The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-04-27
How to Drive a Horse.

It is a very common opinion that any
body with Ii tie practice can drive o horse
This is generally true, because good fami-
ly horse used to the road, will almost drive
himself, and many animal, wilt turn opttot
their own accord when they meet vehicle
or will 60 through gateway quite as WI
if not better, than the majority OF people
can guide him. But the use of driver is
not only to guide the horse, but to con-
troi him. Here is where the great falacy
of the common belief becomes evident
Instead of nearly anybody being able to
control q horse, it is au undoubted fact
that without the consent of the animal
few parsoDs-about one in thousand
are able to do it. There may be giants
here and there, but we seldom see them
driving. The horse, while he is the most
docile ard tractable Of all our domestic
anlinais-not one excepted is at the same
time The most timid foolish, and some
times the most dangerous. 70 no other
animal do we SO often trust our lives and
happiness, and over none have we so little
Influence in The moment Of danger. When
Il horse is frightened, his first impulse is
to run, aud when be does that he has
everything bis own way. A strong man
tugsing at the mouth ola runaway horse
is comparatively like child in strength.
AT no time does our physical power sp-
pear SO tritiing, so Inundated. The great
reason why, in contest between q man
and horse, the latter is SO frequently
victorious, is because the man chooses to
tight the horse with the horses weapons.
neolecting those which are peculiar to him
self. The horse is endowed with wonder
iul strength Of muscle-the man with vigor
of brain /; but we seldom see the man.
brain brought to bear agaiustthe horses
muscle. Aud yet, if it We're done. we
believe that, in the majority of cases the
muscle would have to succumb. That it
is not done is greatly to the shame and
injury OF the man. As to. the methods of
bringing the human brain into play in such
cases, they are simple enough. We may,
some OF US, remember the anecdote of the
sailor who was sent to a country black
smiths shop with an anchor. in cart
The sailor was not used to driving, aud he
did it so wildly that the horse ran off.
Unable to stop him by the most vigorous
commands and the most energetic pulls at
the animals tackle, the sailor made fast a
rope to the anchor, tied that to the tail
board and braced himself against the gun
vale of the cart. In about seven seconds
the horse came to the most sudden stop
be ever experienced in his life, and the
sailor with brains) waved his tarpaulin.
VIGOROUSLY. 1t would be rather 'incon-
vent for US 10 always carry an anchor in
the vehicle when we went out riding, but
if there was no other way of stopping a
runaway horse it would be better to EN-
ploy this. But there are other ways
There are several methods of controlling
hard mOuthed or,frightnned horses, by ap
pliances which have been patented, and
which, working on the pulley principle
have been proved Valuable. - AS. rule
It would be a very good thing for all horse.
gentle or spirited, to be harnessed, wheue
ver driven, with the best of these bride!
and lines, which put it in the power o.
the driver to exercise power upon the bit
whenever it may be necessary, and wber
| it is going to be necessary, nobody knows
But il these things are too expensive o.
difficult to obtain We might all harness on
horses much mere sensibly than wedo
Instead Of buckli g the driving lines te
the ring of the bit, we should pass then
through it, bring them back, aud taste,
them to some part of the harness, say til,
checkrein hook. This will, at least
double our power over the animal, ant
the lines will generally slip easy enough
through the ordinary bit rings wilhou
pulleys such as the patent brides ART
furnished with. II horse is very hard
mouthed or vicious, double pulley woult
give giants power over-him; but whethe
this would interfere with existing patent
| cannot know. If. 10 the way propose,
for persons using the ordinary harness, TIL
lines are buckled together before bein;
passed under the check-Iein hook, tn
possible breaking of the latter will no
cause the driver to lose control of tn
horse. A little soapng where they ru
| through the bit, aud proper arrangement
for avoiding too much contact of the tw
portions of the line driving gently. will. c
course, add to the effectiveness Of the al
rangement. All this is simple enough
and not new thing. Why, then, canno
they to whom tlle plan looks reasonabl
generally adopt it, and make their live
aud limbs comparatively safe. when dri,
ing?
a N