St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-06-28
Novel Way to Cure shying Horse.


The lash WAS the old remedy for all
faults and vices: it is now supplanted
among the hest horSemcm 10y kindness
and philosophical methods. This horse
the story Is taken from Il book on
dogs and horses 10y Shirley Hihhrrd
always SHE'D at an open umbrella How
to cure him WAS the problem We will
let the owner tell the story of the cure
in his own words
''IiorscS are generally fond of raw
POTATOES. | provided myself with Il
few small ones, nicely washed; and
taking i'll my left hand IL shut umbrella.
went into the stable and after giving
the mare II potato from my right hand.
presented her with one stuck on the
point of the closed umbrella. shortly
afterwards gave her another, with the
umbrella slightly opened: then anoth-
cr and another: each time opening the
umbrella still farther, and ST. ON, until
it was presented fully open. AT first.
Fanny appeared alarmed AT what she
doubtless considered as her old enemy /;
but seeing the potato ON the point. she
soon became rcc0nciled. and took it off,
though showing Il little shvnesS. The
next time she took it with scarcely any
fear. This lesson was repeated Il few
times until she became 50 familiar with
the open umbrella, and so fond of the
potato presented with it. that she per
mitted it to bc furled and mturled. un
der and over her head. and about her
in every direction: and. being ever re-
Wardcd 10y the potato. i'll the end she
actually became fond of seeing me ear
~ the umbrella. on make my appear
ance in the stable. But how would
she act ont of the stable! that was the
question.
Not long after these lessons were
giN en-, an opportunity occurred for test
i'll" her out of doors one rainy day. A
person was met on the road carry ing an
umbrella. Fanny was left with Il toll
crablN free head. and the success of the
experiment was fully proved. The
mare actually went across of hen own
accord. to the other side of the road,
" here the umbrella was. doubtless eX-
pcctimg a potato, She was disappoint-
ed fnr the moment, but Was rewarded
with one when she went home. and
never after that did She shy at nn open
umbrella.
The writer of this paragraph has Il
horse perfectly kind and gentle, but
ner> Gus and eAcitable. who had habit
of starting back whenever any one
went To take her 10y the hit OF to unfas
ten her from Il post. What was the rca
son judged that in times past she
had been struck upon the head by some
>ulrlN OF careless groom. Every time.
therefore. | went to her head | carried
her IN apple or potato. The conSe-
qucnce Is that the new association of
ideas has entirely obliterated the old
| here Is no longer amy ShNing or ERIK
ing back she expects Il small luxury in
the form of some taVorite food, and the
old fear is quite gone. Kindness. calm
Hess. and fcarleSsness are the three con
ditionS of true horse training
LET llORSE> HAVE THEIR NATURAL
GAIT. 1t is bad policy to move team
out of its natural gait. especially with II
load. 1t l. fan better to put on Il full
load, and even IL little more. and give
the horses their own time for moving it
to It's place of destination. than to make
tW" loads of il and hurry them. There
Is Il certain degree of rapidity of action
peculiar T." the muscles of each class of
animals. and indeed to each individual
animal. and if they are pressed beyond
this, fatigue follows quickly. while with
III this limit great endurance is witness
ed. /" test this. let Il man attempt to
move his arms as rapidly as IL bird does
its wings. OF his legs in walking as
rapidly as II little boy. and see how
greatly he will become exhausted. This
will convince him of the folly of at
tempting To make his heavy draft horses
move with the rapidity of the pony or
fast trotter. The law of nature is that
heavy bodies move slowly. NorH
" c>tc,n Farmer.