Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-03-24
TeachinS n Horse to Stop,

When | get new horse. and
that is not very often, make it my
first business to teach that horse to
stop suddenly, when first say whoa,
by gently jerking on the lines; the
horse soon begins to understand
you. He should be first taught to
stop while walking; then stopped
on gentle trot, and when finally
driven rapidly. There isn't horse
in the world that cannot be taught
III days time to stop, by a short
sharp whoa, without drawing on the
lines. And they should learn to do
this Just as quick as they can.
Presently, no matter how badly
frightened the horse is, he will stop
when he hears the word. Many
horses become unmanageablc when
they get their tails over the lines;
so if anything touches their heels
away they 90. To a horse properly
taught, the word of the driver should
be as potent as the stoutest lines.
Let me Illustrate the value of my
suggestions, by relating what have
saved in this way. Not long since,
I purchased a spirited young horse,
and the first lesson | gave him was
to stop when I spoke to him. Soon
after, I hitched him to the buggy,
and got into it with all my family.
I dare not say how many OF us there
were, lest some Of your readers
should envy me. Enough, that
with those at my side and in my
lap, could scarcely see the horse.
An unlucky whisk of the horses
tail brought the lines under it, and
quicker than | can tell you, the
horse made two sudden bounds, and
would have run away, but my
timely "whoa" brought everything
up standing; and / found the line
rs fast under the tail rs though it
were in vice. The united strength
of my whole family could hardly
have pulled it out. After standing
= moment it came out itself. Then
the whole family breathed easier,
and the reporters Of the daily press
lost good item.
One day, my horse and buggy
were standing in front Of my office,
and a needless expressman drove up
with top wagon, and fairly ran on
my establishment. The tiutterlng
Of the expressman's curtains, and
the rafting Of his rickety wagon,
frightened my horse SO badly that
he few back, tore the bits out OF
his mouth, broke his hitching strap,
and started. on run.
hooking out of the window I saw
with most indignant eyes the whole
transaction. l sprang to the door
and spoke Il loud sharp "whoa."
And though | was some five Or six
rods distant from the horse, he
stopped as though he had met Il
stone wall in his road. | breathed
easier again for had saved fifty or
seyenty-tive dollars, the amount Of
the threatened smash up.
Another day, my horse standing
hitched and kicking flies, got his
feet entan 5led and fell down. While
struggling to rise, the rump strap
broke, and feeling himself loose, he
sprang to his feet and started on
lively run, with the buggy in the
rear. An old farmer gentleman
just passing, instinctiyely cried out
"whoa." "My gracious, mister"
said he, 81 never saw the like of
that; why, if l had hit that horse
over the head with "a club, he
wouldn't have stopped any quicker.
Fine horse, we'll broken; been one
of my horses, sir, your wife would
have had plenty Of kindling wood.
Never stopped a horse that way be-
fore. Cor, Ohio Farmer.