HOW TO THROW OR MAKE A HORSE LAY DOWN.
Whatever you may intend the horse to do, it is always necessary to give him some idea what you wish him to do, and repeat whatever it may be until the horse is sure to remember it. To make a horse lay down, bend the left fore leg until the hoof is nearly bottom upwards; then fasten a loop over his leg above the pastern joint firmly, so that he cannot get the foot down: next fasten one end of another strap around his right foot above his hoof; place the strap through the left leg where it is bent; keep the strap in your right hand; keep on the left side of the horse; let the bridle have a strap to it; bring this up over the opposite-side of his neck, grasp it with your left hand, drawing the strap steady, so as to draw his head to the right; pull steady with the right hand strap, bearing against the shoulder to cause him to move; when he does move, he will come on his knees; keep the strap tight, so that he cannot straighten his leg; keep him in this position, turning his head towards you; bear against his side slightly with your shoulder with an equal pressure; in ten minutes or so, he will be down. As soon as he is down, he will be conquered; and you can handle as you please; keep his head up, now you may take off the straps, straighten out his legs, rub him about the face, head and neck with your hand the way the hair lays; handle all his legs gently, and he will soon learn that you won’t do him any harm. After he has laid some 15 or 20 minutes, let him get up again. Rest him a short time, and make him lay down again as before: repeat the operation three or four times which is sufficient for one lesson; give him 3 or 4 lessons, and he will lay down by taking hold of one foot, and tapping him on the other leg with a stick while you have hold of his foot—finally he will lay down from the motion of the stick. Before you attempt to make a horse lay down, place a thick bed of hay on the floor or ground, so that he cannot hurt himself in the least. If your horse is very scarry, fretful or skittish after you have given him one or two lessons, take something that will rattle or any thing that is calculated to frighten him, rattle it and pass over his head and about him; he may be much frightened at first, keep his head up, and he cannot get up, and by continuing with this, he will soon get used to it and not mind it. It will be the same with a kicking horse after you pass over him with harness, chains, &c. he will soon become accustomed to it, so that you can hitch him up and work him with safety.—In all cases where horses have been broke of bad habits, you should be cautious not to show him opportunities to learn his old tricks over. The most gentle horse can be spoiled and brought into bad habits; so you should be careful with the one that has just been broke from his bad habits.
The above is the only safe and sure course which you can pursue with a horse with bad habits. I would here again press upon you when you have him on his knees, to commence patting him under the belly—continue with gentle strokes upon the belly. You will in a few minutes bring him to his knees behind: continue the process and he will lay down and submit himself to your treatment. By proceeding gently you may handle his feet and legs any way you choose. By practising this process a few times, you will find him perfectly gentle and submissive, and will generally follow you, and is unwilling to leave you unless he be very wild; the first treatment will answer.—Should you have a very wild horse, and cannot manage him, take the button or horney substance which grows on the back part of the horse’s leg; dry this, pulverize it fine, drop a few drops of oil of roses and a few drops oil cummin; put some of this up his nostrils: this is best done by putting it in a large quill and blowing it up the nostril; feed him with a small portion of it from off your hand, with a little oats; also breathe your breath into his nostrils; by doing this, he will permit you to handle his feet, legs, &c. or permit you to get on his back, or suffer you to handle as you please. By pursuing these courses, and handling occasionally, always letting him know what you want him to do, you will be able to quiet and tame a horse to become perfectly gentle.