The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-10-14
Stable Vices.

Horses are often termed vicious when
they have no vice. Docile but bold horses
may be excited to retaliate upon those
who abuse them. They never strike but
when they are struck they are obsti-
nate, but should not he called vicious
they are sullen and often refuse to perform
painful exertions; they require nothing but
gentle treatment Punishment invariably
makes them more dangerous, and ulti-
mately quite vicious, even to ferocity
they learn to give injury when none is off,
cred; Some especially mares, often feign
that they sre going to bite Or strike, yet
never do, any intentional mischief they
merely desire to attract attention, and to
be made pets Of. The very best Of horses
often have this peculiarity. A foolish or
timid groom is apt to deal too harshly
with them. They may scowl and grind
their teeth they may present their quar-
tiers, and even lift foot as If In the act
to strike, or they may fix their teeth in
the mans jacket but it is all in play.
The best way is not to mind them, or at
most to give them warning with the voice.
1t is pleasing kind Of familiarity which
need not offend nor alarm any one. Good
horsemer generally ike it as indicative Of
energy and endurance and l think such
horses become sooner and more warmly
attached to persons about them than 9TH
ers Of needless disposition, ....
Some horses are perfectly quiet to the
groom, but very quarrelsome In the com
pany of other horses !; this ID the ease with
mares more than with geldings, but it is
common enough in geldipgs too; they bite
or strike . strange horse the moment he
comes in reach, but seem to get 'reconciled
to him after little acquaintance. Horses
of this kind should always work with the
same companion, and stand in the next
stall to him they never work well with
strangers; and in the stable, when stand.
ing beside strangers, they are SO intent
upon mischief, that they neither feed nor
rest, o1' ''- 81 p''ii ff'i'-
All vicious horses are most easily man
aged by one person. ! have often met
with instances Of balling, shoeing, and
similar operations, being strenuously re-
sisted when attempted by d number of
persons, and yet easily performed when
taken in hand by one. The horse appears
to get alarmed to expect something painful,
when surrounded By a crowd. It is not
wonderful that he should, for there are
always several assistants at the perform
ance of painful operations. em - ~ is.
Some are awed when harsbly command
cd and boldly approached /; some must be
soothed and cherished and some must
occasionally be well Aogged. There are
many that, to be managed at all in safety
must be managed in perfect silence. To
horses Of this kind, every word increases
their suspicion and terror; they must be
treated as if they were quite docile; an at
tempt to bite or strike should pass without
the least notice, and this sometimes con-
POUNDS and tames the horse more than
anything that could be said or done to
him. Caresses and chastisement are equal
| ly pernicious or useless. " '>'''i'i.
Grooms and others often err in their
treatment Of vicious horses. They pun
ish those that are not to be improved by
punishment, and they apply the lash either
before the horse has done anything TO me-
rit it, or some time after he has forgotten
the offence No horse should ever be ohas-
tised without knowing why the object
should be to prevent repetition Of the of.
fence but this is seldom thought Of; the
horse is Aogged merely because the man is
angry. There is very common piece Of
stupidity which may be cited in llustra'