Plunging forward at starting.—Use the rope-twitch (see [page 113]); or drive the animal, in the enclosure, on foot, with the long reins, while he is in the trap, after having given him a good long mouthing lesson (see [page 172]), and practise him at circling, turning, starting, and pulling up.
Pulling away from the pole.—See that the coupling chain is not too tight. Treat as for “Hanging against the pole” ([page 236]).
Undue fear of the whip.—Circle the horse with the long reins on foot (see [page 172]), and get an assistant to crack the whip all about him, without touching him with it, until he ceases to mind it; or do so, while he is tied head and tail. An application or two of the rope-twitch (see [page 113]) will expedite matters. The breaker should “make much of” the horse, when the animal stands quietly under the provocation given.
CHAPTER XV.
AGGRESSIVENESS.
Biting—Kicking—Savaging—Striking out in front.
Biting.—Apply the wooden gag (see [page 145]); tie up one fore-leg, or put on the strait-jacket; and gentle the horse all over, to shew him that he cannot bite, and that, when he vainly attempts to do so, he will hurt his mouth, by the pressure of the gag on his gums. On this account, its action is most salutary, and differs entirely from that of a muzzle, which simply protects the object of the animal’s resentment, without either checking the practice of the habit, or punishing him for indulging in it. I need hardly say, that, with the gag on, the horse is unable to bring his teeth together. The fore-leg may be let down, or the strait-jacket taken off, as soon as the horse is quiet to handle with the gag alone. This instrument may be kept in the horse’s mouth, for an hour at a time, during which period he should be handled with gentleness and freedom; particular care being taken not to irritate the animal, whose confidence and affection we should now endeavour to win. The worst biter ought to be rendered safe to handle, when the gag is out of his mouth, by three of these lessons a day, for two or three days. For safety-sake, the breaker might teach the horse the use of the word “steady!” with the rope-twitch (see [page 113]). Though many bad, treacherous biters have passed through my hands, I have never met one that would attempt to bite when the gag was taken out of his mouth, after he had been gentled, with it on, for a quarter of an hour, or even less. It might be advisable, with very vicious horses, to make them lie down, and hold them with their heads turned round, until they had “given in” (see [page 158]).
Kicking.—A horse that tries to deliberately kick anyone that comes within reach, may be broken of the habit by the rope-twitch (see [page 113]); or by making him lie down (see [page 153]). In such cases, it is well to thoroughly mouth the animal on foot with the long reins; so as to make him more attentive to the indications of the rein, than to the practice of his favourite vice. The man who drives on foot, in the enclosure, is secure from getting kicked by the horse; for, if the animal attempts to lash out at him, he can always pull the horse’s head round with the rein. Mouthing on foot, is specially applicable to horses that are in the habit of kicking at other horses, hounds, etc.
It is advisable to teach a kicker to turn his hind-quarters away from us (see [page 86]), when we approach him; supposing, of course, that he is free to do so.
Savaging.—Put the animal through the discipline advised for biting, in the preceding paragraph; give several (say, half-a-dozen) good mouthing lessons, with the long reins, on foot; and, if the animal be inclined to savage horses, or men, while being ridden, substitute for the ordinary breaking snaffle, the wooden gag (see [page 145]) during his mouthing lessons; and, also, ride him in it, for a few times. Savaging at polo may be easily cured in this manner.
An expert breaker can always manage to pull round a horse that rushes at him, while the animal is being driven on foot. Even when the horse backs and kicks, as well as attempts to savage, the driver can easily keep him in control, by pulling him round, alternately, with each rein. One has, naturally, to be quicker when a horse rushes at one than when he backs. I confine the expression, “savaging,” to the habit some animals have of worrying the object of their dislike, with or without rushing at it; and, “biting,” to the simple act of snapping with the teeth. Practical horsemen will understand this somewhat arbitrary distinction. I may remark that horses often bite, without, apparently, any vicious intention.