Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-06
Baking.

AS to the matter of "balking," no gen
eral direction can be given, or rule estab-
lished. If the education of the colt has
been conducted in accordance with the
principles | have in previous pages laid
down, he will not ba1k. Baking on the
part Of colts is, for the most part, the re-
suit of the trainers ignorance or passion.
Yelling and whipping on the part of the
trainer or driver, over loading, sore shOul-
ders, or ill-ftting collars-these are the
causes that make horses balk. But if you
have a horse or colt that balks, while |
cannot, without a personal knowledge Of
the sub ect, tell YOU what to do, [ can tell
you. what not 10 dO-neUer aohip. If
he won't go, let him stand still and think
it over. He will very often think better
of it, and after few moments reflection,
and few losses of his head, go on Of his
own accord. Or, if this does not answer,
get out Of the wagon and pat him, and
talk to him kindly. A horse is very sus
ceptible to kindness: and | have known
more than one quite vicious horse gentled
into good behavior by few pats from a
lady's gloved hand on the moist neck and
veined muzzle. Sometimes it is well to
loosen strap or start buckle. | have
known the mere act of unchecking and
pose. 1t took his attention off in another
direction, you see, changed the current of
his thought, and broke up his purpose
and determination to resist. For this
same reason, an apple, or a bunch of
grass from the roadside, or a handful of
oats, or few kernels of corn, will often
accomplish what an hour of beating could
never effect. The truth is a man must gov
crn himself before he can hope to gov
ern lower animals A man flushed with
passion, his brain charged with heated
blood, and eyes blazing with rage, is not
in condition to think clearly; and it is
just this thinking clearly that is, above all
else, needed in directing and controlling
horses. Hence it is, that contact with
horses, and an actual experience in teach
ing them, is one OF the finest discipines
a man can have. He grows to love the
colt he is teaching; and no nature is
utterly depraved in which is going on the
exercise of affection, no matter how
humble the object of it may be. HIS
employment makes it necessary for him
to think; and this keeps intellect, which
might otherwise have no development,
alive. The language of the stable is not,
as many pious and religious people i'm
agine, all slang. Care and anxiety are
felt in the groom's room, and consulta-
| tons held upon the issue Of which the
health and safety Of valuable property
depend. Plans are formed, and methods
of procedure adopted, upon which fame,
and vast sums of money, come and 60.
Faults of nature, and errors of education
and practice, are corrected; and the
trainer discovers, that, in schooling Gods
creatures, he is being schooled himself.
Thus, as in all other branches of honor
able industry, the horseman discovers
that he is the point from which one cur
rent goes forth, and another enters in.
He bestows, and he receives; he educates,
and is educated; and the life which so
many thoughtless people despise, closes,
as in the case of Hiram WoodruH-the
upright in heart and act-with honor, and
fame which can fail only when kind
ness toward animals, and integrity among
men, are regarded as of no account
From Mr.. .Hurray's Book on "1he Per-
feet HOrse'