The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-09-26
From the Rural American
MANAGEMENT OF HORSES.

In the management of a horse, one
should never get in passion ; but what
is undertaken, OF required of horse, he
should be made to do yet nothing un,
reasonable, or what he does not know
how, and is able to do should be requir-
ed of him. When you have taught
horse that you are his friend, and mas
ter, you have laid the foundation Of com.
piete success in management.
If you are AFRAID of horse, do not 60
near him, and have nothing to do with
him personally, till you make him fear
you. A horse knows when his driver is
afraid Of him, and he will have his own
way accordingly but no horse should
be expected to do what has never been
taught him to do. You might as well
require child to solve question in
algebra, who had never learned to count
beyond ten, as to demand of a horse to
do what no one has ever taught Eim'how
to do.
For instance, young horse that has
never been set in gully, with
load before, is whipped BY his owner, or
driver, because he does not draw the
load out. The animal is willing to do
what he can,' but lie does not hnow how
to draw out the load. He tries and
finds that it does not move, not know
ing that steadter and stronger pull
would do it, and when the lash comes
down upon him, and he hears the yells
Chat is the right word too often) Of his
driver, he is frightened, and jumps and
rears, through fear, rather than ugli-
ness, baulkyness. No better way could
possibly be devised to make a horse
baulky, than to beat him under such
circumstances. You might as well
attemp. to make horse move three
story building, and draw it off, as to get
out Of slough, with heavy load,
when the animal has never been taught,
b. degrees, to draw load out of such
places,
1t is true, that it is bad policy to
unhitch horse from load, under such
circumstances but it is far worse to
beat him an hour, and then have to do
it. Our way of teaching colts is as fol.
loves: Weput on light loads, after
they are we'll broke to a harness, and
go into bad places, where it requires
hard pulling by degrees and the
animal learns hOw to draw the load out.
He reasons as a man does thus: " I've |
been here before and got out, and | can
do it again." aud out he goes. We add |
to the load one or two hundred pounds,
and go through the same process, then
wait day or two and try him again,
taking care that We require nothing to
be done before, except with a little
lighter load, This is teaching a horse to
have confidence in himself, which is the
basis of all good draught horses.
A truckman of Boston got into a
deep snow bank, las: winter, with load
of two tons. He was "sct." Did he
bawl, or yell at and beat his horses ?
Not at all I" Charley" said he, address.
ing one Of his horses, we are iu bad
fix here, and I want you to do your best"
And when he gave the word go, they
did go, oxerting themselves to the ut
most, and the truck went on to its des-
tination. These horses were rational
animals, aud knew what it was to be
encouraged and so it should be in all
cases. a gentleman who witnessed the
truckman's operation stopped him, and
handed, him So. Take that" said
he, " it is the first time that | have
seen a truckman treat his horses, under
such circumstances, ina a proper man
ner."