Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-02
HORSES AND THEIR VICES.
Points of Information of General Interest
and Importance.
(F'rom the Pittsburgh Leader)

(From the Pittsburgh Leader)
The other day happened to he in a
circle of men who were all lovers of horses
and were posted on many pecuarties Of
the equine nature
do any of you gentlemen know a sure
way to cure a horse of kicking?" said the
downeaster, addressing the others defer
entially.
Why" answered the New York horse
dealer. Il always do it by tying part of
the horses tail to the shaft. That usual
ly fixes him."
YES" remarked the man from the
plains, that's one way. but know a bet
ter one"
Hold on a minute" 1 interrupted, 81
want to understand why tying a horses
tail to the shaft will prevent him from
kicking?"
That's easy enough" said the New
Yorker. You see a horse can't kick I'M
I'll he gets his head down and his tail up;
isn't that so, gentlemen
The others all assented
but why can't hep" / persisted.
simply because he can't; no horse ever
did. Consequently, when you tie his tail
down you upset his calculations. My idea
is that he gets so distracted studying
what's the matter with his tail and trying
to lift IL when he can't that he forgets to
kick"
Very likely" said the downeaster;
"now what's your way?'
Why" answered the man from the
plains, the way we fi2- "A kicking horse is
to tie one of his fore legs with rope to
the hind leg on the other side. Then as
soon as he starts to Kick he jerks his
front leg off the ground and goes down in
a heap. Two or three doses of that treat
ment will cure the worse case you can
find."
But suppose" suggested, "your
horse Kicks with the foot that is not
tied?"
That's not the way bad kicker acts.
Onas in a while horse will let out side
wise with one hind foot alone, but as a
general thing the ones you have trouble
with kick both hind and front feet at the
same time, and my rope brings 'ein down
every clip"
The talk ran along for a little while, and
presently came to the best method Of deal
ing with balky horse Various old-fash-
toned ways were suggested and finally the
downeaster went them all one better with
the following system. which he elaine
as his own He prefaced his remarks with
little story.
The last time | was down in Boston
happened to two fine black horses
standing in front of a store There was a
private coach behind them, and Il coach
man on the seat was trying to start up tho
team, but couldn't do it. AS fast as one OF
Otnpl
would pull back, and there was no budg-
ing them. / joined the crowd standing
around and found out that the team had
been there over half an hour, ana no.
body had been able to start the balky
horses.
II looked on for a while, and pretty soor
the owner came along very mad because
he was in hurry to go somewhere. IL,
told the coachman to get move on thos,
horses - quick or he'd make things
lively. The coachman said he'd done hi!
hest and didn't know any other way, Sc
then ] stepped up and asked the man II
he would like to see the horses go.
Would II? he said, very red in tn,
face, I'm just make 1t worth your while d
you get 'em Off
All right said /, IN make 'em go.
So just walked up to the balky horse ant
patted his neck a little and talked to him
and the first thing everybody knew tina
team was going down the street so fas
that the coachman could hardly hold 'em. >
How did you do it?" said ].
"rhats what the man wanted to know
and all the other people. AS far as the,
could see I hadn't done anything, but
had just the same It's a nice little trick
You walk up to a horses head and pretend
to fool around little, and then, as quicl
as you can, run pin through the tip o
one Of his ears and let 1t stay right there
You know the ears are a horses tenderes
point, he can't do anything without hi
ears; he can't think without his ears
Well, as soon as the pin goes through hi
ears you can make up your mind that n
knows it, because it hurts. lie probabl,
thinks that 1t Is some new kind OF a Il,
that won't shake off, and the whole fore
of his mind Is centered on getting ava,
from that fly, so he does the only thin
there Is left-that Is, tear away at full
speed don't believe that scheme eve
failed. There are balky horses that'I lie
You build a fire under them without NOV
ing, but there amt any that will stan,
still and let you stick a pin in one of thei
ears"
do you mean to say that there eve
was balky horse that would stand still
when there was a fire burning unde
him." asked incredulously
Certainly do. They won't let the FIR
burn 'em through; they simply kick