Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-10-13
BaIky Horses.

variety OF punishment within the pale
of human limits, but as the vice is not
yet remedied, he appeals in despair for
advice. The treatment of the animal
and the tone of the letter sent us. plain
ly shows that our correspondent has
lost all patience, and that in conse-
quence, what he does to the horse is
done under extreme excitement, which
is the very worst condition in viii h q
man can approach and attempt to han
die balky horse. That baking is one
OF the most exasperating things with
which men have to deal, is freely adj
mitted, but excitement not only does no
good. but it does very much harm. 1t
IS impossible to say why some horses
talk, and knowing no other cause, it is
fair TO presume that it is the result of
pure natural cussedRess; and If that
presumption is correct, the horse when
refusing to go is something like stub
born child or even q stubborn man the
more YOU scold and the more you chas-
tse, the greater is the stubbornness
developed. We have seen horses refuse
to bulge an inch though a fire had been
kindled under them, and we remember
one horse tn would lie down when he
balked, and submit like a martyr to be-
ing gouged W tn a pitchfork. There
can scarcely be any species eft pun
ishment which we have not seen
inflicted upon balky horses. and
there are few instances in which il
has done any good, because the man
was excited. and the herse was
excited, and the harder the man str OK
and the louder h. swOre, the more Is
tinctly the animal said: 81 won't -
There may be no grounds for the suspi-
cion, and it is, perhaps, attributing to
the horse too much of the reasoning
faculty, to think that when he balks he
de .iberately sets about irritating the
driver, and that if he finds he cannot
irritate him, he will ietly give up the
undertaking. but really it often appears
TO be SO. We have not ced that if e
dr. is deliberate in has actions, and
moves about as if moth NC in all the
world could suit him better for the time
be NO, than to have the animal balR,
and then in a uuiet sort of a way, as if
he were amusing h m>elf, intiict punish
ment, the horse appears to be non
plussed, and to conclude that he is play
ing a game in which the fun is all ON
the other side. We were greatly amused
at the recital of the manner an owner
treated balky horse by tl ing up one
of its tore lie g, and then sitting down
where the horse could see hin and
quietly reading paper. We have
not the slightest doubt that such a
course would result most salts actorily.
1t does not require mu h stretch of
Imagination TO cture that horse as
utterly disappointed and utterly dis
|
while his owner was comfortably seated
in the shade, the outcome of that little
enterprise was so entirely different from
amount of disgust was pardonable.
We had some years ago horse that
had this irritat NJ vice, but we had lit
tie difficulty in breaking him of it. When
he would balk we would approach his
head calmly, pretend TO arran e some
| portion of the harness, stroke his face
kindly, and then clasping his nose.
twist it in such manner as to inhict
severe pain, pulling hisn forward at the
same time, but being careful to give him
the impression that the whole thing was
a matter of course, and that it would
have been n dreadful disappointment il
it had not happened. A lew times OF
this sort of treatment was quite suffi-
Gent To effect a cure. In the manage
ment of horses the animal must be
taught to respect the man, and no horse
will respect any man that shows no
more, sense than the animal itself shows
when it becomes angry and stubborn.
If the horse knows that any neglect OF
duty on h part will inSnre punishment,
but that it will not be given in the spirit
of revenge, but in the spirit OF dignified
love, he will be careful rot to merit it.
! The animal feels toward dts master, I'M
der su h circumstances, something az
men feel toward the law. They respect
the law and know that it w IL not harm
them so long as they are o edient to its
commands, but they know if they vio-
late it, they must feel its penalties, not
savagely inflicted. but inflicted without
anger. and with dignity.
Thus far we have been speaking of
| no SEES in which the habit Of baking is
confirmed. If the animal balks for the
! first time while in your possession, a
careful examination of the harness
/ should be made. in order to see if draw
ing is not pa nful TO the animal. We
once witnessed a numLskul beat a
horse numerically for baking at the
foot of a hill, when the whole trouble
was that the collar was too small, and
il was utterly inn ossible for the animal
to draw the load and breathe. 1t is
sincerely to be hoped that not many
such id OTIS as this man will ever have
the handling of horses. but the case
serves as an exaggerated illustration of
many things that may be the causes of
such troub e. There are stubborn and
desperately wicked horses, but as a rule
This anima is faithful and intel gent
servant of man, and will per orm his
duties if his driver will periOl m his. II
the horse refuses to do what is required
of him. his usually noble. willing ma
ture merits close scrutiny of all at
tending circumstances before he is
wholly tondemned for apparent negle t
or stubbornRess. -Diyig0 me. RHrGL.