The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-07

the animals back, not once, but many
times. This, when not blow had been
struck during his manifestation of fright.
Now, the time to punish a horse that
shows any inclination to "shy" is before
or during the preparation of the offense.
If the whip is judiciously used when the
animal is beginning to take alarm the
effect is to distract his attention from the
cause of his fright and to fix his mind,
which can never entertain more than one
idea at time, upon his work. IF he ex-
hibits fright and when the cause of it has
passed out of view he feels the pain of
the whip he will always thereafter associ-
ate the particular object with the idea OF
punishment and will never fail to be
frightened when it appears. I venture to
say that this particular horse will never
again see an electrician without being
thrown into alarm. Thanks to his driver,
he has also acquired a worse vice. Thick
and fast the blows fell upon his back. as l
watched the pair, and the PLUNGE forward
that followed each fall of the lash was
checked by cruel jerk at the bit, until
finally what l was confidently expecting
happened. Down went the head of the
thoroughly angered and frightened Great
ure and pair of iron-shod heels flew once,
twice through the air. The first time tn ey
caught the wooden dashboard and splin-
tered it finely. The second kick was e.
livered rather perfunctorily. It was EVIL
IDENTIFY not usual trick and the horse
looked back in a curious way, as though
rather wond ering what he had done.
But the driver had had enough. The
swinging heels had come unpleasantIy
near to his own shins and he put up his
whip-a second and fatal blunder. The
brain of the horse is logical if narrow, and
that one will never forget that punish
ment ceased upon his kicking. He will
probably never again be safe to drive
without ''kicking-strap."
1t is curious fact that nearly hall the
lighter driving horses seen upon the streets
of San Francisco are equipped with this
adjunct to the harness. You use un-
usually heavy harness out here, do you
notP newcomer to the coast said to me
the other day. ~ think not" was my
reply. Then he called my attention to
several horses, all within single block on
Market street, wearing the broad, strong
strap extending over the quarters from
shaft to shaft that proclaims the wearer d
kicker. "Ah." was his comment, 81 un-
derstood there was good deal of kicking
in California just now, but did not asso-
ciate it with the horses"
But it is fact that never, in any other
City, have seen as many Kicking horses
as bear about our streets this badge of
their disgrace. A horse that once acquires
the trick of kicking is rarely cured of it.
have known of the habit being con-
quered by steady kindness and gentle
treatment, but the animal seldom takes to
kicking until he is goaded to it by harsh,
unreasonable treatment, or by teasing,
and once this pass is reached with him
his disposition is almost certain to be
hopelessly spoiled. The only remedy the
driver has is to have kicking-strap added
to the harness, by which at least half the
value is taken from the horse if be is
offered for sale. The kicking-strap is a
heavy strip of leather that, to be of any
use, should be at least two inches wide,
going over the hips and fastened to the
shaft on either side. It should be loose
enough to allow the horse to trot without