The Russellville Democrat., 1882-07-20
Neglected Education Of the
 Horse.

" USU We ItAeEb Iuhb tue very young colt has not learned to scare at objects and sounds that will frighten an old horse, we can only conclude that lessons upon the horse have a double action: First he learns to take fright at sights and sounds, then he is made, in measure, to forget these lessons, by being con Yinced that certain things imagined by him to be dangerous are entirely harmless. If this version be correct, then how much easier to ha5ituate the horses, from early colthood up, to such sounds and objects as are known to be common sources of fright to the horse.
 The reason of the horse becoming startled at certain usual things when he comes upon him without warning, is that they are unexpected; and the fault in his education lies in the fact that we fail to accustom him to sights and sounds which we know he will be exposed to when driven upon the street or road. The very young colt accepts what he is usher ed into the presence of, and has no idea of having enemies to guard against.
 The grown up horses about him become afraid of the seuseless groom and spring forward in their stalls or boxes when he comes near with a whip or pltchfork in hand. The young colt partakes of the fear, and from that moment is on the lookou: of danger. When he goes to the pasture with his dam It is to be in company with the notably timid horse of the farm, the one that the mlschievous boys always delight in starting on the run. The timid horse elevates his head and tail, glveshis warning snort, and the whole herd, including the sucking colt, obey the gnal--the relic of the wild state-and from that moment the young colt is taught to look out for danger.
 The dam driven on the road with the colt by her side, is given to shy ing. The colt, having no suspicious before, now learns to look upon the bush, stump, flag, or whatever else It's dam shows fear Of, as a danger ous object, a thing to be avoided. Signals are peculiar to the domesti- cated state, as to the state of wilder ness, and when the dam circles away from the bush or stump, she gives the colt the signal of danger, and from that moment the colt learns to scare when on the road.
 If the whip is used, then the colt, through the sudden springs of its dam, is doubly impressed with the idea of danger On returning, as re membering localities is one of the strongest traits of intelligence in the horse, both mare and colt, as they near the spot where the imaginary danger is, will prepare for the usual quick movements to one side, and will be in an eXpectant state for the whip. So, as the marc is taught. the colt also learns. Its education begins when it's eyes first see the light, and it's ears first hear q sound. If the mare is made to stop quiet. ly at tue first intimation that she IS about to shy, and induced quietly to approach the object, neither harsh word nor whip being used, she is not only disarmed of fear of the object, but the colt is prevented from taking alarm, and the danger of falling into very bad habit is avoided.
 We all know that early impress ions made upon the child, if at all startling, are rarely, if ever, entirely eflaced. The sentiment of fear is more natural to the colt than to the child, and fear in the colt is blind and unreasoning; not necessarily so, but made so by neglect in his educa- tion, for all men know, or at any rate all should know, that the horse of average intelligence is quite as capa- ble Of remembering lessons that are given him with care as some men are. We often hear it said of chil- dren that they have been ruined in their education. We rarely hear this said of horse; yet it is as of ten true of the latter as of the former.
 Intelligence and tractability should be as steadily required of the horse used as a sire, as size and good breeding; for vicious stallion gives more or less of this damaging trait to all his get. Bad temper is some times SO fixed in the animal as to be beyond the power of man to eradi- cate 1t, or even to keep it under fair control But in the case of colt of fair disposition and average intclli gence, there is hardly any emergen cy liable to arise in ordinary driving, team, or farm work, that he will not face without fear, or danger of doing harm, if he has been properly taught, will go down hill without holdbacks. allowing the cross bar to press against his thighs; while without the training, he will run away If aI single strap gets loose or disarrang- ed. In the one case we educate the horse as we do the boy, that we may render hlm valuable through his un- derstanding, and the knowledge of the duties we expect him to per