good  feed  consists  of  sixty  per 
cent,  of  crushed  oats,  twenty  per  cent,  of  maize,  and 
twenty  per  cent,  of  beans  or  peas,  whichever  of  the 
two  latter  are  the  better  current  value.  The  quan- 
tities, of  course,  depend  on  the  size  of  the  ponies 
and  the  nature  of  their  work.  They  are  given  water 
at  least  three  times  a  day,  care  being  taken  to  supply 
it  fresh  and  pure.  A  still  better  system  is  to  have 
a  water-tank  in  front  of  each  pony,  with  a  suitable 
plug  for  flushing-.  During  winter  they  are  allowed  a 
few  carrots  or  swedes,  and  for  eight  or  ten  weeks  in 
summer  they  are  given  cut  grass  instead  of  hay, 
which  has  an  excellent  effect  on  the  health  of  the 
ponies.  In  some  pits  it  is  customary  to  mix  the 
corn  along  with  the  hay,  but,  from  practical  observa- 
tion, this  method  cannot  be  recommended.  Much 
better  results  will  be  obtained  by  feeding  the  chopped 
hay  and  corn  separately.  Different  ponies  have  differ- 
ent appetites,  and  intelligent  attendants  soon  discover 
the  peculiarities  of  each,  and  treat  them  accordingly, 
and  the  collective  result  is  decidedly  in  favour  of  a 
separate  system  of  feeding.  In  the  opinion  of  certain 
colliery  experts,  the  above-named  system  of  feeding 
is  recommended,  though  it  is  not  denied   that  each 


62 


colliery  manager  has  his  own  particular  method,  which 
he  no  doubt  considers  best.  The  ponies  are  regularly 
groomed,  and  their  shoes  are  kept  in  good  order 
which  is  very  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  their 
feet. 

PIT   STABLES. 

Pit  stables  are  constructed  on  many  different 
systems,  much  necessarily  depending  on  the  geo- 
logical formation  of  mines.  The  following  method, 
however,  is  one  which,  when  thoroughly  under- 
stood, can  scarcely  fail  to  commend  itself  to  mining 
engineers  generally. 

The  stables  are  kept  scrupulously  clean,  being 
well  swept  out  morning  and  night.  They  have  swing 
bars  instead  of  fixed  divisions  between  stalls,  and  a 
flooring  of  cement.  Over  the  floor  of  each  stall  there 
is  a  pitch-pine  board,  with  about  an  inch  of  space 
between  the  deals,  on  which  the  ponies  lie.  These 
boards  fold  up  on  hinges  to  allow  the  floor  to  be 
thoroughly  cleaned  beneath.  The  urine  passes 
through  the  interstices  in  the  boards,  and  is  carried 
away  by  a  channel  in  the  cement  floor.  When  the 
ponies  are  at  work,  these  folding  boards  are  left  up, 
so  that  all  beneath  is  thoroughly  dry  when  they 
return  to  stable.  The  pitch-pine  boards  enhance  the 
cleanliness  and  sanitation  of  the  stables,  and  the 
feet  of  the  ponies  are  kept  in  a  much  sounder  con- 
dition, as  they  are  always  standing  dry.  With  moss 
litter  or  sawdust,  running  thrushes  and  cracked  heels 


63 

are  a  constant  source  of  trouble.  Thus,  pitch-pine 
boarding  is  probably  the  greatest  improvement  which 
has  been  introduced  into  pit  stables  during  recent 
years.  All  interior  walls  are  washed  periodically  with 
lime,  which  renders  them  sweet  and  clean,  in  addi- 
tion to  giving  them  a  bright,  cheerful  appearance. 
Stables  are  generally  lighted  by  electricity,  which 
is  both  safe  and  convenient.  The  swing  bars  dis- 
pense with  corners,  and  the  floor,  in  consequence,  is 
more  easily  brushed  and  kept  clean.  The  water- 
tanks  are  generally  within  easy  reach  of  the  stables, 
and  it  is  preferable  to  have  the  water  brought  in 
pipes  from  the  surface,  rather  than  use  that  which 
gathers  in  the  mine,  as  the  former  is  generally  purer 
and  fresher. 

OTHER   BREEDS   OF    PONIES. 

Welsh  and  Iceland  ponies  are  also  used  in  mines 
where  the  seams  are  high  enough  to  admit  them,  but 
experience  proves  that  these  ponies  do  not  possess 
the  relative  strength  and  stamina  of  the  hardy  Shet- 
landers,  nor  are  they  so  easily  trained  to  the  peculi- 
arities of  the  work.  They  are  generally  more  nervous 
and  take  a  much  longer  time  to  become  tractable, 
and  a  good  proportion  of  them  frequently  develop 
into  unsteady  workers,  which,  in  the  limited  space 
of  mines,  is  both  awkward  and  dangerous.  With 
Shetlanders,  this  form  of  vice  very  seldom  appears. 
All  pit  ponies  should  wear  strong  leather  skull-caps, 
and  when  they  bump  their  heads  against  the  inequal- 


64 

ities  in  the  roofs  of  pits,  they  are  less  Hkely  to  frig-hten 
and  injure  themselves.  Nothing  tends  to  frighten 
young"  ponies  more  than  this,  and  it  is  necessary  to 
exercise  g-reat  caution  in  dang-erous  places.  Ponies 
are  taken  down  pits  by  means  of  cages,  and  the 
old  system  of  lowering  them  in  nets  is  discontinued 
in  consequence  of  its  inconvenience  and  the  number 
of  accidents  which  generally  occurred  on  such  occa- 
sions. 


65 


CHAPTER    V. 

HALTERING    AND    LEADING. 

As  we  have  different  breakers,  so  have  we  differ- 
ent systems  of  breaking.  There  are  few  systems 
that  do  not  possess  some  good  points,  although, 
unfortunately,  they  also  possess  many  bad  ones,  and, 
when  taken  together,  they  have  little  to  recommend 
them,  so  far  as  inexperienced  horsemen  are  con- 
cerned. Indeed,  in  relying  absolutely  upon  them 
as  guides,  many  valuable  colts  have  been  irrevocably 
ruined.  Horse-breaking,  like  all  other  sciences,  is 
capable  of  improvement,  and,  hitherto,  force  and 
cruelty  have  played  too  prominent  a  part  in  the 
handling  of  colts,  instead  of  considering  their  peculi- 
arities of  temperament,  and  treating  them  accord- 
ingly. 

DIFFERENT    SYSTEMS   OF    BREAKING. 

Rarey's  system  was  perhaps  the  best  of  its  day,  yet 
there  were  probably  more  horses  spoiled  under  it 
than  under  any  system  before  or  since,  not  so  much 
through  any  failure  in  the  system  itself,  but  through 
its  application  by  nervous  and  unskilled  hands. 

F 


66 


Then  we  had  later  breakers,  with  more  scientific 
and  humane  methods,  and  there  is  no  doubt  in  the 
minds  of  horsemen  that  their  methods  reached  further 
and  attained  better  results  than  Rarey's,  although 
many  parts  of  them  are  by  no  means  practicable. 
They  profess  to  be  able  to  ''  mouth  "  a  colt  in  about 
two  hours,  and  this,  as  every  experienced  horseman 
knows,  is  a  physical  impossibility.  The  mouth  of  a 
colt  cannot  be  thoroughly  well  made  within  a  period 
of  two  or  three  weeks.  Handling  a  colt  in  a  covered 
arena,  full  of  spectators,  is  a  very  different  thing  from 
handling  one  in  the  open.  The  circumscribed  space 
and  the  number  of  people  present  arrest  the  colt's 
attention,  and  he  will  almost  suffer  any  liberties  to 
be  taken  with  him  in  consequence,  but,  when  he 
comes  to  be  dealt  with  in  the  open,  all  his  supposed 
training  in   the  arena  is  forgotten. 

Another  method  of  breaking,  though  more 
recent,  is  also  very  impracticable  at  many  of  its 
stages.  The  theory  of  kindness  is  sadly  contradicted 
in  many  ways  by  the  practice  of  this  method. 
Throwing  down  horses,  hoppling  them  with  cords, 
levering  the  pressure  on  the  mouth  through  catch- 
rings,  tying  the  feet  to  the  tail,  and  a  dozen  other 
absurdities  come  nearer  the  mark  of  being  cruel  than 
humane.  The  writer  had  the  opportunity  of  witness- 
ing some  performances  recently,  and  from  the  beating 
of  drums,  firing  of  pistols,  and  blowing  of  steam 
whistles  in  a  gas -lighted  arena  amidst  hundreds  of 
spectators,   the    terrified    horses   had    little  chance  to 


67 

hold  their  own.  This  din  and  flourish  of  instantane- 
ous horse-breaking  is  all  very  well  in  the  glittering 
arena,  with  the  plaudits  of  spectators  who  know 
nothing  about  horses,  but  in  the  eyes  of  an  experi- 
enced horseman  it  appears  very  differently.  There 
may  be  some  very  exceptional  cases  where  hoppling 
and  throwing  may  be  necessary  in  order  to  obtain 
complete  control,  but,  as  a  rule,  such  methods  are 
undesirable  from  most  points  of  view. 

The  system  of  horse-breaking  which  we  shall 
endeavour  to  elucidate  will  corripare  favourably  with 
any,  and  it  reaches  much  further  into  the  general 
management  of  horses.  Its  effects,  too,  while  a  horse 
remains  in  good  hands,  will  be  permanent,  but  we 
cannot  guarantee  a  well-trained  horse  to  do  right 
when  he  gets  into  bad  hands,  because  there  are, 
unfortunately,  some  men  who  will  ruin  every  horse 
with  which  they  come  in  contact,  no  matter  how 
quiet  he  may  have  been  originally. 

BEST  PLACE  TO  HALTER  A  COLT. 

The  best  place  in  which  to  halter  a  colt  is  an 
enclosed  court,  not  too  large,  yet  large  enough  to 
allow  a  sufficiency  of  room  to  work  freely.  An  en- 
closure about  forty  feet  square  is  a  most  suitable 
place,  surrounded  by  a  high  wall,  so  that  the  colt 
cannot  see  over  it  to  distract  his  attention  from  the 
breaker. 


68 


KIND   OF   HALTER. 


Numerous  writers  recommend  the  use  of  a  leather 
halter,  but,  throughout  all  our  experience,  we  have 
always  used  a  common  rope  halter  with  capital  results, 
as  it  is  more  easily  put  on  and  adjusted  than  a 
leather  one.  It  should  be  made  of  ordinary  hempen 
rope,  and  the  artificial  loops  that  require  to  be  made 
when  haltering  colts  will  stand  better  out  than  when 
it  is  composed  of  soft  webbing. 

BEST    METHOD   OF    HALTERING. 

We  are  now  supposed  to  be  desirous  of  haltering 
a  colt  that  has  never  previously  been  haltered  nor 
touched  by  the  hand  of  man.  In  ninety  cases  in 
every  hundred  when  his  court  is  entered  and  ap- 
proached, he  will  manifest  symptoms  of  wonder  and 
fear.  At  once  he  realises  man's  superiority,  and  in 
no  case  will  the  colt  attempt  to  fight  if  the  breaker 
is  possessed  of  an  ordinary  amount  of  nerve  force, 
and  maintains  a  kind,  yet  firm,  attitude  towards  him. 

It  may  be  noticed  here,  however,  in  passing,  that 
it  is  always  more  advantageous  to  halter  colts  when 
they  are  quite  young — mere  foals — as  it  is  easier, 
simpler,  and  safer  of  accomplishment.  They  should 
be  trained  to  lead  quietly  while  sucking  their  dams. 
This  is  easily  managed  by  following  the  dam  with 
the  foal  in  a  halter,  with  a  good  length  of  cord 
attached,  and,  in  its  struggles,  care  should  be  taken 
to  let  it  feel  the  power  of  being  held  gradually.     The 


6g 

foal  will  naturally  incline  to  pull  forward  in  rear  of 
its  dam,  and  so  the  assistance  of  the  mare  in  this 
way  is  invaluable.  Foals  should  be  tied  up  in  the 
ordinary  way  in  stalls  for  an  hour  each  day,  until 
they  feel  their  ow^n  strength,  which,  at  such  an  im- 
mature age,  is  comparatively  little,  consequently  they 
are  more  easily  overcome,  and  yield  to  their  altered 
circumstances  with  greater  susceptibility  than  colts 
of  three  or  four  years  of  age.  Thus  the  system 
commends  itself  to  all  who  are  intimately  acquainted 
with  the  nature  and  habits  of  horses. 

But,  to  illustrate  our  method  of  haltering : — The 
breaker  should  take  the  halter  in  the  left  hand,  open 
wide  that  part  which  goes  underneath  the  jaw,  and 
throw  the  loose  end  over  his  shoulder.  He  should 
approach  the  colt  gently,  and,  almost  in  all  cases, 
the  colt  will  start  and  rush  to  the  extreme  end  of 
the  enclosure.  He  can,  however,  only  beat  the 
breaker  in  one  particular,  and  that  is  his  natural 
brute  strength.  It  is  all  that  instinct  has  given  him 
to  rely  on — all  he  has  ever  practised.  He  has  no 
power  to  reason  with  himself  how  he  can  best  elude 
the  halter,  and  ninety  per  cent,  of  colts  will  have 
recourse  to  precisely  the  same  behaviour  in  a  given 
set  of  circumstances,  although  it  may  differ  some- 
what in  degree,  that  is  to  say,  that  nearly  every  colt, 
in  haltering,  will  behave  pretty  much  alike.  The 
first  thing  to  do  is  to  win  his  confidence.  The 
breaker  should  convey  to  him,  so  to  speak,  the  idea 
that  he  is  not  going  to  be  hurt.      He  should  approach 


70 

g-ently  opposite  his  near  shoulder,  and,  if  he  moves, 
he  must  stop  until  he  is  perfectly  quiet.  After  wait- 
ing a  few  seconds,  the  breaker  must  advance  carefully 
as  before,  and,  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes,  the 
colt  will  allow  his  nose  to  be  touched  gently,  but, 
on  smelling  the  hand,  he  will  generally  start  away. 

He  must  never  be  approached  from  his  other 
extremity,  as  we  are  not  sensible  that  any  virtue  lies 
in  his  tail,  although  a  good  deal  of  power  and  con- 
vincing force  lie  in  his  heels,  in  the  shape  of  removing 
obstacles  that  he  is  not  quite  sure  about  ;  therefore 
the  breaker  must  keep  as  far  from  his  heels  as  pos- 
sible, for  in  this  case,  like  many  others,  ''discretion 
is  the  better  part  of  valour." 

In  the  majority  of  cases,  at  the  first  contact  of 
the  hand,  the  colt  will  start  and  rush  wildly  away, 
and,  so  far  as  haltering  is  concerned,  this  may  be 
considered  as  the  supreme  moment  on  which  the 
balance  of  the  breaker's  mastery  over  him  rests.  If 
the  breaker  jumps  aside,  attempts  to  follow  him,  or 
appears  too  much  in  a  hurry,  he  will  miss  the  oppor- 
tunity, and  the  chances  are  that  he  will  not  succeed 
in  getting  near  the  colt  again  for  some  considerable 
time  ;  therefore,  when  he  wheels  round,  the  breaker 
should  stand  perfectly  still.  In  no  case  must  he 
move  or  recede  one  single  step,  or  he  will  lose 
ground  which  has  all  to  be  recovered  again  in  some 
manner  or  other.  The  breaker  should  keep  his  eyes 
firmly  fixed  on  the  colt,  never  lifting  them  for  a 
moment.       The    colt    will    neither    kick    nor    bite    so 


long  as  he  does  not  hurt  him  ;  and  when  he  is 
again  stationary,  the  breaker  must  approach  him  as 
before,  pat  him  gently  on  the  neck,  and,  although 
timid,  he  will  not,  as  a  rule,  rush  away  a  second 
time.  The  breaker  should  continue  fondling  him 
quietly  for  a  few  minutes,  then  slip  the  halter  quietly 
yet  swiftly  over  his  head,  from  his  poll  downwards, 
letting  the  loose  part  that  goes   below  the  jaw  pass 


Fig.  1. — Hajlteeing. 


over  his  nose  until  it  reaches  its  proper  position 
(Fig.  i),  then  draw  the  loose  end  of  the  halter  gently 
until  the  knot  comes  up  to  the  loop.  The  cord 
should  be  attached  below  the  jaw,  and  he  is  thus 
securely  haltered.  The  breaker  should  not  jerk  or 
pull  too  much  on  the  halter  at  first,  but  should  allow 
the  colt  to  move  freely  about  until  he  realises  what 
the  halter  means.     Some  colts  will  naturally  struggle 


?2 


a   little   at    first,   but    they   are    the    exception    rather 
than  the  rule. 

It  will  readily  be  observed  that  the  rope  halter 
is  more  easily  put  on  than  the  leather  one,  as  it  is 
accomplished  exactly  in  the  opposite  direction.  The 
slipping  of  it  over  his  poll  has  a  tendency  to  steady 
him,  whereas,  in  pushing  a  leather  halter  over  his 
head  in  an  upward  direction,  the  colt  will  invariably 
throw  up  his  head  and  run  back  ;  thus,  in  haltering, 
the  ordinary  rope  halter  is  a  distinct  advantage  over 
the  leather  one. 

HOW   TO    LEAD   A   COLT   IN   THE   OPEN. 

In  order  to  teach  the  colt  to  lead,  a  rein  about 
twelve  feet  long  should  be  attached  to  the  end  of  the 
halter,  and  if  he  struggles  to  break  away  he  will  be 
more   easily    managed.     He    must    never    be   allowed 


Fig.  2. — Lk.v])i\(.;. 


73 

to  get  his  hind  quarters  round  the  rein,  or  it  will  be 
impossible  to  hold  him.  The  breaker  must  bend  the 
colt's  neck  in  quick  succession  from  one  side  to  the 
other,  turning  him  round  in  all  directions,  then  get 
opposite  his  near  shoulder  and  urge  him  forward  with 
kind,  encouraging  words,  with  a  slight  indication  of 
the  whip  at  his  rear,  and  in  very  few  minutes  he 
will  become  quite  tractable,  and  yield  willingly  ac- 
cording to  instructions.       (Fig.   2.) 

HOW  TO  LEAD  HIM  INTO  A  STABLE. 

In  taking  the  colt  into  a  stable,  great  caution 
must  be  exercised,  for,  if  anything  occurs  to  frighten 
him  about  the  door,  he  will  remember  it  for  a  long 
time.  A  door  with  a  low  lintel  is  a  frequent  cause 
of  this  danger,  because,  if  the  colt  throws  up  his 
head  on  entering,  he  is  sure  to  come  in  violent  con- 
tact with  the  lintel,  and  he  will  scarcely  go  in  at 
any  door  afterwards.  Colts  that  have  been  frightened 
in  this  manner,  often  rush  into  the  stable  with  a 
great  bound,  which  is  highly  dangerous  both  to  them- 
selves and  their  attendants.  If  the  colt  refuses  to 
enter  the  door  of  a  stable,  the  breaker  should  never 
attempt  to  pull  him,  as  it  will  only  exhaust  his  own 
strength  and  give  the  colt  the  victory.  He  must 
never  be  encountered  on  the  power  of  his  strength, 
but  given  a  few  smart  turns,  first  to  the  right, 
then  to  the  left,  and  faced  up  each  time  with  his 
head  directly  away  from  the  door.  The  breaker 
must    repeat    this    three    or    four    times,    and,    while 


74 


wheeling  him,  face  him  smartly  round  to  the  door, 
reach  well  back  with  the  whip  and  give  him  a 
slight  cut  across  the  hocks,  at  the  same  time  giving 
him  a  kind  word  of  assurance,  and  he  will  invariably 
march  straight  in  without  further  difficulty. 

HOW   TO   TIE    HIM    UP   IN   A   STALL. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  the  best  and  safest 
method  of  tying  the  colt  in  a  stall  is  to  secure  him 
to  a  strong  ring  directly  in  the  centre  of  the  manger, 
by  passing  the  halter  through  it  and  attaching  it  to 
the  "  clog,"  or  weight.       (Fig.   3.) 


%->-i 


Fig.  3.— Colt  tied  in  Stall. 


S.  Straw  in  Knot. 


A  rip  of  straw  should  be  inserted  before  the  halter 
is  drawn  tight,  so  that  if  the  colt  pulls  on  it  at  first, 
the  halter  will  be  quite  easily  unfastened  by  cutting- 
out  the  straw.  The  colt  should  be  gently  forced 
back,  so  that  he  may  be  induced  to  try  his  weight 
and  strength  on  the  halter.  This  can  be  done  by 
swinging  something-  gently  in  front  of  him,  and 
when  he  finds  himself  securely  held,  he  will  generally 
desist  struggling  and  stand  perfectly  quiet.  When 
he  is  attached  to  the  centre  of  the  manger,  he  cannot 
turn  round  in  the  stall,  nor  get  entangled,  as  occa- 
sionally happens  when  the  ring  is  more  at  one  side 
than  another.  Some  breakers  recommend  rings  in 
both  corners  of  the  stalls,  but,  when  attached  in  this 
manner,  restless  colts  are  very  apt  to  get  their  forelegs 
entangled  amongst  the  ropes. 

With  unusually  nervous  colts,  a  safer  plan  is  to 
suspend  a  strong,  thick  rope  from  pillar  to  pillar  so 
as  to  catch  their  quarters,  but  this  expedient  should 
only  be  resorted  to  in  extreme  cases,  because  it  may 
very  easily  cause  ticklish  animals  to  kick  out  and 
injure  themselves,  and  it  may  even  tend  to  make 
them  develop  into  pronounced  stable -kickers. 

THE   POWER  OF   KINDNESS. 

Thus,  through  kindness,  the  breaker  has  accom- 
plished in  about  an  hour,  single-handed,  what  it 
would  have  taken  three  or  four  men  double  the  time 
to  accomplish  under  the  old  familiar  system  which 
is    so    common    at   farm -steadings,    and    which    need 


y6 

not  here  be  described  in  detail.  The  fun  to  juveniles 
on  such  occasions  is  immense  when  the  struggling" 
and  terrified  colt  is  hanged  down  with  a  cart  rope 
by  sheer  force,  and  the  danger  to  the  colt  and  the 
men  who  are  handling  him  is  in  the  same  proportion. 

But  some  readers  may  imagine  that  to  accomplish 
all  this  successfully  and  live,  the  nerve  of  a  Rarey 
or  the  science  of  a  Galvayne  is  necessary.  There 
is  some  force  in  such  imaginings,  but  what  man 
knows  the  power  of  his  own  nerve  and  will  if  he 
never  tries  .-*  Our  advice  then,  is  to  try,  for  more 
knowledge  will  be  gained  in  the  handling  of  one 
colt  than  can  be  acquired  by  the  reading  of  ten 
books.  Practice  is  always  better  than  theory,  there- 
fore, we  repeat  again — try. 


17 


CHAPTER   VI. 
BRIDLING   AND    BITTING. 

The  old  and  familiar,  and — it  may  also  be  added — 
dangerous  method  of  placing  the  bridle  on  the  colt 
and  putting  the  bit  in  his  mouth  is  accomplished 
(or,  rather,  it  is  not  accomplished)  by  turning  the 
back  to  the  colt's  chest,  taking  the  bit  in  both  hands 
at  the  side  of  the  bridle,  and  pushing  it  roughly 
into  his  mouth.  It  generally  happens,  however,  that 
the  colt  rears,  spars  out  with  his  fore  feet,  and  not 
infrequently  plants  them  between  the  shoulders  of 
his  tormentor,  which  is  the  reverse  of  pleasant,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  danger  attending  it.  At  this 
juncture,  the  whip  is  brought  into  requisition — or, 
if  a  net  stake  is  lying  handy,  it  serves  the  same 
purpose — and  an  all-round  piece  of  flogging  ensues, 
which  exhausts  the  man — but,  that  is  a  small  matter — 
and  leaves  the  half-mad  colt  trembling  in  every  limb 
with  terror. 

The  same  process  is  tried  again  and  again  with 
practically  the  same  result,  the  only  appreciable  differ- 
ence being  that  on  each  successive  trial  the  colt 
becomes  more  terrified.     Finally,  the  idea  of  bitting 


78 

him  is  abandoned  until  a  sufficient  number  of  men 
can  be  gathered  together,  when  the  colt  is  held  down 
by  sheer  brute  strength,  and  the  bit  pushed  into  his 
mouth  not  infrequently  with  the  end  of  a  stick. 
Thus,  the  poor  colt  receives  his  first  lesson  of  cruelty, 
which  he  does  not  readily  forget. 

He  is  then  taken  into  a  court  or  field,  generally 
the  latter,  and  subjected  to  the  most  barbarous 
and  unnecessary  abuse  imaginable.  He  is  flogged 
and  galloped  round,  one  man  taking  his  turn  in 
following  him  with  the  whip  when  another  becomes 
exhausted,  unmindful  of  the  poor  animal  which  must 
run  for  them  all.  This  barbarous  treatment  is  con- 
tinued till  the  white  foam  stands  in  great  balls  over 
his  quivering  chest,  and  his  started  veins  and  heaving 
flanks  denote  only  too  well  the  intense  agony  that 
the  poor  brute  is  suffering.  In  many  cases  of  similar 
treatment  we  have  seen  a  raw,  grass-fed  colt  fall 
down  through  sheer  exhaustion. 

THE   EFFFXTS   OF    SUCH   TREATMENT. 

The  colt  is  now  considered  by  his  tormentors  to 
be  "  conquered,"  but  no  one  who  understands  the 
proud,  sensitive  nature  of  a  horse  will  believe  it. 
Conquered  by  such  treatment  he  can  never  be !  In 
fact,  the  colt  is  infinitely  more  dangerous  now  than 
if  he  had  never  been  touched,  because  everything 
he  has  been  made  to  do  has  been  done  through 
force  and  fear.  The  whole  nervous  system  of  the 
colt  has  been  unstrung  through  pain  and  terror,  and 


79 

he  has  necessarily  acquired  the  idea  that  the  action 
of  man  towards  him  is  one  of  continuous  cruelty. 
He  is  educated  accordingly  and  will  naturally  em- 
brace every  opportunity  which  presents  itself  to  rid 
himself  of  man's  society.  A  colt  thus  handled  can 
never  be  depended  on.  He  will  remember  his  tor- 
mentor as  long  as  he  lives,  and  will  never  miss  an 
opportunity  to  kick,  bite,  or  bolt  when  occasion  arises 
— aye,  and  perhaps  when  it  does  not  arise. 

DANGERS  OF   TIGHT   SIDE    REINS. 

The  colt  is  then  turned  into  a  court,  the  side 
reins  put  upon  him,  and,  with  an  amount  of  ignor- 
ance which  is  lamentable,  they  are  drawn  as  tightly 
as  his  tormentor's  ingenuity  can  invent. 

(A  certain  writer  urges  that  side  reins  should 
never  be  put  upon  a  colt,  but  we  disagree  with 
him  and  consider  their  action  comparatively  painless 
when  adjusted  by  skilled  and  humane  hands.) 

The  colt's  head,  in  such  circumstances,  is  so 
closely  drawn  into  his  breast  that  he  cannot  turn  it 
an  inch  to  right  or  left  from  the  centre,  and  his 
mouth,  in  consequence,  becomes  lacerated  and  hard- 
ened. A  great  number  of  breakers  are  under  the 
impression  that  the  oftener  the  mouth  is  broken  it 
is  the  more  sensitive,  but  exactly  the  opposite  is  the 
case.  If  a  light,  pleasant  mouth  is  desired,  never  once 
permit  the  skin  to  be  broken.  Naturally,  the  colt  tries 
in  every  conceivable  manner  to  relieve  the  painful 
pressure  of  the  bit  upon  his  jaw,  and  very  frequently 


8o 


he  rears  and  throws  himself  right  back  over.  Thus 
he  acquires  a  habit  that  it  is  difficult  to  get  him  to 
unlearn,  and  of  all  the  bad  habits  a  colt  can  acquire 
this  is  by  far  the  most  dangerous.  But  this  is  not 
all,  because,  by  the  hardening  of  his  mouth  the  bit 
loses  its  intended  effect,  and  he  cannot  be  held  if 
he  chooses  to  bolt  —  thus,  in  bridling  and  bitting 
alone,  three  of  the  worst  vices  are  imported  into  his 
character — rearing,  bolting,  and  continuous  watchful- 
ness to  take  every  advantage  of  his  surrounding 
circumstances. 

NEW   SYSTEM   OF    BRIDLING   AND   BITTING. 

The  proper  and  humane  method  shall  now  be 
described,  with  far  different  results. 

In  bridling  a  colt,  he  should  be  turned  round  in 
the  stall  with  his  head  outwards  towards  the  door, 
just  as  the  famous  horse  show  dodge  went  — 

"  Pay  a  penny  and  you  will  see 
A  horse's  head  where  his  tail  should  be." 

The  breaker  should  undo  the  near  bit  strap,  slip  the 
bridle  gently  over  his  head,  stand  exactly  opposite 
his  near  shoulder,  and  fondle  him  gently  with  the 
hand  and  encourage  him  by  kind  words.  This  is 
the  only  position  close  to  a  horse  of  absolute  safety. 
No  colt  can  strike  the  breaker  either  from  before 
or  behind,  no  matter  how  hard  he  tries,  nor  can  he 
run  away  if  his  neck  is  bent  and  the  position  main- 
tained.    The  breaker  must  fasten  all  the  bridle  straps 


8i 


properly,  then  slip  the  two  first  fingers  of  the  right 
hand  into  the  colt's  mouth  at  the  side  behind  his 
front  teeth.  At  three  years  of  age  he  has  no  tushes 
and  cannot  possibly  bite  the  fingers  in  this  position. 
He  must  place  the  fingers  over  the  colt's  tongue, 
then  insert  the  thumb  and  press  it  gently  on  the 
nerve  centres  of  his  lower  jaw.  In  nearly  all  cases 
he  will  yield  at  once,  and  will  suffer  his  mouth  to 
be  opened  quite  wide  (Fig.  4).  The  breaker  should 
take  the  bit  in  the  left  hand,  still  keeping  the  right 
fingers  in  the  colt's  mouth,  slip  it  gently  through 
his  teeth  into  his  mouth,  attach  it  to  the  side  ring, 
then  withdraw  the  fingers,  and  the  whole  matter  is 
accomplished  without  a  struggle. 

HOW   TO    PUT   ON   THE   OTHER    TACKLE. 

As  soon  as  the  colt  is  bridled  and  bitted,  the 
surcingle  should  be  strapped  lightly  round  him.  The 
breaker  should  avoid  drawing  suddenly  at  first,  or 
the  pressure  may  startle  the  colt  and  cause  him  to 
kick  and  throw  himself  down.  The  next  thing  is 
to  place  the  crupper  beneath  his  tail.  This  is  accom- 
plished by  standing  well  forward  at  the  near  side  of 
the  colt  and  pushing  his  tail  quietly  through.  The 
breaker  should  be  sure  that  all  the  loose  hair  is 
through  the  loop.  Nothing  will  make  a  colt  kick 
sooner  than  by  leaving  some  of  the  hair  at  the  root 
of  the  tail  outside  the  crupper,  for  when  the  pressure 
comes  upon  it  it  will  nip  his  dock  and  induce  him 
to    kick   and    throw   himself  about   in   all    directions. 


o 


z 

H 
H 

0-( 


82 


83 


The  crupper  shoirid  be  fixed  to  the  surcingle,  taking 
care  not  to  draw  it  too  tightly.  After  this,  the 
breaker  should  take  the  end  of  the  halter,  which 
should  always  be  left  on  the  head  of  the  colt  beneath 
the  bridle  and  bring  it  through  between  his  fore- 
legs and  tie  it,  not  too  tightly,  to  the  surcingle. 
After  a  little  practice  in  this  manner,  the  side  reins 
should  be  placed  upon  him  very  loosely,  the  near 
rein  being  fixed  to  the  off  ring  of  the  surcingle, 
and  vice  versa. 


HOW   TO    "  MOUTH       THE    COLT. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  turn  the  colt  into  a  large, 
open  court,  where  he  cannot  get  fast  in  any  way, 
and  allow  him  to  roam  about  of  his  own  accord.  In 
this  way  he  will  soon  begin  to  champ  and  work  the 
bit,  and  the  more  he  works  it  his  mouth  will  be  the 
more  evenly  made.      The  bit  should  be  slightly  bent 

with  three 
small  keys  sus- 
pended from 
the  centre. 
The  bend  in 
the  bit  pre- 
vents the  colt 
making  his 
mouth  unequal, 
as  it  is  impos- 
sible for  him  to  pull  entirely  on  one  side  of  it,  while 
the  loose  action  of  the  keys  induces  him  to  work  the 


Fig.  5.— Best  Kind  of  Bbeaking  Bit. 


84 

bit  more  freely.  The  keys  should  not  be  too  long" 
or  they  will  come  between  his  front  teeth,  which 
may  give  him  a  bad  habit  of  tossing  up  his  head 
in  future.       (Fig.   5.) 

Some  colts  are  inclined  to  sulk  on  the  bit  at 
first,  but  in  time  they  well  generally  work  it  quite 
freely.  The  breaking  tackle  should  not  remain  upon 
the  colt  more  that  a  couple  of  hours  at  first,  and  the 
time  should  gradually  be  increased  as  the  breaking 
proceeds. 

The  colt  should  be  handled  twice  a  day,  forenoon 
and  afternoon,  if  possible.  In  removing  the  breaking 
gear  from  the  colt,  he  should  be  turned  in  the  stall 
as  previously  explained,  and  everything  taken  off  in 
the  reverse  order  from  which  they  were  put  on, 
always  leaving  the  rope  halter  upon  his  head.  The 
breaker  should  exercise  caution  and  should  not  hurry 
in  any  way,  for  the  colt  may  be  nervous  and  he 
may  learn  something  in  a  minute  which  he  will 
remember  for  a  week.  This  treatment  should  be 
continued  for  a  fortnight  at  least  before  any  attempt 
is  made  to  mount  the  colt.  His  mouth  is  not  reliable 
before  that  period,  and  getting  upon  his  back  when 
his  mouth  is  imperfectly  made  is  both  foolish  and 
dangerous.  It  is  all  humbug  for  certain  trainers  to 
allege  that  the  colt  can  be  "  mouthed  "  in  a  few 
hours.  We  have  handled  hundreds  of  colts  of  all 
degrees  of  breeding  and  temperament,  and  while 
some  are  much  more  susceptible  than  others,  it 
would   be   unwise    in   the   extreme   to   trust   them    in 


85 

the  matter  of  **  mouthing "  sooner  than  the  stipu- 
lated period.  Many  men  take  hberties  with  colts, 
and  many  bad  habits  are  acquired  by  them  in  con- 
sequence. Whether  a  colt  is  docile  or  not  he  should 
always  be  treated  as  a  colt.  The  breaker  should 
always  be  prepared  for  some  display  of  bad  temper. 
If  it  does  not  occur,  so  much  the  better  ;  if  it  does, 
he  will  be  ready  to  grapple  with  and  conquer  it.  It 
is  easier  for  a  colt  to  learn  a  good  habit  than  to 
unlearn  a  bad  one.  No  time  is  lost  when  patience 
is  exercised,  because  every  minute  spent  in  the  train- 
ing of  the  colt  will  be  rewarded  a  hundredfold  in 
the  perfect  behaviour  of  the  horse. 

HOW  TO   ADJUST   THE   SIDE   REINS. 

In  putting  the  side  reins  upon  the  colt  they 
should  be  attached  so  that  he  can  turn  his  head 
one  foot  to  right  and  left  from  the  centre,  and 
he  will  thus  have  six  inches  to  the  front  by  which 
he  can  relieve  his  mouth  from  the  hard  and  continu- 
ous pressure  of  the  bit.  (Fig.  6.)  The  side  reins 
should  be  very  gradually  tightened  from  day  to  day 
until  the  maximum  tightness  is  attained,  which  will 
depend  on  the  breeding  of  the  colt  and  the  work 
he  is  intended  for.  The  **  mouthing  "  of  the  differ- 
ent kinds  of  horses  will  be  explained  under  their 
own  particular  heads  in  subsequent  chapters. 

The  breaker  should  move  the  colt  gently  about 
both  in  the  court  and  in  the  open,  and  teach  him 
in  a  quiet   manner  to   obey   the  whip.       He   should 


Q 
m 

« 

M 
ft 

02 


to 
d 

M 


86 


87 

never  raise  the  whip  above  the  height  of  the  thigh, 
and,  if  the  colt  does  not  precisely  do  what  is  wanted, 
he  should  try  something  else  without  teasing  him 
too  much  at  a  time.  The  breaker  must  retain  the 
colt's  confidence  by  patting  him,  and  he  will  soon 
submit  to  be  freely  handled  in  the  most  trustful 
manner.  Mistakes  should  be  corrected  at  the  time 
they  occur,  with  firmness,  but  never  with  violent 
abuse. 

KINDNESS   TRIUMPHS   OVER   CRUELTY. 

By  this  method  of  bridling  and  bitting,  the  colt 
has  no  cause  to  rear  ;  the  bit  will  not  lacerate  and 
harden  his  mouth,  and  he  will  not  try  to  take  advant- 
age or  get  rid  of  his  breaker.  By  gentleness  he 
has  won  his  confidence,  and  when  he  enters  his 
box — after  the  absence  of  an  hour  or  two  —  he  will 
approach  trustingly  and  meet  him.  Indeed,  there 
is  scarcely  a  single  instance  recorded  when  the  colt 
would  not  walk  close  up  at  once  in  the  most  confident 
manner  ;  whereas,  under  the  old  and  coarse  method, 
as  soon  as  his  box  is  entered  by  his  breaker  he  will 
rush  to  the  opposite  end  and  persistently  keep  his 
heels  towards  him.  Thus  far,  kindness  triumphs  over 
cruelty,  and  brute  instinct  yields  before  the  power 
of  intelligent  reason. 


88 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SADDLING  AND  MOUNTING. 

In  saddling  the  colt  he  should  be  turned  round  in 
the   stall   and   fastened  to  each   pillar  on  either  side, 
allowing-  him  sufficient  head  to  move  backward    and 
forward  freely.     The  breaker  should  take  the  saddle 
and  hold  it  forward  to  the  colt's  head  so  that  he  can 
see   and  smell  it,  soothe  him  gently  by  kind  words, 
and  caress  him  by  patting  him  softly  behind  the  ears. 
He  should  move  quietly  up  to  his  near  side,  push  the 
stirrups  well  up  through  the   leathers,    and    fold    the 
girths  across  the  top  of  the  saddle.       After  making 
much  of  the  colt  for  a  few  minutes,  the  breaker  should 
slip  the  saddle  gently  over  him,  place  it  squarely  upon 
his  back,  slip  the  girths  quietly  from  the  top  of  the 
saddle  (Fig.  7),  and  in  girthing  him  he  must  be  care- 
ful not  to  draw  too  tightly  at  first.     Nothing  frightens 
a  colt   more    than    straining   him    round    the    middle 
suddenly.       The  breaker  must  never   hurry,    nor   do 
anything  clumsily,  but  move  about  the  colt  with  ease 
and  confidence,  and  he  will  soon  grow  familiar  with 
the  appearance  and  feeling  of  the  saddle.     It  should 
be  frequently  put  on  and  taken  off  his  back,  first  from 


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90 

one  side  and  then  from  the  other ;  and  when  he 
becomes  thoroughly  accustomed  to  this,  the  flaps  of 
the  saddle  should  be  beaten  very  gently  at  first  to 
familiarise  him  with  noise  like  the  swinging  of  straps 
and  rattling  of  irons. 

HOW   TO    PREPARE   THE   COLT   FOR    MOUNTING. 

After  training  the  colt  with  the  feeling  of  the 
saddle  for  three  or  four  consecutive  days,  he  should 
receive  lessons  in  turning  to  the  bit.  This  is  best 
accomplished  by  walking  close  to  his  side — the  near 
side — and  reaching  the  right  hand  well  over  the 
withers  to  use  the  off-rein,  while  the  left  is  worked  by 
the  other  hand,  making  him  move  backward  and 
forward  and  turn  in  all  directions.  The  colt  should 
be  led  in  the  open  a  few  days  by  a  long  rein 
attached  to  the  front  cavesson  ring.  He  should  be 
taken  along  public  highways  so  that  he  may  become 
familiar  with  objects  on  the  road.  Many  colts  are 
frightened  to  pass  swiftly  driven  vehicles  and  "  scorch- 
ing "  cyclists.  From  the  number  of  bicycles  now 
being  ridden  over  the  public  roads,  together  with 
the  frequent  appearance  of  a  snorting  motor-car,  the 
passing  of  these  objects  quietly  by  horses  is  an  im- 
portant and  essential  point  in  their  early  training. 

THE   USE  OF   CHAINS   AND    MOUTH-BAGS. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  breaking  harness,  it  is 
a  capital  plan  to  fix  a  chain  to  the  crupper  just  above 
the  colt's  quarters.     The  chain   should  be  about  eight 


9i 

feet  long  so  that  It  will  hang  about  a  foot  beneath  the 
flanks  of  the  colt  on  either  side  of  him.  It  will  dangle 
and  play  about  his  legs  and  flanks  by  the  motion  of 
his  body,  and  will  have  a  tendency  to  remove  any 
ticklishness  that  may  be  about  him.  A  pair  of 
common  farm  mouth -bags  may  be  tied  together, 
fixed  in  the  centre  of  the  saddle,  and  suspended  as  far 
as  the  feet  of  the  rider  will  reach.  They  should  be 
filled  with  some  heavy  material — corn  or  turnips  will 
do — and  their  weight  pressing  against  the  sides  of  the 
colt  has  an  excellent  effect  in  preparing  him  for  the 
pressure  of  the  rider's  legs. 

HOW   TO    DRIVE   THE   COLT   WITH    REINS. 

The  colt  should  frequently  be  driven  round  In  a 
circle,  first  to  the  right,  then  to  the  left,  and  never 
too  long  at  a  time.  In  this  way  it  is  easy  to  give  him 
plenty  of  exercise  before  he  can  be  ridden.  He  should 
be  sent  round  at  a  trot  and  a  canter,  sweating  him  a 
little,  but  not  tiring  him.  In  running  him  to  the  left 
the  right  hand  rein  can  be  used  as  a  whip  if  necessary, 
and  vice  versa  in  running  to  the  right.  The  breaker 
should  always  stop  the  colt  when  the  direction  of  his 
course  Is  reversed  and  induce  him  to  walk  close  up, 
when  he  should  be  encouraged  by  fondling  and  kind 
assuring  words.  He  will  learn  this  almost  sooner 
than  anything  else  If  he  Is  kindly  treated.  The  reason 
for  stopping  him  when  his  course  Is  reversed  Is  to 
prevent  him  running  one  action  Into  another  and 
confusing  his  paces.       Walking,   trotting,    cantering. 


92 

and  galloping  are  all  distinct  paces,  and  should  be 
done  separately,  but  this  matter  will  be  fully  considered 
in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

As  already  explained,  the  halter  should  always  be 
left  on  the  head  of  the  colt  below  the  bridle.  The 
halter  shank  should  pass  between  the  fore-legs,  and 
be  securely  fixed  to  the  saddle  girths,  and  when  the 
colt  throws  up  his  head  the  pressure  comes  upon 
his  nose  which  does  not  check  him  so  severely  as 
when  the  strap  is  attached  to  the  rings  of  the  bit. 
The  driving  reins  should  be  ten  yards  long,  and 
should  pass  from  the  colt's  mouth  along  through  the 
stirrups.  The  stirrups  should  always  be  fixed  to  the 
girths  to  prevent  them  being  displaced  when  the 
reins  are  drawn  upon.  In  this  manner  the  driver 
can  lever  the  reins  round  the  hind -quarters  of  the 
colt,  and  wheel  him  about  in  all  directions  with  the 
greatest  ease. 

MOUNTING   IN   THE   STALL. 

When  the  colt  has  been  driven  about  the  fields 
and  roads  for  a  few  days  he  should  be  mounted. 
While  we  recommend  mounting  proper  in  the  open, 
it  is  well  to  accustom  the  colt  to  the  weight  and 
appearance  of  the  rider  in  the  stall.  The  colt  should 
be  turned  in  the  stall  and  loosely  fixed  to  the  pillar 
rings  on  either  side.  The  breaker  must  work  quietly 
about  him  for  some  time,  catching  the  saddle  by  the 
right  side,  and  lean  the  weight  of  the  body  upon  it. 
He  should  insert  the  left  foot  in  the  stirrup,  taking  it 


93 

out  and  in  frequently  so  as  to  get  the  colt  to  under- 
stand what  the  noise  means.  When  he  has  learned 
this  in  the  stall  he  will  remember  it  in  the  open,  and 
will  not  mind  the  jingling  of  the  boot  in  the  stirrup 
afterwards.  When  he  is  quiet  under  this  treatment, 
the  breaker  must  get  his  foot  in  the  stirrup,  raise  the 
body  slowly  and  gradually  up,  and  lean  across  the 
back  of  the  colt  without  putting  his  leg  across  him. 
He  may  continue  doing  this  for  half- an -hour  from 
both  sides  of  the  colt,  and  then  slip  his  right  leg 
quietly  over  him.  He  should  settle  the  body  well 
down  in  the  saddle,  and  move  the  arms  and  legs 
continuously  about  him.  He  should  move  them 
cautiously  at  first,  and  gradually  increase  the  motion 
according  to  the  behaviour  of  the  colt.  He  should 
mount  and  dismount  often  on  both  sides  of  him,  and 
never  appear  to  be  in  a  hurry  by  wishing  to  accomplish 
in  ten  minutes  what  it  will  take  an  hour  and  a-half  to 
execute  properly.  This  may  be  continued  for  a  few 
days,  and  when  the  colt  is  fairly  accustomed  to  the 
weight  and  appearance  of  the  rider  he  should  be 
mounted  in  the  open. 

MOUNTING   IN   THE   OPEN. 

Some  breakers  recommend  mounting  the  colt  in  a 
court  or  any  large  enclosure,  but  it  is  always  attended 
with  more  or  less  danger  both  to  the  colt  and  the 
rider  owing  to  the  close  proximity  of  the  walls  of  the 
building  ;  therefore  mounting  in  the  open  is  urgently 
recommended  for  general  safety. 


94 

A  good  system  is  to  take  the  colt  into  the  centre 
of  a  large  field — stubble  if  possible — and  in  addition 
to  the  reins  a  coil  of  cord  should  be  attached  to  his 
head  in  front,  so  that  if  any  mishap  occur  he  can  be 
prevented  from  running  away  by  keeping  hold  of  the 
cord.  The  cord  should  be  loosely  rolled  up,  and 
suspended  from  the  left  arm  of  the  rider. 

He  should  get  the  colt  by    gently    fondling    him 

to    stand     perfectly    steady,    and    this    will    best    be 

effected  by  giving  him  half-an-hour's  coursing  in  the 

long  rein  previously.     As  soon  as  the  colt  is  quiet,  the 

breaker  should  take  the  reins  along  with  a  full  handful 

of  the  colt's  mane  in  the  left  hand,  and  place  the  right 

hand  on  the  off  side  of  the  saddle  with  the  whip  lying 

horizontally  under  the  palm,  insert  the  left  foot  in  the 

stirrup,  raise  the  body  gradually  up,  and  whenever  the 

balance  is  reached,  slip  the  leg  quietly  yet  swiftly  across 

him,  and  insert  the  foot  in   the  stirrup.      He  should 

settle  the  body  well  down  in  the  saddle,  keep  a  cool 

head,  and  always  be  ready  for  any  emergency  (Fig.  8). 

HOW   TO   RIDE    HIM. 

In  putting  the  colt  into  motion  the  breaker  should 
keep  his  hands  well  down  on  the  front  of  the  saddle, 
and  urge  him  gently  with  the  heels.  It  is  always 
better  to  ride  him  without  spurs  at  first.  If  the  colt 
does  not  appear  inclined  to  start,  the  breaker  should 
draw  gently  on  the  left  rein,  at  the  same  time  closing 
the  left  leg  against  him,  and  coax  him  by  kind, 
assuring  words. 


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When  he  moves  forward,  the  breaker  should  not 
be  over-particular  in  forcing"  him  to  go  in  any  special 
direction,  but  should  keep  him  circling  widely  at  a 
walk.  The  horse  should  not  be  trotted  nor  galloped 
until  he  is  quite  familiar  with  all  the  rider's  move- 
ments in  the  saddle. 

If  the  colt  should  plunge  and  rear,  the  breaker 
must  bend  well  forward  on  his  neck,  slacken  the 
reins,  seize  him  by  the  mane,  and,  as  soon  as  he 
descends  from  his  evolution,  push  him  forward  and 
keep  him  in  motion. 

If  he  should  buck  and  kick,  he  should  take  him 
well  in  hand,  and  stick  the  knees  close  into  the 
saddle  flaps.  He  should  warn  him  in  stern  accents 
to  desist,  at  the  same  time  giving  him  an  occasional 
hard  pull  with  the  rein,  and,  if  the  rider  maintains 
his  seat,  the  colt  will  soon  cease  all  attempts  to  dis- 
lodge him,  and  move  along  in  a  quiet  and  tractable 
manner. 

HOW   TO    MAKE   THE   COLT   STOP   WHEN    HIS 
RIDER   FALLS   OFF. 

The  simplest  method  of  teaching  a  colt  to  stop 
when  his  rider  falls  off,  is  to  put  him  into  an  easy- 
going canter.  The  breaker  should  keep  the  colt 
going  round  in  a  large  circle  to  the  left  for  some 
time,  then  draw  the  feet  from  the  irons,  quit  the 
reins,  and  slip  off  at  his  near  side,  taking  care  in 
alighting  to  avoid  being  kicked.  He  must  retain  the 
coil  of  cord  in  his  hand,  which  should  not  be  less  than 


97 

ten  or  twelve  yards  in  length,  and,  whenever  the 
colt  gets  to  the  end  of  the  cord,  the  sudden  jerk 
turns  him  smartly  round  towards  the  breaker.  The 
breaker  should  stand  steady  and  pull  the  colt  towards 
him,  and,  whenever  he  comes  up,  make  much  of 
him  by  fondling  him  about  the  ears  and  neck,  speak- 
ing kindly  to  him  at  the  same  time.  The  cord  should 
always  be  attached  to  the  front  cavesson  ring  and 
never  to  the  bit,  or  the  sudden  jerk  will  lacerate  the 
mouth  of  the  colt,  and  possibly  pull  him  back  over. 
The  cord  should  never  be  rolled  round  the  hand, 
but  held  firmly  in  the  loose  coil,  because,  were  the 
trainer  to  fail  in  turning  the  colt,  he  might  be 
dragged  by  the  hand  and  severely  injured.  In  slip- 
ping from  the  colt  when  he  is  going  in  a  circle,  the 
danger,  however,  is  materially  reduced.  In  ten  or 
twelve  lessons  of  this  kind  the  colt  will  wait  for  his 
rider  every  time,  and  only  those  who  have  been 
accustomed  to  hounds  can  appreciate  this  easily- 
acquired  and  excellent  qualification  in  a  horse.  Few 
riders  can  follow  hounds  without  getting  "spills," 
and,  when  hunters  are  not  trained  to  stop,  great 
inconvenience  is  entailed  in  securing  them,  therefore, 
no  hunter's  tuition  is  complete  when  this  branch  of 
his  training"  has  been  neo-lected. 

HOW   TO    PREPARE   TPIE   COLT    FOR   BEING   SHOD. 

The  colt  should  not  be  taken  too  often  upon  the 
road  without  putting  the  shoes  on  his  feet,  or  he 
will    wear    his    hoofs   down    to    such    an    extent    that 

H 


98 

little  will  be  left  to  fix  the  nails  through.     All  through 
his  breaking  the  feet  of  the  colt  should  be  regularly 
lifted  every  day  and  beaten  with  a  stick  or  hammer 
in  order  to  accustom  him  to  the  idea  of  being  shod. 
Caution  must  be  exercised  in  raising  his  feet  at  first. 
The  breaker  should  always  stand  well  forward  when 
lifting  the  hind  feet,  or  the  colt  may  "  shake  hands ' 
in   rather   an   uncultured   manner  at  the  "  first  intro- 
duction"!      It   is  a  safe  plan  to  pass  a  strap   round 
the  pasterns  of  his  hind  legs  and  draw  them  gently 
forward    when   giving  him   his   first   lesson.     He   will 
naturally  struggle  a  little  at  first,  but  will  soon  desist 
when    he   discovers   that    no    harm    is    meant.       The 
shoes    should    be    light    and    flat,    and    those    on    the 
fore  feet  should  be  put  on  slightly  short  rather  than 
long.     Colts  are  addicted  to  over-reaching  themselves 
at  first  and  pulling  the  shoes  off,  breaking  their  hoofs, 
and  otherwise  injuring  their  feet  and  legs.     The  shoes 
should    also   be    kept   well    within    the    hoofs  on   the 
inside   of  the   hind   feet,  as   raw  colts  are  sometimes 
inclined  to  brush  their  pastern  joints,  especially  when 
their  action  is  wide  at  the  hocks. 


99 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

HOW  TO  BREAK  COLTS  TO  HARNESS. 

In  putting  a  colt  into  harness  great  care  and 
caution  must  be  exercised,  for  if  anything  goes  wrong 
at  first  he  will  remember  it  for  a  long  time,  and 
will  invariably  try  to  take  advantage  of  any  similar 
mishap  occurring  in  future.  All  the  harness  should 
be  carefully  put  upon  the  colt  ;  he  should  be  allowed 
to  roam  about  in  the  court  for  a  few  days,  and  as 
he  will  be  likely  to  rub  and  damage  the  harness,  any 
old  set  will  serve  the  purpose.      (Fig.  9.) 

HOW  TO   ACCUSTOM   THE   COLT   TO   PRESSURE 
BEFORE   AND    BEHIND. 

The  breaker  should  drive  the  colt  out  in  harness 
regularly  every  day,  and  frequently  on  the  road,  in 
order  to  accustom  him  to  the  various  objects  he  is 
likely  to  meet.  The  breaker  should  have  two  long 
ropes  attached  to  the  hames,  so  that  the  weight  can  be 
brought  to  bear  on  the  colt's  shoulders  by  pulling  on 
the  ropes  in  order  to  gradually  accustom  him  to  the 
pressure  of  the  collar.  The  breaker  should  twist  the 
ropes  in  and  about  the  colt's  legs  in  every  conceivable 


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manner,  and  so  educate  him  to  understand  any  emer- 
gency that  may  arise  in  future.  A  chain  should  also 
be  suspended  over  his  quarters  which  will  jingle 
about  his  flanks  and  accustom  him  to  the  touch  of 
the  shafts.  The  passing  of  the  ropes  between  his 
hind  legs  will  familiarise  him  with  the  pressure  of 
the  traces.  If  a  colt  were  to  get  his  leg  over  the 
trace  by  some  accident  or  other,  without  being  edu- 
cated in  this  way,  the  chances  are  that  he  would 
kick  everything  to  pieces  in  very  few  minutes,  and 
his  hocks  in  all  probability  Would  be  permanently 
blemished. 

The  ropes  should  also  be  attached  to  the  breechen 
rings,  then  passed  forward  through  the  hame  rings 
and  back  to  the  hands  of  the  breaker.  Pulling  on 
the  ropes  in  this  manner  will  teach  the  colt  what 
pressure  from  behind  means,  and  in  descending  hills 
he  will  understand  what  the  weight  of  the  trap  upon 
his  quarters  amounts  to  and  will  not  mind  it. 

HOW   TO   YOKE   THE   COLT. 

After  driving  the  colt  three  or  four  days  in  this 
way,  the  breaker  should  put  a  strong  set  of  harness 
upon  him  ;  he  should  be  careful  that  every  strap 
is  in  its  right  place  and  in  proper  working  order, 
and  also  that  the  collar  fits  the  colt  evenlv.  The 
halter  should  remain  on  the  colt's  head  beneath  the 
bridle,  with  the  end  of  it  through  between  his  fore- 
legs, and  tied  to  the  girths  prett}'  loosely.  A  long 
cord  should  also  be  attached  to  the  head  of  the  colt 


io2 


by  which  the  assistant  can  guide  him  a  Httle  at  first. 
The  breaker  should  have  the  trap  standing  ready 
in  the  centre  of  a  field — a  level  one  if  possible — and 
the  assistant  ready  to  hold  up  the  shafts.  No  time 
should  be  lost  in  getting  the  colt  between  the  shafts 
and  yoking  him.  He  should  first  fix  on  the  traces 
(the  reins  already  being  adjusted),  and  then  buckle  all 
the  straps  as  quickly  and  quietly  as  possible ;  but  he 
should  not  be  too  much  in  a  hurry  as  the  colt  may 
become  excited,  which  may  cause  him  to  move  for- 
ward before  he  is  securely  yoked. 

HOW  TO   FIX   THE   KICKING   STRAPS. 

Instead  of  having  only  one  kicking -strap,  the 
breaker  should  have  two.  He  should  fix  one  to  the 
near  shaft  close  to  the  trap,  then  pass  it  through  the 
breechen  over  the  colt's  croup,  and  buckle  it  to  the 
off  shaft  immediately  before  the  backhand  ring.  He 
should  do  precisely  the  same  with  the  other  strap 
from  the  opposite  side,  and  he  has  thus  double  the 
strength  and  efficiency  of  the  ordinary  method  (Fig. 
10). 

By  the  use  of  double  straps  scarcely  any  colt, 
however  hard  he  tries,  can  kick  sufficiently  high 
either  to  damage  himself  or  the  trap,  nor  can  he 
kick  himself  out  from  beneath  them  as  he  often 
does  under  the  ordinary  single-strap  system.  Both 
straps  catch  his  quarters  simultaneously,  and  no 
amount  of  kicking  so  long  as  they  remain  whole, 
can  possibly  dislodge  them. 


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now   TO   DRIVE   THE   COLT. 

As  soon  as  the  colt  is  securely  yoked  the  breaker 
should  get  into  the  trap,  taking  the  reins  in  the 
hand  before  mounting.  A  good  horseman  never  fails, 
firstly,  to  glance  over  the  harness,  and,  second  1)%  to 
take  the  reins  in  his  hand  before  mountmg  the  trap. 
The  assistant  should  take  the  colt  by  the  head,  using 
the  long  cord,  while  the  driver  urges  him  gently  to 
move  forward  by  working  the  reins  with  the  hands 
along  with  kind  words  of  assurance  and  encourage- 
ment, and  in  the  majority  of  cases  he  will  generally 
obey.  He  must  keep  the  colt  well  in  hand  by  taking 
a  short  hold  of  the  reins,  with  the  hands  level  and 
well  parted,  bearing  upon  them  according  to  the 
colt's  movements.  He  should  keep  him  circling 
widely  round  in  all  directions,  first  to  the  right, 
then  to  the  left,  and  must  always  avoid  wheeling 
him  too  abruptly  at  first  until  he  grows  familiar 
with  the  motion  of  the  trap  behind  him.  On  going 
on  to  the  hard  road  for  the  first  time  a  good  watch 
should  be  maintained  over  the  colt  as  the  sudden 
and  unexpected  noise  behind  may  cause  him  to  bolt, 
and  otherwise  startle  him.  Knee-caps  should  be 
placed  upon  the  colt  for  the  first  few  times  he  is  in 
harness,  so  that  if  he  should  throw  himself  down 
his  knees  will  be  protected  ;  indeed,  it  is  a  safe 
plan  to  ride  and  drive  him  on  the  road  for  some 
considerable   time   with   knee-caps  until  he   becomes 


105 

accustomed  to  objects  on  the  way  and   the  work  he 
is  required  to  perform. 

If  the  colt  should  be  unwilling  to  start  at  first, 
he  should  be  turned  o-entlv  round  to  the  left  once 
or  twice  with  the  aid  of  the  assistant,  and  then  tried 
straight  forward,  steadying  him  by  working  the 
reins  in  a  firm  and  encouraging  manner.  If  he 
should  still,  however,  remain  obstinate,  the  breaker 
should  continue  turning  him,  increasing  the  velocit\- 
as  required.  This  is  best  managed  by  the  assist- 
ant with  the  cord  at  the  colt's  head,  as  the 
pressure  comes  on  his  nose  rather  than  on  the  bit. 
When  he  has  gone  round  several  times,  the  driver 
should  draw  the  off  rein  while  the  colt  is  still 
wJieeling,  at  the  same  time  giving  him  a  kind  en- 
couraging word,  and  he  will  generally  bound  into 
the  collar  like  a  lion.  The  colt  should  not  be 
kept  too  long  in  harness  at  first  or  he  will  sicken 
and  tire  of  the  work ;  half  an  hour  forenoon  and 
afternoon  will  be  sufficient  for  the  first  few  days, 
and  as  he  hardens  to  the  work  the  periods  may  be 
increased. 

HOW   TO   UNYOKE   THE   COLT. 

Care  and  caution  are  quite  as  necessary  in  unyok- 
ing as  they  are  in  yoking  the  colt.  Perhaps  the  safest 
and  best  method  is  to  face  him  close  up  to  a  wall. 
The  driver  should  stand  at  the  colt's  head  and  let 
the  assistant  undo  every  strap,  leaving  the  traces 
till  the   last,   with   the   exception   of  the   reins   which 


io6 

should  never  be  undone  till  the  colt  is  in  the  stable. 
When  everything  is  clear  the  driver  should  hold 
the  colt  by  the  head  while  the  assistant  quietly  pushes 
the  traj)  back  off  him.  He  should  turn  him  round 
so  that  he  can  see  it,  at  the  same  time  patting  him 
about  the  head  and  neck  and  soothing  him  with 
kind  words. 

It  is  very  important  that  every  strap  should  be 
carefully  undone,  because,  in  the  event  of  the  colt 
becoming  entangled  he  will  bolt  forward  through 
fright  and  may  never  forget  it  as  long  as  he  lives. 
Bolting  out  of  harness  is  a  very  dangerous  habit 
both  to  the  horse  and  the  attendant,  and  it  is  gen- 
erally acquired  during  the  breaking  by  carelessness 
on  the  part  of  breakers.  Some  breakers  are  so  in- 
different that  when  handling  an  unusually  quiet  colt 
they  treat  him  as  a  seasoned  horse  until  some  acci- 
dent occurs  when  they  get  their  eyes  opened  to 
their  over -confidence.  All  colts  should  be  treated 
as  colts  until  they  are  thoroughly  familiar  with  their 
work,  and  for  the  first  half-dozen  times  they  are  in 
harness  special  care  should  be  exercised  in  unyoking 
them. 

HOW   TO    rUT   THE    COLT    IN    DOUBLE    HARNESS. 

When  a  colt  is  put  into  double  harness  he  should 
be  yoked  on  the  off  side  of  a  steady,  ready -working 
horse  that  will  not  bite  him.  The  horse  should  be 
strong  enough  to  move  the  brake  forward  himself  if 
necessary,   and   a  ready    worker    is    preferable    as    he 


io;7 

will  start  quickly  at  any  moment  to  suit  the  humour 
of  the  colt.  The  colt  should  never  be  placed  beside 
a  horse  addicted  to  biting-,  or  he  will  jump  back 
and  perhaps  injure  himself  when  the  horse  attempts 
to  seize  him,  thus  he  is  taught  a  bad  habit  at  first 
which  he  does  not  soon  forget.  The  same  care  and 
attention  should  be  bestowed  upon  the  colt  in  put- 
ting him  in  double  harness  that  is  exercised  in  putting" 
him  in  single  harness.  Most  colts  that  will  go  in 
single  harness  will  go  in  double  ;  but  some  that  go 
quietly  in  double  harness  will  not  go  in  single. 

The  pace  of  the  old  horse  on  the  near  side  should 
be  regulated  to  suit  the  pace  of  the  colt.  If  driven 
too  fast  he  will  be  made  to  break  his  steps,  which 
will  spoil  him  for  harness,  or,  indeed,  for  any  other 
work.  A  combination  of  paces — half  trot,  half  gallop 
—  is  most  offensive  to  the  feeline  and  eve  of  a 
horseman.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  old  horse  goes 
too  slow,  the  colt  will  acquire  a  disagreeable  habit 
of  turning  in  his  head  towards  the  other  horse  which 
has  the  effect  of  throwing  his  hind  quarters  out,  con- 
sequently he  will  move  along  in  a  broadside,  shuffling 
sort  of  way  which   looks  very  bad. 

Plain  bridles  without  "blinders"  are  preferable  at 
first  in  order  to  enable  colts  to  see  well  about 
them,  and  bearing  reins  should  play  no  more  pro- 
minent part  than  that  of  pure  ornamental  effect. 


io8 


HOW   TO   PROTECT   THE   SHOULDERS. 

The  breaker  should  leave  the  collar  upon  the  colt 
for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  he  is  unyoked,  then 
remove  it  and  wash  the  shoulders  with  a  little  salt 
and  water.  This  should  be  done  every  day  he  is 
yoked  until  the  shoulders  become  hard  and  set,  which 
generally  occurs  in  about  a  month.  The  water  should 
be  lukewarm,  and  half  a  handful  of  salt  to  a  quart 
of  water  is  sufficient.  It  is  also  a  good  plan  to 
keep  the  inside  of  the  collar  well  oiled.  The  pro- 
tection of  the  shoulders  is  a  matter  ot  first-rate 
importance,  because,  if  allowed  to  become  scalded 
or  broken  intense  pain  is  inflicted  upon  the  colt, 
and  he  will  naturally  be  shy  to  throw  his  weight 
into  the  collar  on  starting  in  future.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  many  colts  develop  into  unsteady  workers 
purely  through  this  cause,  which  can  be  distinctly 
traced  to  negligence  on  the  part  of  breakers,  there- 
fore it  will  be  to  the  interest  of  owners  to  give  this 
matter  their  close  attention  and  put  a  stop  to  this 
form  of  carelessness  which  is  almost  unpardonable. 


109 


CHAPTER    IX. 

HOW  TO  YOKE  WORK  COLTS. 

In  yoking  work  colts  intended  for  agricultural 
purposes  it  is  often  recommended  to  yoke  them  singly 
in  *'  clogs,"  but  we  are  decidedly  averse  to  the  system 
as  it  is  generally  attended  with  more  or  less  danger. 
There  is  nothing  to  steady  the  colt,  and  in  conse- 
quence he  will  flounder  about  in  all  directions,  en- 
tangling his  legs  amongst  the  ropes,  and  pulling 
himself  down.  There  are  many  other  mishaps  which 
may  easily  occur  by  this  practice,  and  hardly  anything 
will  teach  a  colt  to  kick  sooner  than  by  getting  his 
legs  wound  up  among  the  ropes. 

BEST   IMPLEMENT    IN   WHICH   TO   YOKE   COLTS. 

Probably  the  safest  method  of  yoking  a  work  colt 
is  to  put  him  on  the  off  side  of  a  steady,  ready-work- 
ing horse,  and  the  most  suitable  implement  in  which 
to  yoke  him  is  an  ordinar}'  plough.  If  anything  goes 
wrong  an  active  man  at  the  plough  can  easily  shift  it 
at  once  so  as  to  prevent  the  chains  getting  entangled 
amongst  the  colt's  legs.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  roll  the 
chains  half  way  up  with  pieces  of  sack,  so  that  if  the 


no 


colt  should  struggle  and  get  his  legs  over  the  chains, 
it  will  prevent  him  getting  them  rubbed  or  blemished. 
The  breaker  should  put  a  strong  straw  collar  upon 
him,  and  it  is  generally  better  to  have  it  slightly  on 
the  large  side  as  it  will  slip  easily  and  smoothly  over 
his  head  without  frightening  him  and  causing  him  to 
acquire  the  awkward  habit  of  throwing  up  his  head 
when  it  is  being  put  on.  At  the  same  time  it  will  be 
less  likely  to  injure  his  shoulders  than  one  that  is 
rather  small,  or  even  the  exact  size,  besides  some 
provision  should  be  made  for  the  colt  increasing  in 
condition.  As  in  all  other  cases,  the  ordinary  rope 
halter  should  remain  on  his  head  beneath  the  bridle. 
The  breaker  should  use  a  bridle  without  *'  blinders," 
as  the  colt  will  be  better  able  to  see  what  is  going 
on  around  him,  and  in  consequence  he  will  under- 
stand with  greater  aptitude  what  is  required  of  him. 
As  a  rule  the  plain  ring  snaffle  is  the  most  suitable 
bit  that  can  be  used   (Fig.   ii). 

HOW   TO   TIE   THE   COLT. 

The  breaker  should  place  a  strong  rope  round  the 
middle  of  the  near -side  horse,  then  twist  it  thrice 
round  the  backband  to  prevent  it  slipping  backward 
or  forward,  and  attach  the  halter-shank  of  the  colt  to 
it.  It  should  be  kept  about  three  inches  shorter 
than  the  ordinary  cord  from  the  bridle  ring,  so  that 
if  he  bound  forward  he  will  not  receive  such  a  severe 
check  as  the  major  part  of  his  weight  will  bear  upon 
the  halter  instead  of  the  bit. 


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I  12 


In  addition  to  the  ordinary  reins  of  the  driver,  an 
extra  pair  should  be  attached  to  the  colt  so  that  he 
can  be  guided  to  right  and  left  with  perfect  ease  and 
freedom.  Whenever  he  is  securely  tied,  the  breaker 
should  attach  the  chains  to  the  draught  trees,  and 
gradually  lengthen  the  reins  by  going  backward, 
slipping  them  through  the  hands,  until  about  three 
yards  to  his  right  rear. 

HOW   TO   START   THK   COLT. 

The  breaker  should  let  the  man  at  the  plough  look 
after  the  near-side  horse  and  endeavour  to  get  both 
horses  in  motion  at  the  same  time.  If  the  colt  is 
allowed  to  start  before  the  horse,  he  will,  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten,  rush  back  after  throwing  his  weight  into 
the  collar  ;  and  while  he  is  rushing  back  the  near-side 
horse  will  be  going  forward.  Very  often,  by  a  want 
of  attention  at  this  particularly  critical  stage,  the  horse 
and  the  colt  will  jerk  backward  and  forward  alternately 
in  opposite  directions.  This  causes  a  great  deal  of 
trouble  and  inconvenience,  and  it  has  a  distinctly  bad 
influence  on  the  future  starting  of  the  colt.  If  they 
cannot  really  be  set  in  motion  at  precisely  the  same 
moment,  the  breaker  should  alwaws  endeavour  to  start 
the  old  horse  first.  If  the  colt  should  appear  un- 
willing to  start,  he  should  move  the  other  horse 
forward,  at  the  same  time  steadily  working  the  reins 
of  the  former  and  encouraging  him  with  gentle  and 
assuring  words.  He  will  generally  move  forward  at 
once,  but  if  possessed  of  a  very  hot  temper  he  may 


113 

plunge  a  little  until  he  realises  what  is  wanted  of 
him.  In  the  latter  case  the  breaker  must  on  no 
account  whip  or  abuse  the  colt  or  he  will  misunder- 
stand the  punishment  and  will  naturally  connect  it 
with  his  present  surroundings,  and  may  rebel  in  future 
under  similar  conditions.  On  the  contrary,  the 
breaker  must  exercise  patience  and  initiate  the  colt 
into  his  work  by  coaxing  rather  than  by  thrashing  him. 

THE   BENEFIT   OF   A    LIGHT   FURROW. 

The  breaker  should  always  avoid  giving  the  colt  a 
furrow  to  pull  at  first.  The  empty  plough  is  quite 
sufficient  for  him  to  draw  for  several  rounds.  In 
turning  at  the  ends  he  should  be  made  to  circle 
widely  round  until  his  confidence  is  assured  and  he 
become  familiarised  with  the  chains  rubbing  against 
his  hocks.  After  he  has  gone  five  or  six  rounds  a 
light  furrow  may  be  taken  and  its  depth  gradually  in- 
creased in  order  to  accustom  him  to  pulling;  but  the 
breaker  must  studiously  avoid  giving  him  too  much  to 
draw,  and  should  also  avoid  working  him  too  much  at 
first  as  it  may  blister  and  injure  his  shoulders,  and  if 
he  is  kept  too  long  at  it  he  will  grow  tired  and  sick 
of  the  work.  An  hour-and-a-half  is  long  enough  the 
first  day  ;  and  for  the  first  week  two  hours  daily  will 
be  quite  sufficient. 

HOW   TO   UNYOKE   THE   COLT. 

The  breaker  must  be  very  careful  in  unyoking 
the  colt,  always  undoing  the  chains  first,  leaving  the 

I 


114 

fastening  cords  till  the  last,  and  all  the  while  making 
much  of  him  by  patting"  him  about  the  head  and  neck. 
On  taking"  him  home  to  the  stable,  the  breaker 
must  get  the  ploughman  to  mount  the  old  horse, 
handing"  the  leading  cord  of  the  colt  to  hirn,  while  it  is 
a  good  plan  to  follow  behind,  and  with  an  indication 
of  the  whip  to  keep  the  colt  well  up  alongside  the 
other  horse,  and  he  will  thus  at  once  learn  to  become 
a  good  leader. 

HOW   TO    PROTECT   THE    SHOULDERS. 

If  the  colt  is  warm  on  entering  the  stable  the 
collar  should  remain  on  his  neck  until  he  is  cool,  as 
already  explained.  As  soon  as  he  is  cool  it  should  be 
removed,  taking  care  not  to  frighten  him  as  it  is 
slipped  over  his  head,  and  his  shoulders  should  be 
washed  with  lukewarm  water  in  which  a  little  salt  has 
been  dissolved.  They  will  thus  become  hardened 
in  something  like  half  the  time  they  would  naturally 
take  if  left  alone.  This  is  a  matter  requiring  the 
greatest  care  and  attention,  for  if  his  shoulders  are 
allowed  to  become  blistered  and  broken  he  will  resist 
the  pressure  of  the  collar,  and  nothing  is  more  pro- 
ductive of  jibbing  than  broken  shoulders  in  colts. 
In  cases  where  the  shoulders  actually  get  broken 
the  parts  should  be  well  oiled,  and  the  colt  laid 
off  work  until  they  are  healed.  Before  again  yok- 
ing the  colt,  the  portions  of  the  collar  directly 
opposite  the  injured  parts  of  the  shoulders  should 
be  well  beaten  with  a  mallet,  which  will  soften  them 


115 

and  neutralise  the  acute  pressure.  It  is  occasionally 
recommended  to  cut  out  the  stuffing  of  collars  where 
they  pinch  the  shoulders,  but  this  is  a  bad  plan  as 
it  only  tends  to  increase  the  area  of  the  injured 
parts.  Prevention  is  generally  better  than  cure,  and 
if  the  directions  given  above  are  adhered  to  few  cases 
of  broken  shoulders  will  occur. 

ADVANTAGES   OF   SHOEING. 

It  is  generally  advantageous  to  have  the  colt  shod 
before  he  is  yoked,  especially  in  the  fore  feet,  as  with- 
out shoes  he  has  nothing  to  hold  by,  and,  in  addition, 
is  very  apt  to  slip,  occasionally  laming  himself,  and 
causing  him  to  develop  into  an  unsteady  worker.  In 
consequence  of  the  colt  going  in  the  open  furrow  he 
has  a  tendency  to  wear  the  outer  walls  of  the  hoofs. 
This  is  much  aggravated  if  he  is  allowed  too  much 
head  as  he  will  naturally  wander  a  good  deal,  stepping 
on  the  land  and  in  the  furrow  alternately.  The  same 
directions  as  previously  given  in  shoeing  colts  should 
be  adhered  to,  with  the  slight  difference  that  the 
shoes  are  better  to  be  made  with  very  low  heels 
rather  than  absolutely  flat,  which  gives  them  a  firmer 
hold  on  soft  slippery  land. 

HOW   TO   PUT   COLTS   IN   CARTS. 

In  yoking  agricultural  colts  in  carts,  the  same 
directions  as  given  in  the  previous  chapter  in  the  case 
of  breaking  higher  bred  colts  to  harness  will  pcove  to 
be  sufficient. 


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116 


117 

Instead  of  having  leather  kicking-  straps,  however, 
thick  ropes  adjusted  in  the  same  manner,  crossed  over 
his  croup,  will  be  more  efficient,  as  they  are  generally 
stronger  and  will  consequently  stand  the  strain  better 
(Fig.  12).  They  should  be  drawn  pretty  tightly  over 
him,  leaving  him  just  sufficient  room  to  move  freely 
beneath  them. 

All  the  draught  hooks  before  and  behind  should 
be  securely  tied  with  a  piece  of  cord  to  prevent  the 
chains  shaking  out  of  them  if  the  colt  should  plunge 
and  struggle.  Numerous  accidents  frequently  happen 
by  the  omission  of  this  important  item.  Many  men 
do  not  take  the  trouble  to  attend  to  these  small 
matters,  and  when  anything  goes  wrong  the  inno- 
cent colt  invariably  gets  the  blame.  He  is  voted  a 
**bad  one"  by  the  careless  breaker,  when,  in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten,  the  cause  of  the  accident  can  be  accu- 
rately traced  to  pure  neglect  on  the  part  of  the  latter. 

DOCKED   VERSUS    UNDOCKED   COLTS. 

Work  colts  should  preferably  be  docked  when 
young.  Light  tails  keep  them  cooler,  and  they  are 
not  so  apt  to  whisk  them  over  the  reins.  When 
a  colt  becomes  confirmed  in  the  bad  habit  of  catch- 
ing the  reins  under  his  tail,  it  is  not  only  inconvenient 
to  the  driver,  but  it  is  ofttimes  very  dangerous  as 
well,  for  if  he  choose  to  bolt  the  driver  is  practically 
powerless  to  arrest  him,  as  he  can  simply  go  where 
he  likes.  It  is  also  a  means  of  teaching  a  colt  to 
kick.      With   horses   addicted    to    catching    the   reins 


ii8 


under  the  tail,  the  reins  should  be  inserted  through 
the  lower  rings  of  the  backhand,  which  arrangement 
acts  as  a  good  preventive. 

When  foals  are  operated  upon  at  the  age  of  six 
weeks  the  pain  inflicted  is  comparatively  little,  and 
the  danger  is  reduced  in  the  same  proportion.  All 
those  who  have  had  the  practical  management  of 
docked  and  undocked  horses  will  readily  throw  in 
the  balance  of  favourable  opinion  for  the  former.  If 
the  directions  for  yoking  work  colts  are  adhered  to 
and  applied  with  patience  and  kindness  according 
to  the  peculiar  temperaments  of  different  colts,  the 
results  will  generally  be  marked  by  success  and  shy- 
starting  and  jibbing  horses  will  be  reduced  to  a 
minimum. 


119 


CHAPTER    X. 

JUMPING. 

Probably  the  best  system  of  teaching  a  colt  to 
jump  is  to  take  a  single  bar  —  a  young  fir  tree  that 
he  cannot  easily  break  is  most  suitable — and  it  should 
be  fixed  so  that  if  he  strike  it  he  cannot  knock  it 
down.  When  the  bar  is  easily  knocked  down  the 
colt  grows  careless  and  is  not  induced  to  make  his 
best  effort.  The  bar  should  also  be  tightly  wrapped 
with  furze,  the  prickles  of  which  induce  him  to  pull 
his  legs  higher  up,  and  he  will  be  less  likely  to  injure 
his  pastern  joints  than  on  coming  in  contact  with 
the  bare  bar.  It  should  not  be  placed  too  high  at 
first,  and  its  height  should  be  gradually  increased 
each  day  in  proportion  to  the  jumping  capacity  of 
the  colt.  One  end  of  the  bar  should  be  securely  fixed 
into  a  hedge  or  wall  which  will  prevent  the  colt  shying 
past  the  end,  and  the  trainer  can  prevent  him  shying 
past  the  other  end  by  standing  well  forward.  The 
post  at  the  open  end  of  the  bar  should  have  a  sloping 
rail  running  up  from  the  ground  on  either  side  of 
it  which  will  carry  the  rein  over  without  its  getting 
entangled   on   the   post   (Fig.    13).      The  colt  should 


120 


always   be    thoroughly   well    trained    to   jump    in    the 
long    rein    before    being    ridden    over   the   bar.      The 


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rein  should  not  be  less  than   twelve  yards  in  length, 
and  it  should  be  fixed  to  the  front  ring  of  the  caves- 


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son  which  will  not  check  the  colt  when  he  gets  to 
the  end  of  it.  Before  the  colt  is  ridden  over  the 
bar,  a  wing",  consisting  of  a  couple  of  pretty  high 
hurdles,  should  be  placed  at  the  open  end,  and  he 
will  be  less  likely  to  shy  past.  The  spot  chosen 
for  jumping  should  be  reasonably  soft,  and  the  colt 
should  be  shod  slightly  short  rather  than  long  in 
the  fore-feet  so  as  to  prevent  him  pulling  himself 
down  by  over-reaching.  A  colt  is  very  liable  to  do 
this  until  he  become  accustomed  by  practice  to 
steady  and  collect  himself  both  in  approaching  the 
fence  and  in  alighting  at  the  other  side. 

HOV^   TO   TRAIN   THE   COLT   TO  JUMP. 

The  colt  should  be  coursed  round  in  a  circle  in 
both  directions,  the  instructions  for  which  are  given 
in  a  former  chapter.  His  head  should  not  be  con- 
fined in  any  way,  the  reins  simply  being  fixed  to 
the  saddle  by  putting  the  stirrup  leathers  through 
them  so  as  to  prevent  them  getting  over  his  head. 

The  bar  should  only  be  about  two  feet  high  at 
first,  and  it  m.ay  be  raised  a  few  inches  each  day 
as  the  colt  becomes  familiar  with  his  work.  The 
colt  must  never  be  put  over  it  more  than  half-a- 
dozen  times  each  day  or  he  will  grow  tired  and 
careless.  If  special  attention  is  paid  to  this  import- 
ant point,  and  the  colt  kindly  treated,  always  making 
much  of  him  when  he  jumps  it  well,  he  will  soon 
grow  exceedingly  fond  of  the  sport,  and  if  mounted 
upon  a  good  set  of  legs  he  will  soon  become  a  bold 


122 


and  safe  jumper.  It  is  never  desirable  to  put  a 
colt  at  a  high,  stiff  fence,  unless  there  are  hounds 
in  front  of  him,  because  in  cool  blood  he  can 
scarcely  be  expected  to  make  his  best  effort.  In 
calm  blood  he  might  fail  to  clear  a  fence  which,  in 
the  excitement  of  the  chase,  he  would  fly  over  like 
a  bird. 

HOW   TO   RIDE   THE   COLT   AT   A    HIGH   FENCE. 

The  colt  should  never  be  ridden  fast  at  a  fence, 
with,  perhaps,  one  exception  —  a  hand -gallop  is  fast 
enough.  He  will  negotiate  a  five  feet  wall  more 
successfully  at  a  canter  than  he  will  at  full  speed. 
In  fact,  at  the  latter  pace  he  might  run  straight 
through  it,  or  carry  the  fence  away  in  front  of  him, 
as  he  would  have  no  time  to  collect  himself  suffi- 
ciently to  rise  to  the  required  height.  A  great 
number  of  men  think  the  faster  a  horse  is  ridden 
at  a  fence  the  higher  he  will  jump,  but  such  an  idea 
is  a  complete  mistake.  If  the  colt  is  galloping  fast 
on  approaching  a  fence  he  should  be  taken  well  in 
hand  and  steadied  down  about  fifty  or  sixty  yards 
before  reaching  it  so  that  he  may  collect  his  legs 
beneath  him  for  the  spring.  Assistance  should  never 
be  offered  to  the  colt  in  the  way  of  what  is  scientifi- 
cally termed  "  lifting  him "  if  he  does  not  require 
it,  for  if  he  is  well  ridden  he  will  generally  **  lift " 
himself  best  if  left  alone  (Fig.  14).  In  fact,  only 
one  man  in  a  hundred  can  successfully  "  lift "  a 
horse  at  a  fence,  and  the  remaining  ninety-nine   had 


12^ 


better    never   try.       They   will    generally    make   some 
mistake   by   doing-   it   too   soon   or    too    late,   and   the 

attempt  will  have 
worse  results  than 
if  it  had  never  been 
made. 

Of  course,  ''  lift- 
ing "  a  horse  is  a 
mechanical  impos- 
sibility in  the  or- 
dinary application 
of  the  word,  but 
this  scientific 
equestrian  term  will 
be  fully  explained 
in  a  subsequent 
chapter  devoted  to 
Polo  and  Polo 
Ponies. 

Many   a    good 
jump    is   spoilt    on 
the     part     of    the 
rider    by     offering 
help  in  the  way  of 
"  lifting "     at     the 
wrong    time ;    and 
not   infrequently  a 
number  of  ''spills"  can   be  traced  to  futile  attempts 
to  accomplish  this  extremely  difficult  equestrian  attain- 
ment. 


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HOW   TO    RIDE   THE    COLT   AT   A   WIDE   JUMP. 

The  exception  referred  to  in  the  pace  is  when 
running  a  colt  at  an  open  ditch  or  brook  when  dis- 
tance instead  of  height  is  the  essential  requirement. 
In  order  to  accompHsh  wide  brooks  or  open  ditches 
successfully  they  must  be  taken  at  a  flying  leap, 
and  the  colt  should  be  ridden  to  them  at  racing 
speed.  If  a  colt  requires  to  be  pushed  at  a  brook  it 
is  preferable  to  use  the  spurs,  because  if  he  is  forced 
by  the  whip  or  switch  he  is  apt  to  swerve  and  refuse. 
The  hands  must  be  held  well  down  and  the  colt 
steered  straight  at  the  brook,  and  he  should  always 
be  allowed  a  free  head  when  he  makes  his  spring 
(Fig.  15).  If  this  point  is  neglected  in  all  pro- 
bability he  will  jump  short  and  go  down  in  the  middle 
of  the  brook,  while  his  rider  will  run  the  risk  of 
turning  a  complete  somersault  in  the  air,  and  of 
getting  a  good  ducking  in  the  water.  At  the  same 
time  he  may  very  easily  get  his  neck  broken.  Num- 
erous accidents  occur  at  water  jumps  by  horses  not 
being  pushed  fast  enough  at  them.  The  high  rate  of 
speed  at  which  horses  ought  to  be  ridden  at  such 
obstacles  naturally  carries  them  across  with  greater 
facility. 

HOW  TO  JUMP  DOUBLE   FENCES. 

In  order  to  accomplish  the  chequered  work  of 
the  hunting-field,  the  colt  should  be  carefully  trained 
to    negotiate    a    double    fence    quietly    and    steadily. 


125 

These  fences  generally  consist  of  two  hedges  about 
three  yards  apart,  with  an  embankment  of  earth  in 
the   centre,   and   occasionally  a   ditch    at   the   root   of 


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one  or  other  of  the  hedges,  and  sometimes  at  both. 
It  is  impossible  to  get  over  an  obstacle  of  this  kind 
at  one  jump,  therefore   the   colt  should   be   specially 


126 


trained  to  get  over  at  two  sorings.  He  should 
alight  on  the  embankment  in  the  centre  and  make 
his  second  effort  without  changing  his  footing.  As 
soon  as  his  hind  feet  touch  the  embankment  he  should 
spring  again  without  making  any  appreciable  pause, 
and  the  impetus  of  his  first  effort  will  successfully 
carry  him  over  the  second.  The  colt  should  be 
trained  to  accomplish  this  either  at  a  trot  or  a  walk 
as  local  circumstances  demand.  A  fiery,  hot-tempered 
colt  that  will  only  jump  such  obstacles  when  allowed 
to  rush  at  them  at  full  gallop  is  a  most  dangerous 
animal  to  encounter,  because,  in  all  likelihood  by 
attempting  to  get  over  at  a  single  bound  he  may 
alight  with  his  forelegs  in  the  middle  of  the  second 
hedge  and  turn  a  somersault  over  it  at  the  risk  of 
dislocating  his  neck  and  also  that  of  his  rider. 

STONE   WALLS   AND    WIRE   FENCES. 

A  stone  wall  should  be  jumped  at  an  easy  canter. 
When  a  horse  fails  to  clear  it  he  is  almost  certain  to 
come  down  and  injure  himself  The  cope-stones 
should  always  be  pulled  off  before  attempting  to  jump 
the  wall.  They  are  often  sharp  and  rugged,  and  a 
horse  may  cut  his  legs  badly  by  coming  in  violent 
contact  with  them.  The  stones  should  always  be 
pulled  to  the  side  on  which  the  wall  is  jumped  from. 
If  pushed  over  to  the  other  side  the  colt  may  alight 
on  some  of  the  loose  sharp  stones  and  come  down 
cutting  his  knees  open  to  the  bone.  It  is  never  safe 
to  attempt  a  high  stone  wall  with  a  colt,  nor  indeed 


12/ 

with    a    horse,    unless    he    is    a    thoroughly    reh'able 
jumper. 

No  horse  should  ever  be  ridden  at  a  wire  fence. 
He  may  not  see  the  wire  and  he  would  simply  go 
over  it  heels  over  head,  or  he  might  entangle  his  legs 
in  the  wire  and  break  them  in  his  frantic  struggles  to 
free  himself.  Only  a  fool  will  ride  a  horse  at  wire. 
Barbed  wire  should  always  be  given  a  wide  berth,  in- 
deed, it  may  appropriately  be  termed  the  primary 
curse  of  the  hunting  field. 

THE   INFLUENCE   OF   A   NERVOUS   RIDER. 

The  reason  of  a  great  number  of  accidents  is 
largely  due  to  a  decided  absence  of  nerve  force  on  the 
part  of  the  rider.  For  example,  if  a  good  jumping 
colt  is  ridden  to  a  fence  by  a  nervous  rider  in  the 
majority  of  trials  he  may  refuse  even  though  he  is 
whipped  and  spurred  to  it.  The  colt  feels  his  rider's 
seat  in  the  saddle,  the  uncertain  pressure  of  his  legs, 
the  infirm  touch  of  his  hand  on  the  rein — in  short,  his 
whole  bearing  on  the  colt  is  one  the  reverse  to  inspire 
him  with  confidence.  There  is  no  sympathy  between 
them,  and  in  such  hands  the  colt  wilf  rarely  jump, 
or,  if  he  does  he  is  almost  sure  to  make  some 
mistake,  and  from  no  other  cause  than  his  rider's 
nervousness.  On  the  other  hand,  put  a  good  horse- 
man with  a  firm  nerve  upon  his  back  and  he  will  fly 
over  the  same  fence  with  perfect  ease  and  safety. 


128 


INDICATIONS    OF   JUMPING. 

It  may  appear  to  the  uninitiated  to  be  a  gross 
exaggeration  of  the  actual  facts,  but  it  is  nevertheless 
true  that  an  experienced  rider  can  tell  with  reasonable 
certainty  when  the  colt  is  within  fifteen  or  twenty 
yards  of  the  fence  whether  or  not  he  is  likely  to  jump 
it,  and,  further  than  this,  the  rider  can  even  determine 
with  wonderful  accuracy  whether  or  not  the  colt  is 
likely  to  jump  it  well.  A  horse  will  rarely  jump  if 
his  ears  are  lying  back.  In  most  cases  he  will  swerve 
and  refuse.  And  if  his  ears  are  continually  on  the 
move — the  one  back  and  the  other  forward,  alter- 
nately— a  *'  spill "  may  safely  be  calculated  upon 
when  the  fence  is  reached,  because  if  he  does  jump 
rider  and  horse  will  probably  arrive  at  the  other 
side  struggling  together  in  a  confused  and  awkward 
heap.  On  the  other  hand,  if  his  ears  are  straight 
forward  and  stationary  he  will  probably  jump  every 
time  without  fail. 

THE   rider's   FEELING   OF   A    HORSE. 

These  are  the  principal  indications  of  ascertaining 
whether  a  colt  is  likely  to  jump  and  whether  he  is 
likely  to  jump  well.  There  are  numerous  other 
sympathies  and  feelings,  however,  between  the  rider 
and  the  horse  which  cannot  possibly  be  imparted  by 
theory,  but  can  only  be  understood  and  acquired  by 
practice  ;  and  even  a  great  amount  of  practice  is 
necessary    to    attain    to    anything    approaching    that 


129 

splendid  equestrian  science  which  at  once  makes  itself 
apparent  in  the  finished  horseman,  in  the  eyes  of  men, 
and  in  the  feeHngs  and  instincts  of  horses.  A  finished 
horseman  is  known  by  men  from  his  attitude  in  the 
saddle  and  general  bearing  on  the  horse  ;  by  horses, 
from  his  whole  touch  and  powerful  influence  on  their 
sensitive  and  peculiar  temperaments. 

But  no  one  can  acquire  any  such  mastery  over  the 
horse  by  theory,  nor  will  he  ever  acquire  it  through  a 
charmel  likely  to  impart  such  mischievous  misgivings 
as  impatience  and  harsh  treatment.  At  all  times 
general  kindness  must  be  exercised,  and  with  per- 
severance and  a  steady  nerve  all  these  attainments 
which  have  been  mentioned  will  naturally  follow. 
*'  Rome  was  not  built  in  a  day."  No  more  can  such 
attainments  be  acquired  in  a  day,  or  a  week  either,  but 
if  the  suggested  methods  are  steadily  prosecuted  the 
results  will  far  exceed  the  highest  anticipations. 


K 


130 


CHAPTER  XI. 

MISTAKES   AND   THEIR   CAUSES. 

It  is  simply  impossible  to  lay  down  a  precise  set 
of  rules  by  which  to  be  entirely  guided,  for,  as  pre- 
viously stated,  horses  vary  as  much  in  temperament 
as  individuals  so  that  what  is  applicable  for  one 
would  not  be  applicable  or  even  necessary  for  another. 
It  is  not  held  that,  in  advocating  general  kindness, 
a  horse  should  never  be  corrected.  On  the  contrary, 
he  should  never  be  permitted  to  make  a  single 
mistake  without  being  checked,  and  checked  in 
proportion  to  its  nature  and  extent,  and  according 
to  his  particular  temperament.  At  the  same  time, 
however,  it  is  an  acknowledged  truism  that  probably 
ninety  per  cent,  of  mistakes  with  which  the  horse  is 
credited  arise  through  mismanagement  in  some  way 
or  another,  and  only  the  remaining  ten  per  cent,  pro- 
perly belong  to  the  horse.  The  horse  is  too  often 
used  like  a  machine.  He  is  sent  along  like  a  motor 
car  without  the  least  consideration  being  given  to 
his  wind  and  limbs,  or  the  nature  of  the  road  he 
is  travelling  over.  Some  men  never  seem  to  realise 
that  it  is  possible  to  tire  a  horse,  and  expect  him 
to  go  on  interminably,  and  the  poor  animal,  in  such 


131 

hands,  leads  a  life  of  pain  and  misery.  He  is  unduly 
subjected  to  sudden  heats  and  colds,  which  develop 
rheumatism  and  other  diseases,  and  in  this  manner 
he  is  made  to  appear  old  and  stiff  long  before  the 
natural  period  for  such  indications. 

HOW   TO    PREVENT    MISTAKES. 

If  a  horse  stumble  he  should  be  smartly  pulled 
together,  but  not  punished.  At  first  sight,  this 
may  be  considered  a  mistake  entirely  due  to  the 
carelessness  of  the  horse,  but  a  little  thoughtful  con- 
sideration may  put  a  very  different  complexion  on 
the  matter.  He  may  be  carelessly  ridden,  the  road 
may  be  rough,  he  may  be  fatigued  by  a  long  journey, 
a  shoe  may  be  hurting  him  —  in  short,  a  hundred 
and  one  other  circumstances  may  have  caused  him 
to  stumble,  all  of  which  may  be  directly  traced  to 
the  carelessness  and  unkindness  of  his  rider. 

If  the  rider  habitually  exercised  care  and  kind- 
ness towards  the  horse,  no  such  causes  as  those 
mentioned  would  occur.  He  would  ride  him  care- 
fully, give  him  time  over  a  rough  part  of  the  way, 
never  ride  him  too  far  at  a  time,  see  that  his  shoes 
were  in  order,  and,  in  all  probability,  had  those 
matters,  small  in  themselves,  been  properly  attended 
to,  the  stumble  would  never  have  occurred.  But 
too  often  in  such  cases  the  spurs  are  dug  in  and 
the  whip  applied  most  unmercifully,  and  not  infre- 
quently the  poor,  faithful  brute  is  brought  down 
with  his  knees  lacerated  and  bleeding.     Thus,  through 


132 

the  ignorance  and  brutality  of  his  rider  the  unfortun- 
ate horse  is  permanently  disfigured,  and  he  is  sold 
for  a  few  pounds  to  drag  out  a  weary,  miserable 
existence  in  some  lower  sphere  of  labour  in  the  busy 
world  of  turmoil  and  din. 

DRUNKEN   RIDERS. 

Many  cases  of  broken  knees  in  horses  can  be 
identified  with  carelessness  and  unkindness  arising 
out  of  different  circumstances  in  different  cases.  It 
is  lamentable  that  it  should  be  so,  yet,  so  long  as 
there  are  careless,  cruel,  bad-tempered,  and  drunken 
men,  so  long  will  there  be  smashed  knees  in  our 
poor  horses.  And  here  it  may  be  asked  of  those 
who  favour  the  evolutionary  theory  that  the  horse 
possesses  reason,  if  he  would  ever  submit  to  the 
wanton  abuse  often  inflicted  upon  him  by  a  drunken 
rider  .''  Nay  !  he  submits  in  deference  to  his  rider's 
wish,  in  accordance  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  in- 
stinct, while  such  a  rider  descends  from  the  loftier 
platform  of  intelligent  reason  and  reduces  himself 
parallel  with  the  dumb  creature  he  tortures.  In  a 
case  like  this,  instinct,  though  not  stronger,  is  cer- 
tainly more  consistent  than  reason,  distorted  as  it 
becomes  under  the  evil  and  demoralising  influence 
of  drunkenness. 

HOW  TO   DRIVE   UP   AND   DOWN   HILLS. 

In  the  case  of  driving,  like  riding,  the  great 
majority    of  accidents    that   casually    happen    can    be 


i33 

distinctly  traced  to  the  same  baneful  source.  A 
horse  should  always  be  allowed  to  walk  up  hill  and 
down  hill  when  they  are  unusually  steep,  and  if  this 
method  is  followed  it  will  be  no  unkindness  to  ask 
him  to  push  on  at  a  good  pace  where  the  road  is 
level.  In  this  humane  manner  more  ground  will 
be  covered  with  much  more  satisfactory  results.  The 
horse  will  not  become  fatigued,  because  he  is  driven 
in  a  reasonable  way ;  whereas,  if  he  is  driven  "  up 
hill  and  down  dale,"  as  the  saying  goes,  he  will  soon 
become  "  bottomed  "  and  useless  for  anything  in  the 
nature  of  rapid  work.  '  His  durability  and  courage 
may  be  seriously  impaired,  and  when  a  colt  is  once 
thoroughly  tired  out  it  is  doubtful  if  he  is  ever  the 
same  again.  His  constitution,  stamina,  and  spirit 
seem  to  lapse,  and  his  whole  temperament  undergoes 
a  radical  change  for  the  worse.  To  obviate  any  such 
deterioration  in  the  temperament  of  colts  they  should 
not  be  hurried  when  ascending  and  descending  steep 
banks. 

HOW  TO   CORRECT   A    HORSE. 

In  checking  a  horse  for  a  mistake  he  has  com- 
mitted, it  should  always  be  done  at  the  moment  the 
mistake  occurs,  and  then  he  can  reasonably  be  ex- 
pected to  understand  what  the  punishment  means. 
For  instance,  when  a  horse  attempts  to  throw  his 
rider,  the  latter  should  find  out,  so  to  speak,  if  he 
is  in  earnest  in  his  endeavours,  because  a  fairly 
good  horseman  can   easily  know  by  the  appearance 


134 

and  movements  of  the  horse  whether  he  is  trying 
to  throw  him  through  mischief,  or  whether  he  is 
merely  frisking  in  play.  If  the  horse  is  only  playful 
and  fresh,  he  should  not  be  punished  at  all,  but 
only  drawn  well  together  and  gently  steadied  down. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  he  is  indulging  in  the  more 
serious  caprice  of  trying  to  get  rid  of  his  rider,  he 
should  be  well  taken  in  hand,  and  the  whip  brought 
smartly  across  his  shoulder  twice  or  thrice.  In  such 
circumstances  he  must  not  be  continuously  whipped 
or  he  will  be  sure  to  resist,  and  his  temper  may 
easily  be  broken  in  the  contest.  If  he  should  still 
persist  in  his  efforts  to  throw  the  rider,  something 
else  should  be  tried.  He  should  get  a  taste  of  the 
spurs,  and  if  this  fail  a  good  gallop  will  generally 
be  effectual  in  bringing  him  to  his  senses.  The 
saddle  should  always  be  put  upon  the  back  of  a 
horse  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  he  is  taken  out,  in 
order  that  it  may  get  warmed  before  he  is  mounted. 
A  number  of  horses  will  kick  and  buck  under  the 
pressure  of  a  cold  saddle,  particularly  when  they 
are  newly  clipped,  that  would  be  quite  quiet  if  the 
precaution  of  warming  the  saddle  were  regarded. 

STEADINESS. 

Quite  a  number  of  accidents  occur  by  horses 
moving  off  at  a  trot  or  a  gallop  when  the  rider  is 
only  partially  mounted.  This  is  generally  a  result 
of  defective  breaking.  A  colt  should  never  be  per- 
mitted  to    move    until    the    rider    is   fairly   seated    in 


■    135 

the  saddle  ;  nor  should  the  latter  dismount  until  the 
colt  has  been  brought  to  a  standstill.  Mounting  and 
dismounting  when  a  horse  is  in  action  may  be  clever 
equestrian  feats  in  the  circus,  but  they  are  generally 
indicative  of  bad  horsemanship  on  the  road  or  in  the 
field.  In  the  hunting  field,  a  horse  that  is  restive  on 
being  mounted  or  dismounted  is  a  veritable  nuisance, 
as  all  men  who  are  experienced  in  hunting  can  testify. 
A  horse  of  this  kind  will  bound  forward  as  soon  as 
the  foot  is  inserted  in  the  stirrup,  and,  if  tightly 
confined  by  the  head,  he  will  circle  wildly  round, 
which  renders  mounting  next  to  impossible.  Of 
course,  some  animals  are  possessed  naturally  of  ex- 
citable temperaments,  and  it  is  not  to  be  expected 
that  absolute  steadiness  can  be  procured  in  them, 
still,  patient  and  firm  treatment  will  go  a  long  way 
towards  modifying  extremes.  Prevention  is  better 
than  cure  ;  it  is  easier  for  a  colt  to  learn  a  good  habit 
than  to  unlearn  a  bad  one,  therefore  time  expended 
in  his  early  tuition  is  not  wasted,  because  it  may  be 
more  than  recovered  in  the  future  behaviour  of  the 
horse. 

FLIES. 

Horses  of  peculiarly  excitable  temperament,  and 
possessing  thin  skins,  sometimes  become  practically 
unmanageable  in  consequence  of  the  irritation  caused 
by  flies.  They  have  been  known  to  throw  themselves 
down,  bolt,  and  otherwise  lose  control  of  themselves 
when   persistently  annoyed   by   flies.      Although   this 


136 

form  of  irritation  cannot  possibly  be  absolutely  pre- 
vented, it  can  be  ameliorated  to  a  great  extent  by 
applying  a  little  oil  to  the  more  tender  parts,  the 
ears,  nose,  flanks,  inside  of  the  legs,  the  sheath,  and 
the  hips  under  the  tail.  The  oil  should  be  lightly 
rubbed  on  with  a  piece  of  cloth,  but  not  so  thickly 
as  to  clog  the  hair  and  cause  dust  to  adhere  to  it. 
In  some  districts  nets  are  worn  upon  horses,  but 
whilst  they  are  pretty  effectual  in  keeping  off  flies 
they  tend  to  heat  horses,  and  look  rather  clumsy. 
Net  "ear-caps"  may  be  worn  with  advantage,  as 
well  as  "  sun-bonnets  "  under  a  broiling  sun.  Care 
must  be  taken  with  these  latter  pieces  of  headgear, 
however,  in  order  to  see  that  they  fit  properly,  other- 
wise the  prevention  may  be  worse  than  the  disease. 
In  very  hot  weather  the  polls  of  horse  may  occa- 
sionally be  cooled  by  the  application  of  a  damp 
sponge,  which  has  a  wonderfully  refreshing  influ- 
ence. 

LEAVING   HORSES   UNTETHERED. 

The  nature  of  the  work  of  many  horses,  such  as 
vanners,  etc.,  necessitates  their  occasionally  being  left 
alone  when  delivering  goods.  In  all  such  cases  the 
pressure  should  be  removed  from  the  shoulders  by 
turning  them  across  inclines  if  practicable,  or  other- 
wise braking  the  wheels.  During  rough  blasts  of 
rain  and  snow  the  hind  quarters  of  horses  should 
always,  if  possible,  be  turned  towards  them,  as  that 
is  the  position  horses  assume  under  natural  conditions. 


is; 


Numerous  accidents  occur  by  horses  backing  round 
to  avoid  showers  of  rain  and  hail,  which  a  Httle  fore- 
thought and  humanity  on  the  part  of  drivers  might 
have  prevented.  These  may  be  considered  small 
matters,  but  it  is  by  attending  to  small  things  that 
great  things  are  achieved. 


t38 


CHAPTER   XII. 

SHYING   x^ND   JIBBING. 

Persistent  shying  in  horses  is  a  disagreeable  as 
well  as  a  dangerous  habit  to  encounter,  and  it  can 
generally  be  traced  to  three  distinct  causes  —  viz., 
extreme  nervousness,  defective  eyesight,  and  dark 
stables.  Some  horses  are  also  addicted  to  shying 
when  too  fresh  and  fit,  but  as  this  is  simply  the 
result  of  idleness  the  prevention  is  obvious.  When 
hunters  are  laid  idle  by  adverse  weather — frost  and 
snow — it  is  easy  to  give  them  exercise  in  the  long 
rein  without  risking  their  limbs  on  slippery  roads 
or  causing  sprains  by  overreaching  and  "  balling " 
amongst  deep  snow.  When  the  track  becomes  fairly 
consolidated  both  slipping  and  "  balling  "  are  avoided. 

SHYING  FROM   NERVOUSNESS. 

A  horse  that  shies  from  nervousness  can  rarely 
be  cured,  although  by  kind  treatment  he  will  gener- 
ally gain  more  confidence,  but  when  anything  unusual 
occurs  to  excite  him  he  will  probably  manifest  symp- 
toms of  fear,  in  some  degree,  as  long  as  he  lives.  If 
he  is  being  ridden  along  a  road    and    shy  at   some 


139 

unusual  object  of  the  wayside  and  refuse  to  pass  it, 
he  should  in  no  circumstances,  however  provoking, 
be  punished,  because  it  is  fear  that  prevents  him 
passing.  If  he  is  punished  he  actually  conceives 
the  idea  that  it  is  the  object  by  which  he  is  frightened 
that  is  hurting  him,  and  he  will  resist  for  an  hour 
before  he  passes  it,  and  perhaps  he  may  not  be 
induced  to  pass  it  at  all.  By  punishment  he  may 
remember  the  same  place  for  years  after  with  dread, 
whereas,  if  he  is  patted  and  urged  gently  with  kind 
words  he  will  soon  walk  past.  He  should  be  ridden 
past  the  object  of  his  alarm  two  or  three  times,  after 
which  he  will  generally  allow  himself  to  be  ridden 
quite  close  to  it  in  the  most  assured  manner.  Thus, 
through  kindness,  we  accomplish  in  a  few  minutes 
what  it  would  take  hours  to  overcome  by  force  and 
cruelty  and  with  a  far  more  successful  result,  the 
effects  of  which  will  be  apparent  in  the  future  be- 
haviour of  the  horse  (Fig.    i6). 

SHYING  FROM   DEFFXTIVE   EYESIGHT. 

When  a  horse  shies  from  defective  eyesight  he 
can  never  be  cured  if  both  his  eyes  are  affected,  for 
the  older  he  gets  he  will  gradually  grow  worse,  until, 
perhaps,  he  goes  blind  altogether.  He  is  then  of 
comparatively  little  use  and  probably  the  best  thing- 
to  do  in  such  a  case  is  to  destroy  him.  A  full 
explanation  of  a  humane  method  of  destruction  will 
be  found  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  If  one  eye  only 
is  affected,  which  can  generally  be  discovered  from 


o 

C/3 


140 


141 

the  horse  always  shying  to  the  same  side,  he  can 
be  cured  to  a  great  extent  by  entirely  covering  up 
the  defective  eye,  leaving  the  sound  one  exposed. 
A  leather  *'  blinder,"  well  hollowed  in  the  centre 
and  attached  to  the  side  of  the  bridle  will  serve  the 
purpose,  because  to  damage  the  orb  in  order  to 
procure  complete  blindness  is  a  very  cruel  and  pain- 
ful operation.  A  horse  of  this  kind  should  never 
be  punished  on  shying,  because  his  defective  vision 
generally  magnifies  and  distorts  objects,  and  they 
consequently  appear  unnatural  to  him.  Such  cases, 
however,  are  very  exceptional  as  there  is  a  direct 
sympathy  between  the  nerves  of  the  eyes  which 
generally  affects  them  both  to  the  same  degree. 

SHYING   FROM   OCCUPYING   DARK   STABLES. 

Only  those  who  have  had  practical  experience  in 
the  matter  can  realise  the  enormous  number  of  horses 
that  shy  through  occupying  dark  and  badly -venti- 
lated stables.  It  has  just  the  same  effect  upon  a 
horse  when  he  is  taken  from  a  dark  stable  into  the 
light  of  day  as  it  has  upon  an  individual  going 
from  the  darkness  of  night  into  a  brilliantly-lighted 
room.  Everything  appears  dazzling  before  the  eyes, 
and  it  is  scarcely  possible  for  some  considerable 
time  to  discern  things  aright ;  and  so  it  is  with  the 
horse,  with  the  difference,  however,  that  his  case  is 
even  worse,  as  it  is  aggravated  by  continually  occu- 
pying a  dark  Hl-ventilated  stable.  He  cannot  see 
clearly  in  the  open,  and  the  least  thing  by  the  way- 


142 

side  will  cause  him  to  shy  violently  to  right  and 
left,  and  not  infrequently  the  object  which  appears 
to  frighten  him  is  quite  chimerical.  Herein  lies  the 
great  danger  of  being  taken  unawares  for  he  will 
often  shy  with  great  rapidity,  when,  to  the  eyes  of 
his  rider,  no  frightful  object  is  apparent,  which  clearly 
proves  that  the  fear  of  the  horse  is  due  to  an  optical 
delusion. 

THE   CONSTRUCTION  OF   STABLES. 

Stables  should  be  commodious  and  warm  with 
wide,  level  stalls.  Draughts  are  very  conducive  to 
colds,  and  stalls  placed  on  an  incline  are  a  continu- 
ous discomfort  as  horses  either  standing  or  lying  are 
never  at  ease.  They  should  be  constructed  without 
lofting,  and  should  be  well  lighted  and  ventilated. 
Lofts  are  rarely  put  into  new  stables  nowadays  for 
three  very  sufficient  reasons:  —  first,  they  are  very 
unsuitable  for  the  storage  of  hay  in  any  quantity, 
because  the  vitiated  air  emitted  from  the  horses  per- 
meates it  and  renders  it  very  unfit  for  fodder  by 
becoming  musty,  which  is  productive  of  coughs  and 
defective  wind  ;  second,  lofts  prevent  the  entrance 
of  light  from  the  roof,  which  is  recognised  as  the 
best  source  from  which  to  obtain  it,  because  with 
cross-lights  from  the  roof  the  light  will  penetrate 
into  every  corner  of  the  stable  ;  and  third,  proper 
ventilation  is  simply  impossible  with  lofting.  Thus 
dark  ill -ventilated  stables  are  conducive  to  shying 
in  horses,  and  the  best  preventive  is  a  liberal  admis- 


143 

sion  of  sunlight  along  with  a  regular  entrance  of 
fresh  air.  The  construction  of  stables,  however,  will 
be  fully  discussed  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

JIBBING. 

Probably  ninety  per  cent,  of  the  jibbing  horses  we 
see  amongst  us  have  been  made  to  jib  through  care- 
lessness by  overloading  them  at  first.  Nothing  will 
spoil  a  colt  sooner  than  by  making  him  pull  a  load 
for  which  he  is  physically  unfit.  He  will  struggle 
and  strain  for  some  time  until  he  feels  it  is  too  much 
for  him,  when  he  will  stop,  and  run  backward  to 
relieve  his  shoulders  from  the  pressure.  In  future 
he  will  be  shy  to  start  another  load,  if,  indeed,  he 
will  draw  an  empty  cart  (Fig.    17). 

All  those  who  have  had  the  experience  of  a 
jibbing  horse  know  well  what  an  unmanageable  brute 
he  is  when  thoroughly  confirmed  in  this  bad  habit. 
Neither  coaxing  nor  whipping  will  induce  him  to 
pull  when  he  takes  it  into  his  head  to  refuse  ;  we 
have  known  a  pronounced  jibber  stand  for  several 
hours  before  he  could  be  compelled  to  start.  We 
have  even  seen  a  jibber  so  determined  that  he  would 
throw  himself  down  when  punished,  necessitating  his 
being  unyoked,  which  is  always  a  bad  precedent,  as 
he  will  repeat  it  whenever  he  is  punished  knowing 
that  in  doing  so  he  will  be  relieved  from  work. 


W 

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pq 

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1-5 
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144 


145 

HOW   TO   START   A   JIBBER. 

We  shall  describe  a  simple  method  which,  when 
applied  by  good  hands,  will  generally  be  effectual  in 
mastering  a  jibber  when  all  other  treatment  fails, 
viz.,  to  convey  to  him  for  tJie  moment  the  artificial 
idea  that  he  is  ivanted  to  go  in  the  opposite  direction 
to  that  in  ivhicJi  he  is  being  driven.  But  while  this 
matter  is  comparatively  simple  in  practice  to  a  good 
horseman  it  is  very  difficult  to  reduce  to  print,  for, 
as  already  pointed  out,  different  temperaments  re- 
quire varying  degrees  of  treatment,  even  though  the 
treatment  in  the  main  be  the  same.  All  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  must  be  considered — the  place, 
the  time,  and  the  nature  of  the  position.  The 
moment  the  horse  stops  the  driver  should  turn  him 
abruptly  round  and  impart  to  him  the  notion  that 
he  is  wanted  to  go  the  opposite  way.  The  driver 
should  give  him  a  series  of  similar  rapid  turns ; 
then  face  him  sharply  in  the  original  direction,  and 
he  will  generally  do  as  desired.  If  he  should  still 
remain  obstinate,  however,  the  driver  must  repeat 
the  lesson  with  greater  severity  and  wheel  him 
rapidly  round  again  and  again  according  to  the 
nature  of  the  ground,  and  in  a  very  short  time  he 
will  be  glad  to  go  straight  forward  in  the  direction 
indicated. 

PREVENTIVES   TO   JIBBING. 

Shy-starting  horses  should  always  be  harnessed  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  at  least  previous  to  yoking  them. 

L 


146 

A  number  of  excellent  horses  will  not  throw  their 
weight  into  a  cold  collar,  thus  it  is  an  advantage  to 
warm  the  collars  previous  to  yoking  the  horses.  In 
the  case  of  colts  it  is  a  good  plan  to  lightly  oil  the 
inside  of  the  collar  before  putting  it  on.  By  this,  the 
pressure  of  the  collar  will  not  be  so  hard  on  the 
shoulders,  and  they  are  less  likely  to  be  injured  in 
consequence.  Jibbing,  like  most  other  bad  habits 
acquired  by  horses,  is  more  easily  prevented  than 
cured,  indeed  it  is  doubtful  if  a  confirmed  jibber  can 
be  thoroughly  cured.  In  the  hands  of  some  men 
they  will  behave  all  right  and  do  an  enormous  amount 
of  work,  whilst  with  others  they  will  scarcely  tighten  a 
trace.  Great  patience  and  tact  are  necessary  in  suc- 
cessfully working  jibbers.  As  soon  as  a  jibber  is 
yoked  he  should  be  driven  off  at  once,  care  having 
previously  been  taken  to  place  the  trap  so  as  to  give 
the  horse  every  advantage  of  the  ground  in  starting. 
A  jibber  should  never  be  pulled  up  at  the  bottom 
of  a  hill,  but  should  be  allowed  to  ascend  it  in  his 
own  peculiar  way.  Many  horses  will  negotiate  hills 
at  a  trot  or  a  gallop  that  will  not  walk  up  them. 
In  such  cases  they  should  be  compensated  by  being 
allowed  to  walk  down  hills  in  order  that  they  may 
regain  their  wind.  Generally  speaking,  tact  and  not 
force  is  the  secret  of  success  in  working  pronounced 
jibbers.  Such  expedients  as  thrashing,  rubbing  the 
legs  with  rough  cord,  kindling  fires  beneath  them, 
and  a  dozen  other  absurdities,  are  simply  barbarous 
and  of  no  practical  help  wJiatever. 


147 


KICKING   IN    HARNESS. 


Kicking  is  generally  the  result  of  carelessness 
and  unkindness  through  overloading  horses  when 
descending  hills.  On  single  vehicles  where  no  drag 
is  attached  the  horse  in  many  cases  can  scarcely 
keep  upon  his  feet  by  the  undue  weight  which  is 
pressing  him  down  from  behind.  Some  men  will 
say,  "  Oh,  there  is  no  fear,  nothing  has  ever  gone 
wrong  yet " ;  but  some  day  a  strap  may  break,  the 
trap  will  run  forward  an  the  colt's  quarters,  and  thus 
he  will  get  a  first  lesson  in  kicking  which  he  will  not 
readily  forget.  At  the  same  time  a  well-trained  horse 
will  not  be  so  likely  to  kick  in  such  circumstances 
as  a  carelessly-trained  one.  If  he  has  been  carefully 
educated  to  understand  what  undue  pressure  means 
when  he  is  broken  he  will  remember  it  in  an 
emergency  like  this,  and  if  he  does  not  remain 
quite  passive  at  any  rate  he  will  not  generally  kick. 
On  the  other  hand,  a  horse  that  has  not  been  similarly 
trained  will  kick  both  trap  and  harness  to  pieces  in 
very  few  minutes. 

INCIDENT  OF   AN   UNTRAINED   HORSE. 

We  knew  a  farmer  who  owned  a  valuable  horse 
that  he  had  driven  regularly  for  several  years  without 
a  single  mishap  having  occurred.  One  day,  however, 
on  going  down  a  rather  steep  incline  a  strap  gave 
way  and  forward  went  the  trap  on  the  horse's 
quarters,  with  the  result  that  he  kicked  it  to  pieces 


148 

in  a  very  short  time.  A  groom  happened  to  be 
riding  along  the  road  just  as  the  disconcerted  farmer 
had  finished  pushing  the  remains  of  the  trap  off  the 
highway,  and  looking  up,  exclaimed,  "  Well,  it  beats 
all  !  I  never  saw  him  do  it  before  !  "  "  No,"  replied 
the  groom,  sarcastically,  *'he  did  it  behi7id  this  time!" 
This,  then,  is  a  case  where  the  horse  was  perfectly 
quiet  so  long  as  nothing  unusual  occurred  to  annoy 
him,  but  whenever  the  strap  broke  he  went  perfectly 
mad  simply  because  he  had  never  been  trained  to 
appreciate  such  an  emergency.  If  he  had,  the  un- 
fortunate farmer  in  all  likelihood  would  not  have 
got  his  trap  smashed. 

THE   RESPONSIBILITY  OF   TRAINERS. 

The  reason  of  the  accident  —  at  least  the  reason 
of  the  bad  result — can  be  traced  back  to  carelessness 
on  the  part  of  the  breaker.  Thus,  the  negligence 
of  cnc  man  may  be  of  serious  consequence  to  another 
in  the  management  of  horses,  for  horses,  like  most 
oLhcr  animals  and  commodities  are  continually  chang- 
ing owners,  some  for  better  and  some  for  worse. 


149 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

BOLTING,    OR   RUNAWAY   HORSES. 

Bolting",  so  far  as  danger  is  concerned,  is  a  bad 
habit  which  is  only  second  to  rearing,  and  only  those 
who  have  been  fortunate  —  or  rather  unfortunate  — 
to  have  been  on  the  back  of  a  runaway  horse  can 
understand  the  fearful  amount  of  danger  in  such  an 
emergency,  either  on  the  road  or  across  country. 
The  latter,  however,  is  infinitely  more  dangerous,  for 
the  horse  rarely  attempts  to  rise  to  anything  in  the 
shape  of  a  fence  but  rushes  headlong  through  it.  In 
fact,  the  speed  at  which  he  goes  prevents  him  doing 
anything  else.  In  many  cases  a  confirmed  bolter 
is  said  to  shut  his  eyes  the  moment  he  bolts,  con- 
sequently he  will  run  straight  into  any  obstacle  that 
may  chance  to  be  in  the  way,  and  the  result  often 
proves  fatal  both  to  rider  and  horse. 

HOW   TO    STOP   A    BOLTER   ON   THE   ROAD. 

When  a  horse  bolts  it  is  of  no  use  trying  to  stop 
him  by  continuous  pulling.  He  has  always  the 
advantage  in  a  contest  of  strength,  therefore  it  is 
better   not  to  try,   for   if  the    attempt    prove    unsuc- 


150 

cessful — and   it   is  very   likely  that   it  will — the  rider 
will  suffer  a  defeat  while   the   horse  gains  a  distinct 

victory. 

Probably  the  best  system  of  overpowering  him  is 
to    saw   his   mouth   continually  from   side   to   side   in 
rapid    succession    with    the   bit,   giving  an   occasional 
heavy  pull  at   short  intervals,  and   in   most  cases  he 
will  yield  to  this  device  and  suffer  himself  to  be  pulled 
up.     If  unsuccessful   in   stopping  him,   however,   the 
only  course  open   is  to  exercise  great  coolness  and 
steer  him  round  the  sharp  turns  of  the  road  as  care-, 
fully  as  possible.     This  is  easily  managed  when  the 
road   is   comparatively  free   from    sudden   bends,  but 
both  difficult  and  dangerous  when  they  are  frequent. 
Whenever  he  shows  indications  of  stopping,  both 
whip    and    spurs  should    be   vigorously   applied,   and 
the   horse   kept  going  on   a  good   deal    further   than 
he  wishes,   and   he  will   not    be   in    such   a  hurry  to 
bolt    again.       This    counteraction    of   the    rider    will 
cure  a  bolter  sooner  than  all  the  powerful  bits  that 
have   ever   been   invented.       Horses  that  are   natural 
"  pullers "    should    be    ridden    with    light   hands   and 
easy  bits,   in   order   to    prevent   fretting  as   much   as 
possible,   otherwise   both   riders   and   horses   will    ex- 
perience unnecessary  annoyance. 

HOW  TO  STOP  A  BOLTER  ACROSS  COUNTRY. 

If  the  horse  bolt  in  the  open  and  cannot  be  pulled 
up  in  the  manner  described,  the  rider  should  throw 
his  full   weight  on   either  of  the  reins  and  bend  the 


151 

horse's  neck.  The  selection  of  the  rein  will  depend 
on  local  circumstances.  This  should  be  done  sud- 
denly before  the  horse  realises  what  the  action  means, 
and  he  should  be  kept  galloping  round  in  a  circle 
a  good  deal  longer  than  he  likes.  As  soon  as  he 
shows  symptoms  of  giving  in,  the  '*  persuaders " 
should  be  applied  to  his  ribs  and  the  horse  kept 
moving  until  he  can  be  pulled  up  with  the  little 
finger,  and  he  will  think  twice  before  he  decides  to 
bolt  again.  When  the  neck  of  a  horse  is  bent  as 
described  he  is  bound  to  go  round  in  a  circle,  the 
diameter  of  which  is  governed  by  the  angle  at  which 
the  neck  is  bent.  In  this  strained  position  the  horse 
can  neither  run  so  fast  nor  so  long.  He  cannot 
draw  his  wind  freely  with  his  neck  bent,  and  is 
absolutely  under  the  control  of  the  rider  so  long  as 
the  latter  retains  his  seat. 

THE   DANGER  OF   COLLIDING  WITH   A   CROWD. 

We  shall  here  relate  an  incident  that  happened 
with  the  writer  in  the  Queen's  Park,  Edinburgh,  at 
the  opening  of  the  Industrial  ,  Exhibition.  The 
regiment  to  which  he  belonged  —  the  Lothians  and 
Berwickshire  Yeomanry  Cavalry  (recently  the  19th 
Imperial  Yeomanry  on  active  service),  which  formed 
part  of  the  escort  to  the  late  Duke  of  Clarence — was 
drawn  up  in  line,  and  the  order  given  to  "  Return 
swords."  The  mare  on  which  the  writer  was  mounted 
had  never  previously  been  drilled,  and  as  the  swords 
went  rattling  into  the  scabbards  she   reared   straight 


152 

up,  took  the  powerful  military  bit  in  her  teeth,  and 
bolted  straight  to  the  front.  A  crowd  of  five  or  six 
thousand  people  occupied  the  rising  ground  directly 
opposite,  and  realising  the  imminent  danger  of  rush- 
mg  into  it,  every  nerve  was  strained  to  arrest  her 
mad  career,  but  in  vain. 

On  passing  the  sergeant-major,  straight  as  an 
arrow  and  within  a  hundred  paces  of  the  crowd,  he 
shouted  in  accents  of  evident  concern,  ''  For  heaven's 
sake,  pull  the  near  rein!"  His  command  was  instantly 
acted  upon.  Both  hands  were  applied  to  the  rein, 
the  mare's  neck  successfully  bent,  and  round  she 
went  in  a  circle  until  she  was  quite  blown. 

Thus,  by  the  application  of  this  method  a  serious 
accident  was  probably  averted,  because  when  a  run- 
away horse  comes  in  violent  collision  with  a  crowd 
of  people  the  danger  can  hardly  be  exaggerated.  It 
is  important  that  the  neck  should  be  bent  suddenly, 
for  if  the  horse  anticipate  the  intended  action  he 
is  likely  to  resist,  but  when  his  head  is  jerked  round 
unawares  he  is  at  once  at  the  mercy  of  his  rider, 
and  all  attempts  to  get  his  head  straight  are  rendered 
futile  by  the  tightness  of  the  rein,  which  can  be 
lengthened  or  shortened  by  the  rider  as  circumstances 
demand. 


153 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

REARING. 

Rearing  is  by  far  the  most  dangerous  habit  that 
a  horse  can  possess,  and  one  of  the  most  difficult 
to  cure.  At  a  former  stage  it  was  shown  that  side 
reins,  too  tightly  attached,  were  a  frequent  cause 
of  rearing  ;  but  there  are  numerous  other  incentives 
that  tend  to  make  the  horse  rear,  and  a  very  general 
one  is  sharp,  continuous  checking  and  tugging  at 
his  mouth.  Great  numbers  of  horses  are  brought 
back  over  in  this  manner,  and  when  they  do  it  two 
or  three  times  they  are  rarely,  if  ever,  to  be  depended 
on  in  future.  The  least  check  will  be  sufficient  to 
bring  a  horse  over,  and  even  at  times,  by  some 
unusual  motion  of  the  rider,  he  will  conceive  the 
idea  that  he  is  about  to  be  checked,  and  will  throw 
himself  back  over  in  sheer  anticipation.  Thus,  oft- 
times  the  rider  is  taken  unawares,  and  the  result  is 
frequently  a  serious  one.  A  rider  with  light  hands 
is  not  so  apt  to  bring  a  horse  over  as  one  with 
heavy  hands.  Some  riders  can  handle  a  horse  so 
lightly  that  the  pressure  on  the  bit  is  inappreciable, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  not  a  few  are  dependent 


154 

on  the  reins  for  the  maintenance  of  their  seat  in 
the  saddle !  It  is  held  by  some  writers  that  horses 
never  voluntarily  throw  themselves  back  over,  and 
there  is  a  good  deal  of  truth  in  the  argument  because 
they  are  generally  pulled  over  unconsciously  by  the 
rider,  who  becomes  excited  and  loses  his  presence 
of  mind.  At  the  same  time  the  writer  has  occasion- 
ally seen  young  colts  throw  themselves  over  in  play 
when  turned  into  a  field  for  exercise. 

HOW   TO   CURE   A   HORSE  OF   REARING. 

Numerous  methods  have  been  suggested  of  curing 
a  rearer,  such  as  smashing  bottles  between  his  ears, 
felling  him  down  with  the  butt  end  of  a  stick,  fixing 
him  down  with  straps,  and  many  others  too  numerous 
to  mention.  None  of  them,  however,  will  prove  of 
much  benefit  in  a  permanent  sense.  When  the 
horse  is  felled  down,  for  instance,  he  is  necessarily 
insensible  to  the  punishment  inflicted,  and  when  he 
regains  his  feet  he  is  just  as  likely  to  rear  as  ever. 
A  horse  may  be  tied  down  to  the  ground  to  prevent 
him  rearing  with  a  fair  amount  of  success  so  long 
as  he  is  stationary ;  but  this  method  serves  no  prac- 
tical purpose  because  to  get  any  work  out  of  him 
he  must  be  in  motion.  It  is  impossible  to  fix  him 
to  anything  else  to  keep  him  down.  Fixing  his 
head  to  the  girths  or  to  his  own  pasterns  will  not 
prevent  him  rearing.  Such  a  process  not  only  tends 
to  aggravate  the  propensity  to  rear,  but  is  exceed- 
ingly dangerous  to  the  horse  as  well. 


155 

The  system  which  shall  now  be  described  has  a 
more  beneficial  influence,  only  it  is  a  rather  difficult 
equestrian  feat  to  accomplish.  There  is  nothing  a 
horse  can  do  that  will  tax  the  rider's  energy  and 
presence  of  mind  so  much  to  cope  successfully  with 
as  rearing.  He  must  be  able  coolly  and  quickly  to 
grasp  all  the  circumstances  of  the  situation  or  he 
will  never  be  able  to  conquer  a  bad  rearer.  In  try- 
ing to  do  so  an  incompetent  rider  will  greatly  en- 
danger his  own  life,  and  in  all  likelihood  make  the 
horse  worse,  as  the  attempt  would  be  an  utter  failure 
if  everything  were  not  done  precisely  at  the  right 
time.  In  fact,  by  the  omission  of  a  single  item 
necessary  in  the  evolution  it  would  be  impossible 
for  the  rider  to  accomplish  it  with  success.  Timid 
horsemen,  therefore,  should  never  attempt  to  conquer 
a  horse  in  this  manner  but  should  always  transfer 
him  to  abler  hands. 

WHAT   TO   DO   WHEN   THE    HORSE   REARS. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  rears,  the  rider  should  keep 
an  easy  hold  of  the  reins  with  the  bridle  hand,  and 
with  the  other  seize  the  pommel  of  the  saddle.  He 
should  draw  his  feet  nearly  out  of  the  irons,  leaving 
only  as  much  of  the  toes  in  as  will  enable  him  to 
keep  his  balance.  He  must  lean  well  forward  on 
the  horse's  neck,  inclining  his  head  to  the  right, 
and  the  moment  the  horse  is  felt  on  the  balance — 
wavering,  as  it  were,  whether  to  descend  one  way 
or   the    other — the    rider   should    draw    the    off  rein 


156 

with  a  sudden  jerk,  giving  a  strong  push  against 
the  pommel  of  the  saddle  so  as  to  throw  his  body 
to  the  right  rear  of  the  horse,  withdraw  his  feet 
from  the  stirrups,  and  he  will  alight  at  the  shoulder 
of  the  horse,  still  retaining  his  hold  of  the  reins. 
The  moment  the  rider  regains  his  feet,  if  he  should 
fall  in  alighting,  he  must  rush  to  the  horse's  head, 
seize  that  part  of  the  bridle  immediately  above  the 
mouth  on  the  right  side,  and  at  the  same  time  take 
both  reins  close  to  the  mouth  in  the  same  grasp. 
He  should  place  his  left  knee  on  the  horse's  neck 
close  behind  his  ears,  and  press  the  whole  weight 
of  his  body  upon  it,  turning  the  horse's  nose  a  few 
inches  from  the  ground.  In  this  position  the  rider 
has  complete  control  of  the  horse.  Holding  his 
nose  up  and  pressing  the  back  of  his  head  down 
neutralises  the  power  of  the  horse  to  an  extraordinary 
degree.  As  soon  as  the  rider  gets  the  horse  securely 
in  this  position  he  should  take  the  double  of  the 
whip  and  draw  it  smartly  five  or  six  times  in  rapid 
succession  across  the  horse's  shoulder.  The  horse  will 
struggle  violently,  but  if  the  rider  is  possessed  of 
ordinary  muscular  strength  and  maintain  his  position 
he  can  easily  keep  him  down.  The  horse  should 
be  kept  lying  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  after  which 
the  rider  should  gradually  slacken  his  hold  of  the 
reins  and  watch  his  opportunity.  The  moment  the 
horse  turns  to  rise  the  rider  should  throw  his  leg 
swiftly  across  him,  and  when  the  horse  regains  his  feet 
the  rider  is  in  the  saddle  as  before,  and  the  horse 


157 

never  actually  realises  that  the  rider  has  been  off 
him.  Nothing-  conquers  a  horse  so  thoroughly  as 
when  thrown,  the  more  so  when  he  finds  he  cannot 
rise,  and  that  he  can  be  punished  without  being-  able 
in  any  great  degree  to  resist.  This  method,  then,  as 
will  readily  be  seen,  requires  great  dexterity  and 
readiness  of  thought  to  act.  Indeed,  all  the  items 
mentioned  as  necessary  when  the  horse  is  hanging 
in  the  balance  are  the  work  of  a  moment,  and  re- 
quire to  be  executed  simultaneously,  because  if  these 
measures  were  brought  to  bear  upon  the  horse  a 
moment  too  soon,  in  all  probability  the  rider  would 
pull  him  back  over  on  the  top  of  him  ;  and  if  applied 
on  the  other  hand  a  moment  too  late,  the  opportun- 
ity would  be  lost.  The  rider  would  almost  be  sure 
to  fall  awkwardly,  and  before  he  could  collect  himself 
and  rush  to  the  head  of  the  horse,  the  latter  would 
be  on  his  feet  again.  In  all  likelihood  the  horse 
would  gallop  triumphantly  away,  leaving  his  rider 
further  from  conquering  him  than  ever. 

RESULTS  OF   THE   SYSTEM. 

Some  readers  may  imagine  that  such  a  system 
is  dangerous,  and  so  it  undoubtedly  is  if  the  per- 
former lacks  any  of  the  qualifications  named  as 
essential.  When  the  rider  is  possessed  of  them, 
however,  there  is  comparatively  little  real  danger 
when  everything  is  done  at  the  right  time  with 
courage  and  expedition.  Almost  in  all  cases  this 
method  will  prove  a  complete  cure,  at  least  a  horse 


158 

will  rarely  In  future  rise  to  a  sufficient  height  to 
cause  danger.  With  kindness  and  caution  he  will 
invariably  forget  this  bad  habit  so  long  as  he  remains 
in  good  hands,  but  if  he  is  put  into  the  hands  of 
a  careless  and  nervous  rider  he  will  generally  resume 
his  old  habit  of  getting  rid  of  him  as  long  as  he 
lives. 

Rearing,  like  biting — which  will  be  treated  sub- 
sequently— is  a  vice  which  no  man  can  cure  for 
another.  There  is  an  unspeakable  feeling  between 
the  conqueror  and  the  conquered  that  is  absolutely 
not  transferable,  and  which,  by  its  peculiarly  inex- 
plicable nature,  cannot  possibly  be  imparted  by 
theory.  This  mystical  union  between  rider  and 
horse  is  felt  rather  than  seen,  and  its  general  influ- 
ence is  appreciated  by  all  experienced  horsemen. 
When  this  bond  is  absent,  rider  and  horse  are 
generally  out-of-joint  with  each  other  —  the  former 
nervous  and  the  latter  distrustful  —  therefore  they 
are  continually  pulling  in  opposite  directions. 


159 


CHAPTER  XV. 

BAD   STABLE    HABITS. 

Having'  now  dealt  with  most  of  the  bad  habits 
pecuHar  to  horses  whe'n  at  work,  we  shall  proceed 
to  consider  some  of  the  more  notorious  vices  which 
they  practice  in  the  stable. 

BITING. 

Biting  is  a  bad  habit  in  horses  which  is  generally 
acquired  in  the  stable  by  grooms  and  others  teasing 
them  while  they  are  being  groomed.  Grooms,  for 
what  reason  is  best  known  to  themselves,  frequently 
appear  to  consider  it  part  of  their  equine  profession 
to  tease  horses  in  this  way,  and  it  often  happens 
that  if  a  perfectly  quiet  horse  is  put  into  a  groom's 
hands,  in  one  week  he  will  be  tearing  and  rattling 
the  manger  with  his  teeth,  and  pawing  the  floor 
with  his  fore  feet  all  the  time  he  is  being  groomed. 
It  does  not  generally  happen  that  the  individual  who 
teaches  the  horse  to  bite  is  the  one  who  ultimately 
suffers,  but  the  horse  is  very  likely  to  take  hold  of 
any  stranger  going  up  beside  him  in  the  stall,  if  the 
stranger  is  not  aware  of  the  horse's  peculiarity,  and 


160 


fails  to  take  due  precaution,  A  horse  will  rarely 
bite  if  he  has  not  at  some  time  or  another  been 
encouraged  to  do  so,  and  when  he  becomes  con- 
firmed in  this  bad  habit  he  is  an  exceedingly  danger- 
ous brute  to  have  anything  to  do  with,  because  only 
those  who  have  had  the  misfortune  to  be  bitten  can 
understand  its  terribly  painful  nature,  as  well  as  its 
extremely  dangerous  consequences.  Horses  that  bite 
seldom  open  their  jaws  in  quitting  the  object  they 
seize,  consequently  the)'  either  cut  the  part  clean 
out  or  bruise  and  mangle  it  in  a  horrible  manner 
by  their  teeth  slipping  off  at  the  edge. 

HOW   TO   CURE   A   BITER. 

The  best  way  to  cure  a  biter  is  to  take  a  short  flat 
stick  in  the  hand  when  going  up  to  him  in  the  stall, 
and  whenever  the  horse  attempts  to  bite,  it  should 
be  drawn  smartly  across  his  nose  once  only,  and  he 
will  instantly  jump  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  stall. 
A  few  smart  lessons  of  this  kind  will  generally  be 
sufficient  to  cure  him.  He  may  afterwards  look  in 
a  threatening  manner,  but  the  least  motion  of  the 
arm  will  invariably  be  sufficient  to  prevent  him  repeat- 
ing it.  This  is  a  vice,  however,  that  no  man  can 
successfully  cure  for  another.  A  courageous  man 
can  conquer  a  horse  for  himself,  but  nothing  he  can 
do  will  prevent  the  horse  biting  others,  because  if 
he  is  a  pronounced  biter  he  will  try  it  with  every 
new  face  he  meets.  And  if  people  recede  from 
him  and  appear  nervous,  he  will  soon  follow  up  the 


i6i 


advantage  he  gains  and  develop  the  habit  to  a  more 
dangerous  degree,  and  the  older  he  gets  he  will 
generally  grow  worse. 

KICKING   IN   THE    STALL. 

Kicking  in  the  stall  is  a  very  nasty  habit,  and 
it  is  very  frequently  the  result  of  over-feeding  and 
idleness.  The  horse  becomes  wearied  by  continu- 
ous standing  in  the  stable,  and  will  kick  out  simply 
because  he  has  nothing  else  to  do.  He  may  happen 
to  kick  further  than  he  intends  ;  his  leg  may 
come  in  violent  contact  with  something  that  hurts 
him,  and  in  order  to  remove  it  he  will  sometimes 
kick  straight  out  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  together, 
smashing  his  legs  and  blemishing  his  hocks  until 
he  quite  disfigures  himself. 

HOW   TO   CURE   A    STALL   KICKER. 

If  taken  in  time  a  stall-kicker  is  very  simply  and 

quickly  cured  by 
hanging  a  prickly 
whin  bush  at  each 
pillar  on  either  side 
of  him,  directly  op- 
posite his  quarters 
(Fig.  1 8).  This  de- 
vice keeps  him  in  the 
centre    of    the     stall, 

Fig.  18.— W  W  Whin  Bushes.  j    •       ^i  r 

and  m  the   course  of 
a  fortnight,  with   plenty  of  work,  he  will,  as  a   rule, 

M 


1 62 


entirely  forget  it.  On  the  other  hand,  if  he  is  allowed 
to  become  a  confirmed  stable  kicker  before  a  cure  is 
attempted,  the  method  described  above  will  be  of 
little  avail,  as  he  will  kick  the  bushes  down  as  fast 
as  they  are  put  up,  therefore,  in  order  to  cure  him  a 
different  system  must  be  tried. 

THE   USE   OF   A   SACK   STUFFED   WITH   STRAW. 

In  the  case  of  a  pronounced  kicker,  a  common 
farm  sack  should  be  firmly  stuffed  with  straw  and 
suspended   from   the   roof  directly   over  his  quarters. 

The  sack  should  be 
kept  hanging  until 
the  horse  grows  tired 
of  kicking  at  it, 
which,  generally 
speaking,  will  not  be 
very  long,  for  no 
sooner  does  he  kick 
the  sack  away  than 
it  swings  back  again 
to  its  original  posi- 
tion, and  he  generally 
gives  up  the  unequal 
contest  subdued  and 
beaten  (Fig.  19).  This  method  does  not  hurt  the 
horse,  and  it  will  prove  successful  in  most  cases. 


Fig.  19. — S  Suspended  Sack. 


1^3 


CRIB-BITING  AND   WIND-SUCKING. 

These  bad  stable  habits  in  horses  are  very  difficult 
to  get  rid  of,  in  fact  they  are  practically  incurable 
when  horses  become  confirmed  in  them.  They  seize 
the  manger,  or  any  piece  of  wood  that  is  near  them, 
press  the  teeth  closely  against  it,  and  then  proceed 
to  suck  themselves  full  of  wind.  In  consequence  of 
this,  crib-biters  and  wind-suckers  are  generally  lean 
in  condition,  and  present  a  sickly,  unthriven  appear- 
ance, not  that  they  do  not  consume  sufficient  food, 
but  because  what  they  eat  appears  to  do  them  very 
little  good.  While  these  bad 
habits  cannot  be  cured  they 
can  certainly  be  prevented. 
The  front  of  the  manger  should 
be  very  wide  and  covered  with 
sheet  iron,  which  will  prevent 
horses  closing  their  teeth 
against  it.  The  best  and  most 
simple  preventive,  however,  is 
to  fix  a  leather  strap,  about  two 
inches  broad,  pretty  tightly  round  the  neck  of  the 
horse  immediately  behind  the  ears,  v/hich  effectually 
prevents  him  expanding  his  neck  and  seizing  the 
wood  in  front  of  him   (Fig.   20). 

SHEET  TEARING  AND  HOW  TO  PREVENT  IT. 

A  "  sheet-eater  '*  can  be  prevented   by  tying  his 
head  close  up  in  the  daytime,  but  then  he  requires 


Fig.  20. 
S  S  Wind-Sucking  Strap. 


164 

to  be  let  loose  at  night,  and  as  the  darkness  of  night 
is  no  terror  to  his  extravagant  propensity  no  good 
purpose  is  served,  for  in  the 
morning  he  will  generally  have 
his  clothing  torn  in  shreds  and 
trampled  among  his  feet.  A 
good  plan  for  preventing  him 
is  to  attach  a  strong  leather 
apron  to  the  headstall  immedi- 
ately behind  his  jaws,  which  in 
all  cases  will  prove  an  effectual         ^  ^    ^^^'  ^^' 

'■  L  Leather  Apron. 

cure  (Fig.  21).    All  his  efforts  to 

seize  the  sheet  will  be  futile,  because  the  leather  apron 

will  always  intervene  when  it  is  properly  adjusted. 

HOW   TO    PREVENT   HORSES    PUTTING  THEIR   FORE 
LEGS    OVER   THE   COLLAR    SHANKS. 

Some  horses  are  continually  getting  their  legs  over 
the  collar  shanks,  and  not  infrequently  they  get  them 
wound  up,  throw  themselves  down,  and  otherwise 
damage  themselves.  A  horse  that  is  addicted  to 
this  caprice  is  best  prevented  by  placing  a  strong  pair 
of  "hopples"  upon  his  fore  pasterns.  The  strap  be- 
tween his  feet  should  be  sufficiently  long  to  enable 
him  to  lie  down  comfortably,  and  short  enough  to 
prevent  him  getting  his  feet  high  enough  to  put  them 
over  the  shank  of  the  halter.  After  the  horse  has  worn 
the  "hopples"  for  a  month  he  will  generally  have  for- 
gotten his  bad  habit,  although,  if  he  is  permitted  to 
stand  much  in  idleness  he  will  occasionally  resume  it. 


1 65 


TURNING   IN   THE   STALL. 

A  horse  addicted  to  this  habit  should  be  tied 
in  either  corner  of  the  manger  in  front  of  him,  which 
at  once  prevents  him  getting  round.  This  bad  habit, 
like  most  others,  is  generally  caused  by  idleness. 
The  horse  gets  tired  always  standing  in  one  position, 
and  naturally  turns  round  to  look  about  him  in  order 
to  relieve  the  monotony. 

SWINGING   IN   THE   STALL. 

Some  horses  acquire  a  very  peculiar  habit  of 
swinging  on  their  fore  legs  from  side  to  side  of  the 
stall,  just  the  same  as  a  confined  wolf  in  his  cage  at 
a  menagerie  swings  incessantly  from  corner  to  corner. 
When  the  horse,  like  the  wolf,  once  thoroughly  ac- 
quires this  habit  he  never  abandons  it,  and  will  swing 
on  till  the  day  of  his  death  if  only  he  can  stand  upon 
his  legs  to  do  so.  Some  writers  hold  that  the  habit 
is  acquired  through  some  derangement  of  the  digest- 
ive organs;  others,  that  it  is  a  nervous  disorder  arising 
from  shock  or  excitement ;  but  it  is  doubtful  if  it 
arises  from  any  other  cause  than  utter  weariness 
produced  by  standing  too  long  in  the  stable  without 
intervening  intervals  of  change.  Confinement  is  the 
cause  of  the  incessant  pendulum -like  movement  in 
the  wolf,  and  on  the  same  reasoning  we  are  inclined 
to  attribute  the  motion  of  the  horse  to  the  same 
source.  It  is  impossible  to  cure  a  horse  of  this  habit 
in   the  stall,  and    the  only  way  to   prevent  it   is   to 


1 66 


turn  him   into  a  loose -box  if  one  is  available  where 
he  can  have  freedom  to  roam  about  in  all  directions. 

HOW  TO   GO   UP  TO   A   HORSE   IN    A    STALL. 

No  person  should  go  up  to  a  horse  in  a  stall 
without  first  warning-  him  of  the  intention  by  speak- 
ing to  him,  such  as — "  Steady,  boy  !  "  or  '*  Get  over  !  " 
A  groom  should  never  attempt  to  go  up  while  the 
horse  is  moving  across  to  the  other  side  of  the  stall, 
but  should  always  wait  until  he  is  perfectly  steady, 
and  he  will  seldom  or  never  kick.  The  groom  should 
always  walk  straight  up  to  the  horse  and  avoid  dodg- 
ing suddenly  about  him,  for  scarcely  anything  will 
impart  the  idea  of  nervousness  so  quickly  as  this, 
and  unless  he  is  a  very  quiet  horse,  "that  a  child 
may  manage" — to  use  the  popular  expression  —  he 
may  take  advantage  by  letting  out  suddenly  behind 
just  when  he  is  least  expected  to  do  so. 

PULLING   ON   THE   HALTER   AND   CASTING   IN 

THE   STALL. 

When  a  colt  pulls  on  the  halter  a  rope  should  be 
tied  across  behind  him  from  pillar  to  pillar ;  the  colt 
should  be  severely  punished  when  he  leans  back  upon 
it,  and  he  will  generally  discontinue  the  habit  in  the 
course  of  a  few  days.  Casting  in  the  stall  is  quite 
incurable.  The  only  remedy  is  to  turn  horses  ad- 
dicted to  this  habit  into  a  loose-box,  where  they  can 
roll  about  in  perfect  freedom. 


16; 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  DIFFERENT  PACES  OF  HORSES. 

Horses  have  four  distinct  paces,  viz.,  walking, 
trotting,  cantering,  and  galloping,  and  when  they 
are  well  trained  they  should  not  do  more  than  one 
of  them  at  a  time. 

THE   COMBINATION   OF   PACES. 

Nothing  is  more  uncomfortable  to  the  rider,  and 
hardly  anything  looks  so  bad  as  a  horse  walking  and 
trotting,  as  it  were,  at  the  same  time.  The  American 
trotter  may  be  included  in  this  category,  though  the 
high  rate  of  speed  at  which  he  travels  is  extraordinary. 
There  is  another  peculiar  combination  of  paces — some- 
thing midway  between  a  trot  and  a  canter — which 
is  most  offensive  to  the  feeling  and  eye  of  a  skilled 
horseman.  It  is  quite  impossible  to  post  gracefully 
to  such  a  motion  as  it  is  too  fast  and  irregular  for 
trotting ;  nor  can  the  easy  swinging  position  of  a 
well-sustained  canter  be  maintained,  because  it  is  too 
slow  and  uncertain  for  cantering,  and  so,  with  a 
badly -trained  animal  of  this  kind  one  must  just 
grind  his  teeth  and  endure.     This  disagreeable  motion 


1 68 


is  generally  caused  by  pushing-  horses  above  their 
paces.  Scarcely  anything  will  accomplish  it  sooner 
than  by  tr\'ing  to  make  a  horse  cover  twelve  miles 
an  hour  when  Nature  has  only  fashioned  him  to 
cover  eight.  A  horse  may  be  pushed  up  to  his 
natural  paces,  but  whenever  he  is  pushed  beyond 
them  he  will  break  his  steps  every  few  yards,  the 
result  being,  as  already  mentioned,  a  disagreeable 
combination  of  paces  at  the  same  time. 

HOW  TO   RIDE   A   HORSE   AT   A  WALK. 

In  walking  a  horse  the  rider  should  sit  squarely 

in  the  saddle  with  the  feet 
directly  under  the  knees.  The 
ball  of  the  foot  should  rest  in 
the  stirrup,  with  the  heel  a 
little  more  sunk  than  the  toe. 
In  ordinary  hacking  the  feet 
should  never  be  driven  home 
in  the  stirrups,  although,  of 
course,  in  hunting  and  similar 
rough  riding  a  good  foothold 
is  essential.  The  hands  should 
be  kept  low,  which  will  give 
the  rider  greater  command 
over  the  horse.  When  the 
hands  are  unduly  elevated  with 
the  thumbs  vertical  the  pres- 
sure of  the  bit  comes  against 
the  corners  of  the  horse's  m-outh  instead   of  against 


Fig.  22.— How  to  Hold 
Double  Reins. 
S  S  Snaffle  Rein. 
C  C  Curb  Rein. 


169 

his  lower  jaw,  which  reduces  the  rider's  control  over 
him.  Thus,  high  hands  with  the  elbows  pointing 
outwards  are  indicative  of  bad  horsemanship.  The 
following  lines  aptly  describe  the  rider's  position  in 
the  saddle  : — 

"  Keep  your  head  and  your  heart  well  up, 
Your  hands  and  your  heels  keep  down, 
Press  your  knees  close  to  your  horse's  side, 
And  your  elbows  close  to  your  own." 

If  using  a  double  bridle,  the  proper  way  to  hold 
the  reins  is  to  bring  the  snaffle  rein  through  on  either 
side  of  the  third  finger  of  the  left  hand,  the  near 
curb  rein  round  the  outside  of  the  little  finger,  and 
the  off  one  through  between  the  first  and  second 
fingers  (Fig.  22).  In  this  manner  the  reins  can  be 
handled  with  great  facility,  and  the  horse  turned  by 
one  hand  in  all  directions  with  consummate  ease. 

HOW  TO  RIDE   A   HORSE   AT   A   TROT. 

In  trotting,  the  reins  should  be  shortened  a  little 
by  simply  drawing  them  up  through  the  fingers.  The 
snaffle  and  curb -rein  can  also  be  regulated  to  suit 
the  mouths  of  different  horses  by  shortening  or 
lengthening  either,  as  the  necessities  of  the  case 
require.  The  rider  should  rise  gracefully  to  the 
motion  of  the  horse,  not  too  high,  yet  sufficiently 
high  to  give  the  horse  time  to  make  his  paces.  At 
the  same  time  care  should  be  taken  to  rise  to  his 
right  paces.  There  are  some  men  who  are  unaware 
that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  right  and  a  wrong 


1^0 

time  to  rise  to  the  steps  of  a  horse.  Illustrative  of 
this,  the  writer  quite  recently  had  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  an  old  friend  who  drilled  for  eleven  con- 
secutive years  in  a  crack  regiment  of  mounted  infantry 
(the  **  Border  Mounted,"  now  disbanded)  and  who 
has  steered  more  than  one  steeplechaser  to  victory, 
and  yet  confessed  his  entire  ignorance  of  any  such 
peculiarity  in  the  action  of  the  horse.  It  is  a  difficult 
matter  to  understand,  because  both  sides  of  the  horse 
being  identical  the  natural  inference  is  that  his  side 
action  will  be  equal.  This,  however,  is  not  so,  which 
can  easily  be  discovered  by  trying  to  rise  to  both 
steps  of  the  horse.  The  one  is  always  much  rougher 
than  the  other,  and  for  grace  and  ease  the  rider  should 
always  select  the  smoother  one.  It  is  a  sure  indica- 
tion of  a  bad  rider  when  too  much  daylight  is  seen 
between  him  and  the  saddle  when  posting,  although 
this  will  necessarily  be  governed  in  some  degree  by 
the  smooth  or  rough  action  of  the  horse.  A  horse 
with  wide  front  action  is  generally  very  rough  to 
ride  as  the  play  of  his  legs  causes  a  corresponding 
motion  all  over  his  shoulders  the  influence  of  which 
affects  the  rider  very  directly. 

HOW   TO   RIDE   A    HORSE   AT   A   CANTER. 

When  cantering,  the  rider  should  sit  well  back 
in  the  saddle,  and  if  the  horse  lead  off  with  his  near 
foot,  which  is  generally  the  easier  motion,  he  should 
take  the  reins  in  his  left  hand  ;  but  if  he  lead  off  with 
the   off  foot  the  reins  should  be  taken   in  the  right 


Ifl 

hand,  and  the  rider  will  work  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  horse  in  both  motions.  If  the  opposite  of 
this  is  done,  the  rider's  motion  to  the  right  will  take 
place  when  the  horse's  motion  inclines  to  the  left, 
and  vice  versa.  Instead  of  working-  harmoniously 
together,  there  will  be  a  continuous  jolting  in  op- 
posite directions,  which  is  not  only  unpleasant  to 
the  rider,  but  is  also  very  uncomfortable  to  the 
horse. 

HOW  TO   RIDE   A   HORSE  AT  A  GALLOP. 

(  In  galloping,  it  is  easier  both  for  rider  and  horse 
for  the  former  to  stand  in  the  stirrups  and  incline 
the  body  well  forward,  and  at  this  pace  it  is  generally 
more  advantageous  to  apply  both  hands  to  the  reins 
in  order  to  steady  the  horse  and  steer  him  straight. 
Of  course,  the  position  of  the  body  will  largely  be 
regulated  by  the  nature  of  the  ground  over  which  the 

'  horse  is  being  ridden,  and  the  pace  also  will  neces- 
sarily be  governed  by  the  same  conditions.  No 
careful  rider  would  ascend  or  descend  an  unusually 
steep  incline  at  full  gallop,  but  would  regulate  the 
speed  to  local  circumstances  in  accordance  with  pru- 
dence and  humanity.  When  standing,  a  horse  should 
never  be  started  into  a  trot,  canter,  or  gallop  without 
first  getting  him  into  motion  by  walking.  It  is 
never  necessary  in  ordinary  riding  either  on  the 
road  or  across  country,  although  military  horses  and 
Polo  ponies  are  generally  trained  in  this  manner  for 
their  own  particular  duties,  which  shall  be  fully  ex- 


172 

plained  in  subsequent  chapters.  Starting-  a  colt 
suddenly  should  always  be  avoided,  because  some 
unusual  motion  of  the  rider  may  cause  him  to  bound 
forward  unexpectedly,  and  the  result  may  easily  be 
a  serious  accident. 

HOW   TO   FALL   OFF   A   HORSE   WITHOUT   GETTING 

INJURED. 

It  just  requires  as  much  experience  to  be  able 
to  fall  off  a  horse  successfully,  as  it  requires  to  ride 
one  successfully.  To  the  inexperienced  this  may 
appear  to  be  a  very  ridiculous  notion,  but  it  is, 
nevertheless,  perfectly  true,  because  no  man  can  ride 
often  to  hounds  without  getting  a  proportionate  num- 
ber of  *'  spills "  ;  nor  will  he  ever  be  a  good  and 
skilful  rider  until  he  can  count  his  tumbles  by  scores! 
Coolness  and  a  ready  presence  of  mind  are  the  most 
essential  factors  in  the  scientific  art  of  tumbling  off. 
Of  course,  we  are  only  treating  of  cases  where  the 
horse  falls  at  a  fence,  because  there  is  a  wide  differ- 
ence between  the  necessity  of  tiunbling  off,  and  the 
more  ignominious  position  of  being  tJiroivn  off.  In 
describing  this  method  it  is  intended  to  apply  to 
cases  when  the  rider  has  a  margin  of  time  to  think, 
although,  at  the  same  time,  the  fact  is  not  concealed 
that  there  are  many  cases  when,  from  the  sudden 
and  unexpected  nature  of  the  fall,  no  time  is  avail- 
able to  deliberate.  But  when  there  is  a  moment  or 
two  to  think  **  of  two  evils  choose  the  less,"  and 
this  will  be  accomplished  by  observing  four  things, 


173 

which,  if  the  rider  is  possessed  of  an  active  presence 
of  mind,  he  can  do. 

First,  he  must  stick  to  the  reins  ;  second,  with- 
draw his  feet  from  the  irons ;  third,  coil  the  body 
all  up  in  a  heap  ;  and  fourth,  he  must  always  con- 
trive to  fall  to  the  side  the  horse  rolls  to.  In 
maintaining  a  firm  hold  of  the  reins  the  horse  is 
kept  from  running  away ;  in  withdrawing  the  feet 
from  the  stirrups  the  rider  saves  himself  from  being 
dragged  if  the  horse  should  rise  before  him  ;  in 
coiling  the  body  into  as  small  a  compass  as  possible 
there  is  far  less  chance  to  get  injured  by  the  fall  ; 
and  in  falling  to  the  same  side  that  the  horse  rolls 
to  the  rider  runs  less  danger  of  being  kicked  when 
the  horse  is  struggling  to  regain  his  feet.  Thus, 
by  having  regard  to  these  four  items  and  doing 
them  at  the  right  time,  for  they  are  all  the  work 
of  a  moment,  the  rider  will  nearly  always — to  use  a 
very  forcible  expression — get  off  "  scot  free."  There- 
fore, to  those  who  wish  to  be  acquainted  with  the 
science  of  the  hunting-field,  it  is  just  as  necessary 
to  be  able  to  fall  off  as  it  is  to  sit  on,  and  the  great 
secret  is  to  do  them  both  properly,  in  the  right 
place  and  at  the  right  time. 

HOW   TO    MAKE   A   COLT   FOLLOW   THE   RIDER. 

Probably  the  best  way  to  teach  a  colt  to  follow  his 
rider  is  to  take  him  into  a  court  thoroughly  secluded 
so  that  nothing  can  occur  to  arrest  his  attention.  A 
halter  should  be  put  upon  the  colt.      When   this  is 


174 

done  the  rider  should  take  him  by  the  head  and 
turn  the  colt  round  towards  him,  and  with  a  light 
switch  tap  him  gently  behind  the  fore-legs  above 
the  knees,  taking  care  always  to  keep  the  head  of 
the  colt  towards  him.  In  very  few  lessons  he  will 
soon  come  up  to  the  rider  with  confidence,  when 
he  should  be  kindly  spoken  to  and  much  fondled. 
The  colt  should  be  given  a  few  lessons  of  this  kind 
daily  for  a  week,  after  which  a  point  with  the  switch 
will  be  sufficient,  and  he  will  soon  follow  the  rider 
about  in  all  directions.  When  the  callosities  (warts) 
of  horses  are  freshly  cut  a  peculiar  and  pleasing 
odour  is  exuded  therefrom,  by  which  the  Arabs  are 
said  to  be  able  to  entice  horses  to  follow  them  any- 
where. This  statement  is  made  for  what  it  is  worth, 
and  the  writer  would  respectfully  recommend  readers 
to  accept  it  with  the  proverbial  grain  of  salt ! 

HOW   TO    MAKE    A    HORSE   STOOP  TO    MOUNT   HIM. 

When  a  horse  is  unusually  tall  and  some  difficulty 
is  experienced  in  mounting  him,  he  can  be  trained  in 
a  very  short  time  to  stoop  down  and  submit  to  be 
mounted.  The  rider  should  take  the  colt  by  the 
head  with  the  left  hand,  place  the  right  on  the  top 
of  his  shoulder,  and  with  the  left  foot  tap  him  gently 
on  the  back  of  the  fore  legs  about  the  fetlocks,  and 
he  will  move  them  forward  as  they  are  touched. 
This  should  be  continued  till  his  fore  legs  are  well 
stretched  out  in  front  of  him,  and  as  his  fore  legs 
are  stretched  to  the  front  his  hind  legs  will  naturally 


ft 

H 
O 


n 
o 

H 

Ph 
O 

o 

H 
03 

cc 

P4 
o 

w 


o 
O 

m 


CO 
d 


175 


iy6 

be  stretched  to  the  rear,  which  brings  his  back  down 
about  a  foot  lower.  Whenever  the  colt  is  in  the 
proper  position,  the  rider  should  caress  him,  mount 
at  once,  and  allow  him  to  gather  his  legs  beneath 
him  (Fig.  23).  In  five  or  six  lessons  a  slight  in- 
dication with  the  foot  will  serve  to  make  the  colt 
spread  himself  out  at  once,  and  this  acquirement  in 
the  horse  is  a  decided  advantage,  because  it  is  often 
a  difficult  business  to  mount  a  high  horse  in  close- 
fitting  riding  breeches,  especially  if  the  rider  is  short 
or  elderly. 

HOW   TO    MAKE   A   HORSE    LIE    DOWN. 

In  teaching  a  colt  to  lie  down  the  breaker  should 
take  a  strong  strap  and  buckle  up  his  off  fore  leg, 
and  then  attach  a  loose  strap  to  his  near  fore  pastern. 
He  should  then  place  the  right  hand  on  the  colt's 
shoulder,  and  with  the  left  pull  the  loose  strap. 

There  should  be  abundance  of  straw  below  the 
colt,  as  this  action  will  generally  bring  him  upon 
his  knees.  The  colt  should  be  kept  in  this  position, 
and  in  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  he  will  yield,  and  suffer 
himself  to  be  pulled  over  on  his  near  side.  In  some 
cases  he  may  struggle  violently,  but  if  the  breaker 
maintain  his  position  he  will  easily  subdue  him  in 
the  time  specified. 

After  ten  or  a  dozen  lessons  the  colt  will  lie  down 
simply  by  taking  up  his  foot  and  pressing  upon  his 
withers  (Fig.  24).  Great  care  should  be  taken  that 
nothing  occurs  to  frighten  the  colt  when  he  is  down, 
or  he  will  be  more  scrupulous  about  yielding  again. 


iz; 

o 
P 

M 

H 

O 

O 


P4 


O 

o 

W 

I 

M 

PR 


N 


177 


178 

He  should  always  be  caressed  while  he  is  lying,  and 
also  when  permitted  to  rise. 

TERMS   OF  EXPRESSION   TO   USE  TO  A   HORSE. 

In  teaching  a  colt  to  understand  what  is  said  to 
him,  the  breaker  should  always  use  the  same  words 
for  the  same  actions.  For  example,  in  starting  him, 
he  should  say  "  Get  up."  When  he  wants  him  to 
stop  he  should  say  "  Woa."  If  the  colt  moves  while 
he  is  standing,  the  breaker  should  never  say  "  Woa  " 
again,  as  hundreds  of  men  do,  when  he  has  already 
used  that  word  for  a  different  action,  but  "  Steady," 
instead.  In  backing  him  the  breaker  should  say 
*'  Back,"  and  so  on,  each  word  always  being  applied  to 
its  proper  action.  If  the  colt  is  standing  at  the  near 
side  of  the  stall,  and  the  breaker  wishes  to  go  up  at 
that  side,  he  should  say  *'  Get  over "  ;  but  if  he  is 
standing  at  the  right  side  he  should  only  say  "Steady," 
which  is  all  that  is  necessary,  and  vic^  versa  from  the 
other  side.  It  is  wonderful  how  soon  a  colt  will  learn 
to  understand  the  different  expressions  if  method  is 
exercised  in  their  application  ;  but  if  no  regard  is 
paid  to  this  important  matter  he  will  get  thoroughly 
confused,  and  will  never  be  able  to  understand  what 
they  mean.  He  should  be  kindly  treated  and  softly 
spoken  to,  for  it  should  always  be  borne  in  mind 
that  he  will  never  learn  an}'thing  worth  learning 
through  fear.  Anything  he  acquires  through  the 
last-named  channel  will  generally  develop  into  vice, 
and  it  will  require  a  great  deal  of  patience  and  time 
to  persuade  him  to  forget  it.  * 


179 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

LADIES'    HORSES. 

Probably  no  class  of  horses  varies  more  in  size  and 
breeding-  than  ladies'  horses  on  account  of  the  nature 
of  the  work  they  are  required  to  do.  With  all 
deference  to  their  fair  riders,  there  is  also  a  marked 
difference  in  their  equestrian  accomplishments.  In  no 
sense  do  we  refer  to  their  social  rank,  general  accom- 
plishments, or  personal  appearance,  from  the  highest 
to  the  most  humble  aspirant  in  equestrian  science,  but 
only  to  their  ability  or  inability  to  ride. 

THE   DIFFERENCE   OF   RIDERS. 

No  one  possessed  of  an  artistic  eye  can  fail  to  ap- 
preciate the  charming  and  g-raceful  posture  of  an 
accomplished  and  finished  horsewoman,  because  her 
light  touch  of  the  rein,  perfect  harmony  with  the 
horse,  and  general  easy  attitude  in  the  saddle,  pro- 
claim at  once  to  the  world  her  scientific  and  coveted 
attainments,  which  are  the  envy  of  every  lady  whose 
passion  for  equine  enjoyment  is  in  the  ascendant. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  lady  whose  equestrian  train- 
ing has  only  been  empirical  is  correspondingly  easily 
distinguished.     She  has  no  direct  feeling  of  her  horse's 


i8o 


mouth.  Her  motion  is  out  of  harmony  with  his 
paces,  while  her  position  in  the  saddle  is  awkward, 
stiff,  and  entirely  devoid  of  gracefulness  and  ease.  A 
lady  should  sit  evenly  in  the  saddle,  with  her  shoulders 
square  to  the  front.  There  is  often  a  tendency  to  un- 
duly elevate  the  right  shoulder  which  should  be 
carefully  avoided.  When  this  is  neglected  the  rider 
instead  of  rising  gracefully  to  the  paces  of  the  horse 
in  a  straight  forward  direction,  moves  at  an  angle 
the  line  of  which  would  run  from  the  off  rear  of  the 
horse  to  the  near  front,  which  is  very  fatiguing  both 
to  rider  and  horse,  to  say  nothing  of  the  awkward 
display  produced.  The  weight  of  the  body  should  be 
equalised  over  the  back  of  the  colt  which  will  prevent 
saddle-galls  and  other  injuries  (Fig.  25). 

THE  SUGGESTED  CHANGE  OF  ATTIRE   AND    POSTURE. 

At  present,  at  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth 
century,  there  is  a  ridiculous  notion  abroad  suggesting 
a  complete  and  revolutionary  overhaul  in  the  riding 
costume  of  ladies,  as  well  as  a  radical  change  of  their 
position  in  the  saddle.  The  idea  may  have  sprung 
from  the  influx  of  bicycles  in  such  numbers,  because 
on  the  '*  wheel  "  the  position  of  both  sexes  is  virtually 
identical.  Or  it  may  be  an  importation  from  our 
cousins  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  who  are 
not  generally  the  last  to  show  the  way,  either  in 
fashionable  attire  or  in  equine  matters.  It  is  argued 
in  the  interests  of  health,  safety,  and  comfort  that 
ladies    should    adopt    a    maaculine    position    in    the 


a 

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Pi 

<: 
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CD 

M 


181 


I§2 


saddle  and  substitute  the  present  riding-habit  by 
"divided  skirts"  —  a  kidicrous  garment,  promising 
to  be  an  absurd  something  midway  between  the 
ordinary  habit  and  pantalets,  or,  perhaps,  a  fantastic 
combination  of  both — either  of  which  is  sufficiently 
appropriate  for  its  description.  But,  although  the 
nineteenth  century  was  characterised  by  great  in- 
novations, it  was  scarcely  sufficiently  adoptive  to 
pronounce  its  approval  of  this  not  very  aesthetic  idea  ; 
and  these  ladies  who  are  most  eloquent  in  their 
appeals  for  reformation  had  better  betake  themselves 
to  think  out  a  more  "  rational  "  method  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  their  case  than  this  supremely 
quixotic  notion. 

THE  DIFFERENCE  OF  RIDING-HABITS  AND  HATS. 

There  is  nothing  smarter  than  the  ordinary  modern 
riding-habit  with  its  latest  improvements  when  it  is 
well  cut  and  perfectly  fitted,  with  the  skirt  falling 
gracefully  away  from  the  waist  and  reaching  below  the 
ankle,  leaving  only  the  heel  of  the  boot  exposed. 
With  regard  to  the  plea  of  safety  and  comfort  sug- 
gested in  the  alteration  of  position  in  the  saddle,  it  is 
probably  not  generally  known  that  the  seat  of  a  lady 
on  horseback  is  far  more  secure  than  most  people 
imagine  ;  and,  in  reference  to  the  question  of  health, 
medical  opinion,  as  it  generally  is  on  nice  points,  is 
pretty  equally  divided.  The  long,  ungainly  skirt 
which  was  worn  in  the  past  was  both  inconvenient  and 
dangerous.     Its  lower  portion  was  generally  all  soiled 


i83 

and  mud-bespattered  from  the  splashes  of  the  horse's 
feet ;  but  with  the  present  habit  a  lady  can  hunt  al- 
most for  an  entire  day  without  getting-  a  spot  of 
mud  thereon.  There  is  also  less  risk  of  the  skirt 
getting  entangled  in  fences  and  other  obstacles  which 
is  a  very  great  advantage  to  ladies.  Whilst  silk  hats 
are  probably  more  stylish  than  felt  hats,  a  good  deal 
can  be  said  in  advocacy  of  the  latter  ;  they  are  light 
and  comfortable,  and,  after  all,  these  are  the  primary 
conditions  which  should  be  regarded,  though  in  many 
cases,  it  is  to  be  feared,  they  receive  only  scanty 
consideration. 

THE  SIZE  OF   ladies'  HORSES. 

The  breeding  and  height  of  a  lady's  horse  should 
be  regulated  according  to  the  rider's  weight  and  pro- 
portions. If  of  an  average  weight  and  height  (it  would 
be  hazardous  to  use  figures)  a  horse  from  fourteen 
hands  three  inches  to  fifteen  hands  two  inches  high 
will  generally  be  suitable  if  he  is  thoroughbred  ;  but 
if  he  is  only  three-parts  bred  a  horse  of  fifteen  hands 
is  high  enough.  The  latter  at  that  height  will  be  quite 
a  match  to  the  former  as  a  weight -carrier.  He 
should  be  in  possession  of  all  the  points  of  a  well- 
made  hunter,  the  details  of  which  will  be  given  in 
a  later  chapter  exclusively  devoted  to  hunters. 

HOW  TO  "  MOUTH  "  A  LADY'S  HORSE. 

In  training  a  colt  intended  for  a  lady  the  side  reins 
should  be  crossed  in  front  of  his  chest  and    drawn 


i84 

rather  tighter  than  in  ordinary  cases  of  breaking.  The 
reason  for  this  is  to  bring  his  nose  closer  to  his  breast 
than  his  forehead.  The  bridle-hand  of  a  lady,  from  its 
elevation  caused  by  her  thigh  passing  over  the  saddle, 
is  necessaril)'  eight  or  ten  inches  higher  than  that  of  a 
gentleman,  consequently  the  nose  of  the  colt  must  be 
regulated  to  a  proper  position  to  suit  the  hand.  If 
this  point  is  neglected  the  colt  will  poke  out  his  nose 
in  front  of  him  to  such  an  extent  that  the  pressure  of 
the  bit  will  simply  come  between  the  corners  of  his 
mouth  instead  of  against  his  lower  jaw.  In  this  posi- 
tion he  will  permit  the  bit  to  be  sawn  through  his 
mouth  from  side  to  side  without  that  ready  acquies- 
cence which  should  always  be  a  strongly  marked 
feature  in  every  lady's  horse.  His  mouth  should  be 
carefully  made,  and  to  insure  its  being  light  and 
pleasant  with  both  sides  tempered  alike  the  side  reins 
should  be  placed  equipollent,  and  with  a  plain  snaffle 
with  a  centre  ring  his  mouth  will  be  made  exactly 
the  same  all  round,  and  so  light  and  pleasant  that  he 
could  almost  be  ridden  with  a  worsted  thread. 

HOW  TO  TRAIN  HIM  TO  THE  RIDING-HABIT. 

The  trainer  should  next  attach  a  lady's  skirt,  or  an 
old  sheet,  to  his  left  side  ;  but  he  should  be  careful  to 
keep  off  the  King's  highway,  lest  an  ambitious  police- 
man aching  for  promotion  serve  a  summons  upon 
him  for  female  personation  ! 

The  skirt,  or  sheet,  should  be  the  same  colour  as 
an  ordinary  habit.       The  colt  .should  be  ridden  in  this 


i85 


manner  for  a  few  days,  gradually  lengthening  the 
skirt  until  it  reaches  the  required  position,  in  order 
to  accustom  him  to  the  feeling  and  appearance  of 
the  habit,  and  in  very  few  lessons  he  will  soon  grow 
familiar  with  it. 

The  colt  should  also  be  trained  to  spread  himself 
out  for  the  purpose  of  being  mounted,  as  already 
described  in  a  former  chapter.  When  no  one  is 
present  to  assist  a  lady  into  the  saddle  this  acquire- 
ment is  a  decided  advantage. 

THE  ADVANTAGE  OF  A  NOSE  STRAP. 

When  the  side  reins  are  discontinued  a  strap 
should  be  attached  to  the  nose-band  of  the  bridle,  or 

to  a  false  head-stall  under 
the  bridle,  which  last- 
named  piece  of  head- 
gear is  an  excellent 
arrangement  in  a  lady's 
bridle.  The  strap  should 
pass  through  the  breast- 
plate ring,  then  through 
between  the  colt's  fore 
legs,  and  finally  fixed  to 
the  saddle  girths.  This 
strap  will  tend  to  steady 
the  colt  and  prevent  him  acquiring  a  disagreeable 
habit  of  tossing  up  his  head  which  is  very  offensive 
to  a  lady.  It  will  take  the  place  of  a  martingale 
without  checking  the    mouth    of  the   colt   and    after 


Fig.  26.— The  Nose  Strap. 


i86 


being  ridden  in  this  manner  for  a  month  or  two  the 
pose  of  his  head  will  be  permanently  fixed  when  the 
use  of  the  strap  may  be  discontinued   (Fig.   26). 

HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  COLT  TO  CANTER. 

Meantime  the  paces  of  the  colt  must  be  attended 
to.  He  should  be  trained  to  walk,  trot,  canter,  and 
gallop  with  perfect  ease  and  freedom,  and,  as  already 
shown  in  a  former  chapter,  he  should  never  be  allowed 
to  break  his  steps,  nor  execute  more  than  one  pace  at 
a  time.  Cantering  is  the  most  graceful  as  well  as  the 
most  comfortable  pace  for  a  lady,  and  it  is,  therefore, 
desirable  that  the  colt  should  be  trained  to  do  it  per- 
fectly, or,  at  least,  as  nearly  perfect  as  the  nature  of 
his  action  will  permit.  He  should  always  be  trained 
to  lead  off  with  his  off  fore  leg  as  this  action  will  best 
suit  the  majority  of  ladies,  although  a  skilled  horse- 
woman can  soon  accustom  herself  either  to  right  or 
left  action.  There  are  many  second  and  even  third- 
rate 'riders,  however,  who  could  not  do  so,  therefore, 
to  insure  harmony  between  the  paces  of  the  colt  and 
the  swinging  motion  of  the  rider  he  should  always  be 
trained  to  lead  off  with  his  right  leg.  This  one-sided 
action  will  necessarily  tire  him  sooner  than  if  he  were 
allowed  to  change  his  legs  occasionally  ;  but  ladies' 
horses,  as  a  rule,  are  not  intended  to  undertake  long 
fatiguing  journeys,  a  pleasant  and  agreeable  movement 
being  the  chief  requirement. 


18; 

THE  COLT  SHOULD  BE  TRAINED  TO  STEAM. 

The  colt  should  be  often  ridden  to  railway  stations, 
or  to  any  place  where  engines  are  at  work  in  order  to 
familiarise  him  with  the  appearance  of  steam.  It  is 
exceedingly  awkward  and  dangerous  for  a  lady  when 
the  colt  becomes  restive  at  the  sight  of  steam.  The 
best  way  to  train  him  to  overcome  his  fear  is  to  use 
every  manner  of  kindness  towards  him  ;  he  should 
never  be  punished  or  coerced  on  approaching  steam, 
or  he  will  naturally  grow  worse  instead  of  better.  The 
rider  should  endeavour  always  to  keep  the  head  of  the 
colt  facing  the  steam,  and  he  will  soon  get  accustomed 
to  its  appearance.  A  great  preventive  to  shying  at 
steam  is  to  have  a  field  adjoining  a  railway  where 
young  colts  can  be  turned  into  in  summer,  and  in 
very  few  weeks  they  will  scarely  even  raise  their  heads 
to  look  at  a  train  passing  quite  close  to  them.  (See 
Chapter  III.,  on  Breeding  and  Rearing.) 

THE  BEST  KIND  OF  RIDING  GEAR. 

Perhaps  the  best  bridle  for  a  lady's  horse  is  a 
light-made  double  bridle  or  pelham,  with  false  head- 
stall attached.  The  reins  should  be  narrow,  flexible, 
and  of  good  length  so  that  they  can  be  handled  with 
ease  and  dexterity.  A  snaffle  bridle,  or  a  martingale, 
should  never  be  seen  on  a  lady's  horse,  although  a 
French  martingale,  or  ''rein-ring,"  is  a  good  preventive 
to  the  horse  tossing  the  reins  over  his  ears.  The  best 
saddles  can  always  be  procured  from  leading  firms  in 
town.  Modern  saddles  are  beautifully  made  and  fitted 
with  all  the  latest  improvements  and  appliances. 


i8^ 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

RACING  AND  RACEHORSES. 

Racing  is  a  universal  sport  which  is  indulged  in 
more  or  less  by  all  classes  of  the  community.  Into 
its  attractions  and  evils  there  is  no  need  here  to  enter. 
We  shall,  however,  endeavour  to  point  out  the  merits 
of  a  beau-ideal  racehorse,  and  give  a  few  hints  on  how 
to  manage  him. 

THE   CHIEF    POINTS    OF   A   THOROUGHBRED   COLT. 

The  colt  should  be  in  possession  of  a  small  head, 
broad  between  the  eyes,  clean,  open  jaws,  and  a  small, 
tapering  muzzle.  His  eyes  should  be  full,  generous, 
and  prominent,  showing  plenty  of  fire  when  the  colt 
is  put  upon  his  mettle.  His  ears  should  be  small, 
tapering,  and  inclining  towards  each  other  at  the  tips 
when  erect.  His  nostrils  should  be  delicate  and 
curved,  with  broad,  expansive  cavities,  and  when  dis- 
tended they  should  appear  almost  transparent  at  the 
edges.  His  neck  should  be  long,  lean,  and  planted 
on  a  set  of  oblique  shoulders,  with  good  play.  He 
should  have  a  moderately  long,  straight  back,  with 
strong,  well-developed,  muscular  quarters.     He  should 


i89 

be  deep-chested  rather  than  broad,  because  if  he  is 
very  broad  in  the  chest  he  will  never  be  fast,  though 
he  may  be  able  to  stay.  His  fore-legs  should  be  well 
set  on,  clean,  bony,  flat,  and  free  from  splints  and 
side-bones,  while  they  should  not  be  too  long  from 
the  knees  to  the  pasterns.  The  knees  should  be  flat 
and  fairly  large,  while  the  pasterns  should  be  moder- 
ately long  and  elastic,  to  insure  easy  springing  action. 
His  feet  should  be  well  spread  and  proportionate,  well 
hollowed  beneath,  and  the  hoofs  tough,  sound,  and 
durable.  The  hind-legs  should  be  well  united  to  the 
quarters,  flat,  clean,  and  hard  as  whalebone,  with 
strong,  symmetrical  hocks,  and  free  from  curbs  and 
spavins.  The  forelock,  mane,  and  tail  should  be  soft, 
silky,  and  fine,  while  the  tips  at  the  fetlocks  should  be 
so  delicate  as  almost  to  be  imperceptible.  Curls  and 
waves  in  the  hair  are  generally  suggestive  of  under- 
breeding. 

No  objection  should  be  made  to  the  colour  of  a 
colt  if  he  can  gallop  fast  enough  and  stay  the  required 
distance,  but  a  racehorse  always  looks  more  furnished 
with  a  good  blaze  of  white  between  the  eyes,  while  a 
white  stocking  or  two  generally  lend  style  to  his 
appearance ;    but  cJiacun  a  son  goitt. 

THE   colt's    management. 

The  thoroughbred  colt  from  his  sensitive  nervous 
temperament  requires  extremely  careful  and  judicious 
treatment  in  the  way  of  food,  exercise,  and  training. 
He  can  scarcely  be  given  too  generous  a  diet  of  com- 


190 

modities  best  calculated  to  strengthen  and  develop  his 
muscular  system,  brace  his  tendons,  and  generally  add 
to  his  bone  power.  If  this  matter  is  neglected  he 
will  generally  evolve  into  a  mean-spirited,  ill-thriven 
horse. 

Some  breeders  keep  their  colts  shamefully  lean 
through  pure  ignorance  of  their  proper  treatment, 
with  the  result  that  they  have  delicate  constitutions 
and  are  utterly  unfit  to  make  their  mark  in  any  special 
way.  Giving  colts  an  insufficient  quantity  of  food,  or 
food  of  an  inferior  quality,  may  appear  cheap  at  the 
time,  but  in  the  end  it  is  very  false  economy  as  will 
be  proved  by  the  stunted  growth  of  the  colts. 

INCIDENT   OF  A    POOR   COLT. 

We  have  heard  of  a  celebrated  Irishman  who  went 
to  look  at  a  colt  with  the  object  of  purchasing  him. 
The  colt  was  very  poor  and  ill-conditioned,  and  on 
entering  the  paddock  his  owner  remarked  that  he  had 
a  number  of  excellent  points  about  him,  to  which  the 
Irishman,  with  characteristic  humour,  replied: — "Sure 
sor,  it's  all  points  he  is  together ;  he's  got  such 
moighty  projections  you  could  hang  yer  coat  on  any 
av  thim  !  " 

EVILS    OF   RACING   COLTS   TOO   YOUNG. 

We  shall  deviate  for  a  little  to  say  that  the  majority 
of  colts  are  raced  when  they  are  far  too  young.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  racing  a  colt  at  two  years  old  means 
ruining  him  almost  before  he  has  attained  the  age  of 


horsehood.  If  a  hunter  is  only  fit  to  follow  hounds  at 
five  or  six  years  of  age,  how,  by  the  same  reasoning, 
can  a  thoroughbred  colt  be  supposed  to  be  equal  to 
the  severe  strain  put  upon  him  as  a  two-year-old  ? 
He  is  made  to  discharge  the  laborious  work  of  an 
adult  while  he  is  still  a  comparative  infant.  He  is 
raced  when  his  bone  formation  is  little  more  than  in 
cartilage  form,  and  his  tendons  and  muscles  like 
gelatine — in  short,  he  is  driven  in  the  racing-reins 
when  he  should  only  be  learning  his  lessons  of  being 
led  in  the  "  nursery  strings."  Thus,  when  the  period 
proper  for  racing  arrives,  he  is  doing  stud  work — or, 
what  is  worse,  he  is  on  the  retired  list  of  "  broken- 
down  "  racers,  with  a  racing  record  of  about  one- 
twentieth  the  length  of  his  natural  ancestral  pedigree, 
so  far,  at  least,  as  wins  count. 

FEEDING  AND   TRAINING. 

The  best  kind  of  food  for  training  purposes  is  a 
generous  allowance  of  old  potato  oats,  crushed,  and 
over-year  hay  of  strong  bone,  clean,  dry,  and  free  from 
trefoil  and  clover  of  all  kinds.  Both  hay  and  oats 
should  be  grown  upon  the  strongest  clay  soils  possible. 
It  is  an  advantage  to  give  the  oats  crushed,  but  the 
hay  should  be  served  in  its  natural  state.  Care  should 
always  be  taken  that  the  hay  is  free  from  mould  and 
dust,  or  coughing  and  bad  wind  may  follow. 

The  colt  should  have  regular  exercise,  but  it  is 
altogether  impossible  to  lay  down  a  particular  set  of 
directions  by  which   to  be  absolutely  guided.      The 


192 

condition  of  the  colt  must  be  considered  ;  his  tempera- 
ment; the  extent  of  the  efYbrt  he  is  required  to  make, 
and  his  exercise  regulated  accordingly.  As  a  rule  he 
should  only  be  galloped  twice  a  week,  and  he  should 
never  be  sent  further  than  the  stipulated  distance  of 
the  race,  nor  driven  to  his  full  racing  speed.  If  these 
instructions  are  neglected,  and  the  colt  ridden  both 
fast  and  frequently,  too  much  will  be  taken  out  of  him, 
and  instead  of  hardening  he  will  gradually  grow 
poorer. 

The  slow,  daily  exercise  will  tend  to  develop  his 
bone  formation,  and  the  regulated  gallops  along  with 
his  feeding  will  decrease  his  tendency  to  lay  on  super- 
fluous flesh,   while   they   will    brace    his   tendons  and 
,  increase  and  strengthen  his  whole  muscular  system. 

HOW   TO   RIDE    HIM    IN   A   RACE. 

Unless  mounted  on  a  high-class  colt,  only  a  few 
degrees  below  the  standard  of  the  good-looking  and 

!  aristocratic  Persimmon,  than  which  no  better  type  of  a 
racehorse  probably  ever  lived  in  point  of  substance, 
fleetness,  and  breeding,  it  will  generally  be  found 
advantageous  never  to  ''make  the  running."  It  is 
better  to  lie  in  a  convenient  place  on  the  inside  of  the 

:  course  if  possible,  and  every  opportunity  should  be 
watched  to  give  the  colt  an  advantage  by  a  good  start, 
steady  riding,  and  a  wise  calculation  for  a  final 
struggle.  Many  a  race  is  lost  by  asking  the  colt  to 
make  his  effort  at  the  wrong  time  (Fig.  27).  In  push- 
ing a  colt   at   a  closely-contested    finish,   the  jockey 


193 


should  always  endeavour  to  steer  him  straight,  and  at 
the  same  time  clear  of  the  others  so  as  not  to  collide  ; 


o 

l-l 

Pi 
o 

o 

W 

o 


o 

M 


and  he  should  rely  more  on  his  heels  and  hands  than 
on  his  switch.  The  colt  should  be  worked  up  by  the 
united  and  harmonious  action  of  the  arms  and   legs, 

0 


194 

and  he  will  be  less  likely  to  swerve  and  stagger  than 
by  the   partially   one-sided   action   of  the   switch.     If 
it  is  discovered  that  the  colt  cannot  win,  he  should 
never  be  forced  to  accomplish  that  which  is  impossible 
by   punishing    him.       It   is   then  where  the   barbarity 
comes  in  which  should  always  be  avoided.      Many  a 
hot-headed,  impetuous  fool  will  push  and  punish  his 
mount  most  unmercifully  and  unnecessarily,  when,  at 
best,  he  is  neither  more   nor  less  than  a  lamentably 
*'bad   third."      Such   a   rider — whether  gentleman  or 
professional  —  is     utterly    unworthy     the     name    of 
*'  jockey,"    and    is   a    discredit    to    the    national    and 
''orthodox    silk"  which    he  wears;     and   if   he    does 
not  bring  the  hooting  of  the  spectators  down  upon 
his  head,   it   is   because   tJieir  sense   of  courtesy  out- 
weighs his  feelings  of  humanity.     There  is  an  excuse 
for    a    rider    making    a   vigorous    effort    to    secure    a 
"■  second  place,"  because  not  only  is  it  an  honourable 
position,  but  in  many  races  the  second   horse  "  saves 
his  stake,"  and  sometimes  a  good  deal  more. 

FLEETNESS   AND    STAYING    POWERS. 

It  is  said  that  ''a  beautiful  soul  never  inhabits  a 
beautiful  body,"  and  so  it  is  in  the  case  of  horses 
(only  these  quadrupeds  are  not  credited  by  orthodox 
thinkers  with  the  possession  of  souls,  though  the  late 
Major  Whyte  Melville  in  the  famous  old  hunting 
song,  "  The  Place  where  the  Old  Horse  Died,"  ex- 
presses a  very  beautiful  idea  in  the  following  lines ; — 


195 

"  There  are  men  both  good  and  wise  who  hold  that  in  a  future  state 

Dumb  creatures  we  have  cherished  here  below 
Shall  give  us  joyous  greeting  when  we  pass  the  Golden  Gate  j 

Is  it  folly  that  I  hope  it  may  be  so  ? 
For  never  man  had  friend  more  enduring  to  the  end, 

Truer  mate  in  every  turn  of  time  and  tide. 
Could  I  think  we'd  meet  again  it  would  lighten  half  my  pain 

At  the  place  where  the  old  horse  died.") 

This  knotty  problem  of  ethical  mysticism,  however, 
scarcely  comes  within  the  range  of  this  work,  but  to 
draw  the  metaphorical  parallel,  it  is  very  rarely  — 
almost  never — that  fleetness  and  staying"  powers  are 
combined  in  the  same  horse  to  any  marked  degree. 
If  a  horse  is  extraordinarily  fast  he  will  not  be  able 
to  stay  very  loiig,  and  vice  versa.  It  is  therefore 
necessary  for  owners  of  large  racing  studs  to  keep  two 
classes  of  horses,  or  even  three,  if  steeplechasing  is 
included  in  the  catalogue  of  their  engagements.  The 
one  class  must  be  fleet  for  short  races,  where  horses 
are  ridden  at  full  speed  from  start  to  post ;  and  the 
other  class  of  horses  must  be  good  stayers,  so  that 
they  may  live  to  the  end  of  long  races. 

REQUIREMENTS   FOR   DIFFERENT   RACES. 

Of  course  we  are  writing  of  the  higher-class  events, 
for  there  are  numerous  race-meetings  all  over  the 
country  where  any  medium  horse — or  even  a  proper 
"screw" — is  qualified  to  run  and  win,  but  in  fashion- 
able events  like  "The  Derby,"  "The  Two  Thousand 
Guinea  Stakes,"  "The  Cambridgeshire,"  and  "The 
Grand    National,"   horses  of  entirely   different   stamp 


196 

and  stamina  are  required  to  compete  successfully  in 
the  different  class  races.  These  are  the  fundamental 
points  of  racing"  and  racehorses,  although  a  great  deal 
more  might  be  written  on  the  subject,  but  consider- 
ations of  space  forbid  detailed  discussion. 


197 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

MILITARY    HORSES. 

Military  horses  vary  much  in  colour,  for  we  have 
them  of  every  shade,  from  the  renowned  and  aristo- 
cratic Scots  Greys  to  the  beautiful  and  dashing 
Queen's  Bays,  and  the  sombre  and  imposing  Horse 
Guards.  (It  may  be  noticed,  in  passing,  that  the 
War  Office  has  just  issued  an  order,  on  the  grounds 
of  utility,  to  discontinue  using  grey  horses  in  the 
first-named  regiment  in  future.)  But,  while  there  is 
unlimited  diversity  in  their  colour,  there  is  more 
uniformity  in  their  size  and  breeding  than  in  most 
other  classes  of  horses,  which,  in  a  great  measure, 
counterbalances  the  bad  effect  of  their  inequality  of 
colour,  together  with  the  general  accoutrements  and 
uniform  of  the  troopers.  They  are  generally  from 
fourteen  hands  two  inches  to  sixteen  hands  one  inch 
high,  and  very  nearly  about  three-parts  bred.  Light 
cavalry  horses  are  generally  about  fifteen  hands  two 
inches,  and  heavy  cavalry  horses  about  fifteen  hands 
three  inches,  while  officers'  chargers  generally  stand 
from  fifteen  hands  three  inches  to  sixteen  hands  one 
inch  high.  The  latter  horses  are  very  often  thorough- 
bred, numbers  of  them  being  discarded  racers  and 
steeplechasers  which  have  proved  themselves  too  slow 


198 

for  such  work.  Ordinary  troop  horses  are  generally 
a  very  moderate  class,  as  the  Government  regulation 
price  renders  anything  better  impossible.  An  addi- 
tional ;^io  per  horse  would  soon  raise  the  standard 
of  the  British  cavalry,  and,  according  to  the  profes- 
sional opinion  of  certain  critics,  the  sooner  this  is 
done  the  better  it  will  be.  At  the  same  time,  it 
would  be  a  great  advantage  to  breeders  if  the  Govern- 
ment would  purchase  colts  at  three  and  four  years 
old,  and  establish  a  system  of  depots  where  they 
could  be  trained.  Imperial  horse  farms  might  also 
be  established  in  the  Colonies  with  great  advantage 
to  the  Government  in  time  of  war.  The  small  horses 
used  in  the  Transvaal  War,  averaging  about  fourteen 
hands  two  inches,  answered  very  well  for  the  rough 
nature  and  mode  of  warfare  of  that  country,  but  it 
does  not  follow  that  they  would  be  suitable  for  cam- 
paigning in  other  countries.  Generally  speaking, 
British  horses  stood  the  work  better  than  Argentine 
and  other  horses,  therefore,  British  breeders  may  find 
a  better  market  for  hunter  "  misfits  "  in  future. 

THE  REGULATION  LONG  SQUARED  TAIL. 

The  chief  difference  which  marks  the  military 
charger  from  the  ordinary  three-parts  bred  horse  is 
the  unusual  length  of  his  tail,  which,  in  accordance 
with  an  absurd  regulation  of  the  British  cavalry,  is 
worn  long  and  cut  squarely  across,  reaching  nearly 
to  the  hocks  ;  and  no  horse  that  is  docked — no  matter 
how  good  looking  and  suitable  he   may  be — is  per- 


199 

mitted  to  "  join  the  Regulars,"  even  if  he  is  only 
minus  an  inch  of  his  stern.  We  have  often  wondered 
what  this  craze  for  long-squared  tails  in  the  Army 
meant,  but  have  never  been  able  to  ascertain  the 
object  very  clearly,  while  troopers  do  not  hesitate  to 
condemn  it  pretty  unanimously.  If  the  tail  were 
switched  it  would  perhaps  add  grace  and  beauty  to 
the  charger,  but  a  long,  heavy -squared  tail  always 
appears  to  burden  a  horse  and  to  give  him  a  peculi- 
arly clumsy  appearance,  while  it  covers  up  his  quarters 
and  keeps  him  less  -cool.  It  is  also  a  means  of 
accumulating  mud  and  dirt,  which  necessarily  add 
to  the  stable  duties  of  *'  Mr  Thomas  Atkins."  The 
long  tail  is  considered  more  advantageous  than  the 
short  one  as  it  enables  the  horse  more  easily  to 
brush  away  flies  that  disturb  him,  and  there  is  no 
question  that  in  warm  countries  where  innumerable 
flies  are  on  the  wing  in  quest  of  equine  blood,  it 
may  sometimes  prove  beneficial.  In  the  British 
Isles,  however,  there  is  no  necessity  for  any  such 
extravagant  appendage.  It  is  quite  time  such  a 
stupid  and  ridiculous  regulation  was  rescinded,  and 
docked  horses  introduced  into  the  "  Regulars,"  and 
let  comfort  and  convenience,  instead  of  a  fancied 
fine  efifect,  be  the  primary  motive  in  the  fashioning 
of  the  charger's  tail.  We  have  often  seen  a  regiment 
of  auxiliary  cavalry,  the  horses  of  which  were  all 
docked,  and  in  point  of  quality  and  substance  they 
would  compare  favourably  with  the  best  mounted 
regiment  in  the  British  Army.     Army  horses  should 


^00 

never  be  hog-maned,  as  the  mane  can  generally  be 
used  with  advantage  in  mounting  hurriedly  ;  indeed, 
the  mane  of  a  horse  in  warfare  has  often  been  instru- 
mental in  saving  the  rider  from  capture,  and  even 
from  death. 

THE   TUITION   OF   A   CHARGER. 

It  is  sometimes  erroneously  supposed  that  the 
tuition  of  a  military  charger  is  a  most  tedious  and 
difficult  business,  but  in  reality  it  is  nothing  of  the 
kind.  As  a  rule  horses  are  all  thoroughly  mouthed 
and  broken  before  they  are  bought  into  the  Army, 
and  from  the  daily  routine  of  the  drill  and  the  one- 
sided and  limited  nature  of  the  work,  they  very 
soon  acquire  naturally  all  that  is  required  of  them. 
They  should  be  kindly  treated  and  well  fed  during 
training,  and  the  trainer  should  be  a  man  with  a 
patient  disposition  and  a  cool  head. 

WHAT    SORT   OF   A    MOUTH    HE    SHOULD    HAVE. 

A  charger  should  have  a  ready,  pleasant-working 
mouth,  light  enough  to  acquiesce  readily  to  the  touch 
of  the  rein,  and  strong  enough  to  carry  the  ponder- 
ous regulation  bit.  The  regulation  decrees  that  the 
charger  must  be  constantly  ridden  on  the  curb,  the 
reason  for  which  is  not  very  apparent  to  the  eyes  of  a 
follower  of  hounds,  but  all  who  have  been  in  the 
Army  will  readily  understand  the  advantages  of  the 
curb  in  cavalry  movements,  both  on  parade  and  on 
the  battlefield.     The  horse  is.  more  completely  under 


561 


the  control  of  his  rider,  and  while  wheeling  on  parade 
or  engaging  an  enemy  in  actual  warfare  he  can  circle 
round  with  great  rapidity,  move  across  from  all 
directions,  back  instantly  with  alacrity,  spring  sud- 
denly forward,  and  close  in  on  the  enemy's  horse, 
which  ofttimes  saves  the  life  of  his  rider.  The  rider 
can  regulate  these  movements  to  a  hairbreadth  by  his 
fine  feeling  of  touch  on  the  curb  rein  of  a  perfectly- 
mouthed  charger.  The  horse  yields  a  ready  acqui- 
escence to  the  slightest  indication  of  the  rein  when 
ridden  on  the  curb,  which  would  be  absolutely  im- 
possible with  a  snaffle  bit.  If  ridden  on  the  snaffle, 
the  charger  would  raise  his  muzzle  and  push  his 
nose  forward,  which  would  displace  the  bit  from  his 
lower  jaw  to  the  corners  of  his  mouth,  and  the  fine 
sense  of  touch  between  horse  and  rider  would  be 
practically  neutralised.  The  military  charger,  ridden 
on  the  curb  and  carrying  his  muzzle  within  a  few 
inches  of  his  breast,  presents  a  very  different  appear- 
ance from  a  horse  continually  pushing  his  nose 
forward.  His  carriage  is  full  of  style,  and  imparts 
to  the  on-looker  a  feeling  of  courage  and  determina- 
tion which  is  entirely  foreign  to  a  horse  that  is 
simply  ridden  on  the  snaffle,  no  matter  how  good 
looking  he  may  be  in  other  respects. 

HOW   TO   TRAIN    HIM   TO    MOVE   AT   THE   WORD 

OF   COMMAND. 

The  charger  should  be  taught  to  move  off  at  any 
pace  whenever  the  word  of  command  is  given,  either 


202 


at  a  walk,  a  trot,  or  a  gallop,  and  if  this  important 
part  of  his  training  is  attended  to,  he  will  soon  learn 
the  respective  words  of  command — ''  Walk  !  "  ''  Walk, 
March  !  "  and  "  Gallop  !  "  The  best  mode  of  train- 
ing him  to  move  off  suddenly  is  to  collect  him  well 
together  while  he  is  standing,  and,  by  the  pressure 
of  the  legs  and  feeling  of  his  mouth,  impart  to  him 
the  idea  to  be  on  the  alert.  This  feeling  can 
only  be  imparted  to  the  horse  by  practice,  and  it  is 
generally  some  time  before  he  understands  it,  much, 
of  course,  depending  on  his  temperament  and  apti- 
tude. At  the  last  sound  of  the  word  of  command, 
which  can  be  given  by  the  rider  if  training  him  alone, 
he  should  close  his  legs  against  the  horse,  and  at 
the  same  time  impel  him  by  a  "  lift "  with  the  reins, 
and  he  will  soon  learn  to  bound  off  at  any  pace.  If  he 
should  be  inclined  to  start  forward  before  the  word 
has  been  given,  great  care  should  be  taken  to  steady 
him  down.  Nervous,  high-tempered  horses  after  a 
little  practice  will  almost  learn  to  anticipate  an  order, 
so  that  if  care  is  not  exercised  much  harm  may  be 
done  in  this  way.  The  least  motion  on  the  part  of 
the  rider  may  cause  a  nervous  horse  to  bound  for- 
ward in  the  most  unexpected  manner,  thus  discretion 
must  be  exercised  in  regulating  this  movement  ac- 
cording to  circumstances  and  the  temperament  of 
the  horse. 


203 


HOW  TO  TEACH  HIM  TO  REIN  BACK. 

The  horse  must  also  be  taught  to  rein  back  freely 
as  the  flanks  of  a  troop  or  column  of  troops  often 
get  out  of  line,  and  in  teaching"  him  the  rider  should 
keep  the  bridle-hand  low  down  on  the  saddle,  so 
that  when  pulling  the  horse  it  will  not  cause  him 
to  throw  up  his  head  violently.  If  he  should  be 
somewhat  obdurate  at  first,  the  feeling  of  his  mouth 
should  be  altered  from  a  steady,  level  pressure  to  a 
continuous  motion  in  ra'pid  succession  from  side  to 
side,  but  so  slight  as  almost  to  be  imperceptible, 
and  he  will  invariably  obey  at  once.  The  rider 
should  always  watch  the  right  opportunity  to  give 
the  horse  his  head  slightly  before  he  has  arrived  at 
exactly  the  desired  position  or  he  may  be  pulled 
too  far,  which  will  necessitate  his  being  moved  for- 
ward again.  This  point  should  also  be  observed  in 
''  dressing  up "  into  line,  because  it  is  always  more 
easy  to  extend  the  movement,  if  necessary,  than  to 
reverse  it.  This  is  a  matter,  however,  for  which 
the  rider  is  alone  responsible,  and  if  he  is  possessed 
of  a  good  eye  and  light  hands  he  will  soon  learn  to 
calculate  his  distance  with  perfect  exactitude. 

HE    MUST    BE   TRAINED   TO   STOP   SUDDENLY. 

It  is  very  necessary  that  the  cavalry  horse  should 
be  trained  to  stop  suddenly  at  all  his  paces.  When 
going  at  a  hand-gallop  he  should  be  taught  to  draw 
himself  up  on  his  own  length  to  a  dead  halt.     This  is 


2(H 

accomplished  by  keeping  the  bridle-hand  well  down 
on  the  front  of  the  saddle  and  pulling  him  steadily 
up,  or,  if  his  mouth  is  unduly  hard,  it  is  preferable 
to  use  both  hands  in  the  operation  until  the  horse 
become  more  accustomed  to  the  work  he  is  required 
to  do.  After  he  has  been  drawn  up  gently  in  this 
manner  for  a  few  days,  the  suddenness  of  stopping 
him  must  be  gradually  increased  until  he  can  be 
pulled  up  smartly  by  the  bridle-hand  alone.  Special 
care  must  always  be  taken,  however,  never  to  be 
too  much  in  a  hurry,  because  if  the  horse  has  an 
unusually  delicate  mouth,  and  violent  pressure  ap- 
plied, he  may  easily  be  pulled  back  over  on  the  top 
of  the  rider  ;  and  whilst  it  is  dangerous  to  the  rider, 
the  horse  at  the  same  time  acquires  a  bad  habit 
which  any  trivial  check  in  future  may  cause  him 
to  repeat.  The  rider  should  always  make  much  of 
the  horse  when  he  accomplishes  his  work  well,  and 
he  will  soon  learn  to  stick  his  feet  in  the  ground 
and  draw  himself  up  on  the  prescribed  eight  feet 
without  a  heavy  pull  at  his  mouth  at  all,  simply  by 
an  indication  from  the  bridle-hand  and  catching 
him  well  together  with  the  legs  to  collect  him. 

HE   SHOULD    BE   TRAINED   TO    MOVE    SQUARELY 
ACROSS   FROM   EITHER   SIDE. 

Another  very  essential  branch  of  his  training  is 
to  teach  him  to  move  squarely  across  either  to  right 
or  left.  In  training  him  to  pass  to  the  right,  the 
rider  should  draw  slightly  on  the  near  rein,  bending 


205 

the  horse's  neck  a  few  inches  to  the  left  from  the 
shoulder,  and  at  the  same  time  close  the  left  leg 
against  his  side,  and  vice  versa  in  passing  to  the  left. 
The  horse  should  not  be  hurried  too  much  at  first, 
until  he  begin  to  understand  the  work  a  little.  In 
forcing  him  too  much  he  is  apt  to  trample  himself, 
or  he  may  trip  up  and  pull  himself  down,  and  a 
nasty  accident  may  occur  which  may  lame  both  the 
horse  and  the  rider.  After  a  few  careful  lessons, 
given  with  patience  and  kindness,  he  will  soon  plait 
his  legs  over  each  other  and  move  across  as  swiftly 
and  gracefully  as  an  old  seasoned  charger. 

HOW   TO   HANDLE   HIM   WHEN   WHEELING. 

Similar  directions  will  be  applicable  in  wheeling, 
whether  in  "Troops"  or  in  "Fours."  At  the  word 
"  Left  wheel,"  or  "  Left  about  wheel,"  the  horse's 
head  should  be  slightly  inclined  to  the  right,  and 
the  leg  closed  against  his  side,  and  vice  versa  in 
wheeling  to  the  right.  When  this  matter  is  attended 
to,  crushing  on  the  pivot  and  centre  of  the  troop 
is  avoided,  as  each  horse  comes  round  upon  his  own 
ground  with  much  greater  steadiness,  and  only  those 
who  have  had  the  fortune  (or,  perhaps,  misfortune) 
to  have  ridden  in  "  the  ranks  "  can  understand  and 
duly  appreciate  a  horse,  or  troop  of  horses,  that  are 
well  trained  in  this  particular  part  of  their  business. 
When  two  or  three  horses  in  a  troop  come  rushing 
round  all  in  a  piece — a  kind  of  broadside  on — the 
knees  of  some  of  the  troopers  will   suffer  in   conse- 


206 


quence  by  the  violent  collision  with  carbine  buckets 
on  the  one  side  and  sword  scabbards  on  the  other. 
Whether  the  recent  abandonment  of  swords  is  an 
advantage,  or  otherwise,  remains  to  be  seen  ;  their 
utility  was  never  really  put  to  the  test  in  the  Trans- 
vaal War  owing  to  the  wary  Boers  invariably  keeping 
at  a  respectful  distance  from  them. 

INCIDENT  OF   CRUSHING. 

In  a  smart  regiment  of  auxiliary  cavalry,  in  which 
the  writer  drilled  for  a  number  of  years,  a  trooper,  who 
was  more  to  be  congratulated  on  his  individual  swell- 
ish  appearance  than  on  the  excellence  of  his  horse- 
manship, had  suffered  in  a  similar  manner  on  several 
occasions,  and  to  avoid  it  he  coolly  withdrew  to  the 
rear  at  each  successive  wheel.  This  was  extremely 
awkward  for  the  other  troopers,  who  had  always  to 
move  off  to  right  and  left  to  make  room  for  him 
coming  up  again,  and  to  prevent  him  carrying  this 
out  any  longer  they  arranged  amongst  themselves 
to  close  in  upon  him  from  either  side  at  the  first 
wheel  on  a  given  day.  The  day  came,  and  so  did 
the  wheel.  The  trooper  endeavoured  to  get  back 
by  his  usual  tactics  and  partially  succeeded,  but  not 
before  he  was  cleverly  cauqht  on  cither  side  by  halt- 
a-dozen  mischievous  troopers.  When  the  troopers 
moved  off  hina  again,  he  was  left  in  a  ludicrcus 
plight,  his  pants  being  literally  torn  to  pieces  by 
the  impact. 


20/ 


now   TO   TRAIN    HIM   TO   STAND   THE    SWORD 

EXERCISE. 

Another  vital  requirement  in  the  charger  is  to 
stand  the  use  of  the  sword.  In  training"  him  extreme 
caution  must  be  exercised  not  to  strike  him  with 
the  blade,  or  he  may  get  a  fright  that  it  may  take 
the  rider  some  considerable  time  and  trouble  to  per- 
suade the  horse  to  forget.  Cuts  "Four"  on  the  right 
and  ''Three"  and  "Four"  on  the  left  against  infantry 
are  the  ones  most  likely  to  come  in  collision  with 
the  head  and  ears  of  the  horse  in  the  sword  exercise. 
In  order  to  guard  against  this  danger  the  rider  must 
lean  well  over  on  either  side,  so  as  to  throw  his  body 
well  clear  of  the  horse,  which  will  carry  his  sword-arm 
further  over,  and  in  a  great  measure  prevent  actual 
contact.  It  is  better  at  first  to  teach  him  with  a 
stick  in  preference  to  the  sword.  The  horse  should 
be  frequently  fondled  and  kindly  spoken  to  while 
he  learns  to  stand  steady  and  motionless,  with  a 
light,  almost  imperceptible  feeling  of  the  rider's  hand 
on  the  rein,  and  the  stick  should  be  moved  over 
and  about  him  in  all  directions.  If  he  should  start 
at  the  unexpected  whirr  of  the  stick  through  the 
air  as  its  velocity  is  increased,  the  rider  should  always 
stop  until  he  is  steady  again,  soothing  him  the  while. 
In  no  circumstances  must  he  even  hint  at  punishing 
him,  because  if  the  rider  lose  his  temper  the  horse 
will  lose  his,  and  a  conflict  may  probably  ensue  which 
will  frighten  the  one  and  exhaust  the  other.     There- 


208 


fore,  whenever  the  temper  (sometimes  an  awful  ele- 
ment in  nature  to  control)  is  found  kindling  within 
the  rider,  no  time  should  be  lost,  for  every  moment 
is  precious  then,  in  putting-  the  horse  in  the  stable, 
and  he  should  let  him  remain  there  until  his  wonted 
equilibrium  is  regained. 

HOW   TO    MAKE   HIM    STAND    WHEN    MOUNTING 
AND   DISMOUNTING. 

The  charger  should  be  trained  to  stand  perfectly 
steady  when  being  mounted  and  dismounted.  This 
is  a  qualification  so  essential  in  the  war-horse  that 
its  importance  can  scarcely  be  exaggerated.  Many 
valuable  lives  have  been  sacrificed  on  the  field  of 
battle  through  restive  and  badly-broken  horses.  The 
horse  will  soon  acquire  the  habit  of  standing  steady 
if  care  is  taken  never  to  put  him  in  motion  until 
the  rider  is  properly  mounted,  and  never  dismounted 
until  he  is  perfectly  steady.  A  number  of  men, 
under  the  mistaken  idea  that  it  is  clever,  will  vault 
into  the  saddle  and  out  of  it  again  without  ever 
halting  the  horse  at  all.  In  running  one  motion 
into  another  in  this  manner  the  horse  obtains  a  very 
confused  idea  of  his  duties,  and  he  will  scarcely  ever 
develop  into  a  steady  and  reliable  charger.  He  has 
no  definite  conception  of  things,  and  when  he  may 
be  wanted  to  move  off  he  may  stand  still,  and  vice 
versa.  This  kind  of  horse  is  a  very  dangerous  animal 
to  those  who  do  not  understand  the  peculiarities 
that  have  been  imported  into  his  training  by  some 


209 

hot-headed,  ignorant  trainer,  and  for  whose  half-done 
work  other  men  often  have  to  suffer. 

HOW   TO  TRAIN   HIM   TO   BE   STEADY   IN   THE 
RANKS   AND   TO   STAND    FIRE. 

Scarcely  anything  looks  worse  in  a  regiment  than 
a  horse  that  is  continually  shifting  about.  It  is  im- 
possible to  maintain  a  good  line  with  a  horse  addicted 
to  this  habit,  therefore  the  rider  should  endeavour 
to  keep  him  partially  collected  when  drawn  up  in 
line,  unless  the  comman.d  is  to  **  Sit  at  ease  " — "  Sit 
easy" — when  the  feeling  over  him  can  be  relaxed, 
and  the  rider  should  always  make  much  of  him  by 
patting  him  gently  on  the  neck  with  the  right  hand. 
It  is  necessary  that  cavalry  horses  should  stand 
perfectly  quiet  under  fire.  This  part  of  their  tuition 
should  be  given  with  great  care.  The  trainer  should 
always  have  an  attendant  along  with  him,  and  the  first 
lesson  should  be  given  in  a  large  enclosure.  The 
trainer  should  hold  the  horse  by  a  rein  about  twelve 
feet  long,  whilst  the  attendant  fires  off  light  charges 
of  powder  from  a  small  pistol  at  a  considerable  dis- 
tance from  the  horse.  If  he  is  punished  at  this 
stage,  he  will  naturally  conceive  the  idea  that  the 
fire  is  intended  to  firighten  and  hurt  him,  and  will 
grow  more  excited  as  it  proceeds.  The  trainer  should 
always  wait  until  the  horse  is  perfectly  steady,  and 
then  proceed  with  the  instructions  as  described.  This 
training  should  be  continued  for  several  days,  when 
he    should    be    taken    outside    and    the   same    lessons 


210 


repeated.  The  chargers  of  officers  should  be  specially 
trained  in  this  branch  of  their  work,  and  should  be 
made  to  stand  perfectly  steady  during  firing,  either 
mounted  or  dismounted.  Pistols  should  frequently 
be  fired  from  their  backs,  because  if  an  officer  get 
into  a  tight  corner  at  outpost  work  and  his  horse 
become  restive  under  fire,  he  will  defend  himself 
at  great  disadvantage,  and  may  sacrifice  his  life  in 
consequence.  With  care  and  discretion  it  is  amaz- 
ing how  soon  a  horse  will  stand  fire  if  his  temper 
is  reasonably  good.  The  necessity  of  horses  remain- 
ing steady  under  fire  was  frequently  demonstrated 
during  the  recent  South  African  war.  When  horses 
that  are  left  in  the  hands  of  a  few  troopers  behind 
the  firing  line  stampede  at  the  sound  of  rifle  fire, 
it  generally  spells  disaster  to  their  riders,  because 
they  are  easily  surrounded,  especially  if  opposed  by 
mounted  troops,  therefore  no  part  of  a  horse's  train- 
ing is  more  important  than  this.  Horses  should 
also  be  familiarised  with  music,  as  no  regiment  is 
complete  without  its  band,  but  the  majority  of  horses, 
although  somewhat  nervous  at  first,  very  soon  become 
exceedingly  fond  of  music,  and  will  prick  their  ears 
in  appreciation  of  the  inspiriting  strains. 

HOW   TO    MANAGE   FOUR   HORSES. 

At  shooting  practice,  when  each  three  troopers 
dismount  and  every  fourth  trooper  takes  charge  of 
the  four  horses,  and  the  order  is  given  to  march, 
the    rider    must,    so    to   speak,   feel    and    collect,    not 


211 


only  the  horse  he  is  riding-  (which  is  in  the  centre 
with  one  horse  on  one  side  of  him  and  two  on  the 
other),  but  also  the  other  horses.  At  the  word 
''  March,"  he  must  by  a  general  continuous  move- 
ment elongate  his  power  and  feeling  over  them  col- 
lectively, and  so  get  them  all  in  motion  at  the  same 
time.  If  he  neglect  this  important  matter  the  horse 
he  is  riding-  may  advance,  leaving  the  others  standing, 
and  while  he  is  reining-  him  back  to  start  them,  in 
all  probability  they  will  move  forward,  and  they  will 
thus  be  at  continual  cross-purposes.  The  rider  should 
work  both  arms  and  legs,  and  if  possible  get  the 
horses  furthest  from  him  in  motion  slightly  before 
starting  his  own.  This  can  be  done  by  giving  his 
horse  a  slight  touch  with  the  spurs  as  soon  as  a 
general  movement  is  indicated  in  the  led  horses.  In 
a  conflict  caused  by  bad  starting  some  of  the  horses 
may  break  away  and  entail  great  inconvenience  in 
securing  them,  in  consequence  of  which  the  trooper 
might  get  a  sharp  reproof  from  his  captain,  which  is 
rather  humiliating  in  the  presence  of  others.  The 
necessity  of  expedition  in  this  important  work  was 
fully  demonstrated  in  the  Transvaal  War.  It  is  ap- 
plicable to  ordinary  cavalry  as  well  as  to  mounted 
infantry,  and  the  success  of  an  attack  or  a  retreat 
largely  depends  on  the  men  who  are  left  behind  the 
firing  line  in  charge  of  the  horses.  In  future  it 
is  possible  that  mounted  troops  composing  flying 
columns  may  be  furnished  with  led  horses  in  order 
to    increase   their    mobility   when    on    active   service, 


212 


The  extraordinary  mobility  of  the  Boers  is  explained 
by  each  man  having  two  or  more  horses  at  his 
disposal.  By  these  tactics  the  Boers  have  been 
described  by  General  Sir  Evelyn  Wood  as  ''  the 
best  mounted  infantry  in  the  world." 

HOW   TO   TRAIN    HIM   TO    MILITARY   SPORTS. 

In  training  a  horse  for  military  sports,  such  as 
"  Heads  and  posts "  and  the  "  Victoria  Cross,"  he 
should  be  trained  to  do  them  at  a  steady  canter, 
while  he  should  b^  made  to  yield  easily  to  the  rein, 
stop  quickly,  and  when  halted  to  stand  perfectly 
steady  until  asked  to  go,  either  mounted  or  dis- 
mounted. In  the  case  of  ''Tent-pegging,"  "Tilting 
at  the  ring,"  and  ''  Lemon-cutting,"  the  horse  cannot 
be  trained  to  go  too  fast  at  them,  because  the  faster 
he  goes  he  will  naturally  go  the  straighter,  and  speed 
and  straightness  are  the  fundamental  requirements, 
especially  in  regard  to  ''Tent-pegging."  As  "Tent- 
pegging  "  is  now  a  very  fashionable  game  for  cavalry 
■ — regulars  and  auxiliaries  alike — we  shall  give  a  few 
practical  instructions  in  the  art.  To  become  expert 
at  this  game  the  rider  can  scarcely  bend  too  low 
over  the  shoulder  of  his  hcrse,  carrying  the  lance 
fairly  on  the  balance,  with  his  eyes  firmly  fixed  on 
the  peg.  The  point  of  the  lance  should  be  directed 
straight  for  the  centre  of  the  peg  an  inch  above 
the  ground,  and  the  pace  of  the  horse  will  lift  it 
with  perfect  ease  eight  times  out  of  ten.  We  have 
frequently    registered    this    score    with    the    greatest 


213 

ease  and  confidence.  Some  men  make  a  dart  at 
the  peg"  when  about  a  couple  of  yards  from  it,  with 
the  invariable  result  that  the  lance  passes  clean 
over  it,  or  knocks  it  over  by  merely  grazing  it. 
This  is  the  great  secret  of  "  Tent -pegging."  The 
rider  should  never  make  a  point  at  the  peg",  but 
should  leave  the  steadiness  of  his  arm  and  eye,  along 
with  the  speed  of  his  horse  to  accomplish  it,  and 
proficiency  in  the  art  will  soon  be  attained.  There 
is  also  a  great  deal  of  art  in  capsizing  the  lance  so 
as  to  retain  the  peg  when  it  is  struck.  The  lance 
should  be  loosely  held  in  the  hand,  and,  the  instant 
the  peg  is  hit,  the  rider  should  let  the  butt  end  of 
the  lance  swing  up  over  the  right  shoulder  until  the 
peg  leave  the  ground,  then,  by  a  scientific  turn  of 
the  arm,  he  should  swing  the  point  of  the  lance  to 
the  front,  raising  it  till  it  reaches  the  elevation  of 
the  head,  and  the  peg  is  secured. 

HINTS  ON   FENCING. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  lay  down  to  the  rider 
a  definite  set  of  rules  in  fencing  as  so  much  depends 
on  the  position  and  science  of  his  antagonist  and 
the  training  of  his  mount.  It  is  generally  wise,  if 
possible,  not  to  force  the  fight.  The  rider  should 
endeavour,  by  a  series  of  skilfully-delivered  feints,  to 
persuade  his  opponent  to  show  his  hand  and  take  the 
initiative.  He  should  also  press  his  horse  upon  him 
and  discover  the  training  and  activity  of  his  oppon- 
ent's  horse.      This   can   be  done   by  using  the   heels 


^14 

and  closing  in  sharply  behind  his  bridle-arm.  The 
rider  should  keep  a  sharp  look-out,  sitting  well  back 
in  the  saddle,  with  his  feet  well  under  the  knees. 
His  guards  should  be  kept  well  forward,  and  every 
opportunity  embraced  to  place  his  antagonist  Jiors 
de  combat.  Should  the  man  who  is  pitted  against 
him  prove  more  than  a  match,  he  should  always  retire 
from  the  contest  with  a  good  grace,  because  it  is 
generally  indicative  of  a  hot  head  and  an  unsteady 
arm  to  complain  of  the  weapon  or  the  result  of  the 
tussle.  A  horse  with  a  hard  mouth  and  slow  at 
wheeling  is  of  no  use  for  fencing  at  all.  In  this 
game  the  horse  plays  as  prominent  a  part  as  his 
rider,  and  no  matter  how  expert  a  man  may  be  in 
the  art  of  fencing,  he  will  never  distinguish  himself 
when  badly  mounted. 

THE   ADVANTAGE  OF   KINDNESS. 

These  are  the  chief  qualifications  of  a  well-trained 
charger,  and  the  best  methods  of  accomplishing  them ; 
and  if  every  man  who  trains  chargers  will  only  prac- 
tise that  uniform  kindness  and  patience,  which  are 
absolutely  essential  in  their  attainment,  the  results 
collectively  will  be  a  splendid  success,  the  influence 
of  which  will  make  itself  apparent  to  the  eyes  of 
the  world,  and  add  glory  and  honour  to  the  already 
glorious  and  honourable  achievements  of  our  distin- 
guished and  illustrious  cavalry — regulars  and  auxili- 
aries alike — which  are  the  just  pride  of  every  patriotic 
heart  in  the  British  Empire,  and  the  jealous  envy 
of  every  foreign  Power. 


515 


CHAPTER  XX. 

POLO  AND  POLO  PONIES. 

Polo  is  a  game  which  is  gradually  gaining  ground 
in  this  country.  There  are  many  classes  of  Polo, 
but  so  long  as  ihe  players  are  equally  matched  the 
sport  may  be  as  interesting  amongst  second  and 
third-class  as  it  is  amongst  first-class  players. 

ORIGIN   OF   THE   GAME. 

Polo,  like  Tent -pegging,  is  an  Indian  importa- 
tion, and  was  introduced  to  this  country  by  the 
officers  of  cavalry  regiments  who  had  previously 
been  stationed  in  India.  In  fact,  it  was  first  played 
in  this  country  by  the  officers  of  the  loth  Hussars 
on  their  return  from  service  in  India  in  1872.  The 
game  seems  to  have  originated  in  certain  parts  of 
India  somewhere  between  1850  and  i860,  though 
no  very  definite  or  reliable  record  of  the  place  and 
date  can  be  found.  The  game,  in  its  general  aspect, 
appears  very  much  like  ''Shinty" — a  rough-and-ready 
game  with  which  every  schoolboy  is  familiar — with 
the  primary  difference,  however,  that  while  "  Shinty  " 
is    played    on    foot,    Polo    is    played    on    horseback. 


2l6 

Ponies  used  for  the  game  must  not  exceed  fourteen- 
and-a-half  hands  high,  while  there  is  no  limit  to  their 
size  below  that  standard.  The  steady  increase  in 
the  value  of  ponies  suitably  adapted  for  the  game 
is  a  distinct  indication  of  its  growing  popularity,  as 
high  as  750  guineas  having  been  given  for  a  well- 
trained  pony,  and  as  it  is  almost  sure  ultimately  to 
become  one  of  the  recognised  standard  games  of  the 
country  —  in  more  than  a  military  sense — we  have 
been  induced  to  devote  a  chapter  to  the  selection 
and  training  of  Polo  ponies,  which  may  prove  of 
some  benefit  to  those  who  go  in  for  the  amuse- 
ment. 

CHIEF   POINTS  OF   A   POLO   PONY. 

First,  then,  in  a  Polo  pony,  we  require  as  far  as 
possible  to  combine  fleetness  and  strength — fleetness 
for  hurrying  quickly  up  to  catch  the  ball,  and  strength 
to  be  able  to  stave  off  the  rough  jostling  of  the  oppos- 
ing ponies  in  the  game.  In  selecting  a  pony  for 
Polo,  he  should  be  formed  as  like  a  horse  as  possible, 
while  he  should  be  sound,  good-tempered,  active, 
and  durable.  His  head  should  be  small,  with  pro- 
minent eyes  and  well -set -on  ears,  while  his  neck 
should  be  moderately  long  and  flexible  without  being 
weak.  His  back  should  be  straight  and  short  rather 
than  long,  while  his  shoulders  should  be  oblique  and 
his  withers  high,  so  that  he  may  carry  the  saddle  in 
a  good  position.  His  ribs  should  be  well  sprung, 
with    good    couplings  to   ensure   his   staying   powers, 


217 

while  his  quarters  should  be  long,  broad,  and  mus- 
cular to  guarantee  both  strength  and  speed.  The 
hind  legs  of  the  pony  must  be  well  underneath  him, 
which  will  give  him  greater  power  of  propulsion,  and 
at  the  same  time  improve  the  smoothness  of  his 
action.  Particular  attention  should  be  given  to  his 
legs  and  feet  to  see  that  they  are  strongly  moulded 
and  free  from  all  the  various  diseases  peculiar  to 
them,  for  the  rough  jostling  work  of  Polo  may  soon 
develop  even  the  slightest  flaw  or  weakness  in  the 
legs  of  a  pony  to  a  most  alarming  extent.  It  is 
very  essential  that  he  should  be  possessed  of  a  quiet 
temper,  for  a  struggling,  pulling,  and  excitable  animal 
is  of  no  use  for  Polo  at  all. 

The  chief  difficulty  in  breeding  Polo  ponies  is  the 
absence,  so  far,  of  a  uniform  type  by  which  to  be 
guided.  Probably  the  best  sire  for  foundation  stock 
is  a  small  thoroughbred,  or  Arab,  and  the  dam  may 
be  chosen  from  Forest  or  Moorland  ponies.  This 
blend  for  the  production  of  Polo  ponies  is  recom- 
mended by  no  less  an  authority  than  Sir  Walter 
Gilbey,  Bart.,  in  his  admirable  article  entitled  '*  Breed- 
ing Polo  Ponies  "  in  the  Live  Stock  Journal  Almaiiac 
for  1900.  An  ideal  Polo  pony  must  be  a  kind  of 
miniature  hunter,  with  as  much  blood  as  possible, 
and  capable  of  carrying  from  twelve  to  fourteen 
stones,  and  with  a  limit  of  fourteen  hands  two  inches 
in  height,  this  class  of  animal  is  difficult  to  breed. 
The  society  formed  for  the  promotion  of  the  breed, 
however,  is  doing  excellent  work,  and  there  are  fair 


218 


indications  that  in  the  course  of  a  decade  a  definite 
breed-type  will  be  permanently  established. 

There  is  reason  to  fear  that  the  height-limit  of 
ponies  to  fourteen -and-a-half  hands  is  occasionally 
a  disadvantage,  because  it  necessarily  excludes  players 
who  ride  fifteen  stones  and  over  from  participating 
in  the  amusement.  Were  the  standard  increased 
to  fifteen  hands  this  difificulty  would  at  once  be 
removed,  and  it  is  unlikely  that  the  quality  of  the 
sport  would  decrease  thereby.  The  registration  of 
ponies  at  four  years  of  age  is  absurd  as  it  is  well 
known  that  they  grow  long  after  that  period  ;  many 
ponies  may  be  seen  playing  any  day  which  are  well 
over  the  specified  size.  The  registration  of  ponies 
at  four  years  old,  for  one  year  only,  is  an  improve- 
ment, but  to  render  the  rule  impossible  of  infringe- 
ment ponies  should  be  registered  every  year  from 
four  years  of  age  to  seven. 

The  question  is  often  debated  whether  Polo  ponies 
should  be  hog-maned  and  docked.  It  is  contended 
that  the  mane  gets  in  the  way  of  the  rider's  bridle- 
hand  and  thus  interferes  with  his  freedom  of  action. 
This  can  be  easily  understood  in  the  case  of  a  long 
flowing  mane,  but  with  an  ordinary  short,  well-pulled 
mane  it  does  not  appear  as  if  it  could  interfere  with 
the  action  of  the  rider  to  any  appreciable  extent. 

In  the  matter  of  docking  it  is  argued  by  some 
experts  that  an  undocked  pony  can  wheel  more 
rapidly  than  a  docked  one.  His  stern,  it  is  held, 
acts  as  a   sort   of  steering,  apparatus    by  which    the 


219 

movement  of  the  body  is  more  easily  controlled. 
This  is  true  in  principle  but  it  is  not  always  borne 
out  in  practice.  If  the  doubling  capacity  of  a  hare, 
which  may  be  compared  to  a  docked  pony,  and  the 
doubling  capacity  of  a  greyhound,  which  may  be 
compared  to  an  undocked  one,  are  considered,  it 
may  possibly  be  conceded  that  the  tail,  in  wheeling, 
])lays  a  less  prominent  part  than  it  is  generally 
credited  with.  From  this  reasoning,  therefore,  the 
bending  capacity  of  a  Polo  pony  is  more  likely  to 
be  governed  by  natural  agility  and  training  than  by 
the  particular  dimensions  of  his  tail. 

HOW   TO   TRAIN   A    POLO    PONY. 

Like  all  the  other  tuition  for  the  perfecting  of 
different  duties  in  the  horse,  the  tuition  for  Polo 
must  be  largely  imbued  with  kindness  and  patience. 
No  man,  whatever  his  nationality,  position,  or  pro- 
fession may  be,  will  ever  train  a  pony  to  become 
expert  at  Polo  by  abusing  and  coercing  him  into 
doing  what  is  required  of  him,  nor  will  the  rider 
ever  become  proficient  in  the  art  if  he  does  not 
possess  the  necessary  patience  to  train  his  mount. 
Such  a  man,  if  his  purse-strings  will  stretch  far 
enough,  had  better  purchase  a  seasoned,  ready-made 
pony  which  could  carry  him  through  the  difficult 
and  intricate  windings  of  the  work  of  "  Flying  man  " 
or  the  equally  responsible  position  of  "  Back."  The 
best  system  of  training  a  pony  is  to  ride  him  very 
carefully  for  some  considerable  time,  taking  extreme 


^20 

care  to  make  his  mouth  as  pleasant  and  tractable  as 
possible,  so  that  at  the  least  indication  of  the  hand 
he  will  on  all  occasions  yield  a  ready  acquiescence 
to  the  bit.  The  reins  should  be  placed  upon  him  in 
the  same  manner  as  described  in  a  former  chapter 
in  the  case  of  *'  mouthing "  ladies'  horses,  so  as  to 
produce  exactly  the  same  feeling  all  over  his  mouth, 
because  if  his  mouth  is  permitted  to  become  harder 
at  one  side  than  the  other  he  will  never  win  the 
distinction  of  being  considered  a  first-class  wheeler. 
At  the  same  time  the  rider  of  such  an  animal  will 
be  very  heavily  handicapped  in  the  game.  He  may 
often  fail  to  score  entirely  by  the  imperfection  in 
the  *'  mouthing  "  of  his  mount. 

THE   CHIEF   SECRET   IN   TRAINING  THE   PONY. 

The  great  secret  of  success  in  training  the  pony 
is  to  get  him,  as  it  were,  to  take  an  interest  in  his 
work.  The  trainer  must  persuade  him  by  kind  treat- 
ment to  fall  in  love  with  the  sport.  He  must  coax 
but  never  coerce  him ;  he  must  be  firm  but  never 
abusive.  The  pony  must  not  get  a  lesson  of  too 
long  duration  at  one  time,  nor  should  he  be  ridden 
too  violently.  Method  must  always  be  exercised  in 
his  instruction,  and  whenever  he  accomplishes  any 
particular  part  of  his  training  well  the  rider  should 
never  fail  to  caress  him  and  speak  encouragingly  to 
him.  After  a  little  the  pony  acquires  the  idea  that 
he  is  pleasing  his  rider  when  he  is  rewarded  by 
caresses  and  kind  words.     This  will   encourage  him 


221 

in  his  work,  and,  if  possessed  of  a  good  temper,  he 
will  generally  become  as  passionately  fond  of  the  sport 
as  his  rider.  A  pony,  carefully  trained  in  this  way, 
will,  with  a  judicious  rider,  prove  more  than  a  match 
for  most  players. 

BEST   PLACE   IN    WHICH   TO   TRAIN    HIM. 

The  best  place  for  instructing-  the  pony  in  the 
elementary  movements  of  the  game  is  a  riding  school 
of  fairly  large  dimensions,  but  if  this  is  unavailable 
a  small  park  in  a  quiet  place  will  serve  the  purpose. 
Like  all  other  branches  of  training  in  horses,  his 
first  course  of  instruction  in  Polo  should  be  given 
in  private.  In  perfect  seclusion  his  undivided  atten- 
tion is  engaged,  and  he  will  understand  with  much 
greater  aptitude  than  when  distracted  by  the  appear- 
ance of  other  riders  and  ponies,  or  even  with  any 
slight  object  whose  presence  may  occasionally  dis- 
turb him.  As  already  stated,  his  mouth  must  be 
made  as  nearly  perfect  as  possible.  He  must  be 
taught  to  yield  at  once  to  the  slightest  touch  of  the 
rein  in  all  directions.  A  pony  with  a  badly-broken 
mouth  will  bother  his  own  and  other  riders  very 
seriously  in  the  game. 

WHAT    "lifting"   THE   PONY    MEANS. 

A  very  important  branch  of  his  work  is  to  spring 
at  once  into  a  gallop  from  a  standing  posture.  This 
is  best  accomplished  by  taking  hold  of  the  pony  all 
over,  so  to  speak,  closing  the  legs  upon  him,  feeling 


222 


his  mouth,  and  at  the  moment  he  is  required  to 
spring"  forward  he  must  be  "  Hfted  "  collectively  with 
the  arms  and  legs,  and  he  will  soon  learn  to  bound 
off  like  a  rocket.  Of  course  "  lifting-  "  him,  in  the 
ordinary  sense  of  the  word,  is  a  mechanical  impossi- 
bility. It  is  a  technical  term  in  equestrian  science, 
but  the  metaphor  has  a  certain  peculiar  force  about 
it  in  condensing  the  rider's  action  upon  the  pony, 
the  outcome  of  which  it  truly  and  forcibly  expresses. 
At  the  same  time,  no  man  can  appreciate  and  fully 
comprehend  the  importance  of  this  extraordinary  im- 
pelling power  by  theory,  however  explicitly  eluci- 
dated, for  practice,  and  practice  only,  is  the  avail- 
able avenue  through  which  this  wonderful  piece  of 
equine  science  can  be  acquired,  understood,  and 
perfected. 

HOW  TO  TRAIN   HIM   TO   STOP   SUDDENLY. 

Another  special  portion  of  his  work  is  to  stop 
suddenly  when  at  full  gallop,  and  this  is  best  managed 
by  collecting  the  pony  well  together  with  the  legs 
and  bearing  heavily  upon  the  reins,  taking  care  at 
first  not  to  pull  too  abruptly  until  he  grow  accus- 
tomed to  the  action,  or  he  may  very  easily  be  pulled 
over  on  the  top  of  the  rider,  which  is  the  reverse 
of  pleasant,  to  say  nothing  of  the  dangers  attending 
it.  In  ten  or  a  dozen  lessons  he  will  draw  himself 
up  almost  upon  his  own  ground  from  a  full  gallop 
to  a  dead  halt.  Taking  into  consideration  the  rough 
nature  of  the  work  of  Polo,  it  is  an  excellent  plan 


223 

to  wear  "  boots "  on  the  forelegs  of  ponies  as  they 
are  frequently  instrumental  in  preventing  accidents 
from  blows,  etc. 

HOW   TO   TRAIN    HIM   TO   WHEEL. 

The  pony  must  be  trained  to  turn  suddenly  from 
right  to  left  and  vice  versa,  upon  his  own  ground. 
In  wheeling  him  to  the  left,  his  head  should  be  in- 
clined to  the  right  and  the  left  leg  closed  against 
his  side,  and  vice  vet'sd  in  wheeling  to  the  right. 
In  a  very  short  time  he  will  learn  to  turn  round 
with  great  rapidity,  and  a  good  wheeler  in  Polo  is 
a  decided  advantage  to  the  rider.  After  he  has  been 
thoroughly  educated  to  move  quickly  and  gracefully 
in  all  directions,  the  rider  should  get  a  Polo-stick 
and  gradually  accustom  him  to  the  feeling  of  carry- 
ing it. 

HOW   TO   TRAIN    HIM   TO   THE    POLO   STICK. 

The  rider  must  begin  by  gently  swinging  the 
stick  over  and  about  the  pony  in  all  directions,  and 
gradually  increase  the  velocity  as  he  proceeds.  He 
must  be  careful  not  to  strike  him,  or  his  nerves 
may  become  excited,  which  it  will  take  the  rider  some 
time  again  to  calm.  The  body  should  be  bent  and 
twisted  over  the  pc  ny  in  every  conceivable  manner, 
and  when  playing  proper  begins  he  will  understand 
what  the  unnatural  swinging  means,  and  will  not 
mind  it. 


224 


HOW   TO   TRAIN    HIM    TO   THE    BALL. 

As  soon  as  the  pony  is  familiar  with  the  Polo- 
stick  the  trainer  should  take  a  ball  and  hold  it  to 
the  pony's  nose  so  that  he  may  smell  it,  but  the 
rider  must  be  careful  to  avoid  forcing  it  unduly 
upon  him  at  first.  He  may  appear  shy  a  little,  and 
may  snort  and  run  backward,  but  if  patience  is 
exercised  and  the  pony  patted  and  spoken  to  en- 
couragingly, he  will  soon  smell  it  all  over,  and  if 
dropped  on  the  ground  in  front  of  him  he  will  often 
attempt  to  seize  it  with  his  teeth.  This  is  an  excel- 
lent subsidiary  action,  because  in  doing  so  the  ball 
will  generally  roll  a  little  away  from  him,  and  if  left 
to  himself  his  curiosity  will  frequently  persuade  him 
to  follow  it  up.  This  may  be  continued  until  he  is 
quite  at  home  with  it,  when  the  rider  should  begin 
to  push  the  ball  gently  about,  and  induce  the  pony, 
if  possible,  to  follow  it  partially  of  his  own  accord, 
which  can  be  materially  accelerated  by  inclining  the 
ball  always  in  a  favourable  direction.  The  force 
should  be  increased  as  the  pony  becomes  familiar 
with  the  work.  The  trainer  should  get  someone  to 
stand  well  back  from  the  pony  and  throw  the  ball 
towards  him.  This  should  be  done  very  gradually 
at  first,  because  if  done  too  hurriedly  he  may  shy  off 
broadside -wise,  and  will  naturally  regard  the  ball 
with  greater  misgivings.  As  soon  as  the  pony  realises 
that  it  will  do  him  no  harm,  the  speed  of  the  ball 
may  be  increased,  and    the   distance  from    which   it 


225 

is  thrown  correspondingly  lessened,  and  if  care  and 
caution  are  used  in  conjunction  with  kindness,  he 
will,  in  a  remarkably  short  space  of  time,  learn  all 
the  different  duties  of  Polo,  much,  of  course,  depend- 
ing on  his  temper  and  docility,  together  with  the 
patience,  kindness,  and  general  horsemanship  of  his 
trainer. 

HOW   TO   RIDE   HIM   IN   THE   GAME. 

After  the  pony  is  fairly  initiated  in  his  work  he 
may  be  ridden  in  the  game  amongst  other  ponies, 
but  great  caution  must  he  exercised  to  steer  clear 
of  a  collision.  The  rider  should  avoid,  as  far  as 
possible,  all  unnecessary  jostling,  because  the  pony 
may  get  a  fright  at  first,  and  it  would  be  some 
considerable  time  before  his  confidence  was  again 
restored.  It  is  an  acknowledged  fact  that  he  may 
very  simply  learn  something  in  five  minutes  of  rough, 
jostling  work  that  it  would  take  a  trifle  more  than 
five  weeks  to  unlearn,  therefore,  on  all  occasions 
unnecessary  jostling  should  be  avoided  with  a  raw 
pony  in  Polo.  The  trainer  should  never  lose  his 
temper  while  training  the  pony.  If  he  does  it  will 
be  advantageous  to  discontinue  the  instruction  until 
his  customary  equanimity  is  regained,  because  if  the 
pony  is  punished  it  will  spoil  him  by  breaking  his 
temper,  and  as  a  natural  consequence  he  will  resist. 
A  contest  for  victory  may  probably  ensue,  and  in  all 
likelihood  the  pony  will  win.  The  trainer  must  be 
patient  and  persevering.     He  should  caress  the  pony 

Q 


'26 


ungrudgingly,  for  omnia  vincit  amor,  and  for  the 
time  and  kindness  expended  in  training  him  he  will 
be  amply  rewarded  by  the  perfect  performance  ot 
his  intricate  Polo  duties. 

Bending  and  jumping  races  at  shows  might  be 
more  frequent  throughout  the  country,  which  would 
tend  greatly  to  popularise  the  breed  of  Polo  ponies, 
and  at  the  same  time  accelerate  a  definite  breed-type 
as  a  standard  of  production. 

GENERAL  REMARKS  ON  POLO. 

In  writing  this  chapter  on  Polo  ponies,  criticism 
of  the  game — either  favourable  or  adverse — has  been 
studiously  avoided.  The  chapter  has  been  entirely 
confined  to  ponies  with  a  view  to  helping  those 
whose  duty  it  may  be  to  purchase  and  train  them, 
and  if  the  directions  which  are  given  are  faithfully 
followed  there  will  be  very  little  difficulty  experienced 
in  training  them  to  discharge  satisfactorily  the  various 
and  intricate  duties  of  Polo. 


22/ 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
CARRIAGE     HORSES. 

Carriage  horses  are  generally  very  much  in  de- 
mand, and  as  a  rule  bring  fairly  remunerative  prices 
from  the  fact  that  *a  far  greater  percentage  of  them 
are  employed  than  any  other  class  of  higher  bred 
horses  in  this  country  ;  and  of  all  the  different  classes, 
from  the  racehorse  to  the  heavy  horse,  and  from  the 
heavy  horse  to  the  Shetland  pony,  perhaps  there  is 
no  class  more  generally  useful,  or  one  on  which  the 
public  more  largely  depends  notwithstanding  the 
great  development  in  motor  locomotion. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  motoring  is  rapidly 
increasing,  but  no  motor-car,  however  expensively 
got  up,  is  comparable  to  the  dashing  appearance  of 
a  carriage  drawn  by  a  pair  of  handsome  well-matched 
horses.  Since  it  became  law  to  have  motor-cars 
registered  and  numbered  it  is  gratifying  to  know  that 
correspondingly  few  accidents  have  been  recorded, 
and  that  a  more  sympathetic  spirit  has  been  fostered 
between  the  drivers  of  horses  and  the  drivers  of 
motors ;  each  class  is  becoming  more  courteous  to 
the  other,  the  results  of  which  are  very  appreciable. 


228 


DIFFERENT   KINDS   OF   CARRIAGE   HORSES. 

There  is  as  much  variety  in  their  breeding-  as 
there  is  in  their  size  and  colour.  There  is  the 
ordinary  half-bred,  the  three -parts -bred,  and  the 
thoroughbred  horse  doing  carriage  work  regularly 
every  day  in  the  year.  There  is  a  wide  gap  between 
the  half-bred  team  discharging  the  rough  jobbing 
work  of  a  posting  establishment,  or,  what  may  be 
still  worse,  the  monotonous  humdrum  of  city  tram- 
ways, and  the  thoroughbred  team  dashing  pleasantly 
along  in  a  nobleman's  carriage.  Electricity  is  rapidly 
superseding  horses  for  tram  work  in  towns  and  the 
sooner  it  is  accomplished  the  better  it  will  be  for 
the  poor  horses.  Carriage  horses  vary  in  height 
from  fourteen  to  sixteen-and-a-half  hands  high,  and 
even  more,  and  there  is  simply  no  limit  to  their 
colour  whatever  from  jet  black  to  pure  white,  and 
even  piebald  and  skewbald. 

COLOUR  AND    MARKINGS. 

To  draw  a  model  pair  of  carriage  horses  from  such 
diversity  of  colours,  the  selection  would  probably  fall 
on  a  pair  of  chesnuts  or  bays  with  good  action, 
three-parts-bred,  fifteen-and-a-half  hands  high,  white 
stars  in  their  foreheads,  with  white  stockings  reach- 
ing a  few  inches  above  their  hind  pastern  joints,  and 
their  manes  lying  from  the  centre  to  the  outside. 
Colour  and  markings  are  matters  of  taste,  yet  there 
is    a    fashionable    prejudice    existing    amongst    those 


229 

whose  purse-strings  can  afford  to  exercise  it  against 
white  markings  in  carriage  horses  in  every  shape  and 
form.  Nothing  will  do  but  the  orthodox  "  four  black 
points,"  and  sooner  than  have  a  horse  with  a  spot 
of  white  upon  him  when  one  is  required  to  match 
another,  such  faddists  will  put  another  horse  along- 
side of  him  of  a  different  colour  altogether.  Such 
a  piece  of  procedure  is  carrying  a  stupid  prejudice 
to  a  ridiculous  extent,  because  a  chesnut  and  black 
in  the  same  team,  for  example,  produce  something 
like  the  same  effect  as  a  yellow  glove  and  a  black 
one  on  the  hands  of  the  same  individual.  Horses 
of  whatever  colour  having  a  few  grey  hairs  through 
them,  with  light-coloured  muzzles  ("mealy-mouthed," 
as  they  are  popularly  termed)  are  generally  hardy  in 
constitution  and  are  consequently  good  wearers. 
These  horses  are  quite  distinct  from  roans,  though 
little  can  be  urged  against  the  latter  colour  when 
the  shade  is  fairly  dark.  No  turn-out,  however  bril- 
liant the  equipment,  has  a  good  appearance  when 
the  horses  are  of  different  colours,  while  a  well- 
matched  pair  in  colour,  although  of  infinitely  less 
intrinsic  value,  will  surpass  the  other  in  general 
appearance  every  day  of  the  week.  The  question 
of  colour,  however,  will  be  more  exhaustively  con- 
sidered in  a  separate  chapter. 

THE   PARTICULAR    PACE   TO   IMPROVE. 

Carriage    horses   very   frequently    have    a    lot    of 
saddle  work  to  do,  as  a  number  of  people  who  can- 


2^0 


not  afford  to  keep  them  solely  for  driving  purposes 
use  them  as  hacks  and  hunters  at  the  same  time, 
therefore,  in  breaking"  them,  they  should  be  put 
through  exactly  the  same  course  as  saddle  horses. 
As  jumping,  however,  is  the  main  point  of  education 
in  a  hunter,  and  cantering  the  chief  qualification  to 
cultivate  in  a  lady's  horse,  so  should  trotting  be  the 
primary  pace  to  improve  in  a  carriage  horse  ;  there- 
fore, the  breaker  must  concentrate  his  efforts  to  make 
the  colt  a  perfect  trotter,  or  at  least  as  near  perfection 
as  the  peculiarities  of  his  nature  and  paces  will  allow. 
It  rarely  happens  that  horses  are  good  both  in  saddle 
and  harness,  as  a  participation  in  both  is  deleterious 
to  either,  and,  to  those  who  can  afford  it,  saddle 
and  harness  horses  give  most  satisfaction  when  kept 
at  their  own  particular  work. 

HOW   TO   DRIVE   A   COLT   DOUBLE. 

Colts  intended  for  carriage  purposes  should,  like 
colts  intended  for  agriculture,  be  placed  on  the  off 
side  of  an  active,  willing-working  horse  that  will 
always  be  ready  to  move  off  with  the  colt,  or  even, 
if  necessary,  to  start  the  brake  alone.  The  driver 
should  steady  the  colt  well  in  going  to  the  hill,  and 
should  endeavour  to  prevent  him  struggling  from  side 
to  side,  or  rushing  up  by  a  series  of  plunges  and 
bounds.  The  driver  should  persuade  him  to  negoti- 
ate the  hill  at  a  steady  walk,  and  should  always 
allow  him  to  have  as  much  head  as  he  wishes — 
consistent,  of  course,  with  safety.     When  the  colt  is 


^31 

drawn  tightly  together  by  bearing  reins  he  cannot 
get  his  head  into  a  natural  position  ;  he  will  in 
consequence    struggle    against  the    collar,   and   in   all 


likelihood  will  develop  into  an  unsteady  worker.  The 
whole  of  his  bindings  should  be  adjusted  an  inch 
or  two  shorter  than  those  of  the  horse  on  the  near 


232 

side  of  him  for  the  first  half-dozen  times  he  is  yoked 
which  will  steady  him  better  and  give  the  driver 
considerably  more  power  over  him.  In  the  majority 
of  cases  he  will  give  the  driver  exceedingly  little 
trouble  if  the  directions  which  are  given  elsewhere 
are  respected.  The  driver  must  always  be  careful 
to  note  that  every  strap  is  properly  buckled  and  the 
reins  adjusted  in  their  right  place  before  starting  the 
colt  as  a  number  of  accidents  are  traceable  to  neglect 
in   this  matter  (Fig.   28). 

"  Tandem  "  and  "  Four-in-hand  "  teams  are  now 
so  seldom  seen  on  the  public  highways  that  special 
details  regarding  them  appear  unnecessary  ;  as  a 
rule  the  lighter  and  more  active  horses  are  used  as 
leaders,  and  the  heavier  and  stronger  horses  as 
wheelers.  Only  a  man  with  good  hands  can  earn 
the  distinction  of  being  considered  a  first-class 
"  Whip,"  and  long  and  varied  experience  is  essential 
before  this  is  attained. 

ANECDOTE   ABOUT   A   FARMER. 

An  amusing  anecdote  is  told  of  an  old  farmer 
who  was  returning  home  one  evening  from  market 
under  the  influence  of  liquor.  The  ostler,  in  yoking 
the  horse  in  the  dark,  neglected  to  attach  the  reins 
to  the  bit  which,  by  mistake,  were  buckled  to  the 
terret  rings  of  the  hames.  The  jolly  farmer  rolled 
into  the  trap  with  the  assistance  of  a  friend,  drove 
off  and  reached  his  home  in  safety,  without  know- 
ing that  the  reins  were  attached   to  the  terret   rings 


^33 

instead  of  the  bit  until  told  by  his  groom  the  next 
morning.  On  being  twitted  by  his  friend  on  his 
nocturnal  adventure,  he  jocularly  replied  that  *'  A 
horse  that  was  so  li^ht  in  the  mouth  as  to  require 
to  be  driven  with  the  reins  in  the  hame  terrets  was 
a  perfect  humbug  !  " 

HOW   TO   IMPROVE   THE   COLT'S   ACTION. 

The  action  of  a  carriage  horse  must  be  high  to 
lend  style  to  his  appearance,  yet  not  so  high  as  to 
impede  his  progress  in  getting  over  the  ground, 
because  when  a  carriage  horse  has  high  brilHant  knee 
action,  like  the  lifting  of  a  stepping  Hackney,  his 
owner  had  better  take  good  care  always  to  start  in 
deceiit  time  to  catch  a  train  !  The  breaker  should  not 
strive  to  raise  the  colt's  action  so  much  as  he  should 
try  to  bring  it  forivard.  He  must  endeavour  to 
train  him,  while  lifting  to  a  fairly  good  height,  to 
strike  well  forward  at  the  same  time,  and  he  will 
thus  combine  both  style  and  speed.  The  best 
method  of  accomplishing  this  is  to  drive  the  colt 
with  a  Liverpool  bit  (probably  the  best  all-round 
harness  bit  in  use),  with  the  reins  in  the  middle 
bar,  or  if  he  has  a  strong,  hard  mouth,  in  the  lower 
bar,  and  he  should  be  driven  over  rough,  uneven 
ground.  An  ordinary  ploughed  field  after  a  turn 
of  the  harrows  is  very  suitable,  if  it  is  free  from 
deep  furrows.  Deep  furrows  may  break  the  springs 
of  the  trap  and  at  the  same  time  frighten  the  colt. 
Single  harness   is  better  than   double  for  improving 


234 

the  action  of  the  colt.  The  colt  should  be  shod 
in  extra  heavy  shoes,  at  least  double  the  weight  of 
ordinary  shoes,  which  will  induce  him  to  lift  high, 
while  the  uneven  nature  of  the  ground  will  cause 
him  to  strike  well  forward  with  his  fore  feet.  He 
must  not  be  pushed  too  fast  at  first  or  it  will  cause 
him  to  break  his  paces,  which  must  always  be  care- 
fully guarded  against.  He  should  be  kept  going 
on  the  curb  with  a  light  feeling  of  his  mouth  and 
a  slight  indication  of  the  whip,  if  necessary.  The 
breaker  should  continue  driving  the  colt  for  an  hour 
or  two  each  day  for  several  weeks.  He  should  then 
be  driven  on  the  road.  Before  doing  so,  however, 
the  heavy  shoes  should  be  removed  from  his  feet 
and  replaced  in  the  ordinary  way  by  lighter  ones, 
and  the  unusual  lightness  of  his  feet,  together  with 
the  level  smoothness  of  the  road,  will  persuade  him 
at  once  to  lift  higher  and  strike  further  forward. 
Of  course,  there  are  occasionally  some  shuffling  brutes 
to  be  met  with  that  ivill  not  move  gracefully  ;  still, 
by  careful  persevering  tuition  a  marvellous  improve- 
ment can  be  made  in  their  action.  After  a  similar 
course  of  education  administered  by  skilled  and 
patient  hands,  even  one  of  the  most  sluggish  movers 
can  be  made  to  pass  muster  before  the  eyes  of  the 
most  severe  critic — even  aji  Irish  horse-dealer  / 

IRISH   DEALERS   SEVERE    CRITICS. 

When  a  horse  can  be  passed  before  the  suspicious 
eyes  of  an  Irish  horse-dealer  he  may  be  considered 


235 

as  having  a  safe  passport  to  satisfy  the  critical 
eye  of  the  civilised  world,  because  no  men  are 
more  difficult  to  please  in  the  matter  of  horseflesh, 
so  far  as  picking"  flaws  goes,  as  evidenced  in  the 
following  anecdote.  An  Irishman  was  looking  at  a 
stepping  cob  with  a  view  to  purchasing  him.  The 
cob  was  as  near  perfection  as  possible,  and  his  price 
nearer  three  figures  than  was  suitable  to  the  purse 
of  the  son  of  the  Emerald  Isle,  and  after  surveying 
him  critically  for  a  few  seconds,  he  exclaimed, — "  It's 
a  foine  cob  he  is,  -indade,  but  he  lifts  so  uncom- 
monly high  that  he  actually  misses  bits !  " 

THE   VALUE   OF   CARRIAGE   HORSES. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  a  very  large  percentage 
of  the  best  carriage  horses  in  the  country  are  im- 
ported from  abroad,  it  should  act  as  a  stimulus  to 
British  breeders  to  go  in  more  generally  for  the 
breeding  of  high-class  carriage  horses.  Many  horses 
running  in  London  at  the  present  time  have  been 
purchased  at  as  high  a  price  as  ;^700  the  pair,  and 
;^450  may  be  considered  as  the  average  value  of  a 
pair  of  the  better-class  carriage  horses.  The  British 
climate  is  as  favourable  for  the  breeding  of  carriage 
horses  as  that  of  other  countries,  so  that  there  is 
something  manifestly  wrong  in  the  increased  and 
increasing  importations  from  abroad. 


236 


HOW   THEY   SHOULD   BE   BRED. 

For  harness  purposes  the  Hackney  will  generally 
prove  a  more  suitable  sire  than  the  thoroug-hbred, 
because,  whilst  the  latter  is  chiefly  bred  for  speed  and 
most  other  qualifications  are  neglected,  the  former 
combines  activity,  strength,  endurance,  docility,  good 
action,  and  symmetry  of  form.  Undoubtedly  the 
thoroughbred  is  the  better  sire  for  the  production  of 
hunters  and  saddle  horses,  but  his  low  action  dis- 
qualifies him  for  the  production  of  high-class  horses 
for  harness  purposes.  Moreover,  the  blood  of  the 
Hackney  is  as  pure  and  aristocratic  as  that  of  the 
thoroughbred,  indeed,  the  regular  descent  of  the 
former  can  be  traced  back  as  far,  if  not  further, 
than  the  latter.  Good-sized  mares,  true  to  type  like 
Cleveland  Bays,  and  served  by  a  Hackney  stallion, 
would  seem  to  be  a  step  in  the  right  direction  for 
the  production  of  high-class  carriage  horses.  Half- 
bred  mares,  bred  from  a  cart  mare  and  a  thorough- 
bred stallion,  would  also  be  likely  to  breed  fashionable 
carriage  horses  if  served  by  a  pure  Hackney  stallion. 

"THE   STUD    FARM    OF   THE   WORLD." 

This  is  a  matter  well  worth  inquiring  into,  because 
the  successful  breeding  of  carriage  horses  is  a  highly 
remunerative  business,  and  with  excellent  raw  material 
to  work  from  in  Britain  there  is  no  reason  why  she 
should  take  a  secondary  place  to  other  countries  in 
the  production  of  carriage  horses.     It  has  been  said 


'^17 

that  Britain  is  "  the  stud  farm  of  the  world,"  and 
the  description  is  perfectly  true,  because  the  founda- 
tions of  most  foreign  stock  —  horses,  cattle,  sheep, 
and  pigs  of  all  classes  —  have  originally  been  drawn 
from  the  British  Isles,  and  by  careful  selection  and 
mating  they  have  been  raised  to  a  wonderful  degree 
of  excellence,  the  progeny  of  which,  in  the  matter 
of  carriage  horses,  make  very  remunerative  prices  in 
the  London  market. 

It  appears  that  foreign  studs  have  a  tendency  to 
degenerate,  and  in  order  to  rejuvenate  them  and 
maintain  their  breed -standard  of  quality  and  sub- 
stance, periodical  importations  of  sound  pedigreed 
animals  must  be  made  from  this  country.  This  is 
encouraging  to  breeders  as  scarcely  any  department 
of  agriculture  is  more  remunerative  than  a  healthy, 
well-sustained  export  trade. 


238 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

HORSE    SHOWS. 

That  horse  shows  have  exercised  a  beneficial  in- 
fluence on  the  improvement  of  horses  of  all  classes, 
particularly  during  the  last  quarter  of  a  century,  few 
people  will  venture  to  contradict.  If  the  two  ex- 
tremes are  considered  —  for  example.  Shires  and 
Shetland  ponies  —  the  improvement  is  marvellous 
indeed.  The  round  bones,  short  pasterns,  and  hairy 
legs  possessed  by  the  former  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago  have  gradually  been  evolved  to  flat,  hard  bones 
and  finer  hair,  their  ankles  have  been  lengthened, 
and  their  feet  have  been  expanded  in  the  right 
direction.  In  large  towns  magnificent  specimens  of 
this  splendid  breed  of  horses  are  constantly  to  be 
seen  at  work  on  the  streets,  and  it  is  to  this  branch 
of  agriculture  that  breeders  should  in  future  direct 
their  attention,  because  it  is  probably  the  most 
lucrative  branch  of  all.  At  present  England  enjoys 
a  monopoly  in  the  breeding  of  heavy  horses  which 
foreign  countries  hitherto  have  failed  appreciably  to 
disturb.  Shetland  ponies  have  also  been  vastly  im- 
proved along  the  right  lines.  Correct  conformation 
has  been  achieved  with  the  retention  of  all  the  natural 


239  . 

characteristics  of  this  hardy  breed.  As  with  Shires 
and  Shetlands,  so  with  all  the  intermediate  breeds 
of  horses,  and  it  is  not  claiming  too  much  to  affirm 
that  shows  are  very  directly  responsible  for  this. 

Notwithstanding-  the  successes  that  shows  have 
attained,  however,  there  are  a  few  disputed  points 
in  show  regulations  to  which  attention  may  be 
directed  in  the  hope  that  at  least  some  subsequent 
suggestions  may  be  of  practical  help  to  agricultural 
societies.  These  are  advanced  in  no  dogmatic  spirit, 
and  must  be  judged  on  their  merits  alone. 

APPOINTMENT   OF  JUDGES. 

The  appointment  of  judges  is  always  more  or  less 
a  difficult  piece  of  business  for  a  council  to  face. 
The  question  whether  single  or  double  judging  is 
the  better  plan  requires  yet  to  be  proven.  By  the 
former  system  the  responsibility  is  great,  and  some 
excellent  judges  hesitate  to  accept  it.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  system  prevents  men  accepting  who  might 
be  inclined  to  rely  too  much  upon  the  opinions  of 
their  colleagues.  By  the  system  of  single  judging 
there  is  certainly  a  great  economy  of  time,  and  with 
thoroughly  practical  men,  carefully  selected,  there  is 
no  particular  reason  why  the  system  should  not  ultim- 
ately work  well.  Double  judging  absorbs  a  lot  of 
time,  and  not  infrequently  an  umpire  requires  to  be 
called  in  to  settle  matters,  so  that  in  these  cases  the 
system  finally  resolves  itself  into  single  judging. 

Assuming  the  number   of  judges   to   be   settled, 


240 

each  show  society  should  have  a  long  h'st  of  the 
names  of  capable  judges,  all  of  whom  must  be  un- 
biassed and  not  pecuniarily  interested  in  individual 
exhibits.  The  length  of  the  list  should  be  propor- 
tionate to  the  capacity  of  the  show.  Ten  for  each 
class  might  probably  be  sufficient.  A  limited  number 
of  fresh  nominations  should  be  made  every  year  in 
order  to  introduce  new  blood  and  maintain  the  list 
to  a  uniform  working  standard.  Fresh  nominations 
should  be  made  after,  and  not  before  allotment  for 
the  ensuing  show  season,  and  they  will  thus  be 
eligible  for  allotment  the  following  season  for  the 
first  time.  A  simple  system  of  allotment  is  to  shuffle 
the  names  in  a  hat,  the  names  to  be  drawn  by  a 
member  approved  by  and  in  presence  of  the  council. 
For  single  judging  three  names  may  be  drawn,  the 
names  to  take  precedence  according  to  the  order  of 
drawing.  Thus  future  eventualities  which  may  pre- 
vent the  attendance  of  judges  are  provided  for.  In 
double  judging,  allotment  should  be  made  in  the 
same  ratio.  This  system  would  render  the  forma- 
tion of  cliques  impossible,  and  the  results  would  be 
likely  to  prove  more  satisfactory  to  exhibitors,  judges, 
and  all  parties  concerned. 

MEASURING   HORSES. 

The  measuring  of  horses  has  generally  been  a 
vexed  question  for  show  societies.  It  is  not  uncom- 
mon, for  example,  for  the  same  horses  to  be  exhibited 
in  classes  under  and   over  fifteen   hands  high.      An 


241 

inch  may  be  gained  or  lost  by  different  systems  of 
measurement,  by  the  method  of  shoeing,  and  by  the 
spirited  or  languid  condition  of  horses.  Exhibitors 
who  are  anxious  to  reduce  the  size  of  their  horses 
so  as  to  render  them  eligible  to  compete  in  certain 
classes  can  train  them  to  stretch  out,  and  vice  versdy 
to  increase  their  size.  This  can  be  done  so  scien- 
tifically by  showyard  professionals  that  experts  in 
measuring  horses  are  absolutely  baffled.  At  the  same 
time  no  two  experts  probably  measure  a  horse 
identically. 

The  difference  in  the  thickness  of  shoes  may  easily 
account  for  an  inch  either  way,  therefore  it  obvi- 
ously follows  that  horses  must  be  measured  with  their 
shoes  off  in  order  to  obtain  authentic  standards. 
This  would  be  impossible  in  the  showyard,  and  the 
alternative  would  be  for  owners  of  competing  horses 
to  be  furnished  with  a  local  veterinary  surgeon's 
certificate  of  height  previous  to  being  exhibited.  No 
veterinary  surgeon  would  make  an  unfair  declaration 
in  the  interests  of  a  client.  If  he  did,  his  practice 
might  suffer,  and  he  would  bring  discredit  on  the 
dignified   profession  to  which  he  belongs. 

Although  spirited  and  languid -tempered  horses 
may  record  the  same  height  in  the  stable,  the  former 
will  gain  an  inch  on  the  latter  in  the  open.  Thus 
all  measurements,  to  arrive  at  fair  conclusions,  should 
be  conducted  in  the  stable.  It  is  doubtful  if  the 
general  system  of  measuring  horses  at  the  withers  is 
the   correct   one,   because,   whilst   horses    may   be   an 

R 


242 

abnormal  height  at  the  withers,  it  does  not  follow 
that  they  are  big"  and  up  to  carrying  weight.  Pro- 
bably a  more  scientific  method  of  measurement  would 
be  to  take  the  height  at  the  middle  of  the  back  just 
where  the  centre  of  the  saddle  rides,  as  this  is  really 
the  exact  region  at  which  to  determine  the  height  of 
a  horse,  so  far  at  least  as  the  rider  is  concerned. 

CERTIFICATES   OF   SOUNDNESS. 

Although  it  may  appear  drastic,  the  writer  is  of 
opinion  that  horses  which  cannot  procure  a  veterinary 
surgeon's  certificate  of  soundness  should  not  be  al- 
lowed to  compete  at  shows.  Opinions  differ  about 
splints,  sidebones,  etc.,  still  there  is  a  fairly-established 
degree  standard  which  can  generally  be  employed 
in  order  to  determine  soundness.  On  nice  points 
comparatively  little  harm  would  be  done  were  such 
animals  given  the  benefit  of  the  doubt,  because, 
happily,  they  only  form  a  small  minority.  If  sound- 
ness be  the  first  essential  in  horses,  it  ought  also  to 
be  the  primary  requirement  with  show  societies. 
With  only  sound  horses  competing  for  showyard 
honours,  the  work  of  judges  would  be  simplified, 
the  public  would  see  the  best  horses  competing  that 
Britain  can  produce,  and  probably  fewer  unsound 
horses  would  be  bred   in  future. 

SHOW   TICKETS   AND   CATALOGUE   NUMBERS. 

The  difference  in  colour  of  prize  tickets  at  differ- 
ent shows,  and  the  indiscriminate   manner  in   which 


243 

catalogue  numbers  are  worn,  lead  to  no  end  of  con- 
fusion in  the  eyes  of  the  public.  It  would  be  a 
great  advantage  to  everybody  concerned  if  a  uniform 
colour  of  prize  tickets  were  adopted  by  all  show 
societies.  Probably  the  majority  of  shows  distribute 
the  following  colours  in  their  awards,  which  might 
serve  very  well  as  a  universal  standard  : — First  prize, 
red ;  second  prize,  blue ;  third  prize,  yellow ;  com- 
mended or  reserve,  white.  In  all  cases  the  prize 
tickets  should  be  fixed  on  the  off  side  of  the  head- 
stall or  bridle,  so  that  they  will  remain  flat  partially 
on  the  cheeks  and  partially  on  the  necks  of  horses. 
The  corners  of  show  tickets  might  be  rounded  and 
the  tape  passed  through  each  corner  about  two  inches 
from  the  margin,  which  would  prevent  folding  up 
and  tearing. 

Catalogue  numbers  in  all  cases  should  be  worn 
on  the  near  side  of  the  headstall  or  bridle,  and  to 
prevent  tickets  turning  round  and  exposing  the  blank 
side,  as  they  frequently  do,  they  should  be  made 
oval,  with  the  tape  holes  an  inch  from  either  end. 

When  properly  fixed  no  wind  or  motion  of  the 
horses'  heads  will  displace  them.  At  present  cata- 
logue tickets  are  worn  practically  all  over  horses, 
entailing  great  inconvenience  on  spectators,  whose 
catalogues  in  such  circumstances  are  of  comparatively 
little  use  to  them  in  determining  the  description  and 
breeding  of  different  horses. 


244 


DRESSING   HORSES. 


All  the  various  breeds  of  horses  may  be  dressed 
for  competition  according  to  the  popular  fashions  of 
distinctive  breeds.  Heavy  horses  look  better  and 
gayer  with  a  moderate  display  of  national -coloured 
ribbon  tastefully  arranged.  When  horses  are  over- 
loaded with  decorations,  however,  they  detract  from 
their  appearance.  The  eye  catches  the  effect  of 
the  adornments  rather  than  the  horses  themselves, 
and  it  is  not  too  much  to  affirm  that  many  excel- 
lent animals  have  failed  to  get  into  the  prize  list 
on  account  of  extravagant  decorations.  The  fore- 
locks, manes,  and  tails  may  be  plaited  with  ribbon 
with  excellent  effect.  An  expert  manipulator,  by 
the  curve  he  gives  the  mane,  can  improve  the  appear- 
ance and  cast  of  the  necks  of  horses  to  an  extra- 
ordinary degree.  This,  however,  is  really  a  fine  art, 
a  comprehensive  description  of  which  is  utterly  im- 
possible on  paper. 

Light-legged  horses  should  be  carefully  dressed 
about  the  manes  and  tails,  otherwise  their  general 
appearance  will  be  lessened.  Manes  that  do  not 
naturally  lie  well  are  best  "  hogged  "  or  plaited  over. 
During  cold  weather  at  shows  it  is  advisable  to 
sprinkle  sawdust  over  the  backs  of  foals.  Being 
unaccustomed  to  wear  clothing  it  is  impossible  to 
sheet  them  like  horses,  as  they  would  either  tear 
them  to  pieces  or  become  uncontrollable  by  fear. 
As    long   as   the   sawdust  can    be    kept    on    it    has  a, 


245 

wonderful  influence  in  producing  warmth,  and  it  is 
easily  removed  on  entering  the  show-ring  for  com- 
petition. Sawdust  may  also  be  rubbed  on  the  legs 
of  heavy  horses  with  advantage,  as  it  tends  to  stiffen 
the  hair,  which  greatly  improves  the  appearance  of 
horses  of  this  class. 

Good,  even  shoeing  is  indispensable  ;  badly-fitting 
shoes  or  broken  hoofs  greatly  detract  from  the  appear- 
ance of  horses.  All  competing  animals  should  be 
trained  to  run  by  the  use  of  a  long  strap.  A  good 
mover  is  half  the  battle  where  action  is  concerned. 

SHOWYARD   JUMPING. 

This  is  a  matter  of  first-rate  importance  and  well 
worthy  the  attention  of  those  interested  in  jumping. 
Prizes  for  jumping  at  shows  are  generally  given  for 
''The  best  horse  over  hurdles,"  the  result  being  that 
probably  the  majority  of  prizes  in  Britain  are  won 
by  regular  showyard  professionals  which  have  no 
pretension  to  hunters  in  the  proper  sense  of  the 
word.  They  are  very  often  mere  circus-like  horses, 
shuffling  broadside  on  till  within  a  few  yards  of  each 
hurdle,  when  they  get  over  without  the  least  display 
of  style,  and  because  they  get  over,  no  matter  how, 
they  win.  Such  horses  could  not  live  with  hounds 
for  a  couple  of  miles  across  a  heavy  country  where 
fences  require  to  be  naturally  negotiated.  Many  of 
them  have  no  wind  to  gallop,  and  would  refuse 
fences  if  ridden  at  them  in  cross-country  fashion.  All 
show   jumpers    in    Britain    do    not   come   within    this 


246 

category,  but  it  will  be  admitted  that  far  too  many 
of  them  do,  to  the  disadvantage  of  bona  fidi  hunters, 
which  could  beat  the  former  on  every  occasion  under 
natural  conditions.  Show  societies  would  do  well 
to  adopt  the  jumping  regulations  of  the  Dublin 
Society,  where  something  like  a  fair  and  natural 
course  is  available  in  order  to  test  the  merits  of 
horses.  At  Ballsbridge  the  ordinary  shuffling  show- 
yard  jumpers  would  very  soon  come  to  grief  or  suffer 
disqualification. 

Were  the  system  adopted  in  Britain  of  making 
horses  complete  the  course  before  being  pulled  up 
very  few  of  the  broadside -on  showyard  type  would 
survive  a  single  season. 

In  judging  jumping  it  is  a  good  system  to  give 
the  highest  points  towards  style  and  safety,  which 
must  be  assumed  for  cross-country  work,  and  not 
towards  mere  height,  irrespective  of  how  horses  get 

over. 

But  this  principle  must  often  be  sacrificed  at  the 
shrine  of  gate-money.  Languishing  finances  induce 
show  societies  to  cater  to  the  public  taste.  "  The 
man  on  the  street"  must  be  amused  for  his  admission 
ticket,  whilst  the  genuine  lover  of  the  hunter  and 
hound  is  disgusted  by  the  unpractical  display.  The 
difficulties  of  dealing  with  this  question  are  not  dis- 
guised. An  alteration  in  the  regulations  might  result 
in  reduced  entries,  but  the  possible  falling  off  would 
eventually  be  more  than  repaid  in  the  quality  of  the 
horses  and  in  the  genuineness  of  the  contests. 


247 

It  is  preferable  to  have  all  jumps  at  shows  con- 
structed so  that  if  the  horses  strike  them  they  will 
be.  easily  knocked  down,  and  accidents  will  thus  to 
a  great  extent  be  avoided. 

Bare  hurdles,  and  hurdles  filled  with  branches, 
should  be  constructed  to  fall  flat  on  the  ground 
instead  of  swinging  from  the  centre  as  they  often 
do,  and  horses  are  not  so  likely  to  get  their  legs 
entangled  in  them. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  build  walls  with  blocks  of 
wood  from  the  foundation,  so  that  when  they  are 
struck  by  horses  only  the  struck  portion  falls,  which, 
in  addition  to  being  safer  for  the  horses  than  par- 
tially solid  walls,  also  economises  labour  and  time 
in  repairing  them. 

Water  jumps  should  be  faced  by  a  couple  of  bare 
rails  at  least  two-and-a-half  feet  high,  and  the  width 
of  the  water  need  not  exceed  twelve  feet,  which  is 
quite  sufficient  to  test  the  capacity  of  horses. 

Bare  bar  jumps  are  probably  the  most  difficult 
for  horses  to  negotiate.  At  many  shows  only  one 
bar  is  used,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  is 
a  mistake,  because  when  the  bar  is  raised  to  five 
feet  or  more,  it  is,  roughly  speaking,  on  the  same 
elevation  as  the  heads  of  the  horses.  Its  appear- 
ance is  very  unnatural  and  confusing,  and  a  hesitancy 
is  often  apparent  on  the  part  of  horses  when  they 
reach  it,  as  if  they  were  undecided  whether  to  rise 
to  it  or  to  dodge  under  it.  Two  light  rails  beneath 
the  bar  effectually  prevent  this,  as  they  fill  the  space 


248 

between  the  bar  and  the  ground  which  gives  the 
jump  a  more  natural  appearance. 

Trap -jumping  necessitates  cleverness  rather  than 
extraordinary  jumping  powers.  The  hurdles  need 
not  be  more  than  three-and-a-half  feet  high,  and  it 
is  preferable  to  have  the  second  slightly  lower  than 
the  first. 

All  wings  at  the  sides  of  the  various  jumps  should 
be  from  two  to  three  feet  higher  than  the  hurdles, 
and  horses  will  be  less  likely  to  shy  past  the  ends. 


H9 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 
HUNTING    AND    HUNTERS. 

"  What  a  fine  hunting  day,  'tis  as  balmy  as  May  ! 
And  the  hounds  to  the  village  will  come  ; 
Every  friend  will  be  there,  and  all  trouble  and  care 
Will  be  left  far  behind  them  at  home. 
See  !  servants  and  steeds  on  their  way, 
And  sportsmen  their  scarlet  display, 
Let  us  join  the  glad  throng  that  goes  laughing  along, 
And  we'll  all  go  a-hunting  to-day." 

Of  all  the  amusements  in  this  country  hunting 
is  one  of  the  oldest  and  best.  The  entertainment 
it  affords  is  so  varied  in  character  that  one  or  other 
of  its  several  phases  is  generally  sufficient  to  meet 
the  desires  of  the  most  fastidious  people,  from  the 
most  enthusiastic  cross-country  squire,  whose  very 
soul  imagines  a  perfect  elysium  in  the  negotiation 
of  a  stiff  rattling  run,  to  the  respectable  country 
parson  who,  mounted  on  his  stout  half-bred  cob, 
may  be  seen  jogging  from  hill  top  to  hill  top  under 
the  convenient  pretext  that  he  is  out  enjoying  the 
splendid  scenery  and  the  fresh  morning  air,  but 
who  in  reality  is  enjoying  infinitely  more  the  in- 
spiriting and  fascinating  view  of  the  gallant  hounds 
at   ''full   cry"   in    the    valley    below.       Nor    is    this 


250 

wonderful  passion  for  hounds  entirely  confined  to 
equestrians,  for  what  schoolboy  is  there  who,  when 
he  hears  "  the  sound  of  the  horn  on  a  fine  hunting 
morn"  will  not  "play  the  truant,"  even  in  the  very 
teeth  of  that  most  humiliating  administrator  of  justice, 
the  "  tawse  "  ?  But  the  pain  of  similar  punishments 
in  the  past  is  counterbalanced  by  the  intoxicating 
delights  which  necessitated  it,  and  so  he  bolts  off 
whenever  an  opportunity  presents  itself,  and  runs 
in  hot  pursuit  of  the  hounds  as  long  as  his  legs  will 
carry  him.  The  writer  has  many  a  time,  when  at 
school,  been  chastised  for  similar  misdemeanours,  but 
the  wrath  of  the  teacher  always  appeared  in  a  measure 
fictitious,  and  if  the  dignity  of  his  position  and  the 
discipline  of  the  school  could  have  been  maintained, 
he  himself  would  probably  have  been  the  /irs^  to 
show  the  way  ! 

Again,  in  passing  through  a  village  every  heart 
beats  high  at  the  inspiring  **  sound  of  the  horn," 
and  the  humble  villagers  turn  out  to  a  man — ay, 
and  to  a  woman,  too — to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
dashing  hounds,  while  they  stand  in  breathless  wonder 
gazing  with  unfeigned  delight  till  the  last  rider  has 
disappeared.  Even  the  usually  low  spirits  of  the 
miserable  tramp  on  the  public  highway  become 
elevated  at  the  sight  of  hounds.  He  will  invari- 
ably stop  and  watch  hounds  and  riders  dashing  past 
in  brilliant  haste  with  an  interest  which  no  other 
circumstance  can  awaken  in  his  heart.  The  stolid, 
sour   expression  of  his  wretched   countenance,  deep- 


251 

ened  and  developed,  it  may  be,  by  the  privations 
and  dissipations  of  a  lifetime,  will  for  the  moment  be 
supplanted  by  a  bright,  cheerful  look  approaching- 
almost  to  happiness — at  least  a  look  more  full  of 
interest  and  astonishment  than  any  other  casual  cir- 
cumstance can  produce. 

REAL   AND    IMAGINARY    FOLLOWERS. 

While  hunting  has  a  singularly  fascinating  attrac- 
tion for  most  people  in  most  circumstances,  and  is 
recognised  as  one  of  the  manliest  of  sports,  yet 
there  are  few  outdoor  amusements  more  generally 
abused,  because  it  is  taken  advantage  of,  and,  in  their 
own  way,  indulged  in  by  a  number  of  men  who 
have  no  adequate  appreciation  for,  or  real  conception 
of,  what  thorough  and  go-ahead  hunting  means. 
Thus  the  general  character  of  the  sport  is  reduced 
to  an  artificial  level.  In  fact,  only  about  thirty  per 
cent,  of  riders  who  profess  to  follow  hounds  ride 
straight  and  htmt  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  word, 
and  the  hunting  of  the  remaining  seventy  per  cent. 
simply  amounts  to  pulling  down  fences,  spluttering 
along  lanes  and  highways,  dodging  from  hill  top  to 
hill  top,  and  inquiring  with  an  eagerness  which  is 
wholly  worthy  of  a  better  cause  the  stock  hunting 
question,  "  Have  }'ou  seen  the  hounds  .-'"  from  every 
person  they  meet.  They  will  say  they  are  **  Con- 
founded unlucky!" — "Got  thrown  out  of  the  run!" 
"That  wretched  hire  of  theirs  wouldn't  jump!"  (lucky 
for  the  rider  that  it  did?it),  and  a  hundred  and  one 


2$2 

other  convenient  phrases  to  boot,  which  are  neither 
more  nor  less,  to  use  a  mild  expression,  than  down- 
right sophistries.  The  truth  is,  such  riders  have  no 
more  genuine  intention  of  following  hounds  than 
hounds  have  of  following  them,  and  that  for  the  best 
of  all  good  reasons — they  dare  not.  These  inexperi- 
enced riders  frequently  do  a  great  amount  of  damage, 
possibly  unintentionally,  by  galloping  over  newly- 
sown  wheat  and  young  seeds  during  wet  weather 
which  naturally  turns  many  farmers  against  the  hunt. 
These  indiscretions  are  never  indulged  in,  unless 
under  very  exceptional  circumstances,  by  true  hunt- 
ing men.  Barbed  wire  is  one  of  the  modern  curses 
of  hunting,  and  if  more  discretion  were  exercised 
by  these  reckless  riders,  probably  less  of  it  would 
be  used.  It  is  gratifying  to  observe  that  some  masters 
of  hounds  are  offering  prizes  to  farmers  whose  farms 
are  free  from  barbed  wire.  Farmers  will  be  acting 
in  their  own  interests  to  encourage  hunting  as  much 
as  possible,  because  in  the  maintenance  of  hunters, 
hounds,  and  hunt  servants,  the  annual  expenditure 
in  this  country  approaches  the  enormous  sum  of 
;^8,ooo,ooo. 

It  is  often  infinitely  amusing  at  the  break-away 
with  a  field  of  thirty  or  forty  riders.  There  is  a 
general  rush  forward,  reins  are  tightened,  hats  are 
pressed  on,  spurs  are  dug  in,  and  these  hot-headed 
would-be  followers,  who,  however,  are  only  followers 
in  name,  are  off  like  random  rockets  at  full  racing 
stride,  applying  the  whip   with  an    onslaught   which 


253 

would  do  credit  to  a  professional  jockey  finishing  a 
neck-and-neck  race  for  Derby  honours.  In  no  cir- 
cumstances in  life,  however,  is  the  Scriptural  proverb, 
''  The  first  shall  be  last,"  more  fully  realised,  because 
the  first  stone  wall  is  generally  sufficient  to  dampen 
their  ardour  and  reverse  the  order  of  the  riders,  sub- 
stantiating the  Scriptural  quotation  in  a  very  forcible 
manner.  Out  of  the  thirty  or  forty  riders  only  about 
ten  or  a  dozen  will  negotiate  the  wall,  thus  the  real 
followers  are  divided  from  the  imaginary,  and  the 
former  go  on  straight  with  hounds,  whilst  the  latter 
betake  themselves — some  to  look  out  for  a  gateway, 
others  to  pull  down  the  wall  to  its  very  foundation. 
These  are  the  gentlemen  who,  squandered  over  the 
whole  district  in  search  of  hounds,  tell  every  shep- 
herd they  meet  that  they  have  been  ''Thrown  out!" 
'' Deucid  unfortunate!"  etc.,  and  who  thereby  bring 
down  the  general  character  of  hunting  and  reduce 
the  time-honoured  sport  to  a  ludicrous  burlesque. 

A  good  story  is  told  of  a  stray  follower  of  this 
class  who  came  galloping  up  to  a  shepherd  with  the 
salutation,  "  Halloa,  man !  has  that  wet  piece  of 
ground  got  a  bottom?"  "Ay,  sir!"  replied  the  shep- 
herd, taking  in  at  a  glance  that  he  was  no  rider, 
"it  has."  On  went  the  madcap,  and  before  he  had 
taken  a  couple  of  strides  he  was  up  to  the  saddle- 
flaps  in  black  mud  and  water.  "Villain!"  shouted 
the  unfortunate  swell,  in  accents  of  anger,  "you  told 
me  it  had  a  bottom."  "  So  I  did,"  replied  the  honest 
shepherd,  "  but  I  never  said  where  it  was ! " 


254 


HUNTING  A   HEALTH!'    EXERCISE. 

Not  only  is  hunting  a  pleasant  amusement,  it  is 
also  a  most  bracing-  and  salubrious  exercise.  It  is 
said  that  "  the  inside  of  an  egg  and  the  outside  of 
a  horse"  are  more  conducive  to  the  general  health 
and  happiness  of  man  than  any  other  two  things 
in  the  civilised  world.  There  is  a  fund  of  truth  in 
the  assertion,  for  scarcely  anything  is  more  nutritious 
than  an  egg,  and  nothing  more  exhilarating  than  to 
get  astride  a  fine  spirited  hunter  on  a  fresh  balmy 
morning,  with  "a  southerly  wind  and  a  cloudy  sky," 
and  start  off  for  the  meet  within  easy  riding  dis- 
tance in  the  fond  anticipation  of  a  good  jolly  day's 
hunting.  In  these  days  of  motor  locomotion  it  is 
not  uncommon  to  see  gentlemen  being  conveyed 
to  the  covert  side  in  cars,  but  whether  it  adds  to 
the  manliness  of  hunting  is  rather  questionable. 

Two  things  are  absolutely  necessary  in  the  hunt- 
ing field  to  make  hunting  a  success,  viz.,  a  thoroughly 
good  horse  that  can  be  depended  upon  at  his  fences, 
and  that  the  rider  himself  is  a  good  and  skilful  horse- 
man, so  that  he  may  know  how  to  ride  the  horse 
in  order  to  take  as  little  out  of  him  as  possible. 

THE   BEST   KIND    OF    HUNTER. 

There  is  a  prevailing  tendency  at  present  to  intro- 
duce thoroughbreds  into  the  hunting  field,  and  there 
is  no  doubt  that  in  the  open  country  and  across  the 
upper   moorlands,   where   speed   is   the  essential   re- 


255 

quirement,  they  have  a  decided  advantage  over  under- 
bred horses,  but  over  a  heavy  district,  with  a  large 
proportion  of  land  under  the  plough  and  a  deal  of 
heavy  jumping  to  encounter  in  addition,  they  are 
very  ill-adapted  for  such  work,  unless  they  are  ex- 
ceptionally strong,  and  even  then  carrying  a  light 
weight. 

The  three-parts-bred  horse,  for  all-round  hunting, 
is  undoubtedly  the  best,  for  in  him  are  combined 
fleetness,  durability,  and  strength.  He  is  generally 
possessed  of  a  better  temper,  and  is  a  superior  jumper 
to  the  thoroughbred,  while  he  has  quite  sufficient 
speed  to  live  with  any  ordinary  pack  of  hounds,  and 
he  will  also  carry  a  very  much  heavier  weight.  He 
should  be  bred  from  a  half-bred  mare  and  a  thorough- 
bred sire,  and  his  dam  also  should  be  got  by  a 
thoroughbred  stallion.  If  bred  the  opposite  way  he 
may  be  rougher  in  his  paces,  less  perfect  in  sym- 
metry, and  he  will  generally  be  in  possession  of  a 
more  stubborn  temperament.  At  the  same  time,  a 
number  of  excellent  hunters  are  bred  from  hunter 
stallions  that  are  not  thoroughbred,  and  little  can 
be  said  against  this  system  if  the  mares  that  are 
mated  with  them  are  suitable.  It  is  easy  to  breed 
hunters  up  to  twelve  stones,  but  difficult  to  breed 
them  up  to  fifteen  and  retain  sufficient  quality.  The 
Hunters'  Improvement  Society  is  now  taking  this 
important  matter  in  hand,  and  much  good  may  be 
expected  to  accrue  therefrom. 


256 


CHIEF   INDICATIONS   OF  A   HUNTER. 

The  chief  points  to  look  for  in  a  made  three- 
parts-bred  hunter  are  as  follows  : — 

He  should  have  a  quiet  temper  ;  sound  of  wind 
and  eyesight ;  free  from  pulling,  with  a  pleasant, 
tractable  mouth  ;  and  his  manners  generally  should 
be  as  nearly  perfect  as  possible.  His  head  should 
be  small,  broad  between  the  eyes,  and  tapering  finely 
towards  the  muzzle.  His  eyes  should  be  large,  pro- 
minent, and  should  show  plenty  of  courage  when 
put  upon  his  mettle  ;  while  his  ears  should  be  well 
set  on,  small  and  pointed,  and  when  erect  the  tips 
should  incline  well  towards  each  other.  This  is  gen- 
erally a  certain  indication  of  courage  and  stamina. 
Horses  with  long,  flapping  ears  should  always  be 
discarded,  as  they  are  invariably  wanting  in  pluck 
and  endurance.  The  neck  of  the  hunter  should  be 
moderately  long  and  lean,  slightly  arched,  and  well 
placed  on  a  set  of  fine  sloping  shoulders  ;  while  his 
withers  should  be  high,  so  that  he  may  carry  the 
saddle  in  a  good  position.  Horses  with  straight 
thick  shoulders  should  always  be  avoided  for  saddle 
work  of  all  kinds,  as  their  action  is  generally  un- 
pleasant. The  hunter  should  be  deep-chested,  with 
well-sprung  ribs,  a  short  straight  back,  and  in  pos- 
session of  strong,  well-developed,  muscular  quarters. 
He  should  have  well-proportioned,  flat -boned  legs, 
like  whalebone.  They  should  not  be  too  long  from 
the  knee  to  the  pastern  joint,  and  his  pasterns  should 


257 

neither  be  too  long  nor  too  short.  When  they  are 
very  long  they  are  generally  weak,  and  when  short 
and  straight  the  horse  will  be  rough  and  stumpy  to 
ride,  therefore,  a  happy  medium  is  desirable.  Nine 
times  out  of  ten  a  short-legged  hunter  will  tire  a 
long-legged  one,  and  he  will  generally  be  safer  to 
ride.  The  hunter  should  be  free  from  splints  and 
sidebones  before,  and  from  curbs  and  spavins  behind, 
as  well  as  from  all  other  blemishes  peculiar  to  the 
legs.  The  hocks  particularly  should  be  strong  and 
well  moulded,  as  they  undergo  a  greater  strain  in 
the  hunter  than  in  any  other  kind  of  horse,  in  con- 
sequence of  him  frequently  having  to  gallop  over 
soft  ground,  with  heavy  jumping  in  addition.  A 
horse  of  this  stamp  will  carry  the  saddle  perfectly. 
It  will  sit  well  back  from  the  play  of  his  shoulders, 
whilst  the  girths  will  be  from  eight -to  ten  inches 
behind  the  play  of  his  forelegs,  and  in  this  position 
they  are  not  likely  to  nip  or  fret  him  in  any  way. 
When  mounted  on  a  well-made  hunter  the  rider 
will  always  have  the  larger  half  of  the  horse  in  front 
of  him. 

FEET,    COLOUR,    AND    MARKINGS. 

The  feet  of  a  hunter  should  be  medium -sized, 
well  spread  and  hollowed,  beneath,  and  the  hoofs 
tough,  sound,  and  durable. 

The  question  of  colour  is  purely  a  matter  of  taste, 
and  a  good  horse  should  never  be  objected  to  if  he 
happen    to    be   a    bad    colour.      Chesnuts,   bays,   and 

S 


258 

browns,  however,  are  generally  the  most  fashionable 
and  the  most  appreciated.  A  horse  with  white  fore- 
legs should  be  avoided  if  the  white  extend  above 
his  knees,  as  he  is  generally  believed  to  be  weak 
upon  them,  and  they  are  a  pronounced  eyesore  in 
his  appearance,  whilst  white  pasterns  behind  and  a 
narrow  stripe  or  star  on  the  forehead  are  certainly 
decided  embellishments.  If,  for  instance,  the  beauti- 
ful old  horse,  Truefit,  had  worn  his  white  stockings 
on  his  other  extremities  he  would  possibly  have 
appeared  nearer  perfection  than  any  other  thorough- 
bred stallion  that  ever  lived.  Grey  horses,  although 
often  hardy  and  good,  are  objectionable  on  account 
of  their  colour.  They  are  easily  stained  with  dirt, 
and  when  shedding  their  coats  the  displaced  hairs 
are  very  conspicuous  on  the  clothes  of  their  riders. 
The  interesting  subject  of  colour,  however,  will  be 
fully  discussed  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

The  mane  of  the  hunter  should  lie  evenly  over 
to  the  off  side,  but  in  cases  where  they  lie  badly 
it  is  preferable  to  cut  them  out;  hog -manes  are 
much  in  evidence  at  present ;  they  look  smart,  but 
are  very  unhandy  for  mounting  and  dismounting. 
The  tail  of  the  hunter  should  be  well  cut  away  to 
the  end,  and  he  should  carry  it  very  nearly  horizontal 
when  extended  at  a  gallop. 

He  should  be  stylish,  and  his  action  straight  at 
all  his  paces.  Too  close  action  before  is  dangerous 
in  a  hunter,  as  he  may  trip  up  and  pull  himself 
down,  whilst,  if  it  is  too- wide  on    the   other   hand, 


259 

he  will  be  slow.     A  medium  width  of  action,  there- 
fore, is  the  proper  thing  to  look  for. 

These  are  the  chief  indications  of  a  good  hunter, 
and  when  anyone  in  want  of  a  horse  discovers  one 
in  possession  of  such  qualifications,  he  should  never 
miss  the  opportunity  of  making  him  his  property  if 
the  dimensions  of  his  purse  will  permit  of  it. 

SUMMERING   HUNTERS. 

Opinion  is  divided  as  to  whether  it  is  better  to 
turn  hunters  out  to.  grass  during  summer  or  to  run 
them  in  roomy  courts  or  boxes.  If  they  are  turned 
out  to  grass  it  is  a  good  plan  to  take  them  in  for 
five  or  six  hours  in  the  middle  of  the  day  when 
the  sun  is  hottest,  otherwise  they  will  suffer  unneces- 
sarily from  the  attacks  of  flies,  etc.  Cool  dews  on 
the  grass  have  an  excellent  effect  on  their  feet;  they 
promote  elasticity  and  toughness,  and  many  hunters 
that  are  turned  out  to  grass  in  the  spring  with  tender 
feet  come  in  at  the  back  end  of  summer  fairly  sound. 

When  summered  in  courts  the  shoes  should  be 
removed,  and  a  portion  of  the  courts  should  be  spread 
occasionally  with  fresh  earth  which  keeps  the  feet 
tough  and  in  good  condition.  When  the  shoes  are 
removed,  the  sharp  edges  should  be  cut  from  the 
hoofs  to  prevent  them  getting  ragged  and  broken. 
Fresh -cut  grass  and  abundant  pure  water  are  all 
that  hunters  require  in  such  circumstances. 


z6o 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


HUNTING   EQUIPMENT. 


In  the  opinion  of  the  writer  the  best  saddle  that 
can  be  used  is  a  plain  hunting  saddle  made  of  the  best 

boar-skin,  with 
strong  double 
girths  and  large 
open  stirrup-irons. 
It  should  have 
easy-working 
springs,  so  that  in 
the  event  of  the 
rider  getting  a  fall 
he  would  not  be 
dragged,  as  his  foot 
would  readily 
leave  the  stirrup, 
or  the  stirrup- 
leather  the  spring, 
either  of  which 
would  be  sufficient 
to  release  him  with 
great  facility  (Fig.  29).  A  shoe-case  may  be  carried 
at  the  side  of  the  saddle,  in  which  is  a  hinged  shoe, 


Fig.  29.— Hunting  Saddle. 


26l 


with  a  supply  of  nails  for  fixing  it,  in  the  event  of  the 
horse  casting  a  shoe.  Shoe-cases  are  frequently  car- 
ried for  pure  ornament,  and  are  of  very  little  use  for 

practical  purposes  unless  occasion- 
ally fitted  with  shoes  suitable  to 
the  feet  of  the  horses  which  are 
being  hunted  (Fig.  30).  The  use 
of  a  breastplate  is  advantageous 
in  many  ways,  but  particularly  so 
when  a  horse  is  flat  in  the  ribs 
ajid  falls  away  behind  the  girths. 
With  a  horse  of  this  kind  there  is 
great  difficulty  experienced  in  keeping  the  saddle  in  its 
proper  position.  The  breastplate  is  a  decided  adorn- 
ment, as  well  as  being  useful  in  maintaining  the  saddle 
in  its  true  position.  It  should  be  fitted  easily  to  the 
horse,  and  it  is  well  to  have  the  part  that  goes  over 
the  shoulders  padded,  so  that  it  will  not  fret  the  horse 


Fig.  30.— Shoe-Case. 


_■— ■  I  ^riww 


Fig.  31. — Breastplate. 

when  any  strain  comes  upon  it  (Fig.  31).  The 
ordinary  double  bridle  with  snaffle  and  curb  is  gener- 
ally the  best  all-round  hunting  bridle,  as  it  is  suitable 
to  the  majority  of  horses.  The  rider  has  far  more 
power  over  the  horse,  and  can  steady  and  collect  him 


262 


Fig.  32.— Snaffle  Bit. 


at  his  fences  with  much  greater  command  than  with, 

for  instance,  the  plain  bar-snaffle  (Fig.   32).       If  the 

horse  has  a  Hght,  tender   mouth,  the  rider  can    ride 

him  with  the  major  part  of  the 
weight  on  the  snaffle  rein ; 
whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  if  his 
mouth  is  hard  and  stubborn,  he 
can  ride  him  with  the  greater 
pressure  on  the  curb  rein.  This 
is    easily    managed    by    simply 

drawing  the   rein,   on   which   it   is   intended   to  ride 

the  horse,  up  through  the  fingers, 

as  fully  described  in  a  former  chap- 
ter.    If  the  reins  are  properly  held 

no  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in 

riding    almost    any   kind    of  horse 

with  a  double  bridle  with  ease  and 

safety.       The    curb   should   not  be 

drawn    too    tightly,   and    it   should 

be  held  in  its  proper  place  by  a  light  leather  strap 

(Fig.  33). 

EVILS  OF   THE   MARTINGALE. 

The  martingale  should  never  be  seen  in  the  hunt- 
ing-field, unless  absolutely  necessary.  Ordinarily,  it 
is  a  dangerous  piece  of  gear,  whilst,  at  the  same  time, 
it  spoils  the  gait  and  general  appearance  of  the  horse. 
It  retards  his  fore  action,  and  with  over-harnessing 
about  the  neck  and  chest,  his  neck  is  made  to  appear 
shorter  than  it  actually  is,  which  imparts  to  the  hunter 


Fig.  33.— Double  Bit. 


263 

a  cobby  appearance  that  is  most  obnoxious  to  the  eye 
of  an  experienced  huntsman.  No  horse  can  jump 
with  freedom  in  a  tight  martingale.  He  is  bound 
together,  and  cannot  extend  himself  sufficiently  to 
accomplish  the  task  required  of  him,  and  very  fre- 
quently he  receives  a  check  which  brings  him  back 
over,  or  something  worse,  if  that  can  be  ;  therefore 
the  use  of  a  martingale  in  the  hunting-field  must  be 
strongly  condemned,  unless  it  is  worn  upon  a  *' ewe- 
necked  star-gazer,"  which  class  of  horse  should  never 
really  be  seen  with  hounds.  In  cases  where  the 
martingale  is  worn  loosely,  either   on  the   snaffle   or 

the  curb  rein,  it  can  neither  do 
much  good  nor  much  harm,  ex- 
cept to  detract  from  the  appear- 
FiG.  34.  ance  of  horses  by  over-harness- 

Fbench  Martingale.      •  a     t^  i  ^-         i 

mg.  A  rrench  martmgale,  or 
"Bar -ring,"  is  often  useful  in  preventing  a  horse 
throwing  the  reins  over  his  ears.  Some  horses 
acquire  this  habit  and  will  often  displace  the  reins  if 
not  held  in  position  by  a  French-martingale  (Fig.  34). 

NEEDFUL  EQUIPMENT. 

The  rider  should  always  carry  a  good  hunting 
crop,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  the  opening  and  clos- 
ing of  gates.  He  can  open  or  close  an  awkward  gate 
with  great  facility,  simply  by  drawing  or  pushing  it 
with  the  hook  of  the  crop  as  required.  The  crop 
should  be  strong,  and  should  have  a  brass  stud  in  the 
centre  of  the  head,  which  will  prevent  it  slipping  off 


264 

the  gate  when  apphed  to  push  it  open  (Fig.  35). 
There  are  three  things  which  should  always  be  in  the 
rider's    pocket    in    the    hunting-field,    and    these   are, 


Fig.  35.— Hunting  Ckop. 

firstly,  a  few  biscuits  to  satisfy  the  craving  of  the  inner 
man  when  a  check  occurs,  for  no  man  will  enjoy  a  run 
with  an  empty  stomach  (perhaps  a  flask  containing 
an  innocent  stimulant  might  also  be  included !)  ; 
secondly,  a  pocket-knife,  so  that  if  a  stirrup-leather 
should  happen  to  break,  which  is  no  unusual  occur- 
rence, the  rider  can  cut  a  hole  through  it  in  order 
to  get  it  laced,  besides  being  useful  in  many  other 
ways ;  and  thirdly,  a  piece  of  cord,  so  that  in  the 
event  of  the  saddle-girths  bursting,  reins  breaking, 
etc.,  he  can  at  once  temporarily  repair  the  dam- 
age. It  may  not  be  particularly  neat,  but  he  can 
make  it  sufficiently  strong,  and  it  will  serve  the  pur- 
pose for  the  time  being  which  is  all  he  requires.  But 
some  readers  who  are  only  partially  acquainted  with 
the  innumerable  exigencies  of  the  hunting-field  may 
consider  such  safeguards  as  trifling  and  insignifi- 
cant ;  if  there  are  any  such,  the  writer  should  like  to 
respectfully  ask   them   what   they   would    do   in    the 


265 

middle  of  a  run  if  their  saddle-girths  broke  without 
having  the  necessary  materials  in  their  pockets  to 
remedy  the  misfortune  ? 

HOW    TO    ACT    WHEN    THE    HORSE    CASTS 

A    SHOE. 

If  the  horse  cast  a  shoe  in  the  middle  of  a  run, 
which  very  often  happens  on  crossing  soft,  marshy 
ground,  and  occasionally  in  landing  awkwardly  at  a 
fence,  the  rider  should  discontinue  following  at  once, 
and  turn  the  horse's  head  in  the  direction  of  the  near- 
est blacksmith's  shop  and  get  the  shoe  replaced 
immediately.  If  possible,  the  horse  should  be  ridden 
on  the  grass  at  the  side  of  the  road,  which  will  be  less 
likely  to  break  the  hoof  than  if  he  were  indiscriminately 
ridden  along  the  road. 

EVILS   OF   FOLLOWING   WITHOUT   A   SHOE. 

In  some  cases,  where  the  ground  is  moderately 
soft  and  good  going,  the  rider  may,  under  the  exciting 
influence  of  the  run,  be  tempted  to  persevere  under 
the  belief  that  he  will  do  the  horse  no  harm  ;  but  in 
nine  cases  out  of  ten  it  is  safest  and  best  not  to  risk 
it,  for  we  have  frequently  seen  a  good  plucky  horse 
brought  down  through  the  ignorance  and  barbarity  of 
his  rider  in  pushing  him  on  minus  a  shoe.  The 
horse  may  go  lame  for  months  after,  with  his  hoof  all 
ragged  and  broken,  so  much  so,  that  the  fixing  of  a 
shoe  upon  it  is  utterly  impossible,  in  consequence  of 
insufficient  hoof  being  left  to  drive  the  nails  through. 


266 


No  good  horseman  who  has  any  feeHngs  of  humanity 
— however  fond  he  may  be  of  the  chase — will  practice 
such  wanton  thoughtlessness ;  but  only  those  who  are 
ignorant  and  unkind,  and  consider  the  horse  a  sort  of 
motor  machine  that  can  be  wound  up  periodically  to 
do  duty  for  a  given  space  of  time,  without  considering 
for  a  moment  the  thousand  and  one  exigencies  which 
may  arise  in  negotiating  the  chequered  and  difficult 
work  of  the  hunting-field. 

HOW  TO  PREVENT  OVER -REACHING. 

A  number  of  horses  are  given  to  over-reaching 
themselves,  especially  on  soft  land,  occasionally  pulling 
themselves  down,  dislodging  the  shoe,  and  carrying 

a  portion  of  the  hoof  along  with 
it.  It  is  extremely  dangerous  both 
to  the  horse  and  the  rider,  and  the 
best  preventive  is  to  have  the  horse 
shod  short  in  front,  so  that  if  he 
should  still  continue  to  strike  his 
fore  feet  with  his  hind  ones,  the 
shoes  will  be  of  insufficient  length 
to  permit  him  catching  hold  of 
them,  and  thereby  pulling  himself 
down.  At  the  same  time  the  heels  of  the  shoes 
should  slope  well  forward  from  the  hoof  towards  the 
ground,  with  the  ends  neatly  rounded  off  and  pol- 
ished (Fig.   36). 


Fig.  36. 
Shobt  Shoe  Fixed. 


26/ 


II 


BRUSHING      AND   HOW  TO   PREVENT   IT. 


*'  Brushing- "  is  a  very  disagreeable  thing,  and  not 
infrequently  it  is  the  result  of  fatigue,  when  the  horse 
becomes  wearied  and  careless  in  the  use  of  his  legs, 
though  in  many  cases  it  is  in  consequence  of  close, 
confined  action  either  before  or  behind.  A  horse  that 
brushes  with  his  fore  feet  is  a  thoroughly  dangerous 


Fig.  37.— Inside  View, 


Fig.  38.— Outside  View. 


brute  to  have  anything  to  do  with  in  the  shape  of 
hunting,  or  even  riding  of  any  kind,  because  sooner 
or  later  he  will  trip  himself  up  and  go  down  like  a 
shot  from  a  gun.  He  can  be  prevented  from  cutting 
his  legs  by  putting  "  boots  "  upon  him,  but  they  will 
not  prevent  him  catching  and  tripping  himself  up. 
When  a  horse  is  inclined  to  brush  behind  he  can  gen- 
erally  be   prevented   from   injuring   himself  by  fixing 


268 


Fig.  39.— Shoe. 


*'  puff-pads "   or   spring  bandages   over  his    pasterns  ; 

but  they  often  cause  a  great 
amount  of  trouble,  as  they  are 
constantly  getting  shifted  and 
dislodged,  and  their  presence 
certainly  detracts  from  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  horse  in  giving 
him  a  heavy  and  clumsy  look 
about  the  feet.  A  much  better 
remedy  is  found  in  the  shoeing 
which  entails  materially  less 
trouble,  and  in  nearly  every  case  it  will  prove  a  per- 
manent cure,  indeed  we  do  not  remember  ever  seeing 
it  absolutely  fail.  The  shoe  should  be  deeply  em- 
bedded well  under  the  crust  of  the  hoof  on  the  inside, 
the  nails  driven  in  along  the  outside, 
while  no  nails  are  inserted  in  the  inside 
wall  of  the  hoof  at  all.  (Figs.  37,  38, 
39,  and  40).  Seven  nails  are  sufficient 
to  fasten  the  shoe  ;  the  nails  should  be 
extended  well  round  the  toe,  and  a  shoe 
fixed  in  this  manner  will  rarely  shift  or 
shake  off.  Two  strong  clips  should  be 
on  the  shoe,  the  one  at  the  toe  and  the 
other  at  the  outside.  The  writer  had  a 
mare  shod  in  this  manner  for  a  number 
of  years  with  perfect  success,  and  she  was  never 
known  to  touch  herself  nor  cast  a  single  shoe  after  the 
method  was  adopted.  Previous  to  its  adoption  her 
pastern  joints  were  constantly  lacerated. 


Fig.  40. 
Back  View. 


269 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
HINTS  ON  HUNTING. 

There  is  probably  no  outdoor  amusement  in  which 
science  is  more  necessary  than  hunting  because  of  its 
exceedingly  chequered  nature. 

Football  may  be  said  to  be  a  right  jolly  amusement, 
as  well  as  cricket,  golf,  curling,  etc.,  yet  none  of  them 
require  the  same  amount  of  general  scientific  skill. 
All  players  can  take  a  certain  part  in  these  amusements 
which  have  been  named  ;  but  unless  a  man  can  ride, 
and  ride  well,  he  is  unable  to  be  a  happy  participant 
in  the  glories  of  the  chase. 

WHAT  TO  DO  AT  THE  COVERT-SIDE. 

There  is  a  certain  etiquette  pertaining  to  the 
hunting-field  upon  which  a  few  hints  may  be  given 
that  may  be  of  some  benefit  to  the  inexperienced. 

First,  then,  as  soon  as  hounds  are  thrown  into 
covert  the  rider  should  get  to  the  opposite  side  of  the 
wind  —  unless  the  huntsman  request  him  to  watch 
some  particular  drive — as  reynard  will  be  most  likely 
to  "  break  "  there,  and  he  should  keep   his  eyes  and 


270 

his  ears  open.  Wherever  he  hears  the  leading  hounds 
"  speak  "  he  should  turn  his  eyes  in  the  same  direction, 
and  as  soon  as  reynard  "  breaks  covert "  with  the 
hounds  in  his  wake  he  should  put  his  hand  to  his 
mouth  in  order  to  condense  the  sound  and  shout  at 
the  pitch  of  his  voice  in  shrill  hunting  accents,  "  Tally- 
ho"!  ''Gone  away"!  in  order  to  give  the  other  riders 
around  the  covert  the  alarm.  Unless  he  is  well 
mounted  and  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  district 
he  should  never  take  the  lead  ;  but  if  he  know  the 
country  and  can  depend  on  his  horse  there  is  no 
reason  why  he  should  not  show  the  way,  for  hunting, 
like  all  other  outdoor  amusements,  is  a  leveller  of 
rank,  and  the  distinguished  M.P.  is  placed  precisely 
in  the  same  position — so  far  as  leading  the  chase  goes 
— as  the  plucky  young  farmer,  or  the  village  smith. 

WHO  SHOULD  LEAD  THE  HUNT  .? 

The  lead  is  always  open  to  the  best  horse  and  the 
straightest  rider  across  country,  but  when  the  district 
is  strange  to  the  rider  he  will  find  it  advantageous  to 
follow  some  trusty  old  farmer  who  knows  the  way  to 
ride  across  country,  and  nine  times  out  of  ten  he  will 
not  be  far  from  being  in  amongst  the  first  half-dozen 
riders  at  the  "death."  It  is  very  rarely  that  a  right 
specimen  of  a  game  old  hunting  farmer — one  of  the 
true  "  John  Peel  "  type — is  ever  beaten  at  straight 
cross-country  work  with  hoUnds  when  he  knows  the 
district  he  is  travelling  over. 


2/1 


FENCES  AND  GATES. 


The  rider  should  never  jump  a  fence  if  he  can  get 
through  at  a  gate  without  taking  him  too  much  out  of 
the  Hne  as  it  will  only  exhaust  his  horse  unnecessarily. 
This  sort  of  thing  is  a  certain  indication  of  juvenile 
horsemanship.  In  pulling  the  cope  from  a  stone  wall 
that  may  intervene  it  is  preferable  to  pull  the  stones 
to  the  side  the  horse  jumps  from,  and  there  will  be 
less  danger  in  alighting  at  the  other  side.  There  is 
nothing  more  likely. to  bring  ahorse  down  than  land- 
ing upon  loose  stones. 

The  rider  should  never  attempt  to  display  his  skill 
by  taking  "  near  cuts  "  but  should  follow  the  hounds 
as  straight  as  the  capacity  of  his  horse  and  the  country 
will  permit.  He  may  have  some  idea  of  the  ground 
reynard  will  be  likely  to  traverse,  but  he  can  never  be 
certain.  A  number  of  circumstances  may  influence 
the  fox  to  change  his  direction,  and  often  under  the 
impression  that  the  rider  is  making  a  "  near  cut "  he 
will  get  thrown  out  of  the  run  altogether,  therefore, 
it  is  wiser  as  a  rule  to  follow  in  the  line  of  hounds. 
The  fox  may  alter  his  line  by  coming  in  contact  with 
a  flock  of  sheep,  or  he  may  be  "  headed  "  by  a  shep- 
herd and  his  dogs,  which  would  cause  him  to  change 
his  original  line  entirely.  In  addition  to  the  inci- 
dental causes  already  mentioned  the  hereditary  vul- 
pine cunning  of  reynard  must  be  considered,  which, 
of  itself,  is  sufficient  to  upset  the  confident  prognos- 
tications of  the  most  inveterate  followers  of  hounds. 


2/2 


HOW  TO   ASCEND    HILLS   AND   CROSS   THE 

"  PLOUGH." 

In  going  to  the  hill,  and  on  crossing  the  "  plough/' 
the  rider  must  be  careful  to  give  his  horse  plenty  of 
time.  In  the  latter  case  he  should  endeavour  to  get 
the  horse  into  an  open  furrow  if  possible  ;  and  if  he 
fall  behind  he  need  not  be  discouraged  for  when  he 
touches  the  grass  land  again  with  his  horse  fresh  and 
his  head  down  hill  he  will  soon  get  on  terms  with 
these  madcaps  (and  there  are  always  some  in  the 
hunting-field)  who,  by  galloping  across  the  *'  plough  " 
may  have  blown  their  horses,  and  he  will  leave  them 
at  every  stride. 

A  good  story  is  told  of  a  former  Earl  of  Wemyss 
who  hunted  a  pack  of  hounds  and  always  rode  a  good 
horse,  and  nothing  annoyed  him  so  much  as  to  be 
behind  in  a  run.  One  day  he  had  been  thrown  out 
of  a  run  on  the  Lammermuirs  in  Berwickshire,  and 
when  the  majority  of  the  riders  were  on  the  top  of 
Cockburn  Law  where  a  check  had  occurred,  his  lord- 
ship was  only  fording  the  Whitadder  at  its  base. 
As  soon  as  he  got  across  the  river  he  galloped  up 
the  steep  hill-side  as  fast  as  his  jaded  horse  could  carry 
him,  which,  from  the  undue  exertion,  was  blowing 
like  a  steam  engine.  On  joining  the  others  some  one 
remarked  that  his  lordship's  horse  was  surely  "  Away 
in  the  wind."  "  Not  at  all,"  replied  the  Earl,  "  he's 
just  got  Cockburn  Law  in  his  throat !  " 


273 


THE  DANGER  OF  FOLLOWING  ANOTHER  RIDER 
TOO  CLOSELY  AT  A  FENCE. 

Special  care  should  always  be  taken  never  to 
follow  the  horse  of  another  rider  too  closely  at  a  fence, 
because  if  his  horse  should  refuse  a  collision  is  almost 
sure  to  occur  by  riding-  into  each  other. 

The  rider  should  always  avoid  riding  before 
hounds,  and  he  should  never  cross  the  "  trail  "  in  front 
of  them.  With  a  light  scent  hounds  are  frequently  at 
fault,  and  the  difficulty  of  striking  the  original  line  is 
greatly  enhanced  by  the  close  proximity  of  riders. 
Therefore,  when  a  ''check"  occurs,  the  rider  should 
dismount  in  order  to  rest  his  horse,  and  should  leave 
the  huntsman  and  hounds  to  find  the  "  trail "  them- 
selves. 

THE  RIDER  SHOULD  NEVER  SUGGEST  A    "  LIKELY " 
'  TRAIL. 

Unless  the  rider  has  absolutely  seen  the  fox  he 
should  never  volunteer  any  advice  to  those  responsible 
for  hounds.  He  should  never  suggest  a  "  likely  " 
trail,  because  no  huntsman  cares  to  be  interfered  with 
in  the  honourable  profession  which  he  has  made  it  the 
business  of  his  life  to  improve  and  to  perfect. 

The  rider  should  always  be  ready  to  dismount 
with  the  object  of  pulling  down  a  fence  he  cannot 
jump,  or  to  hold  the  horse  of  another  rider  for  the 
same  purpose ;  and  he  should  never  gallop  away  until 
the  other  rider  is  properly  mounted  again.     Nothing 

T 


274 

appears  more  selfish  than  this,  and  a  number  of 
excitable  horses  will  not  stand  to  be  mounted  when 
another  horse  rushes  away  from  them  at  full  gallop. 

Particular  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  out  of  the 
huntsman's  way,  and  any  assistance  he  may  ask  should 
always  be  ungrudgingly  rendered. 

With  a  horse  that  is  inclined  to  refuse  his  fences, 
it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  fellow  immediately  behind  a 
steady  reliable  jumper.  When  a  straight  lead  is  ob- 
tained from  another  rider  in  this  way  it  is  generally 
instrumental  in  persuading  the  horse  to  jump ;  indeed 
an  acknowledged  uncertain  fencer  can  be  coaxed  over 
by  this  method  when  all  other  treatment  fails. 

INCIDENTS  OF  THE  HUNTING  FIELD. 

The  rider  should  never  laugh  nor  make  any  sar- 
castic remarks  to  another  who  may  fall  at  a  fence.  It 
may  be  his  own  turn  to  go  down  at  the  next  when  the 
other  would  be  in  a  position  to  retort  with  considerable 
interest.  For  example,  an  old  gentleman,  who  was 
more  to  be  congratulated  upon  his  fondness  for  the 
sport  than  for  the  security  of  his  seat  in  the  saddle, 
had  fallen  off  at  a  fence  and  was  just  in  the  act  of 
mounting  when  another  sportsman  rode  up,  with  the 
exclamation — "  Halloa  !  old  fellow,  another  fall  !" 

"  Fall,  sir  !"  replied  the  old  gentleman  with  affected 
disdain,  *'  Do  you  tJiink  I  was  going  to  leave  my  hat?'' 

There  are  many  adventures  in  the  hunting-field, 
and  most  followers  can  relate  some  which  are  both 
interesting  and  amusing. 


2/5 

On  ascending  and  descending  steep  ravines  it  is 
preferable  for  the  rider  to  dismount  and  lead  his 
horse,  whilst  he  should  always  be  ready  to  give  a 
lady  the  advantag'e  of  the  best  ground,  and  to  render 
her  any  assistance  she  may  require  in  getting  over 
awkward  and  dangerous  obstacles. 

THINGS  TO   BE    AVOIDED. 

Generally  speaking,  riding  amongst  sheep  should 
be  avoided  as  far  as  possible,  particularly  amongst  in- 
lamb-ewes,  as  it  is  well  known  to  practical  and  exper- 
ienced hunting  m^n  that  disastrous  consequences 
frequently  follow  the  disturbance  of  in-lamb-ewes. 
When  in-lamb-ewes  are  excited  and  rushed  together 
by  hounds  the  chances  are  that  a  large  percentage  of 
abortions  are  very  likely  to  occur  immediately  after, 
as  well  as  a  number  of  displacements  at  a  later  stage, 
and  the  Icsses  entailed  on  farmers  by  this  indiscretion 
are  sometimes  heavy.  Sheep  folded  on  turnips  should 
also  be  avoided  as  far  as  it  is  practicable  ;  they  are 
frequently  confined  in  small  areas  and  will  rush  over 
nets  and  other  obstacles  when  hounds  are  near. 
Scent  will  not  lie  where  sheep  are  closely  folded 
together — a  fact  which  sly  reynard  is  ever  watchful  to 
take  advantage  of.  Many  a  good  rattling  run  has 
been  brought  to  an  abrupt  termination  by  coming  in 
contact  with  sheep.  Gates  should  not  be  left  open  if 
possible  as  great  inconvenience  is  often  entailed  upon 
shepherds  by  stock  getting  mixed,  etc.  ;  the  work  of 
a  few   seconds   on   the   part   of  riders  will  frequently 


2/6 

save  hours  of  work  and  worry  to  shepherds,  and  it  is 
well  to  have  these  generally  obliging  and  intelligent 
men  on  the  side  of  the  hunt.  Generally  speaking, 
shepherds  have  a  good  deal  in  their  power  and  can 
make  or  mar  the  pleasures  of  the  hunt  to  a  very  large 
extent.  This  is  well  known  to  all  experienced  hunt- 
ing men,  therefore,  it  is  generally  a  wise  policy  to 
enlist  their  sympathies  in  the  hunt.  What  is  applic- 
able to  shepherds  is  also  applicable  to  gamekeepers 
and  trappers,  and  many  masters  of  hounds  give  these 
men  an  annual  dinner,  combined  with  a  shooting 
competition,  in  recognition  of  their  support.  This 
recognition  is  encouraging  and  acts  as  a  stimulus  to 
future  effort. 

Seeds  and  winter  corn  must  not  be  ridden  over  ;  it 
is  by  hunting  men  indulging  in  these  indiscretions 
that  farmers  sometimes  dislike  the  hunt,  and,  in  order 
to  protect  their  stock  and  crops,  put  up  barbed  wire 
in  such  profusion.  These  indiscretions,  however,  are 
generally  executed  by  inexperienced  followers,  and  it 
is  very  unfortunate  that  thoroughly  good  sportsmen 
should  suffer  in  consequence.  It  is  a  lamentable  fact 
that  many  true  lovers  of  the  hunter  and  hound  are 
abandoning  the  chase  altogether  because  of  the 
dangers  of  barbed  wire. 

WHAT   TO   DO   WHEN   THE   RUN    IS   FINISHED. 

When  the  run  is  ended  the  horse  should  be  ridden 
slowly  home,  given  a  drink  of  gruel,  and  thoroughly 
groomed,  whilst   his   legs  should   be  attended  to  in 


277 


the  matter  of  bandages,  directions  for  which  are  given 
elsewhere.  As  a  rule,  the  horse  will  be  more  com- 
fortable in  a  box  than  in  a  stall  as  he  can  stretch  and 
roll  himself  about  with  absolute  freedom. 


2/8 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

HOW  TO  TRAIN  A  COLT  TO  HOUNDS. 

In  training  a  colt  to  hounds  the  rider  must  exer- 
cise great  discretic  n  in  commencing  with  him.  The 
coh  should  be  quietly  ridden  to  the  meet,  and  if  the 
rider  only  let  him  see  the  hounds  it  will  be  quite 
enough  for  him  the  first  day.  He  must  avoid  going 
in  amongst  the  hounds,  or  even  very  near  them,  for 
the  colt,  being  entirely  unacquainted  with  the  unusual 
excitement  of  the  meet,  may  let  out  with  his  hind  foot 
and  wound  or  kill  a  favourite  hound,  which  would 
bring  down  the  wrath  of  the  huntsman  upon  his  head  ; 
at  the  same  time  it  would  give  the  colt  a  nasty  lesson 
that  he  would  be  very  likely  to  remember  in  future. 

THE   USE  OF   DOGS   IN   TRAINING. 

It  is  a  capital  plan  when  breaking  a  colt  for  the 
rider  always  to  have  a  dog  or  two  accompanying  him. 
The  colt  becomes  familiarised  with  their  companion- 
ship both  upon  the  road  and  in  the  stable.  Their 
presence  upon  the  road  has  an  excellent  effect  in 
reducing  the  tendencies  of  the  colt  to  shy  at  the 
sudden  appearance  of  objects,  because  the  dogs  are 


2/9 

continually  crossing-  and  re-crossing  before  him, 
dodging  through  holes  in  the  hedgerows,  occasionally 
falling  behind  and  hurrying  up  again  at  full  speed, 
and  in  innumerable  other  ways,  which  all  tend  to 
reduce  the  keen  edge  from  his  shying  propensities, 
whether  constitutional  or  acquired,  and  persuade  him 
to  conceive  the  idea  that  the  various  orders  of  the 
canine  tribe  arc  nearer  being  his  true  friends  than  his 
mortal  enemies. 

WHAT   TO   DO   WITH   A   COLT   AT   THE   MEET. 

« 

A  three -year -old  colt  may  be  ridden  to  the 
meet  twice  a  week  if  within  easy  distance,  but  no 
attempt  should  ever  be  made  to  follow,  although  when 
he  is  four  years  old  he  may  be  given  some  lessons  in 
hunting.  At  the  meet,  before  a  start  is  made,  the 
rider  should  always  keep  the  colt  on  the  move  well 
clear  of  the  hounds  and  the  other  riders,  and  if  he 
show  any  symptons  of  nervousness,  which  he  can 
demonstrate  in  many  ways,  by  becoming  restless, 
pawing  the  ground,  snorting,  etc.,  the  rider  should 
keep  constantly  caressing  him,  assuring  him  by  gentle, 
firm  words,  and  endeavour  to  restore  his  confidence. 
If  the  colt  should  grow  thoroughly  excited  and  lose  his 
temper  the  rider  must  be  very  careful  to  preserve  his  ; 
because  if  he  lose  his  temper  and  begin  to  punish  the 
colt,  and  coerce  him  into  accomplishing  that  which  he 
has  not  been  adequately  trained  to  understand,  he  will 
ruin  him.  In  all  likelihood  the  colt  will  resist,  while 
he  will  acquire  a  jealous  dislike  of  hounds  in  future. 


28o 


In  addition  to  this,  the  rider  may  figure  in  the  eyes 
of  the  whole  field  in  the  supremely  ridiculous  posi- 
tion of  being  not  the  conqueror  but  the  conquered  ; 
and  in  coming  off  only  second  best  he  may  rest 
assured  that  the  colt  will  endeavour  on  any  similar 
occasion  to  maintain  his  past  victory.  Therefore,  if 
the  rider  is  disposed  to  lose  his  equanimity  in  such 
circumstances  he  had  better  transfer  the  colt  to  the 
hands  of  some  one  in  possession  of  a  better  temper 
and  a  cooler  head. 

HOW   TO   CHOOSE   A   GUIDE. 

As  soon  as  the  familiar  "Tally -Ho"  is  sounded 
the  rider  should  get  immediately  in  the  wake  of  some 
friend  whom  he  knows  to  be  a  judicious  follower  and 
well  mounted.  He  should  avoid,  if  possible,  following 
any  one  except  the  huntsman  and  whips  in  pink  and 
white  habiliments — not  that  the  colt  will  be  frightened 
for  such  extravagant  colours,  but  because  many  gentle- 
men who  wear  pink  object  to  be  utilised  as  ''  pace- 
makers." A  straight  rider,  however,  can  generally  be 
selected  from  am'~>ngst  the  wearers  of  less  gaudy 
apparel,  for,  as  previously  pointed  out,  a  straight  cross- 
country rider  is  not  dependent  on  the  colour  of  his 
coat.  The  rider  should  endeavour  to  maintain  his 
ground  within  twenty  or  thirty  yards  of  his  chosen 
guide  and  keep  the  colt  well  in  hand  at  his  fences, 
while  he  should  collect  him  well  together  and  give 
him  plenty  of  time  in  crossing  the  ** plough." 


>28l 


HOW   TO   PUT   THE   COLT   AT   HIS   FENCES. 

The  rider  must  be  careful  to  give  the  colt  abun- 
dance of  time  at  his  fences,  and  should  encourage 
him  to  negotiate  them  without  exciting  him.  If,  as 
very  frequently  occurs,  a  cluster  of  riders  are  drawn 
up  in  the  corner  of  a  field  waiting  until  an  awkward 
gate  is  opened,  or  waiting  their  turn  to  jump  through 
a  narrow  gap  in  a  fence,  the  rider  should  pull  the  colt 
up  a  hundred  yards  away  and  walk  him  quietly  for- 
ward. No  good  purpose  is  served  by  galloping  reck- 
lessly up  amongst  the  other  riders  and  then  having  to 
wait  until  a  chance  arrives  of  jumping  over,  besides 
some  horses  might  refuse  and  this  would  be  a  bad 
example  for  the  colt.  The  rider  must  studiously 
avoid  getting  mixed  up  in  a  crush  because  the  colt 
may  kick  out  and  injure  the  horse  of  another  rider, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  some  vicious  thoroughbred 
"  weed  "  may  "  shake  hands  "  with  the  colt  with  that 
ready  dexterity  and  un^pleasant  force  peculiar  to  the 
temper  and  heels  of  the  breed. 

HOW   TO    MANAGE   A   DOUBLE   FENCE. 

When  an  unusually  awkward  fence  intervenes — a 
double  fence  with  a  ditch,  or  ditches,  for  instance — 
the  rider  should  teach  him  to  accomplish  it  at  a  walk 
so  that  he  can  plant  his  feet  firmly  on  the  ground 
between  the  fences  in  order  to  collect  himself  for  his 
second  spring.  If  the  rider  push  him  fast  and  furi- 
ously at  a  fence  of  this  nature  he  may  attempt  to 
jump  it  at  a  single  stride,  and   the  chances  are  that 


282 


the  rider  will  arrive  at  the  other  side  a  few  seconds 
before  the  colt,  and  his  position  as  he  kisses  the  cold 
lips  of  mother  earth  will  not  be  the  most  enviable 
or  inspiring"  in  the  world,  whilst  he  may  very  easily 
break  his  neck  and  that  of  the  colt  into  the  bargain. 

HOW   TO   GET  OVER   DANGEROUS   PLACES. 

The  rider  should  never  miss  a  chance  of  educating 
the  colt  to  lead  over  difficult  and  dangerous  places 
such  as  a  gap  in  a  stone  wall  nearly  level  with  the 
ground.  He  will  manage  it  with  far  greater  safety 
than  if  he  attempt  to  ride  him  over  it.  In  dismount- 
ing, the  rider  should  draw  the  snaffle  rein  over  the 
colt's  head  and  push  the  double  of  it  through  the  near 
ring  of  the  snaffle ;  he  will  thus  transfer  the  limited 
power  over  him  from  behind  his  ears  to  his  mouth, 
and  in  consequence  will  guide  him  with  much  greater 
facility. 

DANGERS  OF   HUNTING  GATES. 

The  rider  must  exercise  extreme  caution  in  going 
through  narrow  hunting  gates  so  as  not  to  catch  the 
posts  on  either  side,  because  if  he  became  entangled 
he  might  sustain  severe  bruises  to  his  limbs.  When 
any  accident  occurs  at  a  hunting  gate  the  colt  will 
acquire  a  very  dangerous  habit  of  bolting  through  at 
a  bound — ^just  the  same  as  bolting  out  of  harness 
when  unyoking,  which  is  generally  the  result  of  a 
fright  occasioned  in  most  instances  by  pure  careless- 
ness. 


283 


HOW  TO   CROSS   STREAMS. 

In  fording  waters  the  rider  should  make  a  point 
of  following  some  one  else  at  a  respectable  distance, 
and  if  it  become  unpleasantly  deep  he  can  change 
his  course  without  getting  a  ducking,  which  is  not 
particularly  enjoyable  on  a  November  morning.  Of 
course  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  rider  can- 
not always  have  his  own  way,  and  occasionally  he 
may  be  placed  in  the  same  position  as  the  two  ladies 
who  asked  a  half-witted  lad  if  he  would  be  oblig- 
ing enough  to  go  *  upon  the  ice  to  test  its  strength 
before  beginning  to  skate,  but  who,  looking  up  with 
a  knowing  smile,  replied — ''  Na,  na  !  ladies  aye  get 
the  preference."  Therefore,  if,  Hke  the  ladies  on  the 
ice,  the  rider  has  to  take  the  initiative  in  fording 
water  he  should  always  look  out  for  a  shallow  with 
an  easy  landing-place  and  should  keep  the  colt's  head 
inclined  up  the  stream. 

HOW  TO   AVOID   MARSHES. 

The  same  directions  may  be  followed  in  regard 
to  bogs  and  marshes.  An  experienced  eye  can  gen- 
erally detect  them  from  the  smooth-looking  verdure 
which  covers  the  hidden  and  treacherous  swamp  ; 
but  if  the  rider  should  be  caught  unawares  he  must 
dismount  at  once  in  order  to  relieve  the  colt  of  his 
weight,  and  assist  him  out  as  speedily  as  possible. 
He  should  be  careful  not  to  turn  the  colt  too  abruptly 
or  he  will  twist  and  sprain  him  to  a  dangerous  degree, 
indeed,  it  is  an  easy  matter  for  the  colt  to  break  one 


284 

or  more  of  his  legs  in  his  frantic  plunges  to  relieve 
himself. 

THE   COLT   SHOULD   BE   TRAINED   TO    STOP   WHEN 
HIS   RIDER   FALLS   OFF. 

If  the  rider  meet  with  a  *'  spill "  the  colt  should 
be  trained  to  stop  for  him  as  fully  described  in  a 
former  chapter.  It  is  a  splendid  qualification  for  a 
hunter  to  possess,  and  if  well  trained  when  young 
he  will  not  be  likely  to  forget  it.  The  writer  has  seen 
a  mare  trained  so  perfectly  in  this  excellent  accom- 
plishment that  at  sixteen  years  of  age  she  not  only 
stopped  but  returned  for  her  rider  who  came  off  at 
a  fence,  though  she  had  not  been  hunted  since  she 
was  a  four -year -old  ;  thus,  twelve  years  later  she 
faithfully  and  unerringly  practised  the  perfect  educa- 
tion of  her  youth. 

WHEN   TO   DISCONTINUE   THE   RUN. 

The  rider  must  exercise  special  prudence  in  dis- 
continuing the  run,  not  when  the  colt  has  got  enough 
but  before  he  has  got  enough.  The  rider  should 
always  let  his  anticipation  of  the  colt's  fatigue  pre- 
cede the  unmistakable,  or  even  slight  indications  of 
it,  and  if  he  miscalculate  the  colt's  stability  by 
under -estimating  it  he  will  do  him  no  harm  ;  but 
if  he  follow  till  the  colt  display  the  usual  symptoms 
of  weariness  he  may  tire  and  "bottom"  him  and  he 
may  not  be  as  fresh  again  for  that  season,  indeed 
it    is    doubtful    if   he    will    ever    overcome    a    proper 


285 

"  bottoming."  The  rider  must  never  permit  himself 
—  even  in  the  maddening  dehght  of  a  dashing  and 
brilHant  spin  —  to  give  the  colt  a  really  hard  day's 
hunting  until  he  is  five  years  of  age,  when  he  has 
attained  the  age  of  horsehood  and  comes  within  the 
term  ''  made  hunter " ;  and  if  the  method  of  train- 
ing him  which  has  been  advocated  is  adopted  and 
practised  throughout  it  will  be  found  to  work  with 
signal  and  uniform  success.  The  result  will  be  a 
"  made  hunter "  perfect  in  the  varied  work  of  the 
hunting -field  in  any  district,  and  if  carefully  ridden 
and  kindly  treated  he  will  generally  become  as 
passionately  fond  of  hunting  as  the  keenest  and  most 
enthusiastic  rider.  Thus,  in  hunting  as  in  other 
classes  of  work,  kindness  triumphs  over  cruelty,  and 
the  results  of  the  latter  will  not  compare  with  the 
former  in  one  single  case  for  rider  and  horse  com- 
bined. 

Whilst  it  is  necessary,  as  already  mentioned,  to 
be  careful  not  to  gallop  a  colt  too  far  or  too  long, 
it  is  equally  essential  that  he  should  be  ridden  by  a 
light-weight  rider  in  possession  of  light  hands  and 
"a  cool  head.  These  latter  qualifications  mean  much 
for  the  future  welfare  of  the  colt.  At  the  same  time, 
however,  it  is  not  denied  that  some  men  of  greater 
weight  can  ride  lighter  than  others  who  are  physically 
lighter,  in  consequence  of  their  fine  balance  and  feel- 
ing of  the  colt.  On  paper  this  appears  somewhat 
paradoxical,  but  it  is  easily  detected  in  the  hunting- 
field  by  the  keen  eye  of  an  experienced  horseman. 


286 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

COLOUR    OF    HORSES. 

To  anyone  who  has  studied  zoology,  the  variation 
in  the  colour  of  horses  has  always  been  a  most  inter- 
esting problem.  Broadly  speaking,  there  are  seven 
standard  colours  amongst  British  horses,  viz.  :  — 
browns,  bays,  blacks,  chesnuts,  greys,  duns,  and 
roans.  These  are  mentioned  in  the  order  in  which 
they  prevail  numerically.  Piebalds,  skewbalds,  and 
whites  can  scarcely  be  classified  as  standard  colours, 
but  will  be  briefly  considered  later.  In  each  of  the 
standard  colours  enumerated,  there  are  various  inter- 
vening shades  extending  from  the  lightest  to  the 
darkest  hue.  These  extremes  practically  merge  into 
other  colours,  and  in  many  cases  it  is  difficult  to 
determine  where  they  begin  and  where  they  end. 
The  colour  of  horses  is  believed  to  be  determined 
by  the  pigmental  colouring  (melanin)  present  in  the 
blood  and  skin,  and,  in  passing,  it  is  interesting  to 
note  in  this  connection  that  the  repulsive  disease 
known  to  veterinary  science  as  melanosis,  only  attacks 
light-grey  and  white  horses,  in  consequence  of  the 
absence  or  unequal  distribution  of  melanin. 


28/ 

Whilst  this  law  holds  good  with  horses,  however, 
it  is  not  so  with  cattle,  as  melanosis  may  attack  the 
latter  of  whatever  colour  ;  thus  it  would  appear  that 
bovine  pigmentation  is  less  equally  distributed  and 
fixed  than  equine  pigmentation.  The  white  horses 
referred  to  here  must  not  be  understood  as  albinos, 
but  rather  as  faded  or  reverted  greys.  Generally 
speaking,  dark-coloured  horses  possess  more  melanin 
than  light-coloured  ones,  and  are  believed  to  be  gen- 
erally hardier  in  consequence. 

Browns  and  dark  browns  are  generally  beautifully 
dappled  over  the  shoulders  and  quarters.  Whether 
this  dappling,  apparent  miniature  moons  in  shadow, 
is  inherited  from  the  striped  ancestors  of  the  horse, 
or  is  caused  by  a  gradual  arrestment  of  pigmentation, 
it  is  difficult  to  say.  Perhaps  it  may  be  fairly  reason- 
able to  assume  that  the  former  is  the  cause  and  the 
latter  the  effect,  though  they  both  act  in  undefined 
conjunction.  Since  domestication  has  rendered  un- 
necessary the  broken  colouring  essential  in  the 
**  struggle  for  existence "  in  a  wild  state,  it  does  not 
seem  a  very  unwarrantable  hypothesis  to  assume  that 
ancestral  striping  has  been  slowly  and  gradually 
abandoned  for  whole  colours. 

All  faculties,  mental  and  physical,  that  are  not 
cultivated  by  general  use,  cease,  in  time,  by  a  gradual 
process  of  deterioration  to  be  of  definite  service,  and 
become  functionless  —  individually  and  collectively  — 
thus,  when  the  problem  of  self-preservation  became 
less  acute   under   a   circumscribed    environment   due 


288 


to  domestication,  these  distinctive  ancestral  stripes 
might  gradually  merge  into  whole  colours,  and  a 
solidifying  pigmentation  might  accompany  the  pro- 
cess. 

The  broken  colours  of  wild  animals  greatly  help 
to  screen  them  from  the  attacks  of  other  animals  ;  for 
instance,  Professor  Cossar  Ewart,  F.R.S.,  in  •'The 
Penicuik  Experiments,"  points  out  that  a  zebra, 
twenty  or  thirty  yards  distant,  can  scarcely  be  seen 
in  a  star-light  night  in  consequence  of  the  absence 
of  outline  caused  by  its  vertical  stripes.  On  the 
other  hand,  carnivorous  animals,  such  as  the  tiger, 
are  similarly  broken  coloured,  which  is  no .  doubt  a 
beneficent  provision  of  nature  to  aid  them  in  procur- 
ing their  prey  more  easily,  so  that  it  is  reasonable 
to  infer  that  the  instincts  of  animals  in  nature  are 
much  more  acutely  strung  than  those  of  animals  that 
are  necessarily  dulled  by  domestication. 

Bay  horses  are  generally  held  in  great  esteem, 
particularly  if  they  possess  the  orthodox  "  four  black 
points."  In  hardy  sorts  the  manes,  tails,  and  legs, 
from  the  knees  and  hocks  to  the  feet,  should  be 
black  ;  when  bay  hairs  are  interspersed  in  the  manes 
and  tails,  and  the  legs  are  tinged  with  bay  to  the 
feet,  horses  thus  coloured  are  generally  considered 
soft.  Although  there  are  exceptions  to  every  rule, 
this  description  is  a  pretty  accurate  one,  and  may- 
be relied  upon  as  a  safe  guide  in  the  purchase  of  bay 
horses.  Faint  dappling  appears  in  richer -coloured 
i>ays,  and,  indeed,  in  horses  of  most  colours. 


289 

Black  horses,  of  a  deep  shade,  generally  possess 
g-ood  constitutions  and  calm  temperaments,  and,  as 
a  rule,  are  excellent  workers.  Those  of  a  dingy  hue, 
merging  into  a  sort  of  blue-dun,  are  generally  less  reli- 
able ;  many  of  the  former  are  dappled,  but  very  few 
of  the  latter,  so  that  here,  as  in  other  colours,  dappling 
may  be  considered  as  an  indication  of  hardiness. 

Of  all  colours  chesnut  is  perhaps  the  most  widely 
varied,  because  any  colour  between  very  light  dun 
and  dingy  black  may  pass  for  chesnut.  It  is  believed 
that  chesnut  is  a  cornposite  colour  produced  by  black 
and  grey.  A  typical  chesnut  should  be  whole-col- 
oured to  the  feet,  with  the  mane  and  tail  a  shade 
darker  than  the  body  and  legs.  Horses  with  light- 
coloured  manes  and  tails,  and  tapering  lighter  to  the 
feet,  are  often  soft  constitutionally  and  bad  tempered. 
Chesnuts,  more  frequently  than  any  other  colour, 
possess  extravagant  blazes  of  white  on  the  faces  and 
legs,  which  are  very  conspicuous.  White  fore  legs 
to  the  knee  are  supposed  to  be  weak,  owing  to  the 
absence  of  melanin.  Occasionally  they  have  white 
blotches  on  the  belly  and  sides,  and  nearly  all  ches- 
nuts have  a  few  dark  chocolate  spots,  varying  in  size 
from  one  to  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter,  about 
the  quarters.  These  spots  are  easily  distinguished 
from  dappling,  and  are  doubtless  caused  by  clustered 
or  unequal  distribution  of  pigmental  matter  ;  they 
appear  very  prominently  just  after  horses  are  newly 
clipped.  Shadowy  dappling  appears  on  chesnuts  also, 
but  it  is  not  so  marked  as  on  browns  and  blacks. 

U 


290 

There  are  several  varieties  of  greys,  amongst  which 
stand  out  prominently  iron  greys,  dapple  greys,  and 
speckled,  or,  as  they  are  familiarly  termed,  ''  flea- 
bitten  "  greys.  The  first  shade  consists  of  alternate 
hairs  of  white,  grey,  and  black,  and  there  are  many 
tints  from  very  light  to  very  dark.  All  grey  horses 
become  lighter  in  shade  as  they  grow  older,  many 
getting  practically  white  when  advanced  in  years. 
Dark  dapple  greys  are  very  beautiful,  the  dappling 
in  this  variety  being  much  more  pronounced  than 
in  any  other  colour.  As  a  rule,  the  heads  of  grey 
horses  are  lighter  coloured  than  other  parts  of  their 
bodies.  Nearly  all  grey  horses  are  pleasant  tempered 
and  good  workers.  Their  conspicuous  appearance 
and  their  susceptibility  to  stain  with  dirt,  as  previ- 
ously pointed  out,  are  the  chief  objections  to  them, 
in   addition   to  their   liability  to  contract  melanosis. 

Dun  horses  are  believed  to  possess  the  base  colour 
of  their  early  ancestors,  the  traces  of  striping  being 
more  apparent  on  duns  than  on  any  other  colour. 
All  dun  horses  possess  the  dorsal  band  and  leg  stripes, 
and  some  of  them  have  also  shoulder  and  frontal 
stripes.  Most  foals  are  a  kind  of  dun  at  birth,  which 
appears  to  favour  the  theory  that  dun  was  the  general 
colour  of  the  progenitors  of  the  horse.  As  a  rule, 
dun  horses  have  only  middling  confirmation,  but  they 
are  generally  sound  and  hardy,  and  it  is  held  by  some 
authorities  that  they  are  exceptionally  sure-footed. 

There  are  three  distinct  shades  of  roan  —  blue, 
bay,    and    chesnut.      Roan    is   also  believed   to  be  a 


291 

composite  colour,  but  one  which  is  very  much  older 
than  chesnut.  Unlike  chesnuts,  few  roans  have  white 
marking-s,  which  is  a  great  feature  in  their  favour  for 
matching-  purposes  in  harness.  Another  distinguish- 
ing characteristic  of  roans  is  that  their  heads  are 
generally  darker -coloured  than  their  bodies,  which 
is  exactly  the  converse  of  greys.  Roans,  especially 
blues  and  bays,  may  be  classed  as  good -tempered, 
docile  horses,  and  are  possessed  of  excellent  con- 
stitutions. 

Large  white  blazes  in  the  faces  of  horses,  and 
white  legs  up  to  the  knees  and  hocks,  are  not  desir- 
able, and  it  is  well  to  discourage  their  production  as 
much  as  possible.  A  white  star  in  the  forehead  and 
a  pair  of  white  pasterns  behind,  however,  rather  tend 
to  brighten  up  the  appearance  of  a  horse,  but  they 
are  generally  in  the  way  when  matching  is  considered. 
A  strange  peculiarity  is  that  white  markings  predom- 
inate on  the  near  limbs,  the  near  hind  leg  being 
white  more  frequently  than  any  of  the  others. 

Piebalds  and  skewbalds  may  be  briefly  considered 
together  ;  the  former  are  black  and  white  and  the 
latter  bay  and  white.  As  the  colouring  is  never 
uniform,  one  side  always  differing  from  another  on 
the  same  pony,  they  are  not  desirable  from  any  point 
of  view,  though  some  people  with  extravagant  tastes 
prefer  them.  They  do  not  often  appear  in  the  larger 
breeds  of  horses,  but  are  often  fairly  plentiful  amongst 
ponies. 

White  horses  proper,  those  with   pink  skins,  are 


292 

not  really  British,  but  are  believed  to  be  of  Flemish 
origin.  They  are  very  docile,  easily  trained,  and 
figure  prominently  in  circuses.  The  tender  pink  skin 
suggests  delicacy  of  constitution  and  ceems  better 
adapted  to  warm  than  to  cold  climates. 

In  addition  to  the  majority  of  foals  being  dun- 
coloured  at  birth,  they  have  apparent  striping  over 
the  rump  and  forehead.  In  certain  lights  and  at 
certain  angles  these  appear  to  be  actual  stripes,  but 
a  close  examination  will  reveal  the  fact  that  they  are 
largely  fanciful.  This  subt-e  colouring  is  produced 
by  the  ridges  and  waves  in  the  coat,  because,  when 
the  hair  is  pressed  down  and  kept  flat  they  disappear 
at  once,  but  immediately  the  hair  is  released  they 
reappear.  Too  much  importance  has  frequently  been 
attached  to  these  water-stripes  by  zoologists  in  en- 
deavouring to  connect  the  first  coat  of  the  foal  with 
its  remote  ancestors.  As  a  matter  of  fact  these  subtle 
ridges  naturally  disappear  with  the  shedding  of  the 
first  coat,  and,  as  a  rule,  are  never  again  seen.  There 
are  exceptional  cases  where  faint  stripes  are  retained 
for  several  years,  apart  from  the  deeply-marked  lines 
peculiar  to  dun  horses,  but  to  assert  that  all  foals 
possess  actual  stripes  at  birth  is  a  delusion  resulting 
from  a  too  superficial  examination.  The  colour  of  a 
foal  is  no  indication  of  the  colour  it  will  be  when  it 
has  attained  the  age  of  horsehood. 

Most  horses  when  newly  clipped  are  a  different 
colour,  which  is  explained  by  the  base  of  the  hair 
being   a    different   shade  from  the  ends.      Generally 


293 

speaking,  horses  clip  out  lighter  coloured  than  they 
appear  in  their  natural  coats,  and  the  difference  is 
sometimes  wonderful,  still,  with  the  exception  of  very 
rare  cases,  they  generally  clip  out  to  a  colour  strongly 
savouring  of  dun,  with  all  its  intermediate  shades 
between  very  light  and  very  dark. 

The  old  adage  that  "  A  good  horse  is  never  a  bad 
colour  "  contains  precisely  the  same  amount  of  truth 
as  its  converse,  viz.,  ''A  bad  horse  is  never  a  good 
colour."  By  this  definition  the  quality  of  colour  is 
put  at  a  discount  ^s  against  the  capability  of  the 
horse  itself.  Exceptions,  however,  are  necessary  in 
order  to  prove  rules,  and,  when  a  number  of  horses 
are  passed  through  hand,  and  a  faithful  record  kept, 
it  will  be  found  on  the  average  that  good  horses  are 
generally  good  coloured. 


294 


CHAPTER   XXVI 1 1. 
STABLE    MANAGEMENT. 

It  is  a  generally  recognised  fact  that  unless  horses 
arc  properly  managed  in  the  stable  they  cannot 
reasonably  be  expected  in  the  field,  or  on  the  road, 
to  do  their  work  so  well,  look  so  nice,  or  remain  so 
healthy  as  when  thoroughly  well  attended  to  gener- 
ally. 

REGULARITY   IN   FEEDING. 

In  the  matter  of  feeding,  regularity  should  be 
aimed  at.  Horses  should  be  fed  as  regularly  as  the 
clock  goes  round,  or  we  can  never  have  fresh,  well- 
thriven  horses.  A  horse  that  is  fed  regularly  will 
be  in  better  condition  on  three  measures  of  corn  in 
the  day  than  one  that  is  fed  irregularly  will  be  on 
four.  He  knows  exactly  when  his  attendant  will  feed 
him,  and  does  not  weary  for  his  meals;  whereas,  a 
horse  on  the  other  hand  that  is  fed  at  any  and  all 
times  is  never  really  satisfied,  and  will  weary  his  life 
out  waiting  for  his  careless  attendant  and  his  meals. 
Irregularity  in  feeding  is  also  a  productive  cause  of 
many  stable  vices. 


^95 


QUANTITY   OF   FODDER. 

No  more  straw  or  hay  should  be  placed  before 
a  horse  in  the  morning  than  he  can  eat  cleanly  up 
in  an  hour.  A  less  quantity  should  be  given  at 
mid-day,  and  in  the  evening  he  should  never  get 
any  more  than  will  reasonably  serve  him  over  the 
night.  Some  men,  through  pure  ignorance  of  a 
horse's  requirements,  will  fill  his  rack  to  the  top, 
and  it  may  not  be  cleanly  eaten  out  for  a  week,  ay, 
and  in  many  cases^  a  month.  The  rack  is  always 
kept  full.  It  is  filled  to  overflowing  at  night,  and 
in  the  morning,  before  it  is  half  empty,  it  is  filled 
again.  Thus  the  horse,  in  a  great  measure,  is 
always  eating  old  soiled  fodder.  When  hay  or  straw 
has  been  twenty-four  hours  in  front  of  a  horse  its 
freshness  and  sweetness  are  reduced,  if  not  absolutely 
destroyed,  by  his  warm  breath  going  continually 
through  it.  As  horses  vary  so  much  in  size  and 
appetite,  it  is  difficult  to  lay  down  any  fixed  quantities 
for  their  consumption  ;  these  can  best  be  regulated 
by  their  attendants. 

Generally  speaking,  agricultural  horses  will  con- 
sume about  eighty  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds 
of  hay  per  week,  and  about  fifty-six  pounds  of  oats. 
In  addition  to  this  a  few  roots  may  be  given — carrots 
or  swedes — which  are  very  conducive  to  the  health 
of  horses,  only  care  must  be  taken  not  to  give  them 
too  many  at  a  time.  Eight  or  ten  fair-sized  carrots 
twice  a  day,   or   two   average-sized  swedes,   are  suffi- 


296 

cient.  Potatoes  should  never  be  served  to  horses 
raw,  but  should  always  be  well  boiled.  In  the  former 
condition  they  are  productive  of  scouring,  and  are 
highly  dangerous ;  when  served  in  the  latter  way 
they  form  a  very  safe,  nutritious  meal.  When  horses 
are  doing  extra  heavy  work  they  should  get  fifteen 
per  cent,  of  beans  amongst  their  oats,  and  whilst 
we  do  not  much  approve  of  maize,  twenty  per  cent, 
added  to  the  oats  will  generally  reduce  the  cost  of 
feed  very  considerably. 

QUALITY   OF   FOOD. 

It  is  almost  needless  to  impress  upon  readers  the 
necessity  of  using  horse-feed  only  of  the  best  quality. 
Hay  should  be  got  green  and  free  from  dust  and 
mould.  Inferior  hay,  which  has  been  heated,  is 
generally  full  of  dust,  and  when  served  to  the  horse 
may  produce  an  irritable  cough  which  may  easily  lead 
to  a  permanent  defect  in  his  wind.  Hay  that  is  dry 
and  brittle  should  also  be  avoided,  as  it  is  generally 
deficient  in  nutrition,  having  been  dried  too  much 
before  being  stacked.  Most  of  its  feeding  properties 
have  been  evaporated  into  the  atmosphere  in  conse- 
quence of  lying  too  long  on  the  ground  exposed  to 
the  rays  of  the  sun. 

The  same  remarks  apply  to  oats,  barley,  beans, 
and  all  other  commodities  with  which  the  horse  is 
fed.  Oats  should  always  be  given  crushed.  When 
crushed  they  are  more  easily  masticated,  especially  by 
horses  with    bad    teeth,  and   are    consequently  more 


297 

easily  digested.  Many  greedy  horses  will  bolt  their 
oats  whole,  consequently,  when  they  are  improperly 
masticated,  they  do  them  very  little  good.  This  is 
soon  discovered  by  the  quantities  of  whole  oats  which 
are  to  be  found  in  their  excrement.  A  little  chaff 
mixed  with  the  oats  is  a  good  preventive  when  crush- 
ing is  inconvenient.  It  prevents  horses  bolting  the 
corn  whole,  and  induces  them,  more  or  less,  to 
chew  it.  With  all  classes  of  horses  used  for  slow 
work  it  is  advantageous  to  chop  the  hay  by  means 
of  a  hay -cutter.  This  system  of  manger  feeding  is 
very  general  among  collieries,  and  is  also  being 
adopted  on  farms  to  a  very  large  extent.  A  great 
saving  of  hay  is  effected  and  the  expense  of  feeding 
is  correspondingly  reduced.  When  hay  is  scarce 
and  dear,  oat  straw  may  be  mixed  with  the  hay  in 
about  equal  quantities.  This  makes  a  capital  feed, 
and  horses  are  generally  very  fond  of  it. 

WATER. 

The  importance  of  a  good  supply  of  pure  water 
can  scarcely  be  over-estimated,  and,  if  possible,  it  is 
preferable  to  have  it  soft  rather  than  hard.  When 
a  horse  is  in  health  he  should  be  allowed  as  much 
water  as  he  cares  to  drink,  with  one  exception.  The 
exception  is  when  he  is  brought  in  from  a  journey 
tired  and  heated.  In  such  circumstances  he  should 
only  be  given  eight  or  ten  mouthfuls  of  water,  and  it 
is  safe  to  raise  its  temperature  to  sixty-five  or  seventy 
deg.  Fahr.,  simply  by  adding  a  little  hot  water.     After 


:S9^ 

the  horse  lias  tliorouglily  cooled  down  he  may  be 
given  a  bucketful  of  water.  The  horse  should  have 
the  offer  of  water  at  least  four  times  a  day  when 
a  tank  is  not  fixed  in  the  stall  beside  him.  The 
quantity  of  water  a  horse  will  drink  per  day  fluctuates 
according  to  his  constitution,  the  feeding  he  gets, 
and  the  nature  of  the  work  he  is  doing.  From  two 
to  three  bucketfuls  is  about  an  average  quantity  for 
an  average  horse  at  average  work.  Dirt}',  stagnant 
water  should  never  be  given  to  a  horse.  It  is  gen- 
erally full  of  putrefying  organic  matter  and  swarming 
with  multitudinous  animalcule  germs,  indeed,  the 
condition  of  the  one  is  a  necessity  to  the  other  — 
hence  the  importance  of  using  only  pure  water  for 
drinking  purposes.  Horses  should  never  be  allowed 
to  drink  from  ponds  nor  standing  water  of  any  kind  ; 
nor  should  they  ever  be  ridden  through  water,  as 
they  often  are,  with  the  object  of  washing  the  mud 
off  their  legs  when  they  are  brought  in  dirty  from 
a  journey.  Rough-legged  farm  horses  when  treated 
in  this  manner  must  necessarily  stand  wet  over  the 
whole  night,  and,  besides  being  productive  of  chills, 
it  is  instrumental  in  developing  grease,  cracked  heels, 
weeds,  and  several  other  diseases. 

GROOMING. 

The  horse  should  be  groomed  as  regularly  as  he 
is  fed,  for  a  well-groomed  horse,  as  in  the  case  of 
feeding,  will  thrive  better  on  three  feeds  of  oats  per 
day  than  a   badly-groomed   one  will   thrive  on   four. 


299 

When  a  liorsc  is  brought  in  wet  and  dirty  he  should 
be  washed  over,  scraped,  and  dried.  The  sheets 
should  be  placed  upon  him  and  his  legs  rolled  in 
flannel  bandages.  Of  course  agricultural  horses  can 
only  be  well  rubbed  down  to  make  them  as  dry  and 
clean  as  possible.  A  horse  should  never  be  left  to 
stand  all  wet  and  mud-bespattered  until  the  dirt  dry 
of  its  own  accord,  or  **  mud-fever  "  will  be  a  certain 
result  of  such  neglect.  The  best  way  to  produce  a 
glossy  coat  on  the  horse  is  to  rub  him  well  with  an 
ordinary  body  brush,  always  in  the  same  direction 
that  the  hair  lies,  then  he  should  be  wis[)ed  with 
slightly -damped  meadow  hay,  and  lastly  with  a 
smooth,  soft  cloth.  The  rubbing  produces  heat,  which 
promotes  circulation,  and  it  is  generally  beneficial  to 
health.  A  little  linseed  given  internally  will  materi- 
ally assist  the  groom's  efforts  externally  in  the  [)ro- 
duction  of  a  sleek,  shining  coat.  The  curry-comb 
should  never  be  used  on  higher-bred  horses  other 
than  in  simply  cleaning  the  brush,  because  when 
heavily  applied  to  the  horse  it  has  a  tendency  to 
break  and  open  his  coat.  The  horse  should  be 
thoroughly  well  groomed  over  at  least  twice  a  day. 
Higher-bred  horses  should  be  turned  in  the  stall  and 
well  cleaned  about  the  front,  particularly  under  the 
mane,  which  some  grooms  are  inclined  to  neglect 
if  not  watched  and  checked  for  their  nc^^Iigence.  As 
soon  as  this  is  done,  he  should  be  turned  up  in  the 
stall  and  his  body  and  hind  quarters  rubbed  in  the 
same  manner.     Finally,  his  mane  and  tail  should  be 


306 

combed,  then  brushed  with  a  damp  brush,  and  his 
eyes,  nose,  and  anus  sponged  clean  and  his  feet 
picked  out. 

NECESSITY    OF   CLEANLINESS. 

The  stall  should  be  well  bedded  at  night  with 
straw,  well  shaken  up  on  either  side  to  prevent  the 
horse  damaging"  himself  if  he  should  lie  down  too 
near  the  travis,  whilst  a  liberal  allowance  should  be 
spread  immediately  in  front  of  him  in  order  to  keep 
his  knees  as  far  from  the  hard  floor  as  possible.  Any 
kind  of  straw  is  preferable  to  the  best  moss  litter 
that  can  be  obtained.  The  latter  is  too  absorbent 
a  material.  It  absorbs  the  urine,  and  it  is  difficult  to 
separate  the  excrement  from  the  litter,  consequently 
the  horse  is  constantly  standing  on  damp,  filthy 
material,  the  result  of  which  may  be  running  thrushes, 
grease,  and  other  kindred  diseases.  All  the  walls  of 
the  stable  should  be  kept  scrupulously  clean.  If  tiled, 
they  can  be  frequently  washed,  and  if  only  plastered, 
like  ordinary  farm  stables,  they  can  be  regularly 
swept  down  and  limewashed  at  least  twice  a  year.  In 
order  to  economise  litter,  the  bedding  should  be  well 
shaken  and  the  wet  separated  from  the  dry,  whilst 
the  stall  should  be  well  swept  out  every  morning. 
It  is  a  good  plan  to  sprinkle  a  little  lime  over  the 
floor  occasionally,  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  deodorise 
any  noxious  vapours  that  may  arise.  All  the  gutters 
leading  to  the  drains  must  be  carefully  attended  to, 
and   if  possible  flushed   with   water  every  day.      All 


301 

the  sash-windows  should  be  opened  widely  in  the 
morning  as  soon  as  the  groom  enters  the  stable,  so 
as  to  let  a  current  of  fresh  air  sweep  through  the 
building.  This  will  accelerate  the  passage  of  the 
heated  air  emitted  from  the  horses  through  the  ven- 
tilators in  the  roof,  which,  being  lighter  than  ordinary 
air,  always  ascends. 

HARNESSING  THE   HORSE   FOR   GOING   OUT. 

In  bridling  a  horse  after  he  has  been  harnessed, 
he  should  not  be  turned  in  the  stall  until  the  bridle 
is  securely  fixed  upon  him.  Grooms  sometimes  train 
horses  to  wheel  round  as  soon  as  the  headstall  is 
taken  off,  no  doubt  under  the  impression  that  it  is 
clever,  but,  undoubtedly,  accidents  occur  by  horses 
rushing  out,  getting  kicked  by  others,  and  knock- 
ing the  skin  off  their  quarters  by  turning  abruptly 
in  narrow  stalls.  When  a  horse  is  turned  in  the 
stall  ready  harnessed  to  go  out,  he  should  always  be 
properly  secured  by  pillar  chains  with  safety  hooks 
on  either  side.  The  chains  should  be  long  enough 
to  give  him  sufficient  head  without  being  so  long 
as  to  permit  him  getting  forward  past  the  pillars ; 
while  they  should  be  fixed  high  up,  so  that  should  he 
become  restless  and  begin  pawing  he  will  not  get 
entangled  by  putting  his  legs  over  the  chains.  His 
feet  may  be  oiled  lightly  over,  though  some  people 
prefer  to  have  them  washed  clean  with  water.  In 
dry,  dusty  weather  the  latter  is  perhaps  preferable. 
A  horse  with  any  white  on   his  legs  requires  more 


302 

grooming  than  one  with  ''black  points."  The  white 
parts  must  be  washed  with  soft  soap  when  the  horse 
is  dressed  in  the  morning,  and  he  will  always  be 
clean  when  wanted.  The  last  thing"  to  do  before 
taking-  the  horse  out  is  to  carefully  comb  and  lightly 
water-brush  his  mane,  which  will  always  give  him 
a  smart  appearance. 

CLIPPING   AND   SINGEING. 

Clipping  horses  in  winter  when  their  coats  are 
rough  is  a  decided  advantage  both  to  the  horses 
and  their  attendants.  There  is  no  fixed  time  for 
clipping,  much,  of  course,  depending  upon  the  thick- 
ness and  setting  of  the  coats  of  different  horses.  A 
clipped  horse  is  able  to  do  a  great  deal  more  work 
than  an  undipped  one.  He  will  keep  fresher,  grow 
more  vigorous,  and  is  altogether  in  better  spirit  than 
a  horse  carrying  his  thick  winter  coat.  Many  a  horse 
that  cannot  be  kept  in  condition  previous  to  clipping 
will  often  grow  too  big  and  fit  for  his  work  after  his 
coat  is  removed.  The  legs  of  hunters  should  never 
be  clipped,  because  when  hunting  for  a  long  day 
over  a  wet,  dirty  district,  the  legs  in  consequence 
are  liable  to  strike  out  in  "  mud  fever,"  which  detracts 
from  the  appearance  of  horses,  and  is  a  disease 
which  takes  a  good  deal  of  time  and  trouble  to  cure. 
The  hair  should  be  left  on  the  legs  from  six  to  eight 
inches  above  the  knees  and  hocks,  and  it  should  slope 
upwards  from  rear  to  front  (Fig.  41 ).  The  hair  should 
also  be  left  on  the  back  of  the  horse  below  the  saddle, 


303 


which  gives  it  a  more  natural  feeh'ng-,  and  it  is  not 
so  likely  to  chafe  his  back  as  when  clipped  bare 
like  other  parts  of  his  body.  Carriage  and  harness 
horses  ma}  be  clipped  down  to  the  feet,  and  when 
brought  in  from  a  dirty  journey  they  must  be  cleaned 


Fig.  41. — Hunter  Clipped. 
(U  C,  undipped  portions.      X  X  X  X,  clipped  portions.) 


and  dried  at  once.  Farm  horses,  and  work  horses 
of  all  kinds,  should  only  be  clipped  ''half-rib,"  which 
means  that  the  hair  should  be  left  upon  their  backs 
down  to  the  turn  of  the  rib,  and  from  the  knees  to  the 


304 


feet  (Fig.  42).  Farm  horses  have  often  to  stand  for 
long  intervals  in  the  cold  ;  leaving  the  hair  over 
the  back  keeps  them  warm,  and,  when  the  clipping 
leaves  off  abruptly  at  the  round  of  the  rib  the  water 
is  carried  clean  off  during  rain.     This  style  of  clipping 


Fig.  42. — Work  Horse  Clipped. 
(U  C,  undipped  portions.      X  X  X  X,  clipped  portions.) 

does  not  improve  the  appearance  of  horses,  but  safety 
and  comfort  should  alwa}'s  be  more  regarded  than 
appearance.  Hunters  and  harness  horses  may  be 
clipped  frequently  during  the  season,  but  once  is 
generally  sufficient  for  agricultural  and  all  other  kinds 
of  heavy  work -horses.       Singeing  after  clipping  is  a 


305 

g-ood  plan.  It  is  a  simple  means  of  taking  off  any 
long-  hairs  the  clipping  machine  may  have  missed. 
Immediately  after  singeing,  light  horses  should  get 
a  good  gallop  so  as  to  slightly  sweat  them,  then  they 
should  be  washed  over,  and  thoroughly  well  dried. 
When  the  natural  coats  of  horses  are  removed,  it  is 
necessary  to  put  on  artificial  substitutes,  and  this, 
of  course,  is  managed  by  clothing,  which  should  be 
regulated  in  the  thickness  and  weight  according  to 
circumstances.  Sheets  should  never  be  put  on  when 
horses  are  brought  in  perspiring.  They  should  be 
allowed  to  steam  for  ten  minutes,  during  which  they 
should  be  well  rubbed  down,  and  after  they  have 
ceased  to  steam  the  sheets  may  be  put  upon  them. 

STABLE  UTENSILS. 

Stable  utensils,  such  as  pitchforks,  grapes,  shovels, 
etc.,  should  never  be  left  standing  loose  about  the 
stable.  A  horse  may  get  loose  over  night,  and  in 
coming  in  contact  with  a  pitchfork,  he  may  wound 
himself  very  badly.  These  remarks  are  chiefly  meant 
to  apply  to  farm  stables,  whose  fittings  are  not 
generally  so  up-to-date  as  higher-class  stables.  There 
should  be  an  enclosed  recess  in  the  wall  behind  each 
horse  for  the  safe  disposal  of  all  harness  beloneino-  to 
him,  in  which  all  the  necessary  utensils  can  be  placed 
at  the  same  time.  Horses  that  are  methodically  and 
kindly  treated  in  the  stable  will  be  more  likely  to 
render  better  work  both  in  the  field  and  on  the  road. 


3o6 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 
STABLE   CONSTRUCTION. 

The  construction  of  stables  is  a  matter  of  first-rate 
importance,  and,  as  the  health  of  horses  generally 
depends  to  a  great  extent  on  the  class  of  stables  they 
occupy,  too  much  prominence  cannot  be  given  to  the 
advantage  of  having  them  as  nearly  perfect  as  possible. 
Existing"  stables  are  more  difficult  to  modernise  in  the 
way  of  sanitation,  lighting,  and  ventilation,  than  to 
provide  these  necessities  in  the  erection  of  new  ones. 

When  originally  built  on  ill-chosen  sites,  and 
adjoining  other  buildings,  as  they  frequently  are  on 
farms,  the  difficulties  of  improvement  are  materially 
increased.  The  most  that  can  be  done  to  existing 
stables,  without  entailing  a  large  expenditure  of 
capital,  is  to  improve  their  sanitation,  lighting,  and 
ventilation.  Whilst  improved  lighting  and  ventilation, 
however,  are  comparatively  easy  of  accomplishment, 
the  question  of  improving  the  sanitation  is  a  more 
difficult  problem  to  solve.  Old  walls  that  have  been 
built  without  a  damp  course  are  thoroughly  soaked, 
and  it  is  simply  impossible  to  cure  them  by  laying 
new  drains  or  anything  else. 


30/ 


THE   SITE. 


When  practicable,  a  stable  should  always  be  built 
with  a  southern  aspect,  as  it  is  warmer  in  consequence 
of  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  falling-  upon  it,  and  the 
beneficial  influence  of  sunlight,  and  ordinary  diffused 
light,  in  the  interior  of  stables  and  all  other  building's 
occupied  by  animals,  is  an  acknowledg-ed  scientific 
fact.  Of  course,  in  choosing  a  site,  much  will  depend 
on  the  disposition  of  the  ground,  and  local  circum- 
stances will  require  to  be  taken  into  account.  It  is 
generally  advantageous  to  have  the  stable  detached 
from  other  buildings,  as  it  is  more  easily  lighted  and 
ventilated. 

DRAINAGE. 

Some  soils  are  much  more  porous  than  others, 
still,  to  insure  dry,  comfortable  stables,  all  require  to 
be  thoroughly  drained. 

A  drain  should  run  round  the  exterior  foundation 
of  the  building  at  a  depth  of  at  least  four  and  a  half 
feet,  and  the  pipes  should  be  laid  two  feet  from  the 
edge  of  the  building.  Ordinary  four-inch  drain-pipes 
are  the  kind  to  use.  The  interior  drains  should  be 
four  feet  in  depth,  and  must  have  no  connection  with 
the  other  drains  whatever.  All  interior  drains  must 
be  properly  trapped  to  prevent  the  return  of  any 
deleterious  gases  that  may  generate  in  them,  and  the 
drains  should  be  carried  a  good  distance  from  the 
stable  to  the  liquid  tank,  with  a  good  fall  so  that  no 


3o8 

solid  particles  of  excreta  may  lodge  about  them.  The 
water  from  the  spoutings  of  the  roof  should  be 
collected,  if  water  is  scarce,  and  utilised  in  flushing 
the  sanitary  drains,  the  pipes  of  which  should  be  made 
of  glazed  stone  ware,  and  properly  cemented  at  the 
joints  in  order  to  prevent  the  escape  of  any  volatile  or 
gaseous  properties.  The  sanitary  drains  should  be  laid 
six  inches  deeper  than  the  other  system  of  draining, 
so  that  if  any  leakage  should  accidentally  occur,  no 
contamination  would  follow.  No  sanitary  drain  system 
is  complete  without  an  abundant  supply  of  water  with 
which  to  flush  the  pipes  at  least  once  daily. 

FLOORING. 

The  floor  of  the  stable  should  be  composed  of  non- 
absorbent  materials.  Ordinary  Portland  cement 
makes  an  excellent  floor,  as  it  is  quite  impervious  to 
wet  and  entirely  obstructs  any  noxious  emanations 
that  may  arise  from  beneath,  whilst  its  surface  is  hard 
and  smooth,  which  renders  it  unfavourable  to  the 
accumulation  and  retention  of  dirt  of  any  kind.  It 
should  be  laid  on  a  bed  of  broken  whin -stone,  the 
lower  stratum  of  which  should  pass  through  a  three- 
inch  mesh,  whilst  the  stones  of  the  upper  stratum 
should  not  be  larger  than  pass  through  a  one-inch 
mesh.  The  lower  and  rougher  stratum  should  be  laid 
to  a  depth  of  six  inches,  the  upper  to  a  depth  of 
three,  whilst  the  surface  covering  of  cement  should  be 
from  two-and-a-half  to  three  inches  in  thickness.  It 
is  sometimes  recommended   to  mix  the  cement  with 


309 


chips  of  brick  or  small  stones  to  prevent  the  floor 
being-  slippery,  but  this  roughens  the  surface,  which 
adds  to  the  difficulty  of  cleanliness,  and  it  does  not 
wear  nearly  so  well.  In  fact,  rough-shod,  heavy  agri- 
cultural horses  very  soon  break  it  up  into  holes,  and 
when  once  broken  the  whole  floor  very  soon  dis- 
appears. 

STALLS   AND    DAMP   COURSE. 

A  better  plan  is  to  lightly  groove  the  surface. 
A  straight  groove  from  the  gutter  behind  should 
run  directly  up  the  centre  of  each  stall,  and  diagonal 

grooves  should  be  let 
into  it  from  either  side 

(Fig.  43-) 

The  grooves  should 
be  light  and  placed 
four  inches  apart. 
The  cross  gutter 
should  be  semi- 
circular, four  inches 
wide,  and  two  inches 
deep  in  the  centre. 

In  order  to  secure 
comfort  for  horses, 
stalls  should  be  six  feet  wide  and  ten  feet  long,  and 
should  be  as  level  as  possible,  consistent,  of  course,  with 
a  proper  declivity  for  the  removal  of  the  urine.  Stalls 
should  fall  away  about  two  inches  from  the  front  to 
the  cross  gutter,  and  they  should  slope  an  inch  to  the 


M  M 

Fig.  43. — Gkooved  Stall. 

MM,  Main  Channel ;   C  C,  Centre 

Channel ;  G  G,  Grooves 


310 

centre  from  either  side.  When  stalls  are  placed  too 
much  on  an  incline  they  are  a  continuous  torture  to 
horses,  whether  standing  or  lying  ;  and  scarcely  any- 
thing will  cause  horses  to  stand  over  in  the  knees 
sooner  than  an  undue  elevation  in  front  of  the  stalls. 
The  floor  in  rear  of  the  gutter  should  be  six  feet  wide, 
and  should  be  grooved  in  diamond  fashion  as  horses 
are  less  likely  to  slip  than  on  square  grooves,  and  they 
should  be  the  same  depth  and  distance  apart  as  the 
stall  grooves. 

A  damp  course  must  be  laid  into  all  the  walls — 
inside  and  outside  alike — eighteen  inches  above  the 
ground  level.  This  can  be  done  by  laying  roof  slates 
horizontal,  along  with  a  light  layer  of  cement.  The 
interior  flooring  and  the  damp  course  should  always 
be  continuous,  i.e.y  the  cement  should  be  carried  down 
the  inside  of  the  wall  from  the  damp  course  to  the 
floor  at  a  thickness  of  an  inch-and-a-half 

INSIDE   FITTINGS. 

Combined  mangers  with  feeding-box,  tank,  and 
rack  are  probably  the  best.  They  should  be  strongly 
made  of  galvanised  iron.  The  edges  round  the  top  of 
the  manger  should  project  inwardly  about  two  inches 
which  prevents  horses  pushing  their  corn  over,  as  a 
number  of  them  acquire  the  habit  of  doing. 

High  racks  are  a  means  of  accumulating  dust  and 
dirt,  which  fall  about  the  heads  and  manes  of  the 
horses ;  and  sometimes  hay  seeds  get  into  their  eyes, 
which  cause  a  lot  of  suffering,  hence  racks  placed  on  a 


311 


level  with  the  mangers  are  a  great  comfort  to  horses. 
(Fig.  44.)  Two  rings  are  fitted  to  the  mangers  for 
tying  the  horses  to,  and  other  rings  should   be  placed 


Man^ 


er 


Rack- 


TanJc 


k\% 

-  H  a-S:     --•■«-•-- •••.■-r:;-  q  -~*-:.-.-.:-r;^,: 

w^pW 

'TT    n    1 — n 

1   I '  1 

"    n 

J       1      - 

Fig,  44.— Back,  Tank,  and  Mangeb  combined. 

in  the  wall,  about  four  feet  above  the  mangers  in 
front  of  the  horses  for  tying  their  heads  up  when 
necessary. 

The  stall  partitions  should  be  five  feet  high  at  the 
pillars  behind,  and  may  rise  in  a  modified  swan-neck 
form  to  a  height  of  seven  and  a  half  feet  at  the  front, 
and  the  tops  of  the  partitions  may  be  covered  with 
half-circular  hoop  iron,  which  prevents  horses  wearing 
them  down  by  biting  them.  The  length  of  the 
partitions  should  be  about  ten  feet,  and  it  is  preferable 
to  have  them  closely  match-lined. 

The  pillars  should  be  strong,  firmly  sunk  into  the 
floor,  with  rings  and  chains  attached  for  fixing  horses 
when  turned  in  the  stalls.  In  farm  stables,  the  pillars 
should  be  carried  up  to  the  cross  beams  which  method 
supports  and  gives  them  greater  stability. 


312 

A  continuous  recess  with  sliding  doors  should 
practically  run  the  whole  length  of  a  farm  stable,  in 
which  harness  and  stable  utensils  generally  are  kept. 
By  this  method  the  harness  is  out  of  the  reach  of  dust, 
and  grapes  and  forks  are  very  dangerous  implements 
to  be  left  standing  about  a  stable,  for,  even  with  the 
greatest  care,  a  horse  may  get  loose  occasionally  and 
injure  himself  very  seriously. 

LIGHTING. 

The  question  of  lighting,  as  already  pointed  out,  is 
one  of  the  utmost  importance.  Dark  stables  are  a 
prolific  cause  of  shying,  because  when  horses  are  taken 
into  broad  daylight  they  see  things  only  through  a 
distorted  vision,  and  will  consequently  shy  at  purely 
imaginary  objects.  It  is  scientifically  ascertained  that 
darkness  and  dampness,  besides  being  favourable  to 
the  accumulation  of  dirt,  are  also  favourable  to  the 
development  of  disease  germs.  In  dark,  ill-ventilated 
stables  the  woodwork  will  be  found  mouldy  and  wet. 
The  mould  or  fungus  (Eurotium  repe?is),  which  thrives 
on  damp  saturated  wood  is  of  a  most  unhealthy  order, 
and  develops  and  propagates  spores  by  millions. 
These  insanitary  conditions  favour  their  development, 
and  myriads  of  microbes  are  constantly  being  gener- 
ated, to  the  detriment,  not  only  of  the  horses,  but  also 
of  their  attendants. 

Windows  with  sliding  frames  should  be  placed  in 
the  south  and  end  walls  of  the  stable  at  intervals  of 
six  feet,  with  hinged  sash-lights  intervening  between 


313 


each  window,  and  placed  in  the  walls  pretty  near  the 
eaves. 

Two    rows    of    plate-glass    roof-lights    should    run 
along  either  side  of  the   roof  at   intervals   of  six  feet 

apart.  They  should  not  be  placed 
opposite  each  other.  Those  on  the 
north  side  should  be  placed  inter- 
mediate between  those  on  the  south 
side,  both  vertically  and  horizon- 
tally, and  by  this  arrangement  a 
properly-diffused  light  will  be  ob- 
tained all  over  the  interior  of  the 
stable.  In  stables  where  the  roofs 
slope  at  the  ends,  the  same  system 
of  roof-lights  should  be  observed  ; 
but  if  the  gables  run  up  perpen- 
dicular to  the  top,  hinged  sash- 
lights  may  be  let  in  all  along  the 
gable  ends  at  a  good  height  from 
the  ground,  in  addition  to  the  win- 
dows already  described.  (Fig.  45.) 
Of  course,  the  antiquated  sys- 
tem of  lofting  in  stables  must  be 
entirely  abolished,  as  it  prevents 
both  lighting  and  ventilation  ;  and 
hay  lying  above  horses  in  a  loft  for 
any  length  of  time  becomes  very  un- 
wholesome by  the  vitiated  air  emitted  from  the  horses 
constantly  passing  through  it.  Stables  with  more  than 
six  stalls  should  have  two   entrance  doors,  not  neces- 


FiG.  45. 

Hinged  Sash-Light. 


314 


sarily  for  evcry-day  use,  but  in  the  event  of  fire  or  any 
occasional  emergency  that  may  arise.  They  should 
be  seven  feet  high  and  four  feet  eight  inches  wide,  and 
should   have   hinges  near  the  centre  in  order  to  fold 


Fig.  46. — Folding  Door. 
F  F,  Folding  Hinge ;  D  D,  Division  of  Halves. 

round  the  corner  of  the  wall,  while  they  should  be 
hung  at  two  lengths  both  for  convenience  and  ventila- 
tion (Fig.  46.)  It  is  very  important  that  doors  should 
be  wide,  so  that  horses  can  pass  through  them  quite 
freely. 


315 

When  horses  get  caught  in  doorways  they  remem- 
ber it  for  a  long  time,  and  are  apt  to  rush  through 
them  at  a  bound,  which  is  dangerous  to  themselves 
and  their  attendants. 

VENTILATION. 

A  thorough  sytem  of  ventilation  is  as  necessary  in 
the  modern  stable  as  the  free  admission  of  sunlight. 
Very  few  existing  stables  are  sufficiently  ventilated, 
and  half  the  ailments  of  horses  in  the  shape  of  colds 
and  influenza  may  be  traceable  to  occupying  badly- 
ventilated  stables.  Very  frequently,  when  the  stables 
are  shut  up  for  the  night,  the  coats  of  the  horses  will 
be  found  damp  and  the  windows  and  walls  of  the  stable 
running  wet,  which  shows  that  the  air  is  contaminated 
by  carbonic  acid  and  organic  matter  which  take  the 
place  of  the  utilised  oxygen.  With  good  ventilation 
this  vitiated  air  would  become  oxidised,  and  would 
pass  through  the  ventilators  quite  naturally  as  its 
tendency  is  to  ascend.  In  the  science  of  bacteriology 
it  is  clearly  demonstrated  that  sunlight  and  dry  fresh 
air  in  combination  mean  death  to  most  forms  of 
microbes,  hence  the  importance  of  a  complete  system 
of  ventilation. 

INLETS. 

Inlets  should  be  let  into  the  south  and  end  walls 
of  the  stable  six  inches  above  the  ground.  They 
may  be  formed  of  ornamental  iron  grating,  and  each 
inlet  should  have  a  slide  in  the  interior  of  the  stable 
in  order  to  close  it  if  necessary.     (Fig.  47.) 


3i6 


Fig.  47.— Obnamental  Geating. 


Inlets  of  the  same  kind  should  be  placed  at  a 
similar  distance  apart  in  the  walls  in  front  of  the  horses, 
immediately  under  the  eaves  ;  whilst  the  hinged  sash- 
lights  in  the  south 
wall  should  hang 
from  their  centres, 
and  be  opened  or 
closed  as  circum- 
stances require. 
The  entrance  of 
fresh  air  at  the 
iron  gratings  near 
the  ground  expels 
the  foul  air  from  the  floor  of  the  stable,  whilst  those 
higher  in  the  walls  augment  the  current  and  force  it 
upward  towards  the  roof. 

OUTLETS. 

In  order  to  liberate  the  vitiated  air  outlets  must  be 
inserted  in  the  roof,  and  it  is  necessary  that  their  col- 
lective air  space  should  exceed  that  of  the  inlets. 
Perforated  ridge  tiles  can  be  had  for  this  purpose,  but 
they  are  neat  rather  than  effective  owing  to  the  small- 
ness  of  their  apertures.  In  addition  to  a  ridge  of  this 
kind,  outlets  should  be  let  in  on  both  sides  of  the  roof, 
two  feet  below  the  ridge,  at  intervals  of  three  feet 
apart.  Those  on  the  south  side  should  be  placed 
intermediate  to  those  on  the  north,  and  in  this  way 
the  escape  of  the  vitiated  air  will  be  accelerated. 

The  ventilators  should  be  composed  of  zinc,  semi- 


317 


circular  in  shape,  and  not  more  than  six  inches  in 
width  by  three  inches  in  height  at  the  centre.  The 
upper  portion  of  the  semi-circular  cone  should  project 
two   inches    over    its    base,   in    order    to    prevent    the 


Front  View.  Side  View. 

Fig    48. — Zinc  Venilator. 
A  A,  Projecting  Cone;  R  R,  Roof;  F,  Part  beneath  Roof  Slates. 

entrance  of  rain  or  snow.  (Fig-.  48.)  By  this  arrange- 
ment cross  winds  are  prevented  from  beating  back  the 
vitiated  air,  as  one  side  of  the  roof  will  always  be 
favourable  to  its  escape. 

CUBIC   AIR-SPACE. 

Stables  should  be  built  so  that  each  horse  has  at 
least  one  thousand  cubic  feet  of  free-air  space,  and  if 
twelve  hundred  can  be  obtained,  so  much  the  better. 
Of  course,  it  must  be  understood  that  a  large  amount 
of  air-space  does  not  cancel  the  necessity  of  ventilation. 
A  small  air-space  naturally  becomes  sooner  foul  than  a 
large   air-space,  but   both    require    ventilation.      The 


3i8 

admission  of  fresh  air  and  the  expulsion  of  vitiated  air 
must  always  be  in  excess  of  the  respiratory  require- 
ments of  the  animals. 

BUILDING    MATERIALS. 

Brick  is  probably  the  most  economical  material  for 
building"  purposes,  but  sand,  or  whin-stone,  is  more 
substantial,  and  looks  better.  This,  however,  is  largely 
influenced  by  local  supplies  and  individual  taste. 

ROOFING. 

Slates  are  preferable  to  all  other  kinds  of  roofing. 
They  withstand  the  wind  well  in  exposed  places,  and 
are  much  lighter  and  neater  than  tiles,  which  are  very 
antiquated  and  are  fast  becoming  a  thing  of  the  past. 

Corrugated  iron,  although  cheap,  is  not  a  good 
system  of  roofing  for  stables,  as  it  is  excessively  hot  in 
summer  and  proportionally  cold  in  winter,  and  the 
noise  occasioned  by  rain  and  hail  falling  upon  its  sur- 
face is  very  disagreeable  to  the  animals  beneath  it. 

SPOUTING. 

Metal,  or  creosoted  wood  spouting  may  be  used. 
From  an  economical  point  of  view,  the  one  is  as  suit- 
able as  the  other,  but  the  former  requires  to  be  painted 
at  least  every  alternate  year  to  keep  it  in  thorough 
repair.  It  is  neater  than  creosoted  spouting,  but  it  is 
not  more  durable. 

Down-comers  should  be  carried  down  the  walls  in 
order  to  convey  the  water  to  the  roof  drains,  unless  it 


319 

is  caught  into  tanks  or  barrels  to  be  utilised  for  other 
purposes.  They  should  be  fixed  at  regular  intervals, 
the  distance  between  necessarily  depending  on  the 
area  of  the  roof. 

EFFECTS  OF  GOOD  STABLES 

If  stables  were  built  as  described  above  the  per- 
centage of  shying  horses  would  be  reduced  to  a 
minimum,  and  their  ailments  generally  would  be 
correspondingly  diminished,  because,  by  the  perfect 
system  of  lighting,  horses  would  see  objects  outside  in 
the  daylight  as  they  really  are ;  whilst  the  modern 
system  of  sanitation  and  ventilation  would  give  a  uni- 
formity of  cleanliness  and  temperature  that  would 
increase  the  vitality  of  horses  to  a  marvellous  degree. 


320 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

THE    FEET,    DENTITION,    AND    DESTRUC- 
TION   OF    HORSES. 

No  more  artificial  dresssng  should  be  done  to  the 
feet  of  horses  than  is  absolutely  necessary  in  the  way 
of  rasping-,  cutting-,  and  burning.  A  number  of  black- 
smiths, in  fitting  a  shoe,  will  cut  and  burn  the  foot 
alternately  until  a  mere  shell  of  the  sole  is  left.  No 
harm  is  done  by  applying-  a  hot  shoe  to  the  foot  in 
moderation,  as  a  more  accurate  bed  for  the  shoe  can 
be  obtained  in  this  than  in  any  other  way.  The  wall 
of  the  hoof  should  be  well  cut  away  at  the  toe,  as  the 
tendency  of  the  horny  wall  of  the  foot  is  to  grow  in 
that  direction,  but  the  knife  should  never  be  applied 
to  the  sole  or  frog  of  the  foot  at  all,  unless  merely  to 
remove  any  ragged  portions  that  may  be  partially 
detached.  When  a  shoe  is  properly  fitted  the  frog-  of 
the  foot  should  touch  the  ground  on  a  level  with  the 
shoe.  In  this  way  the  frog  acts,  naturally,  as  a.kind  of 
buffer  in  reducing-  concussion  on  the  ground.  Nature 
generally  does  her  own  work  in  reducing  the  sole  and 
frog-  by  casting  off  scales  occasionally,  so  that  the 
artificial   assistance  of  the   blacksmith's  knife   in    the 


321 


matter  is  quite  unnecessary.  The  enamel  of  the  hoof 
should  never  be  broken  by  rasping  above  the  clinches, 
and  as  little  below  and  about  tliem  as  possible,  as  it 
interferes  with  the  natural  secretions  which  go  to  build 
up  and  produce  elasticity  in  its  structure.  The  nails 
should  be  of  an  even  thickness,  very  slightly  tapered 
at  the  points,  so  as  not  to  enter  the  wall  of  the  hoof 
wedge-wise  and  cause  splitting.  The  ground  surface 
of  the  shoe  should  be  quite  level,  and  the  heels  as  far 
apart  as  the  shape  of  the  hoof  will  permit. 

DIFFERENT   KINDS    OF   SHOES. 

Shoes    for    heavy   agricultural    and    dray    horses 
should   be   made   heavy  and   broad,   with   low  square 

heels,  and  clips  on  the  toes 
and  outer  edges  to  keep 
them  in  position.  Shoes 
for  harness  horses  should 
be  quite  flat,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  low  heel  on 
the  hind  feet  shoes. 

When  pavements  and 
roads  are    rendered    slip- 
pery by  traffic,  the  shoes 
may  be  corrugated,  which 
is  an  excellent  preventive 
against  slipping.       Iron  stamped  in  this  way  is  obtain- 
able just  the  same  as  ordinary  shoe-bar  iron  (Fig.  49.) 
Hacks  and  hunters  should  preferably  be  shod  with 
ring  shoes  with  very  low  heels  on  the  hind  feet  shoes. 

W 


Fig.  j9.  — Cohuugated  Shoe. 


322 

The  weight  of  the  shoes  must  be  regulated  to  the  size 
and  weight  of  the  liorses,  and  to  guard  against  the  h'a- 
bility  of  over-reaching  on  soft  ground,  the  front  feet 
shoes  should  be  short,  and  should  slope  well  towards 
the  ground  at  the  heels.  Racing  plates,  of  course,  are 
put  upon  racehorses,  lightness  being  the  chief  require- 
ment. For  horses  with  confined  action  that  brush 
and  cut  their  pastern  joints  a  very  simple  remedy  is 
effected  in  the  shoeing,  as  already  described  in  a 
former  chapter.  Horses  with  flat,  brittle  feet  or  con- 
tracted hoofs  must  be  carefully  shod,  but  it  is  im- 
possible to  lay  down  hard  and  fast  regulations  in  the 
matter,  as  individual  peculiarities  must  be  treated  as 
governing  circumstances  demand. 

Horses  should  not  be  allowed  to  go  without  a  shoe 
when  one  is  accidentally  cast  off,  as  the  hoof  soon 
becomes  split  and  broken  to  such  an  extent  that  the 
shoe  can  scarcely  be  replaced.  Shoes  should  be 
removed,  or  renewed,  at  least  once  a  month,  a  good 
deal,  of  course,  depending  on  the  extent  and  nature  of 
the  work  that  horses  are  doing.  When  shoes  are 
allowed  to  remain  too  long  on  the  feet,  corns  and 
other  forms  of  disease  generally  follow — hence  the 
necessity  of  frequent  and  regular  removal. 

SHARPENING. 

Everyone  who  has  any  sympathy  with  horses  will 
recognise  the  necessity  of  maintaining  their  shoes  in 
proper  condition  for  travelling  over  icebound  high- 
ways.     There  are   several   methods   of  sharpening  in 


323 

fashion  at  the  present  time,  and  blacksmiths'  shops, 
generally  speaking",  are  within  fairly  easy  reach  of  most 
people.  But  it  is  not  so  much  a  matter  of  distance,  or 
inconvenience,  that  horses  are  not  sufficiently  cared 
for  in  this  matter,  as  it  is  of  carelessness  on  the  part  of 
their  owners.  It  is  difficult  to  determine  which  is 
really  the  best  system  of  sharpening.  A  great  deal 
depends  on  the  class  of  horses  and  the  nature  of  their 
work.  Screw^s,  fitted  in  the  heels  of  the  shoes,  which 
can  be  inserted  and  removed  at  will,  are  very  conveni- 
ent and  serve  the  ^purpose  fairly  well  for  saddle  and 
harness  horses,  but  for  ordinary  draught  horses  they 
are  not  very  serviceable,  as  they  have  a  tendency  when 
horses  are  pulling  hard  to  become  displaced,  when 
they  fall  out,  and,  of  course,  in  many  instances  get 
lost.  The  cross-bar  insertion  slot  in  the  toe  of  the  shoe 
is  also  very  liable  to  get  dislodged  and  lost,  but  it  is  a 
clever,  ingenious  invention,  and  with  increased  im- 
provements it  might  answer  the  purpose  very  well 
with  certain  classes  of  horses  doing  certain  kinds  of 
work. 

For  all-round  purposes  the  ordinary  method  of 
sharpening  the  heels  and  the  toes  of  the  shoes  for 
.draught  horses  appears  to  be  the  best  and  the  most 
efficacious  system  in  vogue  ;  whilst  for  lighter  classes 
of  horses,  steel  "frost  nails"  are  quite  sufficient  in  the 
toes  of  the  shoes. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  make  the  heels  of  the  shoes  too 
high,  as  they  are  dangerous  for  horses  trampling  them- 
selves   in    the    stalls,    and     when    turning    abruptly. 


324 

Occasionally  bad  efYects  are  caused  by  the  heels  of  the 
shoes  running-  into  horses  immediately  between  the 
fore  legs  when  lying.  Tumours  in  that  region  are 
generally  the  result  of  compression  caused  by  the 
weight  of  horses  bearing  upon  the  points  of  the  sharp 
heels  when  lying  thus.  High  heels,  either  sharpened 
or  otherwise,  should  be  studiously  avoided.  They 
should  never  exceed  three-quarters  of  an  inch,  and 
they  can  be  rubbed  up  with  a  file  occasionally,  which 
will  not  necessitate  the  removal  of  the  shoes  so 
frequently. 

DENTITION. 

An  experienced  horseman  can  generally  determine 
the  age  of  a  horse,  at  least  approximately,  by  a  careful 
inspection  of  his  general  appearance,  but  to  arrive  at 
accurate  conclusions  it  is  necessary  to  know  something 
of  the  science  of  dentition  in  order  to  be  able  to  read 
his  age  from  his  teeth.  It  is  well  known  that  horses 
have  two  full  sets  of  teeth,  which  are  classed  as  colt 
and  horse  teeth  respectively.  The  former  are  practic- 
ally useless  in  determining  the  age  of  horses,  as  the 
last  of  them  dirappear  between  the  age  of  four  and  five 
years  when  the  horse  attains  the  age  of  horsehood. 
Numbers  of  colts,  however,  are  sold  for  working  pur- 
poses previous  to  that  age,  therefore  a  knowledge  of 
colt  teeth  is  quite  as  essential  as  a  knowledge  of 
horse  teeth. 

In  order  to  prevent  confusion  the  twelve  incisors 
are  classed  as  follows  : — The  two  immediately  in  front 


325 

in  the  upper  and  lower  jaws  are  called  the  "firsts";  the 
next  two,  on  either  side,  the  "  seconds  "  ;  and  the  next 
two,  or  corner  teeth,  the  "  thirds."  It  may  be  well  to 
explain  here  that  in  order  to  render  the  principles  of 
the  system  more  intelligible  to  the  uninitiated,  the 
markings  indicating  grooves,  notches,  indentations,  etc., 
shown  on  the  diagrams,  are  much  more  distinct  than 
they  actually  appear  on  the  natural  teeth  of  horses,  so 
that,  in  addition  to  a  theoretical  knowledge,  long  and 
careful  experience  is  absolutely  essential  in  order  to 
determine  the  correct  age  of  horses. 

Colt  teeth  are  generally  smooth  and  grooveless, 
and  some  foals  have  the  firsts  at  birth.  In  the  course 
of  four  weeks  the  seconds  develop,  and  at  twenty-four 
weeks  the  thirds.  When  the  foal  is  about  ten  months 
old  all  the  teeth  are  level.  The  teeth  have  indentations 
or  cups  in  their  crowns,  which  wear  out  respectively 
as  they  were  developed,  at  intervals  of  about  six 
months,  so  that  at  two  years  of  age  the  teeth  are  all 
flat  on  their  crowns.    (Figs.  50,  51,  52.  53,  54,  and  55). 

In  the  horse  teeth  which  follow,  the  firsts  develop 
at  two  and  a-half  years  of  age  ;  the  seconds  at  three 
and  a-half ;  the  thirds  at  four  and  a-half ;  and  at  five 
all  the  teeth  are  level.  The  horse  teeth  displace  the 
colt  teeth  from  two  and  a-half  years  of  age  till  four 
and  a-half  in  regular  rotation.  Like  colt  teeth,  the 
horse  teeth  have  deep  cups  in  their  crowns,  and  they 
generally  appear  grooved  on  the  surface.  At  six  years 
of  age  tho  cups  leave  the  firsts  ;  at  seven,  the  seconds  ; 
at  eight,  the  thirds  ;  and  at  nine  all  the  crowns  of  the 


326 


Fig.  50. — Foal's  Mouth  at  Birth. 
//  "  Firsts  "  just  appearing. 


Fig.  51.— Fouk  Weeks  Old. 
s  5  "  Seconds  "  appearing. 


^  /  'it  -, 


Fig.  52.— Ten  Months.  Fig.  53.— One-Yeak  Old. 

t  t  "  Thirds  "  up— colt  teeth  all  level.      //  Cups,  leaving  "  Firsts." 


Fig.  54. 
aCn  One-and-a-Half-Ykars-Old. 
ss  Cups  leaving  "Seconds." 


Fig.  55. 

Two-Years-Old. 

.  Cups  all  gone  from  colt  teeth. 


327 

teeth  are  level.       (Figs.  56,  57,  58.  59,  60,  61,  62,  and 

63). 

About  ten  years  of  age  the  upper  firsts  and  thirds 

—  the  latter  particularly  —  appear  grooved.  The 
grooves  are  well  marked,  and  run  in  a  longitudinal 
direction,  in  consequence  of  the  shrinkage  of  the  gums 
from  the  teeth,  and  as  the  teeth  wear  and  the  gums 
recede,  the  crowns  grow  nearer  the  grooves.  There 
are  all  also  grooves  on  the  inside  walls  of  the  firsts, 
which  correspond  fairly  to  those  on  the  outside. 
When  both  are  uniform  the  age  of  a  horse  is  more 
easily  determined.  From  ten  years  of  age  to  twenty- 
one  the  horse  will  wear  his  teeth  so  fast  away  that  the 
crowns  will  touch  the  bottom  of  the  grooves,  so  that, 
in  order  to  arrive  at  a  correct  conclusion  of  his  age,  a 
calculation  is  necessary  between  ten  and  twenty-one. 
When  the  grooves  are  half-way  down  the  teeth  the 
horse  will  be  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  when  they 
are  intermediate  on  either  side  between  the  gums  and 
the  crowns,  i.e.,  quarter  and  three-quarters  down,  he 
will  be  from  twelve  to  thirteen,  and  from  seventeen  to 
eighteen  respectively.  The  grooves  in  the  firsts  and 
thirds,  along  with  the  general  formation  of  the  teeth, 
render  it  possible  to  arrive  at  Very  accurate  conclusions. 
Generally  speaking,  the  older  a  horse  gets  his  teeth 
assume  a  darker  hue  in  consequence  of  discoloration 
caused  by  ordinary  wear,  and  sometimes  by  disease, 
so  that  the  colour  of  the  teeth  must  always  be  carefully 
considered  in  reckoning  the  age  of  a  horse.  (Figs.  64, 
65,  and  66). 


328 


Fig.  56. 
Two  and-a-Half  Years  Old. 
//  Horse  "Firsts"  developing. 


Fig.  57. 
Threk,  and  a  Half  Years  Old. 
5  s  llorse  "  Seconds  "  appearing. 


Fig.  58. — Four  and-a-Half  Years  Old. 
1 1  Horse  "  Thirds  "  appearing. 


Fig.  59. — Five  Years  Old. — Horse  Teeth  Developed. 
ff  "Firsts";  s*  "Seconds";  tt    'Thirds. 


329 


Fig.  60.— Six  Years  Old. 
/  /  Cups  leaving  "  Firsts  "  ;  s  s  Growing  less  in  ''  Seconds." 


Fig.  61 —Seven  Years  Old. 

/  /  Cups  away  from  "  Firsts  "  ;   s  s  Leaving  "  Seconds  "  ; 

t  t  Growing  smaller  in  "  Thirds." 


330 


Fig.  62.— Eight  Years  Old. 
s  s  Cups  away  from  "  Seconds  "  \  1 1  Growing  small  in  "  Thirds." 


Fig.  63.— Nine  Yeabs  Old. 
Horse  teeth  all  level. 


331 


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Pi 
o  _ 


S-f      0) 

a 
^  o   J2 

cS    0) 


m      "^      '*' 


w 


en 

> 
o 

>^  -^  1 1 1 

H      m      ■-     — 

t_i     b     aj     2    M 

Eh  «   .-  >^  § 

I        ^     X       fl       ^ 

«    S    g  H 
O    ^    C   .^ 

-^  -s  •- 

m     O 

-  fi^ 

O    ^    OJ 


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cn 


332 


-:.::^ 


Fig.  65.— Fifteen  to  Sixteen  Yeaks  Old. 
a  Angle  of  teeth  ;  g  Grooves ;  I  Length  of  teeth. 


■■••^ 


f 


Fig   66. — Seventeen  to  Eighteen  Years  Old. 
a  Angle  of  teeth  ;  g  Grooves ;  I  Length  of  teeth. 


333 


After  five  years  of  age  the  teeth  get  gradually 
thicker  from  front  to  rear  and  narrower  across,  and 
the  angle  of  their  setting  increases  in  proportion. 
At  the  same  time,  horses  addicted  to  biting  the 
manger  are  apt  to  unduly  wear  and  break  their  teeth, 
and  in  these  cases  it  is  difficult  to  discover  their  age, 
as  the  natural  marks  become  defaced  by  such  habits. 


.,^ 


CO 

Fig.  67 — TwENTY-Fn^E  and  Thirty  Years  Old. 
a  Angle  of  teeth  ;  R  R  Rounded  protrusions ;  /  Length  of  teeth. 

At  about  twenty-two  years  of  age  the  grooves  have 
left  the  gums  and  are  succeeded  by  rounded  pro- 
trusions of  a  dark  yellow  colour  which  are  very  easily 
observed.  When  these  protrusions  extend  down  the 
corner  teeth  about  a  quarter  of  their  entire  length 
the  horse  will  be  about  twenty -five  or  twenty -six 
years  of  age,  and   when  they  are  half-way  down  he 


334 

will  be  about  thirty  (Fig.  6*j).  A  quarter  of  a  century 
ag-o  it  was  impossible  to  determine  the  ages  of  horses 
beyond  eight  or  nine  years,  when  the  indentations 
left  the  teeth  in  the  lower  jaw,  but  the  accurate  ob- 
servations of  Galvayne,  Brown,  Smith,  and  other 
experts,  have  rendered  a  more  extended  knowledge 
practicable. 

The  principles  of  the  method  of  teeth-reading 
described  in  the  text  and  accompanying  rough 
sketches,  after  horses  have  attained  the  age  of  ten 
years,  are  after  Galvayne,  Brown,  and  Smith,  than 
whom  there  are  probably  few  more  reliable  authorities 
— especially  the  first-named,  who  has  perhaps  done 
more  than  any  other  man  in  demonstrating  and  estab- 
lishing the  principles  of  a  system  which,  if  not 
absolutely  perfect,  is,  at  least,  nearer  that  desired 
standard  than  any  other  system  which  has  come 
within  the  experience  ol   the  writer. 

From  a  utility  point  of  view,  it  is  unnecessary  to 
determine  the  ages  of  horses  beyond  thirty  years,  for 
at  that  advanced  age  they  are  generally  occupying  the 
position  of  pensioners  and  are  consequently  of  little 
monetary  value.  There  are  many  well-authenticated 
instances  of  horses  living  to  thirty-five  and  forty  years 
of  age.  In  Brown's  "Compleie  Modern  Farrier,"  the 
author  produces  a  sketch  of  the  teeth  of  a  horse  known 
as  **  Old  Billy,"  which  is  said  to  have  attained  the 
phenomenal  age  of  seventy -six  years  (p.  197).  "The 
cranium,"  the  author  explains,  "  with  the  muscles  pre- 
served, is  deposited  in  the  Museum  of  the  Manchester 


335 

Natural  History  Society,  from  which  I  made  the  draw- 
ing. The  whole  of  the  incisoro  are  much  elongated 
horizontally,  but  not  perpendicularly  elevated  more 
than  those  of  a  horse  at  six  years  of  age.  The  upper 
surface  of  the  nippers  and  dividers  are  of  a  quad- 
rangular form,  the  inner  margins  being  a  little 
rounded,  while  the  corner  teeth  are  oblone  oval, 
nearly  the  form  of  an  egg,  with  the  most  acute  end 
outwards.  The  tushes  are  conical,  a  little  blunted 
on  the  crown,  and  turned  backward,  with  an  elon- 
gated, shallow,  curved  groove  on  their  inner  sides." 
There  is  no  evidence  produced  to  prove  that  this 
horse  actually  lived  seventy-six  years,  but  assuming 
that  he  did,  it  is  certainly  the  longest  recorded  age 
of  a  horse,  so  far  at  least  as  the  writer  knows.  Don- 
keys are  said  to  live  much  longer  than  horses,  and 
singularly  few  people  are  to  be  met  with  who  have 
actually  seen  a  donkey  die  from  natural  causes. 
Whether  this  rare  experience  is  attributable  to  re- 
markable longevity,  or  to  the  now  meagre  distribu- 
tion of  these  frequently  well-abused  animals  in  this 
country,  the  writer  does  not  venture  to  say.  It  has 
been  said  of  asses  that  they  lost  their  social  status  in 
England  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation.  Prior  to 
that  era,  custom  recognised  mules  as  the  appropriate 
mounts  of  travelling  ecclesiastics,  even  of  the  highest 
degree,  whilst  laymen  used  horses  ;  and  the  disuse 
of  mules  by  persons  of  such  dignified  standing  no 
doubt  was  partially  instrumental  in  bringing  about 
the  gradual  cessation  of  mule-breeding  in  this  country, 


336 

whereby    fine    stallion    asses    ceaseJ    to   possess    their 
former  vakie. 

The  tushes,  popularly  known  as  canine  teeth,  are 
no  certain  guides  in  determining  the  age  of  horses. 
They  generally  appear  about  three  years  of  age,  but 
occasionally  they  do  not  develop  until  five  and  six 
years  have  been  reached.  These  irregularities  are 
probably  due  to  constitutional  changes,  and  to  a 
certain  extent  to  the  early  feeding  of  colts  ;  well- 
grown  colts  generally  produce  tushes  sooner  than 
ill-thriven  colts,  so  that  feeding  influences  the  develop- 
ment of  the  teeth  just  as  it  promotes  physical  growth 
generally.  Mares  are  generally  devoid  of  tushes, 
although  in  some  instances  they  appear  in  a  rudi- 
mentary, or  modified,  form.  It  is  said  that  mares 
possessing  tushes  do  not  breed,  but  this  is  not  correct, 
as  the  writer  knew  a  mare  with  fairly  well  developed 
tushes  that  bore  five  foals  in  regular  consecutive  years 
after  she  had  attained  the  age  of  sixteen  ;  indeed, 
it  is  inconceivable  tliat  the  presence  or  absence  of 
tushes  can  have  any  influence  on  the  breeding  cap- 
acity of  mares.  The  mare  above  mentioned  had  an 
additional  peculiarity — a  very  much  more  extraordin- 
ary one — being  devoid  of  warts  (callosities)  on  the 
hind  legs.  Warts  vary  in  size  in  different  breeds 
and  in  different  animals,  and  although  the  writer  has 
heard  of  horses  without  them,  the  instance  mentioned 
is  the  only  one  that  has  come  under  direct  observa- 
tion. This  may  have  been  a  case  of  reversion  to  a 
remote  ancestor,  because  it  is  held  by  some  zoologists 


337 

that  the  early  progenitors  of  the  horse  were  without 
callosities.  Zebras  are  devoid  of  warts  on  the  hind 
legs,  and  Celtic  ponies  and  mules  are  also  said  to 
be  without  them,  but  whether  horses  and  asses  sprang 
from  the  same  source  is  a  point  in  evolution  which 
is  still  undecided. 

The  practice  of  knocking  out  the  colt -teeth  in 
order  to  accelerate  the  growth  of  the  horse -teeth  is 
too  well  known  to  require  description.  This  artificial 
device  is  sometimes  resorted  to  by  unscrupulous 
vendors  whose  object  is  to  make  colts  appear  a  year 
older  than  they  actually  are  in  order  to  procure  a 
readier  sale.  By  this  means  well-grown  colts  are 
sometimes  worked  a  year  sooner  than  they  should 
be,  which  is,  of  course,  very  detrimental  to  them  from 
all  points  of  view. 

"  Bishoping  "  is  another  form  of  imposition  which, 
however,  is  happily  dying  out.  It  consists  in  burning 
artificial  cups  in  the  crowns  of  the  lower  corner  teeth 
after  the  natural  ones  are  worn  out,  with  the  object 
of  making  a  fifteen-year-old  horse  appear  an  eight- 
year-old.  This  may  pass  muster  with  a  novice,  but 
the  device  is  easily  detected  by  an  experienced  horse- 
man. The  artificial  burning  destroys  the  enamel 
surrounding  the  natural  indentations  of  the  teeth, 
thus  producing  dead  black  blotches.  This,  together 
with  the  reduced  width  and  the  increased  angle  of 
the  setting  of  the  teeth,  render  deception  next  to 
impossible  since  the  newer  methods  of  teeth -read- 
ing were  introduced — hence,   as  already   mentioned, 

X 


338 

"  Bishoping "  is   rapidly  becoming  a  custom   of  the 
past. 

Horses  are  sometimes  subject  to  toothache  and 
other  diseases  of  the  teeth.  A  very  frequent  ailment 
with  horses  beyond  twelve  or  fifteen  years  of  age  is 
that  their  grinders  become  ragged  and  protrude  both 
outwards  and  inwards.  This  prevents  them  masticat- 
ing their  food  properly,  which  is  soon  discovered  by 
chewed  pieces  being  returned  from  their  mouths,  along 
with  a  quantity  of  saliva.  The  services  of  a  veterinary 
surgeon  should  be  obtained,  and  the  projecting  teeth 
well  filed  down  with  a  long  file,  and  the  aid  of  a  gag  to 
keep  the  mouth  open  during  the  operation.  Oc- 
casionally, when  colts  are  shedding  their  teeth,  the 
gums  become  inflamed  and  project  beyond  the  teeth, 
which  prevents  them  feeding  properly.  A  few  pricks 
with  the  point  of  a  knife  on  the  inflamed  parts  will 
generally  remedy  the  evil. 

DESTRUCTION   OF   HORSES. 

Having  advocated  kindness  throughout  in  the 
general  management  of  horses,  the  author  would  like 
before  concluding  this  chapter  to  enjoin  on  readers  the 
necessity  of  practising  kindness — even  in  death  !  He 
refers  to  horses  that  have  served  their  time,  and  have 
become  unfit  for  work  by  the  infirmity  of  old  age. 
Nothing  is  more  pitiable,  nothing  more  touching, 
than  to  see  a  faithful  old  horse  abused  in  the  yoke, 
driven  forward  by  the  sting  of  the  whip,  which  in  his 
happy  youth  he  would  have  proudly  resented,  when 


339 

he  is  scarcely  even  fit  to  carry  his  own  weight,  instead 
of  dragging  a  trap  or  a  cart  behind  him.  Can  anyone, 
however  impressive,  exaggerate  the  barbarity  of  such 
conduct  on  the  part  of  a  man  ?  Alas  !  the  task  would 
be  impossible.  And  the  man  who  abuses  an  old 
horse  in  the  yoke  is  a  cold,  unfeeling  coward,  and 
wholly  unworthy  to  be  entrusted  with  the  care  of  a 
dumb  animal.  And  second  to  the  dastard  who  inflicts 
the  actual  cruelty  is  the  former  owner  of  the  horse. 
He  may  have  bred  him,  and  may  have  taken  ten, 
fifteen,  or  even  twenty  years  of  hard  work  out  of  him, 
when,  for  the  sake  of  pure  greed,  he  will  sell  him  into 
a  life  of  misery  for  little  more  than  the  price  of  his 
skin  !  It  is  infinitely  more  humane  to  immediately 
destroy  a  horse  when  he  becomes  unfit  for  work  by 
the  approach  of  that  stern  conqueror,  old  age.  Here 
and  there  we  come  across  a  benevolent  man  who 
makes  a  pensioner  of  his  horse  after  he  has  served  his 
term,  but  even  then  it  remains  to  be  questioned 
whether  it  would  not  be  more  humane  to  destroy  him, 
because  he  is  often  reduced  to  a  miserable  cripple 
moving  about  in  constant  agony. 

BEST   METHOD   OF   DESTRUCTION. 

Numerous  methods  have  been  suggested  to  pro- 
cure euthanasy,  such  as  suffocation  by  charcoal  fumes, 
blood  blowing,  etc.,  but  they  are  necessarily  slow 
methods,  and  unless  a  man  is  of  a  callous  disposition 
he  can  hardly  carry  them  out  successfully.  Therefore, 
although    the   word    has   a   harsh    ring   about   it,  the 


340 

writer  does  not  hesitate  to  recommend  shooting  as 
the  quickest  and  simplest  method  of  destruction. 
When  executed  by  steady  hands  death  is  instan- 
taneous, and  the  poor  horse  practically  suffers  no 
pain.  In  advocating  this  method  of  destruction,  or 
even  destroying  old  horses  at  all,  it  is  hoped  that 
readers  will  not  consider  it  unduly  harsh  and  unkind, 
but  should  there  be  some  a  little  inclined  to  senti- 
mentality, the  writer  would  like  to  respectfully  ask 
them,  whether  prolonging  painful  agony,  or  produc- 
ing instant  death  in  horses,  is  the  greater  sin  .'* 

PRACTICABILITY   IN    HORSE    MANAGEMENT. 

In  writing  the  foregoing  chapters  on  the  training 
and  management  of  horses,  the  author  has  en- 
deavoured to  elucidate  the  different  stages  throughout 
as  clearly  and  intelligibly  as  possible.  Born  and  bred 
amongst  horses,  he  has  ever  taken  a  deep  interest  in 
their  management  and  welfare,  and  the  different 
methods  which  have  been  advocated  in  dealing  with 
the  various  stages  of  their  management  will,  on 
application  by  good  hands,  be  found  to  be  thoroughly 
practicable  in  every  detail.  Of  course  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  general  instruction  in  the 
training  of  horses  that  has  been  advocated  throughout 
has  been  intended  to  apply  to  men  of  good  nerves, 
light  hands,  and  cool  heads.  The  task  of  constructing 
the  rules  of  a  definite  system  for  the  guidance  of 
nervous,  cruel,  and  indifferent  horsemen  must  be  left 
to  abler  writers.      And  if  it  were  possibe  to  elaborate 


34t 

such   a   system,    it    is   doubtful    if    the    unreasonable 
requirements  of  such  men  would  be  adequately  met. 

KINDNESS   versus  CRUELTY,   AND   REASON 
versus  INSTINCT. 

The  author  trusts  that  the  following  facts  have 
been  firmly  established,  viz.,  that  the  judicious  exer- 
cise of  uniform  kindness  is  far  more  beneficial  in  its 
results  than  carelessness  and  cruelty,  and  that  brute 
instinct  is  a  force  which  must  always  yield  to  the  con- 
quering power  of  man's  intelligent  and  constructive 
reason,  in  all  circumstances,  however  great  the  odds 
may  be  against  it.  All  those  who  have  the  direct 
management  of  horses  should  therefore  realise  the 
grave  duty  incumbent  upon  them,  from  their  loftier 
sphere  of  reason,  to  treat  these  dumb  members  of  the 
brute  creation  with  due  consideration  and  regard. 

In  concluding,  the  writer  urgently  and  earnestly 
enjoins  on  men  the  necessity  of  remembering  that 
they  are  men  (for  a  man  can  only  abuse  a  horse  when 
his  better  reason  deserts  him),  and  if  they  do  this, 
they  will  never  forget  the  impassable  gulf  that 
separates  them  from  the  lower  animal  world,  but  will 
appreciate  the  higher  and  nobler  power  with  which 
they  are  endowed,  and  will  exercise  on  all  occasions, 
not  only  to  horses,  but  to  all  members  of  the  brute 
creation,  that  generous  kindness  and  consideration 
which  render  the  toils  of  existence  sweet,  and  make 
life  worth  living. 


41 


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