The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-21
MANAGING HORSES.
HOW YOU SHOULD AND HOW YOU
SHOULD NOT TREAT THEM.

and Never Kick the Animal
Horses are essentially creatures of
habit; of gentle, confiding dispositions,
Interestingly nervous; timid, Mt times
irritable, and promo to resist strenuous
ly anything that frightens them. If, for
example. you put rope halter OH an
unbroken colt and tie him to post, the
more the rope cuts into his tender skin
the greater Will DO his struggles, while
he Will soon yield to a halter that in
fliots no pain.
Through nervous fright horses some
times become panic stricken and abso-
lutely uncomfortable. They suffer also
occasionally from what, for want of
better name, may be called nervous
paralysis, when they seem to be phys
1caliy incapable Of motion. This con-
d1t1on is almost invariably the result of
brutal treatment, and the only reason
ablo explanation Of it Is that the first
emotion aroused in the horse by punish
ment is fear; that when no finds that
he cannot escape anger and n spirit of
resistance are mingled with his fright,
and that these combined emotions pro-
duce this morbid state.
The horse is quick to take advantage
OF tho Ignorance or the fear of those
who control him. AS compared with
the dog, he is somewhat slow of COM
prchension, but no differs from the dog
III this also-that he seldom becomes
too old to learn new tricks" and his
memory is so retentive that he never
forgets what ho has once thoroughly
learned.
1t may also DO set down as rule,
with but few exceptions, that he intends
to do just right If he err, it is from
Ignorance. pain or fright, rarely from
stubbornness or vice This seems to be
generally unknown or at least disrc-
garded, for of all animals tho horse is
the least understood, the most harshly
judged and unjustly treated, and for the
least infracti0n Of discipline he is too
often brutally punished. If men who
train horses would control their tenn
pers and endeavor to ascertain the cause
of the animals misbehnvior, they would
find that there is often good excuse for
his actions.
The eye is the best index to tho ami
mails feelings Tho cars arc very cx-
pressive, but they do not reveal SO
plainly the emotions that arc dominant
ing him as the eye docs. Therefore
study the eye with it's varying express
sions. and when you can road its mean
ing you hold the key to one of the chief
secrets of successful horse training.
The horse should be convinced that
resistance is useless but do not be i'm
patient Or harsh. Remember that sue
cess is the reward of unwearied pa
thence. If you fail at first, keep trying
until You succeed. Do not be disoour-
aged if you do not seem to make much
progress. Your tnsll mny tnke weeks or
even months, but if you persevcre you
will triumph.
While it is truo that with spmo horses
the whip must be occasionally used, it
should BIO the very Inst resort, and re-
member always that one, or Mt most
two, cuts and few sternly spoken
words are more efflcacious than an
hours punishment. There is no moro
vicious or false idea than that Il horse is
benefited by "sound thrushing.n On
the contrary, it is tho very worst thing
you can do, because the horses recollec-
ton OF the pain and the fright occa-
stoned by it is more vivid and enduring
than his remembrance of why it was
administered, and mt your next lesson
he is nervous md afraid and at the least
motto of anger i'll your voice (for horses
judge tho mood of the trainer by his
manner and his tono of voico) he NAV
become almost uncomfortable in his eff
forts to escape the expected flagellation.
1t is safe rule for any one having a
hasty temper not to have whip at
hand. The temptation to use it may be
too great. And it is also wise not to at
tempt to teach him when you arc in
bad humor for if he does not do lust
right you will probably vent some of it
Oh him.
When whipping is used only as last
resort, the necessity for it seldom arises.
AS the horse makes progress in his edu-
cation no understands better what is ro.
quircd of him and transgresses less fire..
qnently and nearly always sound rat
ing when he knows that he is misbe-
having is sufficient. Smetimes when
this is disregardcd a slap with the open
hand will cause instant obedience.
There are two forms of punishment,
or rather brutality, that are inexcusa-
BILE under any circumstances these are
striking horse over the head no mat
ter how light the blow, and kicking
hinEand aside from their inhumanity
there is great danger of permanently in
JurinS him. Whenever during a lesson
colt or young horse becomes heated
aud angry, cease at once, and if you
have been impatient and abused him
keep away from him and do not ap-
proach him until he has forgotten the
occurrence.