Animals are often sulky, and quickly acquire the habit of lying down. Balky horses, when urged to go, will lie down and refuse to get up, and an ox will sometimes lie down in the furrow when before the plough. When the habit is thoroughly settled, it becomes very annoying to the owner or driver, who often resorts to severe means, but fails to accomplish the end desired; therefore, to prevent violence and ill-treatment, I give the easy and simple remedy subjoined, which, when adopted, will be found to be practical and never-failing:
Raise the animal’s head up, as illustrated in the foregoing plate, and pour into his nostril a small quantity of water, not to exceed a pint, from a pitcher or cup, and you will be amused by the pleasing result: the animal will rise to his feet as quickly as it is possible for him to do so; he believes himself to be drowning, and will extricate himself with all speed.
Simple as is this expedient, it is yet unfailing in its efficacy; and that which most commends it to the acceptance of kind-hearted men is the absence of all cruelty in its application. No pain is caused, but the unusual sensation, together with the necessity for air on the part of the horse, banishes his former feeling of sulkiness or anger and the yields to the almost irresistible impulse to spring to his feet and free his nostrils of the water.
If any one who has never applied this remedy should doubt its power, he only needs to try the experiment in a mild way on himself, when he will realize its power upon the horse.
I believe it would be impossible to devise another method so free from pain, so harmless to the horse, and yet so thoroughly efficacious as is the one we have here given.
TO EDUCATE A COLT NOT TO BE AFRAID OF HIS HEELS.
