Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-10-17
TRICKS FOR HORSES.
The ANIMALS ARE EASILY TAUGHT
AND QUICK TO LEARN,

They Can, without Much Trouble, DC
Made 10 Signal eyes" and "No," TO
-ShaLS Hands and to Lie Down ut
tho Word of Command
There are so many things that a
horse can be taught to do. says Sue
cess, that II Is hard to tell which TO
select as best illustrating the methods
by which we teach them. The follow
ing, however, will furnish the key:
Take IA pin in your hand, and, stand
Ing abreast of horses near shout
der, prick him lightly on the breast.
This resembles the bite of n fiy. and
to drive of the nuisance lie Will bring
down his nose to his breast. This you
accept rs Yes" and Immediately re-
ward him by feeding him lump of
Sugar or some other trife that he likes.
Repeat the operation till he brings
down his head at the slightest move
ment of your hand toward his breast.
~ degrees you can substitute n simple
downward movement of the hand.
which Is less noticeable to an onIook.
er. bat equally effective,
Standing IN the same position, prick
him lightly with q pin on the top or his
neck. He VIII at once shake his head
which Is accepted as NO" then re-
ward him as before. Repeat this until
he shakes his head at the least upward
movement of the hand. This signal.
us lac learns his lesson more perfectly.
can he gradually lessened until II is
NOlN SLIGHT indnaH
No IL very simple trick. and vet
there Is none that shows To better ad-
vantage OF course when horse has
thoroughly learned to obey the signals
yod can ASK him some questions and
theh, by the motion OF your hand
make him say Yes" or No" ms Won
picasc.
10 teach horse to shake hands. fas-
i"h Il short strap 10 one fore foot below
Sc fetlock. Then, standing In front Of
=" Eorse and having the strap In Your
-.ihd, say, shake hands" and imme-
ely pull UP his foot and take il In
OR hand. Then, still holding the foot.
reward ana caress him exactly as Won
would II he had given il to you of his
own accord. Keep repeating the oper-
/ NNA'iS N''iNA Ul ~ ltNiiIU nm ONLY
while his foot is in your hand. He will
very soon learn to give YOU his foot
the moment you reach your hand To-
ward it,
10 teach horse to lie down nj n
word OF command first select a good.
smooth piece OF greensward, where he
Will not hurt himself. Harness him
with surcingle and bride and stran
up his on fore foot. A common breech-
ing strap is best for this, the short
loop around his foot between the fet-
lock and the hoof and the long one
around his forearm. Fasten one end
OF a strap to the near fore foot below
the retlock, pass the other end Nh
through the surcingle and take ii In
your right hand and the bride rein in
your lert hand. Push him slightly, and
the moment he steps pull sharply on
the strap.
This OF course Will bring him to his
knees. II he is a horse of any spirit.
he will generally fight very pertina
ciously before he goes down; but. hav-
ing the use OF only his two hind legs.
ne soon becomes wearied and rests
with his knees on the ground. Now
pull his head toward you, and he will
rail- over the other way.
Hold him down for some minutes
meanwhile speaking to him very sooth-
ingly. Feed him Jumps of sugar: I'm
fact, make as much as possible OF him
while In this position. Then release
him and repeat the lesson. He soon
learns to lie down very readily. and
then you can omit strapping his off
fore foot Later you can also abandon
the use OF the strap and surcingle by
taking his near foot In your hand
Then you can accomplish the purpose
by simply touching the near fore leg
With your hand and finally by mo-
tion OF yOur hand toward his leg.
You should always accompany the
signal by the command, Lie DOWN.
BY degrees he learns its meaning. and
the signal can be dispensed with. If a
horse is large and strong, the trainer
must be cool, wide awake and alert:
otherwise he may make II botch of II
and inJure the horse or himself or
both.