RULES FOR A HORSE THAT SHYES.
When you have a horse that shyes or scares at a stump, log or any object that may come in his way, never whip him for it, or attempt to force him up to it or by it. But be easy with him, try and get him up to the object by gentle handling; patting and rubbing him on the neck, shoulders, &c. Finally you will get him up to the object, and he will smell or feel it with his nose. If you pursue this course he will finally forget and give up the habit of scaring. If you wish to satisfy yourself about this course, take a buffalo robe or a red blanket, place your horse in a yard and hold up the robe, moving towards him; he will soon throw up his head, snort and run. Then throw the robe down in the centre of the yard; if frightened he will not rest until he has touched it with his nose; he will soon begin to walk toward the robe and snort, getting a little closer until he touches it with his nose, he will see that it will do him no harm, and finally he will pick it up with his teeth and care nothing about it. This will show you at once that if you can get him up to the object and let him feel it with his nose, he will care nothing about it, and soon forget his scaring, &c.—When you try the robe experiment step up to one side and watch his motions, and he will soon give you the principle upon which he acts. The same course must be pursued in breaking wild colts; go up to it cautiously and by degrees, never rush up to it all at once; be cautious, watch the colt, and if you see that he is frightened at your approach stop a little, and when he becomes quiet approach a little nearer, and so on until he will suffer you to touch his face, then rub him gently the way the hair lays; continue doing this until he will permit you to feel him pretty near all over; then place your halter on him, gently rubbing and feeling him over the face and head. When you have the halter on lead him over the yard cautiously; do not frighten him or whip him. Never whip unless he is very stubborn and does not fear you, then you should give him a few sharp cuts with the whip about his hind legs so as it will crack sharp and cause him to fear you. After you have him started feel his face, fore legs, &c. a good deal more than you have whipped him, then he will soon become fond of you again. After you have learned him to move off, you may put on the bridle and learn him by gentling him as you did with the halter; you may now put on the saddle, but do it cautiously, feeling him by degrees, then get yourself a block about eighteen inches high, place this by his side and when he gets used to this get up on the block, then put your foot in the stirrup, putting a little of your weight in it by degrees; as soon as you find he will bear it you can get on the saddle and make him move off, but do it all cautiously so as not to frighten him. When you have learned him all this you may next put on the harness, carefully feeling him first, and give him to understand what you want him to do; as soon as he finds out you will not hurt him he will suffer the harness to be put on; now you may hitch him to a light log, and learn him to pull this first; when he does this well use a heavier one, and when he does this all well you can hitch him up in a wagon or sulky, but do it all carefully, and do not frighten him or you may make a bad job of it. The above principle should always be carried out in every thing you wish the horse to learn. You cannot expect a man to do any piece of work for you unless he understands it, or has learned the principle of it, much less can you expect a horse to do something he knows nothing about. If you pursue this course you can soon get the horse to understand what you want him to do, and he will become very fond of you. I will here state that if you have a very stubborn colt or horse, you may use the oil of roses and oil of cummin with the powdered button, which should be blown into his nostrils.