HOW TO DRIVE OR BREAK A KICKING HORSE.
Or horses with bad habits. First take up one fore foot, bend his leg till his hoof is bottom upward, then slip a loop over his knee above the pastern joint to keep it tight. This should be done with a leather strap, forming a loop around the one, and so fixed as to buckle around the other; be careful so as to fasten it so as it cannot slip down or come loose, or you may pass a loop over the leg, and with another strap tie the loop close together, between the leg, so as to prevent it from coming down. This will leave the horse on three legs. You can handle now as you wish, as it is impossible for him to kick whilst his leg is up. This will conquer the horse quicker than any other course which you can pursue, and especially a kicker or one that runs off when he has the chance so to do.
The surest plan for a horse that will attempt to run off as soon as you hitch him up, is to fasten up his leg as directed above or learn him to hop along on three legs awhile, which he will soon learn to do. Exercise him two or three times, in this way fifteen or twenty minutes at a time, or until conquered, allowing his leg to be loosed. When you have learned him to walk in this way, fasten up his leg and put the harness on him and hitch up to sulky. Now you may drive off and need not be fearful of the horse kicking or doing any damage while one foot is up, nor can he kick or run fast enough to do any harm. But you can now drive him as you please. Should he want to run let him have the lines and whip too, with perfect safety; by doing this two or three times you will cure him at once of running off. The horse will be frightened at first, but he will soon see that you do not want to hurt him and will not care anything more about it. You can finally let down the leg and drive off gently without any further trouble.
I will here give you another plan to break or prevent a horse from kicking whilst working him. Loop a strap or rope around the horse’s hind leg, with one end and with the other end fasten around the foreleg, allowing it just long enough for him to make a step, in order to keep the strap from dragging on the ground or being in his way while walking. Pass a strap around his back, letting it pass under his belly and fasten it up in this way; this properly done will soon conquer him, as it is impossible for him to kick whilst the strap is to his legs.
I will still give you another plan to prevent a horse from kicking. Loop a strap around the hind leg; let it pass through between the fore legs, thence through the ring of the bridle bit, allowing the strap just long enough for him to make the step, now fasten the strap. You can now drive off with safety, as it is utterly impossible for him to kick or to do any harm. You should pass a strap around the horse’s back and fasten up the strap or rope to prevent it from dragging on the ground.
Another still to prevent a horse from kicking when hitched up in shafts, if he will stand quiet long enough to fasten in the shafts, when you have him hitched up, loop a strong strap around the shaft on the one side, let it pass over the hips and fasten it to the shaft on the opposite side; next fasten the strap to the harness at the top, so as to prevent it from slipping down; you can now drive off with safety, as far as the kicking is concerned; for he cannot kick to do any harm if the strap stays firmly at its place, and the vehicle heavy enough to prevent him from raising it.